IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS THEREOF
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Harrington, of Northampton Street, Birming-
ham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PARTS THEREOF."
Sealed the 3rd February 1863, and dated the 22nd August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harrington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd August 1862.
I, ROBERT HARRINGTON, of Northampton Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS, AND IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PARTS THEREOF," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, first, of a particular arrangement of the parts of a
catch for holding umbrellas in the expanded or closed positions, whereby such
catches are rendered more efficient and certain in their action, and relates to
that class of catches which hold by means of a nib or detent entering a small
hole or recess in the stick.
In these catches heretofore the parts have been so arranged that when the
umbrella is extended the catch lever holds by a pulling action on its fulcrum,
and has in consequence a constant tendency to release itself, which is only
overcome by the strength of the spring operating it, whilst at the same time
the use of a strong spring for the purpose is very objectionable.
.t

page_text: Now according to my Invention I dispose the parts of the catch so that
the catch lever when keeping the umbrella or parasol in the extended position
holds by the thrusting action in such manner that the greater the force
applied to it consequent on the position of the umbrella, the more securely it
will hold. A slight spring only is necessary for the catch lever, which is
convenient for handling. and answers all requisite purposes. The same catch
that holds the umbrella in an extended position also keeps it closed, the
catch nib or detent entering a small hole in the stick at the proper point; I
apply the catch to the runner, and in forming its parts I make the catch lever
and the part that carries its fulcrum of two gutter-like parts struck up in
metal, the one being soldered with its back to the runner, while the other
embraces its raised sides, and is mounted on a fulcrum carried thereby. The
raised sides are so cut away as to allow of the necessary movement of the
catch lever, which, although free to rock on its fulcrum, is by its embracing
sides prevented from moving in any other direction, and its fulcrum so relieved
from strain and ability to get out of position. I form the pin or detent nib
on the catch lever itself, or a secondary lever may be used to operate the
catch lever or detent. In the latter case it may be simply a spring arm and
nib, having the tendency to enter its hole desired, such arm being disposed so
as to assume the thrusting position and increase of hold desired; this is caused
by a bridge piece fixed to the runner.
Another improvement consists in the particular arrangement and appli-
cation of the spring to operate on the catch lever, which I form of a small coil
placed on the fulcrum pin, the two ends of the wire forming the coil projecting
tangentially therefrom, so that when applied and placed in tension the ends take
effect; the one on the abutment provided for it in the fixed part of the catch,
and the other on the tail end of the catch lever. The coils of the spring may
be one or more, and simply sufficient to keep it in position, or it may be only
so much of a coil as will answer that purpose, being somewhat of a U-form,
but with sufficient compression in the limbs to cause it to encircle and hold
on the fulcrum pin.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in making top
notches and runner notches (notched pieces receiving the ribs and stretchers)
of umbrellas and parasols, whereby more equal and regular divisions of the
nicks or cuts are obtained. This I effect by making a series of indentations
equal to the number of nicks required on one or both sides of the pattern
from which the notch pieces are cast. These indentations being equally
divided clearly indicate the positions in which the nicks are to be cut.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Harrington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HARRINGTON, of Northampton Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Harrington, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Harrington, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Robert Harrington, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PARTS
THEREOF," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Harrington, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Harrington, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention consists, first, of a particular arrangement of the parts of a catch
for holding umbrellas in the expanded and closed positions, whereby such catches
are rendered more efficient, certain, and facile in their action, and relates to
that class of catches which hold by means of a nib or detent entering a small
hole or recess in the stick. In these catches heretofore the parts have been
generally so arranged that when the umbrella is extended the catch lever
bolds by a pulling action on its fulcrum, which has in consequence a constant
-tendency to release itself, which is only overcome by the strength of the spring

page_text: operating it, while at the same time the use of a strong spring for the pur-
pose is very objectionable. I dispose the catch, the parts of which are arranged
and constructed according to my Invention, so that the catch lever when
keeping the umbrella or parasol in the extended position holds by a thrusting
action in such manner that the greater the force applied to it consequent on
the position of the umbrella the more securely it will hold. A slight spring
only is necessary for the catch lever, which is convenient for handling, and
answers all requisite purposes, the same catch that holds the umbrella in an
expanded position also keeps it closed, the catch, nib, or detent.entering a
small hole in the stick at the proper point. I apply the catch to the runner,
and in forming its parts I make the cateh lever and the part that carries its
fulcrum of two gutter-like or concave parts struck up in metal, the one being
soldered with its back to the runner, while the other embraces its raised sides,
and is mounted on a fulcrum carried thereby. The raised sides are so cut
away as to allow of the necessary movement of the catch lever, which although
free to rock on its fulcrum, is by its embracing sides prevented from moving
in any other direction, and its fulcrum so released from strain and liability to
get out of position. I form the pin or detent nib on the catch lever itself, or
a secondary lever may be used to operate the catch lever or detent, in the
latter case it may be simply a spring arm and nib, having the tendency to
enter the hole desired, such arm being disposed so as to assume the thrusting
position and increase the hold desired, this is carried by a bridge piece fixed
on the runner.
Another part of the inprovements consists in the particular arrangement
and application of the spring to operate on the catch lever, which I form of a
small coil placed on the fulcrum, the two ends of the wire forming the coil
projecting tangentially therefrom, so that when applied and placed in tension
the ends take effect, the one on the abutment provided for it in the fixed part
of the catch, and the other on the tail end of the catch lever. The coils of
the spring may be one or more, and simply sufficient to keep it in position, or
it may be only so much of a coil as will answer that purpose, being some-
what of a U-form, but with sufficient compression in the limbs to cause it to
encircle the fulcrum pin.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in making top
notches and runner notches (notched pieces receiving the ribs and stretchers
of umbrellas and parasols), whereby more equal and regular divisions of the
nicks or cuts are obtained. This I effect by making a series of indentations
equal to the number of nicks required on one or both sides of the pattern from
which the notch pieces are cast. These indentations being equally and care-

page_text: fully divided, and set out in the pattern, clearly indicate the positions in which
the nicks are to be cut in castings made therefrom, such marks or indenta-
tions besides leaving less metal to be removed from the castings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
:
Fig. 1, represents catches for umbrellas and parasols constructed and
arranged according to my Invention, such catches, as well understood, being
attached to the runner A of the umbrella or parasol. A shows the runner
with the catch attached as the umbrella would be in a collapsed position,
while A' represents the runner and catch with the umbrella in the expanded
position, the catch B and runner being in section, as also the stick C partially
in section in order to show the catch hole therein, this is also similarly repre-
sented with reference to A. It will be observed that the position of the catch,
while the greatest strain is on it at A¹, is such that any strain or pressure acting
on the catch has no tendency to withdraw it from its holding position in the
hole, while in the lower position at A the hold of the catch has little or no
strain on it, and therefore little tendency to leave the catch-hole e, or to over-
come the pressure of the spring that keeps it in position. At the same time
that the catch forms a secure fixing for the umbrella in the expanded position,
it may be readily released by the pressure of the thumb on the free end 1 of
the catch lever, the arrangement and construction of which will be herein-after
described. It also readily inserts its holding nib in the holes e and d, when
the runner is traversed up or down the stick C, and so secures itself in either
position, all with great freedom and facility; F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, and S, show the various parts of this catch detached, and in the various
stages of their manufacture; F shows the blank punched from a piece of
metal to form the support for the fulcrum of the catch lever; G, edge view
thereof; H shows the blank pierced with two holes for the fulcrum pin and
cavity to make room for the coil of the spring; I shows face view, and K side
view of Has stamped into the form required, in which it is soldered to
the runner A, seen separately in position in side and face views at T & U;
L shows punched blank of catch lever; and M, edge view thereof; N, blank,
pierced to receive fulcrum pin; O, P, and Q, separate views of form given
thereto by stamping, O being an inside view, P outside face view, and Q side
view thereof; R is a piece of bent wire forming the catch nib, which is
placed inside of Q, and soldered or otherwise fixed in the hollow formed
therein to receive it as at S; W and V show separate views of runner,
with catch lever complete mounted thereon, W being a side and V a face
view thercof. The thumb lever P, O, S, is of such form and dimensions as

page_text: to embrace closely the sides of piece I, K, and with .a fulcrum pin x inserted
to rock freely thereon; Y represents a side view, and Z an edge view of the
coil wire spring detached, the coil of which is placed on the fulcrum pin æ,
and actuates the catch lever as required for the purposes of the catch, as will
be readily seen in the section A¹, Fig. 1. J represents side and edge views
of a spring made of a flat piece of metal formed into a spring, which may be
substituted for the coil spring Y, Z, but I prefer the latter for the purpose
required. The socket holes d and e, I line with small thimble pieces, which
I strike up from a round blank of metal as will be readily understood.
Fig. 2, represents a runner furnished with a double catch lever, the parts of
which are made as before explained, and as will be readily seen. 2 is the catch
lever, having the nib R attached to it, while 3 is another lever mounted in
the same runner, which simply transmits motion to lever 2, a pin extending
from the upper end of lever 3 passing under 2 for that purpose. The thumb
being applied to the lower part of 3, operates and disengages the catch lever
and its nib from its hold. The parts constituting the catch lever made and
combined as herein-before described may be otherwise disposed to act as
spring catches for umbrellas and parasols than that represented and
described.
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,-
First, the combination and arrangement of parts constituting the catches of
unibrellas and parasols formed, arranged, and combined as and for the pur-
posés herein-before described.
I also claim the arrangement of coiled spring shown & described applied
to catch levers of umbrellas and parasols.
Secondly, I claim marking by indentations the pattern from which the
notch pieces of runners and top notches are cast, the position of the nicks or
notches to be cut therein as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Harrington, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
ROBERT HARRINGTON. (L.8.)