IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Willian Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July 1878. A communication from
abroad by Casimir Faure, of Paris, France, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Casimir Faure, of Paris, France, Chevalier of the Legion
of Honour.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of umbrellas and
parasols, and comprises,-
First. The adaptation to the umbrella of mechanism by means of which a simple
drawing or pulling movement of one finger of the hand which holds the umbrella
effects the opening or closing of the latter.
.
Second. The adaptation to the stick of the umbrella of a socket or ring, fixed
securely to the stick, and provided with special devices to confine the ends of the
ribs when the umbrella is closed.
In order that the nature of my said Invention may be clearly understood I have
shewn in the accompanying Drawings as a specimen an umbrella frame provided
with my said improvements.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an umbrella frame provided with my said
improvoments and completely closed.
Figure 2 is also a longitudinal section shewing the umbrella ready to be spread
open, the arms of the sliding piece being down.
Figure 3 is also a longitudinal section shewing the umbrella spread open and
fastened in that position.
Figure 4 is a top view, partly in section, taken above the sliding piece, the arms
being down.
The same letters indicate the corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The devices which I employ for effecting the opening of the umbrella consist of
two rods g and h, jointed to the ends i and j of a lever, oscillating at its centre on a
pivot k, supported in the stick.
The lower rod h terminates with a ring t, or may be bent at right angles to allow
it to be pulled by one single finger.

page_text: The upper rod i is jointed by means of a piece 7, or by other suitable means, to
the ring or socket m, which receives the lower ends of the cross rods of the frame.
The oscillating lever works in a mortise provided for the purpose in the stick, and
in which it is almost entirely hidden when in its extreme positions for opening and
closing. The two ends bent at right angles to form a lever arm for the action of
the rods are the only parts which project slightly from the exterior of the mortise.
The lower rod h slides partly in a groove p provided in the stick, and which
extends below the socket or ring which carries the closing slide. A catch q, which
is placed into an eye provided in the lower end of the rod h, keeps the umbrella
open.
The socket or ring c which is securely fixed on the stick is provided at its upper
end with a protuberance to which the arms bare jointed, the latter being kept
parallel with the stick; or extended horizontally, according to whether the sliding
piece which slides over the fixed socket c is above or below the part where the
arms are jointed to the latter. A spring catch s keeps down the sliding piece r.
The novel features of the said Invention are, the combination of the arms b with
a membranous piece a, or the said piece may be made of suitable flexible material,
connecting the said arms in such a manner as to maintain their upper ends in the
same perpendicular plane to the stick when they are open, and folding with the arms
to confine the extremity of the umbrella when closed. This membrane or fabric is
kept attached to the arms at one end by the ends of the latter being bent over, as
shewn at f, and at the other end by means of a ring e, or by other suitable means,
which fastens it to the socket or ring c above the jointed part d.
By referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that this circular, or rather conical piece
or membrane, is folded or crimped so that it may fold up readily without being
distended outwards when the arms are raised.
The operation is as follows, that is to say:- -The umbrella being closed (Figure 1)
the forefinger is pressed upon the top of the sliding piece r, which slides upon the
socket or ring c, compressing the interior spiral spring, and is caught by the spring
catch s.
The result is that the arms b descend and leave the ribs free to leave the
stick and to extend (see Figure 2). Then a finger (always a finger of the hand
which holds the umbrella) is put into the ring t, and the finger being closed the
ring is brought in connection with the catch g and there fastened; the umbrella is
then open, see (Figure 3).
In order to close the umbrella the ring t is disengaged from the catch q, the lower
rod rises by the effect of the descent of the upper rod, and the ribs descend
(Figure 2); then a slight pressure is given to the spring catch s, the sliding piece
rises, and the bars b enclose the lower part of the umbrella..