IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert William Hart, of No. 8, Eastcheap, in
the City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN UMBRELLAS.”
Sealed the 24th April 1874, and dated the 1st November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert William Hart
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st November 1873.
I, HERBERT WILLIAM HART, of Number 8, Eastcheap, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS," to be as follows:-
My said Invention is designed to provide an umbrella which shall be
stronger and more durable, less unsightly and bulky, and capable of
being more conveniently and readily opened and closed, and more securely

page_text: in use.
For this purpose I make the stretchers on those parts of the frame
which unite the ribs to the ferrule of my improved umbrella propor-
tionately longer than those of other umbrellas, that is to say, I make the
said stretchers of such a length that when the umbrella is closed the
ferrule will project above the points or tips of the ribs.
I dispense with the ordinary spring catch, which is fitted in an
aperture made through the umbrella stick near the handle, and which
holds the ferrule by projecting through a slot therein when the umbrella
is closed.
Over the ferrule, to which the said stretchers are attached, I fit an
outer ferrule or ring slide, which has an enlarged portion formed to
enclose the points or tips of the stretchers, and hold them securely when
the umbrella is closed. This outer ferrule is fitted to slide upon the
inner ferrule, and if desired may have a spring arranged to press it down
over the tips when the umbrella is closed. When the said outer ferrule
is drawn back or toward the umbrella handle it releases the said points
or tips, and permits the umbrella to be opened. Thus it will be seen
that the umbrella is opened without the necessity of inserting the hand
inside the frame.
Instead of making the joints whereby the stretchers are united to the
ribs and to the ferrule in the usual manner, that is to say, with the clip
and pivot pin projecting a considerable distance from the ribs, I so form
the said joints that the pivot pins lie close to the ribs, and the ends of
the stretchers project into the grooves in the ribs. This construction
adds to the strength of the frame, and prevents the unsightly projections
which in ordinary umbrellas are caused by the aforesaid joints.
12. I
To protect the silk or other material where the same is attached to the
tips or points, instead of forming or fixing the said tips on the ribs in
the usual manner I form them with a screw thread, and screw them on
the ends of the ribs after the silk or other material has been secured to
the said ribs by the thread. This method of fastening prevents the
wearing of the material or thread at these parts of the umbrella.

page_text: In ordinary umbrellas the ring by which the ribs are attached to the
stick is covered by a cap, secured by passing a pin through the stick, but
I use a cap formed with a screw thread, and screw it upon the said ring,
and thereby avoid the weakening of the stick by passing the said pin
5 through it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Herbert William Hart in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
WILLIAM HART, of No. 8, Eastcheap, in the City of London, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hers
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Herbert William Hart, Her special
licence that I, the said Herbert William Hart, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Herbert William
Hart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Herbert William Hart, 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.

page_text: is to be performed, particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification :—
My said Invention is designed to provide an umbrella which shall be
stronger and more durable, less unsightly and bulky, and capable of
being more conveniently and readily opened and closed, and more
securely and compactly fastened when closed than the umbrellas at
present in use.
The manner in which my said Invention is carried into practise may
be clearly understood by the aid of the following description, and by
reference to the Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of
a portion of an umbrella constructed according to my Invention; and
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1. Like letters indicate
the same parts in both of the Figures.
The stick a may be of the ordinary construction. I make the
stretchers b, or those parts of the frame which unite the ribs to the
ferrule of my improved umbrella proportionally longer than those of
other umbrellas, that is to say, I make the said stretchers of such a
length that when the umbrella is closed the runner c will be beneath
the points or tips d¹ of the ribs d.
I dispense with the ordinary spring catch, which is fitted in an
aperture made through the umbrella stick near the handle, and which
holds the runner by projecting through a slot therein when the umbrella
is closed.
Over the runner c, to which the said stretchers are attached, I fit an
outer ferrule or ring slide e, which has an enlarged portion e¹ formed to
enclose the points or tips d¹ of the ribs d, and hold them securely when
the umbrella is closed, as shewn in full lines, Figure 1. This outer
ferrule is fitted to slide upon the runner c, and if desired may have a
spring arranged to press it down over the tips when the umbrella is
closed. The ferrule e has a bayonet slot e² arranged in combination with
the pin c³, and by turning the said ferrule upon the runner the said slot
and pin will lock or secure the same, and by turning it back again the
said ferrule will be released. When the said outer ferrule e is drawn
back or toward the umbrella handle, as shewn in dotted lines, it releases

page_text: Fourth. Securing the tips upon the ribs by screwing them on after the
silk has been attached to the said ribs, as herein set forth and for the
purpose specified.
Fifth. An umbrella constructed with the various improvements above
specified in combination with each other and with the other parts of the 5
umbrella, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert William Hart, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
H. J. NOONE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
H. W. HART. (L.S.)