Improvements in Fittings for Umbrellas, Sunshades, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fittings for Umbrellas, Sunshades, and the like.
I, THEOPHILE BARBIER of 185 Rue Saint Denis, Paris in the Republic of
France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Hitherto the springs, inserted in the sticks of umbrellas, sunshades and the like
for retaining the slide in its two extreme positions corresponding to the open and
shut positions of the sunshade or umbrella, have one of their ends hinged on a pin
or gripped by an annular fastening in the stick. This system necessitates holes
being bored in the stick or the latter being formed with a groove which is
inconvenient and inelegant.
My invention consists essentially in the manufacture and use of improved springs
which may be fitted to sticks provided with only two ordinary slots or mortices and
an upper catch without the intervention of special pins, annular fittings or any
other auxiliary device.
The spring placed at the upper or handle end of the stick is formed by cutting
out a piece of metal or by any other means. It is formed with two branches
separated by a short space. The extremity of the one branch is provided with a
heel piece to rest against one edge of the mortice or slot. The other branch is
terminated by a push-catch projecting through the mortice. The two branches are
connected at the other end of the spring which rests with its two sides against the
internal walls of the hollow stick. Under these conditions the branch with the
heel piece is absolutely fixed in position, and the spring has no tendency to be
displaced longitudinally. When pressure is applied by the finger on the push-
catch, the latter sinks into the interior of the stick, the branch carrying said push
separates itself from the fixed branch and the push-catch when left to itself returns
to its normal position, the branch which carries it forming a spring.
It is evident that by this arrangement the placing of the spring necessitates the
use of no setting, no pin or other accessory part. This spring simply enters the
mortice and is pushed in until the heel piece encounters the lower edge of this
mortice whereby the branch with its heel piece is fixed and only the other branch
is free to move.
This arrangement of spring may be employed also under the same conditions for
the upper or ferrule end of the stick, but in this place it is preferable to employ a
modification.
In the ordinary system, the spring is placed in such a way that its catch heel is
uppermost at the end of the part, the other end placed towards the bottom is
hinged on a pin. Contrary to this system I employ as axis of articulation the
usual pin with projecting edges which serve as a stop for the slide. The form of
the spring is changed, the hinging taking place from the upper end on a projecting
pin and the engaging shoulder of the push catch placed towards the shank instead
of at the end of the spring.
Owing to this arrangement it is unnecessary here to again have recourse to a
special pin, or to a special fitting, or to the use of any additional piece for holding
the spring. This is one of the essential characteristics of my invention.
It is obvious that the arrangements hereinbefore described are applicable to all

page_text: sticks of umbrellas, parasols or the like, whether of metal, wood, or other suitable
material and whether hollow throughout the whole or only part of their length.
Dated this 18th day of November 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in Fittings for Umbrellas, Sunshades, and the like.
I, THEOPHILE BARBIER, of 185 Rue Saint Denis, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Manufacturer, 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:-
Hitherto the springs, inserted in the sticks of umbrellas, sunshades and the like
for retaining the slide in its two extreme positions corresponding to the open and
shut positions of the sunshade or umbrella, have one of their ends hinged on a pin
or gripped by an annular fastening in the stick. This system necessitates holes
being bored in the stick or the latter being formed with a groove which is
inconvenient and inelegant.
My invention consists essentially in the manufacture and use of improved springs
which may be fitted to sticks provided with only two ordinary slots or mortices and
an upper catch without the intervention of special pins, annular fittings or any
other auxiliary device.
This arrangement is shown in double its natural size in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an external view of two portions of an umbrella stick fitted with my
improvements and
Figure 2 is a corresponding longitudinal section.
The spring placed at the handle end of the stick is formed by cutting out a piece
of metal or by any other means in the form shown in Figure 2. It is formed with
two branches a and b separated by a short space c. The extremity of the one
branch a is provided with a heel piece d to rest against one edge of the mortice or
Blot e.
The other branch bis terminated by a push-catch f projecting through the
mortice. The two branches a and b are connected at the other end g of the spring
which rests with its two sides against the internal walls of the hollow stick. Under
these conditions the branch a with the heel piece d is absolutely fixed in position,
and the spring has no tendency to be displaced longitudinally. When pressure is
applied by the finger on the push-catch f, the latter sinks into the interior of the
stick, the branch 6 separates itself from the fixed branch a as shown in dotted lines
in Figure 2, and the push-catch when left to itself returns to its normal position,
the branch which carries it forming a spring.
It is evident that by this arrangement the placing of the spring necessitates the
use of no setting, no pin or other accessory part. This spring simply enters the
mortice e and is pushed in until the heel piece d encounters the lower edge of this
mortice whereby the part dag is fixed and only the other part fbg is free to
move.
This arrangement of spring may be employed also under the same conditions for
the ferrule end of the stick, but in this place it is preferable to employ a
modification shown in the drawing.
In the ordinary system, the spring is placed in such a way that its catch heel is
uppermost at the end of the part, the other end placed towards the bottom being
hinged on a pin. Contrary to this system I employ as axis of articulation the
usual pin with projecting edges which serve as a stop for the slide. The form of
the spring is changed, the hinging taking place from the upper end on a projecting

page_text: pink, and the engaging shoulder 1 of the push catch h placed towards the shank i
instead of at the end of the spring.
Owing to this arrangement it is unnecessary here to again have recourse to a
special pin, or to a special fitting, or to the use of any additional piece for holding
the spring. This is one of the essential characteristics of my invention.
It is obvious that the arrangements hereinbefore described are applicable to all
sticks of umbrellas, parasols or the like, whether of metal, wood, or other suitable
material and whether hollow throughout the whole or only part of their length.
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 :-
1. The application to the sticks of umbrellas, sunshades, and the like, as a spring
catch for the slide, of a piece of metal with two branches (a and b), the one
branch (a) being terminated by a heel piece (d) which acts as a fixed point, and
the other branch (b) by a push catch (f) forming a spring, the whole being held
in position without pins, rivets or fittings substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore set forth.
2. The application to the sticks of umbrellas, sunshades and the like as a spring
catch for the slide, of a metallic strip with the position of the engaging
shoulder () reversed pivoted at its upper end on a projecting pin (k), which latter
serves also as an upper stop for the slide, substantially as herein before described
and shown on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.