CERTAIN IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MEYER
MEYER, of Artillery Place, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the eleventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the said
Meyer Meyer, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Meyer Meyer, my exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Meyer Meyer, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Meyer Meyer, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
hereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Meyer Meyer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
nanner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
scertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to

page_text: (that is to say):-
My Invention consists,-
Firstly, in an improved method of connecting the metal stretchers of
umbrellas and parasols with the whalebone ribs thereof. Heretofore this has
been accomplished by having the upper end of the metal stretcher forked so as
to embrace the whalebone rib between the forks, when a pin passed through
from side to side at right angles to the plane of flexure and rivetted, completed
the joint. Now my first improvement consists in drilling a hole through the
whalebone rib from front to back in the plane of flexure to receive a pin
carrying an eye-piece, to which the forked metal stretcher is jointed, as is
shewn in Figure 1, where a is a metal eye-piece having a screwed pin 6 which
is inserted in a hole drilled through the whalebone rib from front to back.
A hole is formed in the eye-piece beyond the centre of the pin, and on
screwing the eye-piece into the whalebone rib, care is taken that the hole is
turned towards the top of the umbrella or parasol to counteract any tendency
of the eye-piece to turn round when pushed by the stretcher. If any portion
of the pin 6 projects beyond the back of the whalebone rib, it is cut or filed
off close or riveted down. The forked end of the metal stretcher c is made
to embrace the eye-piece a, and a pin being passed through the holes and
riveted completes the joint. In this arrangement the whalebone rib is not
weakened near so much, nor is it so liable to split, as when it is pierced sideways.
The forked part of the metal stretcher also not projecting beyond the whale-
bone rib renders the framework of the umbrella or parasol smaller and more
compact, and any necessary repairs are greatly facilitated. Instead of the pin
b being screwed, it may be left plain, and after being inserted through the
whalebone, the end may be turned down or riveted. The eye-piece may also
forked instead of the stretcher, but I prefer to use the forked stretcher.
Figure 2 shews another mode of carrying out this my improvement In this
arrangement the eye-piece d is formed wholly of metal wire bent up into the
form shewn. Two holes being drilled in the whalebone rib, from front to back,
the two ends of the wire e, e, are inserted therein and turned down or riveted
at the back of the whalebone. A pin passed through the forked ends of the
stretcher c' and the eye d and riveted, completes the joint.
Figure 3 exhibits another mode of carrying out my said improvement. fis
an eye-piece and double stem of wire bent up into the form shewn and
inserted in a hole drilled from front to back of the whalebone rib, the ends of
the wire stem are then opened and turned back (or riveted down), as shewn.
The forked stretcher c² is united to the eye f by a pin passed through and
riveted, as before described.

page_text: My second improvement in the manufacture of umbrellas and parasols
consists in the employment of a spring clasp for the purpose of holding or
retaining the umbrella or parasol in its closed state, instead of the sliding rings,
or loop and bottons, heretofore employed for that purpose.
Figure 4 shows one of my improved clasps; it consists of a narrow strip or
riband of thin steel or of wire, bent into a circular form, as shewn, and then
hardened and tempered. A small loop 9 is formed at one end, which is sewn
or otherwise affixed to the outer covering of the umbrella or parasol. The
person using the umbrella having closed it, takes hold of the loop h and pulls
open the spring, bringing it round the body of the umbrella so as to enclose
all the ribs and covering; on releasing the spring it returns to its original
circular form, confining the umbrella or parasol, and keeping it closed, as
shewn at Figure 5.
And having thus clearly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as
new, and of my Invention, is,―
Firstly, the improved mode of connecting the metal stretchers with the
whalebone ribs of umbrellas and parasols by means of an eye-piece, the stem
or stems of which pass through the said ribs from front to back in the plane
of the flexure, as herein-before described, and shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Secondly, I claim the application of spring clasps to umbrellas and parasols,
for retaining them in a closed position, as herein-before described, and shewn
in Figures 4 and 5.
In witness whereof, I, the said Meyer Meyer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
Enrolled the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.