IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communication from abroad by Jean Baptiste
Graffeuil, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th June 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communication
from abroad by Jean Baptiste Graffeuil, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention, which relates to improvements in umbrellas and parasols consists
in the employment of a spring runner, which, whilst being simple in construction,
facilitates the opening and closing of umbrellas and parasols, and admits of the
ordinary wire or other springs, which require considerable pressure, and are liable
to get out of order, being entirely dispensed with.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a hollow cylinder
terminated at its lower extremity by a milled flange, by means of which it is caused
to slide upon the handle of the umbrella, and provided at its other extremity with
a double flange formed with notches, in which the stretchers of the umbrella, for
example, are secured in the usual manner underneath; and in proximity to this
double flange there is formed a hollow ring or enlargement, the object of which will
be herein-after explained.
"Around the before-mentioned cylinder is placed another hollow cylinder fitted
with a spring, and serving to close the umbrella. or parasol by retaining. the
extremities of the ribs in an enlarged hollow or cupped portion with which it is
provided.
In the handle of the umbrella, near its upper extremity, is embedded a spring,
which is cut out of a plate of metal; this spring terminates at one end in an armi
;

page_text: and button, and at the other end by a point, which serves to connect it in a fixed
position to the handle of the umbrella, and it is also provided with a hollow rounded
projection situate near the arm and button. The rounded projection on the spring
admits of the spring being actuated and bent when holding the runner by the
milled flange; the said runner is either pushed up or pulled down; thus, when
opening the umbrella the spring will be first depressed into a position within the
handle before assuming a position with the button protruding from the handle.
The arm and button serve as a stop to limit the travel of the runner. By pulling
down the runner in order to close the umbrella or parasol the spring returns to its
depressed position. The runner being brought near the handle of the umbrella
receives and holds the extremities of the ribs as herein-before described.
The rounded projection of the spring is so arranged as to be capable of engaging
in the hollow ring or enlargement of the runner, or of liberating the same when the
runner carrying the said ring is moved in either direction:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 12th
December 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." A communication
from abroad by Jean Baptiste Graffeuil, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The said Invention relating to improvements in umbrellas and parasols consists
in the employment of a spring runner, which, whilst being simple in construction,
facilitates the opening and closing of umbrellas and parasols, and admits of the
ordinary wire or other springs, which require considerable pressure, and are liable
to get out of order, being entirely dispensed with.
And in order, that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings represent respectively an elevation, and a
sectional elevation taken, the one at right angles to the other, of a portion of the
handle of an umbrella or parasol, with the improvements which form the subject of
the said Invention applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a detail to be herein-after referred to.
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a modification;
and Figures 6 and 7 are details of the same.
A, Figures 1 and 2, is a tube terminating at its lower extremity in a milled
flange a (by acting upon which the tube is caused to slide upon the handle A¹ of
the umbrella or parasol), and provided at its other extremity with a double flange b
formed with notches in which the stretchers c of the umbrella are secured in the
usual manner, whilst underneath, and in proximity to this double flange, there is
formed a hollow ring or enlargement d, the object of which will be herein-after
explained.
Around the tube A there is placed another tube B fitted with a spring b¹, and
having an enlarged hollow or cupped portion e, which receives the tips or

page_text: extremities of the ribs when the umbrella or parasol is closed, and retains them in
their closed position.
The handle A¹ of the umbrella or parasol is formed near its upper end with a
recess c¹, in which is fitted a spring C, shewn detached in Figure 3; this spring
which is cut out of a plate of metal is of such a form that it terminates at one end
in an arm and button f, which limits the up stroke of the runner, and at the other
end in a point g, which serves to connect the spring to the handle of the umbrella
or parasol, whilst intermediately between its two extremities it is provided with a
hollow rounded projection h, situate near the arm and button, and which enters the
hollow ring or enlargement d of the tube A when the umbrella or parasol is open,
and retains the parts in position. By reason of the rounded form of the projection h
the spring C is readily acted upon so as to cause it to move inwards when the
runner is slid up or down; thus, when opening the umbrella or parasol the spring C
is first depressed into the position partially shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 before
it assumes the position shown in full lines in the same Figure, the arm and button f
serving as a stop to limit the travel of the runner. By the act of pulling down the
runner in order to close the umbrella or parasol, the spring Cis caused to return to
the position shewn partially in dotted lines in Figure 2, and the runner being
brought down near the end of the handle of the umbrella or parasol receives and
holds the extremities of the ribs as herein-before described.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the arm and button f
employed in the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, are dispensed with, as in
certain cases their projecting from the handle to such an extent is found to be
attended with a liability to cut or injure the material with which the umbrella or
parasol is covered at the part where they are situate. The spring C is then made,
as shewn in Figures 5 and 6, and a headed nail D, Figures 5 and 7, is inserted in
the handle, so as to project sufficiently to form the requisite stop for the runner.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the combination of a spring fixed to the handle of an
umbrella or parasol, and having a rounded projection with or without a terminal
stop, and of a runner having a hollow ring or enlargement for engaging with the
rounded projection of the said spring when the umbrella or parasol is open, and also
a hollow or cupped portion for retaining the extremities of the ribs when the
umbrella or parasol is closed, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)