AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF PARASOLS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ismael Isaac Abadic and Henri Lauret, of
Paris, in the Empire of France, Umbrella and Parasol Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF
PARASOLS."
Sealed the 29th July 1853, and dated the 2nd February 1853..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ismael Isaac
Abadic and Henri Lauret at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd February 1853.
We, ISMAEL ISAAC ABADIE and HENRI LAURET, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF
PARASOLS" to be as follows: -
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts for open-
ing and closing parasols, the same being more particularly applicable
to parasols the heads of which are capable of being set at an angle
to the stem. Into the main stem of the parasol, (which is made
hollow for that purpose,) the lower end of a jointed tube is inserted
and the other end is passed through two short horizontal sliding tubes

page_text: which severally carry a set of stays, one for opening and the other
for closing the parasol. To the extremity of this jointed tube the
stretchers of the parasol are secured, and the two sets of stays are
jointed thereto. By drawing down the outer sliding tube or the
runner over the main stem, the parasol is closed, and a spring catch
mounted in the stem by taking into a notch in the runner retains it
in its lowest position. The lower member of the jointed tube con-
tains a coiled spring, which is intended to draw the joint of the tube
into the hollow main stem, for the purpose of straightening the same.
The upper member of the tube is also similarly provided with a
spring which has a tendency to drive down the inner sliding tube,
whereby the stays will be expanded and the parasol opened. This
action cannot however take place until the runner is disengaged
from its catch. To effect this, a small rocking lever (which works
in a slot in the main stem), by means of a wedge shaped piece con-
nected therewith, is made to trip up the spring catch; the spring in
the upper member of the jointed tube will then expand, and effect
the opening of the parasol in the manner indicated above. The
head of the parasol may, by reason of the joint above mentioned, be
bent down to any required angle. To allow of the parasol stem
being folded, it is provided with a joint, which may be made rigid
at pleasure by means of a slider.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Ismael Isaac Abadie and Henri Lauret
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
ISMAEL ISAAC ABADIE and HENRI LAURET, of Paris, in the Empire-
of France, Umbrella and Parasol Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the

page_text: sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
.cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Ismael Isaac Abadie and
Henri Lauret, Her special licence that we, the said Ismael Isaac
Abadie and Henri Lauret, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Ismael Isaac Abadie and Henri
Lauret, our 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 "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF PARASOLS,"
upon the condition, amongst others, that we, the said Ismael Isaac
Abadie and Henri Lauret, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand seal of one of us, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Ismael Isaac Abadic and
Henri Lauret, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, refer-
ence being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts for open-
ing and inclining the heads of parasols, or of folding or straightening
the stick; the Invention being more particularly applicable to
parasols the heads of which are capable of being set at an angle to
the stem. Into the main stem of the parasol, which is made hollow
for that purpose, the lower end of a jointed tube is inserted, and
the other end is passed through two short concentric sliding tubes
which severally carry a set of stays, one for opening and the other
for closing the parasol. To the extremity of this jointed tube the
stretchers of the parasol are secured, and the two sets of stays are
:

page_text: jointed thereto. By drawing down the outer sliding tube or the
runner over the main stem, the parasol is closed, and a spring
catch mounted in the stem by taking into a notch in the runner
retains it in its lowest position. The lower member of the jointed
tube contains a coiled spring, which is intended to draw the joint of
the tube into the hollw main stem for the purpose of straightening
the same. The upper member of the tube is also similarly provided
with a spring, which has a tendency to drive down the inner sliding
tube, whereby the stays will be expanded and the parasol opened.
This action cannot however take place until the runner is disengaged
from its catch. To effect this a small rocking lever (which works
in a slot in the main stem), by means of a wedge-shaped piece con-
nected therewith, is made to trip up the spring catch; the spring in the
upper member of the jointed tube will then expand, and effect the
opening of the parasol in the manner indicated above. The head of
the parasol may, by reason of the joint above mentioned, be bent
down to any required angle. To allow of the parasol being folded,
it is provided with a joint, which may be made rigid at pleasure by
means of a slider.
The advantage presented by this improved construction of parasol
is, that it may be opened and inclined or straightened by the action
of the thumb at the handle, thus avoiding the necessity of employing
both hands for that purpose.
In the accompanying Drawings, which represent the improved
parasol drawn to the full size, Fig. 1, is a section of the parasol,
with the head set at an angle; Fig. 2, is a section of the parasol
open; Fig. 3, represents the parasol partly closed and having the
position the various parts would assume on bending the lower joint.
1, represents the main stem or stick of the parasol, which is hollow,
and in which are inserted the tubes 2, and 3, (shewn by yellow
color in the Drawing.) These latter are jointed at 12, in order to
obtain the required inclination. The tube 2, encloses a helical
spring 4, by which the opening of the parasol is effected; the tube
3, also encloses a spring 10, by means of which the parasol is
straightened, or caused to assume an upright position. 6, is a

page_text: boss fixed to the upper part of the tube 2, by means of a pin
f, which pin also serves as a bearing point for the spring 4; 7,
is a runner, represented in black color in the Drawing, provided with
a boss 8, on which are mounted the arms g. At the lower extremity
of the runner is fixed a pin j, which passes through the tube 2, and
is rivetted to the runner 7; the tube 2, being provided with a
longitudinal slot to allow of the play of this pin, which serves as a
bearing point for the lower extremity of the spring 4; 17, is a slot
(shewn in black color) made in the tube 3. A pin 18, fixed to the
main stem and passing through this slot, serves to limit the course
of the tube 3. This pin. also serves as a bearing point for the upper
extremity of the spring 10. The lower extremity of this spring bears
upon a disc p, mounted upon the top of a rod, the lower end of
which is also furnished with a disc, the upper disc being rivetted
to the tube 3. The object of this rod is to prevent the necessity of
continuing the spring down to the bottom of the tube 3, by which
means great economy is effected. 25, is a runner which serves to
keep the parasol closed, and to which are attached the stretchers
26, which serve to close the parasol; 27, is a nick made in the.
runner 25, into which the oscillating catch 19, Fig. 2, takes when
the parasol is closed. This catch is provided with teeth at each ex-
tremity, but set at opposite sides, and by taking into the nick 27,
serves to keep the parasol closed. It is furnished with a flat spring 5;
by the action of which it always has a tendency to assume the ob-
lique position represented in Fig. 2. c, is a pin attached to the
main stem, and working in a slot 11, made for that purpose in the
rod 20, serving by that means to keep this rod in position. The
rod 20, is jointed at 13, to allow of the parasol being doubled up.
14, is a catch for keeping the two parts of the stem rigid when
straightened, for which purpose it is caused to take into a slot
s, in the runner z, which is permanently attached to the lower
part of the parasol stick. The click 14, is kept in its place by
means of a pin 21. The rod 20, is provided with slots or grooves
at 15, and 16, for the purpose of allowing it play. 22, is a

page_text: thumb piece or jointed lever, fastened to the stem by means of
a screw or pin, by means of which the opening, bending, and
straightening of the parasol, are effected; 23, is a lever arm, uniting
the thumb picce to the rod 20, by means of two hinge joints. To
the lower extremity of the stem is fastened an enlargement 24, for
the purpose of allowing for the play of the lever 22, and to which
piece 24, the handle of the parasol is affixed.
MODE OF OPERATION.
Suppose the parasol to be in the position represented at Fig. 3,
(that is to say, closed,) and the joint 13, disengaged or drawn
out, In order to bring the parasol into use, the runnner z, must
be hooked on to the catch 14; which holds the two parts of the
stem rigidly together and prevents them from being separated or
doubled up, unless the joint be disengaged for that purpose. In
order now to open the parasol, the thumb piece 22, must be
depressed, which, through the jointed lever 23, will raise the
rod 20, the tapering extremity B, of which will cause the catch
19, to turn on its axis. By this means the outer tooth of the
catch, which retained the runner, will be drawn into the tube,
and the runner being now left free will be caused to run up
above the joint 12, by the action of the upper spring, which opens
the parasol. The catch will then be in the position represented
at Fig. 2, the extremity of the rod being in contact with the
tube 3. It will thus be seen that on bringing the thumb piece
into the position shewn at Fig. 1, the rod will be raised, and will
in rising push up the tube 3, and by that means force the
joint 12, out of the main stem; the head of the parasol will
by. this means be caused to assume an inclined position, as shown
in Fig. 1, and be retained in that position by the action of
the spring 10, assisted by the resistance offered by the joint of the
thumb piece lever 22, by reason of its having been forced beyond
the centre, and consequently rendered rigid.
In order again to straighten the parasol, the thumb piece 22,

page_text: is raised a little, and on the joint being slightly bent, the tube 3,
will be made to descend by the action of the spring 10, and
cause the rod to assume its first position; thereby drawing the
joint 12, into the stem 2; the different parts will then take the
position represented in Fig. 2.
In order to close the parasol, the runner 25, must be brought
down until it is hooked on to the catch 19.
.
In order to double up the parasol stick, the runner z, is taken
between the finger and thumb, and by pressing on the catch 14,
the joint uniting the two parts is released, and the parts are brought
into the position represented at Fig. 3.
:
The action of tlie various parts will now be understood by the
following explanation: -
Suppose the parasol to be open, and it is required to close
it, the following is the manner in which the double stretchers act: -
The runner 25, is brought down, which lowers the stretcher 26,
the latter being attached at o, to the stretcher g. These stretchers 9.
perform the office of levers, the fixed fulcrums of which are at g*, 9*.
If therefore the stretcher 26, be lowered, the whalebones a, and
will also be lowered, the longer
the shorter arm y, of the lever g,
arm x, being caused to rise. This lever g, is attached to the run-
ner 7, enclosing the tube 3, and the runner 7, has a pin j, running
through it and through the tube 3; but as the runner must run
up and down upon the tube, this latter is provided with a slot to
allow of this movement. The spring 4, bears at one end against
the pin j, which is fixed to the runner. The upper end of the spring
bears against a pin f, which also serves to fasten the upper boss 6.
The spring, if allowed to act, would have the effect of driving
down the runner 7, and the boss 8, which it carries away from the
boss 6, fixed to the tube, or, in other words, to cause the runner
to descend until the pin j, which serves as a bearing point for
the spring, arrives at the lower extremity of the slot in the stem.
Now the runner 7, in descending acts upon the arm or lever g, and
draws down its arm x, and consequently raises the arm y, which

page_text: carries up with it the stretcher 26, and the runner 25; the action
of the spring 4, would therefore keep the parasol open.
We have supposed that it was desired to close the parasol;
it will therefore be understood that, on bringing down the stretcher
26, the arm x, of the lever g, will be raised, which, being attached
to the. runner 7, will cause this latter to rise and approach the
upper boss; but, in order that the two bosses may approach each
other, it is necessary to overcome the resistance of the spring, which
must be compressed until the pin j, of the runner is arrested
by coming into contact with the upper extremity of the slot,
when the whalebones and stretchers will be brought close against
the tubes 2, and 3. The parasol will then be closed, and will be
kept closed by the catch 19, taking into the runner 25. If it be
now required to open the parasol, for this purpose the runner 25,
must be liberated by disengaging the catch 19. By this means
the spring 4, which was compressed, and the compression of which
by means of the stretchers 9, and 26, was maintained by means of
the catch 19, will drive the runner 7, away from the boss 6, the
runner 7, in descending, will act upon the arm y, of the lever I, and
raise the whalebones. The spring will continue to act until the pin
arrives at the bottom of the slot in the tube, the parasol will then
be open.
It will be seen that the action of the stretcher.26, is to carry up
with it the runner 25.
It is be observed that besides the whalebones a, and the
stretchers 26, there is, as in the ordinary construction of parasols,
another set of stretchers, placed below and attached to the whale-
bones, serving to communicate the action of the spring to the
whalebones. We would, however, remark that there is no novelty
in the employment of these double sets of stretchers, but that we
claim the combination of the runner 7, with the upper spring
and the pin travelling in a slot or groove in the tube; the said com-
bination having for its object always to maintain the stick at the
same length.

page_text: This arrangement also permits of parasols being constructed with
a shorter stick (from the joint upwards) than parasols of the ordi-
nary construction.
We prefer to construct the stick by rivetting together a series of
semi-circular pieces, and by inserting discs between them: they are
slightly detached, by which means the slots required are more
readily obtained. By this method of construction all the parts may
be produced by stamping or cutting.
Having now described our Invention, and the best means with
which we are acquainted for carrying the same into practical
operation, we desire it to be understood that what we wish to
claim as our Invention under the above in part recited Letters
Patent is
First, the opening, inclining, and straightening of parasols
by means of mechanical agents, as above described; these operations
being effected by the action of the thumb upon the lever 22, at
the lower part of the parasol stick.
Secondly, operating the upper part of the parasol by mechanical
agents, as above described, enclosed within the stick or tube, which
may be jointed or made to fold up.
Thirdly, the peculiar arrangement of the lever 22, and its joints,
by which the rod is pushed up, and consequently the joint forced
out of the stick, and which, when that operation has been effected,
will by their peculiar position acquire a rigidity which will prevent
the joint from again entering the stick under the action of the
spring, unless the thumb piece be pressed up for that purpose.
- Fourthly, the arrangement and operation of the rod connected
to the thumb piece lever, and the action of this latter upon the
catch 19.
Fifthly, the arrangement of the catch 14.
Sixthly, the action and combination of the spring 10, and the
arrangement of the upper spring.
And, lastly, the arrangement and combination of the various
parts for the above mentioned purpose, as above described and

page_text: shewn in the Drawings, by means of which are produced inpeden-
dantly of one another the three movements of the parasol; viz.,
opening, inclining, and straightening the same.
In witness whereof, we, the said Ismael Isaac Abadie and Henri
Lauret, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-
fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
A. PERPIGNA.
I. I. ABADIE. (L.S.)
H. LAURET.
(L.S.)