Improvements in Umbrellas.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
Improvements in Umbrellas.
A communication by ROBERT EDMUND JOHNSTON, of 255, Twenty-fourth Street,
Detroit, in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of
America, Commercial Traveller.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
A further
This invention relates to umbrellas, and has for its object improvements by means
of which the ribs which support the cloth may be shortened and the handle
separated into parts, and the entire umbrella folded up into a much smaller and
more compact shape than an umbrella made in the ordinary form.
object of the invention is an improvement by means of which the ribs of the umbrella
spring partially open and into position, such that the sliding folding parts employed
in carrying out the first part of the invention readily and quickly co-act to expand
the ribs and strain the cover in its proper shape when expanded.
In carrying out this invention, each one of the supporting ribs is made in two
pieces, and they are so connected to the supporting brace that, when extended and
opened, they form a continuous rib from the apex to the rim, locked securely
together; but, when the umbrella is folded down, the parts automatically unlock
and may be pushed or slid into compact shape of little more than half of the length
made in
of the rib employed in the distended umbrella. The handle or staff also
two or more parts which are adapted to be secured together by screw joints or by
socket joints, and are adapted to be separated for convenience in packing into small
compass.
These results are attained by means of the improvement shown in the drawings,
in which :--
- Figure 1 représents the umbrella frame in its open or distended position:
Figure 2 shows the staff with a single rib in a distended position, not however
strained or bent by the cover:
Figure 3.shows the same parts in a closed position :
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the joint:
Figure 5 shows the improved expanding device applied between the staff and the
ribs at the apex of the umbrella: and
Figure 6 shows the expanding device applied to the braces.
Each rib is made in two parts a b. The part a is secured by the ordinary hinge
to, the head A, the hinge consisting of a wire ring lying in a groove of the head A,
and passing through holes in the end of the rib a. To the outer or free end of the
short half rib a is secured a perforated guide c, and through the perforated guide c
passes the body part of the half rib b. The inner end of the half rib b has secured
to it a perforated guide d, through which passes the body part of the half rib a;
the two half ribs, a b, are thus slidingly secured together, and are capable of being
extended to a length nearly equal to their combined length and of being shortened
to a length which slightly exceeds the half of their combined length. To the
sliding-guide d is hinged the ordinary brace rod e, and the brace rod e is hinged at
its lower end to the runner in the ordinary way. To the guide c is binged a

page_text: ring 9, and the brace e passes through this ring. The staff of the umbrella is made
in two or more parts as may be desired, secured together by a screw joint h h', or
by a socket or fish-pole joint in place of the screw joint, if it be desired. The
runner is extended above the hinge by which the braces are connected to it, and,
upon this extension f¹ of the runner, a ring of spring material is placed, preferably
a ring of vulcanised rubber, as shown in Figure 6; in place of the vulcanised rubber,
however, any spring material that will produce similar results may be used.
On the under side of the half rib a is secured a light spring M, bent outward
at m, and the sliding guide d passes over this spring as it moves in shortening
the rib or moves outward to give the rib its extreme length. In moving out, how-
ever, the slide d does not pass entirely beyond or off from the spring the purpose
of this spring is to increase the frictional resistance between the parts and to
prevent a tendency of the parts to slide together when that action is not desired.
When it is desired to open the umbrella, the handle or staff pieces are screwed
together, and the runner is first drawn downward along the staff until the half
ribs have been pulled along the half ribs a as far as they will go. The lower ends
of the ribs are thrown outward from the staff by the force of the spring f¹, and the
runner F is now pushed upward until it passes above the spring catch k. When in
this position, the ring g assumes a position parallel or nearly parallel with the rib
as shown in Figure 4, and extends from the guide c to and around the guide d,
having reached this place by sliding upward and outward along the brace e as the
umbrella was opened; when in this position, the ring g securely locks the two
parts of the rib in their distended or elongated position and prevents the strain of
the cloth which forms the covering of the umbrella from drawing the part b
inward, and thus holds the cloth fully strained, and gives to the umbrella the
appearance of the ordinary umbrella. The ring g acts to lock the parts in their
distended position entirely automatically without the necessity of having any
attention given to it.
The top t is secured to the end of the staff above the guard ferrule 1 by a screw
joint similar in form to the screw joint which connects the two parts of the staff.
Instead of placing the expanding ring s on an extension f¹ of the runner a
similar ring may be placed at the apex of the umbrella under the ribs, and between
the ribs and the staff.
When used in the latter position, the expanding rim s¹, may be placed either on
the ferrule or directly on the staff. When the expanding ring is used with the
runner it must be placed on an extension on the runner in order that it may move
up and down the staff with freedom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. In an umbrella, a rib formed of two parts slidingly secured together, a
supporting brace connecting the inner end of the outermost of said sliding parts
and the runner and a ring secured to the outer end of the innermost part of said
rib, and embracing the brace.
2. In an umbrella, a rib formed of two parts slidingly secured together, a
supporting brace connecting the runner and the inner end of the outermost of said
sliding parts, mechanism for locking the two parts in their extended position
adapted to be actuated in locking and unlocking said two parts by the movement
of the brace, substantially as described.
3. In an umbrella, a rib formed in two parts slidingly secured together, a
supporting brace connecting the runner and the inner end of the outermost of said
parts, a curved spring secured to the innermost of the said two parts extending in
an outward direction to, and engaging under, the sliding guide, uniting the two
parts of said rib, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In an umbrella, the combination, with the staff and ribs, of a spring interposed

page_text: between the staff and the ribs, and adapted to give them an initial opening
movement, substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.