US2788792A

US2788792A - Wind-resistant reversible umbrella

Info

Publication number: US2788792A
Application number: US491580A
Authority: US
Inventors: Koller Morris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-03-02
Filing date: 1955-03-02
Publication date: 1957-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1974-04-16

Description

April 16, 1957 M. KOLLER 2,788,792

WIND-RESISTANT REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA Filed March 2, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MORRIS KOLLER 2 A TORNEY A ril 16, 1957 M. KQLLER WIND-RESISTANT REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1955 INVENTOR. MORRIS KOLLER ATTORNEY April 16, 1957 M. KOLLER ,78

WIND-RESISTANT REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA Filed March 2, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MORRIS KOLLER ATTORNEY United States Patent WIND-RESISTANT REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA Morris Koller, Philadelphimla.

Application March 2, 1955, Serial No. 491,580

3 Claims. (Cl. 135-20) My invention relates to an umbrella, and more particlularly, relates to a wind-resistant umbrella which may be reversed in curvature without damage.

Hcretofore, reversible umbrellas have employed complicated lever and spring systems to enable the umbrella cover and ribs to reverse in direction without tearing or incurring other damage when gusts of wind would strike from below.

It, therefore, is an object of my invention to provide an umbrella which will reverse in curvature without damage to any of its parts when struck by wind, rain, or hail gusts from below.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversible umbrella having a pleasing downwardly, concave contour when in normal raised position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversible umbrella which may easily be returned by the user to normal raised position should the umbrella be blown inside out by the elements.

Another object of my invention is to provide a reversible umbrella having a pagoda-like appearance which will continue to be weatherproof without sustaining damage when guests of wind strike the umbrella from below.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, which is easily and economically produced, that is sturdy in construction, and highly efficient in operation.

With this and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view showing an umbrella embodying my invention wherein the umbrella is shown in normal opened position and the cover is shaped over the ribs in a downwardly concave direction.

Fig. 2. is a sectional view showing the umbrella in a position wherein the ribs are flexed in an upwardly concave direction thereby enabling the cover to reverse in curvature without undue strain on the fabric.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the umbrella after it has completed its reverse curvature.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of a modification in my umbrella wherein the cover is mounted upon a slideable collar to provide a shape variation which is pagodalike in appearance.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the pagoda umbrella showing the ribs flexed in an opposite direction about the resilient leaf.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the pagoda-like umbrella as it has been completely blown inside out.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the cover is drawn taut over the resilient ribs.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing the resilient portion of the rib flexed upwardly concave as the umbrella has initiated its reverse in curvature.

2,788,792 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rib and showing the resilient leaf portion embodying my invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a reversible umbrella having a central staff 10, a runner 12 slideable thereon, and a fabric cover 14. Permanently afiixed to the upper portion of the stafi 10 is a collar 16 to which is pivotally mounted a plurality of ribs 18. The ribs 18 are substantially channel-shaped in cross-section and extend radially outward from the staff 10. A like plurality of stretchers 20 are each pivotally connected at one end to the runner 12 and at the other end to a point intermediate the ends of a respective rib.

In my preferred embodiment, the stretchers 20 are connected at a point approximately one inch inwardly on the ribs 18 as compared to a conventional umbrella. A latching ear 22 mounted upon the staff 10 serves to engage the runner 12 to hold the rib structure in extended position. In order to maintain greater pressure of the runner 12 against the latching ear 22 and to provide additional reverse thrust as the umbrella is raised, a spring 24 is axially compressed upon the shaft 10.

Each of the ribs 18 is provided with a flattened portion 26 adjacent its outer end to define a resilient leaf. When the umbrella is raised into its open position, the cover 14 is drawn taut over the ribs 18 and flexes the resilient portion 26 of the ribs so that the cover assumes a pleasing downwardly concave contour. This contour is termed in the trade as an India type umbrella.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I show an umbrella shape modification which is commonly referred to by the trade as a pagoda-type. In this embodiment, the cover 14 is secured at its central portion to a sleeve 30 which is slideable upon the staff 10 above the fixed collar 16. The staff 10 has a greater dimension above the fixed collar 16 than the India type umbrella heretofore described. A spring 32 is axially mounted upon the staff 10 intermediate its upper end and the collar 16, the ribs 18, the stretchers 20 and the runner 12 being substantially identical in construction and operation to the India type umbrella.

When the pagoda umbrella is raised, the spring 32 thrusts against the sleeve 30 and the center portion of the cover 28 is forced upward to form a canopy top 34.

In both the India type and the pagoda type umbrellas herein described, the leaf 26 flexes and buckles during the reverse in contour of the cover. This results in a transitory shortening of the eifective length of the ribs 18. Therefore, undue tensile stress upon the fabric cover is substantially eliminated either when the cover is blown inside out or when manually returned to normal operating position.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A reversible umbrella comprising a central staff, a cover, a runner slideable upon said stafi, a plurality of ribs pivotally connected to a fixed collar upon said staff and radially extending outward therefrom, a like plurality of stretchers, each pivotally connected at one end to said runner and at the other end to a point intermediate the ends of a respective rib, each said rib having a flattened portion adjacent its outer end, said flattened portion forming a resilient leaf, a sleeve slideable upon said shaft adjacent its upper end, a spring axially compressed upon said shaft intermediate said sleeve and said fixed collar, said cover being aflixed to said sleeve and being drawn over said ribs and flexing the resilient portion of said ribs whereby said cover assumes a downwardly concave contour having a centrally located canopy when the urnbrella is in a normally extended position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the resilient leaf flexes and buckles during a reverse in c ntour of the cover to transitorily shorten the efiective length of the ribs when said cover is blown inside out or when manually returned to normal operating position.

3. A reversible umbrella comprising a central stafi, a sleeve and a runner, each 'slidable upon said staff, afixed collar mounted upon said stafi intermediate said sleeve and said runner, a plurality of ribs pivotally connected to said fixed collar and radially extending outward therer from, a like plurality of 'stretch'ers, each of said stretchers having one end pivotally connected to said runner and the other end pivotally connected to a r'ibsintermediate the ribs ends, each of said ribs having a flattened portion adjacent its outer end, said flattened portion forming a resilient leaf, a spring axially compressed upon said shaft intermediate said sleeve and said fixed collar, a latching 1 ing a downwardly concave contour about each resilient leaf with a centrally located canopy when the umbrella is in an open position, said ribs being adapted to flex about the resilient leaf during a reverse in contour'of said cover when said cover is blown inside out or when manually returned to closed position. i i 7 References Cited in "the file of this patent" UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,994' R086 11.1116 17, 1913 1,109,854 McCabe Septn8, 1914 1,192,638 Hull July 25 1916 2,666,442 Fortner Jan. 19, 1954