IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND PARASOLS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Ronald, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Umbrella Manufacturer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND
PARASOLS."
Scaled the 9th April 1872, and dated the 11th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Ronald
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th October 1871.
I, WILLIAM HENRY RONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Umbrella Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND
PARASOLS," to be as follows, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object to render the materials covering
umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols less liable to wear than heretofore at
the folds, midway between the ribs, and consists in forming a rib at the
folded edge by sewing. This is conveniently and simply done by folding
over and hemming or sewing the edge formed by the ordinary fold,

page_text: whereby an external rib of four thicknesses is obtained and one which
having a tendency to project thereby protects the body of the material
from wear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Ronald in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th April 1872.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY RONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Ronald, Her special"
license that I, the said William Henry Ronald, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry Ronald,
my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND PARASOLS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Ronald, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Ronald, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention has for its object to render the materials covering
umbrellas, sunshades, and parasols, less liable to wear than heretofore at
the folds midway between the ribs, and consists in forming a rib or ridge
at the folded edge by sewing.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be carried out in practice, that is
to say :-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended, Figure 1 is a plan.
showing part of one of the gores of my improved umbrellas, sunshades,
or parasols, so arranged that the material is rendered less liable to wear
than heretofore at the folds midway between the ribs; Figure 2 is an
enlarged transverse section of one form of the same.
As shown by Figure 1 of the Drawings, my improved umbrellas,
sunshades, or parasols, are constructed with ribs or ridges B, one of
which is situate midway between each two of the ordinary seams formed
by the joining of the edges of the gores together. The ribs or ridges B
may be variously constructed; one construction of which is more
particularly shown by the enlarged transverse section, Figure 2. This
rib or ridge is conveniently and simply made by folding over and
hemming or sewing the edge O formed by the ordinary fold, whereby
the external rib or ridge B, of four thicknesses a, b, c, and d, respectively,
is obtained, and which projecting beyond the surface of the cloth
protects the body of the material from wear at the folds midway between
the ribs.
If desired, a thicker rib or ridge may be formed by folding over the
folded part more than once, whereby a rib or ridge of six or more
thicknesses is obtained, or by sewing material into the simple fold. Or
a simple fold of two thicknesses may be used; this last mentioned form
is however less efficient.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe

page_text: in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the constructing of a projecting rib or ridge at the
centre of the gores constituting the covers of umbrellas, sunshades, and
parasols, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Ronald, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of April,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.