IMPROVE- MENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Widdowson, of Bolsover Street, Sheffield,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES."
Sealed the 1st August 1871, and dated the 7th February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Widdowson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th February 1871.
I, THOMAS WIDDOWSON, of Bolsover Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES," to
be as follows:-
In carrying out my improvements the stretchers are connected to the
ribs considerably nearer the points of the ribs than customary. The
length of the stretchers in relation to the ribs is also increased so that
the ends of the stretchers connected to the runners when the umbrella,
parasol, or sunshade is closed are in about the same line with the points
of the ribs, and there is a spring slide or cap applied over the tube of the

page_text: runner adapted also to embrace the tips of the ribs and thereby to hold
the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade closed without the necessity for a
bottom holding spring. The sliding spring cap also protects the wheel
of the runner from injuring the silk or other covering.
By these means greater strength is is obtained to resist the tendency of
the wind to turn the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade inside out, whilst a
greater spread or covering is obtained to it.
The parts are not so liable to wear the covering. Economy of con-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Widdowson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WIDDOWSON, of Bolsover Street, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer; send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Widdowson, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Widdowson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Widdowson, 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
UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND SUNSHADES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Widdowson, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 per-
formed, 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.
66

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Widdowson, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 carrying out my improvements the stretchers are connected to the
ribs considerably nearer the points of the ribs than customary. The
length of the stretchers in relation to the ribs is also increased so that the
ends of the stretchers connected to the runners when the umbrella,
parasol, or sunshade is closed are in about the same line with the points
of the ribs, and there is a spring slide or cap applied over the tube of
the runner adapted also to embrace the tips of the ribs and thereby to
hold the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade closed without the necessity for
a bottom holding spring. The sliding spring cap also protects the wheel
of the runner from injuring the silk or other covering.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawing proceed to describe means pursued by me

page_text: as shown, so that the cap may be withdrawn from over the wheel e¹ of
the runner e, or from over both that wheel e¹ and the tips o¹ of the ribs c.,
as the case may be, and as represented by the red dotted lines in Figure 2.
The cap fis borne in a direction to cover the wheel e¹ by a coiled spring 9,
which bears at one end against the turned up end e³ of the runner e and
at the other end against the internal rim ƒ of the cap f. Thus the capf
serves to protect the wheel e¹ of the runner e from injuring the covering
of the umbrella, whilst it may also be used to keep the ribs c closed by
embracing the tips c¹ of them so as to render the use of a bottom holding
spring unnecessary.
It will be readily understood that the improvements are equally
applicable to parasols and sunshades.
By these means greater strength is obtained to resist the tendency of
the wind to turn the umbrella, parasol, or sunshade inside out whilst a
greater spread or covering is obtained to it; the parts are not so liable
to wear the covering; economy of construction, simplicity in use, and
other advantages are obtained.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details of parts as shewn and described so
long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Widdowson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
THOMAS WIDDOWSON. (L.S.)