Improvements in or connected with Walking Sticks or Umbrellas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1897-Accepted, 13th Nov.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Walking Sticks or Umbrellas.
We WATKIN HALL of Croft Cottage, College Road, Great Crosby, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, and PETER LEONARD of 75 Victoria Road, Great
Crosby aforesaid, Master Plumber do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object an umbrella which can be converted into a
walking stick when required or vice versa, and also an improved runner and
crown piece that can be used for ordinary umbrellas and also for umbrellas that
can be converted into walking sticks.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a view of the device adapted for use as a walking stick;
Figure 2 a view of the device adjusted for use as an umbrella, the umbrella
in this figure heing closed, and the fabric which covers the frame removed;
Figure 3 a sectional view of the hollow handle with collapsed telescopic cover
contained therein;
Figure a detail view showing the telescopic cover collapsed, and passing
through the ring or crown piece;
Figure 5 the same, showing the collapsed cover after its passage through the
said ring;
Figure 6 a view showing the collapsed telescopic cover contained at the ferrule
end of the staff;
Figures 7 and 8 another form of ring or crown piece expanded and contracted
respectively;
°
Figures 9 and 10 detail views of the runner;
Figure 11 a plan view of the umbrella open;
Figure 12 a front sectional elevation of the umbrella when open; and
Figure 13 a detail view of a ring or crown piece.
In these figures, A is the umbrella arranged to occupy when folded as small
a space as possible in diameter, B the handle made hollow with a part b detachable
or capable of being opened, so that the handle can contain a telescopic or sectional
cover C for covering the umbrella A when folded. This telescopic or sectional
cover C may be of metal, or celluloid or other suitable material; it may if
desired be treated or coloured in a suitable way so as to make it appear like wood,
and it may be finished so that when expanded it will have somewhat the appear-
ance of a bamboo cane with ribs at intervals. The various parts are made light
to keep down the weight. This cover is made of a series of short tubes or sections
arranged telescopically, so that when these tubes are closed up the cover will be
collapsed to such a degree that it can be contained in the handle B when not
required for use, (see Figure 3).
It will be obvious however that instead of holding the cover in the upper or
handle end when not required for use, it may be contained at the other or ferrule

page_text: end, see Figure 6, or on the umbrella stick or staff D in the short space between
the ribs or stretchers E and the umbrella fabric which is stretched over the frame,
see Figure 12, which figures are referred to presently. The section nearest the
handle may be screw threaded so as to receive and be fastened to the threaded
end of handle B. The umbrella frame consists of a ring or crown piece F,
the ribs G, the stretchers or ribs E and the runner H. The centre of the umbrella
covering (when the collapsed cover is contained on the staff in the short space
between the runner H and the umbrella fabric I) is formed with a circular open-
ing J around the staff D having a ring or crown piece F capable of being expanded
or collapsed. This may be either effected by making the latter hinged (see
Figures 2, 4 and 5) or of an expansible metal body comprising a series of links K
crossing each other and pivoted at L so as to be extensible, see Figures 7 and 5.
In either case the ribs G are pivoted to this ring or crown piece at M. When
the crown piece shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5 or in Figures 7 and 8, is expended,
the collapsed telescopic tube C can be passed through, the crown piece is then
closed and the telescopic cover held in place out of sight and out of the way on
the staff D. Figures 4 and 7 show the collapsed telescopic cover C passing through
the crown piece, Figures 5 and 6, the latter closed after the cover C has passed.
The umbrella fabric at the centro is secured to the crown piece F by an elastic
band N sewn on or otherwise arranged, and the fabric has, in the case of the
arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8, a certain looseness at that part, to enable
the crown piece to expand and contract when it is required so to do. In the
case of Figures 4 and 5, an opening is provided on the fabric I covered by a
flap to permit of the ribs bending a little without tearing the fabric, to allow of
the crown piece being opened when it is required to pass the collapsed telescopic
cover through.
To secure greater compactness in folding the umbrella, the ring or crown
piece F may be made as shown in Figure 13, in which there is a series of radial
slots corresponding in number to the ribs G, which latter are formed with bent
or rounded ends so as to abut against the shoulders or bottom of slots f¹ when
placed in the slots f, while owing to the slots going right through the ring instead
of the usual arrangement, the ribs can be located to lie flat against the staff when
the umbrella is closed, thus securing a closer folding of the frame than has usually
been the case. h is a circumferential groove at right angles to, and intersecting
the radial slots. Wire is threaded through eyes in the end of the ribs & the
wire then bound round this groove to keep the ribs from separating from the ring
while allowing them free pivotal movement. As the rib ends abut against the
bottom of the slots at f', the pressure of the ribs is concentrated thereon and
there is little or no strain on the binding wire which is relied on only for prevent-
ing the ribs separating from the ring, and thus we are able to provide a stronger
joint at a part where it is most desirable. It will be obvious that this arrange-
ment of ring or crown piece is also applicable for use as a runner, the only
difference being that the stretchers G are fitted in the slots instead of the ribs,
and a sleeve H added having the usual slot P for receiving the spring retainers
in the staff D for holding the umbrella open or closed, see Figures 9 and 10.4
It must be understood that this form of crown piece or runner is applicable not
only for umbrellas that can be changed in outward appearance to a walking stick,
but also to umbrellas, sunshades and the like that are not convertible.
crown piece may be hinged so as to be expansible or not according to the purpose
for which it is required.
may
The
be
5
The other ends of the stretchers E are pivoted to the ribs at Q. The ribs
rendered flexible and able to swivel by unions R, the ribs being cut in two, one
end screwed into the unions and the other loosely fitted in. This facilitates the
hinged ring F (Figs. 4 & 5) being opened on its hinge, when it is required to pass
the collapsed cover C to or from the inside. S is an extension tip or ferrule 5
which is screwed on to the end of the inner staff T in the case of Figures 2, 4, 5
and 12, and onto the staff D in the case of Figures 7 and 8. In the latter this tip

page_text: forms also a protection cap for the expansible ring or crown piece, and for that
part of the umbrella fabric which is attached thereto.
Instead of inserting the collapsed telescopic cover C into the hollow handle B
at the end b, the said end may be closed and the collapsed cover inserted at the
opposite end, for which purpose the handle may be extended in length and a
hook handle provided as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, or not as desired. It
will be obvious, however, that instead of holding the cover in the upper or handle
end when not required for use, it may be contained at the other or ferrule end,
as shown in Figure 6, in which D is the hollow staff, G the ribs, F a crown piece,
C the collapsed telescopic cover and S ferrule. The hollow staff D is provided
internally with a smaller staff T adapted to slide in and out of the main one D
but limited in its travel by means of a pin on the smaller staff, sliding in a
slot U. In this case when it is required to use the article as an umbrella, the
auxiliary staff T is rotated slightly to free it from the end t of the slot, the staff T
slid out of the main, staff, then fastened in its extended position by rotating
slightly so as to engage the other end of the slot. The cover C is collapsed
and slid on to T so as to clear the umbrella frame, the ferrule $ preventing it
slipping off at that end. The auxiliary staff T is shown also in Figures 4 and 5,
and enables a user to hold his collapsed cover either at the ferrule end or on the
umbrella stick in the short space between the runner and crown piece.
To use as an umbrella, in cases where the collapsed telescopic cover is held in
place out of the way on the staff immédiately under the silk or other fabric,
the ring F in the case of Figures 7 and 8 exerts such a force against the staff
by reason of the elastic band N as to hold the umbrella frame in its proper
position thereon, or in the case of the hinged ring, Figures 4 and 5, the closing
and fastening of the ring holds the frame in position on the staff, in each case
there being by preference abutments on the staff to prevent the ring shifting
when closed. To change the umbrella into a walking stick the extension tip S
is removed, the ring or crown piece F opened or expanded, the collapsed cover
slid off the staff and expanded, the ring closed, and the umbrella shut up by
sliding the runner down the staff until its slot engages with the spring retainer
and the umbrella compactly folded. The telescopic tube is expanded and drawn
over the folded up umbrella from one end in such a way that in outward appear-
ance it is changed into a walking stick, and can be used as such, the section
nearest the handle being screwed thereto so as to hold the cover on. The exten-
sion tip is then replaced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:.
1. The improvement in umbrellas which can be converted into walking sticks
and vice versa, which consists in providing in combination with an umbrella
constructed to fold compactly, a telescopic cover formed of a series of short tubes
or sections so arranged that they can be expanded and drawn over the folded
umbrella to entirely enclose it therein, or be removed therefrom and collapsed,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination with an umbrella, of a telescopic cover so made in a series
of short tubes that it can be expanded to cover the umbrella and be fastened to
the handle, or be closed up to such a degree that it can be contained either on the
staff in the short space between the ribs or stretchers and the covering which is
stretched over the umbrella frame, or in a cavity at the handle end, or at the
other or ferrule end, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a staff and the ribs, of an umbrella covering formed
with an opening at and around the staff, a ring or crown piece fitted on the staff,
and having ribs pivoted thereto, said ring and opening being made to expand and
contract so as to allow when expanded of the collapsed telescopic tube being
passed through them, substantially as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 4. In an umbrella which can be converted into a walking stick when required
and vice versa, in which there is a telescopic cover capable of being drawn over
the umbrella when folded compactly, so that in outward appearance it is changed
into a walking stick; forming the handle of such an article hollow so that it
will contain the telescopic cover when collapsed.
5. In combination, a hollow umbrella staff having an elongated slot therein near
the crown thereof, and an auxiliary staff inside the hollow staff having a pin
which engages in the slot of the latter and limits its longitudinal movement,
the slot being so arranged that the auxiliary staff can be locked in position when
pushed home into the main staff, or when extended substantially as. and for the
purpose described.
A
6. In combination with a staff and the ribs or stretchers of an umbrella or the
like, of a ring so formed with a circumferential groove for a binding wire, and
with radial slots on one face intersecting the said groove that when the ribs or
stretchers are fitted into the slots they will be capable of lying compactly and
closely against the staff, and the ends abut against the bottoms or shoulders of
the slots in such a manner that there is little or no strain exerted on the binding
wire substantially as described.
7. The method of jointing the ribs or stretchers of an umbrella to a ring on
the staff constituting the crown piece or runner, which consists in providing the ribs
or stretchers near their ends with indents or shoulders, and in forming the periphery
of the ring with. a circumferential groove, and on one face with radial slots so
arranged that the ribs or stretchers when fitted thereto shall lie (when folded)
close against the umbrella staff, and finally in placing the ends of the ribs or
stretchers in the slots so that they shall abut against the bottom. thereof, and
passing a binding wire round the circumferential groove in the ring in such a
manner that it shall engage the indents or shoulders in the ribs or stretchers and
prevent them separating from the ring, substantially as described.
8. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially
as described and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
TX
1 1.
11
1
C
1007
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London, Patent Agents.