IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- DADIGGY
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Willis, of Cheapside, in the City of London,
Umbrella Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
DADIGGY "
Sealed the 1st February 1856, and dated the 18th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Willis at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
September 1855.
I, JAMES WILLIS, of Cheapside, in the City of London, Umbrella Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE" to be as follows:-
These improvements relate, first, to the construction of top notches and
runners; and, secondly, to the attachment of the ribs and stretchers thereto.
In forming that part of top notches or runners in which the inner ends of
the ribs or the stretchers are respectively inserted, I use drawn or other tube,
or strips of metal bent up into the form of a trough or unclosed tube. These
pieces of hollow metal I form into rings, and then fix them on the body of the
top notch or runner. I afterwards make the necessary radial cuts or openings
in the rings for the reception of the ends of the ribs or stretchers, and an
annular opening (when such is required) for the insertion of the attaching wire
or ring, hereafter mentioned.

page_text: In place of using hollow metal rings for the bearings of the ribs and
stretchers, I also use solid rods of drawn or rolled metal, which I form into
rings, and then fix them on the body of the top notches or runners. These
rings I then cut as necessary to fit them for receiving the ends of the
stretchers or ribs.
In place of the ordinary twisted wire for attaching the ribs and stretchers to
top notches and runners, I use rings of steel or other metal, which will fit into
the annular recess provided to receive them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Willis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILLIS, of Cheapside, in the City of London, Umbrella Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Willis, Her special licence that I, the said James Willis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Willis, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF UMBRELLA AND PARASOL FURNITURE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Willis, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Iuvention, 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 I, the said James Willis, 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,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: These improvements relate, first, to the construction of top notches and
runners; and, secondly, to the attachment of the ribs and stretchers thereto. In
forming that part of top notches or runners in which the inner ends of the ribs
or the stretchers are respectively inserted, I use drawn or other tube, or strips.
of metal bent up into the form of a trough or unclosed tube. These pieces
of hollow metal I form into rings, and then fix them on the body of the top
notch or runner. I afterwards make the necessary radial cuts or openings in
the ring for the reception of the ends of the ribs or stretchers, and an annular
opening (when such is required) for the insertion of the attaching wire or ring,
hereafter mentioned.
In place of using hollow metal rings for the bearing of the ribs and stretchers,
I also use solid rods of drawn or rolled metal, which I form into rings, and
then fix them on the body of the top notches or runners. These rings I then
cut as necessary to fit them for receiving the ends of the stretchers or ribs.
In place of the ordinary twisted wire for attaching the ribs and stretchers to
top notches and runners, I use rings of steel or other metal, which will fit into
the annular recess provided to receive them.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully to
describe the manner of performing the same.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figs. 1 shew, in plan view and cross section,
a ring made from sheet metal, bent up into a closed tube, as shown at Figs. 1ª;
and Figs. 2 shew a ring made from an open trough-like form of metal, such as
is shewn at Figs. 2. These rings are formed by bending the metal round a
mandril; the ends are brought near together, and each ring is brazed or fixed
to the tube, which is to form a top notch, or a runner. When solid rods are
employed in place of the tubes or trough-formed metal, the like plan of forming
the rings is pursued. Figs. 3 shew, in plan and cross section, a ring constructed
from a rod shewn at Figs. 3. In the sectional view it will be seen that I have
flattened these rings at the part where they are to come in contact with the
main tube. This peculiar conformation is not, however, essential, but I prefer
it, as it makes a cleaner and closer joint when the ring is brazed or fixed to
the tube. The rings having been properly fixed to the tubes which form the
"top notches" or "runners," are, when of tubular or solid metal, cut in a lathe
to form grooves therein, as heretofore, when cast rings or rings cut out of
solid metal have been used. The rings thus produced on the tubes are next
notched by saw cuts to complete the runners or top notches, as heretofore,
but by reason of not bringing the ends of a ring together, the space between
the two ends will form one of the notches. In place of the ordinary twisted
wire for attaching the ribs and stretchers to a runner or top notch, the ribs or

page_text: the stretchers for an umbrella or parasol are strung on to a piece of steel or
other strong wire, which is bent into the form of a ring, and made to fit in
the groove or recess of the runner or top notch; and in place of the ends of
such wire protruding out of the notch to be twisted, as heretofore, I cause
the ends of the wire to come together, and I close or bend the edges of the
groove so as to shut in the ring, as is shewn at Fig. 4; or in place of so fixing
the wire ring in the groove without twisting the ends, they may protrude out
of the groove when it is formed at the periphery of the ring on the runner
or top notch and be twisted, as heretofore.
Having now described the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
the Construction of Umbrella and Parasol Furniture," and having explained
the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I claim the
constructing the rings employed in making "top notches" and "runners" by
bending the metal, whether tubular, trough-like, or solid, into the requisite
form, and fixing such rings on proper tubes, as herein described.
And I also claim the use of the steel or other wire rings constructed as
described for securing the ribs and stretchers of umbrellas and parasols to the
top notches and runners."
In witness whereof, I, the said James Willis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
JAMES WILLIS. (L.S.)