Improvements in Umbrellas.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Umbrellas.
I, CHARLES HENRY KNUBEL, of 28, East 11th Street, New York, United States of
America do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The present invention relates to an umbrella runner, that is to say, to the tubular
slide to which the inner ends of the rib braces are pivoted, and which slides up and
down on the umbrella stick as the umbrella is opened or closed.
The invention relates particularly to that kind of a runner that consists of an outer
sleeve having an inner tube which is circularly movable in the sleeve, and is held in
its normal position by a spring arranged between them, the sleeve being pivoted to
the braces of the canopy and the tube bearing a catch adapted to engage a projection
or like device on the stick.
The object of the said invention is to construct such a runner so that it will
serve to hold the umbrella closed and with the ribs close against the stick, as well as
to hold its canopy expanded; and also so that the runner shall be automatic in its
action, that is, so that it will engage with projections on the stick by the act of
opening or closing the umbrella and without necessitating a special manipulation of
the runner.
The improvements will be hereinafter described in detail.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Figure represents an umbrella stick with a runner embodying my invention,
applied to it.
Figure 2 is a detail view of the runner in partial section, that is, the outer
cylindrical part of the device is in central longitudinal section, while the inner tube
is shown in full.
Referring to these views in detail, A represents the umbrella stick, which may be of
desired form and construction, B is the tip portion thereof, and C the ribs which
support and carry the canopy.
any
Dis the runner, which consists of a cylindrical sleeve having a recessed hub E, to
which the braces of the ribs are pivoted. F is a tube, of substantially the same
internal size as the stick A, and is arranged within the runner and loosely held so as
to be circularly movable therein by the head G and the knurled ring knob H. This
knob preferably is removably attached to the tube by a screw or pin I. The rear
end of the sleeve is expanded so as to form a recess or annular space between the
sleeve and its inner tube. In this annular space is arranged the spiral spring J,
which is wrapped around the tube and has one of its ends secured to the outer sleeve
while its other end is secured to the inner tube. By this arrangement of the spring,
the tube is normally held in one position relative to the sleeve, yet is capable of being
slightly turned in the sleeve by applying the thumb and finger to the knob H, which
projects slightly beyond the outer surface of the sleeve for this purpose.
K is a hook formed in the cylindrical wall of the upper end of the inner tube.
The point of this hook is bevelled as shown. L is a pin or similar projection secured
to the stick of the umbrella, and arranged in the path of the hook K, so that as the
runner is pushed upwardly, as the ribs are being raised and the canopy spread, the
bevelled edge of the hook will strike the pin and be pushed circularly one side until
it snaps over the pin by the action of the spiral spring. This will lock the runner in
its upper position and hold the canopy expanded. To lower the canopy, the knurled
knob will be seized between the thumb and finger and turned to the left, which
releases the hook from the retaining pin and permits the runner to be slid down the

page_text: At the lower end of the runner is a hook M, similar in every way to the hook K,
and on the umbrella stick, is a second projection. pin N, over which this hook catches
as the runner is brought to its lowermost position on the stick. This is for the
purpose of holding the runner at. its lowermost position, when the umbrella is not in
use, and thereby keeping the ribs and canopy folded against the stick and
preventing them being accidentally opened.
It is to be noted that the catch of the hook K is above the upper end of the outer
sleeve. This I'regard as important, for usually the hub E and the inner ends of the
braces are protected or covered by a fabric, leather or other like material, which
would be caught by the hook or pin L if such book or pin were not arranged above
the same. Furthermore, the swelling of the stick will cause the pins L and N to
project more or less, and if they were arranged to pass under or through any of the
parts of the sleeve or tube, such displacement of them would often prevent the runner
engaging them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In an umbrella-runner, the combination of the outer sleeve D, the inner
tube F having the hooks K and M projecting beyond the ends of the sleeve, and the
spiral spring J, all arranged substantially as described; whereby the end hooks act
automatically to engage projections on the stick as the canopy is raised or lowered.
Second. The combination with an umbrella stick having pins L and N, and the ribs
and braces of the canopy, of a runner composed of a sleeve D, inner tube F having
hooks K and M projecting. beyond the ends of the sleeve, and the spring J arranged
substantially as set forth, whereby the said hooks act automatically to engage the pins
of the stick..
Dated this 7th day of January 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.