Year: 1887

page_text: A communication from abroad by CHARLES E. VAIL, of Kansas City in the State o
Missouri, United States, Merchandise Broker.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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 :-
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combination instrument,
which can be used as a cane or as an umbrella, and which will be devoid of the usual
braces for holding the frame in shape when spread.
The invention consists in the special construction of the centre-piece which holds
the frame of the umbrella, and its manner of working and attachment to the cane,
namely the sinking of the ends of the ribs into grooves formed, longitudinally, in
the body of the centre-piece.
The invention consists further in the peculiar shape of the ribs, which have the
greatest strength at the end attached to the centre piece, which are made tapering
towards their outer ends, whereby the said outer ends will have considerable more
flexibility than the heavier inner ends, and which are formed in two sections hinged
together for the purpose of stretching the cover.
In the drawings, which illustrate the manner of carrying out the invention, Figure 1
shows a cross-sectional view of the umbrella top mounted on the cane. Figure 2 is a
longitudinal sectional elevation of the cane containing the folded umbrella. Figure 3
is a detail view of the combined centre-piece and cane-handle. Figure 4 is a detail
view of the handle-end of the cane. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rib having a
portion of the covering attached thereto; and Figure 6 is a detail view of a portion
of a rib.
The cane A may be made of wood, metal, vulcanized-rubber papier mache or other

page_text: suitable material, is hollow, and is slightly tapered from about the centre of its length
downward.
The combined centre-piece and handle B is provided with an outside screw-thread 21
corresponding to the thread 22 of a bushing B¹, which is securely located in the
handle-end of the cane. Said centre-piece is also provided with an annular shoulder
or flange 3 which presses the ribs to proper place when the frame is to be spread.
The bushing B', is also provided with an annular flange 4 which bears against the end
of the cane.
For the purpose of permitting the frame to be inserted into the cane when closed,
and to allow the ribs to close down sufficiently far to do this, the body of the centre-
piece is provided with a series of longitudinal grooves a', which permit the inner ends
of the ribs to sink below the screw-thread 21, and the centre-piece to be screwed into
the bushing after the frame has been placed within the cone, as shown.
The centre-piece B is also provided with annular recess b, in which the ribs are
pivoted in the usual manner. The ribs G are provided with a perforation at their
larger end and through which passes the pivot which hinges them to the centre-piece,
and with another perforation d at their outer end, by means of which the cover is
secured in place.
Of course however, the cover can be secured to the ribs in any other suitable way.
The ribs are also made to have the greatest strength at the inner end-that is,
tapering towards the outer end, whereby the outer end will have considerable more
flexibility than the inner end. The ribs may be either solid in cross section, or they
may be formed hollow on the under side, as shown at c.
The cover D may be secured to the ribs in the usual manner, as it is not to be
removed in placing the frame within the cane.
The ribs are formed in two sections hinged together for the purpose of stretching
the cover. About three inches of the length of the ribs is hinged to the main section
thereof, by the well known form of hinge shown at 2, or in any other desired way so
that the hinged portions or outer sections G¹ can open upwards.
The manner of operating the invention is as follows:
When taking the instrument into one's hand for use as an umbrella, the operator
unscrews the centre-piece or handle B from the bushing B' which will permit the
frame to be withdrawn from the cane A.
Then the lower end of the centre-piece should be turned upwards, and the instru-
ment shaken slightly, when the frame will spread itself out, but of course there will
be no tension on the cover yet. Then the operator should screw the centre-piece into
the cane or the cane into the centre-piece, either way, with the ribs in the position
shown in figure 1, until said ribs are firmly held at about a right angle to the body
of the cane.
In doing this the thickest portion of the ribs is clamped between the shoulder 3, on
the centre-piece, and the flange 4 on the bushing B.
The centre-piece being firmly screwed within the bushing, the operator next
straightens out the hinged sections G³ as shown more clearly in figures 1 and 5, which
will give the required tension to the cover D, and also cause the ribs to assume a bowed
position.
In straightening out the hinged sections the inner end of said sections indicated by
the numeral 6, will come in contact with a shoulder on outer end of the main sections
as shown, thus preventing the hinged sections from swinging inwards on the opposite
side of the main sections.
The manner of placing the umbrella within the cane is quite simple, and is as
follows:
The hinged sections are to be first thrown back to remove the tension from the
cover, and from the ribs, then the cane should be unscrewed from the centre-piece,
and the frame closed together, the ribs G closing down in the grooves a¹, and the
cover rolled firmly around the ribs and secured by the usual fastening band, such
as 20, and inserted within the cane, where it will be securely held by screwing down
the centre-piece again, as shown in figure 2.

page_text: To protect the lower end of the cane, and prevent it from becoming blunted and
disfigured in use a metallic ferrule 10 should be located thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :
1st. A cane umbrella constructed with a centre-piece, having a clamping-flange
and also having longitudinal grooves for the reception of the ribs when the umbrella
is placed within the cane, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. In a cane-umbrella the centre-piece B provided with clamping flange or
shoulder 3, screw-thread 21, and longitudinal grooves a¹, substantially as and for the
purpose shown and described.
3rd. In a cane-umbrella, the combination, with cane A carrying bushing B', of the
centre-piece B provided with shoulder 3, screw-thread 21 and grooves a², and ribs G,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
4th. In a cane-umbrella, the combination with cane A of bushing B', centre-piece B
provided with shoulder 3 and grooves a³, ribs formed of two sections hinged together,
and cover D, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5th. In a cane-umbrella, the ribs formed in two sections which are hinged together,
for the purpose of stretching the cover.
Dabad this orth
1907
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.