US2607362A - Reversible umbrella - Google Patents

Description

W- 5. EVANS, JR

REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA Aug. 19, 1952 Filed Nov. 29, 1950 WAYNE 5. E VANS Jr.

ttomeg Patented Aug. 19, 1952 REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA 7 Wayne S Evans, Jr., Huntingdon Valley, Pa., as-

I V signor to S. W. Evans &Son, Philadelphia, Pa.,

v a corporation of Pennsylvania 7 Application November 29, 1950, Serial No. 198,112 (01. 125-20) I 6 Claims.

This invention is concerned with reversible umbrellas and particularly directed-to improvements-in a. reversible umbrella of the character disclosed in U. S; Letters Patent 2,132,648, granted October 11, 1938, to Fritz- Rosenberg et a1. I I

Such umbrellas are reasonably satisfactory from a functional standpoint but when closed and rolled up do not present a smooth uninterrupted' outer surface tapering slightly for the full length 'of the ribs from'their free ends to their pointof connection with the'collar carried by the shaft adjacent its tip since portions of the connecting means betweenthe stret'chers and the ribs, and more esp'eciallythe eared clips and rivets by which the short stretcher sections are secured to the ribs, project appreciablyin both directions beyond thesides of the latter and'also inwardly thereof with' the result that when the ribs" are in substantially parallel relation these parts engage the corresponding parts on the adjacent ribs and so of necessity form as a whole a bulky ring or zone circumferentially of materially greater diameter than the zones lying on either side ofit-whichrespectively contain the ribs alone or the ribs and longer sections of the stretchers; this results in-an unsightly bulge in the rolled cover about midway between the umbrella handle and tip.

It is't h'erefore aprincipal object of the invention to provide improved mechanism for connecting together the ribs and stretchersof a reversible umbrella Whereby the ribs are firmly and positively held in assembled relation and when the umbrella. 'is closed and rolled up its contour as a whole is materially improved as compared with the umbrella of said patent through substantial elimination of the bulge to which reference has been made. i 1 r r A further object is-to provide improved connection betweenthe ribsand stretchers of a reversible umbrella through the medium of links and elongated yieldable tension members interposed between the stretchers and the ribs, the tension members being-secured tqthe ribs at points remote 'from the links whereby the enlargement of the assembly as a whole. proximate the pointsof connection of the ribs with the stretchers'is minimized or substantially eliminated.

invention will hereafter more fully appear or will be understood from the following description of one embodiment thereof wherein reference is had to theiaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a reversible umbrella with its cover indicated in normal position in full lines and in reversed position in dot and dash lines;

Fig. 2is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through a portion of one rib of this umbrellawith its associated stretcher and interconnecting parts in the positions respectively assumed when the umbrella is closed.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof on a like scale;

Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the said parts in which the relative positions of the stretcher and rib when the umbrella is open and also when it is reversed are respectively indicated in full and indot and dashlines; I

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged transverse section on the line 5-r-5'i1'1 Fig. vl, the relative thickness of the metal being exaggerated, and I Fig. 6' is a fragmentary detail side elevation showing therelativeposition of a link and associated parts atone point during return from reversed position. r

Referring *now' more particularly to the drawing, the umbrella illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises Other objects, purposes and advantages of the a shaft S, upon which is mounted proximate one end a collar (not shown) to which the circumferentially spaced-ribs 2 are hinged in the normal manner to form supports forthe fabric cover C, the ribsbeing made of thin metal strip of the usual substantially U-shaped cross section and at their outeror free ends preferably carrying tips of -plastic-or the like tovvhich the co'ver is attached s :1 f 1.

To each rib 2 "substantially intermediate its ends is sec ured anelongated-spring 3 preferably formed of channel-shaped metal of a size and conformation adaptedto seat in the concave or under side ofthe rib', the spring-being secured to the latter preferablyby aU-sh'aped clip 4 overlying the rib and at its edges extending up into the spring as best shownin Fig. 5; this clip being disposed promixate-that end of the' spring mostnearly' adjacent theitip of the umbrella shaft so that the' s'pringextends therefrom toward the free. end of the ribsand through its inherent resiliency is capable 'of. some angular swinging motionrelative to the latter. At its free end the sides of the spring are brought together (Fig. 3) and ,are received in the 'end..of a link 5 generally Ll-shaped in cross section at its central part or body and having its walls compressed toward each other. proximate its ends respectively to receive the rendlof thespringand'the proximate end of the stretcher '6'," likewise of channel section, the extremity of which is similarly compressed or otherwise suitably reduced so as to enter the link. The opposite end of the stretcher is of course hinged to the usual sliding sleeve I on shaft S by means of which the umwidth of the rib channel. As the link at its Widest a part is'so proportioned as to seat in the rib channel and as the stretcher and the springare also adapted to seat in that channel, it results that the only part of. the entire assemblyprojecting beyond the sides of the rib is clip 4 the metal of which is so thin and hugs the rib so closely at all points that it forms no appreciable enlargement thereof particularly in a transverse direction; Thus when the umbrella is closed the ribs can lie closely together and closely to the shaft instead of being 'heidapar-t by mutual contact of the U-shaped eared clamps to which the short stretcher sections are pivoted in the umbrella of the said patent. It results that when the umbrella is closedand rolled there'is no appreciable bulky zone at any point between the free and the hinged ends of the ribs and it consequently forms a snugly tapering; symmetrical and attractive unit.

The end H] of each link adjacent its point of connection with its spring 3 is disposed at right angles to the body of the link and may be slightly rounded at its outer corner, and it will be apparent since the spring is always under appreciable tension even when the umbrella is closed and the stretchers thus approximately in the position shown in Fig. 2 the spring tends to cause'the link to snugly seat in the channel of the rib and similarly when the umbrella is in. normally open position and. the stretcher thus extending as shown in full lines in Fig.4, it of course having moved from substantially nesting relation with the rib (Fig. 2) around pivot 9 in the direction of the arrow during the opening movement with the link remaining substantially stationary. For convenience of assembly both link ends preferably are made alike although actually the shape of the link end adjacent pivot 9. is immaterial. As is well known in the industry the stretchers of an umbrella tend to depart from alignment with their respective ribs when the. umbrella is being opened and consequently exert a sidewise shearing action on the means connecting the ribs and stretchers together, this, tendency not only interfering with the ease with which the umbrella can be opened but in time either greatlyloosening or even fracturing the said connecting means. In the umbrellaof my invention, however, at least a portion of each link is constantly within the rib channel and yieldingly pressed into it by spring 3 with the result that in any relative position of the stretchers and ribs the aforesaid shearing action is adequately resisted and the stretchers maintained in substantial-alignment with their respective ribs.

The umbrella is of course opened in the ordinary way by moving the aforementioned sliding sleeve I along shaft S, the stretchers 6 during this movement swinging about pivots 9 as aforesaid and the links under the influence of their respective springs and the thrust of the stretch ers remaining snugly in the channels of the ribs and so holding the stretchers in'proper align ment'therewith. 7

With the umbrella now in open position, should a gust'of wind or the like of sufiicient force to reverse it be encountered, the ribs swing still farther upwardly and the links turn about pivots 8 until they pass through the'position indicated in Fig. 6 and under the further pull of the stretchers then pass over center to ultimately assume substantially the. dotted line position of Fig. 4, the umbrella being now completely reversed as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. During this movement, nevertheless, the end portion of each link is always within the chanml of its adjacent rib and is held therein by its spring 3 thus maintaining proper alignment between the parts during and after reversal and random and uncontrolled whipping of the reversed umbrella is largely negatived by the fact that, as just mentioned, a portion of each link is firmly maintained in its rib channel even though the tension normally exerted by the cover is relieved.

To return the umbrella from reversed to fully closed position, shaft Sis firmly grasped with one hand and'the operating sleeve I pulled toward the handlewith the other, the pull of the stretchers and links combined with the tension of the cover causing the ribs during the first part of this movement to curve upwardly and to then snap back to generally straight line condition when the links reach approximately the position of Fig. 6; then as the ribs close in toward the shaft the links prog-ressively swing more into parallelism therewith to finally seat for their full length in the rib channels when the umbrella is fully closed or substantially so as in Fig. 2-. i

However, after a reversal of the umbrella it is quite usual for the owner to return the sleeve along the shaftonlyv far enough to cause the ribs to reach the aforesaid generally straightline position at an included angle of about 60 to the shaft and to then immediately revers'ethe direction of motion of the sleeve so as to open the umbrella beforefully closing it. As hitherto pointed out, when theribs reach-the condition just mentioned the links, stand approximately at right angles to' them (Fig. 6') with their ends resting on the bottoms of the rib channels and are yieldingly held thereagainst by thetension of springs 3 which is then at the maximum. in consequence during the ensuing opening movement the tendency of ,the stretchers toshear ,sidewaysout of proper alignment with their respective ribs is resistedby the linksan-d the umbrella opens without undue side thrust on the parts, the links just before the completion of the opening movement snapping over center and into the rib channels for their full length to assume the full line position of Fig. 4.

It will thus be apparent that irrespective of whether the umbrella be opened from fully closed condition or from a partly closed condition following reversal, the links in whole or in part are constantly maintained in the rib channels through the action of springs :3 and so re sist the tendency of umbrella stretchers to depart from alignment with their respective ribs during the opening and closing of the umbrella, thus relieving the rib and stretcher 'int'ercon necting means from inimical side thrusts and materially contributing to the ease and smoothness with which the umbrella can be raised and lowered, either in the normal way or following a reversal of it.

While I have herein described andillustrated with considerable particularity one embodiment of my invention which I now prefer, I do not thereby desire or intend to confine or restrict myself specifically thereto as various changes and modifications in the instrumentalities employed and in their method of assembly will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be made if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a reversible umbrella frame comprising a shaft, a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs channel shaped in cross section and hingedly supported on the shaft and a sleeve slidable on the shaft, an elongated spring secured at one end only in the channel of each rib, a link adapted to seat in said channel and pivoted at one end to the free end of the spring, and a stretcher pivoted to the other end of the link and to the sleeve, the spring in any positionv of the link operating to urge the proximate end of the link into the channel in the rib.

2. In a reversible umbrella frame comprising a shaft, a plurality of ribs each of channel section hingedly connected at one end to the shaft in circumferneitally spaced relation, an elongated spring secured at one end in the channel of each rib and extending from the point of securement toward the free end of the rib, a sleeve slidable on the shaft, a stretcher substantially aligned with each rib and hingedly connected to the sleeve, and a link adapted to seat in the channel of the adjacent rib interposed between the free end of each spring and the other end of the corresponding stretcher and pivoted to the spring and the stretcher adjacent its respective ends, the length of the pins forming the pivots being less than the width of the channel of the rib.

3. In a reversible umbrella frame, a channelshaped rib, a stretcher and means forming a movable connection between the rib and stretcher comprising a link adapted to seat in the channel of the rib, a pin pivotally connecting one end of the link with the proximate end of the stretcher, an elongated spring of generally channel section extending in the channel of the rib with one of its ends proximate the link, means securing to the rib that end of the spring remote from the link, and a pin forming a pivotal connection between the free end of the spring and the other end of the link, the length of each of said pins being less than the width of the channel in the rib to enable said pins to enter the channel.

4. In a reversible umbrella frame, a, channelshaped rib, a stretcher and means forming a movable connection between the rib and stretcher comprising a link adapted to seat in the channel of the rib, a pin pivotally connecting one end of the link with the proximate end of the stretcher, an elongated spring of generally channel section extending from the link in the channel of the rib, means securing to the rib that end of the spring remote from the link, and a pin forming a pivotal connection between the free end of the spring and the other end of the link, the length of each of said pins being less than the width of the channel in the rib to enable said pins to enter the channel and that end of the link adjacent the spring extending at a right angle to the body of the link to thereby seat on the bottom of the channel under the bias of the spring when the link assumes a position substantially normal to the rib as the umbrella is returned from reversed to partly open condition.

5. A reversible umbrella frame comprising a rib, a stretcher, a link, a pin pivotally connecting the stretcher to the link adjacent one end of the latter, elongated yielding means fixed at one end to the rib and means pivotally connecting the other end of said yielding means with the link adjacent its other end, said link and said yielding means extending in substantial mutual prolongation when the umbrella is normally closed or open and when it is reversed extending at an acute angle to each other, said yielding means constantly biasing said link toward the rib.

6. A reversible umbrella frame comprising a rib, a stretcher, a link, a pin forming a pivotal connection between the stretcher and the link, elongated yielding means fixed at one end to the rib and means forming a pivotal connection between its other end and the link, said rib being of substantially U-shaped channel section and said link and said yielding means substantially conforming in cross section to the rib channel and extending therein in substantial mutual alignment when the umbrella is closed or in normal open position.

WAYNE S. EVANS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rosenberg et al. Oct. 11, 1938 Number

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