IN UMBRELLAS."
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Minière at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1881.
JULES MINIÈRE, of 21, Quai de Nalmy, Paris, Manufacturer.
IN UMBRELLAS."
"
*IMPROVEMENTS
The Invention relates to improvements tending to obtain an umbrolla or parasol
which can be closed with one hand, and consists of three parts:-First, the spring
for keeping the umbrella open; second, the traction wire which operates tho
spring; and third, the devices for preventing the stick from being worn by the
friction of the spring. The spring is made of iron or steel wire, in the shape of an
elongated V, the bottom of which is slightly rounded and the two branches
provided with hooks. The traction wire is attached to this spring at the lower or
rounded end, the hooks serve to support and hold the sleeve or top runner and keep
the umbrella opened. The umbrella stick is made hollow for the reception of the
traction wire and spring, and pierced at its upper part by two longitudinal slits
which are opposite to each other, and through which pass the two hooks of
the V shaped spring. In the vicinity of these slits the stick is slightly diminished
in diameter, so as to fit into a tube provided at the top with a flange serving as a
support for the runner or top sleeve. The lower extremity of the traction wire is
bent outward, passes through a third slit in the stick and is fitted into a moveable
slide.

page_text: ·
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jules Minière in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th March
1882.
Jules Minière, of 21, Quai de Nalmy, Paris, Manufacturer.
IN UMBRELLAS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention, as those described in the Specifications of my former Patents,
has for its object to obtain an umbrella or parasol which can be automatically
closed with one hand, and it may be called an alteration of my former
Inventions.
My improved system or closing apparatus consists essentially of three parts,
viz.—
1st. The spring for keeping the umbrella open.
2nd. The traction wire which operates on the spring.
3rd. The metallic devices preventing the stick from being worn by the friction
of the spring.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to illustrate my Invention and make it
readily understood, Figure 1. The spring R is made of iron or steel wire, in the
shape of an elongated V, the lowest part or apex of which is slightly-rounded,-while
the two diverging branches of which are provided with hooks a, a¹.
The-traction-wire-is-attached to this rounded central portion 6 of the spring.
The two books a, a¹, serve to support and hold in position the runner when the
umbrella is opened.
Figure 2. The hooked spring R is connected with the traction wire F at b.
Figure 3. The wooden or iron-uinbrella stick A is made hollow, and pierced at
its upper portion by two longitudinal slits e, e', diametrically opposite to each
other, and through which project the two hooks of the spring R
From these slits to the end d the diameter of the stick is slightly diminished, in
order to permit its introduction into a tube D.
This tube bas a border or flange l, and is also provided with two slits corre-
sponding to those in the stick, but shorter. The tube D is secured to the stick by
means of a pin g, and the flange serves as an abutment for the runner.
l
In order to give more solidity to the stick where its diameter is smaller, I
introduce into it a tenon T, the lower part of which is forked; N is the fixed top
notch to which the loops of the ribs are attached.
Figure 4. The two branches of the tenon T in the interior of the stick are reduced
or pointed at their ends, as shown, in order to allow the spring R to pass freely
between them.
Figure 5. The retaining spring R, traction wire F, and metallic tube D are shown
in their relative positions. As may be seen from the accompanying Drawing, the
hooks a, a, of the spring R project through the two slits e, e, of the stick and
rest with their lower rounded parts in two corresponding grooves of the tubo D
upon which they exert a pressure. The traction wire F is attached by a ring to
the elbow b of the spring R, its opposite extremity f is bent outward, passes
through a third slit in the stick, and projects into the groove of a movable ferrule
or traction sleevo V.
Figure 6. The runner C (shown half in elevation, half in section) consists of two
pieces, viz., a grooved nut where the loops of the stretchers are hinged, and a
casing or cover retaining the stretchers in the nut and on which the fingers press
when the umbrella is to be opened.
Figure 7, when opening the umbrella the runner C passes over the two hooks
a, a', of spring R, and causes them to recede into the stick, the sleeve itself

page_text: abutting against the flange or border of tube D. Then the two hooks project
again and (masked by the sleeve) keep the umbrella open. In this position the
pressure of the runner forces the hooks to press on the lower part of the slits in
the tube D.
For closing the umbrella it is sufficient to pull with two fingers the movable
ferrulo V, the hooks a, a', of the spring R sliding in the slots of the tube D are
thereby caused to recede into the hollow of the stick and disengage the runner C.
The lengths of the spring R and wire F must be calculated in such a manner
that the hooks a, a, can never entirely disappear under the slots and remain in the
tube D when the ferrule V is drawn down. Consequently the spring R reascends,
owing to the inclination of its branches, and draws along with it the wire F and
ferrule V; this automatic motion being caused by the peculiar shape of the spring
in combination with the length of the traction wire.
For placing the spring R in the required position it will suffice to push it (after
having attached to it the traction wire) into the stick until its branches project
through the slits.
Figure 8. If desired the metal tube D may be omitted, and the following arrange-
ment substituted for it.
I sink a little metal plate m below each slit of the stick, one end h penetrating
through the wall, where it is bent downward by a treblet introduced for the
purpose, the other end p being bent into the slit and serving as an abutment for
the hooks a, a, of the spring R.
Figure 9. These two metal plates may be replaced by two pins i, i, sunk into the
stick as near the borders of the slits as possible. If metallic umbrella sticks are
used in lieu of hollow wooden sticks, the upper tube D may be omitted, the hooks
a, a', of the spring pressing directly upon the borders of the slits.
It will be seen from this description that for disengaging the sleeve of the
umbrella I make use of the traction wire and movable ferrule, as described in the
Specifications of my former Patents. -
The improvements consist merely in the addition of a peculiarly shaped spring
to which the wire is attached and which is placed inside the umbrella stick, its
hooks projecting through two slits in the stick and serving to keep the umbrella
opened. This retaining spring with two hooks may have any suitable size and
dimensions.
It is not necessary to describe here the devices for closing the umbrella and the
attachment of the stretchers to the runner, because they are analogous to those
described in the Specifications of my former Patents.
What I claim is,-
In apparatus for opening and closing umbrellas the application of a V shaped
retaining spring of iron or steel placed in the interior of an umbrella stick, and
arranged to operate in the manner substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Minière, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of March, A.D. 1882.