IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the
City of Westminster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS."
Tunes
LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the
City of Westminster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS."
A communication from abroad by La Société Meurgey et Cie., of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1880.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS." (A communication from abroad by La Société.
Meurgey et Cie., of Paris, France.)
This Invention relates to an improved construction of umbrella, so arranged as to
allow of ready separation of the umbrella proper from the stick, in order that the
latter may be used as an ordinary walking stick.
For this purpose, according to the present Invention, the umbrella stick has
formed through it a transverse hole provided with a lining tube, and the notch-ring
or recessed part to which the inner ends of the ribs are connected, is formed or
provided with a tube or sleeve arranged to fit over the stick, and having in two
opposite portions suitable holes corresponding to the lined hole of the stick.
Through the tube or sleeve and lined hole is passed a split pin or device, so
constructed as to retain the umbrella proper on the stick, but so that it may be
readily withdrawn.
According to another part of the Invention, the runner to which the stretchers
are connected is provided with spring catches, arranged so as when the umbrella is
open, to engage with a projection on the tube or sleeve above referred to, so as to
hold the umbrella open, thus dispensing with the ordinary top spring.
To prevent the runner rising too far, it is arranged to bear against the lower end
of the tube or sleeve. To close the umbrella it suffices to pull the runner, the upper
extremities of the springs being formed with rounded projections which will then
slide over the projection of the tube or sleeve. This rounded form of the projecting
ends of the springs also obviates injury to the stick by the sliding motion of the
runner when opening and closing.
In a modification of the above described arrangement, such injury is further
guarded against by substituting for the runner springs above described springs
provided with anti-friction rollers at their extremities.

page_text: In Fig. 5, the runner is represented as having left the lower part of the tube or
sleeve c which corresponds to the closing of the umbrella.
Fig. 6 is a view at right angles to Fig. 5, and shews the runner in the same
position as in Fig. 5.
To the runner A are attached two springs B, B, directly opposite each other, and
the upper extremity of each is provided with a catch or projection b, which by
means of hand pressure and by simultaneously pushing, the runner may be caused to
pass over the projection cx of the tube or sleeve C when the umbrella is to be
opened. When the umbrella is open (see Fig. 4), the parts b, b, are pressed by their
springs against the outer circumference of the tube or sleeve C, and bear on the
projection or shoulder c* so as to prevent the umbrella from closing.
In order to prevent the runner from rising or descending along the tube or
sleeve C, owing to pressure of the ribs D on the stretchers E, the runner A is
arranged to abut against the lower part of the shoulder cx; by this arrangement
the runner, when the umbrella is open, is maintained firmly in its proper position.
To close the umbrella the runner is pulled, whereupon the rounded parts of the
projections b, b, slide over the shoulder c*, thus releasing the runner which can
thus be lowered and the umbrella closed.
The projections b, b, being rounded off, it results that in whatever direction the
runner moves along the stick, there is no fear of these projections injuring or
making unsightly grooves along the stick, which would be detrimental to its
appearance as a walking stick.
.
The better to guard against such injury to the stick, springs with antifriction
rollers may be used, as shown by way of example in Fig. 7.
By this arrangement even the slight sliding friction of the springs B, B, is
avoided, rolling action being substituted.
Umbrella walking-sticks, or walking-stick umbrellas, the sticks of which might
be used separately have already been constructed, but so far as I know the con-
struction has been complicated, and such as to render frequent repairs needful by
reason of the play between the constituent parts arising on the umbrella striking
the ground; and methods that have been proposed of obviating this wear have not
been such as to avoid complication and consequent augmentation in cost; moreover,
they have involved alteration in the shape of stick and reduction in its strength.
But what is considered to be novel and original in the Invention, communicated to
me as aforesaid, and what I therefore claim as secured to me under the Letters
Patent hereinbefore in part recited is,-
1. The combination in an umbrella of the following features, videlicet:-A stick
(suitable for use as a walking stick), having through it a transverse hole provided
with a tube or lining, a tube or sleeve formed or provided with a notch-ring or
recessed part to which the inner ends of the ribs are connected, such tube or sleeve
being arranged to fit over the stick, and having through it in two opposite positions
holes corresponding to the lined hole of the stick; and a split pin or device so
constructed that it may be passed through the holes in the tube or sleeve and stick
in such manner as to retain the umbrella proper on the stick, but so that it may be
readily withdrawn, to enable the umbrella proper to be removed when the stick is
required to be used separately, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
2. In an umbrella of the kind hereinabove referred to, videlicet, in which the
stick is arranged to be withdrawn for separate use as a walking stick, providing
the runner to which the stretchers are connected with spring catches, arranged so
as when the umbrella is open, to engage with a projection on the tube or sleeve
before referred to so as to hold the umbrella open, thus dispensing with the ordinary
top spring, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
3. In an umbrella of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, providing the

page_text: runner to which the stretchers are connected with springs carrying anti-friction
rollers, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 7 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.