Improvements in the Manufacture of Umbrellas, Sunshades, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Umbrellas, Sunshades,
and the like.
I, MARIE TAILLEFER of 5 Rue de Mazagran, Paris in the Republic of France,
Umbrella Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:―
My invention has for its object an important improvement in the manufacture of
the various parts which form the fittings or frame of umbrellas, sunshades and
the like.
One of the great drawbacks of umbrellas, sunshades,
$6 en tout cas," and the like,
as these indispensable articles are at present manufactured, arises from their
somewhat considerable weight, when carried folded in a case or even when in use.
Efforts have therefore been made for a long time to remedy this drawback, but
hitherto without effecting any real improvement.
Thus the ribs and forks which were formerly made of whalebone or the like, and
were consequently of a considerable weight, have undergone various trans-
formations without, however, the desired result being attained. They were first
made of solid steel or copper, and then of hollow steel or copper forming the
so called "Paragon" frames, which in fact is the pattern at present employed.
As regards the sticks, the weight of those made of holly wood, rosewood or the
like is very considerable, whilst, if made of malacca cane, bamboo or the like,
although lighter, they no longer afford sufficient resistance and are broken the first
time they are exposed to a strong gust of wind.
These drawbacks have induced persons in the trade to make sticks combining
strength with comparative lightness, such as those made of hollow iron and steel.
Various improvements having also for their object to diminish the weight of
umbrellas and the like, have been made in the other parts used in forming them,
but umbrellas, parasols and the like are still such weighty articles as to ultimately
tire the arms of persons using them.
With a view of reducing this inconvenient weight, I employ aluminium (or its
various alloys usually made use of, such, for instance, as aluminium bronze) for
umbrella fittings, either for replacing the tubular steel, iron or wood employed
for the sticks, frames, forks, ornaments, pins, ribs, rivets, ferrules and knobs, or for
replacing the copper, iron, zinc, wood, or other material used for slides, cups,
sockets, etcetera.
It is evident that umbrellas, sunshades and the like having the various parts
formed of aluminium or aluminium brouze, the lightness of which metal is well
known, will have a great advantage over those at present made.
It is also evident that I do not limit myself to the use of aluminium or its alloys
for making the fittings of ordinary umbrellas, sunshades or the like, but I can
make use of the same material for the fittings of artists' or anglers' sunshades or
the like.
The parts made of aluminium, aluminium bronze or the like may also, if desired,
have a coating of varnish or lacquer of any shade, or even be nickel plated, bronzed
or the like.
LLEWELYN JONES,
Of 5, South Crescent Chambers, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Umbrellas, Sunshades,
and the like.
1, Mademoiselle MARIE TAILLEFER, of 15 Place de la Nation Paris in the
Republic of France, Umbrella-maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an important improvement which I have made in the
manufacture of the various parts constituting the mounts of umbrellas, and
parasols, of all kinds.
One of the great inconveniences connected with the use of such indispensable
articles, as they are at present made, is their relatively considerable weight
whether carried rolled up in a case or opened and in use. It has therefore at all
times been sought to remedy this defect, but hitherto without any really
satisfactory results.
Thus the ribs and forks or stretchers of the frame, which used formerly to be
made of whalebone or other analogous material and were as may readily be
conceived of no inconsiderable weight have undergone numerous changes, without
however attaining the desired end. Thus they were made of solid iron or copper,
and then of hollow or channelled steel to the latter of which the name of Paragon
has been given; and in fact this is the system most in vogue at the present time.
As for the unbrella-sticks, which were at first made of holly or rosewood, their
weight was something considerable; and even when made later on of bamboo, cane
and the like although these were certainly lighter, they failed in point of strength
and were broken by the first gust of wind.
These inconveniences led our manufacturers to use hollow iron or steel for the
"sticks" as combining strength with relative lightness.
Similarly various changes have been introduced in the materials used in the
manufacture of the other parts necessary to complete the umbrella etc.; but these
useful articles have not the less ceased in the long run to fatigue the arm of the
person using them.
Impressed with these defects I conceived the idea of applying aluminium and
its alloys at present in use, such as e.g. aluminium bronze etc. to the mounting of
umbrellas.
1. In the place of steel, iron and wood, for the metallic tubes serving as sticks, for
ribs, forks or stays (stretchers) mounts, tenons or loops (i.e. the reduced and
pierced upper ends of the ribs), rivets, ferrules and balls; also for the "flyers" or
wings on the rib, midway between its ends.
2. In place of copper, zinc, iron, wood or other material for the runners cups
"double-nuts" etc., the double-nut being the circular pieces near the point of the
umbrella for the ribs to turn on.
It will be readily understood that umbrellas, parasols, sunshades, en-cas etc.
constructed with a frame and mounts in aluminium, aluminium bronze and the
like a metal whereof the lightness and strength are well-known-offer great
advantages over anything of the kind previously known.
It is obvious that I do not limit the use of this metal, aluminium and its alloys to
the manufacture of frames and mounts of ordinary umbrellas, parasols, and en-cas,
but that I claim such useful application also to the larger articles of the same kind,
such as artists' umbrellas and sunshades or for the use of naturalists, fishermen,
drivers of vehicles such as gigs, dog-carts, phaetons, etc. umbrella-tents and
the like.

page_text: I may also cover all these parts when made of aluminium etc. with a coat of
varnish of any colour or shade, or plate them with nickel, or bronze, according to
need or desire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
The use of aluminium and its alloys such as aluminium-bronze for the manu-
facture of the various parts such as tubes or sticks ribs forks or stays and stretchers
fittings tenons or loops eyelets rivets ferrules balls runners cups double-nuts and
other details constituting the frame and mounts of umbrellas parasols en-cas
sunshades and the like of all kinds ordinary as well as for special and artistic or
scientific uses to give protection against rain and sun and also the right to cover
these parts or pieces made of aluminium or any of its alloys such e.g. as aluminium
bronze with a coat of varnish of any colour or shade or of nickel bronze or other
plating.
Dated this 17th day of June 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.