IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BUCKNALL PICKEN, of Crosby Row, Walworth, in the County of Surrey,
Linen Draper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of September, in the eighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Georgo
Bucknall Picken, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said George Bucknall Picken, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Bucknall Picken, my exors, admiors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS
AND PARASOLS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that
I, the said George Bucknall Picken, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, 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
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Bucknall Picken, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-

page_text: tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thercon, that is to say :-
My Invention has for its object several Improvements in Umbrellas and
Parasols.
My first improvement consists of covering the ribs, stretchers, and sus-
penders with yarn of silk or other fibrous materials bound round the ribs,
stretchers, and suspenders, by which those parts of an umbrella and parasol
will not only offer an elegant finish, but at the same time the covers of
umbrellas and parasols will be less liable to be rubbed and injured by the
friction produced by the surfaces of the ribs, stretchers, and suspenders, where
they are in contact with the covers. In carrying out this part of: my Invention
I cause the ribs, stretchers, and suspenders to be bound round and thereby
covered with floss silk by preference, the silk in other states of manufacture
may be used, and other fibrous materials may be used in place of silk, and this
covering is accomplished in a similar manner to that pursued when making
gymp, so that the whole of the surfaces are closely covered, and I sometimes
use a thin coating of a solution of india rubber or other adhesive matter on
the ribs, stretchers, and suspenders, before lapping the floss silk or other
fibrous yarn or thread on to the surfaces, though this is not absolutely
necessary.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which has for its
object improvements in the arrangements of a parasol, whereby the parasol
may be opened and closed by the same hand; and there are also improve-
ments in other of the details, whereby the ribs, when down, will be retained
from opening without any ring or other fastening placed over the outside of a
parasol. Fig. 1 represents a frame of a parasol partly in section, the parasol
being shewn open. Fig. 2 shews part of the same frame when closed. a is a
hollow tube of metal or other material, at the lower end of which is fixed the
handle a. b, a rod within the tube a, and capable of sliding up and down
within the tube a. On the lower end of the rod is fixed the stud c, the stem
of which passes through a slot in the handle a', and of the tube or stick a;
hence a person having a parasol in the hand may, by the thumb, slide the rod
b up and down in the stick a, and by such means open or close the parasol, in
consequence of the runner d being fastened to the rod 6 by means of a pin,
passed through the runner into the rod b, such pin moving up and down in a
slot cut in the upper part of the stick a to allow of such movement when the
parasol is opened or closed. The suspenders d', d', where they are attached to

page_text: the top notch e, pass beyond their axes of motion into the interior cup of the
top notch, as is shewn, so that when the top of the runner is slided up so as to
enter into the interior of the cupped top notch, the part of the runner
(1), (1), presses against the inner ends of the ribs, and prevents the suspenders
moving on their axes of motion till the part (1), (1), of the runner is with-
drawn from the interior of the top notch; hence the parasol is kept closed
without any exterior ring or other binding instrument exterior of a parasol;
and such would be the case with umbrellas, when made according to this part
of my Invention. Fig. 3 shews a section and plan of a top notch separately.
In using the parasol shewn in the Drawing, the same is opened by drawing
down the stud c, and it is closed by sliding the stud c upwards till the upper
part (1), (1), of the runner enters into the hollow top notch. (2) is a spring
catch to retain the parasol open. I would remark, that I am aware that
parasols have been before made capable of being opened and closed by the
same hand as that in which it is placed when in use; I do not, therefore,
claim the same generally as part of my Invention, but formerly the ribs were
not attached to the runner but to the top notch, henco stretchers were used
under the ribs; but it will be seen that the apparatus for opening and closing
the parasol by the hand in which it is used is combined with the circumstance
of there being no stretchers below the ribs.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention. Fig. 4 shews the frame,
partly in section, of a parasol having this part of my improvement applied
thereto, the parasol being shown as open. Fig. 5 shews part of the frame in
section, the parts being closed. In this case also what are called suspenders
are used for supporting the ribs in place of stretchers, and Fig. 6 shows a
section and plan of the top notch and a side section of the apparatus used
therewith for keeping the parasol closed. The ribs f, f, are connected by a
wire and proper notches to the outer tube g, and the suspenders / support the
ribs, such suspenders being attached to the top notch i. This top notch is of a
peculiar construction; the wire enters the groove (2), (2), and the ends of the
suspenders pass into the interior of the top notch, so that when the plate or
disc j, which is within the top notch, is slided up the pressure of the upper
part of the outer tube g coming against the ring or disc k, which is connected
to the plate or disce j by the rods (3) 3), and it will be evident that so long
as the plate or disc j is raised to its highest position, and beyond the axis of
motion of the suspenders, the suspenders cannot be opened; but on the plate j
being moved down below the axis of motion (2), (2), of the suspenders, then
the inner ends of the suspenders may come more into a horizontal position

page_text: and thus cause the parasol to be opened; and such will be the case when theso
improvements are in a similar manner applied to an umbrella.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention. Figure 7 shews a
section of the frame of a parasol arranged according to this part of my
Invention. In this case the runner or notched apparatus which receives the
ribs is so formed, together with another instrument, as to retain the parasol or
an umbrella closed when these improvements are applied thereto. Figure 8
shews part of the same frame in section with the parts closed, and Figure 9
shows a section, a plan, and an external view of the notch apparatus used for
receiving the ends of the ribs 1, such ribs moving on a wire at (5) around the
notched apparatus, and the ends of the ribs enter the notched apparatus, so
that when the upper part or flange (6) of the outer tube m is above the axis
of motion of the ribs the ends of the ribs will not be allowed to move into a
horizontal position, so that the parasol will be kept closed; and such would be
the case with an umbrella having these improvements similarly applied. nis
the stick of the parasol which is fastened to the handle o, and the top notch p
is affixed to the rod or stick n. The notch apparatus is placed on the outer
tube, as shewn, and the tube is prevented turning on the stick or rod by a
pin (7) fixed to the outer tube, which moves in a slot cut through the inner
tube or stick. The notched apparatus I make of sheet metal, pressed into the
form shewn, or out of solid metal, ivory, or other material, as shewn in the
separate Figures of this Drawing.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention. Figure 10 shews a
section of a parasol arranged according to this part of my Invention. Figure
11 shews part of the frame closed. 9 is the stick and is the outer tube,
having a suitable notch apparatus at the top for receiving the ends of the ribs.
s are the suspenders, the upper ends of which move on a wire closed within the
parts of the top notch t, which top notch is of a new and peculiar construction.
It is formed out of sheet metal. Figure 12 shows an edge section and plan of
a plate of metal cut into a star-like form, as shown. The radiating parts (8)
are bent over so as to enclose a ring of wire at (9). Figure 13 shews a plan
and section of the top notch complete; but before folding down the part (8),
as shown, the ribs or suspenders would be placed between the notches and the
ring (9) in its place, and then the parts (8) would be pressed down flat, such
parts (8) being simply raised at right angles to, the plate in the section and
plan, as shewn at Figure 14, before placing the ribs or suspenders and ring in
their places. This mode of making top notches will be found very useful.
The parasol shown is kept closed by means of a spring apparatus v, which is

page_text: :
formed out of thin steel plate, as is. shewn at Figure 14*, cut into a star-like
form, as shown, the parts (10) 10), being bent inwards at right angles so as
partly to embrace the upper parts of the suspenders, and the radial parts
(11) 11), are turned up at right. angles to the plate (12), as. is shown in
Figure 15, where a side section; an under side view, and also a plan are shewi
of this spring apparatus; and when this apparatus has been formed it is to ba
tempered so as to allow of clastic movement in the parts (11), so as to have n
tendency at all times to close the suspenders. The upper or tubular part of
this apparatus is lengthened by having a piece of tube fixed, in which are cut.
slots, as shewn in the one in its place in the parasol shewn, the pin passing
through the stick, and the slots prevent the apparatus turning round. The
spring apparatus is constantly pressed downwards by the spring w, as is shewn;
and it will be evident that these parts, when made of proper sizes, are equally
applicable for umbrellas.
And I would, in conclusion, remark, that I do not confine myself to the
precise details shown, provided that the peculiar character of either part of my
Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the covering the ribs, suspenders, and stretchers, by binding them
round with yarn, as herein described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of retaining a parasol or umbrella closed by the
part (1) 1), of the runner entering into the top notch and preventing tho
inner ends of the suspenders moving on their axes till the same is removed, as
described in respect to Figures 1 and 2; and I also claim the mode of
arranging apparatus for opening and closing a parasol by the hand in which it
is held, when so arranged as to slide the inner ends of the ribs up and down,
there being no stretchers below the ribs, as described in respect to Figures
1 and 2.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of retaining a parasol or umbrella closed, as
described in respect to Figures 4 and 5.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of keeping a parasol or umbrella closed, as
described in respect to Figures 7 and 8; and I also claim the making of the
notched apparatus Figure 9 of sheet metal.
And fifthly, I claim the mode of making the top notch and apparatus con-
nected therewith of sheet metal, as described in respect to Figures 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 14+, and 15.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Bucknall Picken, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
GEORGE BUCKNALL (L.S.) PICKEN.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid George Bucknall Picken came before our
said Lády the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.