US2047711A - Umbrella - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1936. J. A. H. SIERs UMBRLLA Filed NovQQ, 1954 v2 sheets-sheet v1' INVENTOR.

. Lizenz' ATTORNEY.

.fami/.ff 741k *B3/ifa z/ Patented July 14, 1936,'V

N UN1STED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7Clalms.

' 'Ihis invention relates to umbrellas and has for its general object and purpose to provide an umbrella, parasol or the like, having a collapsible frame and staif of such construction as to eect l a marked reduction in the overall length 'of the umbrella when closed, so that it may be conveniently carried in the pocket, handbag or suitcase.

Another object of the invention is to provide l an umbrella frame having relatively sliding rib sections, together with giositively acting, manually controllable means or actuating the sliding rib sections to radially extend orcontract the frame in the opening and closing movements thereof. t

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a covering of elastic, waterproof material for the frame, attached at its center to the umbrella staff and at its outer edge to 20 the ends of the sliding rib sections, said material.

' by contraction thereof, facilitating the inward l sliding movement of said rib sections.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide stretcher rods, connected with said 25 sliding rib sections and a runner on the umbrella stai, together with link members pivotally connected to the staff and to said stretcher rods intermediate of their ends, and positively operateI ing the latter to distend or contract the umbrella I0 frame, the said parts being so constructed and arranged as to lie in compact parallel relation, closely adjacent to the stall', when the umbrella is closed. J

My invention has for a furtherobject to pro- 35 vide an umbrella staff of improved construction, embodying telescoping sections, and simple and effective means for retaining said stall.' sections in extended or collapsed relation.

I also propose to provide an umbrella or pa 40 sol of the above character; the several parts of which are strong and durable, while of comparatively light weight, as well asI efiicient and reliable in practical use. i

With the above and other objects in view, the 45 invention consists in the improved umbrella or parasol, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be4 hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incor- 50 porat'ed in thesubjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

(CL 13S-23) Figure 1 is a fragmentaryvvertical section. showing the umbrella open and ready for use. T Fig. 2 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

. Fig.v 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, show- 5 ing the umbrella closed, with the parts of the frame and stad in collapsed position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section on an enlarged scale, taken on the lined-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 10 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the umv brella frame open.

Fig. '7 is a similar view of the closed umbrella, the covering being omitted.

' Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, illustrai-.ing a slightly modied construction.

Fig. 9 is ra horizontal section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the stad of the umbrella, as herein shown, embodies upper and'lower sections, 5 and 6 respectively, of thin-walled metal tubing, said lower section, preferably, being telescoped within the upper section 5. The wall of the latter section, at its lower end, is formed with an internal shoulder 1, to be engaged by a bead 8 on the upper end of thestaff section 6 to limit the outward extension thereof from the section 5.

Within the staff section suitably xed at one of its ends and normally is slightly bowed longitudinally. The free end of said spring, within the upper end of the section 6, is provided with latching means I0 for a purpose to be later explained. To the convex side of the spring A9 intermediate of its ends, a lug I I is fixed and projects outwardly through a slot I2 in the wall ,of the staff section 6. This lug is received in a recess I3 in the lower. end l of the wall of the stail' section 5,-to releasably 40 hold the section 6 in its extended position and prevent relative rotational movement of the stall.' sections. A stud I0' is secured to the spring 9, in spaced relation to the latching means I0, and bears against the wall of the staff section 6.

To the lower end of the staii section 6 a handle member I4 is suitably ilxed, said handle member being of tubular form at its upper end to provide the annular wall or flange l5.

Upon the upper end of the stair section 5 a 50 sleeve I6 is threaded. The upper end of this sleeve is'closed and formed with a radially projecting slotted ange l1 in which the rib sections I8 are pivoted at one oi their ends as at I8'. 55 'I'hese rib sections are of channel form in cross dit' section, and are preferably provided along the inwardly facing open sides of the channels with the opposing, longitudinally continuous anges i9.

In each rib section i3 a longitudinally slidable rib section 20 is telescopically engaged. The sections 20 are also of channel form and are retained and guided for free sliding movement within the sections i8 by the flanges iii oi' the latter.

To each rib section 2t a stretcher rod 2i is connected at one end. This stretcher is likewise preferably oi channel form and a plate 22 in the channel thereof has its ends pivotally connected, as at 2li, with the side walls of the channel. This plate is centrally formed with an inverted U- shaped portion 2t which extends into the channel oi the rib section il@ and has openings in the sides thereof to receive inwardly projecting parts oi the side walls oi said rib section, as shown at 22d. However, any other desired means may be utilized for pivotally connecting the stretcher rods to the sliding rib sections On the stad section t a runner 2E is slidingly engaged. The inner ends of the stretchers 2i are curved, as at iii, and pivotally connected to a slotted iiange formed on the upper end of the runner w, as shown at 2i. Upward movement of the runner is limited by a collar 2t fixed on the staii section 5, and the wall of said section is provided with an opening 2d to receive the end of a spring pressed latch member 3@ mounted on the runner, whereby the latter is releasably held against downward movement.

Links di are pivotally connected at one oi their ends to a slotted flange on the lower end oi' the sleeve iii, as at 32, and have their other ends pivotally connected at 33 to the stretcher rods 2i intermediate the ends ci the latter.

The rib sections iii and 2li are covered with a sheet of rubberized fabric or other elastic textile material, indicated at 3G. At its center this olastic covering material is securely fixed to 'the closed upper end of the sleeve iii by the clamping plate and screw which is threaded in the end of the sleeve. it its inner end this screw is formed with a reduced neck 3l' and conical terminal dii, which provides an annular shoulder d@ to be engaged by the latching means iii oi the spring t. This latch means for the stai'l sec-` tions is not herein claimed, as it forms the subject-matter oi my co-pending application ior patent, Serial No. 52,049, filed November29, 1935. To the outer edge of the c'over dil, at suitably spaced points, appropriate means, such as the tubular members dii, are attached. These members receive the outer ends oi? the respective rib sections 2t and are securely iixed thereon.

To the underside oi each rib section iii at its outer end a spring clip iii is suitably iixed, and has an outwardly projecting yieldable nger di?, spaced from the rib section, to be engaged by the ange iii oi the handle iii, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

When the umbrella is open, as shown in Fig. l, the covering material til is radially and circumferentially expanded or stretched by the extension oi the rib sections it. To close the umbrella the latch is released with one hand while with the other the lug ii is pushed inwardly and staff section 6 moved upwardly ashort distance into the section 5. The runner 25 is now moved downwardly so that the links 3i, aided by the contraction of the covering material 3d, will operate the stretcher rods 2l to cause the rib sections 2li to-slide inwardly on the rib sections i8. When fully closed the latter rib sections are received within the channelsfof the stretchers 2i, which,

together with 4the links 3|, lie in close parallel relation to the stai-l section 5. The staff section 6 is then moved into the section il until its end abuts against the end wall of the sleeve I 6, at 5 which time the terminal means i0 oi' the spring 9 snaps over the shoulder 39 of screw 36. Stud i0', bearing against the wall of stai section 6, assures adequate tension in the spring to resist unintentional outward movement of said staff section. The end of stad section ii is received in the tubular end of the handle It, and flange l 5 is engaged over the spring ngers t2, to retain the relatively ioldable parts in closely associated relation, as shown in Fig. 3. The elastic quality l5 oi the cover material 34 is such as to still maintain a certain tensional pull upon the rib sections 2t after the umbrella is closed, while the loose i'oldable portions of the cover between the circumierentially spaced ribs is reduced to a mnimum. l

In opening the umbrella the stad section G is first extended from the section Ei. Upon the release of the fingers t2 a slight radial outward movement of the ribs and stretchers will occur. 25 The runner 25 is then moved upwardly on the stad section t. By reason of the curved ends 2E of the stretchers the upward thrust will be trans mitted in a radially outward direction to cause a relative pivotal movement between said stretchers and the rib sections iii. Simultaneously the links 3i exert an outward thrust upon the stretch ers to automatically move the other ends thereof longitudinally of the rib sections it, and radially project the rib sections 20, until the run- 35 ner reaches the limit oi its upward movement and latch member 3@ is engaged in the opening 29 of stafi' section E. The links 3i are preferably so arranged that they are at all times substantially parallel to the rib sections it. Due to the angular relation of the stretchers 2i and links 3l, the telescopic ribs are strongly braced and the expanded covering material held under tension in smooth close contact upon said ribs.

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings l' have illustrated a slight modification in which the arrangement of the stretcher rods is reversed with respect to that shown in Figs. l and 3. Thus, these stretchers ii have curved outer ends 2t' connected to the sliding rib sections 2U, and the channels of said stretchers open inwardly instead of outwardly. Therefore, when closed, said channels receive the links 3i. This arrangement obviates the possibility oi the cover material ,being caught between the edges of the side flanges ci the stretchers and the rib sections iii and cut or damaged. This form of the invention operates in the same manner as that irst described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l have devised an improved umbrella or parasol, which, when closed, is of materially reduced `overall length so that it may conveniently be carried in a hand bag, suit case or overcoat pocket. At the same time excessive folding of the cover material is avoided and a more compact relationship oi' the several parts obtained than in similar detorting or bending stresses.

While the embodiments of my invention herein disclosed are very eilicient in operation and well adapted for practical manufacture at comparatively low cost, it will nevertheless be understood, that theessentially novel features thereof are susceptible .of production in various other alternative structural forms. Therefore, thev privilege is reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several elements as may be fairly comprehended within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

l. In combination with an umbrella having a lstail and a runner thereon: aframe comprising telescopically connected inner and outer rib sections, said inner sections being plvotally connected to the stail', and means'operable in the movement of said runner to openor close the frame and positively extend or retract the outer rib sections relative to the inner sections, said means including channel-shaped stretchers pivotally connected to the runner and to said outer rib sections and rigid means pivotally connected to the stretchers and to said stail', the pivoted end of each inner rib section and the pivotal connection between said rib section and the associated stretcher, being disposed in substantial alignment with the axis of the rib section, said inner rib sections being disposed in parallel relation to the stretchers throughout the length of the latter and within the channels of said stretchers across the major portion `oi' their width when the frame is closed.

2. In combination with an umbrella having a stall and a runner thereon; a frame comprising telescopically connected inner and outer rib sections, said inner sections being pivotally connected to the stair, and means operable in the movement oi' said runner to open or close the frame and positively extend or retract the outer rib sections relative to the inner sections, said means including channel-shaped stretchers pivotally connected to the runner and to said outer rib sections and rigid means pivotally connected to the stretchers and to said stall, said rigid means being disposed throughout the length thereof in parallel relation to the stretchers and within the channels of said stretchers when the frame is closed.

3. In combination with an umbrella frame having telescoping ribs and means for positively extending and contracting said ribs; a covering on said ribs of Woven rubberized fabric, expanding and contracting radially oi' said frame in the operation of said means.

4. In combination with an umbrella having a staff, ribs each comprising an inner section, pivotally connected to the stair, and an outer section slidable on said inner sectionoperating means for the latter rib sections including a runner on the staff; a covering of woven rubberized fabric secured to the stai and to the outer ends of said slidable rib sections, said covering expanding and contracting radially of said frame in the operation of said runner, and being under radial tension along the ribs when the frame is closed, whereby the slidable rib sections are urged inwardly on the inner rib sections in the contracted condition of the covering.

5. In, combination with an umbrella having a stall', ribs each comprising an inner section, pivotalls1 connected toythe stad, and an outer section slidable on said inner section, operating means for the latter rib sections including a runner on the stai; a covering of elastic textile material secured at its center to the stair, unattached to the inner rib sections, and attached only at its outer edge to the slidable rib sections, said covering expending and contracting radially of said frame in the operation of said runner, and being under radial tension along the ribs when the frame is closed, whereby the slidable rib sections are urged inwardly on the inner rib sections in the contracted condition of the covering.

6. In combination with an umbrella stail' having a runner thereon; a frame comprising inner rib sections, pivotaliy connected to the staff, and outer rib sections longitudinally extensible with respect to the inner sections, a stretcher pivotally connected to each extensible rib section and to said runner, the pivoted end of each inner rib section and the pivotal connection between said rib section and the associated stretcher, being disposed in substantial alignment with the axis of the rib section, a link pivoted at one end to the staff and at its other end to the stretcher operating to extend and retract the extensible rib section in the operation of the runner, one of said parts being of channel-s aped form in cross section and the other part, throughout its length, extending in parallel relation to said channelshaped part and within the channel thereof for the major portion of its width when the umbrella frame is closed.

7. In combination with an umbrella having a staff, ribs each comprising an inner section pivotally connected to the staff and an outer section slidable on said inner section, operating means for the latter rib sections including a runner on said staff; a cover of elastic material secured to the staif and to the outer ends of said slidable rib sections, expanding and contracting circumferentially and radially of said frame in the operation of said runner, and being under radial tension along the ribs when the frame is closed,

whereby the slidable rib sections are urged inwardly on the inner rib sections in the contracted condition of the covering.

JOHN A. H. SIERS.

Images