IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bradwell, of Deepcar, near Sheffield, in
the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"3.
Sealed the 3rd February 1874, and dated the 22nd September 1873.
*PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bradwell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd September 1873.
I, HENRY BRADWELL, of Deepcar, near Sheffield, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED
THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of preparing and finishing
the sticks of umbrellas previous to their being "framed” and “covered,”
first by cutting the stick to a standard length, then slotting it for the
wire springs that retain the runner of the frame, and finally drilling
holes for wire fixings.

page_text: The object of this Invention is to accomplish these various operations
automatically by a novel arrangement and combination of machinery
that may be thus described :-A head stock and spindle with driving
pulley supported on a suitable "gantree" or bed is provided with two
circular saws and two drills, one set (a saw and a drill) being placed at
one end of the spindle and another set at the other end, the driving
pulley being situated in the intermediate distance between the two. One
of these saws of small diameter is employed for grooving the stick in
the manner herein-after described, and the other of large diameter for
cutting the stick to a standard length. This being the first operation it
is accomplished by placing the stick in a horizontal position with its
head against a sliding abutment on the "gantree" or bed. The position
of this abutment is determined by a numbered scale upon its sliding
stem; any one of such numbers at which it may be fixed in its sup-
porting slide will represent a certain length of stick. The opposite end
of the stick from its abating stop is then brought into contact with the
revolving saw and severed. The sticks when thus cut being of various
thickness are forced between a fixed standard and a yielding finger, the
action of which lowers a bowl fixed to one end of a lever forming a
bell crank with the yielding lever or finger. This bowl forms an
adjustable support, upon and over which one end of a carrier table slides,
the other end of such table being supported by yielding or spring pro-
jections connected with an under or fixed bed. This carrier table when
drawn along moves in a direction at right angles to the spindle of the
head stock and immediately underneath the grooving saw. A guard
forming a template for the length and formation of the groove or slot to
be cut in the stick is placed in a parallel position above the sliding table.
This template or guard when being carried along with the table is kept
in position by a fixed upper bowl which acts as a counter check to the
spring supports of the under table, and so according to the upper curved
formation of its bearing surface against such counter check bowl, gives
'by the rising and falling of the table during its traverse the desired
length, depth, and formation of slot or groove which is cut by the
circular saw.
For instance when the table has been lowered in the
manner described the stick is placed on the table with its head against
an adjustable rest that determines the distance where the top groove
shall be cut. When in this position the operator takes hold of one end
of a lever supplied with jaws, which, being used for pushing the table,
grips the stick during the time it is moved along for grooving.

page_text: When the grooving first commences the depth of the same is deter-
mined by the level portion of the template guard before mentioned, the
deeper portions of such groove being formed during the passage of the
stick and reduced portion of the template plate under the fixed top bowl.
This causes the table to rise and allow the saw to enter more deeply into
the groove under formation. When the top slot or groove is thus made
the stick is reversed and placed with its tip against a second adjustable
stop, at which time a repitition of the foregoing operation is gone
through, viz., passing the table and stick along under the action of the
saw. The stick being now cut to the right length and grooved for the
hand and top spring catches for the "runner," it is necessary that holes
should be pierced at the termination of each slot for having inserted and
secured therein the ends of the spring wires, and also the transverse
holes in which pins are placed for keeping the springs in their slots and
also for preventing the " runner being forced up too high. For this
purpose the stick is now placed against a V slide rest in a position that
will admit of the hole being drilled at the termination of each groove.
During the time these holes are being drilled the pushing forward of the
stick for this purpose brings it into contact with an adjustable scriber.
that marks at a given distance the various points upon the same where
the transverse holes are to be, and which are then made by presenting
the stick at the points marked to the action of the drill at the opposite
end of the spindle. When these holes are made the end of the stick
can be submitted to the action of a revolving cutter on the headstock
spindle, which tapers the end for the reception of the ferrule, and thus
completes the preparation of the stick necessary for its usual and
requisite fixings.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Bradwell, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BRADWELL, of Deepcar, near Sheffield, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the

page_text: year of 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 Henry Bradwell,
Her special licence that I, the said Henry Bradwell, executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Bradwell, executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND IN THE
MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Bradwell, 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

page_text: cutting the stick to a standard length. This being the first operation it
is accomplished by placing the stick in a horizontal position, with its
head against a sliding abutment on the gauntree or bed. The position
of this abutment is determined by a numbered scale upon its sliding
stem; any one of such numbers at which it may be fixed in its sup-
porting slide will represent a certain length of stick. The opposite end
of the stick from its abutting stop is then brought into contact with the
revolving saw and severed. The sticks when thus cut being of various
thicknesses are forced between a fixed standard and yielding finger, the
action of which lowers a bowl fixed to one end of a lever, forming a
bell crank with the yielding lever or finger. This bowl forms an
adjustable support, upon and over which one end of a carrier table slides,
the other end of such table being supported by yielding or spring pro-
jections connected with an under or fixed bed. This carrier table when
drawn along moves in a direction at right angles to the spindle of the
headstock and immediately underneath the grooving saw.
A guard
forming a template for the depth of the groove or slot to be cut in the
stick is placed in a parallel position above the sliding table. This
template or guard when being carried along with the table is kept in
position by a fixed upper bowl, which acts as a counter check to the
spring supports of the under table. The upper curved formation of this
template bearing against the counter check bowl gives a rise and fall to
the table during its traverse, which causes the grooving saw to cut the
slot the depth and formation required.
The various operations the stick undergoes when presented to the
action of the machine takes place in the manner following:-The stick
is first placed on the table with its head against an adjustable rest,
which determines the distance where the top groove from the tip shall
be cut. When in this position the operator takes hold of the end of a
lever supplied with jaws, which when used for pushing the table grips
the stick: The extent of movement thus given, which is governed by a
stop, determines the length of groove.
When the grooving first commences the depth of the same is adjusted
by the level portion of the template guard before mentioned, the decper
portions of such grooves being formed during the passage of the stick
and reduced portion of the template under the fixed top bowl. The
table at this time is caused to rise and allow the saw to enter more
deeply into the groove under formation. When the top slot or groove

page_text: "
is thus made the stick is reversed and placed with its tip against a second
adjustable stop at such time the foregoing operation is repeated, namely,
passing the table and stick along under the action of the saw. The
stick being now cut to the required length and grooved for the hand and
top. spring catches for the "runner," it is necessary that the holes
should be pierced at the termination of each slot for having inserted and
secured therein the ends of the spring wires, and also the transverso
holes in which pins are placed for keeping the springs in their slots, and
also holes for "stoppers" preventing the "runners being forced up
too high. For this purpose the stick is now placed against a V slide rest
in a position that will admit of the holes being drilled at the termination
of cach groove. During the time these holes are being drilled the
pushing forward of the stick for this purpose brings it into contact with
two adjustable scribers which mark at given distances the various
points upon the same where the transverse and stopper holes are to
be made. The transverse holes are then formed by presenting the stick
at the points marked to the action of the drill at the opposite end of the
spindle. When these holes are made the end of the stick can be sub-
mitted to the action of a revolving cutter on the headstock spindle,
which tapers the end for the reception of the ferrule, and thus completes
the preparation of the stick for its usual and necessary fittings.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings made upon a
scale of three inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked
on corresponding parts on all the Figures alike.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the improved machine; Fig. 2
a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3, a plan view of the bed or table supporting and guiding the
stick whilst being grooved.
In these Figures a is the headstock of the machine resting on the table
or bed 6 forming the support for the rest of the apparatus. The head-
stock a supports in its bearings the spindle c, which is provided with
two circular saws d and e and also two terminal drills d' and e¹. The
spindle saws and drills are driven by the pulley f. The small diameter
saw e is employed for cutting the grooves in the stick in the manner

page_text: herein-after explained, and the larger diameter saw d for cutting the
stick to standard length.
The operation and working of the machine, and the manner in which
the sticks are presented to be operated upon, will by the following
lettered description and reference thereto be clearly understood:-The
stick is first placed with its knob or handle against the sliding abutment
g, the position of which is determined by a numbered scale upon its
sliding stem g¹. The distance of such abutment from the larger circular
saw d regulates the length of stick. Upon the knob or handle being so
placed the said saw cuts off the surplus length and uniformly reduces it
to one standard measurement. The sticks when so cut are of different
thicknesses. In order therefore to prepare the carrier table h to convey
the same whilst under the action of the grooving saw e in a manner that
will enable such saw to cut the required depth of groove therein, the
first of any set of sticks of a given thickness is first placed between the
block i and gauging finger i, the action of which forces according to
the thickness of the stick the finger ¹ a distance equal to the diameter
of the stick from the block i. The finger is supported and works on
a fulcrum 2, from which another lever projects at about right angles
thereto, the end of which is provided with a carrier bowl supporting the
end of the carrier table h, the elevation or depression of which, according
to the position of the lever a, regulates the distance of the carrier table
from the teeth of the grooving saw e. The position of such table and
its regulating finger when adjusted by the stick as aforesaid is main-
tained in position by the spring E. The opposite end of this carrier
table is supported upon a yielding bowl k, which adjusts itself to the
level of the bowl at the time the stick is passing with the guard
under the action of the grooving saw. The carrier table is caused to
move in a right line and maintain its upright position by means of the
blocks S and T.
The stick when prepared for grooving is first placed with its head or
knob against the adjustable abutment or sliding gauge m, the position of
which being set to a scale upon the carrier table / regulates the distance
where the top groove has to be made. The carrier table when not
otherwise acted upon is kept in its position by the spring D. The stick
when on the carrier table as described, is so maintained with respect to
the saw e by means of the guard l. At this time the operator takes hold
of the lever n, which moves on a fulcrum n', and is supplied with

page_text: gripping jaws n³, which when used for pushing the carrier table h grips
the stick so as to hold it firmly whilst being grooved.
The extent of movement given to the table is regulated by the stop
or abutment A adjusted by the screw C, such movement determining
the length of groove cut in the stick, but in order to obtain the required
depth and formation of such grooves a template or guiding plate / is
employed, which is connected to the carrier table by the stem or
bracket. The upward rise of the carrier table by the action of the
spring bearings is and k is governed through the medium of this
template whilst passing with the movement of the table under the
bowl secured to the bracket t. Thus it will be seen that when the
grooving commences the bowl ³, whilst the highest and level portion of
the template is moving under it, maintains the carrier table at its
greatest depression, thereby causing the saw during such movement to
cut the shallowest portion of the groove, which gradually deepens on
the termination of the movement of the table by reason of the curved
and reduced portion of the template bearing against the bowl k²,
thereby giving a rise to the table, such rise or depression and consequent
formation of a groove in every case being defined by the profile of the
template 1. When the top groove is thus made the spring D draws the
table back to its original and normal condition, at which time the stick
is reversed and its tip put through a hole in the gauge m so as to allow
it to abut against the second gauge m². The stick is then gripped by
the lever n, and the above described process is repeated, resulting in the
formation of the bottom groove. The stick now being grooved for the
reception of the spring wire catches, retaining the runners of the umbrella,
it is necessary that transverse holes should be drilled therein for the
reception of pins forming stops to the springs; also holes for the stopper]
wires, which prevent the runners being forced up too high. In order.
therefore that these pins and stoppers shall have their positions accu-
rately determined the stick is placed against the V slide rest 9 in a
position that will admit of the holes being drilled at the termination of
cach groove. During the time these holes are being drilled the pushing
forward of the stick for this purpose brings it into contact with two
adjustable scribers O and P, which mark the places where the transverse
and stopper holes are to be made. The holes for the stopper are next
made while the stick remains in the V slide rest, and finally the transverse
holes, the position of which from the face of the groove is determined by

page_text: sliding the stick underneath prongs F, G, until it comes in contact with
the smaller drill R.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I would wish it to
be distinctly understood in conclusion that I claim the novel combination
and arrangement of mechanism to be employed for cutting, grooving,
and drilling umbrella sticks in the manner and for the purpose as
herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bradwell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
5
J. EYRE,
140, Cemetery Rd.,
Sheffield.
HENRY BRADWELL. (L.S.)