IMPROVEMENTS IN PARASOLS OR UMBRELLAS
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Garrett Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd April 1869.-A communication from abroad by Achille Gruyer,
Manufacturer, of Paris, in the Empire of France.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck,
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PARASOLS OR UMBRELLAS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a different form and construction of stick,
slider, and holding spring or catch from that generally adopted in the
manufacture of parasols or umbrellas.
The stick of the parasol or umbrella is of solid steel, and tempered so
as to be strong and light. The stopping springs or catches are not set
into a groove in the stick, and new arrangements of sliders are employed
so formed that the lining of a parasol can be attached thereto without
the stopping catches or springs being cramped in their action. The stick

page_text: may be gilded, silvered, or varnished, and give, by reason of its small
diameter, a very light and graceful general appearance to the parasol or
umbrella, at the same time offering a greater solidity than the ordinary
handle.
According to one arrangement the stopping catch or spring, formed of
a slender piece of copper or steel, is attached to the upper end of the
stick. The spring carries a kind of catch which hooks upon a conical
part of the slider. The slider is composed of a socket and of an enlarged
part, upon which is the neck for forming the joints of the frame. It is
traversed by a small lever, upon which pressure is applied to disengage
the catch and set the said slider free to slide upon the rod.
In another arrangement the slider carries the stopping spring. In
this case the rod carries at its upper end a catch in which the spring
hooks when the umbrella or parasol is opened. To unhook the slide it
is sufficient to press upon a button upon the spring so as to disengage it
from the catch, when the slider can descend freely. It is desirable for
the catch to be in the form of a sector in order that the stopping spring
may always enter its opening.
In one modification of the slider in this case the length of the spring,
from the point where the pressure is brought upon it to the point where
the hook holds upon the catch, is reduced as much as possible in order
to diminish the effect necessary to unhook the said spring.
In another arrangement the stopping or catching spring is fixed upon
the stick in place of being secured to the slider. The enlarged part of
the slider is provided with an opening for the passage of the head of the
spring, and this is secured to a collar soldered upon the stick, and guided
by a small bracket or guide also soldered upon the stick.
In another arrangement a catching or stopping lever is employed,
jointed upon the metallic wire which connects the arms of the frame to
the slider. This lever passes through an opening in the slider, and hooks
at the upper part upon a conical shoulder soldered on the stick. A
small spring constantly presses the lever towards the stick, and hinders
it from unhooking.
In the various arrangements employed the enlarged part of the slider
is exteriorly intact and free from mechanism. It is upon this part that

page_text: the lining of the parasol or umbrella is bound. The lining does not
interfere with the action of the catching or stopping springs or levers
arranged according to this Invention. The improved sliders and stopping
springs are applicable to hollow metallic sticks, or combined with wood.