Ix. PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES OR PARASOLS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Fox, of Stocksbridge Works, Deepcar,
near Sheffield; in the County of York, for the Invention of "Ix.
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES OR
PARASOLS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Fex, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st September 1868.
.I, SAMUEL Fox; of Stocksbridge Works, Deepcar, near Sheffield, in the
County of York, 'do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES OR
PARASOLS," to be as follows:-.
This Invention relates to improvements in umbrellas and sunshades or
parasols, and has for its object to give to an umbrella, or sunshade, or para-
sol when open a greater spead for a given length of rim, a greater stiffness
[Price 8d.]

page_text: to resist the action of the wind, and an improved droop or downward curve
at the tip or outer ends of the ribs. These objects I attain by giving, as
described, to the ribs varying degrees of stiffness or elasticity throughout
their length instead of the common practice of giving a uniform amount
of stiffness. For this purpose I apply to each rib a strengthening piece
or pieces to strengthen it for a distance on each side of the "middle
bit," which is fastened to the rib, and to which the end of the stretcher
is jointed, or each rib may be thus strengthened for a distance on that
side only of the "middle bit" which is towards its outer tip, the
strengthening piece being applied to the rib close up to the "middle
bit."
Other parts of a rib may also be similarly strengthened by applying
strengthening pieces to them. When using a rib of a hollow or trough-
like or section, I strengthen the rib at such points as are desired by
filling up the hollow of the trough by a wire, and I hold the wire in its
place by closing the sides of the rib on to or against the wire. When
thus strengthening a part or parts of a rib other parts of the rib may be
made to bend more readily, and an improved droop of the tip ends may
be thus obtained by flattening or partially flattening out the rib, as
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, and
dated the 13th September 1865 (No. 2348). When using a solid rib of
wire I strengthen it at such points as are required not to bend so readily
as the other parts by embracing it with a tube of an elliptic or other
form, which may be hardened and tempered separately from the wire
and be afterwards applied to it, or the wire may be made deeper at the
parts which require strengthening, and be then, it desired, embraced in a
similar manner by a strengthening tube to maintain it in its proper
position as well as to increase its stiffness, but such embracing tube need
not in all cases be employed. When thus strengthening a part or parts of
solid ribs other parts of the rib, which it is desired to make to bend more
readily, may be flattened in the direction to reduce its depth, and by
such combination of strengthening and weakening different parts of the
same rib greater spread, greater stiffness, and an improved droop of the
tip ends of the ribs may be obtained. The mode I prefer for making
these ribs deeper at one part and reducing their depth at another part
is by passing them between rolls, which may be grooved so as to do the
flattening in opposite ways at one operation.
This Invention applies to all sections of ribs, but I prefer using those
above mentioned, as such forms facilitate the application of strengthening

page_text: pieces thereto for the purpose of obtaining varying degrees of stiffness.
throughout the length of the ribs. The end of the ribs of umbrellas;
sunshades, and parasols where the ribs enter the top notch, and the
ends of the stretchers where they enter the runner have heretofore when
of U.form in section being made by flattening the sides of the ribs
together, and piercing through the flattened part, a filling of soft iron
In order to
wire being usually introduced to give substance to the end.
prevent the rib or stretcher rusting at this part I lap sheet brass or other
metal around the end before flattening and piercing it. This I prefer to
do after the rib or stretcher is hardened and japanned, the end being
again somewhat softened to admit of the flattening and piercing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
fled by the said Samuel Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 20th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
Fox, of Stocksbridge Works, 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-first day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Fox, Her special
licence that I, the said Samuel Fox, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Fox, 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 THE MANU
FACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES, OR PARASOLS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Fox, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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

page_text: Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Fox, 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 relates to improvements in umbrellas and sunshades or
parasols, and has for its object to give to an umbrella or sunshade or
parasol when open a greater spread for a given length of rib, a greater
stiffness to resist the action of the wind, and an improved droop or
downward curve at the tip or outer ends of the ribs. These objects I
attain by giving, as described, to the ribs varying degrees of stiffness or
elasticity throughout their length instead of the common practice of
giving a uniform amount of stiffness. For this purpose I prefer to apply
to each rib a strengthening piece or pieces to strengthen it for a distance
on each side of the "middle bit" which is fastened to the rib and to
which the end of the stretcher is jointed, or each rib may be thus
strengthened for a distance on that side only of the middle bit which is
towards its outer tip, the strengthening piece being applied to the rib close
up to the "middle bit." Although as above stated I prefer to strengthen
the ribs on each side of the "middle bit" or on the side of the middle bit
which is towards the tip by means of strengthening pieces applied to
them; the ribs may otherwise have varying degrees of stiffness imparted
to them by weakening them towards both extremities either by opening
out, or flattening, or reducing them, or otherwise.
At Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed is shown a
mode by which hollow or trough ribs may be strengthened on both sides
of the middle bit or git. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section on an
enlarged scale of the strengthened rib and the middle bit or git upon it;
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken through the middle bit and rib.
In the arrangement shown by these Figures the trough rib a is
strengthened by a strengthening piece 6 of a similar trough section
placed within it and secured in its place by the putting on of the
ordinary middle bit c, or two pieces or lengths of strengthening wire may
be employed and be applied close up to it, one on each of its sides. The
strengthening piece bis hardened and tempered separately from the rib
and after being cleaned it is put into its place in the hollow rib and is
secured by the putting on of the middle bit, which is done in the

page_text: ordinary manner. Each end of the strengthening piece 6 is cut off at an
angle, as shown at Figure 3, so the ends of the strengthening pieces
may never protrude out from the hollows of the ribs. For ribs, say,
26 inches long I prefer that the strengthening piece should extend from
the middle bit for about 6 inches towards the tip of the rib and for about
7 inches towards the end that is jointed to the "top notch' on the
stick. At the same time that the trough rib is thus strengthened I
prefer to open or spread out the sides of the rib at the tip end for about
4 or 5 inches so as to render this part of the rib more flexible, as
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me. By
thus strengthening one part of the rib and making another part to bend
more readily a greater spread for a given length of rib is obtained,
together with an improved droop or downward curve at the tip or outer
ends of the ribs. Although in the description above given I have stated
the length to which I prefer to form the strengthening piece, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the dimensions given,
but that strengthening pieces of any desired length might be employed.
In place of strengthening the rib on each side of the middle bit it might
be strengthened on that side only which is towards the tip. A conve-
nient way of strengthening a hollow or trough rib on one side only of the
middle bit is to somewhat curve over the sides of the rib before harden-
ing, as shewn in transverse section at Figure 4, and after the middle
bit has been fixed in its place upon the rib to push into the hollow of
the rib, as shown at Figure 5, a length of wire previously hardened and
tempered; or the strengthening wire might be inserted into the hollow of
the trough rib before hardening, and when the sides of the rib had been
closed over upon it the rib and strengthening piece might be hardened
together. When so strengthening a trough rib for a distance from the
middle bit towards its tip I prefer to render the tip end more flexible, as
above described. When using a solid rib of wire I strengthen it at such
points as are required not to bend so readily as the other parts by
embracing it with a tube of an elliptic or other form, which may be
hardened and tempered separately from the wire and be afterwards
applied to it.
Figure 6 shews a longitudinal section, and Figure 7 a transverse
section of a portion of a solid or wire rib so strengthened for a distance
from the middle bit towards the tip. The strengthening piece shewn in
these Figures is similar to an ordinary trough rib with the sides curved
or bent inward to cause them to embrace the wire rib. This strength-

page_text: ening piece is hardened and tempered separately, and is by preference
slipped on to the rib before the middle bit has been fixed to it; or a
solid rib may be strengthened on both sides of the middle bit by a
trough or paragon wire passed over it. In this case I prefer to cut away
the sides of the strengthening tube where the middle bit is to be applied,
so that the middle bit may be fixed to the wire rib in the ordinary
manner; or in order to strengthen parts of wire ribs which require
strengthening they may be made deeper at the parts which require
strengthening, and such parts may be embraced by a strengthening tube
to maintain them in their proper position as well as to increase the
stiffness, but such embracing tube need not in all cases be employed.
When thus strengthening a part or parts of solid ribs other parts of the
rib which it is desired to make to bend more readily may be flattened in
the direction to reduce its depth, and by such combination of strength-
ening and weakening different parts of the same rib greater spread,
greater stiffness, and an improved droop of the tip ends of the ribs may
be obtained. The mode I prefer for making these ribs deeper at one
part and reducing their depth at another part is by passing them
between rolls.
Figure 8 shews a transverse section, and Figure 9 a side view of part
of a solid wire rib thus strengthened for a distance on each side of the
middle bit by making such parts of the rib deeper by flattening, and
such flattened portions on each side of the middle bit are embraced, as
shewn, by an elliptical tube b, which not only helps to keep the flattened
rib in its proper position but also itself increases the stiffness. I préfer
to form each strengthening tube b from a narrow strip of metal, such as
shewn at Figure 10, drawn in the ordinary way to bring it into a form
such as shewn at Figure 11. A short length of mandril of the internal
form of the tube produced is then inserted into such tube, and the tube
is then closed upon the mandril by dies brought to bear upon its exterior.
A short length only of the tube being acted upon by the dies at one time
after the strengthening tube has been so closed upon the mandril, it is
again acted upon by the dies without a mandril being placed within it,
and the tube is so brought to the form desired with the edges of the
metal strip in a straight line and closed upon or against one another;
afterwards it is hardened and tempered and applied to the wire rib.
Where extreme stiffness is not required it is not important to use the
covering tube.

page_text: Although I have only described modes of strengthening two sections
of ribs I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
strengthening of such sections of ribs, but that other forms of ribs may be
similarly strengthened by the application of strengthening pieces thereto
for the purpose of obtaining varying degrees of stiffness throughout the
length of the ribs. The end of the ribs of umbrellas, sun shades, and
parasols where the ribs enter the top notch, and the end of the stretchers
where they enter the runner, have heretofore when of U-form in section
been made by flattening the sides of the ribs together, and piercing
through the flattened part, a filling of soft iron wire being usually
introduced to give substance to the end. In order to form the ends
of the ribs or stretchers I lap sheet brass or other metal around the
end before flattening and piercing it. This I prefer to do after the
rib or stretcher is hardened and japanned, the end being again somewhat
softened to admit of the flattening and piercing.
Figure 13 shews a side view, and Figure 13 a transverse section of the
end of a rib or stretcher with a piece of thin sheet brass, or it might be
iron or other metal, wrapped around it after that it has been softened as
above explained. The strip of brass is first doubled into a trough or
hollow form, and after that it has slipped on to the end of the rib or
stretcher and doubled over upon it, the edges of the strip are pressed
into the hollow of the rib by a small plunger, whilst the exterior of the
end of a rib or stretcher is supported in a hollow bed or die; the strip
of brass is thus closed over the rib, as shewn at Figure 13. The sides of
the hollow rib are afterwards pressed together by dies, as usual, to bring
them into the form shewn at Figures 14, and subsequently the flattened
end is pierced with a hole as usual.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Fox, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
SAM. FOX. (L.S.)