IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mac Millan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1881.
ALEXANDER MAC MILLAN, of the City of London, Patentee and Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS."
The objects of my improvements are to make an umbrella which shall remain
open, when opened, without the usual catch and spring at the top end of the stick,
and which shall remain close, when shut, without the catch and spring at the
handle end of the stick, thus avoiding the weakening of the stick by cutting slots
near the top and bottom in which to place these catches and springs, also the
expense of cutting the slots and adjusting the springs, and the trouble of moving
the springs when opening and closing the umbrella; to so improve the mechanism
and shape of the ribs and stretchers that when the umbrella is closed the tips of
the ribs shall cling closely to the stick without the aid of the usual tip-cap or a
substitute therefor; to give much more head-room as well as greater expansion
when opened than an ordinary umbrella; to make the umbrella roll up into much
smaller compass when closed; to reduce the liability of the umbrella being turned
inside out.
"
To attain these ends I make the "gat" or "gate" on the rib considerably longer
than the "gat" in ordinary use, the object of this additional length in the "gat"
being to obtain a certain amount of propulsion in bringing the umbrella down, and
in retaining the ribs close to the stick. I effect this by slightly turning outwards
the two sides of one end of the "gat," so as to make two "ears" on which the
stretcher presses. I also place on the stretcher near to where it is fixed on the
runner another "gat," the sides of which are turned slightly inwards, so that when
the rib falls into the stretcher when closing the umbrella the turn-over of the sides
of the "gat," as described, slightly nips the rib and holds it in position. In some
ID 31

page_text: cases when more convenient I place this second "gat" on the rib instead of on the
stretcher. I preferably construct these "gats" of steel instead of the commonly-
used soft iron, so that the turned-over parts retain their elasticity and do not wear
away.
In many cases however I do away entirely with the "gats," and in lieu thereof
I insert in the rib a solid joint of steel to which the stretcher is attached. This
joint is made so large that it exactly fills the slot ordinarily cut in the stretcher,
thus strengthening the stretcher so much as to enable the wire at present used for
strengthening purposes to be done away with. I also at the end of the joint
nearest the tip of the rib make or leave a small knob or projection which slips into
a slot cut in the stretcher for the purpose, by which means the rib falling into the
stretcher when the umbrella is closed is steadied in the groove of the stretcher, and
the tip of the rib is kept close to the stick.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Mac Millan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th February 1882.
ALEXANDER MAC MILLAN, of the City of London, Patentee and Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS."
The objects of my improvements are to do away with the catches and springs
generally used to keep the umbrella open and closed; to make the ribs when the
umbrella is closed cling more closely to the stick; to give more headroom and
greater expansion when opened; and to make the umbrella roll up into much
smaller compass.
"
To attain these ends I make the "gat" or "gate" on the rib considerably longer
than the "gat" in ordinary use, the object of this additional length in the "gat"
being to obtain a certain amount of propulsion in bringing the umbrella down, and
in retaining the ribs close to the stick. I effect this by slightly turning outwards
the two sides of one end of the "gat" so as to make two " ears or projections on
which the stretcher presses. I also sometimes place on the stretcher near to where
it is fixed to the runner another "gat," the sides of which are turned slightly
inwards, so that when the rib falls into the stretcher when closing the umbrella
the turn over of the sides of the “gat,” as described, slightly nips the rib and
holds it in position. In some cases when more convenient I place the second
gat" on the rib instead of on the stretcher. I preferably construct these "gats
of steel instead of the commonly used soft iron, so that the turned-over parts retain
their elasticity and do not wear away.
#
"
In many cases however I do away entirely with the "gats," and in lieu thereof
I insert in the rib a solid joint of steel or other suitable material to which the
stretcher is attached. This joint is made so large that it exactly fills the slot
ordinarily cut in the stretcher, thus strengthening the stretcher so much as to
enable the wire at present used for strengthening purposes to be done away with.
I also sometimes at the end of the joint nearest the tip of the rib make or leave
a small knob or projection which slips into a slot cut in the stretcher for the
purpose, by which means the rib falling into the stretcher when the umbrella is
closed is steadied in the groove of the stretcher, and the tip of each rib is kept
closer to the stick.
I also in some cases insert into the stick near the handle end a knob or button
which moves up and down in a small incision made for it, and projects when up
above the level of the stick. The runner when the umbrella is closed passes over
this knob, which it is enabled to do by the side of the knob on which the runner
impinges being made on an incline, so that the pressure of the runner pushes the
knob down into the incision in which it works. A small slot is also made in the
runner to correspond exactly when the umbrella is closed with the position of
the knob, into which slot the knob accordingly enters when the runner is pushed
down sufficiently. The knob then tends further to hold the tips of the ribs
close to the stick by preventing any movement of the runner away from the
handle end.
Fig. 1 shews the elongated "gat," a, a, being the two ears.
Fig. 2 shews the rib b, b, the solid joint being shown at c. The small knob
fitting into the slot in the stretcher is shown at d.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a side view and a plan of part of the stick showing
the knob e which falls into the slot fin the runner g.

page_text: Having now described and set forth the nature of my Invention, what I claim
and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent is,-
The general construction of the umbrella in the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mac Millan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty two.
ALEXANDER MAC MILLAN. (L.S.)