US2443772A - Collapsible umbrella - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1948. w MAPPIN COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA Filed Jan. 18, 1945 Patented June 22, 1948 walter hevison Mappin, NcWWest-minster, BritishiGolumbia', Canada A pplicaticnJanuary. .18, 1945,, S,erial.,No...573; 97

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tlvlynnvention relates,to improvements in [50].. 'lapsible umbrellas. The objectsflit the'invention areatq provid e means .wherebyxa. collapsible umbrella may be opened by ordinary movement with both hands, butqwitho t -theneed; of thrusting a part of the frame against a wall or other obstruction to ensure that the'frameparts-assume their appropriate position. A further-object i's-toprovide means-whereby all the fabric covering is neatly held within the length of the contracted urn brellatstem. To provideastructure in which the framemem-bers canbe set for'telescopic'movemer t 'by the simplecircumferential grasping of thestrut members adjacent their upper ends.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention showing only one complete rib structure, the umbrella being in open position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view with the stem extended and the frame in position for opening.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the umbrella fully closed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the connection between upper rib, rib extension and strut following the initial part of the umbrella closing movement.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the connection when the rib extension is inwardly pressed to permit said rib extension to be telescoped.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates generally a stem consisting of a tubular upper portion and a telescopic lower extension portion 3. The stem extension portion 3 is fitted with an enlargement 4 which butts against an internal flange 5 formed at the base of the upper portion 2. Adjacent the enlargement 4 is a latch 1 of the usual type for the purpose of retaining the portions 2 and 3 in extended position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

At the lower extremity of the lower stem portion 3 is a grip 9 having a cylindrical recess It) in its upper side. A latch I2 is provided in the stem portion 3, this latch has a downward extension I 3 which propects through a slot M in the grip to facilitate the depression of said latch into the stem portion 3 when the umbrella is fully closed and the latch I2 is engaging the internal flange 5 of the upper stem portion 2.

The upper extremity of the stem I is provided with a disc l6 about which a plurality of ribs I! are hingedly mounted in the usual way. Each rib has a U-shaped bend l8 at its upper extremity and a light spring retainer l9 extending substantially parallel to the rib to define a gap 20. Ad-

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jacent the outerend of each rib t'i and 'onits inner edge a. substantially semi-circular notch 22'. is formed', -see' Figures 4: andS a-ndatthejlower extremitynf-the riba' light leaf-spring 23 is fitted.

1 A slideL'ZBfismounted on eachrib I11 and secured tion wherethe'slid'e Ztlwill rest adjacent the U- shapedbend' l8,'see Figure'S. The slide is proaiabric-"cover '30-, indicatedin dottedline ln' Figuresl and 3. only, andisalso provided with a pivot pin"'3'z capable'of entering-the notch'22 of the rib l! from the pressure exerte'dbythe spring 23 when the rib extension 26 is at its outermost position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A runner 34 is slida/bly mounted upon the stem and. struts 35 are hingedly connected thereto in the usual manner. The struts are preferably of the conventional U-shaped section as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 and are hingedly connected to the slides 25 by their pivot pins 32. The runner 34 is supported in raised position as in Figure 1 by a. latch 31 in the upper tubular portion 2 of the stem I.

When it is desired to open the umbrella from the closed position shown in Figure 3, the extension l3 of the latch is moved towards the centre of the grip 9 to release the portion 3 of the stem, so that it can be withdrawn from the portion 2 to the position shown. If the runner 34 does not follow the grip automatically, it is drawn down by hand until it again approaches the grip as in Figure 2. This downward runner movement through the struts 35 brings the pivot pins 32 of the slides opposite the notches 2'2 of the ribs I! and the springs 23 then between the opposing extremities of the ribs l1 and rib extensions 26 forces the pivot pins into said notches to prevent further endwise movement between said ribs and rib extensions. When the pivot pins are so seated an upward movement of the runner 34 will 'extend the ribs and their extensions to support the fabric 353 in open position as shown in Figure 1.

To close the umbrella, the latch 31 is depressed and the runner moved downwards until the ribs and struts are substantially parallel to the stem I, when in this position a slight outward thrust, in the direction of the arrow X Figure 2, is exerted against each of the ribs I! by a rubber collar 39 which is secured immediately below the disc It, The thrust prevents the lower ends of the ribs from freely contacting the stem so that by grasping the umbrella around either the struts or the outside of the cover adjacent the slides 25 the slides will compress the springs 23 and force the pivot pins 32 out of the notches 22 and allow the struts, the slides and the rib extensions 26 to be pushed upwardly into the position shown in Figure 3. As the umbrella is collapsed as above described, that annular portion of the cover 36 which lies between the free ends of the retainers l9 and the mid length of the rib extensions 26 will be tucked into the gaps 20 so that no portion of the fabric will be hanging in loose and untidy folds outside the frame of the umbrella. By affixing the spring 23 to the outer end of the rib H the endwise movement of the slide 25 upwards along the rib I1 is not restrained after said slide has moved the length of said spring, consequently this disposition of said spring is preferred, but it will be obvious that the spring could be affixed on the inner side of the rib extension as a modification without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A collapsible umbrella comprising a stem having a plurality of ribs and rib extensions, each rib extension having a slide surrounding a rib, said slide having a transverse pin, said rib having a notch adjacent its outer end into which the pin is adapted to move, a runner slidable along the stem and having hingedly connected struts, each strut being connected at its outer end to the transverse pin of one of said slides, and spring means for urging the pin into the notch in the rib.

2. A collapsible umbrella comprising a telescopic stem having ribs hingedly connected thereto, a rib extension having a slide at one end, said rib extension being slidably connected to each rib, a cover for the ribs and extensions, a runner slidable upon the stem having struts hingedly connected thereto and to the respective slides, means extending parallel to each rib and carried thereby adjacent the upper end of said rib defining an open ended gap, the gaps so defined being adapted to receive an annular portion of the cover when said umbrella is in collapsed position.

3. A collapsible umbrella comprising a telescopic stem having ribs hingedly connected thereto, a rib extension having a slide at one end, said rib extension being slidably connected to each rib, a cover for the ribs and extensions, a runner slidable upon the stem having struts hingedly connected thereto and to the respective slides, and a member connected to one end of each rib and engaging the cover to retain the inner annular portion of said cover folded and in close relation to the ribs when the umbrella is in collapsed position.

WALTER LEVISON MAPPIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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