IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- PACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1850

page_text: HOLLAND'S SPECIFICATION..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, T; HENRY
HOLLAND, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Umbrella Fur-
niture Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster
the Twenty-second day of August One thousand eight hundred and
fifty, in the Fourteenth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me the said Henry Holland, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege, and authority, that I the said Henry Holland, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I the said
Henry Holland, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and. no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully, might make,
use, exercise, and vend within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS." In which said Letters. Patent is
contained a proviso that I the said Henry Holland should cause. a

page_text: particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Henry Holland, do hereby declare that the nature of my said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
First, my Invention relates to improvements in the manner of
making umbrella and parasol ribs of clastic metal, by which strength
and lightness are obtained.
Secondly, my Invention relates to a mode of constructing steel
stretchers for umbrellas and parasols, so as to apply the known
clasticity of steel when hardened and tempered, to obtain for them a
peculiar action under pressure. And in order to give the best informa-
tion I am possessed of, I now proceed to describe the means practised
by me;
but I will first remark, that parts of my present Invention are
for improvements in the manufacture of umbrellas and parasols, for
which Letters Patent were granted to me in one thousand eight hun-
dred and forty. To make umbrella ribs, I take a sheet of steel four
and a half or five feet long, and No. 25 gauge, but not quite
so hard in the temper, as it is called, as the best steel used by
penmakers, and cut it into three pieces crossways, I then cut each of
these pieces lengthway (that is, parallel with the sides of the sheet
when it is whole) into strips about three inches wide; these strips of
steel are then annealed in the following manner: I take a cast-iron
pan, about thirty inches long and seven inches square; this pan I fill
to the extent of about two thirds of what it will hold with the strips of
steel, and drop upon them a cast-iron lid of a size just sufficient to fall
down inside, it is then covered over with water, clay, and sand, when
mixed to about the consistence of bricklayer's mortar. The pan is then

page_text: put into a stove built so as to contain one or more of such pans, the
mouth of the stove built up with bricks and clay, and a fire applied so
as to play on the outside only of those fire bricks which enclose the pan
or pans; the fire' is kept burning for a few hours till the pans are red
hot, this is ascertained by making a hole in one of the joints tempora-
rily made at the mouth of the stove; the whole is left to cool; this takes
from twelve to twenty-four hours, according to the size of the stove.
This mode, or a mode somewhat similar, of annealing steel is practised
by penmakers, but as it is not well known it is here described:
the most important parts of it are the stopping up of the pans with
sand and clay to prevent the escape of carbon, and using none but cast-
iron pans, because the cast iron imbibes little or no carbon during the
process, and therefore does not impoverish the steel. The strips are then
rolled in the same way as the steel for pens to the length I want; for
instance, suppose I want ribs twenty-four and a half inches long, I take
such of the annealed strips as are eighteen inches and roll them till
they are about twenty-five and a quarter inches, which allows three
quarters of an inch waste; when the steel is thus rolled, it is annealed
again in the same way as before. The next process is to cut it into
narrow strips about a quarter of an inch wide, but this depends upon
the size I want, a distinct width being required for each size of ribs ;
each of these strips are then pierced once about a quarter of an inch
from one of the ends and at an equal distance from each side, they are
then taken to a drawbench and drawn once through a plate with cir-
cular holes, but not so small as to allow the edges of the steel to mect;
the draw tongs should not lay hold of those ends that have been pierced.
The edges of the tubes thus far drawn are apart about one fourth
of the circle or not quite so much, and are closed by compression for
the whole of their length at a vice; this latter process makes them nearly
elliptic; the next however, which is described hereafter, and shown in the
drawing, completes the ellipsis and straightens them at the same time.
I may here observe that the joint of the finished tube runs straight down
one edge of the cllipsis.
After the process shown in the drawing, the tubes are cropped to
the length required, and indented on one semi-elliptic side in the place

page_text: "
where the "joints or bits used for connecting the stretchers to the
ribs are intended to be. The mode of fixing the "joints or bits" by
indentation was described under my said former patent of one thou-
sand eight hundred and forty. The tubes, after indentation, are
examined to ascertain whether any of them are twisted, that is, in such
a form as would not permit one flat or semi-elliptic side to lie flat
against the umbrella cover when finished for the whole of its length;
they are then hardened in the usual way, that is, by heating them red
hot on a piece of sheet iron in a muffle or stove similar to those used
by sawmakers and dropping them into whale oil; the means, however,
which I use and prefer to employ to temper them are not known,
and need description. I take two bars of cast iron, about three inches
square and four feet long, and plane one side of each flat and true; upon
these same sides I cut with a planing machine three or four semi-
circular grooves, and place the bars one on the other, so that the
semi-circular grooves meet and form circles extending from end to
end, and slightly larger than the ribs. The bars are then slided up
an iron box of the same length, and just wide enough to receive them;
this iron box is open at each end, and built up with a stove door and
grate just underneath; fire is then applied to heat the bars sufficient
to temper the ribs, to a blue colour. I now take two of the hardened
ribs, and pass them gently up two of the circular holes in the bars, these
are pushed till they fall out at the opposite end by other two, and so on
in succession; the ribs, which are more or less crooked as they strike in
the hardening, are straightened and tempered with the greatest regu-
larity at the same time by this important and valuable process it does
not matter what kind of a stove is employed to heat the bars, so that
the ends of them are accessible to the workman. The pellicles from
the hardening and the oil that is dried upon the ribs by the tempering
are then scoured off, and both ends are leated red hot to soften them
for subsequent processes, the first of which is to round those ends which
are intended for the insertion of the ivory tips, by putting a small steel
peg inside and striking about three-eighths of an inch of the outside
with a press punch and bed which have semicircular grooves to meet;
this is merely to make the ends round. The small holes which were

page_text: pierced at these ends whilst the steel was flat having by this time lost
their circular shape, I restore it by drilling. I do not however drill the
ribs through, this would be a tedious process; I pierce the other sides,
and that completes the holes for the coverer's use, except that they are
slightly countersunk to prevent the thread from being cut. A. stretcher
"joint or bit" is then fastened on each rib by the process before men-
tioned. This "joint or bit" is made in the following manner: I take a
piece of square annealed brass wire, the size of which is regulated by
the size of the ribs, and make a small dot about one eighth of an inch
from the end (which is. previously rounded to form the back part of
the "joint or bit"), and drill from the dot through the wire a hole,
the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the rib the
narrow way; afterwards a punch of the same shape as the rib is pierced
through to enlarge the hole into an ellipsis slightly larger than the ribs,
the greatest diameter of the hole being across the wire;. the rib is then
inserted and the brass wire cut off so as to leave the "joint or bit" of
the required length; after the stretcher joints or bits are fastened to
the ribs they are drilled where the stretchers are to be rivetted on.
Next the ends of the ribs which are intended for insertion into the
top notch are made round for about three eighths of an inch, and the
same length of brass tubing made to fit is hammered on, which tubing
may either be drawn and soldered in the usual way, or the pieces may
be made by raising them from sheet metal; this latter mode I
prefer.
:
The stretchers, the construction of which is hereafter described, are
then rivetted on, care being taken that the flat side of each stretcher
which forms the inner curve when it is bent shall be next 'the rib.
The brass tips or pieces of tubing just described, and the end of the
ribs upon which they are placed, are then flattened together and
marked with a dot by a mode well understood, and similar to that
used for flattening and marking common iron stretchers; the flatten-
ing should not exceed a quarter of an inch or about two thirds of the
length of the brass tubing; the ribs are then pierced where the dots
are, and cropped round at the ends; this mode gives great strength to
the top notch ends, because each rib has four thicknesses of metal,

page_text: videlicet, two of brass and two of steel, for the threading wire to pass
through. I now make the ribs still more exact to the length required,
by placing the top notch end of each in a small steel cup (which can
be fixed at any required distance and act as a gauge,) whilst the other
end is held by a grooved vice, and a grooved file takes off the requisite
quantity.
I now proceed to describe the kind of stretchers I use, and so much
of the mode of making them as is not used in making stretchers of the
common kind. I procure flat steel wire, the breadth being about twice
the diameter of the thickness; I do not, however, limit myself to this
degree of flatness, other degree of flatness may be used, so that it is
sufficient to confine the elastic principle of action connected with steel
that is hardened and tempered to the movement in a direct line towards
the notch, or in a direct line from it as hereafter described; this rule
follows out for all sizes of umbrellas and parasols, but each size has, of
course, a separate and distinct strength or weight of wire. Take, for
instance, an umbrella with twenty-four and a half inch ribs, the stretchers
are ten and a quarter inches long, and made from steel wire, about
No. 12 easy by No. 17 casy of the wire gauge; these stretchers when
hardened and tempered will sustain a pressure equal to about one
pound before they begin to bend, and the pressure which all other
sizes will sustain without bending is in proportion. My reason for
using steel wire so flat is to obtain in the best manner the action here-
after described; and, in explanation I will state, First, that stretchers
made of such wire cannot bend sideways in the umbrella under pressure
that is contrary to the natural action of the joints, any deviation in this
respect is injurious to all the commecting parts; Secondly, because the
flatter the wire is, the greater is the curve it will take in the elastic
movement without setting or breaking. I may here explain, that the
reason why I do not use wire even still wider and thinner is, that the wire
in that case would not bear the same amount of pressure without bending,
unless it was heavier. It will be easily understood that stretchers of this
construction can only bend two ways when in an umbrella that is in a
direct line towards the top notch, or in a direct line from it, but I
simplify their action still further, so as to give them a tendency to bend

page_text: in a direction towards the top notch only, by the following means;
when a stretcher has gone through all the usual mechanical processes,
and is hardened and tempered, I find out which way it has a tendency
to bend by pressing upon one end whilst the other rests on a bench, and
in order to secure to it an additional tendency to bend the same way, I
incline the bottom end, that is, the end which is intended for insertion,
into the runner to that side which forms the inner curve, when the
stretcher is bent by the blow with a press punch, the effect of which
the stretcher shows; the advantages connected with clastic steel
stretchers that will bend only two ways, as described, has already been
shown; the single action towards the notch is, however, of still greater
utility; if the pressure of wind upon the cover of the umbrella gave
the stretchers a curvature towards the hat or bonnet of the wearer,
they would reduce the space beneath the umbrella when it is most
valuable, whereas the construction which causes them to recede towards
the top notch increases it. I cut up the wire which is intended for
umbrella stretchers into lengths sufficient to make two, and that which
is intended for parasols stretchers into lengths sufficient to make three
or four, and harden and temper them in the same way as the ribs,
taking care before they are hardened to nick them where I want them
to break afterwards. With respect to the mechanical processes,
they are the same as those by which common iron stretchers
are made, excepting in the flattening of those ends which are
intended for insertion into the runners; as the stretcher is struck
edgeways in this process, I place it in a groove to keep it steady. The
workman will easily understand that these stretchers must be heated
red hot at each end before and between the mechanical processes, to
keep them from breaking.
The ribs and stretchers connected as previously described are japanned
and then rhimered at a lathe, where the shanks of the small ivory tips
or finishers are to be inserted; this is merely to clear the way for them.
The ivory tips or finishers are then driven in with a small hammer
whilst the ribs are held in a vice; afterwards the holes (near to these
finishers) made in the tubes for the coverer's use are cleared out with a
drill, then the stretchers are examined to ascertain if they work properly

page_text: and freely, and the ribs are mounted in the usual way. The tips or
finishers here mentioned I now make of ivory, but I do not confine
myself to the use of that material, any other substance of a suitable
character may be used to make them. The distinction between this
mode of finishing the ends of ribs and that formerly used, is a part of
a tip or finish, varying from one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch, is
inserted within the hollow of the rib, instead of the end of the rib being
inserted in a hole drilled in the tip, and the cover is fastened to a hole
in the rib instead of a hole in the tip, this latter mode having been
found not sufficiently secure and durable on account of the tips
breaking.
.DESCRIPTION of the DRAWING..
Figure 1, shows a side view, Figure 2, a section, and Figures 3, and
4, end views of a press punch bed and bolster, which I use for straight-
ening the tubes and completing their elliptical form after the edges
which form the joints are closed by compression in a vice, as before
stated. A, represents a steel tube with the joint uppermost under pro-
cess; it is moved along by the workman with the joint uppermost about
half an inch to each blow of the press. B, is a cross piece of steel with a
hole in it for the tube to pass through; this piece of steel is supported
by the pillars C, C, with capability of adjustment to the height required
by means of the nuts C', C', in order to obtain the necessary power to
strengthen the tube.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, show various parts on an en-
larged scale Figure 5, is a section of the tube after it has passed
through the process described with respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4; Fi-
gure 6, shows the end of one of the lengths of metal, to form a rib
with an ivory or other tip inserted therein; Figure 7, shows a piece of
metal suitable for making stretcher joints or bits, and drilled at one
end; Figure 8, shows the same with the hole elongated to receive a
metal rib; Figures 9, and 10, show a sectional plan and a side view of
a portion of a rib, with one of the stretcher joints or bits applied;
Figure 11, shows the top notch end of one of the ribs, rounded for a
short distance to receive the tubing b, and Figure 12, shows the same
with tubing b, flattened to a portion of its length, and drilled for insertion

page_text: in the top notch; Figure 13, shows an upper side view, and Figure 14,
an edge view of one of the stretcher bars attached at one end to a
portion of a rib.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner practised by
me for carrying out, and which I have found fully to answer, I would
have it understood that what I claim as my Invention is,-
First, The node herein described of placing the joint or part where
the edges of each steel tube rib on the edge of an ellipsis, so that such
joint can never have a tendency to be on the outside of the outer curve
of the rib during any of its elastic movements, but will always be at the
side of the rib or edge of the elliptic tube just between those inner and
outer curves which the flattest sides of the elliptical rib forms when it
is bent:
Secondly, I claim the mode herein described and shown by the
drawing, of straightening and at the same time completing to an
elliptical shape steel tubes intended for the ribs of umbrellas and
parasols:
Thirdly, I claim the mode herein described of making those holes
in the ribs which are nearest the ends where the ivory tips are
inserted, and which are used by the coverers to attach the covers to
the ribs
Fourthly, I claim the mode herein described of making the "joints.
or bits" for the ribs to which the stretchers are attached:
Fifthly, I claim so much of the mode herein described of making the
top notch end of each tube rib as. relates to the strengthening of it by
flattening a piece of brass or other metal tubing and the end of the rib
together, so that the threading wire has four thicknesses of metal to
pass through in each rib:
Sixthly, I claim the application of the mode herein described as a
part of the manufacture of umbrellas and parasols, videlicet, inserting
pieces or tips of ivory or other substances as a finish or ornament partly
within the hollow of those ends of the steel tube ribs near to which
the cover is sewn instead of inserting those ends of the ribs into the
holes of the tips of the common kind:

page_text: Seventhly, I claim so much of the mode of constructing the elastic
steel stretchers as relates to the degree of flatness herein described, or
to any degree of flatness which limits their elastic movements in an
umbrella or a parasol to a curve in a direct line towards the notch or
in a direct line from it.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.