IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS, WEATHER PROTECTORS, SUNSHADES, AND UMBRELLAS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Ritchie, of Tyrwhitt Road, Lewisham
Road, in the County of Kent, and John Ritchie, of No. 9, Stone-
field Street, Barnsbury, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS, WEATHER PROTECTORS, SUNSHADES, AND
UMBRELLAS."
Sealed the 25th January 1870, and dated the 22nd November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Ritchie and
John Ritchie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 22nd November 1869.
We, GEORGE RITCHIE, of Tyrwhitt Road, Lewisham Road, in the
County of Kent, and JOHN RITCHIE, of No. 9, Stonefield Street, Barns-
bury, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS, WEATHER PROTECTORS, SUN-
SHADES, AND UMBRELLAS," to be as follows:-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to one of us on the
Twenty-fifth day of September 1868 (No. 2918) was described the

page_text: constructing a sunshade or weather protector with a central pole and
with radial ribs jointed to it to support the covering.
The first part of this Invention has for its object the securing the
lower end of the central pole in the ground. For this purpose we affix
to its lower end by a socket joint a pointed spike to be driven into the
ground, and in addition we joint to the socket three or other number of
radial arms, each formed at its outer end with a curved tooth, which is
also to be driven into the ground; by this means we are enabled to
secure a firm hold upon the ground for the lower end of the pole. The
central pole of other descriptions of tents or weather protectors may
similarly be fixed securely to the ground.
Another improvement consists in constructing the top notch or runner
to which the radial ribs of weather protectors, sunshades, and umbrellas
are jointed with one of the discs (between which the ends of the ribs
are held) moveable and capable of being fixed to the other disc and
held at the required distanco from it by distance pieces and rivets or
other fastenings. One of the discs is formed with a flange around its
outer edge, so as to enclose the space between the two discs, or the discs
may be otherwise formed so that at their outer edges the space between
them shall be enclosed. This flange and either one or both of the discs
are notched to receive the ends of the ribs. The ends of the ribs may
be threaded as usual on to a wire, or they may be threaded on to a
ring, or the end of each rib may be formed with pins projecting from
it to lie in a groove or recess formed around the fixed disc. When
the ends of the ribs have all been placed in position into the notches of
the fixed disc the other disc is placed over and secured to the fixed
disc by rivets or other fastenings, and the ends of the ribs will thus be
securely attached to the runner or top notch.
In constructing small sunshades or parasols where the ribs are
jointed to the runner, and where the stretchers are jointed to the top
notch, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to one of us
on the 27th day of August 1869 (No. 2551), we construct the parasol
or sunshade in such manner that when open it shall resemble an
ordinary parasol, the covering being made to assume a curved or arched
form inclining downwards. For this purpose we attach to the outer
ends of all of the ribs an elastic cord, to which the outer edge of the
covering is connected. By this means when in opening the parasol

page_text: the ribs are caused to incline outwards away from the stick the cord
is stretched as the ribs approach to a position at right angles to the
stick, and so soon as the ribs have been moved past this position and
caused to incline in the opposite direction the elastic cord contracts and
tends to draw the tip ends of all the ribs towards one another, and cause
them to assume a curved form, and in order to prevent this action from
causing the runner to slide upwards along the stick we apply a coiled
spring around the stick just around the top notch. This spring by
pressing down on the top of the runner prevents the clastic cord from
forcing it upwards. The outer ends of the ribs we also make to a
curved form to improve the shape of the parasol when opened. The
covering is made in two parts, one extending from the tips of the ribs
to the point where the stretchers are jointed to them; the other extends
from the stick down to the ribs and covers over the stretchers.
In place of the elastic cord being caused to draw inwards the tip enda
of the ribs so soon as the ribs have been moved beyond a position at
right angles to the stick, the ribs themselves might be made to move
inwards and outwards to act as springs to effect this object.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Ritchie and John Ritchie in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
RIтon, of Tyrwhitt Road, Lewisham Road, in the County of Kent,.
and JOHN RITCHIE, of No. 9, Stonefield Street, Barnsbury, in the County.
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in the-
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine,.in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,.
give and grant unto us, the said George Ritchie and John: Ritchie, Her-
special licence that we, the said George Ritchie and John Ritchie, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as: we,. the said.
George Ritchie and John Ritchie, our executors,. administrators, and.
assigns, should. at any time agree with, and. no. others, from time to

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS, WEATHER PROTECTORS,
SUNSHADES, AND UMBRELLAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said George Ritchie and John Ritchie, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particu-
larly 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 George Ritchie, on behalf of myself
and the said John Ritchie, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say :-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to one of us on the
25th day of September 1868, No. 2948, was described the constructing
a sunshade or weather protector with a central pole and with radial ribs
jointed to it to support the covering.
The first part of this Invention has for its object the securing the
lower end of the central pole in the ground. For this purpose we affix to
its lower end by a socket joint a pointed spike to be driven into the
ground, and in addition we joint to the socket three or other number of.
radial arms, each formed at its outer end with a curved tooth, which is
also to be driven into the ground; by this means we are enabled to
secure a firm hold upon the ground for the lower end of the pole. In
place of forming the teeth in one piece with the radial arms they may
be made as separate teeth or pins, and passed through holes in the radial
arms, or otherwise locking with them when in use, or the socket and
radial arms may be used without the teeth or pegs. The central pole of
other descriptions of tents or weather protectors may similarly be fixed
securely to the ground.
At Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed is illustrated the
manner above described of securing the lower end of the pole of a tent
by affixing its lower and to a spoke having radial arms jointed to it, and

page_text: formed at their outer ends with curved teeth to be driven into the
ground. In this Figure a is a spike to be driven into the ground, and
to which the lower end of the tent pole 6 is fixed by a socket joint and
pin, as shewn. c is a ring fitting over the upper end of the spike, and
having jointed to it four or other number of radial arms d, each having.
a curved tooth e at its outer end, which is to be driven into the ground;
these radial arms and the teeth which are to be driven into the ground
we form of T iron, as shewn by the Drawings, or, as before stated, in
place of the curved tooth being formed in one piece with the radial
arms d it may be in a separate piece from it, as shewn at Figure 2. The
radial arm and the pine which is to be driven into the ground are also
in this case formed of T iron. The pin is passed down through a slot in
the end of the arm d, and this slot, as shewn by Figure 3 of the
Drawing, is made to correspond with the- section of the pin. The slot
and also the rib on the under side of the radial arm are cut away at an
angle to correspond with the angle at which it is desired the pin should
be driven into the ground. The upper end of the pin is bent over in the
manner shewn, so that its end may come down on to the metal arm d
when the pin is driven into the ground; the pin and arm will then be
locked as securely together as though they were in one picce. The
radial arms d may be of any desired length, and in some cases if desired,
and especially when the arrangement shewn at Figure 2 is employed,
they may be prolonged to where the outer covering of the tent comes
down to the ground, so that the pins e may be employed not only to
secure the ends of the radial arms d but also to fasten down the covering
of the tent. Pegs of T iron bent in the manner shewn by the Drawing,
and passed through a slot in a metal plate are also applicable for
securing the covering or the ropes of a tent to the ground.
At Figure 4 is shown an arrangement in which in place of radial
arms being pin-jointed to the spike which is driven into the ground, and
to which the lower end of the pole is fixed by a socket joint, the arms
are passed through holes drilled through the spikes, as shewn, and in
this case it is unnecessary to fix their ends into the ground by means of
teeth, as in the arrangements shewn at Figures 1 and 2.
Another improvement relates to the construction of the top notch or
runner to which the radial ribs of weather protectors, sunshades, and
umbrellas are jointed. For this purpose the axes of the radial arms

page_text: are received in a groove formed between two discs. One of the discs
is fixed to the tube of the runner, whilst the other is moveable, and is
capable of being fixed to the other disc by rivets or other fastenings.
One of the discs is formed with a flange around its outer edge, so as
to enclose the space between the two discs, or the discs may be otherwise
formed with a flange on each of them, so that at their outer edges the
space between them shall be enclosed. The flange or flanges and the
discs are notched to receive the ends of the ribs. The ends of the ribs
may be threaded as usual on to the wire, or they may be threaded on to
a ring, or the end of cach rib may be formed with pins projecting from it
to lie in a groove or recess between the discs. We prefer that the radial
arms should be so formed, that when the weather protector, sunshade, or
umbrella is opened out their ends should abut against the tube of the
top notch or runner, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted
to one of us on the 1st of May 1869, No. 1348. When the ends of the
ribs have all been placed in position into the notches of the fixed disc the
other disc is placed over and secured to the fixed disc by rivets or other
fastenings, and the ends of the ribs will thus be securely attached to the
runner or top notch.
Figure 5 shows a side view, and Figure 6 a plan of a runner to which
radial arms or ribs of a weather protector are jointed, as described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to one of us. a is the tube of
the runner; b, a disc formed thereon; c, a disc secured to the disc b by
screws e. In the disc b and also in the disc c a ring groove is formed
(see Figure 7) to receive a ring, to which the ends of the several radial
arms are jointed, slots being formed in the discs to receive the ends of
the arms, as shewn. d is a guard ring screwed on to the tube a to
prevent the hand of a person when shifting the runner up or down
on the pole from being nipped between the pole and radial arms. As
before stated the discs may similarly have a ring groove formed between
them to receive a wire, on which the ends of all the radial arms are
threaded, or the ends of each rib may be formed with a pin projecting
from it to lie in the ring groove. The ring groove may also be formed
either in the face of both discs, as shown in the Drawing, or in one only
of the discs.
In constructing sunshades or parasols where the ribs are jointed
to the runner, and where the stretchers are jointed to the top notch, as

page_text: described in the Specification of a Patent granted to one of us on the
27th day of August 1869 (No. 2551), (we construct the parasol or sun-
shade in such manner that when open it shall resemble an ordinary
parasol or sunshade, the covering being made to assume a curved or
arched form inclining downwards; for this purpose we attach to the
outer ends of all the ribs an elastic cord, to which the outer edge of the
covering is connected. By this means when in opening the parasol
the ribs are caused to incline outwards away from the stick the cord is
stretched as the ribs approach to a position at right angles to the stick,
and so soon as the ribs have been moved past this position and caused
to incline in tho opposite direction the elastic cord contracts and tends
to draw the tip ends of all the ribs towards one another and cause them
to assume a curved form; and in order to prevent this action from
causing the runner to slide upwards along the stick, we apply a coiled
spring around the stick just around and underneath the top notch; this
spring by pressing down on the top of the runner prevents the elastic
cord from forcing it upwards. The covering is made in two parts, one
extending from the tips of the ribs to the point where the stretchers are
jointed to them; the other extends from the stick down to the ribs and
covers over the stretchers. In place of the elastic cord being caused to
draw inwards the tip ends of the ribs so soon as the ribs have been
moved beyond a position at right angles to the stick, the ribs themselves
might be made to move inwards and outwards to act as springs to effect
this object.
Other kinds of umbrellas and parasols may similarly have a coiled
spring applied to them around the stick and between the runner and the
top notch to keep the runner firmly down on to the spring catch by
which it is retained when the umbrella or parasol has been opened.
Figure 8 shows a spring thus applied to a parasol in which the ribs are
jointed to the runner.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that what
we claim is, the apparatus for supporting the central pole of a tent,
weather protector, or sunshade, substantially as hercin described.
We also claim the top notch or runner of tents, weather protectors,
sunshades, and umbrellas, substantially as herein described..

page_text: We also claim the construction of sunshades or parasols, substantially
as herein described.
We also claim the application of a spring between the top notch and
runner of an umbrella, parasol, or sunshade to hold the runner securely
down on to the catch by which it is retained when the umbrella, parasol,
or sunshade is opened.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Ritchie, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
my
GEO. RITCHIE. (L.S.)