CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Collicu, of Fore Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS."
Scaled the 17th February 1874, and dated the 19th August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Collieu at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th August 1873.
I, THOMAS COLLIEU, of Fore Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates more particularly to that portion of the umbrella
known as the shield or "keeper" under which the "tips" of the frame
are accumulated and kept in close contact with the stick when the
umbrella is closed, and is designed for the purpose of enabling such
shield or "keeper" at the time of closing the umbrella to engage the
whole of the "tips," and when opening to disengage them with
facility.

page_text: The improvements consist in making a spring coupling or connection
between the stick and handle at a point forming a junction immediately
underneath the shield or "tip" "keeper." The contracting tendency
of this spring will bring the handle and "keeper" in close contact with
the stick, but will at the same time allow the handle and "keeper" to be
by an expansion of the spring coupling capable of a slight movement
or separation from cach other. As an example how this coupling may
be accomplished I screw or otherwise fasten into the handle of the
umbrella underneath the "keeper a shank or stem of metal, tho pro-
truding end of which is provided with a collar or head which fits and
slides into a cylindrical tube embedded in the stick.
93
In the annular space of this tube between the head of the shank and
an internal collar at the top through which the shank connected with
the handle protrudes an helical spring is contained, which when in its
normal condition keeps the handle and stick in close contact, but when
compressed will allow of a slight separation between the two. Thus
when the umbrella is closed and grasped by one hand, and the handle
slightly pulled by the other, the "tips" of the frame will lic close round
the stick, in which position on the release of the stick they will be
received by the expansion of the spring coupling into the recess of the
"keeper" on the handle, and so firmly retained until again released by
a pull that will separate the point of contact between the handle and
the stick.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Collieu in the Great Seal Patent Office on 25
the 19th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
COLLIEU, of Fore Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing dato tho Nineteenth day of August, in the year of 80
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 Thomas Collicu, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Collicu, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Collieu, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Collieu, 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 Thomas Collieu, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to
say:―
The Invention more particularly relates to that portion of the umbrella
known as the shield or "keeper” under which the tips of the frame are
accumulated and kept in close contact with the stick when the umbrella
is closed, and is designed for the purpose of enabling such shield or
"keeper" at the time of closing the umbrella to engage the whole of
the "
tips," and when opening to disengage them with facility, and also
to allow the stick supporting the frame to turn independently of the
handle.
GE
The improvements consist in making a spring coupling or connection
between the stick supporting the frame and the handle at a point
forming a junction immediately underneath the shield or "tip keeper."
The contracting tendency of this spring will bring the handle and
keeper" into close contact with the stick, and will at the same time
by an expansion of the spring coupling allow the handle and "keeper
to be capable of a slight, movement or separation from each other. As
an example how this coupling may be accomplished.I-screw-or-otherwise
fasten into the handle of the umbrella underneath the "keeper" a
shank or stem of metal, the protruding end of which is provided with a
"

page_text: be distinctly understood in conclusion that I do not wish to confine
myself to the precise details shewn and described for effecting a spring
connection between the handles and sticks of umbrellas, but what I
claim as new and as my Invention is the adaptation to sticks for
umbrellas of a yielding connection between the stick and handle in the
manner and for the purpose as herein-before substantially described, set
forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Collieu, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
ALEX. C. M. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
THOMAS COLLIEU. (L.S.)