IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emile Charageat, of Boulevard Saint Denis,
No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.
Scaled the 21st May 1875, and dated the 22nd March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emile Charageat at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1875.
I, EMILE CHARAGEAT, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be
as follows:-
The frames of umbrellas and other similar articles as hitherto con-
structed have required spring catches to keep them in their open and
closed positions. These spring catches which are of steel wire suitably
shaped for the purpose are fitted in notches made in the stick, one at the
lower part and the other at the upper. Now these notches weaken the

page_text: stick just at the place where strength is most necessary, and consequently
the sticks sometimes break at the notched part.
It is the chief object of my Invention to overcome this defect by
entirely dispensing with the employment not only of spring catches on
the stick, and consequently of the notches to receive them, but also of
all the devices hitherto used with the same object, such as hooks, levers,
rings, and runners.
My construction of frame is chiefly based on a particular arrangement
for jointing or connecting the stretchers to the ribs in combination with
peculiar metallic fittings which are applied where the stretchers are
jointed to the ribs.
I proceed to describe the construction and action of the several parts
of my improved frame.
First. As regards the metallic fittings I take a thin plate having an
enlargement at the middle, and I stamp it into the form of a shoe or
sheath with a longitudinal depression. It is then placed over the rib at
the joint, so that its two cheeks cover the end of the stretcher at each
side and protect the silk, while its longitudinal depression fits into the
hollow of the rib which is bitubular. Holes are formed in the bottom
of the shoe to receive hooks which are carried by a spring. This spring
effects a concentric pull upon the rib. It is made of tempered steel, it
has therefore a superiority over other springs hitherto used for a similar
purpose, both as regards durability and certainty of action. It has a
central tenon or projection at the back which takes into a notch formed
in the rib and plays freely therein during the action of the spring; it is
intended to prevent movement of the spring to the right or left. There
is a transverse hole in the spring to which the end of the stretcher is
jointed.
•
The outer end of the stretcher acts as a cam or excentric against the
rib, so that the attraction or effect of the spring is produced in the one
direction or the other according to whether the umbrella is opened or
closed. Thus if the inner end of the stretcher is lower than the outer it
is drawn towards the rib.; if the stretcher is horizontal the action of the
spring is normal to the rib, and it is therefore not attracted in either
direction, but as soon as the stretcher has passed this central or neutral
position it is attracted towards the top. The stretchers are of such
length that the umbrella is not entirely open until the runner and the

page_text: stretchers are in or nearly in the same horizontal line, that is to say, at
the top of the movement of the runner by which the opening is effected.
In this extreme position the resisting action produced by the tension of
the silk or covering always acting strongly upon the stretchers and the
runner, causes the runner as soon as the central or neutral point of
resistance has been passed to be drawn in a direction contrary to the
resistance which it opposed to the hand in the act of opening the
umbrella. Thus instead of a spring catch a simple stop pin as usually
employed is sufficient.
In order to close the umbrella the runner is drawn lightly downwards,
and is thus made free and it is again assisted in the act of closing by the
springs and metallic fittings above described. The springs complete the
closing of the umbrella automatically.
A convenient sectional shape for the ribs which I sometimes adopt
to receive and protect the seams of the silk is this or, the
stretchers being of analogous form in section so as to fit thereon.
A bitubular form of stretcher combined with solid or hollow round stecl
ribs may also be adopted.
The runners may with advantage be made in three pieces, viz., an
upper piece to which the inner ends of the stretchers are secured, a
middle piece which screws on to the upper piece, and a lower piece to
screw into the middle piece, and having a broad flange for the fingers to
push against in the act of opening the umbrella. Or the pieces may be
united by brazing or otherwise.

page_text: '
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Emile Charageat, Her
special licence that I, the said Emile Charageat, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Emile Charageat,
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 OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Emile Charageat, my
executors or administrators, 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 performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Emile Charageat, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
The frames of umbrellas and other similar articles as hitherto con-
structed have required spring catches to keep them in their open and
closed positions. These spring catches which are of steel wire suitably 1
shaped for the purpose are fitted in notches made in the stick, one at the
lower part and the other at the upper. Now these notches weaken the
stick just at the place where strength is most necessary, and consequently
the sticks sometimes break at the notched part.
It is the chief object of my Invention to overcome this defect by
entirely dispensing with the employment, not only of spring catches on
the stick, and consequently of the notches to receive them, but also of
all the devices hitherto used with the same object, such as hooks, levers,
rings, and runners.
My construction of frame is chiefly based on a particular arrangement
for jointing or connecting the stretchers to the ribs in combination with
peculiar metallic fittings which produce a concentric pull (rappel

page_text: concentrique), and which are applied where the stretchers are jointed to
the ribs.
I proceed to describe the construction and action of the several parts
of my improved frame, and for that purpose will refer to the annexed
Drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in face and edge views a thin metallic
plate a which is intended to form the outer casing of the metallic
fitting.
Figures 3 and 4 are anologous views of the same piece after it has
been stamped which gives it the desired configuration; then the piece a
is folded so as to be placed over the rib of the umbrella, its two cheeks
cover the joint or end of the stretcher at cach side and protect the silk
(Figure 8), while its longitudinal depression fits into the hollow of the
rib which is bitubular.
The holes b, b, in the bottom of the shoe are to receive hooks d
which are carried by a spring c, Figures 5 and 6. This spring c effects
the concentric pull upon the rib; it is made of tempered steel, it has
therefore a superiority over other springs hitherto used for a similar
purpose, both as regards durability and certainty, of action. The tenon
or projection fat the centre of its length takes into a notch formed in
the rib and plays freely therein during the action of the spring; it is
intended to prevent movement of the spring to the right or left. The
hole g is for the joint of the stretcher.
Figure 7 represents the combination of the several parts supposing the
outer metallic piece a (which is optional) is not fitted.
In Figure 8 on the contrary the piece a is fixed to the rib h and covers
all the part corresponding to the joint of the stretcher i.
Figures 9 and 10 drawn on a larger scale will make the concentric
pulling action which is an essential feature of my improved frame
readily understood. The outer end of the stretcher i acts as a cam or
excentric against the rib h in such manner that the attraction or effect
of the spring c is produced in the one direction or the other, according
to whether the umbrella is opened or closed. Thus, if the stretcher i is
lower than in the position shown in blue ink in Figure 7 it is drawn
towards the rib & in the direction indicated by the arrow; if the stretcher
is in the position shown in blue the action of the spring is normal to the

page_text: rib, and it is therefore not attracted in either direction, but as soon as
the stretcher has passed this central or neutral position it is attracted
towards the top to the position indicated in red ink.
Figure 11 represents on a smaller scale the whole frame of the
umbrella. In this frame the stretchers are placed as stays in a certain
condition of length (given by the proportions of Figure 11), calculated
in such manner that the umbrella is not entirely open until the runner j
(detail views of which are given in Figures 15 and 16) and the
stretchers are in or nearly in the same horizontal line, that is to say, at
the top of the movement of the runner by which the opening is effected.
In this extreme position the resisting action produced by the tension of
the silk or covering always acting strongly upon the stretchers, and the
runner causes the runner as soon as the central or neutral point of
resistance has been passed to be drawn in a direction contrary to the
resistance which it opposed to the hand in the act of opening the
umbrella. Thus, instead of a spring catch a simple stop pin as usually
employed is sufficient, exept that the distance between the runner and
the top is modified.
In order to close the umbrella the runner is drawn lightly downwards
and is thus made free, and it is again assisted in the act of closing by
the springs and metallic fittings forming the concentric pulling action as
above described.
automatically.
The springs complete the closing of the umbrella
In Figure 12 I show an excentric arrangement of the end of the
stretcher to produce with my spring metallic fittings a double repulsive
and attractive action. In this case the stretcher is drawn right and
left as in the preceding case, but below its position of rest is limited by
the boss on the end of the stretcher coming against the rib. If it be
then attempted to bring the rib and the stretcher nearer together a
repulsive action of the spring is produced which separates the rib and
stretcher again.
With a runner provided with a movable ring (having a presser spring)
bearing forcibly on the inner ends or joints of the stretchers I can
produce a closing action with concentric pull analogous to that which I
produce on the rib as I have already described. In this case the spring
action instead of being made manifest on the rib is felt on the runner;
it is simply a transposition of the mechanical action.

page_text: I represent in Figures 13 and 14 two sections which may be given to
the ribs to receive and protect the seams of the silk, and to render
casy the fitting of the stretchers which are of analogous form; there is
no fear of injury from the angular parts which are separated from the
silk by the rounded edges of the ribs. A bitubular form of stretcher
combined with solid or hollow round steel ribs may also be adopted with
advantage.
"
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For the application of my Invention to what are known as
paragon
frames, I employ the arrangement shewn in Figures 17 and 18; in
this case the spring c is dispensed with and the rib itself acts as the
spring. The pivot a² of the stretcher i is in the piece a, and this piece
is held on the rib by two set claws a¹; the piece a is slightly cambered
to give the necessary play to the rib.
In cases where the rib h is of round steel (see Figure 19), the piece a
is held by claws a', a', formed at the top and bottom of the said piece.
These frames are of great advantage as regards avoiding all lateral
displacement of the ribs and stretchers, while at the same time they have
the benefit of my spring arrangement.
In Figures 20, 21, and 22, I show an improved combination for a
simple mounting or connection of the stretchers and ribs. In this
combination the cap m (shown spread out flat in Figure 22) carries at
bottom two claws n which are fixed to the two edges of the ribs. In
this manner I leave all the depth of the rib free opposite the end of the
stretcher, which permits of the latter being well fitted in the groove of
the rib, thus avoiding all lateral displacement. The two parts which
constitute the cap for the play of the stretcher are of double thickness
to give greater strength, while at the same time they insure very regular
action.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
Improvements in Umbrellas, Parasols, and other similar Articles,".
66
First. Constructing the frames of the said articles, substantially as
hercin-before described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
Second. Constructing the frames with an excentric or cam action of
the stretchers on the ribs in combination with a metallic fitting for
producing what is herein termed a concentric pull, so as to retain the

page_text: Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
of Boulevard Saint Denis, 1,
at Paris.
E. CHARAGEAT. (L.S.)