IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Iles at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th.March
1862...
I, CHARLES ILES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention for improvements in the manufacture of
umbrellas and parasols relates to the construction of an improved top notch
or runner notch for umbrellas and parasols, and in carrying out the first
improvement under this part of my Invention I employ discs of metal of a
suitable size for forming the top notches and the runner notches, and in the
surface of the said discs I stamp or otherwise form circular or other suitably
shaped recesses for receiving the ends of the ribs and stretchers, which
ends are made by preference of a round or globular shape having a neck
below, or under it which works in a slot made in one of the said recesses,
and the globular part is made to fit into and occupy the other part of the
recess in such manner that when two of the discs are brought and held
together by any suitable means, they hold the ends of the ribs and stretchers
so as to form a strong and improved joint without the use of wire to connect
the ribs and the stretchers to the top notch and runner notch. For con-
necting the ends of the stretchers to the middle bit according to this part
of my Invention, I cut out sheet metal of a proper size to form the middle

page_text: bit, and I stamp or form at each end of this piece of metal a recess forming
the half of a globe excepting a small portion to admit the free action of
the neck made in the stretcher and the piece of metal is then bent round
the rib, and the sunk recesses are brought together and made to enclose the
globular part formed on the end of the stretcher, and by this means I form
a suitable joint according to this part of my Invention.
The second part of my Invention consists in making middle bits for
umbrellas and parasols in such manner that the parts which come into contact
with the fork have a raised projection, in order to strengthen and widen this
part of the middle bit. By preference I make this middle bit of sheet metal
which is cut out to the proper shape, and the projections are raised by means
of dies and pressure, and I afterwards draw them over the rib so that the
back part forms a continuous piece taking care that the raised parts are
brought opposite each other on the other side of the rib, or the raised
portions of the middle bit may be formed so that the continuous portions or
centre of the piece of metal is closed in front, and the ends are made to clip
over the rib in any suitable manner to hold the middle bit firm in its place on
the rib. When made in this form, in fixing the middle bits I prefer to use
dies and pressure to force the parts firmly to the rib and into their required
position.
The third part of my improvements consists in making the handles and
tips of umbrellas and parasols of china or other vitrified materials, also in the
use of hard cements such as Keene's or any other similar hard cement capable
of bearing a smooth and polished surface. Handles or tips made according
to this part of my Invention may be ornamented and made in any desired
form according to taste.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in making the heads of the rivets used for
connecting the middle bits and stretchers of umbrellas and parasols of a
rounded dome or scutching-pin shape and when the rivet is passed through
the hole I stamp (in suitable dies) a head of a similar form on the other
end, or a washer may be placed on this end which may be rivetted or stamped
to connect the stretcher and middle bit firmly together, and by these means
I am enabled to make a véry strong and neat joint.
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