IMPROVE- MENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Willis, of Stocksbridge Works, near.
Sheffield, in the County of. York, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES."
Sealed the 21st July 1874, and dated the 28th May 1874.

page_text: of springs between the ribs and stretchers. These springs have been
found to improve materially the action of the umbrella, but practical
difficulties in the application of the springs have prevented them being
generally used. These difficulties I have now overcome. The spring I
employ consists of a steel wire which I attach to the rib in such a
position that its free end may press upon the stretcher in the immediate
vicinity of the joint connecting it with the rib. The rib is of the trough
like form known by the name " 'paragon," and at the place where the
spring is to be attached to it the edges of the metal of which the rib is
formed are nipped inwards; this should be done whilst the metal is soft,
and the rib is hardened and tempered afterwards.
The spring consists of a strip or piece of steel wire the tail end of which
is able to enter within the trough-like hollow in the rib and to pass
beneath the contraction produced in the manner above mentioned, the
tail of the spring is passed along within the rib beneath the contraction
until a bend formed in the spring comes up to the contraction, and
being unable to pass it the bend acts as a stop and holds the spring in
position. The tail of the spring is bent also so that some little force is
required to push it into its place, and when placed it is not liable to
move. The japan or black varnish which is afterwards applied to the
rib also aids in fixing the spring in its place, but without this the
spring would be perfectly secure, the width of the spring corresponding
with that of the hollow of the rib it cannot escape or shift to either
side.
Where the head of the spring acts against the stretcher it is capped
with brass, a strip of brass is bent around its end and closed upon it
by suitable tools. The brass strip is made thicker on the face of the
spring which acts against the stretcher than it is at the back where the
two sides of the strip are lapped around the spring. In consequence of
being thus tipped with brass the spring will act against the stretcher
with very little friction and the action of the spring is not liable to be
impeded by rust as otherwise might be the case. Springs may be
applied to sunshades in a similar manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Willis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILLIS, of Stocksbridge Works, near Sheffield, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James. Willis, Her special
license that I, the said James Willis, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Willis, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to 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
UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Willis, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Willis, 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 :-
-
This Invention has for its object improvements in umbrellas and
sunshades.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to Samuel Fox, and
dated the 13th day of September 1865, No. 2348, there is described a
means of causing umbrellas to open to a small extent as soon as the band
retaining the ribs is released. This is effected by the application. of

page_text: springs between the ribs and stretchers. These springs have been
found to improve materially the action of the umbrella, but practical
difficulties in the application of the springs have prevented them being
generally used. These difficulties I have now overcome.
The spring
I employ consists of a steel wire which I attach to the rib in such a
position that its free end may press upon the stretcher in the immediate
vicinity of the joint connecting it with the rib. The rib is of the trough
like form known by the name "paragon," and at the place where the
spring is to be attached to it the edges of the metal of which the rib is
formed are nipped inwards. This should be done whilst the metal is
soft and the rib is hardened and tempered afterwards.
The spring consists of a strip or piece of steel wire the tail end of
which is able to enter within the trough-like hollow in the rib and to
pass beneath the contraction produced in the manner above mentioned;
the tail of the spring is passed along within the rib beneath the con-
traction until a bend formed in the spring comes up to the contraction,
and being unable to pass it the bend acts as a stop and holds the spring
in position. The tail of the spring is bent also so that some little force
is required to push it into its place, and when placed it is not liable to
move; the japan or black varnish which is afterwards applied to the rib
also aids in fixing the spring in its place, but without this the spring
would be perfectly secure. The width of the spring corresponding
with that of the hollow of the rib, it cannot escape or shift to cither.
side.
Where the head of the spring acts against the stretcher it is capped
with brass, a strip of brass is bent around its end and closed upon
it by suitable tools. The brass strip is made thicker on the face of
the spring which acts against the stretcher than it is at the back where
the two sides of the strip are lapped around the spring. In con-
sequence of being thus tipped with brass the spring will act against
the stretcher with very little friction, and the action of the spring is not
liable to be impeded by rust as otherwise might be the case. Springs
may be applied to sunshades in a similar manner.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a rib and stretcher of an
umbrella drawn about double the real size. a is the rib with the joint
bit a' upon it, and b is the stretcher; c is the spring, it is attached to
the rib at a distance from the joint, and extends towards the joint, its
free end bearing on the stretcher not very far from the joint pin. The
attachment of the spring is effected by suitably bending it as the
Drawing shows, and thrusting it beneath a contraction formed in the
trough form or paragon rib by nipping it (before it is hardened) at
the point a; Figures 2 shew other views of the rib and spring.
The steel spring should be tipped with brass to lessen friction; this
may be done in the way indicated by the Figures 3; here the spring is
wrought with a T head and a piece of brass d rolled and cut to a suitable
section is folded around it by tools in the way. which the Drawing
indicates, or as is illustrated by the Figures 4; the end of the spring may
be indented on either side and then have a brass "bit" closed upon it
by tools in the same way as the joint bit is fixed on solid ribs, or, as is
shewn by the Figures 5; a short brass tube niay be placed on the end of
the spring and rendered fast by a blow with a pair of shaping tools.
In place of tipping the spring with brass a brass rubbing piece may
be provided on the fork of the stretcher; this can be done in the con-
struction of the stretcher fork. A small piece of brass of U form
section is inserted into the hollow of the paragon wire of which the
stem of the stretcher is formed and it is secured in its place by the same
tools which fix the outer prongs of the stretcher fork. The piece of
brass is provided with a projecting tongue which covers the centre prong
of the stretcher fork and receives the friction of the spring; the arrange-
ment is shewn by the Figures 8.
Although I prefer to attach the spring to the rib it can be attached to
the stretcher in a similar manner; Figures 6 shew such an arrange.
ment.
Figures 7 shew a rib with a spring arranged to act in the same way
as the spring in Figure 1, but it is secured in a different manner; a is
the rib and a' the bit upon it as in Figure 1; c is the spring, it has a
return limb lying in the hollow of the rib. The spring is fashioned by
tools and bent, as is shewn, so as to form an indent and two shoulders

page_text: on the return limb, in order that the spring may drop flat into its place
within the rib, as the Drawing shews. The return limb of the spring
passes over the joint bit, and the shoulders rest against it, one on either
side, then when the stretcher is attached by the insertion of the joint
pin the centre limb of its fork holds the spring in its place, preventing it
rising, whilst the shoulders resting against the bit prevent the spring
moving along the rib.
What I claim is the means of applying springs in connection with
the ribs and stretchers of umbrellas and sunshades, substantially as
described.
In witness whercof, I, the said James Willis, have hereunto
.
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.