IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Hill, of No. 6, Larkhall Place, Bath, in the County
of Somerset, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND
PARASOLS"
Sealed the 8th August 1876, and dated the 15th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Hill at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1876.
ALBERT HILL, of No. 6, Larkhall Place, Bath, in the County of Somerset.
PROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
"
LM-
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the opening and closing of umbrellas
and parasols, and also at the same time to do away with the ordinary spring catches
lying in slots in the stick. For this purpose I provide the runner with a spring
catch to catch over pins or studs upon the stick, to retain it both when the unbrella
or parasol is open or closed; and I combine with the runner a sliding cap, by which
the catch may be released from the studs or pins upon the stick whenever desired.
This may be effected in the following manner :-At the end of the runner are two
flanges passing around it externally, and at a distance apart from one another. Be-
tween the flanges lies the catch, which is to catch over or behind the pins or studs
upon the stick; one end of the catch has pins projecting from its opposite sides; these
lie in a groove formed around the periphery of one of the flanges at the end of the
runner. A slot is formed in the runner for the opposite end of the catch to pass
through and rest against the stick. The other flange, which is intermediate, of the
length of the runner, carries a spring, which bears upon the catch and presses it
inwards. A cylindrical cap covers over the end of the portion of the runner where
the catch is carried. This cap fits over the two flanges, and is somewhat longer than
the distance between them, so that it may be slidden a distance to and fro, and it is
at its ends turned inwards to retain it in its place. The rear end of the cap carries
a short tube, which projects within the cap and comes between the stick and the rear
end of the runner. When the cap is pressed upwards the end of the tube comes
under the catch and presses it away from the stick so as to free it from the studs or
pins, and allow of the umbrella or parasol being then opened or closed. The cap is:
prevented from turning upon the inner by a in in the interior of the runner
entering a slot in the small tube which is carried by the cap. This tube has also

page_text: another slot in it to allow of its passing over the pins or stops upon the stick.
There is a small spiral spring between the end of the runner and the cap, which
tends always to keep the cap in its backward position.
When the umbrella or parasol is open a small hole in the end of the catch passes
over a pin or stud upon the stick, and the runner is thereby retained.
When the umbrella or parasol is closed the end of the catch comes behind another
pin or stud upon the stick; this stud then lies in the slot in the runner, so that the
runner is prevented from turning around the stick, and the cover may be folded up
in the ordinary manner without putting any strain upon the spring catch.
By the construction of runner above described, all that is necessary to release the
runner from the pins or studs upon the stick is to move its sliding cap endwise, and
the umbrella or parasol can then be freely opened or closed.
When the umbrella or parasol is formed with long stretchers, and the runner
comes beyond the tip ends of the ribs when the umbrella or parasol is closed, the
forward end of the sliding cap may be made to embrace the tip ends of the ribs and
retain them close to the stick.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th November
1876.
ALBERT HILL, of No. 6, Larkhall Place, Bath, in the County of Somerset.
PROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
"IM- S
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the opening and closing of umbrellas
and parasols, and also at the same time to do away with the ordinary spring catches
lying in slots in the stick. For this purpose I provide the runner with a spring
catch to catch over pins or studs upon the stick to retain it both when the umbrella
or parasol is open or closed, and I combine with the runner a sliding cap, by which
the catch may be released from the studs or pins upon the stick whenever desired.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the stick of an umbrella with
the runner upon it, the parts being arranged in accordance with my Invention, there
being a spring catch on the runner which engages with studs on the stick, and
which is freed from these studs when desired by the movement of a sliding cap
with which the runner is furnished. Figure 2 shews separately a side view of the
runner.
Figure 2 shews a vertical section of the sliding cap, and Figure 2b an end view
of the cap.
Figure 3 shews a side view of the runner, with the spring catch applied to it, and
Figure 3 a side view of the sliding cap.
Figure 4 shews another side view of the runner, together with the spring catch,
and Figure 4a transverse section of the same, taken through the line 16, b.
Figures 5 shew separate views of the spring catch.
In these Figures is the stick; b, the runner; c, the sliding cap; and d, the spring
catch; e is the stud at the handle end of the stick; and f, the stud against which
the spring catch rests when the umbrella is opened. The studs are each formed
with a pointed stem which is driven into the stick, as shewn at Figure 1.
The stretchers not shewn in the Drawing are connected to the upper end of the
runner in the ordinary manner. At the lower end of the runuer are two flanges
y, g; between these flanges lies the spring catch d; it is formed of spring steel, and

page_text: passes partly around the runner, as shewn at Figures 3, 4, and 40. At one end it
has small projections from its two opposite sides, as shown at Figure 3; these lie in
notches formed across the flanges g, g; the catch is pressed towards the runner by a
narrow spring d, which forms a continuation of one of the small projections above
mentioned. The end of this narrow spring is bent inwards and sprung into a small
hole in one of the flanges g, and thereby presses the spring catch inwards towards
the runner.
The central portion of the catch is flattened, as shewn at Figure 4ª and
Figure 5, and lies across a slot i formed in the runner; this slot is seen at Figure 2.
The free end of the spring catch is inclined, as shewn at Figure 4. The interior of
the sliding cap carries a pin or feather h, shewn in dotted lines at Figure 1; this
pin or feather lies in notches cut across the two flanges g, g, on the runner.
When the cap c is drawn towards the handle end of the stick an incline on the
fenther acts against the inclined end of the catch and presses it back; this causes
the catch to hinge outwards, and so moves its central portion away from the stick
and clear of the studs which project from it. The sliding cap fits over the two
flanges g, g, and is longer than the distance between them; its ends are curved in-
wards, as shown, to retain it in place on the runner, and a coiled spring & con-
stantly presses the cap towards the end of the runner, to which the stretchers are
jointed.
When the umbrella or parasol is open the runner is in the position shown at
Figure 1, and the central flattened portion of the catch rests against the stick just
above the stud f. To close the umbrella it is only necessary to draw downwards
the sliding cap; the spring catch is thereby released from the stud f in the manner
above explained, and the runner is free to be drawn along the stick.
When the umbrella is closed the lower end of the runner is drawn over the
stud c; the spring catch & then rises over this stud, and, passing beyond it, serves
to retain the umbrella or parasol in its closed position. The stud c then lies in the
small slot m formed in the runner. This slot is seen at Figure 2.
To open the umbrella or parasol it is only necessary to press the cap and runner
towards the tip end of the stick; the catch d is then forced back and rises over the
stud e by reason of the end of the stud being inclined, as shown at Figure 1.
When the umbrella or parasol is formed with long stretchers, and the runner
comes beyond the tip ends of the ribs when the umbrella or parasol is closed, the
forward end of the sliding cap may be made to embrace the tip ends of the ribs and
retain them close to the stick. In this case, in order to open the umbrella or parasol
it would be necessary first to draw back the cap and release the tip ends of the ribs,
and then to push forward the cap and runner.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details shewn in the Drawing, but that I claim as my improvements in umbrellas
and parasols,
First. Providing the runners of umbrellas and parasols with a spring catch to
catch over pins or studs upon the stick, and with a sliding cap to release the catch,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The construction of runners for umbrellas and parasols with a spring
catch and sliding cap, substantially as heroin-before described and shewn in the
Drawings annexed.
+
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Hill, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
ALBERT HILL. (L.S.)