IMPROVE- MENTS IN CASES OR COVERS FOR UMBRELLAS, AND IN THE UMBRELLAS TO
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scholefield, of Old Street, Saint Luke's, in the
County of Middlesex, Umbrella Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CASES OR COVERS FOR UMBRELLAS, AND IN THE UMBRELLAS TO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scholefield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
November 1867.
I, JOHN SOHOLEFIELD, of Old Street, Saint Luke's, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Umbrella Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR COVERS FOR UMBRELLAS, AND IN THE
UMBRELLAS TO WHICH SUCH CASES OR COVERS ARE TO BE APPLIED," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists in making cases or covers for umbrellas and other
like articles from vulcanized india-rubber, or other suitable material having
sufficient elasticity.
I cut a flap or strip of the rubber of the proper size and form, and I join
the two edges to form a tapered tube; the larger end of the tube may be
strengthened by doubling or turning in a portion, or by inserting a separate
piece round the inside or otherwise. The lower or small end of the case has
a ring attached to it, as usual, or it may be attached to a ferrule to fit over

page_text: the end of the umbrella stick. The upper or larger end of the case is pro-
vided with holes or other means of securing it to studs or other convenient
appliances on the umbrella handle, or it may be secured by a cap placed over
the top of the stick, or in some cases it may be secured simply by its own
elasticity. The case or cover is made considerably smaller than the umbrella
to which it is intended to be applied, and when put on it is stretched to the
length of the umbrella or more, whereby it compresses the alpaca or other
material of the umbrella into a small compass, and when provided with a
ferrule gives the whole the appearance of an ordinary stick. The rubber may
be colored to imitate bamboo or other wood or material.
My Invention further consists in fitting umbrellas and like articles with
studs or other appliances for the purpose of receiving the holes or other
means of attachment at the upper end of my elastic cases.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Scholefield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SCHOLEFIELD, of Old Street, Saint Luke's, in the County of Middlesex,
Umbrella Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, 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 John Scholefield, Her special licence that I, the said John
Scholefield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Scholefield, 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 CASES OR COVERS FOR UMBRELLAS, AND IN THE UMBRELLAS
TO WHICH SUCH CASES OR COVERS ARE TO. BE APPLIED," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Scholefield, 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

page_text: 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 John Scholefield, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in making umbrella cases of cured india-rubber or
other suitable material having sufficient elasticity.
I make a tube, either by cutting a strip of thin india-rubber of the proper
form and size, and by joining the edges so as to form a tube, or I make the
tube in any other desired manner, and I submit the tube when made to the
process of "curing." The lower or small end of the tube has a ring attached
thereto, as usual, or it may be attached to a ferrule to fit over the end of the
umbrella stick. The upper or larger end of the tube may or may not be
formed with a longitudinal slit, and I strengthen this end by doubling or
turning in a portion before curing, or by inserting a separate piece round the
inside, and interposing a piece of cloth or other non-elastic material or
otherwise. The tube is made considerably shorter than the umbrella to
which it is to be applied, and when it is put on the umbrella it is stretched to
the length of the umbrella or more, whereby it compresses the silk or other
material into a small compass.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represent one of my cases in
exterior view, and Figure 2 is a section through x, x, of Figure 1.
a is the tube of cured india-rubber attached at its lower end to a ring b,
while its upper end has a longitudinal slit c to enable it to be more readily
put on and taken off the umbrella; the dotted line i represents the extent to
which the india-rubber is doubled or turned in, as before-mentioned, for the
purpose of strengthening it; d is a stud, and e is a hole to receive the same at
the opposite side of the slit c when the case is on an umbrella. The stud d
is adjustable by means of the holes f, f, into one or other of which it is
inserted, as found convenient. Figure 3 shows the tube or case a put upon an
umbrella, and before being stretched to the length of the same; Figure 4 shows
the umbrella with the case a stretched to the desired extent and secured at
the upper end by the stud d.
I do not limit myself to any particular mode of securing the upper end of
the case.
Sometimes, for example, I make it with holes, or provide it with
other means of securing it to studs or other convenient appliances on the
unbrella handle.

page_text: The
Figure 5 represents an umbrella with one of my cases fitted thereon.
handle is provided with pins or studs g, to which the upper end of the case a
is attached by corresponding holes therein. This Figure also shows the
lower end of the case a fitted with a ferrule h in place of the ring b repre-
sented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4; the ferrule fits over the end of the stick of
the umbrella, and the case a gives the umbrella to which it is applied the
appearance of an ordinary walking stick. The india-rubber cases may be
ornamented or colored in any desired manner so as to resemble bamboo or
other wood or material.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The manufacture of cases or covers for umbrellas of cured india-
rubber or other suitable material possessing sufficient elasticity, the said cases
being normally considerably shorter than the umbrellas to which they are to
be applied, so that when applied they compress the umbrellas into a small
compass, as herein-before described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. Providing the handles of umbrellas with studs or appliances, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and represented in Figure 5, for the
purpose of receiving holes or means of attachment at the upper end of the
said elastic cases or covers.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scholefield, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN SCHOLEFIELD. (L.s.)