IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND FURNITURE FOR UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, PARASOLS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas James Gathercole and
Thomas Ross Comyn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 15th May 1868.
We, THOMAS JAMES GATHERCOLE, of 175, High Street, Homerton, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and THOMAS Ross COMYN, of
Raleigh House, Mare Street, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND FURNITURE FOR
UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, PARASOLS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention consists, firstly, in the application of a stay to the
frames of umbrellas, sunshades, parasols, and other such like articles,
which stay is constructed in two or more parts; these parts are
connected together by means of joints to allow of this said stay folding
together when the umbrellas, sunshade, or parasol is closed. One end
of this stay is fastened to the rib at a position below the point of

page_text: attachment of the ordinary stretcher and works in a joint, the other
end of our stay is connected to the ordinary stretcher, and also works
in a joint. The object of these joints is to enable our stay to fold up
when the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol is closed. We sometimes
prefer to connect one end of our stay to the running socket as now
used and at a point just below that to which the ordinary stretcher is
connected. In such case we construct the running socket with an extra
recess for the reception of the end of our additional stay and fasten
it in the same manner as the ordinary stretcher, whilst the other
end of our stay is fastened to the rib in the same manner as when
we connect it to the ordinary stretcher; and it is also constructed in
two or more pieces connected together by joints to allow of its folding
when the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol is closed. It will be thus
seen that our stay being connected to the rib at a point below that of
the ordinary stretcher will materially increase the strength of the frame,
and thus prevent the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol from turning
inside out; as many of our stays are required as there are ribs and
stretchers to the frame of the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in fastening the ends of the ribs
and stretchers of the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol to the running
socket and socket at top of umbrella stick by constructing the running
socket and socket with one flange or projecting piece instead of two as
now used; in this flange we make as many holes, hooks, or eyes as
there are ribs and stretchers, and we form the ends of these ribs and
stretchers which connect to these sockets as a hook or eye, and which
in steel frames we sometimes anneal to allow of their being beut in a
cold state; we insert the annealed or soft end of the rib or stretcher in
the holes in the flange of our improved sockets and bend them round,
thus forming a joint which will work freely when the umbrella,
sunshade, or parasol is opened or closed, and when we use a hook on
the flange of the sockets we form an eye on the end of the rib or
stretcher which we place on to the said hooks, and in this manner
form a joint also, and either of which means of fastening is considerably
stronger than the ordinary mode, and at the same time should one
of these joints break the whole of the ribs or stretchers will not get
out of their proper position as is the case now when the wires by which
the ribs and stretchers are held in position in the socket is cut or

page_text: broken. We also propose to connect the end of the stretcher and stays
to the ribs of the umbrella, sunshade, or parasol by forming on the rib
a projecting piece or fastening on an eye or hook at the part where the
stretcher or stay connect, and secure it thereto in the same way as we do
to the sockets.