IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND Parasols
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edward Boyce, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, and Robert Harrington, of Birmingham,
aforesaid, Warehouseman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
UMBRELLAS AND Parasols.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edward Boyce and
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Robert Harrington at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 28th August 1867.
We, JAMES EDWARD BOYCE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and ROBERT HARRINGTON, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Ware-
houseman, do hereby declare the nature of-the-said-Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists, firstly, of a spring catch. fastening- constructed in
the manner herein-after described, to be used in place of the ordinary top
spring or top and bottom springs of umbrellas and parasols.
We will describe this part of our Invention as applied to the top spring of
an umbrella-or parasol. The said spring catch. fastening consists of a strip of
sheet steel or other elastic metal slightly bow-shaped; this spring is fixed at
its lower end to the stick of the umbrella or parasol; its upper end has a slot

page_text: in it, through which a pin on the stick projects, and by which it is preserved in
its place parallel with the axis of the stick, but is capable of extending when
by the pressure of the runner passing over it the said spring is flattened. On
the middle of, the spring is a raised piece or nib made either by pressure out
of the spring or by attaching a solid piece to the spring. The runner has a
raised channel made in that part which passes over the spring, and a slot
sufficiently large for the nib or projection of the spring to engage in is made
in the said channel. When the umbrella or parasol is opened by raising the
runner on the stick the said runner passes over and flattens the spring, but
when the slot in the channel of the runner comes over the nib or pro-
ection on the spring the said nib springs into the said slot and the runner is
fixed in its raised position. When it is wished to close the umbrella or
parasol it is only necessary to press on the nib or projection of the spring
when the runner slides freely over it towards the handle of the umbrella or
parasol. The same arrangement of parts may be used for the bottom spring
or the spring which fixes the umbrella or parasol in its closed position. In
this case the position of the spring is inverted. By fixing the umbrella or
parasol in its open or closed position by the fastening described there is no
necessity to weaken the stick by the grooves required for the ordinary
fastenings.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in the use of bow springs of the kind
herein-before described, but without the nib or projection for the purpose of
steadying the runner in umbrellas or parasols having taper sticks in place of
the wire packing springs ordinarily employed. The said bow springs may be
used both in conjunction with runners of the kind, described or with ordinary
runners. Although we prefer to use the bow springs described without
making any depression in the sticks for their reception, yet when runners
without channels are employed the stick may be recessed to permit of the
spring when flattened occupying the recess.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Edward Boyce and Robert Harrington in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
EDWARD BOYCE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
and ROBERT HARRINGTON, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Warehouseman, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand eight bundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for-Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said James. Edward Boyce and Robert Harrington, Her special
licence that we, the said James Edward Boyce and Robert Harrington, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James
Edward Boyce and Robert Harrington, our 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 nake, 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 AND PARASOLS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said James Edward: Boyce and Robert
Harrington, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us
or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 we, the said James Edward Boyce and Robert
Harrington, do hereby declare the nature of the 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:
Our Invention consists, firstly, of a spring catch fastening constructed in
the manner herein-after described to be used in place of the ordinary top
'spring or top and bottom springs of umbrellas and parasols.
We will describe this part of our Invention as applied to the top spring of
an umbrella or parasol. The said spring catch fastening consists of a strip of
sheet steel or other elastic metal slightly bow-shaped; this spring is fixed at
its lower end to the stick of the umbrella or parasol; its upper end has á
slot in it, through which a pin on the stick projects, and by which it is pre-
served in its place parallel with the axis of the stick, but is capable of extending
when by the pressure of the runner passing over it the said spring is flattened.
On the middle of the spring is a raised piece or nib, made either by pressure
out of the spring or by attaching a solid piece to the spring. The runner has
a channel made- in- that part- which passes over the spring, and a slot
sufficiently-large for the nib or projection of the spring to engage in is niade
in the said channel. When the umbrella or parasol is opened by raising the

page_text: runner on the stick the said runner passes over and flattens the spring, but
when the slot in the channel of the runner comes over the nib or projection
on the spring the said nib springs into the said slot and the runner is. fixed
in its raised position. When it is wished to close the umbrella or. parasol it
is only necessary to press on the nib or projection of the spring when the runner
slides freely over it: towards the handle of the umbrella or parasol. The same
arrangement of parts may be used for the bottom spring or the spring which
fixes the umbrella or parasol in its closed position; in this case the position
of the spring is inverted. "By fixing the umbrella or parasol in its open or
closed position by the fastening described there is no necessity to weaken the
stick by the grooves required for the ordinary fastenings.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in the use of bow springs of the .kind
herein-before described, but without the nib or projection for the purpose of
steadying the runner in umbrellas or parasols having/taper. sticks in place of
the wire picking springs ordinarily employed. The said bow springs. may
.be used either in conjunction with runners of the kind described or with
ordinary runners.
}
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawing. the manner, in which the same
is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2. represent side elevations taken at right angles to one
another of a portion of the frame and stick of an umbrella, the spring catch
fastenings of which are constructed according to our Invention; Figure 3
represents in section, and Figure 4 in elevation, a portion of the same
on a larger scale; Figure 5 represents in side and end elevation the runner
separately; and Figure 6 represents one of the bow springs separately.. The
same letters of reference indicate the same parts in each Figure of the
Drawing.
¡ T
a is the stick, and 6, the runner to which the stretchers c are jointed; d is
the top spring, and e is the bottom spring fixed to. the stick a of the
umbrella, each of the said springs d, e, being made of a bow-shaped piece
of steel or other elastic metal. Each of the springs d, e, is provided at
its middle with a raised piece or nib d², e. The top spring d is fixed at its
lower end by the pin d³ to the stick a, and the upper. end of the said spring
has a slot or opening in it through which a pin or hook f on the stick a pro-
jects. By means of this pin or hook and slot the said spring is preserved in
its place parallel with the axis of the stick, but is capable of extending, when
by the pressure of, the rumper 6 passing over it the said spring is flattened.
The bottom spring e is fixed, in a similar way, the moveable end being

page_text: marked and the fixed end g. The runner 6 has a channel 62 made in that
part which passes over the springs (see Figure 5). The said channel 6s may
be made by forming two parallel corrugations in the runner by dies and
pressure, or in any other, convenient manner. By means of, this, channel the
runner b is enabled to slide over the springs without obstruction. A slot b
is made in the said channel 6 sufficiently large for the nib or projection d³ or
e² of the springs d, e, to engage in. Figures 1 and 2 represent the umbrella
in its closed position, the rib or projection of the spring e being engaged in
the hole 63 in the channel of the runner 6 and fixing the said umbrella in
that position. When the umbrella is to be opened it, is only. necessary to
press on the nib or projection e³ of the spring e when the said spring is flattened,
and the said nib or projection thereby liberated from the slot b in the runner,
and the umbrella may be opened by raising the said runner on the stick a.
When the umbrella has been nearly opened the runner 6 passes over and
flattens the top spring d, but when the said slot 63 in the channel 6 comes
over the nib or projection d³ on the spring d the said nib or projection-springs
or snaps into the said slot, and thereby fixes the umbrella in its raised or open
position. By pressing upon the nib or..projection d² of the top spring d the
runner bis liberated from the said spring and may be depressed on the stick a
and the umbrella closed and fixed in its closed position by the, engaging of the
nib or projection e² of the bottom spring e. with the slot be in the runner; as
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and on a larger scale in Figures 3 and 4. It
will be seen by referring to Figures 1 and 2 that the inclined, sides of the
nibs or projections of the top and bottom springs d, e, are in opposite directions
to permit of the passage of the runner over them for flattening the said springs.
The nib or projection on the bow springs may either be made by pressure out
of the spring, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, or the said nib or
projection may be made by rivetting or otherwise attaching a solid piece to the
middle of the spring, as illustrated in Figure 7, where the solid nib or projection
is marked h, or the said nib or projection may be made in any other convenient
manner.
Although we prefer to use the bow-shaped fastening springs described and
represented without making any depression in the sticks for their reception,
yet when runners without channels are employed the stick may be recessed to
permit of the spring when flattened occupying the recess.
Figure 8 represents a taper stick of an umbrella provided with a bow-shaped
packing spring-according to our Invention. In the said Figure 8 the bow-
shaped packing spring is marked i, the runner k, and the taper stick l. When
the runner is raised or lowered on the taper stick the bow spring i is flattened,

page_text: and by its pressure steadies or prevents lateral motion in the said runner upon
the stick l. In one of the elevations, Figure 8, the bow spring i is shown flattened
by the runner k, and in the other elevation the bow spring i is shown in its
normal position after the removal of the runner from it. The bow spring
packing may be used either in conjunction with runners of the kind herein-
before described or with ordinary runners.
i
Although in the accompanying Drawing we have only represented our
Invention as applied to an umbrella, yet our said Invention is equally applicable
to parasols.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do
not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as
the same may be varied without departing from the nature of our Invention;
but we claim as our Invention,-
Firstly. The improvements in fastenings for fixing umbrellas and parasols
in their open and closed positions respectively herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, applying to the
stick of the umbrella or parasol two bow-shaped springs provided at their
middle with a raised part or nib, with the raised part or nib of one or
other of which springs a slot in the runner is made to engage to fix the
umbrella or parasol in its open or closed position, substantially as described
and illustrated.
Secondly. Steadying the runners of umbrellas and parasols having taper
sticks by means of bow springs made from sheet steel or other elastic
metal, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Edward Boyce and Robert
Harrington, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JAMES EDWARD BOYCE. (L.e.)
ROBERT HARRINGTON.
(L.S.)