IMPROVE- MENTS IN IMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Willis, of Stocksbridge Works, near
Sheffield, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN IMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES.
"
Sealed the 19th March 1875, and dated the 26th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Willis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1875.
I, JAMES WILLIS, of Stocksbridge Works, near Sheffield, in the
5 County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES," to be as follows:―
This Invention has for its object improvements in umbrellas and
sunshades, and the improvements relate to the formation of a new
stretcher joint for paragon ribs, and also to a mode of obtaining the
effect of a spring stretcher joint without adding a spring to the joint.
The stretcher joint on paragon ribs often moves from its place by the
"git" (which must necessarily be of the softest iron) becoming loosened
through the frequent tight rolling up of the umbrella, which causes the

page_text: "
git" to twist. To prevent the "git" being thus twisted and loosened,
and to make the joint more compact (less deep), I bring the sides of the
"git"closer together and place between them a piece of hardened and
tempered steel, which reaches from the bottom of the rib to the top of
the "git," and serves to prevent the "git" from twisting. I also
dispense with the iron usually lapped round the stretcher end to form
its outer prongs, and am thereby enabled to insert the pin or rivet of
the joint close to the edge of the rib. For this purpose I make the
stretcher end "two fork," whereas heretofore with paragon stretchers
they have either been "single fork" or "three fork," and this I effect
by splitting and shaping the end of the paragon wire which forms the
stretcher fork and inserting within the end either a piece of smaller
paragon wire or solid wire split and shaped to correspond, and I fix the
two together by indenting their sides whilst in the soft state, and then
harden and temper the stretcher.
In order to obtain the effect of a spring stretcher joint more especially
when solid ribs are used without adding a spring to the joint I provide
a stop near to the joint to prevent the stretcher going quite down to tho
rib. I also give an outward set or bend to the rib (by preference near
to the joint) to the extent required, and the elasticity of the bottom end
of the rib will produce the required result.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Willis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES 2
WILLIS, of Stocksbridge Works, near Sheffield, in the County of York,
send greeting.
3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in 8
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Willis, Her
special license, that I, the said James Willis, my executors, admi
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Willis,
'

page_text: 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 AND PARASOLS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Willis, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said

page_text: indenting their sides whilst in the soft state, and then harden and temper
the stretcher.
Figure 1 shows a side view of a stretcher joint for a paragon rib and
a two fork paragon stretcher constructed as above described.
Figures 2 show separate views of the joint and rib and stretcher. In
these Figures a is the rib; b, the stretcher; c, the "git," the sides of
which are brought closer together than heretofore usual; d, the piece of
hardened and tempered steel placed between the sides of the git, and
which reaches from the bottom of the rib to the top of the git, and is
prolonged, as shown, beyond the git to prevent the git from twisting,
its end being bent over or otherwise thickened up to fill the space
between the sides of the trough rib. The stretcher is, as shown, made
"two fork," the end of the stretcher is for this purpose split and shaped,
as shown, and the ends are strengthened either by a piece of wire corre-
spondingly split at the end, as shown at Figure 2º, or by a piece of
paragon or trough wire similarly split at its end, as shown at Figure 2b,
or by both a piece of split paragon wire and a piece of solid wire, as
shown at Figure 2°. To retain these pieces of split, solid, or paragon
wire in the end of the stretcher the sides of the stretcher are indented,
as shown at e, e, whilst in the soft state, and the stretcher is sub-
sequently hardened and tempered. If solid wire filling pieces are used
indentations are previously formed in them to allow of the indentations
being afterwards made into the sides of the stretcher, as above described.
In order to obtain the effect of a spring stretcher joint, more especially
when solid ribs are used, without adding a spring to the joint I provide
a stop near to the joint to prevent the stretcher going guite down to the
rib. I also give an outward set or bend to the rib (by preference near
to the joint) to the extent required to set the tip ends of the ribs away
from the stick to allow of the hand being readily inserted between them
to release the catch by which the runner is retained when the umbrella
is closed. The clasticity of the ribs allows of their being brought close
up to the stick when the umbrella is closed and the cover is folded up
around them in the ordinary way.
When long stretchers and a tip cap are used the ribs may similarly
have an outward set or bend given to them to cause their tip ends to
fly outwards away from the stick so soon as the tip cap is drawn back
and their ends are released, the tips of the ribs will thus be moved

page_text: outwards, so as to be clear of the tip cap, and also to be clear of the
hand when the hand is moved forward to open the umbrella.
Figures 3 show a spring stretcher joint for solid ribs constructed in
this manner; a is the rib; b, the stretcher; c, the git with a stop c¹
formed upon or fixed to it to prevent the rib lying close down to the
stretcher when the umbrella is closed, except by the springing or
bending of the rib. By thus adapting a stop for the rib to bear against
when the umbrella is closed the effect of a spring stretcher joint is
obtained, so that in opening the umbrella when the runner is pushed
upwards along the stick the thrust of the stretchers upon all of the ribs
will tend to force the ribs outwards away from the stick and will remove
all tendency there may be to thrust some of the ribs in the contrary
direction, and consequently the opening of the umbrella will be much
facilitated, and all tendency to strain the stretcher joint when opening
the umbrella will be removed. To allow of the hand being readily
inserted between the tip ends of the ribs to open the umbrella I give
an outward set or bend to the rib by preference near to the stretcher
joint, as shown at A, Figure 4.
.
Various ways of applying the stop c¹ to impede the rib from lying
close to the stretcher when the umbrella is closed, except by the
springing of the rib, may be adopted.
Another way in which this may be accomplished is shown at Figure 5;
in this case a ring of wire c¹ is clasped around the stretcher near to the
joint before the stretcher is varnished or japanned; the operation of
varnishing or japanning the stretcher will assist to hold the ring securely
in its place; and when the umbrella is closed the ribs will abut against
these rings, and will have to spring or bend to allow of the covering
being readily folded and wound around them.
At Figure 6 is shewn another arrangement, in which a stop c¹ is
secured in the fork at the end of the stretcher. At Figure 7 is shewn
another arrangement, in which the stop c¹ is formed by bending the
end of the stretcher, so that when the umbrella is closed the ribs shall
abut against the bends of the stretchers and be compelled to spring when
the covering is folded and wound tightly around them. This method of
forming a stop near to the stretcher joint is applicable not only when
the stretchers and ribs are of solid wire but also when they are of
paragon or trough wire, or wire of any other section, and also whether
.

page_text: fork.
At Figures 8 is shewn a manner in which a stop c¹ may be applied
to a paragon rib; this stop is formed from a piece of sheet metal bent in
5
the manner shown to fit the interior of the rib, and also to clasp it upon
the exterior, and is further secured by the varnishing or japanning of
the rib. It will be seen that the stop may either be applied to the rib
or to the stretcher.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my
improvements in umbrellas and sunshades,--"
First. The means, substantially as hercin described, for preventing
the git of paragon or trough ribs being twisted and loosened, sub-
stantially as herein described.
1
Second. Making the stretchers of paragon or trough wire "two fork," 1
substantially as herein described.
Third. The application of a stop near to the stretcher joint to prevent
the rib lying close down to the stretcher when the umbrella or sunsliade
is closed, except by the springing of the rib, substantially as herein
described.
Fourth. Giving an outward set or bend to the ribs, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Willis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.