IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Gardiner Brown, of 9, St. Thomas Street, in the
Parish of St. Thomas, in the Borough of Southwark, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS AND
PARASOLS."
Sealed the 20th February 1880, and dated the 5th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Gardiner Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1879..
ALFRED GARDINER BROWN, of 9, St. Thomas Street, in the Parish of St. Thomas,
in the Borough of Southwark, Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
"
This Invention has for its object to provide a certain amount of ventilation in
umbrellas and parasols which the ordinary construction of these does not yield, and
which in hot climates, and generally at high temperatures, is especially desirable.
With a view to secure this object without impairing the efficiency of the umbrella
or parasol in the primary duties for which it is intended, and without unduly
increasing the bulk thereof, I make in the top of the umbrella an aperture of
circular or other suitable shape, and above this aperture I fit a second and smaller
umbrella or parasol at a little distance from the first, and so connected by means of
stretchers or elastic ribs with the runner, ribs, or stretchers of the umbrella or
parasol proper as to open and shut simultaneously with the latter, the small
distance between the top of the umbrella or parasol proper and the second or
ancillary umbrella or parasol affording sufficient space for a current of air to pass
between the two, and to yield the desired ventilation. By making the diameter
or the superficial dimensions of the ancillary umbrella or parasol larger than the
diameter or the superficial dimensions of the aperture provided in the top of the
umbrella or parasol proper, I cause the former to overlap the latter, and by this
means prevent the rain water, the rays of the sun, or the glances of outsiders from
passing or penetrating between the umbrella or parasol proper and the small
umbrella or parasol surmounting it, and to preserve its efficiency equal to that of an
ordinary umbrella or parasol, besides imparting to the framework such an amount
of steadiness as to prevent the umbrella or parasol from being turned inside out by
the force of the wind, thereby rendering the umbrella or parasol, constructed
according to my Invention, especially suited for use in hot climates, as well as on
the shore of the sea, and generally in places much exposed to heat and to winds
and gales.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Gardiner Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th May 1880.
ALFRED GARDINER BROWN, of 9, St. Thomas Street, in the Parish of St. Thomas,
in the Borough of Southwark, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
The object of this Invention is to furnish such an amount of ventilation in
umbrellas and parasols as is particularly desirable for those who use them at the
seaside, in hot climates, and generally at high temperatures, and yet is never
provided in umbrellas and sunshades constructed upon any of the usual plans.
In order to accomplish this end without detracting from the efficiency of the
umbrella or parasol in the discharge of the primary duties for which it is designed,
and without unduly adding to the bulk and weight thereof, I make an aperture
of circular, polygonal, or other appropriate shape in the top of the umbrella or
parasol, and above this aperture I fit upon the stick a second and smaller umbrella
or sunshade at a suitable distance from the first, and I so connect this second
umbrella or parasol by means of stretchers or elastic ribs with the runner, ribs, or
stretchers of the first as to be able to open and shut the former simultaneously
with the latter, the distance between the opening at the top of the umbrella or
sunshade proper and the second or ancillary umbrella or parasol yielding sufficient
space for a current of air to pass between the two, and to afford the desired ven-
tilation. By furnishing the ancillary umbrella or parasol with a larger diameter,
or its border with a larger aggregate length than the aperture provided in the top
of the umbrella or parasol proper, I cause the border line of the ancillary umbrella
or parasol to overlap the said aperture when looked at from above. By this means
I preclude the rain water, the rays of the sun, and the glances of outsiders from
penetrating between the umbrella or sunshade proper and the smaller or ancillary
one that surmounts it, and yet preserve the efficiency of the former in the discharge
of its primary duties perfectly intact, and equal to that of any ordinary umbrella
or parasol; and I moreover impart to the framework such an amount of steadiness
and rigidity as to prevent the covering thereof from being turned inside out by
the force of the wind, thereby rendering the umbrellas or parasols constructed
according to my Invention especially suited for use in hot climates, as well as at the
seaside, and generally on spots much exposed to high temperatures, and to gushes
of wind and gales.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings I have shewn several modes or methods
of constructing an umbrella or parasol in accordance with my Invention. In the
various views shewn therein identical parts, or parts subserving identical objects,
are denoted by identical letters of reference. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of
an umbrella or parasol fitted with an ancillary umbrella or parasol in the manner
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings I have shewn several modes or methods
of constructing an umbrella or parasol in accordance with my Invention. In the
various views shewn therein identical parts, or parts subserving identical objects,
are denoted by identical letters of reference. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of
an umbrella or parasol fitted with an ancillary umbrella or parasol in the manner
bereinbefore described; Figure 2 is one half of a section through the connecting
links; and Figure 3, one half of a plan seen from above. A, A, are the ribs of the
main umbrella or sunshade; B, B, the ribs of the ancillary one surmounting it.
The two are connected together by the links C, C. The aperture in the top
of the principal umbrella or sunshade is shewn in the lines a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, a, in
Figures 2 and 3; D is the runner, and E, E, are the stretchers. The links C, C,
being always parallel to the axis of the stick the two umbrellas or parasols may be
opened and shut simultaneously, and in fastening the ancillary umbrella or parasol
the bulk of the appliance is not perceptibly added to.

page_text: In the modification shewn in a longitudinal section in Figure 4, the ribs of the
ancillary parasol or umbrella instead of being connected with the ribs are connected
with the stretchers of the principal one. In the arrangement shewn in Figure 4
each of the connecting links C is furnished with a longitudinal aperture or slot
through which the ribs A, A, may pass; or instead of this the ribs of the principal
umbrella or parasol may be set at an angle with those of the ancillary one, as
shewn in plan in Figure 6, so that the connecting links may pass by the side of the
principal ribs instead of the latter passing through them. In Figure 5 the con-
necting links or stretchers C are connected with the runner D instead of being
connected with the stretchers of the principal one, in which case the main
ribs A, A, may likewise pass either through or by the side of the connecting
links C, C.
In the modification shewn in a longitudinal section in Figure 7, I provide elastic
ribs or springs B for the ancillary umbrella or parasol, and I fix one end of these
to the stick and the other end I fit to the main ribs A, A, no connecting links or
stretchers being in that case required for the ancillary umbrella or parasol, and I
reserve to myself the right of connecting the ribs of the ancillary umbrella or
parasol by any other equivalent means with either the ribs or other parts of the
main umbrella or parasol.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and illustrated the same
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is,―
The construction and use or employment of ancillary umbrellas or parasols
surmounting and connected with umbrellas or parasols proper furnished with
openings at the top, in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth and illus-
trated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Gardiner Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
J. T. DANN,
32, Canterbury Road,
Brixton,
S.W.
ALFRED GARDINER BROWN. (L.S.)