A NEW AND IMPROVED FLEXIBLE POCKET UMBRELLA, BEING LIKEWISE APPLICABLE TO COMMON AND OTHER STICKS, CANES, ETC
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandre Tolhausen, of No. 7, Duke Street, Adelphi,
London, County of Middlesex, Sworn Interpreter at the Imperial Court
of Paris, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED FLEXIBLE POCKET
UMBRELLA, BEING LIKEWISE APPLICABLE TO COMMON AND OTHER STICKS, CANES,
ETC." A communication from Louis Amand Mangin, Paris.
Sealed the 30th December 1856, and dated the 1st August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandre Tolhausen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st August 1856.
I, ALEXANDRE TOLHAUSEN, of No. 7, Duke Street, Adelphi, London, County
of Middlesex, Sworn Interpreter at the Imperial Court of Paris, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED FLEXIBLE
POCKET UMBRELLA, BEING LIKEWISE APPLICABLE TO COMMON AND OTHER STICKS, CANES,
ETC.," a communication from Louis Amand Mangin, Paris, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a novel kind of umbrella, which may be shut up
into about one-third of its length when not in use. It is made with a jointed
handle, either of iron, wood, or any other suitable substance, which may be
detached at pleasure from the ribs, etc., and may serve as a walking-stick ;
and as the ribs are merely fixed to the handle (when of wood or cane) by the
pressure of a screw, an ordinary walking-stick may be substituted for the
flexible handle.
The ends of the ribs of this umbrella are fixed together at the top in the
ordinary way, viz., by a wire passing through the end of each rib, and round o

page_text: groove in a collar, the two ends being twisted together; the ends of the
stretchers are also to be fixed to the runner and ribs, in the ordinary manner.
At about the middle of cach rib is a double-hinge joint, such as is now com-
monly used for parasol handles, but instead of being operated by hand, it is
worked by a small spiral spring, in such a manner, that when the two sections
are in line one with another the tube is forced over the joint, and thus keeps
the two sections of the rib in line. When the umbrella is not required for use,
the tube is pushed off the joint by hand, which admits of each rib being
doubled together.
The iron handle consists of a certain number of tubes, one end of each being
enlarged to allow the corresponding end of the next section to slide into it,
and thus make a firm joint. The top part, above that section on which the
ribs are fastened and runner works, is small enough to slide entirely into that
below it; to its end is attached a thin iron or steel rod, also made with
double-hinge joints, which passes through the sections of tube, and is finally
fixed in the lower one. By pulling out this top section, the whole is drawn
together and firmly united by means of the joints. It is prevented from
disconnecting itself by means of a small catch, which is placed in the top
section, and is therefore freed when the section is drawn out.
When the handle is made of wood or cane, the stick is bored from end to
end and cut into sections. Through the bore is passed a strong cord, onc
end of which is fixed in the bottom section, to the other end is attached a
screw, which fits in a nut in the top part of the stick. By screwing off the
top and taking off the first section, the cord will be sufficiently loosened to
permit of the sections being doubled together.
A stick containing a whip, or even a common walking-stick, may be sub-
stituted as a handle, as also there are may other modes of forming the joints
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexandre Tolhausen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
..the 29th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDRE
TOLHAUSEN, of No. 7, Duke Street, Adelphi, London, County of Middlesex,
Sworn Interpreter at the Imperial Court of Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
3

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alexandre Tolhausen, Her special licence that I, the said Alexandre
Tolhausen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexandre Tolhausen, 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 "A NEW AND
IMPROVED FLEXIBLE POCKET UMBRELLA, BEING LIKEWISE APPLICABLE TO COMMON
AND OTHER STICKS, CANES, ETC.," a communication from Louis Amand Mangin,
Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexandre
Tolhausen, my executors or administrators, 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 six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexandre Tolhausen, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention relates to umbrellas with folding ribs and jointed handles, or
fixed by rings and screws upon common and other sticks, canes, etc. The ends
of the ribs of this new kind of umbrella being fixed together at the top, in the
ordinary way, videlicit, by a wire passing through the end of each rib and round
a groove in a collar, the two ends being twisted together, and the ends of the
stretchers being also fixed to the runner and ribs in the ordinary manner, it
will only be necessary to describe the new mode of folding the said ribs and
handles.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; Fig. 1 repre-
senting the hinge joints of the ribs; Fig. 2, part of the handle tube when
stretched; Fig. 8, the same handle when doubled together. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts wherever they are used.
a, Fig. 1, represents a rib, which is enlarged at 6, 6, and divided into two
segments, each of which is rounded off. These two segments are joined
together by a double-hinge joint c, which works on the pivots d, d. On the
longer of these enlarged portions b' is placed a spiral spring e, which acts on a
tube f, forcing it over the joint c when stretched out. The black outline
shews the joint when doubled. By putting the two segments b, b, in line with

page_text: each other, the tube f is forced over the joint, from the position shewn in black
outline to that indicated by the blue outline.
In Figs. 2 and 3, which represent the handle in different positions, h, h, are
short tubes, one end of each being enlarged, as shown at i, i. The top part j,
which is above the tube to which the ribs are attached, is shewn, in Fig. 3,
entirely drawn into that tube. To the end of ; there is fixed one end of a
small rod k, made with double-hinge joints 1, the other end of the rod k being
firmly attached at m; there is also a small spring catch n placed in j. By
pulling out this top j, the enlarged parts of the tubes are forced over the
corresponding small ends of the next tubes, as shewn in.. Fig. 2, thus firmly
uniting the different portions of the handle; at the same time the catch n is
set free, and, by springing out over the end of the next tube, prevents the dis-
engagement of the several parts. When this catch is pressed by the finger it
permits the folding of the umbrella, by allowing the several parts of the handle
to be drawn apart.
Fig. 4 is a modification of the handle, being a substitute for the iron handle
just described, and serving likewise as a horse-whip, which is inserted at the
end by means of a screw. Common and other walking-sticks may be used for
the same purpose, the framework of the umbrella being fixed to them by a
thumb screw, or any other suitable means.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed, I desire it to be understood that what I
claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is, the construction of the handles
and ribs of flexible or folding umbrellas, substantially in the manner as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexandre Tolhausen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
A. TULHAUSEN. (L.B.)