IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR SUNSHADES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Posselt, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Merchant, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS,
OR SUNSHADES." A communication from abroad by Frederico Leitner, of
Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Posselt, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1881.
ERNEST POSSELT, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR SUNSHADES." A communication from
abroad by Frederico Leitner, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy.
This Invention relates to a method or means of strengthening the framework of
umbrellas, parasols, or sunshades, preventing them being upset or losing their
shape by the action of the wind, and also in the means and arrangements
of parts for automatically closing the said umbrellas, parasols, or sunshades.
For this purpose the usual ribs are employed (and by preference U shaped), to
which are fitted flat steel stretchers, which are secured on each side of small clasps
by pins, so that each rib receives two flat stretchers, one on each side of the clasp,
and the steel flat stretcher of the right side is secured to the stretcher of the left
side of the next stretcher and rib, and the stretchers are connected by a small clasp
about or near the third of the length of the stretchers; the other end of the
stretchers and of each rib are secured in a wheel formed or fitted on the top of a
runner; the stretchers of the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade, are all connected
together, forming a kind of network; and when the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade
is opened the stretchers take a curved shape and form a springing framework,
which gives additional strength by causing a connection to pass through the whole
of the ribs and stretchers. The runner is made with a slot hole and with a plain
or ornamental cap to push the runner up the stick and open the umbrella, parasol,
or sunshade; the bottom of the cap is brought in contact with a wire spring, which
Ping G71

page_text: is formed on the end of a wire passed up and within the stick, and a wire guard
is fitted in the stick, so that when the runner is pushed up and the umbrella,
parasol, or sunshade opened the stretchers are prevented from being pushed out too
far. The stick of the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade is made tubular, or of wood
with a hole bored up the stick and to a point a little above the wire catch; in the
tubular or bored stick is passed a wire or thin rod having a bent head forming the
catch, and the bottom end of the wire or rod is secured by a pin to a ring fitted
over the shank of the handle; the pin works in a slot hole formed or cut in the
shank, or the end of the wire or rod may be secured to a knob or handle fitted at
the end of the shank, in which is secured the tubular or wooden stick; the catch 1
formed on the end of the wire or rod is bent and passes over a pin fitted in the
stick, and the top of the catch passes also over a pin which is secured in the
stick.
By giving a slight downward pull to the ring fitted over the shank of the handle,
or by pulling the knob or ornamental handle, the catch is made to slide on the 1
pins and brought in the opening made in the stick, in which is fitted the head of
the wire or rod and catch, and which removes the catch from the bottom end of
the runner, and by the spring of the stretchers automatically closes the umbrella,
parasol, or sunshade; the stretchers when closed lie flat on the ribs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest Posselt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th February
1882.
ERNEST POSSELT, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR SUNSHADES." A communication from
abroad by Frederico Leitner, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy.
The said Invention relates to means and arrangements of parts for automatically
closing umbrellas, parasols, or sunshades, fitted with stretchers formed with two
blades or limbs jointed one to the rib on the right hand side and the other to the
rib on the left hand side, and made according to the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Joseph Hayward and William Hoyland, dated the Twelfth day
of November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy five, and numbered 3941.
For this purpose the ordinary ribs are employed (by preference U shaped), to
which are fitted stretchers made according to the Specification of the said Letters
Patent; these stretchers are connected to a peculiarly constructed runner, which
may be made with a slot hole and with a plain or ornamental cap, by which to
push the runner up the stick in opening the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade; when
the runner is pushed up to open the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade, the bottom
part of the cap comes in contact with a wire spring. formed on the end of a wire
passed up and within the stick, and a wire guard or stop for the runner is fitted in
the stick to prevent the stretchers being pushed out too far.
The stick of the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade is made of tubular metal, or of
bored wood, or the hole may be made on the side of the stick, and the hole or
opening extends to a point a little above the wire catch; in the tubular or bored
stick, or in the opening made on the side of the stick, is passed a wire or thin rod,
having a bent head forming the catch, and the bottom end of the wire or rod is
secured by a pin to a ring fitted over the shank of the handle, the pin working in
a slot hole or holes formed or cut in the shank, or the end of the wire or rod may
be secured to a knob or handle fitted at the end of the shank, in which is
secured the tubular metal or wooden stick; the catch formed on the end of the
wire or rod is bent and passes over a pin fitted in the tube or in the stick, and the
top of the catch passes also over or on a pin which is secured in the tube or
stick.
By giving a slight downward pull to the ring fitted over the shank of the handle
or by pulling the knob or ornamental handle, the catch is made to slide on the
pins and is brought in the opening made in the tube or stick in which is fitted the
head of the wire, or rod, or catch, thereby removing the catch from the bottom end
of the runner, and by the spring action of the stretchers automatically closing the
umbrella, parasol, or sunshade.
The stretchers are jointed to the ring of the runner in the usual manner, and the
bottom part of the ring may be made with a projecting angular ring, or with the
angular ring passed over the tube of the runner, and over the tube is fitted an
india-rubber cap secured in position on the runner by a ring also made angular or
curved; the rings may be made of metal or of other suitable substance, such as
vulcanite, india rubber, either red or black, or of wood or horn, or the cap and rings
may be made entirely of india-rubber and passed over the tube of the runner and
secured in position by bending over a small portion of the bottom part of the tube.
When the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade is closed the india-rubber cap is pushed
up and the points of the ribs are kept pressed on the stick, preventing the opening
of the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade, and to open the same the india-rubber cap is
pulled over, leaving the points of the ribs free which slide on the angular ring, and
the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade can be opened easily.

page_text: But in order to enable these improvements to be better understood I will proceed
to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1
represents a sectional elevation shewing the improvements for automically closing
umbrellas, parasols, or sunshades applied to an umbrella having Hayward and
Hoyland's Patent Stretchers; the stick and handle are shewn in section; Figure 2,
underside of an umbrella shewing a plan of the stretchers; Figure 3 represents a
sectional part of a stick with top catch and runner, drawn full size; Figure 4
represents a sectional part of a stick with section of handle and bottom part of the
wire or rod connected or formed on the top catch, drawn full size; Figure 5
represents a section of the stick having a ball on the end to actuate the catch
holding the runner in position when the umbrella is opened so as to release the
same to close the umbrella, drawn full size; Figure 6 represents a section of an
improved runner fitted with an india-rubber cap and shewing the cap closed, drawn
full size; Figure 7 represents a section of the same with india rubber cap turned
over to allow of opening the umbrella; Figure 8 represents an outside view of the
cap and runner; Figure 9 represents a sectional elevation of a runner having the
stretcher ring and tube of the runner fitted with an entire india rubber cap;
Figure 10 represents a section of a stick with catch wire fitted in a groove made
on the side of the stick. Similar letters of reference are used to represent similar
parts. A are the stretchers made according to Hayward and Hoyland's said
Letters Patent and connected to the top ring Q of the runner C and to the ribs D
in the usual manner; the runner C is made with a cap E by which to push the
runner up the stick in opening the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade, and the umbrella
is kept open by a wire catch F, on which rests the bottom of the cap E; the
catch F is formed on the end of a wire or rod G which is passed within the opening
made in the stick or through the tube forming the stick; the catch F when the
wire or rod G is pulled downwards is drawn into an opening B made in the stick,
and the catch F slides over pins H and I fixed in the tube or in the stick (Figure 3,
drawn full size), the end of the wire or rod G (see Figure 4) is either bent, as
shewn at J, or made with an eye through which is passed a pin secured in a ring K
which has a slight moveable action over the shank L of the handle M, the pin or.
bent wire J has a free action in the slot hole N, and the wire or rod G is kept in
position when the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade is opened by a spiral spring P
fitted in the opening O formed in the shank or in the stick, and the runner of the
umbrella in being pushed up is prevented from being pushed up too far by the
catch Z or by a ring secured to the tube or stick.
To close the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade, the ring K is slightly pressed down
so as to bring in the wire or rod G, and thereby force the catch F to slide over the
pins H and I and to enter the opening B, and thereby release the runner C from
any support, upon which the springing action of the stretchers A at once and
automatically closes the said umbrella, parasol, or sunshade. The tube or stick
instead of having a handle M may be fitted with a ball U, or with a carved head
of an animal or any other figure, which is made to have a slight moveable action
on the end of the tube or stick, and in the end of such tube or stick is made an
opening O in which is fitted a spiral spring P, which is passed over the rod G and
presses on a pin secured to the wire G, see Figure 5; by pulling the ball U slightly
downwards the wire or rod G is pulled down bringing the catch in the tube or
stick from contact with the bottom of the runner, which causes the runner to be
forced down the stick and to close the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade at once.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent a runner fitted with an india rubber cap S, and
either coloured red or black, the runner is made with an ordinary ring Q; the
runner can be made of metal having an angular ring R cast with the runner, or a
ring R may be passed over the tube of the runner, and the india rubber cap S then
passed on and another angular ring or curved ring T passed on the tube of the
runner and fixed thereon, which secures the india rubber cap to the runner; when
the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade is closed the ribs D lie flat against the stick and
the pointed ends V rest on the angular ring R; the india-rubber cap S is then.

page_text: pushed up, as shewn in Figure 6, and the ribs kept in position within the cup
formed by the cap S when turned up; to open the umbrella, parasol, or sunsbade,
the cap S is turned down, as shewn in Figure 7, and the pointed ends V of the ribs
are free to be opened, the pointed ends of the ribs working freely over the angular
ring R; the rings R and T can be made of metal or of any suitable substance, such
as vulcanite, india rubber, either red or black, or of wood or horn. In Figure 9
the cap S and rings are made in one and of india rubber, and the cap is secured to
the runner by turning the end of the runner tube W over the india-rubber cap S;
Figure 10 shews that the wire or rod for actuating the catch F can be fitted in an
opening X made in the side of the stick.
Having thus described the Invention communicated to me and the best means
I am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, as these
may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but
what is claimed is,―
Firstly. The combination of parts herein described for automatically closing
umbrellas, parasols, or sunshades, preferably provided with stretchers, such as those
known as Hayward and Hoyland's stretchers, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly. The construction and employment of runners made with india rubber
caps for holding the ribs closed against the stick when the umbrella, parasol, or
sunshade is closed, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The manufacture and use of umbrellas, parasols, and sunshades
provided with the herein described mechanism for automatically closing the
same and keeping the same closed, substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Posselt, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
ERNEST POSSELT. (L.S.)