Certain Improvements in the Construction of the Frames of Umbrellas and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan.. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted; 23rd Feb., 1889
Certain Improvements in the Construction of the Frames of Umbrellas
and the like.
.
I, HENRY ATTRILL, of 116, Prescott Street, Brookfields, Birmingham, Warwick-
shire, Tool Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention of certain improvements in the construction of the frames of umbrellas
and the like, has reference firstly to the top-notches and runners and to the means of
securing the ribs and stretchers therein respectively.
This part of my invention as applied for instance to a top-notch is carried into
practice as follows:-The said top-notch consists of a tubular body fitting on the stick
and having a projecting flange which is hollowed underneath. A loose collar fits on
the tubular body below the said flange, this collar being provided with a flange similar
to the flange on the tubular body against which it is fixed by a screw passing through
the collar and tube or by other means so that there is an annular space all round
between the two flanges. The said flange of the collar has radial notches corresponding
with the number of ribs employed and in which the ribs fit. The end of each
rib is formed as a knob which fits in the annular space between the two flanges
and thus forms the binge joint connecting the ribs to the top notch. By moving
the said collar along the tubular body so as to separate the flanges the knobbed ribs
can be removed therefrom or inserted therein.
In the tubular body I sometimes provide depressions or recesses corresponding
with the knobbed ends of the ribs and in which they fit so as to hold them more
securely.
I form a runner and joint the stretchers thereto similarly as above described
with reference to a top-notch and ribs, except that in this case, the upper flange is
notched for the stretchers to fit in.
By constructing the top-notches of umbrellas and the like and jointing the ribs
thereto in the manner above described the usual wire on to which the ribs are
threaded and hinged is dispensed with and consequently the annoyance of such wire
breaking and the ends of the ribs then poking through the top of the umbrella or the
like is obviated.

page_text: Another part of my invention has reference to the method of forming what is known
as the "get joint" of umbrellas and the like, that is the joint or connection of the
ends of the stretchers to the ribs.. This is carried out as follows The 'end of the
stretcher is formed as a knob and projects at each side thereof and fits between two
ears which are fixed to the rib. These ears are by preference formed from one piece
of sheet metal bent into a U-shape so as to embrace the rib on to which they are
closed or otherwise secured; the said ears are dished or bulged outwardly to fit against
and embrace the knobbed end of the stretcher and thus form the joint. To add
greater security to the joint one of the ears is sometimes partly closed over the other
ear so as to prevent the possibility of their springing apart. The use of the usual joint
pin is thus dispensed with and the end of the stretcher does not have to be weakened
by being pierced therefor, but by being knobbed is rendered the strongest part of the
stretcher.
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in the Construction of the Frames of Umbrellas
and the like.
1, HENRY ATTRILL, of 116, Prescott Street, Brookfields, Birmingham, Warwick-
shire, Tool Maker, 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 :-
This invention of certain improvements in the construction of the frames of umbrellas
and the like has reference firstly to the top-notches and runners and to the means of
securing the ribs and stretchers therein respectively.
This part of my invention as applied for instance to a top-notch is carried into
practice as follows:-The said top-notch consists of a tubular body fitting on the
stick and having a projecting flange which is hollowed underneath. A loose collar
fits on the tubular body below the said flange, this collar being provided with a flange
similar to the flange on the tubular body against which it is fixed by a screw passing
through the collar and tube or by other means so that there is an annular space all
round between the two flanges. The said flange of the collar has radial notches
corresponding with the number of ribs employed and in which the ribs fit. The end
of each rib is formed as a knob which fits in the annular space between the two flanges
and thus forms the hinge joint connecting the ribs to the top notch. By moving the.
said collar along the tubular body so as to separate the flanges the knobbed ribs
can be removed therefrom or inserted therein.
In the tubular body I sometimes provide depressions or recesses corresponding
with the knobbed ends of the ribs and in which they fit so as to hold thein more
securely.
I form a runner and joint the stretchers thereto similarly as above described with
reference to a top-notch and ribs except that in this case the upper flange is notched
for the stretcher to fit in.
By constructing the top-notches of umbrellas and the like and jointing the
ribs thereto in the manner above described the usual wire on to which the ribs
are threaded and hinged is dispensed with and consequently the annoyance of such
wire breaking and the ends of the ribs then poking through the top of the umbrella or
the like is obviated.
Another part of my invention has reference to the method of forming what is known
as the "get joint" of umbrellas and the like, that is the joint or connection of the ends
of the stretchers to the ribs. This is carried out as follows:-The end of the stretchor
is formed as a knob and projects at each side thereof and fits between two ears which
are fixed to the rib. These cars are by preference formed from one piece of sheet
metal bent into a U-shape so as to embrace the rib on to which they are closed or
otherwise secured; the said ears are dished or bulged outwardly to fit against and
embrace the knobbed end of the stretcher and thus form the joint. To add greater
security to the joint one of the ears is sometimes partly closed over the other ear so as

page_text: to prevent the possibility of their springing apart. The use of the usual joint pin is
thus dispensed with and the end of the stretch er does not have to be weakened by
being pierced therefor, but by being knobbed is rendered the strongest part of the
stretcher.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents in elevation a top-notch constructed
according to my invention with the ribs in position; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of
the same and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the same; Fig. 4.represents in sectional
elevation parts of the same separately; Fig. 5 is a plan of the tubular body of the
same and Fig. 6 is a plan of the flanged collar of the same; Fig. 7 represents in
elevation a runner constructed according to my invention with the ends of the stretchers
in position; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the same; and Fig. 9 shews parts of
the same separately; Fig. 10 represents in side elevation, Fig. 11 in inverted plan and
Fig. 12 in end elevation a get joint" constructed according to my invention;
Fig. 13 is a separate view of the end of the stretcher and Fig. 14 shews the blank for
forming the ears of the "get joint."
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 a is the tubular body
for fixing on the stick preferably by a pin passing therethrough as usual and a¹ is its
projecting flange which is hollowed underneath. b is the loose collar fitting on the
tubular body a below the flange a and provided with a flange 61 of a somewhat
similar shape to the flange al thus leaving an annular space all round between the two
flanges. The collar bis fixed to the tubular body a by the screws c c or by other
means. The knobbed ends of the ribs d are marked d; they are of such a size as to
fit easily in the said annular spaces. The collar b is notched at 62 (as shown more
clearly by Fig. 6) and in these notches the ribs fit. In the tubular body a are
depressions or recesses e between which the knobbed ends of the ribs fit so as to hold
them more securely. The flange b' is strengthened by being made small enough to
fit inside the flange a as shewn. When the screws c c are removed the collar can
be moved along the tubular body a, as seen by Fig. 4, so as to separate the
flanges a and b and allow of the knobbed ribs & being removed therefrom or inserted
therein.
The runner illustrated by Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is similar to the top-notch herein before
described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6, except that in the runner. the flange a' of
the tubular body a fits inside the flange and is notched for the stretchers to fit in
instead of the notches being formed in the collar b. The tubular body a and collar b
can be readily formed from sheet metal by well known processes with special press
tools of the required forms which do not require to be described.
Referring now to Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 the end of the stretcher f is formed as
a knob so as to project at each side of the stretcher and fit between the ears g g which
are dished or bulged outwardly to fit against and embrace the knobbed end of the
stretcher and thus form the joint. The ears are by preference formed from a
sheet metal blank of about the form represented by Fig. 14 which is bent into a U-shape
so as to embrace the rib d on to which it is closed and secured, the projecting piece y'
formed on one of the ears being bent across the jaws and closed over the other
ear so as to prevent the possibility of the ears springing apart; but this projecting
part g may if preferred be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. Making the top-notches of umbrellas and the like of a tubular body and a
removable collar fitting together each having a hollowed flange between which
flanges the knobbed ends of the ribs fit, the said flange of the collar being notched
for the ribs, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2nd. A top-notch for umbrellas and the like consisting of the tubular body a
provided with the hollowed flange a', and the collar fitting on the tubular body
and provided with the hollowed flange b', the said flanges being adapted to receive
a

page_text: the knobbed ends d of the ribs and the flange 1 having notches b² corresponding.
with the ribs (the tubular body a being made with or without the depressions e)
for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figs. 1, 2, 3. 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing.
Bril. Making the runners of umbrellas and the like of a tubular body and a
removable collar fitting together each having a hollowed flange between which
flanges the knobbed ends of the stretchers fit, the said flange of the tubular body
being notched for the ribs substantially as described.
4th. A runner for umbrellas and the like consisting of the tubular body a provided
with the hollowed flange a¹, and the collar fitting on the tubular body a and provided
with the hollowed flange b', the said flanges being adapted to receive the knobbed
ends of the stretchers and the flange a having notches corresponding with the
stretchers (the tubular body a being made with or without the depressions e) for the
purposes and substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 7, 8
and 9 of the accompanying drawing.
5th. In umbrellas and the like the herein described improvements in jointing the
stretchers to the ribs, consisting in the employment of a knobbed end to the stretcher
working between a pair of dished ears on the rib substantially as hereinbefore
described.
6th. The combination with the knobbed stretcher f of the cars g g between which
the knob of the stretcher fits one of the said ears being made with or without the
projecting part g₁ for closing over the other car substantially as heroinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawing.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
Cinnune to fon mer su Dora
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.