Improvements in Umbrellas and Parasols.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
Improvements in Umbrellas and Parasols.
21
We, ALBERT HILL, of Tor View, Yelverton, in the County of Devon, Gentle-
man, and WILLIAM HILL, of No. 18, New Bond Street, Bath, Umbrella and
Parasol Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: -
Our invention is applicable more particularly to the frame known as the
"Lock-rib" frame (which was patented by us on the 20th November, 1873, the
number of said Patent being 3778), and consists of the several improvements
hereinafter described; which are designed to reduce the size of umbrellas and
parasols when closed; and also to simplify the opening and shutting of the
same.
We make the rib, at that part which is attached to the top notch, with a
straight eye, and no wider than the other part of the rib. The other end of the
rib, where it falls on the notched rim of the runner, we so fashion that it will
drop into the recess which is made in the said notched rim to receive it. The
stretcher we make of wide troughlike shape, the two sides of which form the
cheeks which are jointed to the rib by means of a "git" or joint. The said git
we make with studs or pins formed out of itself, which studs or pins, when the
git is fixed, project one on each side of the rib, between the back and the edges
thereof. This arrangement of the studs, when the stretcher is jointed to the
rib, allows the rib to close into and lie at the bottom of the stretcher, and the
two parts, viz., the rib and the stretcher, occupy only the space of one part,
and thus secures great compactness when the umbrella is folded up. The other
end of the stretcher is also of fork-like shape and hinges on the runner notch
by the ordinary tying-in wire.
CMFWSHR
To keep the ribs as close as possible to the stick, when the umbrella is shut,
we insert a spring in the trough of the rib, which spring acts on the stretcher at
a short distance from where it is hinged to the rib.
To keep the ribs extended in an open position, we fix a spring, or springs, in
a suitable position on the stick. These springs sink into a depression or groove
in the stick by the action of the runner passing over them, and then spring into
the hollow rim or periphery of the runner, which is provided for that purpose,
and thus locks the umbrella in its open position. The hollow rim or periphery
of the runner is so constructed that the action of pulling down the runner
compresses the springs into the said grooves and releases the umbrella by allow-
ing the runner to pass over them as before.
The hollow rim or periphery of the runner, in which the springs act, also forms
the push piece for opening and shutting the umbrella; which said pushpiece,
owing to the stretchers being made somewhat longer than usual, extend beyond
the tips of the ribs; which enables the umbrella to be opened without having to
put the hand under the tips of the ribs.
Tatal thin lot day of December 1808
ALBERT HILL,
WILLIAM HILL.

page_text: Improvements in Umbrellas and Parasols.
We, ALBERT HILL, formerly of Tor View, Yelverton, in the County of Devon,
and now of Fernside, Southside, Weston-super-Mare, in the County of Somerset,
Gentleman, and WILLIAM HILL, of 18, New Bond Street, Bath, Umbrella and
Parasol Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to frames of umbrellas and parasols of a like kind to the
frame constituting the subject of former Letters Patent granted to us No. 3778
of 1873, that is to say, in which the stretchers are trough-shaped and in which
the arrangement is such that the ribs are in part received in the stretchers when
the umbrella or parasol is closed. This invention consists in improvements in
respect of such frames whereby, as one effect, the ribs, when the frame is closed,
do not, for that part of them which is received into the stretchers, project out
of the stretchers, but have their backs flush with the faces of the tops of the
sides of the stretchers. In this sense the ribs are, for the aforesaid part thereof,
contained within the stretchers when the frame is closed.
"
This effect is obtained by an improved method of jointing the ribs to the
stretchers and, in combination therewith, by shaping that end of the stretcher
which is tied-in" at the runner as a fork, as has heretofore been done. The
joint between the ribs and stretchers is made by folding upon the rib a clip
carrying a pair of journals or hinge pins on which are suspened the stretchers,
the arrangement being such that the stretcher is connected to the rib well up
on the sides of the latter and thus the rib can lie within the stretcher, as afore-
said, when the frame is closed. The forked "tying-in" end of the stretcher
co-operates to the same effect.
The notched part of the runner which takes the forked "tied-in" ends of
the stretchers has grooves provided in it situated at uniform distances apart. In
these grooves are received the ribs when the frame is closed. Each rib has an
indented recess into which is received the usual tying-in wire, and thus the
rib is enabled to close in and lie within the stretcher.
A further improvement in the direction of reducing compass when the frame
is closed consists in having the rib, where it is connected to the " top-notch,"
no wider than elsewhere. Accordingly, the grooves in the top-notch are not
required to be so deep as hitherto, and, therefore, the top-notch is of reduced
diameter.
A further feature of novelty comprised in this invention consists in the pro-
vision of springs in the frame so arranged that, when the frame is being closed,
the springs act upon the stretchers and assist in closing, and, when the frame is
closed, the springs keep it so until counteracted by pushing up the runner for
opening. When the frame is closed, the springs lie wholly within the troughs
of the ribs and, consequently, they do not add to the girth or compass of the
closed frame. The usual locking spring, situated near the handle, is, under this
invention, dispensed with.
Another improvement comprised in this invention relates to locking the frame
when opened, and unlocking for closing. According to this invention a locking
spring is fixed at a determined place in the stick. This spring, which lies over
a recess provided for it in the stick, extends towards its lower end out of the
said recess and so forms a supporting shoulder for the runner. Below the shoulder
the spring is returned inclined inwards into the recess. The runner has, towards
its lower end, a chamber in shape resembling a pair of truncated cones meeting

page_text: at the ends of larger diameter. When the runner is being slid up in opening
the umbrella, the locking spring is depressed into the recess in the stick and
when the runner has been moved up to the required extent, corresponding to
complete opening of the umbrella, the spring rebounds, the outwardly-extended
part entering the hollow chamber aforesaid and supporting the runner.
By the
act of drawing down the runner, the spring is again depressed and the umbrella
free to close.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents in side view, and
Fig. 2 in front view, part of an umbrella or a parasol rib a provided, in accordance
with this invention, with a clip b, technically termed a "git," for jointing to
the rib a stretcher c, as seen at Fig. 3 which is a side view of part of a rib a
and part of a stretcher c shown in the position they occupy relatively to one
another when the frame is closed. Fig. 4 is a back view of the git b which
is a rectangular plate carrying a pair of journals or hinge pins & on which,
when the git has been bent in place on the rib, the stretcher is suspended. The
git has preferably a hole e made in it. This hole becomes filled up with "japan
employed in coating the ribs and this assists to fix the git. By the employment
of this special git it will be seen that the stretcher c is connected well up on the
sides of the rib a, and, by virtue of this, that part of the rib a which is received
into the stretcher c does not project out of the stretcher but is contained within
it, as seen at Fig. 3 and at Fig. 5 which is a section on the line w, w, Fig. 3.
The rib lies, in this sense, within the stretcher from the joint to the notched part
of the runner by which the frame is opened and closed. For this purpose that
end of the stretcher c which is tied-in at the runner is fork-shaped, as seen in
front view at Fig. 6. Fig. 7 is a side view. Shaping the tying-in end of the
stretcher as a fork is not in itself novel.
At Fig. 8 is shown in elevation the runner f in the position it occupies when
the frame is closed, that is to say, drawn down to its limit of travel towards the
handle of the stick g. To assist in clearly understanding the arrangement, two
ribs a and stretchers c only are shown. Fig. 9 is a section on the line a, a, Fig. 8.
The upper and grooved part of the runner f has slots into which enter the limbs
of the forks at the tying-in ends of the stretchers c. The tying-in wire h is
passed through the holes in the limbs of the forks. In addition to the slots for
the limbs of the forked tying-in ends of the stretchers, the top part of the runner
has grooves provided in it, situated at uniform distances apart. In these
grooves, which lie betwen the limbs of the forks of the stretcher c, are received
the ribs a when the frame is unclosed, as seen at Figs. 8 and 9.
In order to accommodate the tying-in wire h, the ribs a have an indent j
as shown in side view at Fig. 10 and in front view at Fig. 11. At this indent
the rib is specially shaped to fit the ribs for entering the grooves i in the top
of the runner f. The sides of the rib are pressed together and are slightly
concave, as shown at Fig. 12, which is a section on the line y, y, Fig. 11. Prefer-
ably, the indent j is produced, not by cutting out the metal, but by pressing by
means of a correspondingly-shaped instrument. From the foregoing, it will
be seen that when the umbrella is closed, the ribs lie, as aforesaid, within the
stretchers from the joint to the notched part of the runner, and, accordingly, the
girth or compass of the frame is that of the closed ribs.
A further improvement constituting part of this invention and in the direction
of reducing girth of frame, consists in having the ribs a, where they are received
and tied into the top notch no wider than elsewhere. Instead of being spread,
as hitherto, the said part of each rib is made straight, that is to say, with parallel
edges, as seen at Fig. 13 which represents in vertical section part of an umbrella-
stick near the point, and shows a part of the top-notch k. Fig. 14 is a front
view of the rib. By thus shaping the tying-in ends of the ribs, the grooves for
their reception in the top-notch k are not required to be so deep as hitherto and
the notch is, consequently, of reduced diameter.
A further feature of novelty comprised in this invention consists in the pro-

page_text: .
vision of springs which assist to close the frame and which, when the frame is
closed, keep it so until counteracted by the act of opening. At Fig: 15 is shown
in front view part of a rib a, with its closing spring 1. A part of the stretcher c
appertaining to the said rib is also seen in back view. The spring 1, of which a
detached view is shown at Fig. 16, is shown at Fig. 15 in the position it occupies
when the umbrella frame is closed. In this position it is depressed in the trough
of the rib a, and lies within the rib in the sense that the rib a lies within the
stretcher that is to say, it does not project out of the rib. The spring is held
to the rib a by the sheath m of which a cross section is shown at Fig. 17. The
spring bears upon a bridge n spanning the slot o made in the back of the
stretcher c. Fig. 18 is a back view of part of the stretcher showing the
bridge n which is also seen in the vertical section Fig. 19. The bridge n is
curved inwards from the back of the stretcher and that part of it on which the
spring bears is angular so that the spring bears on a knife-edge, thus reducing
friction. The sheath m, which is not closed at the crown of its arch, is bent
around the rib, and by virtue of being open at the crown of the arch binds on
the rib as a spring. At Fig. 20 is shown in side view the spring / in the position
it occupies as the frame is being opened. The spring bearing, as aforesaid, on
the bridge n of the stretcher, its free end is forced by the said bridge away
from the rib as the frame is being opened and, therefore, the spring tends to
return the stretcher to the closed position. At Fig. 21 the spring is shown in
the position it occupies when the frame is fully open. In this position the spring
tends to keep the umbrella open.
Another improvement comprised in this invention relates to locking the frame
when opened, and unlocking for closing. This improvement is illustrated at
Figs. 22 and 23 of the drawings, both of which views are lengthwise sections,
Fig. 22 showing the unlocked position and Fig. 23 the locked. The stretchers
are omitted from these figs. for the sake of avoiding complication in the drawing.
The locking spring p is, towards its upper end, run into the stick g and so fixed.
Behind the spring is a recess q provided in the stick and slightly wider than
the spring which latter is shaped towards its lower end, as shown, to form a
projecting shoulder r for the runner f to rest on when in the locked position.
Below the shoulder r the spring is returned inclined inwards into the recess.
The runner has, towards its lower end, a chambers which in shape resembles a
pair of truncated cones meeting at the ends of larger diameter. As the runner f :
is being slid up on the stick 9, when the umbrella is being opened, the notched
upper end of the runner comes into contact with the inclined lower part of the
spring which with its shoulder r is accordingly pressed into the recess q in the
stick, and when the runner has been moved up to the required extent, corre-
sponding to the complete opening of the umbrella, that is to say, to the position
shown at Fig. 23, the spring p rebounds and the shoulder r thereof enters the
chambers and so supports the runner. By the act of drawing down the
runner, the spring is again pressed into the recess q, and rebounds after the
runner has been drawn down clear of it to close the umbrella.
In order to facilitate opening, the ribs are slightly bent, so that when the
umbrella is unfolded, in the sense of untwisted, the ribs stand off from the stick
at or about midway in their length at a distance sufficient to readily answer to
the upward pressure exerted on the runner when commencing to open.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. Umbrella and parasol frames so constructed and arranged that when closed
each rib, for that part thereof which corresponds in length with its stretcher,
lies evenly within the stretcher in the sense that the back of the rib does not
project out of the stretcher, substantially as hereinabove described.
2. In an umbrella or parasol frame, an improved method of jointing the stretchers

page_text: to the ribs, that is to say, by means of a clip or "git" such as 6 carrying journals
or hinge pins such as d and bent over the rib, substantially as herein above
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In umbrella and parasol frames, the combination, with the method of
jointing the stretchers to the ribs comprised in Claim 2, of stretchers having fork-
shaped tying-in ends, substantially as hereinabove described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
4. A runner for umbrellas and parasols, such as f having its upper part slotted
to receive the limbs of the forked ends of the stretchers and having convex or
inclined sided grooves such as i to receive the ribs, substantially as hereinabove
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
5. In umbrella and parasol frames, ribs shaped towards their outer ends so as
to approximately correspond to the shape of the grooves i in the runner and
having indents such as to accommodate the tying-in wire at the runner, sub-
stantially as hereinabove described and shown at Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the
accompanying drawings.
6. In umbrella and parasol frames, ribs shaped with a straight or parallel-
edged eye at the end which is tied in to the "top-notch," substantially as herein-
above described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
7. In umbrella and parasol frames, the provision of springs such as secured to
the ribs and arranged to act on the stretchers so as to assist in closing the
frame and to keep it closed, substantially as hereinabove described with special
reference to Figs. 15 to 21, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings.
8. Improved means for locking umbrella and parasol frames when fully opened,
and unlocking the same for closing; said means consisting of a spring such as P.
fixed to the stick, and a chamber such as s provided in the runner, the said spring
being shaped to form a shoulder such as r, or the like, and inclined at the lower
end into a recess such as 7 provided in the stick, and the runner chamber s being
shaped as a pair of hollow cones united at their broader ends: the arrangement
being such that the spring, which towards its lower end normally projects out
of the recess, is forced inwards into the recess as the upper part of the runner
passes over it, and rebounds into the chambers when the latter is presented at
the position therefor; unlocking or release being effected by drawing the runner
down clear of the spring, substantially as hereinabove described with reference
to Figs. 22 and 23 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of August 1899.