IMPROVE- MENTS IN TENTS AND OTHER WEATHER PROTECTORS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Williams, of No. 2, Duke Street, London
Bridge, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TENTS AND OTHER WEATHER PROTECTORS."
Sealed the 3rd April 1872, and dated the 14th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Williams at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th October 1871.
I, HENRY WILLIAMS, of No. 2, Duke Street, London Bridge, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS AND OTHER WEATHER PROTECTORS," to be as
follows:-
In carrying out my improvements in tents and other weather
protectors, I suspend the cover from a central pole or stick, and I keep
this cover distended by means of stretchers acting without ribs, by the
cover being connected at or towards the outer edge thereof to the outer

page_text: ends of these stretchers; the inner ends of the stretchers being con-
nected by pin joints to a runner embracing the central polo or stick.
To close the tent or other weather protector the runner in place of
being lowered is lifted, when the cover will be drawn to or close against
the pole or stick. On the contrary to open the tent or other weather
protector the runner will be drawn or allowed to run downwards.
In some cases the weight of the runner may be such as when the
pole or stick is placed in a vertical direction and the stretchers are free
to cause the opening or expansion of the cover, a rib on the pole or
stick passing into a corresponding groove in the runner, or a projection
on the inner surface of the runner passing into a corresponding groove
in the pole or stick, will control the correct vertical movement and
relative position of the runner. Or a pin or catch passing through both
will serve to preserve their correct relative position. A stop or stops
control the extent of motion of the runner.
A lining or second cover may be applied to the stretchers so as thereby
to obtain a double cover with space between to facilitate the keeping of
the weather protector cool in hot weather, as well as the keeping out of
moisture in damp weather. The central pole or stick is in some cases
formed in separate lengths, capable of ready connection to facilitate
transit or stowage.
Gand

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Williams, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Williams, my executors, dministrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Williams, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS AND
OTHER WEATHER PROTECTORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Henry Williams, my executors, or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
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 Henry Williams, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In carrying out my improvements in tents and other weather
protectors, I suspend the cover from a central pole or stick, and I keep
this cover distended by means of stretchers acting without ribs, by the
cover being connected at or towards the outer edge thereof to the outer
ends of these stretchers; the inner ends of the stretchers being con-
nected by pin joints to a runner embracing the central pole or stick.
To close the tent or other weather protector the runner in place of
being lowered is lifted, when the cover will be drawn to or close against
the pole or stick. On the contrary to open the tent or other weather
protector the runner will be drawn or allowed to run downwards.
In some cases the weight of the runner may be such as when the
nada or stick is placed in a vertical direction and the stretchers are free

page_text: ground, so that the pole when placed in position may readily be retained
upright or in a vertical direction.
The cover is represented by the yellow lines c, whilst an internal
lining when one is is used is represented by the red lines d. e, e, are the
stretchers, the outer ends e¹ of each of which is received into a separate
socket c¹ formed for it of canvas or other suitable material attached to
the cover c near its outer edge. The end of each stretcher is also
formed with a hole through it for sewing through in order thereby to
hold these stretchers more correctly and securely in position in their
sockets c¹. The opposite ends e³ of the stretchers e are connected by
pin joint to a runner f.
Figure 2 represents an edge and a side view of parts of one of the
stretchers e, and Figures 3 and 4 represent the separate parts of the
runner. The upper part of the runnerf is formed of wood, whilst
the lower part is formed by preference of metal (brass). The pro-
jecting edge of this part is formed with notches in it, somewhat
like those the "wheel" of an umbrella, each to receive the ends e³ of a
stretcher e, and the series of stretchers are secured together in their
place in the runner by being first strung together by means of a piece
of wire passed through each cyo e³, when that end of cach of the
stretchers is dropped into one of the notches f³ with the connecting wire
of them resting in the groove f*, so that on the application of the
part f¹ over the partƒ³, where it may be retained by screws passed from
one to the other, the wire connecting those ends of the stretchers and
the stretchers will be securely held in position with capability for the
movement of the stretchers c in the runner f, as on pin joints. The
runnerf is provided with a pair of pulley wheels g, g, to receive two
cords h, one end of each of which is affixed to the pole a at h¹; the other
ends are then passed over pulleys h, so that by drawing on the outer
and lower ends thereof the socket ƒ will be drawn downwards with a
tendency to extend the cover as indicated by the Drawing. These ends
of the cords / may then be retained by fastening them to the hooks or
cleats i, or the stretchers may be held in position to retain the cover
distended by a pin ; being passed through holes formed for it in the
lower part of that socket f, and through a corresponding hole formed
in the pole a, by which the parts may be retained in position as
shown.

page_text: When it is desired to lower the cover, the ends of the cords h will bo
held firmly in the hand whilst the pin j is first removed, and then whilst
the runnerf is allowed to run up the pole as indicated by the dotted
lines, when the stretchers will lie with the cover close to the central
pole a.
The apparatus may be used as shewn as a simple protector from the
direct heat of the sun's rays, or otherwise as a weather protector; or by
the application of suitable fabric to the outer edge of the cover c, as
indicated by the dotted lines k, by hooks and eyes or otherwise, a
complete tent capable of being closed in fully may be obtained.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that variations
may be made in the arrangement of parts of the apparatus without
departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, but what I
claim is, the improvements in tents and other weather protectors, a
whereby the covering thereof is capable of being extended for use by
the employment of stretchers without ribs operating in manner sub-
stantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.