IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer and Patent Agent, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND
SUNSHADES." A communication by Joseph Pignatelli d'Aragon, residing at
present in Paris, 1, Rue Laffitte, in the Republic of France, Gentleman.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1881.
"
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer and Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUN-SHADES." A communication by Joseph
Pignatelli d'Aragon, residing at present at No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Gentleman.
This Invention refers to improvements in umbrellas, parasols, and sunshades,
and consists in the peculiar construction of the top notches, the runners, and ribs of
the same.
The first improvement consists in forming the tubular shaped top notch with a
series of cavities, which are either cylindrical, semi-spherical, or square. The ends
of the stretchers, which are provided with a little hole as usual, have a rivet passed
through the said hole, and the rivet is punched over to form a head on each side.
The shape of the head is either round and flat, square, or semi-spherical, to correspond
with the selected shape of cavities above mentioned.
The second improvement applies to the runner. The latter is made substantially
in the same manner as the top notch, with the main difference that the ribs which
connect the same to the stretchers are double instead of being single, and are
Inade preferably of round steel. On these two ribs may be slipped a ring or
washer to keep them securely together. The runner is, as usual, made of two parts
which are screwed together.
A modification of this improvement consists in constructing these two parts
so as to turn and also to slide with regard to one another; in this manner the
two being easier and moro rapidly separated, the ribs can be readily taken out and
be replaced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Raphael Hunter Brandon in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
24th May 1882.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 1, Ruo Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES." A communication from Joseph
Pignatelli d'Aragon, residing at present in Paris.
This Invention has reference to the construction of umbrellas, parasols, and
sunshades, and comprises various improvements which render the construction
more simple, and effective, and cheaper. I will proceed to describe these
improvements in detail conjointly with the eleven Figures of the annexed
Drawing.
The first improvement consists in the construction of the runners, rims, and top
notches with flat top without holes nor openings.
The second improvement consists in the construction of the end of the ribs and
stretchers adapted to runners, rims, and top notches.
I make these runners, rims, and top notches of any suitable metal, and of two
pieces screwed together.
Fig. 1 shows the top notch and runner provided with their top and with their
ribs.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the ribs connected to the top notch.
Fig. 3 shows the adjustment of the cover upon the runner without any screw
thread.
Fig. 4 is a rib with the new construction of the end adapted to the runners,
rims, and top notches.
Fig. 5 is a detail of the runners, top notches, and rims.
In these various Figures the same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
In the top notch, at the part where are placed the heads of the ribs and stretchers,
are cavities in desired number which receive the ends A of the ribs and stretchers
according to my system. These cavities are either a cylindrical hole S drilled
close to the socket at a certain depth, but not passing through, and having the
length X.
Opposite this hole is a groove C for letting the half round part R of
the head of the ribs and stretchers pass; I also make the runners, rims, and top
notches with the above mentioned grooves formed so as to be narrower at their
outer ends at O and wider near the socket at D. In this part D, O, are introduced
the heads of the ribs and stretchers thereupon, they are maintained in place by
screwing the cover, which is entriely flat, and has no hole or opening.
I may also close the runners, top notches, etc., without the screw thread, as
shown in Figure 3, in which B, the outer socket, which is the cover, is tightly
slipped onto the inner socket E which has the grooves into which are placed tho
heads of the ribs and stretchers. The outer socket B has grooves at the opposite
part of the cover and the inner one E is provided with rims upon which bears the
socket B, which then serves for closing the cavities of the topnotch.
When it is desired to liberate or replace the stretchers F it is merely sufficient
to slightly turn the outer socket B, so that its lower part is no longer stopped by
the rims of the socket E, and it will fall according to the extent of the grooves.
The ribs and stretchers may be easily placed or replaced.
I may observe that the contact pieces B and E are faced flat, and that the
opening near the cavity of the runner bas only just the required length for the
passage of the flat part of the ribs and stretchers, so that the latter cannot deviate
from their courses.
I will now describe the heads of the ribs and stretchers.
In the ends of the ribs, which are made for all kinds of umbrellas, ctc., as well as

page_text: in the ends of the stretchers, is drilled a hole for the passage of the wire which
connects the same to the top notches, rims, and runners.
According to this Invention I suppress these wires, which are a continual source
of repairs, and I naturally suppress the little hole at the ends, the said hole being a
cause of weakness; I thereby impart a greater solidity to umbrellas which I
construct as follows:-
The heads or ends A of the ribs and stretchers F which are adapted to the top
notch, runner, etc., are flattened at R by means of a hammer or a half round filo
on each opposite side and in such a manner that the ends A which, while
remaining about the same diameter of the rib or stretcher, form thereby a head
which engages in the slots of the runners, rims, and top notches, as above
described.
I reserve also the right of constructing in the hereinafter described manner
by making use of the same runners, etc., according to this Invention. The end
of the rib or stretcher is slightly flattened so as to form a small flat part; below
this first flat part I flatten again and in the reverse direction so as to enable
introducing this second flat part into the grooves of the runners, top notches, etc.
The first flat part is then placed in the widest hole or groove, and thus serves to
stop the ribs and stretchers.
I reserve also the right of adapting to the doublo stretcher these two new
systems of forms of heads or ends of ribs and stretchers.
The advantages of this new arrangement are therefore as follows:-
First. Suppression of the wire, which thus renders the ribs independent of each
other and allows one or more to be taken out whithout displacing the rest.
Second. The head of the ribs and stretchers not being drilled acquires a much
greater strength.
Third. The arrangement of the top notch rim and runner does not allow of the
ribs to entangle so frequently when it is desired to open the umbrella or parasol,
etc., the whole device being thereby much stronger.
The third improvement consists of means of adapting the runner close to the
top notch of the head without injuring the development of the ribs of the
umbrella.
In Figures 6 and 7, A is a fork; B is a rib of an umbrella; C is the part
receiving the axis of rotation of the stretcher; M is the axis of rotation; D is
a small stud projecting several millimeters and forming a stop on the stretcher A.
It is now easily understood what is the object of this small stud D. If, after the
umbrella has been opened, the runner is made to exceed its normal position S, S¹,
and if it is brought up to X, close to the top notch of the head K, the stretchers
A, A, will come and bear against the stud D, and then force the ribs B to keep, if
not augment their development. Without a stud the ribs would, when the runner
arrives at X, fall and merely assume the position K, Z, thereby losing their
development.
By this new arrangement of mounting, which has no dead centre, I can set the
runner at any desired height, as the umbrella always tends to fall when it is open.
The fourth improvement consists of an arrangement, the purpose of which is to
open and close the umbrella without the aid of the ordinary springs placed on the
sticks, without being obliged to slide the runner on the stick, and also to allow of
the umbrella to remain closed without being obliged to use any of the known
means, such as rims or springs, on the sticks or springs on the mountings, etc.
Fig. 8 and 9 show the construction of this new system.
The stick is composed of a main tube A, at the end of which is fixed the runner E,
upon which are adapted the umbrella stretchers. Two tubes, C and D, placed at
each end of the tube A, slide within the said tube and are connected to each other
by a rod placed inside the tube A.
At a determined height upon the tube C is fixed the runner F, serving to hold:
the heads of the ribs of the mounting, so that by drawing the tube Dout, the.
ube C is caused to go into the main tube A, and brings thereby the top notch F

page_text: close to the runner E, thus opening the umbrella, and by pushing the same tube D
within A the tubo C is made to come out, whereby the top notch is removed from
the runner, and the umbrella closes.
In order to keep the umbrella open or closed, I make an opening H in the tube A
parallel to the tube; at the ends of the opening are two perpendicular slots K, K'.
On the inner tube D is placed a small projecting button fixed to the end K when
the umbrella is closed, and by a slight rotary motion imparted to the tube D the
said button is brought into the opening H, thus allowing the tube D to slide out
of the tube A; when the button has reached the slot K a small rotary motion is
imparted in the reverse direction to the tube D, whereby the button is brought
into the slot K¹, and the umbrella is then kept open, and vice versa, for closing the
same.
I reserve the right of constructing this umbrella either by placing the inner rib
inside or outside the main tube, or by sliding the said tube A and by rendering
the two small tubes C and D stationary.
I reserve also the right of manufacturing the mounting, which for this system
necessitates a new arrangement and very short stretchers, the length of which is
. determined according to the requirements of the opening or closing motion. I may
also use for the said manufacture solid tubes or parts.
The advantages of this new umbrella are therefore that one is enabled to open
the umbrella by a simple motion imparted to the handle, and to keep the same
closed by the same means without the use of any spring, either on the stick or on
the setting.
The fifth improvement consists of a novel mounting which is intended to render
the umbrella thinner than all the other known mountings, and lighter.
Fig. 10 and 11 show its construction.
I take a strip of steel of the required length and bend over upwards one of its
edges, and bend downwards the opposite edge so that the steel strip thus prepared
assumes the shape of an S, and when it is entirely flattened the shape of an 8.
I bring both edges of the strip as close as possible to the stein, so that the
branches are nearly flat.
Instead of forming the ends as hitherto, the same are simply the same strip bent
over flat.
I construct the stretchers on the same principle.
The sixth improvement consists of a new closing system.
This system is composed of a rim, free on the runner.
The rim carries a small projection which engages a groovo made in the runner,
or better, on the socket entering the runner.
The groove is helicoidal, so that by pushing in or withdrawing the rim the latter
will turn on itself more or less according to the more or less great pitch of the
helix, the vertical play being fixed. This rim is stopped at the upper part of the
runner by the top notch itself, and at the lower part by the projection arrived at
the end of its helix.
.
This rim is pushed and withdrawn by hand; it is not sollicited by any spring.
The seventh improvement consists in suppressing the screw and bayonet adjust-
inent of the cover on the top notch. The cover is arranged so as to turn round in
its centre and without any movement of translation upon the inner socket, then a
groove is made in this cover; the groove is brought before one of the grooves of the
top notch, the head of a stretcher is passed, and when it is entered the cover is
turned and its groove is made to coincide with the following groove of the top
notch. A second head of a stretcher is placed, the cover is turned, and so on.
The upper top notch of the umbrella is arranged in the same manner.
In order to avoid the constant rotation of the cover when once all the stretchers
aro introduced in their respective grooves, the said cover is fastened to the top
notch, either internally or externally by any suitable means.
The eighth improvement consists in making the cover somewhat shorter than

page_text: the inner socket of the top notch, and at the bottom of this internal socket is
screwed a small ring which supports the said cover.
Having now fully described the Invention as communicated to me by my
correspondent, I claim the hereinbefore described improvements, reserving the right
of constructing the same in any desired shape, material, or sizes, and of applying
them to mountings of round or hollow steel, or of any other kind with or without
springs, and in general to all mountings to which the said improvements may
be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Raphael Hunter Brandon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witnesses,
HENRY MEA.
D. H. BRANDON.
R. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)