IMPROVEMENTS IN TIP CAPS, AND IN FITTING THE SAME UPON UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolph Dittrich, of St. Luke's, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIP CAPS, AND IN FITTING
THE SAME UPON UMBRELLA AND PARASOL STICKS."
Sealed the 22nd March 1878, and dated the 18th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolph Dittrich at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1878.
ADOLPH DITTRICH, of St. Luke's, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN TIP CAPS, AND IN FITTING THE SAME UPON UMBRELLA AND PARASOL
STICKS."
My Invention consists in improvements in spring tip caps for umbrellas and
parasols, and in the method of fitting such tip caps thereto.
The object of my Invention is to provide a spring tip cap combining the neat
appearance of the ordinary tip cap (without spring) with the advantages of the
spring tip cap, and at less cost than the latter, which as now made is clumsy and
inelegant in form and expensive to make.
My Invention also has for its object to combine the ornamental band for the
handle with the tip cap, to avoid the use of pins to fix the tip cap and band to the
stick and handle, and to avoid the necessity of sliding the tip cap along the stick to
its place on the handle, which involves the dismounting of the whole frame if the
tip cap be applied after the umbrella or parasol is fitted up.
My Invention consists in dispensing with the inner tube, collar, or ferrule which
in tips as now made is fixed to the stick, and on which the tip cap proper slides, and
in fitting the tip cap to slide directly on the stick between two shoulders, formed
preferably by reducing the diameter of the stick at that part, or otherwise, as here-
after described.
In order to mount the improved tip cap in its place the handle is made separate
from the stick (technically known as the "fit-up") and united thereto by a screw
or other joint

page_text: The neck or part of smaller diameter on which the tip cap slides may either be a
part of the handle or of the fit-up, or both, the joint being at either shoulder, or at
an intermediate point.
.
The handle may either be of the same diameter as the fit-up or larger, and in
the latter case the neck may be the same diameter as the fit-up, and a collar be fixed
on the latter to form the one shoulder, the other shoulder being formed on the
handle, which is of larger diameter.
The tip cap is of metal, the cap proper being of any usual or other ornamental
form, and provided with a tubular extension above it longer than the neck above
mentioned so as to rise above and cover the upper shoulder, and of a diameter to fit
closely and slide upon the handle. In the annular space between this tubular
extension and the neck which it encloses a spiral spring is contained, the spring
encircling the neck and abutting at one end against the upper shoulder, and at the
other against a collar flange or neck fixed or formed on the inside of the tubular
extension just above the cap proper. The latter abuts against the lower shoulder,
and the whole cap is thus confined and works between the two shoulders.
The upper end of the tubular extension is engraved or otherwise ornamented with
a perforated or other design, and left bright for a portion of its length, to
imitate the ordinary band with which the handle is usually ornamented, the
rest of the tube between this portion and the cap proper being colored or
painted to match the handle, so that at a cursory glance the imitation band
will appear to be altogether separate from the cap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Adolph Dittrich in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th July
1878.
ADOLPH DITTRICH, of St.
MENTS IN TIP CAPS, AND IN
STICKS."
Luke's, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
FITTING THE SAME. UPON UMBRELLA AND PARASOL
My Invention consists in improvements in spring tip caps for umbrellas and
parasols, and in the method of fitting such tip caps thereto.
The object of my Invention is to provide a spring tip cap combining the neat
appearance of the ordinary tip cap (without spring) with the advantages of the
spring tip cap, and at less cost than the latter, which as now made is clumsy and
inelegant in form and expensive to make.
My Invention also has for its object to combine the ornamental band for the
handle in one piece with the tip cap instead of being a separate band as usual, to
avoid the use of pins to fix the tip cap and band to the stick and handle, and to
avoid the necessity of sliding the tip cap along the stick to its place on the handle,
which involves the dismounting of the whole frame if the tip cap be applied
after the umbrella or parasol is fitted up.
In order that any Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated
it in the annexed Drawings, and I will proceed to describe it with reference
thereto.
Figure 1 represents an external view of a spring tip cap applied to an umbrella

page_text: stick according to my Invention; Figure 2 represents a central longitudinal section
of the same.
Figure 3 represents a similar section, the tip cap being shown drawn back as for
releasing the tips of the umbrella ribs.
Figure 4 represents the two portions of the stick separately, and Figure 5 repre-
sents a slight modification of Figure 4.
Figure 6 represents another modification in the form of the stick.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
According to my Invention I dispense with the inner tube, collar, or ferrule,
which in tip caps as now made is fixed to the stick, and on which the tip cap proper
slides; and my Invention consists in fitting the tip cap A to slide directly on the
umbrella stick between two shoulders b, c, formed preferably by reducing the
diameter of the stick at d, or otherwise, as hereafter described.
In order to mount the improved tip cap in its place without sliding it along from
the point or small end of the stick the handle C is made separate from the stick B,
(technically known as the "fit-up,") and united thereto by a screw or other joint e.
The neck d or part of smaller diameter on which the tip cap A slides may either
be a part of the handle C, as in Figure 5, or of the "fit-up" B, as in Figure 4, the
joint being at either shoulder or at an intermediate point.
The handle C may either be of the same diameter as the "fit-up" B, as in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or larger, as in Figure 6, and in the latter case the neck & may
be the same diameter as the "fit-up" B, and a collar f would be fixed on the latter
to form the one shoulder b, the other shoulder c being formed on the handle C,
which is of larger diameter. The handle C and the "fit-up" B are united in this
case by a screw joint, as in Figure 4 or Figure 5.
The tip cap is of metal, the cap proper A being of any usual or other ornamental
form and provided with a tubular extension a above it longer than the neck d so as
to rise above and cover the upper shoulder c, and of a diameter to fit closely and
slide upon the handle C. In the annular space between this tubular extension a
and the neck d, which it encloses, space is afforded for a spiral spring g, which
encircles the neck d and abuts at one end against the upper shoulder c, and at the
other end against a collar or neck a¹ fixed or formed on the inside of the tubular
extension a just above the cap A, and fitting on the neck d of the stick so as to
guide the cap in its sliding movement. By locating the spring g upon a neck
smaller than the handle C the diameter of the tube a need not be larger than neces-
sary for it to slide on the handle C, and the spring tip cap is thus made as neat in
appearance as a tip cap without a spring. The cap A abuts against the lower
shoulder b, and the whole cap is thus confined and works between the two shoulders.
h is a bead formed on the tube a which is grasped by the fingers in order to slide
up the cap.
The upper end of the tubular extension a is engraved or otherwise ornamented
at i with a perforated or other design and left bright to imitate the ordinary band
with which the handle is usually ornamented, the rest of the tube a between this
portion and the cap A being colored or painted to match the handle, as indicated
by the dark shade lines in Figure 1, so that at a cursory glance the imitation band
will appear to be altogether separate from the cap.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The improved construction of spring tip cap for umbrellas and sunshades,
substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. A spring tip cap, constructed as shown and described, and fitted to slide
directly on the umbrella or parasol stick without the usual fixed tube, collar, or
ferrule, substantially as specified.
3rd. A spring tip cap, constructed as shown and described, fitted to slide upon a
neck or part of smaller diameter than the handle, and being a part either of the
handle C or "fit-up " B.

page_text: 4th. A spring tip cap constructed as shown and described fitted to work between
two shoulders, one b being on the stick or "fit-up," and the other c upon the
handle.
5th. The combination with the neck d and shoulders b, c, of the screw or other
joint at or between shoulders b, c, by which the handle and stick 'are made separable
for mounting the tip cap on the stick and united to retain it in place as specified.
6th. The combination with the spring tip cap of the ornamental band i in one
with the tube a, and the painting or coloring the rest of the tube a to match the
handle and stick, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolph Dittrich, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.