AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Gayford Lusher, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer and Machinist, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gayford Lusher at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1881.
GEORGE GAYFORD LUSHER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer and Machinist. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE."
My said Invention consists in the manufacture of a solid runner with a solid
notch for umbrellas and parasols, made from sheet metal in the following
manner:-
I cut circular discs from sheet metal, which discs are formed into cups as in
the ordinary drawing through process, one portion of the cups is forced into dies
which draws that portion of the runner called the barrel to its required length
and thickness, while a sufficient portion of the cap is left projecting above the die
to form what is known as the notch part of the runner. I form the notch part
of the runner in the following manner :-When the barrel portion of the runner
is forced into the die its proper distance, I put pressure on that portion of the
cup or tube which projects above the die, and which is thus forced into its
The notch is
proper size and shape to form the notch part of the runner.
grooved and the runner finished in the usual way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Gayford Lusher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th September 1881.
GEORGE GAYFORD LUSHER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer and Machinist. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE
UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE."
OF
My Invention has reference to the manufacture of those parts of umbrella and
parasol furniture called runners and top notches; and consists in making a solid
runner or top notch with a solid notch or notch ring from sheet metal in the
following manner :-I cut out by a press circular discs from sheet brass or other
hard and ductile sheet metal, which discs are formed into cups by the ordinary
drawing through process, and by subsequent processes one portion of the cup is
forced into dies, thereby drawing or shaping that part of the runner or top notch
called the barrel to the required length and thickness, while a sufficient portion of
the cup is left projecting above the die to form what is known as the notch part or
notch ring of the runner or top notch. I form the notch part of the runner or top
notch in the following manner-When the barrel portion of the runner or
top notch is forced into the die its proper distance I put pressure on that portion
of the cup or tube which projects above the die, thus forcing it into its proper size
and shape to form the notch part of the runner.or top notch.
The notch part is grooved and the runner or top notch finished in the usual
way.
I will now describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manu-
facture according to my Invention of a runner, in which a solid notch or notch
ring is made in one piece with the barrel.
I cut out at a press in the ordinary way from sheet brass or other strong and
ductile sheet metal circular discs or blanks of the kind represented in Figure 1, and
by the use of ordinary drawing through tools I form the said discs into cups of the
kind represented in Figure 2, the drawing peg or punch used for the cupping
operation being marked a; I take the cup, Figure 2, and place it in the lower die b
of the press represented in Figure 3, the said press being provided with the
appliances represented in the said Figure 3, that is to say, the peg or punch e
worked by the screw or bolt of the press in the ordinary way has upon it a
pressing died through which the punch c is capable of sliding, the said pressing
die d being supported against the collar c² of the peg or punch c by the arm or
lever e turning on the centre e² on the fixed frame of the press, and is pressed
upwards by the coiled spring f. The pressing die d also serves for "knocking off"
or stripping the partly made article from the peg or punch c, as herein after
explained.
When the screw or bolt of the press descends the punch c also descends, carrying
with it the pressing die d and arm or lever e and elongating the coiled spring f
On the descent of the punch c a portion of the cup, Figure 2, which has been placed
over the hole in the lower die b is forced into the said die by the punch, and that
part of the cup which is situated above the die is operated upon and flattened by
the shoulder of the upper die d just before the punch ceases to act, as indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 3. As the punch c rises it takes the cupped or tubular
blank with it, and when the moveable parts of the press have reached the position
represented, the motion of the pressing or flattening die d is arrested by the lever e
coming against the fixed arm g of the press. The punch c now slides within the
die d and the shaped blank is stripped from the said punch.
By the operation described the cup, Figure 2, is converted into the partly made
runner represented in section and elevation in Figure 4, in conjunction with the
punch c and sliding upper pressing die d, shown in elevation.

page_text: There is thus formed a cup or short tube having parts of different diameters.
From the shouldered part or part of greatest diameter marked h the solid notch or
notch ring of the runner is made, and from the part i of less diameter the barrel of
the runner is made. The shaped cup or short tube represented in Figure 4 is
operated upon in succession by a series of punches and dies of the kind represented
in Figure 3, so as to give the said cup the shape represented in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9, and thereby convert it into a partly made runner. By the successive
operations represented the part i is elongated, and its diameter and thickness of
metal reduced by the action of the pegs or punches, and the notch or notch ring h
flattened and somewhat reduced in thickness by the operation of the pressing die d
upon it, the said pressing die commencing to operate upon the notch part h just
before the punch ceases to operate upon the barrel part i. After each successive
operation the partly made runner is annealed and the punches and lower dies are
changed, the hole in the lower die diminishing in diameter and the punch
increasing in length after each operation. The punch used for operating upon the
partly made runner or tube, Figure 4, so as to convert into the tube Figure 5 is
shown in the said Figure 5, and is marked c³; and the punches used in the
successive operations, to convert the partly made runner into the form represented
in Figure 9 are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, and are marked respectively c³, c³, c³,
and c.
It will thus be understood that the barrel i of the runner is made from a portion
of the cupped blank by the operation of the punches and fixed dies, while that
part which is to form the solid notch is unoperated upon by the punches and fixed
dies; but it is flattened and its figure perfected by the pressure of the upper dies
carried by the punches. There is thus formed a runner in which the notch or
notch ring his made in one piece with the barrel i, the said notch being solid. The
closed bottom of the runner barrel i, Figure 9, is cut or pierced out by piercing or
cutting tools in the ordinary way, and the notch h is grooved and the runner
finished in the ordinary manner.
Figure 10 represents a finished runner made from the partly made runner,
Figure 9, the solid notch being marked h and the barrel i.
In making top notches according to my Invention, I use shorter punches than
those used for making runners, four pairs of dies and punches being used by
preference to convert the cup, Figure 2, into a top notch.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention, manufacturing those parts of umbrella and parasol furniture called
runners and top notches, in the manner herein before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the said runners and top notches
with solid notches or notch rings from discs of sheet brass or other ductile sheet
metal or alloy, by the combination of drawing through and drawing or shaping
and pressing processes herein described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gayford Lusher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sights are
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
+
GEORGE GAYFORD LUSHER. (L.S.)