IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Conner, of Old Ford, in the County of
Middlesex, Shoe Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
AND PARASOLS."
Sealed the 8th May 1868, and dated the 10th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Conner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th December 1867. :
I, CHARLES CONNER, of Old Ford, in the County of Middlesex, Shoe Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for object the manufacture of umbrellas and parasols in
such manner, as to render them waterproof and more durable than at present.
Hitherto the covering fabrics ordinarily used collect the moisture, so that after.
a time the umbrella becomes heavy and almost intolerable; the moisture.
penetrates to the ribs and stretchers and rusts them, thereby injuring, the
covering and spoiling the article.
ار

page_text: Whereas according to my Invention I combine with the frames of umbrellas
and parasols waterproofed fabrics whether woven, fulled or felted, looped or
knitted, such as cambric, linen, cloth, silk, or other textile fabric, or fabric
composed of textile or fibrous substance or any two or more of such materials
combined, such fabrics being coated, covered, saturated, or combined on one
or both surfaces with vulcanized caoutchouc or with gutta percha, or other
similar gum resin or a compound of such substances, so as to render the fabric
waterproof. I apply the said caoutchouc or other waterproofing material to
the fabric by any of the means at present in use for carrying such water-
proofing or applications into effect, as, for example, by rolling or pressure,
or by spreading with or without solvent.. I cut or divide the fabric into
intercostal sections, that is to say, sections whereof each is intended to
extend between two ribs. I scrape or prepare the edges and solution them
or apply otherwise a cementing substance, and I cement or stick the
sections together so as to form the covering. To avoid the necessity of
perforating the covering material I attach it to the frame of the umbrella
or parasol by cementing or attaching to the material stays, strips, or extra
pieces preferably of the same material, and these, latter I tack to or otherwise
attach to the frame.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Conner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CONNER, of 'Old Ford, in the County of Middlesex, Shoe Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give-and-grant-unto me,..the said.
Charles Conner, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Conner, my
executors, administrators; and assigns, or such others as I the said Charles
Conner, my.executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no. others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, AND

page_text: PARASOLS," upon the condition (amongst others). that I, the said Charles Conner,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal. Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the: said.
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said Charles Conner, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:--
.
My Invention has for object the manufacture of unbrellas and parasols
in such manner as to render them waterproof and more durable than at present.
Hitherto the covering fabrics ordinarily used in the manufacture of umbrellas
and parasols collect moisture (rain, snow; &c.), so that after a time the
umbrella becomes heavy' and almost intolerable; the moisture penetrates to
the ribs and stretchers. and rusts them, thereby injuring the covering, and
spoiling the article.
Whereas according to my Invention I combine with the frames of umbrellas
and parasols waterproofed fabrics whether woven, fulled or felted, looped or
knitted (such as cambric, linen, cloth, silk, or other textile fabric composed of
textile or other fibrous substance or any two or more of such materials
combined), such fabrics being coated, covered, saturated, or combined on one
or both surfaces with vulcanized caoutchouc or gutta percha or other similar.
gum resin, or a compound of such substances, so as to render the fabric
waterproof. I apply. the said caoutchouc or other waterproofing material.to
the fabric by any of the means at present in use for carrying such water-
proofing or application of waterproof material into effect, as, for example, by
rolling or pressure, or by spreading the same with or without solvent. I cut
or divide the fabric iuto intercostal sections or gores, that is to say, sections
whereof each is intended to extend. between two ribs. I scrape or prepare
the edges and solution them or apply by other means, a cementing sub-
stance, and I cement or stick the sections together so as to form the
covering, the cementing substance. being such as is ordinarily used for
cementing such fabrics. To avoid the necessity of perforating the covering
material I.attach it to the frame of the umbrella or parasol by first
cementing or attaching to the waterproof material stays, strips, or extra.

page_text: pieces made preferably of the same material, and these latter I tack or
otherwise attach to the frame.
Having thus set forth the nature of the Invention I proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the best mode of carrying the
same into practical effect.
Figure 1 is a plan of the under side or inner side of an umbrella con-
structed according to my Invention and shewn open, but for the sake of
clearness the stretchers are not shewn; Figure 2, a plan of the upper
or outer side of the same; Figure 3, a plan of one of the intercostal
sections or gorės.
A is the frame of the umbrella, which is of ordinary construction; B is the
covering consisting of a fabric waterproofed on the outer side by vulcanized
caoutchouc applied by mechanical pressure or in other well-known manner.
The covering. B consists of a number of intercostal sections or gores. cemented
together at the edges, that is to say, it is cut into sections, each section being
intended to extend between two adjacent ribs, so that when the sections are
cemented together at the edges they form a complete covering; Figure 3
shows one of those sections or gores.. The ribs A of the frame are connected
with the covering B by tacking them thereto by means of strong thread d
passing under the ribs and through strengthening pieces c, c, made of the same
material as the part B and cemented or otherwise fastened to this covering. B.
It is evident that by this arrangement the threads. d, d, have not to pass
through the waterproofed fabric B, and consequently no perforations have to be
made therein. I sometimes prefer to form the coverings B of a fabric called
in the trade "double texture," that is to say, a fabric consisting of two pieces
of fabric with an interposed layer, sheet, film, or surface of caoutchouc or other
waterproofed material produced in the well-known way. The fabric is cut
into intercostal sections connected together and to the frame as before
described. In this arrangement the waterproof substance is not visible
externally, and an article of very pleasing appearance is obtained without
departing from the-nature-of-my Invention.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the umbrella shewn in Figs. 1 and 2;
e, Figs. 1 and 3, shews how the waterproof substance laps over the .inner
surface of the covering fabric at the edges; q, Fig. 4, are guard pieces of
waterproof material attached at the junction of the stretchers with the ribs.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same may be employed, I declare that I claim.the employment of water-
proofed fabrics or coverings in combination with frames of umbrellas and

page_text: parasols, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Conner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
CHARLES CONNER. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS PHINN.