IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Widdowson, of Weston Street, Sheffield,
in the 'County of York, Commercial Traveller, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
Sealed the 18th February 1868, and dated the 21st August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Widdowson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st August 1867.
I, THOMAS WIDDOWSON, of Weston Street, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the two wire springs which
are usually employed to hold the umbrella or parasol in its open and in its closed
position, such springs being made of pieces of tempered wire fixed and working
in notches or saw gates cut in the stick, the cutting or forming of which
notebes.or saw gates very materially weakens the stick. In order to bold the
umbrella in its open position I employ a spring catch fastened to the outside
of the sick and catching against the edge of the runner, the said catch being
released (when it is desired to close the umbrella or parasol) by pressing it
outwards with the finger or thumb. lu order to hold the umbrella or parasol
-ti

page_text: in its closed position I fix the runner which carries the stretchers to the inner
end of a tube, and to the other end I attach a second tube or ferrule capable
of sliding a short distance, and acted on by a spiral spring. This second tube
or ferrule is slightly bell-mouthed. When the umbrella or parasol is closed
this tube is drawn upwards (or towards the handle) compressing the spiral
spring, and the points of the ribs pressed round the stick under the bell mouth;
the tube being now released the spiral spring forces the tube slightly downwards
(or from the handle), and the bell-mouth holds the points of all the ribs, and
prevents the umbrella or parasol from opening. When it is desired to open
the umbrella or parasol, all that is necessary is to withdraw the bell-mouth
tube from the points of the ribs, and slide the runner up till the spring
catch holds it. In applying this Invention to an umbrella or parasol already
made instead of attaching the spring ferrule .to. the runner I attach the same
to the stick near the handle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Widdowson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th February 1868:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WIDDOWSON, of Weston Street, Sheffield, in the County of York, Commercial
Traveller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Widdowson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Wid-
lowson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Widdowson, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Widdowson, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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
13.

page_text: ause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar.
onths next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Widdowson, do hereby declare
he nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-.
ormed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
tatement in writing, and on reference, to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
hat is to say:
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the two wire.springs.which are
usually employed to hold, the umbrella or parasol in its open and in its closed.
position, such springs being made of tempered pieces of wire fixed and working
in notches or saw gates cut in the stick, the cutting or forming of which
notches or saw gates very .materially weakens the stick. In order to
hold the umbrella in its open position I employ a spring catch fastened to the
outside of the stick, and catching against the edge of the runner, the said
catch being released (when it is desired to close the umbrella or parasol) by
pressing it outwards with the thumb or finger. In order to hold the umbrella
or parasol in its closed position I fix the runner which carries the stretchers
to the inner end of a tube, and to the other end I attach a second tube or
ferrule capable of sliding a short distance, and acted on by a spiral spring.
This second tube or ferrule is slightly bell-mouthed. When the umbrella or
parasol is closed this tube is drawn upwards (or towards the handle) com-
pressing the spiral spring and the points of the ribs pressed round the stick.
under the bell mouth; the tube being now released, the spiral spring forces
the tube slightly downwards (or from the handle), and the bell mouth holds.
the points of all the ribs.and prevents .the umbrella or parasol from opening.
When it is desired to open the umbrella or parasol all that is necessary is to
withdraw the bell-mouthed tube from the points of the ribs, and slide the
runner up till the spring catch holds it. In applying this Invention to an
umbrella or parasol already made instead of attaching the spring ferrule to
the runner I attach the same to the stick near the handle.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in the Manufacture of Umbrellas and Parasols," I will now proceed to describe
more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly
5 understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof,
and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 represents a view of an umbrella (made
according to my Invention) as it would appear when closed; and Figure 2 is a

page_text: view of the same when open, the silk or covering being in the latter case
removed.
a, a, in Figure 2 represents the spring catch, which is fastened to the outside
of the stick b, b, and catches against the edge of the runner c, c, when the
umbrella is opened, being released when desired by pressing it outwards with
the thumb or finger. The runner c, c, is attached to one end of a tube d, d, (see
also enlarged view, Figure 3), to the other end of which is connected a short
tube or ferrule e, e; this ferrule is made bell-mouthed, and is capable of sliding
a short distance on the end of the tube d, d, as shewn by the dotted lines, but
returns to its original position (as soon as released:) by the action of the spiral
spring ff. The object of this sliding bell-mouthed ferrule and its action are.
tully described above, and will be readily understood on reference to Figure 1.1
Figure 4 illustrates the method of applying this Invention to an umbrella or
parasol that is already made: In this case. instead of attaching the sliding
ferrule e, e, to the runner I connect it to a short tube fixed on 'the stick b, b,
near to the handle. In both cases the spiral spring f, f, is compressed by
means of a ring or collar g, g, fixed inside the bell mouth of the:ferrule.
Having now described the nature and object. of my said Invention for
"Improvements in the Manufacture of 'Umbrellas and Parasols," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my
Invention,―
Firstly. The spring catch fixed to the outside of the stick for holding the
umbrella or parasol in its open position.
And, secondly: The sliding spring ferrule for embracing the points of the
ribs, thus securing the umbrella or parasol when closed, substantially as
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Widdowson, have hereunto set
my. hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
THOMAS WIDDOWSON.
L.S.)