IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Conrad Neumeister, of Leipzig, Saxony.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th January 1882.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communication from abroad by Conrad
Neumeister, of Leipzig, Saxony.
This invention relates to umbrellas and parasols, and consists chiefly in the
combination of two runners, a spiral spring, and two sets of stretchers in such a
manner, that the umbrella is opened automatically by releasing the lower runner
from the handle.
The top of the handle is fitted with a metallic ring having a short vertical
groove joined to a horizontal groove so as to form a bayonet lock into which fits
a button attached to the lower runner. The top of the latter is provided with
a ring for attaching the inner extremities of the first set of stretchers. In its.
highest position the said ring abuts against an indiarubber ring fixed to the stick
of the umbrella. The second runner which in its lowest position rests on the top.
of the said indiarubber ring, carries the ring for attaching the inner ends of the
second set of stretchers, the outer ends of which are hinged to the ribs at the same
point as the outer ends of the lower stretchers. Between the upper runner and
the top notch the stick is surrounded by a spiral spring the ends of which are
guided in sockets of the runner and top notch. In closing the umbrella the inner
ends of the lower stretchers, together with the lower runner move downward, and
the upper runner with the inner ends of the upper stretcher move upward, thereby
compressing the spiral spring, which tends to open the umbrella as soon as the
lower runner is, released from the handle. Instead of turning the lower runner,
in its notch-ring, which rests loose on the runner, the latter may be surrounded by
a special sleeve, provided with a bayonet-lock into which tits a pin attached to the
umbrella stick.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions, of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1882.
IN
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of Kensington Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communication from abroad by Conrad
Neumeister, of Leipzig, Saxony.
This invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1
represents a section of an opened umbrella frame together with the stick, the said
section consisting of the parts a b and c shown on a larger scale in Figure 6, Fig. 7
shows the upper portion of the umbrella stick d with helical spring e, top notch h,
notched rings g and f, sliding tube or lower runner i and india-rubber ring k. Figure 8
is an end view of the lower runner i with cup t, while Figure 9 shows the handle / of
the stick d with ferrule m partly in section. Figure 3 shows a second sleeve or tube n
mounted on the lower runner p in case of weak frames. Figure 2 is an end view of
the same with section of stick d. Figure 4 shows the same sleeve partly in section
and partly in side view and Figure 5 an end view of the same with section through
the stick d. The various parts of this umbrella frame are arranged as follows:
The stick d is rigidly connected with the handle 7, to which is secured a ferrule m
provided with slots r and x as shown in Figure 9, the former of these slots being
parallel with the stick while the latter forms a right angle to the first slot. The
lower runner i is loose on the stick and carries the notched or grooved ring f
which can be turned on the runner, the fixed button o and the cup t, capable of
sliding on the runner. The india rubber ring k is fixed to the stick d while the
adjoining slide u together with the grooved ring g fixed to is capable of sliding
on the stick d. The upper sleeve v made in one piece with the top notch h, is
firmly riveted to the stick d. Between the slide or upper runner u and the top
notch is situated the helical spring e coiled around the stick, and entering with its
extremities into the said slide u and sleeve vso as to press against the base of the
same. To the notched ring fare secured forked stretches c equal in number to
the ribs a. The same number of stretchers b are connected with the ring g, while
the ribs are attached to the top notch h, these joints being made so as to allow the
stretchers and ribs the necessary pivotal motion on their inner ends. With every
rib a is connected a stretcher b and a stretcher c by the same pivot. The ribs and
stretchers are grooved and of such a sise that in closing the umbrella the ribs a
enter into the stretchers b. For closing this umbrella the runner i mounted on
the stick d, together with the notched ring f, cup t and button o, which latter is
situated in the direction of the slot r, has to be shifted towards the handle until
the button o stands at the inner end of the slot r. At the same time the ribs a
are drawn inwards by means of the stretchers c which share the motion of the
ring f, the stretchers 6 press the helical spring e upwards against the fixed sleeve v,
by means of the ring g and slide u whereby the umbrella frame assumes its closed
position indicated in Figure 1 by dotted lines. In this position the compressed
helical spring e tends to press the sleeve u with notched ring g back as far as the
india rubber ring k fixed to the stick, so as to effect the automatic opening of the
umbrella. In order to retain the frame in its closing position the button o of
the lower runner i need only be turned into the circumferential slot x of the
ferrule m, and for opening the said umbrella the said button must be turned back into
the longitudinal slot r. If the umbrella frame is closed the cup t may be shifted
on the runner i so as to catch or enclose the ends of the ribs and keep them
together around the stick d. The weaker frames with the sleeve n represented by
Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, are opened and closed by turning only the sleeve n mounted

page_text: on the lower runner between the shoulder q and the notched ring f, instead of
turning the whole runners p. This runner p as well as the sleeve n is slotted at
one end or at both ends (w.) according to the construction of the umbrella frame
to which they are applied, and the sleeve n has furthermore either at one end or
at both, a slot z perpendicular to the slot w. The shoulder q and, if necessary, also
the notched ring f is recessed near the slot w to a sufficient depth to allow the said
shoulder or ring to pass over the pins s applied to umbrella stick d for keeping the
umbrella in its extreme position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that when the
slots w of the sleeve n and of the slide p cover each other, the whole slide p may
be shifted against the pin 8 until the latter is at the end of the corresponding
slot w.
In order to retain the slide in this position, the sleeve n is turned so as
to cause the pin 8 originally situated at the end of w to occupy the position at the
end of the slot z as shown by Fig. 4. In Fig. 3 the slide p on the stick d is
disengaged from the pins which is shown outside the slots. To facilitate the
introduction of the pin into the slots w the outer ends of the latter are rounded.
Fig. 10 illustrates an improved construction of the same umbrella-frame, with a
metallic tube d¹ which allows the use of a thinner umbrella stick in order to reduce
the diameter of the umbrella frame, when the latter is closed. Fig. 11 is a section
along line A B of Fig. 10. Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate another modification by
which the umbrella frame is secured in its closed position by means of the spring y
falling into the opening o' of the runner i. For opening the umbrella the spring y
is released by a pressure on the button P. The described umbrella frame can
easily be held and opened with the same hand, and it is evident that the same
construction may be applied to umbrellas proper as well as to parasols.
CLAIMS. :
1. An automatic umbrella frame.comprising two attachment rings ƒ and g and
a top notch h in combination with stretchers b and c ribs a spring e sleeve v
upper runner u lower runner i mounted, on the stick d with or without movable
cup t, and with or without metallic tube d'.
2. In umbrella frames the combination of ribs a, with stretchers d and c, stick d,
spring e top notch h with sleeve attachment rings ƒ and g upper runner u
lower runner p with sleeve n and ring k.
3. In automatic umbrella frames the method of securing the lower runner in
its extreme positions by means of pin o and slotted ferrule m pins and slots w
and z.
4. In automatic umbrella frames the method of securing the lower runner in its
closing position by means of spring y and button p.
The whole substantially as described and illustrated by the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Nineteenth day of July A.D. 1882.
HII HADDANT
HADDAN
(L.C.)