IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING PARASOLS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS." PARASOLS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Ritchie, of Folkestone, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING
PARASOLS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS."
PARASOLS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS."
Scaled the 15th June 1869, and dated the 21st December 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Ritchie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st December 1868.
I, GEORGE RITCHIE, of Folkestone, in the County of Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON- .
STRUCTING PARASOLS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS," to be as follows:-
In constructing a parasol according to this Invention I connect the.
outer ends of the stretchers to the ribs by forming a bead or enlarge-.)
ment on the end of each stretcher to enter a groove formed longitudinally.
along the rib. The stretchers are at their inner ends jointed to a.
runner, but are made much shorter than herctofore usual. When the.
runner is moved upwards along the stick the outer ends of the stretchers.
slide along the grooves in the ribs, and as the runner approaches the

page_text: point at which the ribs are jointed to the stick the stretchers force the
ribs outwards to cause them to stand out at right angles or nearly so
to the stick, and similarly if the runner is drawn downwards they will
draw the ribs inwards towards the stick, the grooves in the ribs being
narrowed at the mouth so that the projections on the ends of the
stretchers cannot be drawn outwards from the grooves; the runner may
be prevented from turning around the stick by a pin or stop on the
runner working in a groove or slot in the stick, or in place of the
stretchers being jointed to a runner and sliding in grooves in the ribs
they might be jointed to the ribs and slide in under-cut grooves or slots
in the stick. In this case the inner ends of the stretchers would in
opening the parasol be all simultaneously pressed upwards by a runner
being moved along the stick, so causing a disc on the end of the runner
to bear against the ends of the stretchers. When the parasol is opened
the runner is stopped from moving further along the stick by a stop, and
the ribs near to where they are jointed to the stick will at the same time
be forced upwards by the stretcher against a disc carried by a ferrule
fixed to the stick, and the ribs are then held fixed. A cord is sewn on
to the outer silk covering near its outer edge to give strength and pre-
vent the parasol being blown inside out by the wind. To fix the outer
covering of the parasol to the ribs at points intermediate of their length
small holes may be formed through the top of the ribs. If a lining be
used the ribs may be formed with side flanges perforated with small
holes, to which the lining which will be divided up into segments may
be sewn.
Weather protectors or small tents may be constructed in a similar
way, and may be set or opened by drawing up the runner by a cord on a
similar principle to that described in the Provisional Specification of a
Patent applied for by me on the 28th day of September last and
numbered 2948.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Ritchie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th June 1869.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors.
give and grant unto me, the said George Ritchie, Her special licence that
I, the said George Ritchie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Ritchie, 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 CONSTRUCTING
PARAS LS AND WEATHER PROTECTORS OR TENTS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Ritchie, 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 to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar monthis next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Ritchie, 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 constructing a parasol according to this Invention I connect the
outer ends of the stretchers to the ribs by forming a bead or enlargement
on the end of each stretcher to enter a groove formed longitudinally
along the rib, the stretchers are at their inner ends jointed to a runner,
but are made much shorter than heretofore usual. When the runner
is moved upwards along the stick the outer ends of the stretchers slide
along the grooves in the ribs, and as the runner approaches the point
at which the ribs are jointed to the stick the stretchers force the ribs
outwards to cause them to stand out at right angles or nearly so to
the stick, and similarly if the runner is drawn downwards they will
draw the ribs inwards towards the stick, the grooves in the ribs being
narrowest at the mouth so that the projections on the ends of the
stretchers cannot be drawn outwards from the grooves; the runner may
be prevented from turning around the stick by a pin or stop on the

page_text: runner working in a groove or slot in the stick, or in place of the
stretchers being jointed to a runner and sliding in grooves in the ribs
they might be jointed to the ribs and slide in under-cut grooves or
slots in the stick. In this case the ends of the inner stretchers would in
opening the parasol be all simultaneously pressed upwards by a runner
being moved along the stick, so causing a disc on the end of the runner
to bear against the ends of the stretchers. When the parasol is opened
the runner is stopped from moving further along the stick by a stop,
and the ribs near to where they are jointed to the stick will at the same
time be forced upwards by the stretchers against a disc carried by a
ferrule fixed to the stick, and the ribs are thus held firmly. A cord
is sewn on to the outer silk covering near its outer edge to give strength
and prevent the parasol being blown inside out by the wind. To fix
the outer covering of the parasol to the ribs at points intermediate of
their length small holes may be formed through the top of the ribs.
If a lining be used the ribs may be formed with side flanges perforated
with small holes, to which the lining which will be divided up into
segments may be sewn.
Weather protectors or small tents may be constructed in a similar
way, and may be set or opened by drawing up the runner by a cord
on a similar principle to that described in the Provisional Specification
of a Patent applied for by me on the 25th day of September last, and
numbered 2948.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Ritchie, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
GEO. RITCHIE. (L.S.)