US3662771A

US3662771A - Umbrella attachment

Info

Publication number: US3662771A
Application number: US39782A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert W Gravatt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-05-22
Filing date: 1970-05-22
Publication date: 1972-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-16

Abstract

An attachment for an umbrella wherein a receiver engages the stick extension of the umbrella and is provided with an impaling member for engagement in a ground surface, in order that the umbrella be temporarily held in position during nonuse.

Description

United States Patent Gravatt [15] 3,662,771 51 May 16, 1972 [54] UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT [72] Inventor: Albert W. Gravatt, 2401 South Broad St.,

Trenton, NJ. 08610 [22] Filed: May 22, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 39,782

[52] U.S. Cl ..l35/l6, 135/20, 135/36,

135/47, 248/44 [51] Int. Cl ..A45b 1/00, A45b 1 1/00 [58] Field oiSearch ..l35/36, 47,20, 54,16; 7 v 52/165, 166; 248/44, 156, 169

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,589 10/1915 McDonald .,248/44 X 1,351,007 8/1920 Shephard ..248/44 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 570,322 12/1957 Italy 1 35/36 TP Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney-Robert K. Youtie [57] ABSTRACT An attachment for an umbrella wherein a receiver engages the stick extension of the umbrella and is provided with an impaling member for engagement in a ground surface, in order that the umbrella be temporarily held in position during nonuse.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 16, 1972 INVENTOR. ALBERT W. GRAVATT ATTORNEY.

UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known, golf enthusiasts partake of the game in all sorts of weather, often .carrying umbrellas during the game to protect against rain or sun. Problems havearisen due to the instability and high windage of umbrellas when placed on the ground, as during nonuse when a player is holding a golf club and cannot hold an umbrella. Often an umbrella placed on the ground in one location requires quite distant retrieval a few moments later.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an attachment for umbrellas which enables an umbrella to be placed in position on the ground and to .remain in the placed position against the force of wind, gravity and the like, throughout the short period of nonuse, after which the player may quickly and easily retrieve the umbrella for continued use.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an umbrella attachment having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which'is extremely simple in construction, adapted to be employed as original equipment on new umbrellas or readily attached to existing umbrellas, be durable and reliablethroughout along useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable cost. 7

While the umbrella attachment of the present invention has been primarily developed for use by golfers and the like, it is appreciated that the instant device is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an umbrella utilizing an attachment of-the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional elevational view, greatly enlarged, taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional elevational viewshowing the instant attachment prior to assembly with an umbrella.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, an umbrella is there generally designated 10, which may be conventional, including a canopy 11 of generally concave configuration, and a stick or handle 12 extending interiorly from the apex of the canopy. An extension or point 13 extends exteriorly from the canopy 11 in substantial coaxial alignment with the handle or stick 12. In many conventional umbrella constructions, the point or extension 13 may be integral or rigid with the stick or handle 12.

The attachment of the present invention is generally designated 15, and shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, being obscured in the operative condition of FIG. 1. The attachment 15 may advantageously be integrally molded of suitable plastic material, having sectional thicknesses to achieve desired flexibility, or being reinforced by inserts, if desired.

The attachment 15 consists essentially of a receiver 16,

upper end open, as at 17 and its lower end closed. In the illustrated embodiment the receptacle 16 tapers both externally and internally'from the open upper end 17, and is provided internally with a plurality of ribs, lips or internal projections 18 for increased frictional engagement with a part inserted into the receptacle 16. As best seen in FIG. 2, the receptacle 16 is adapted to receive, through its open end, the extension or point 13 of the umbrella 10. The umbrella extension 13 serves to resiliently deflect the lips or ribs 18 downwardly or inwardly into the recess 16, and thereby define of the lips a plurality of gripping elements in firm frictional engagement with the extension 13 at spaced locations therealong. In this manner, the receptacle 16, and the entire attachment 15 are firmly secured to the umbrella extension 13, but maybe removed therefrom if desired, without damage to the parts.

The umbrella attachment 15 further includes an impaling member 20 extending from the closed, smaller end of receiver 16, in substantially coaxial alignment therewith, and tapering generally to a point, as at 21. By this construction, the impalingmember 20 is adapted for ease of impaling in a ground surface. Further, the impaling member 20, when the attachment 15 is in position on an umbrella 10, is in coaxial alignment with the umbrella handle or stick 12, so that impaling of the member 20 into a ground surface may be manually achieved by manipulation of the handle. In addition, the impaling member 20, at a location just inward of its point 21, may be formed with one or more lateral projections or barbs 22 for morepositive retaining engagement in the ground.

While operation ofthe instant device is believed apparent from the foregoing description, it will be understood that the attachment v15 may be quickly and easily attached to an umbrella 10, by mere engagement of the umbrella extension 13 into the receiver 16. Further, the umbrella .may then be carried in the usual manner, and when it is desired to no longer hold the umbrella, it may be placed on the ground, by impaling the impaling member 20 into the ground, as shown in FIG. 1 and later retrieved from the same location by merely raising the handle or stick 12 to withdraw the attachment 15 from the and use.

' which may assume the form of a tapering receptacle having its Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications'may be made within the-spirit ofthe invention.

What isclaimed is: j

1. An attachment for an umbrella including a canopy, a stick interiorly of the canopy and an extension exteriorly of the canopy in alignment with the stick, said attachment comprising areceiver for snug frictional reception of an umbrella extension, an impaling member projecting from said receiver for releasable retaining engagement in a ground surface to temporarily hold an umbrella in position during nonuse, said receivertapering inwardly for snug reception of different size umbrella extensions, and resiliently deflectable internal lips in said receiver for frictional engagement with a received extensionat spaced locations therealong.

2. An attachment for an umbrella according to claim 1, said receiver and impaling member being integrally fabricated of plastic.

3. An attachment for an umbrella including a canopy, a stick interiorly of the canopy and an extension exteriorly of the canopy in alignment with the stick, said attachment comprising a receiver for snug frictional reception of an umbrella extension, and an impaling member projecting from said receiver for releasable retaining engagement in a ground surface to temporarily hold an umbrella in position during nonuse, said receiver comprising an elongate receptacle having one end open and tapering in the direction away from said one end, for coaxially receiving an umbrella extension in alignment with the umbrella stick, and said impaling member being aligned with said receiver for alignment with the umbrella stick to facilitate the impaling in a ground surface, and resiliently deformable internal lips in said receiver for frictional engagement with a received extension at spaced locations therealong, said receiver, lips and impaling member being integrally fabricated of plastic. 5

4 An attachment for an umbrella according to claim 3, in combination with barb means on said impaling member for increased retaining engagement in a ground surface.

Claims

1. An attachment for an umbrella including a canopy, a stick interiorly of the canopy and an extension exteriorly of the canopy in alignment with the stick, said attachment comprising a receiver for snug frictional reception of an umbrella extension, an impaling member projecting from said receiver for releasable retaining engagement in a ground surface to temporarily hold an umbrella in position during nonuse, said receiver tapering inwardly for snug reception of different size umbrella extensions, and resiliently deflectable internal lips in said receiver for frictional engagement with a received extension at spaced locations therealong.

3. An attachment for an umbrella including a canopy, a stick interiorly of the canopy and an extension exteriorly of the canopy in alignmenT with the stick, said attachment comprising a receiver for snug frictional reception of an umbrella extension, and an impaling member projecting from said receiver for releasable retaining engagement in a ground surface to temporarily hold an umbrella in position during nonuse, said receiver comprising an elongate receptacle having one end open and tapering in the direction away from said one end, for coaxially receiving an umbrella extension in alignment with the umbrella stick, and said impaling member being aligned with said receiver for alignment with the umbrella stick to facilitate the impaling in a ground surface, and resiliently deformable internal lips in said receiver for frictional engagement with a received extension at spaced locations therealong, said receiver, lips and impaling member being integrally fabricated of plastic.

4. An attachment for an umbrella according to claim 3, in combination with barb means on said impaling member for increased retaining engagement in a ground surface.