IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Carter, of Old Change, in the City of London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
Sealed the 3rd October 1879, and dated the 4th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Carter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1879.
WILLIAM CARTER, of Old Change, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS In
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
My Invention relates to improvements in umbrellas and parasols, and is designed
to provide better means for securing the upper end of the ribs to the fixed ring or
"top notch," and the lower end of the stretchers to the sliding piece or runner than
any heretofore in use, also to provide improved means for securing the lower edge
of the silk or other covering to the end of such ribs as are made with a groove run-
ning lengthwise.
As ordinarily made, the upper end of each rib is flattened so as to form a thin
piece or head, which is designed to fit into a corresponding aperture provided in
the "top notch." There is a hole in the said head through which passes a wire
lying in a groove formed in the "top notch." The same method is also usually
adopted for attaching the lower end of the stretchers to the runner.
This flattened and thin formation of the said ends of the ribs and stretchers
causes several inconveniences, that is to say, the edges of the flattened part of the
ribs project and frequently injure the adjacent silk or other covering material; the
top notch" for the ribs and the part of the runner which receives the stretchers
have to be made of considerable thickness, and the ribs and stretchers frequently
become crossed, thus causing a difficulty in opening the umbrella.
My said Invention obviates these inconveniences and is carried into practice as
follows, that is to say :-
Instead of making the said ends of the ribs and stretchers flat and thinI make
them of rounded form by turning over a piece of the metal of which the rib or
stretcher is formed, or instead of so turning a piece over, the end may be made with
a solid piece providing a head of the same shape or configuration. This head or
end will be of the same width as the rib or stretcher, and will fit into an aperture
077

page_text: "
provided in the "top notch," or in the runner, as the case may be; the "top notch "
and runner being constructed as heretofore, excepting that they will be smaller and
the apertures therein will be wider. The heads or ends are secured by means of a
wire in the ordinary manner.
It will be seen that my improved form of head or end provides a larger bearing
surface than is possible with the flat thin heads beretofore used, and the ribs and
stretchers therefore open and close in a direct manner without any danger of
becoming crossed or obstructed. The fact of being able to make the "top notch "
and runner smaller is a great advantage, as the ribs and stretchers will lie closer to
the stick than heretofore.
For fastening the lower edges of the silk or other covering material to the lower
end of the ribs, instead of providing the projecting eye as heretofore used, to which
the covering material is sewn, I extend the inetal laterally and in a curved form on
both sides of the groove in the rib so that there is no projection from the rib
toward the stick, such as is formed by the aforesaid eye; the end of the ribs will
therefore lie close to the stick, moreover the latter will not be scratched as is generally
done when the said projecting eyes are used. I provide holes in the laterally curved
parts of the rib to receive the thread with which the covering material is sewn on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th October
1879.
WILLIAM CARTER, of Old Change, in the City of London.
UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention relates to improvements in umbrellas and parasols, and is designed
to provide better means than any heretofore in use for securing the upper end or
tip of the ribs to the fixed ring or "top notch," and for securing the lower end or
tip of the stretchers to the sliding piece or runner, and also to provide improved
ineans for securing the lower or outer edge of the silk or other covering to the lower
end or tip of such ribs as are made with a groove running lengthwise, as in the so
called well known " paragon" frames.
As ordinarily constructed, the upper or inner end of each rib of an umbrella or
parasol frame is flattened to form a thin piece or head, which is designed to fit into
à corresponding aperture provided in the " top notch," a hole being formed in the
said head through which is passed a wire fitting in a groove formed in the said
top notch." The same means are also usually adopted for attaching the lower end
of the stretchers to the runner.
if
This flattened and thin formation of the end of the ribs and stretchers is disad-
vantageous for various reasons, that is to say, the edges of the flattened part of
the ribs project and frequently abrade and injure the adjacent silk or other covering

page_text: material; the "top-notch" from which the ribs of the frame radiate and the part of
the runner which receives the stretchers have moreover to be made of inconvenient
thickness, and the ribs and stretchers frequently become crossed or twisted, thus
rendering the opening of the umbrella difficult.
My said Invention obviates these inconveniences and affords the means for pro-
viding umbrellas and parasols with frames which, as hereinafter explained, will be
stronger and more durable and more generally convenient than those heretofore con-
structed.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a portion of an umbrella stick and the "top notch" and
runner, and shews my improved ribs and stretchers applied thereto.
my
Figure 2 is an interior view of the upper end of a rib constructed according to
Invention; ; and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the "top notch," shewing my improved ribs
attached thereto.
Figure 4 is a side view of the lower extremity of a stretcher constructed according
to my Invention; and
Figure 5 is an interior view of the same.
Figure 6 shews the method of securing the same to the runner.
Figure 7 is a side view; and
Figure 8 is an interior view of the lower or outer end of an umbrella rib con-
structed according to my Invention to facilitate the securing of the silk to the same.
Figures 2 to 8 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
a represents the stick of the umbrella; b, the "top-notch;" and c, the runner;
d, d, are the ribs; and e, e, are the stretchers for the same.
In carrying my Invention into practice, instead of forming the said ribs and
stretchers with thin, flat, and elongated ends to be attached to the "top-notch" and
runner, I make the said ends or eyes of a round or curved form, as shewn at d', e¹,
and of a comparatively great width or thickness, that is to say, considerably thicker
than these parts have heretofore been made. This form is obtained by turning over
a portion of the metal of which the rib or stretcher is constructed, an aperture being
left for the passage of the ordinary wire for securing the tip to the "
top notch"
or runner. In some cases, instead of thus turning over a portion of the said ribs
and stretchers, the ends or eyes of the same may be a solid curved or rounded and
comparatively thick or wide piece, with the required hole or aperture drilled
therein for the said wire. These eyes or ends d' or e¹ are preferably formed of the
same or nearly the same width or thickness as the ribs or stretchers, and fit into
apertures b', c', of corresponding width provided in the top notch b and the runner
c; the said top notch and runner are somewhat similar to those heretofore con-
structed but are smaller in diameter, the apertures therein are wider and the
projections are deeper than those in the top notches and runners heretofore employed.
The tips or ends di and e' are secured to the said "top-notch" and runner by
passing a wire f through the aforesaid tips or ends in the ordinary manner.
It will be seen that by forming the tips or ends d¹ and e¹ as above described, and by
constructing the ribs or projections b² and c² on the " top notch" and runner deeper
than heretofore I ensure a larger bearing surface for the ribs and stretchers than is
possible with the flat thin heads heretofore employed, and the ribs and stretchers
therefore open and close in a direct manner without any liability to become crossed,
twisted, or obstructed. Moreover, by forming the "top notch" and runner of small
diameter as above described, I obtain the further important advantage of causing
the ribs and stretchers to lie closer to the stick when the umbrella is closed than
heretofore.
In order to further increase the strength of the ends d¹, e¹, of the said ribs and
stretchers I turn over a portion of the flanges of the said ribs and stretchers, as
shewn at d*, e*, thereby providing a greater thickness of metal at those parts.
To provide for fastening the lower edges of the silk or other covering inaterial to

page_text: the lower end or tip d² of the said ribs, instead of forming the same with the usual
projecting eyes to which the covering material is sewn, I extend the metal of the rib
laterally in a curved form on both sides of the groove in the rib, as shewn at d³ in
Figure 8, so that there is no projection from the rib toward the stick a, as is the
case when the aforesaid eyes are formed on the said ribs. By forming the said rib
with lateral extensions, as above described, it will lie close to the stick when the
umbrella is closed, and the stick will not be scratched and disfigured as is frequently
the case when the said projecting eyes are used; d, d', represent holes in the said
laterally curved parts or extensions d³ of the rib to receive the thread by which
the silk or other covering is secured to the said ribs.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The novel construction of the tip or eye of the ribs and stretchers where
the same are jointed to the "top notch" and runner of an umbrella or parasol frame,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination of a rib whose tip or end is constructed according to
my Invention, with the fixed ring or "top notch " of an umbrella or parasol frame,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of a stretcher whose tip or end is constructed according
to my Invention with the runner of an umbrella or parasol frame, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The improved formation or construction of the lower or outer end or tip
of the rib of an umbrella or parasol, substantially as-and-for-the-purpose-specified._
Fifth. An umbrella or parasol frame consisting of the aforesaid improved ribs and
stretchers in combination with the top notch and runner, substantially as described,
and as shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carter, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.