Folding umbrella.

Application filed. February 6,1913. Serial No. 746,469.

To all w horn it may concern:.

Be it known that I, Albert J. Erickson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and ⁵ useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification. . ,

My invention relates to improvements in folding umbrellas, and it has for its pri¹⁰ mary object the production of an umbrella of this type which can be instantly extended and opened for use, or closed, or collapsed or folded into a compact space so that it _Ί j. may be carried in a pocket.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an ornamental and. practical umbrella of this type which will be comparatively light in weight, yet possess the 'necessary strength required to withstand the elements of the weather and which can be produced at a reasonable price. .

Another object of my invention is the provision of means which will permit of • folding the ribs of the umbrella frame into nested condition, and to so construct the ribs that the foldable sections thereof will be retained in perfect alinement when extended or unfolded.

A further object of my invention is to provide a collapsible staff having a top or point section, and means within said section for retaining the. same in projected position; to provide simple and.effective « means for holding the umbrella m closed or unfolded position; and to provide means for effectively locking, the frame of the umbrella in opened position.

With these and other objects m view my 40 invention consists in an umbrella compris• ing a main section, a series of telescoping sections adapted to close into said mam section, and means for retaining the several sections in collapsed or in) extended condi45 tion. ' . . „

My invention further consists in means for properly supporting the frame and cover in a simplified manner and in the novel details of construction, and combination and ar50 rangement of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims. .

Fimire 1 is a vertical sectional view ot an umbrella embodying my invention, the 55 same being opened and ready for use with sufficient of the frame and cover shown to clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view on an enlarged scale with the parts of the umbrella in the position they occupy when the staff is collapsed go and the frame almost folded. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 with the parts shown as they appear when the sections of the staff are extended and the frame closed. Fig. 4 represents an eleva- 65 tion of the umbrella when completely, folded. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged section on line v—v, Fig. 3, showing the runner, of the staff in engagement with the retainer lug on the main section of said staff. Fig. 70 6 represents an enlarged detailed view of the intermediate portion of a rib, and a stay or brace pivotally connected therewith, the intermediate portion of the rib being the adjacent pivotally connected ends of the 75 two sections thereof, one section being swung out of line with the other. Fig. 7 represents a cross section taken on line w—w, Fio·. 6. Fig. 8 represents a cross section taken on-line x, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents 80 a perspective view of the lower or outer end of a stay or brace. Fig, 10 represents a side elevation of the. runner. Fig. 11 represents a perspective view of the spring clasp which operates in conjuction with the run- 85 ner. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of the staff. Fig. 13 is a cross section taken on line y—y, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross section taken on line z—a, Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals of reference to 90 the drawings, 1 designates the umbrella staff formed of metal tubing and comprising the main or receiving section 2., the intermediate or secondary telescoping _sections 3, 4, and the point section 5, the whole 95 being collapsible, as shown in Fig. 2. To hold the sections of the staff m proper relation, each section is provided with a longitudinally-disposed external V-shaped oroove 6 whereby is formed in each section 100 an internal rib 7, thus providing the groove and rib construction best shown in rig· 11 so that one section cannot turn with respect to another. To retain the intermediate telescoping sections 3, 4 in opened or extended 105 position, spring catches 8 are provided which are adapted to extend through openings 9 in the next larger or encircling section, said openings being intersected by cross grooves 10 to permit of more readily 110 depressing the catches. These catches whi e absolutely preventing the accidental clos2

1,200,599 ing of the section will, when pressed upon, yield and move out of the openings to allow the staff to be closed or collapsed. From this construction it is apparent that the staff 5 may be collapsed when desired and may be instantly extended, and as the groove and rib construction above mentioned serves to retain the said catches in line with the openings 9 the mere act of extending the 10 staff assures the ready insertion of the catches into their cooperating openings, and to further aid in this, these catches are rounded, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Slidable upon the section 2, 3 and 4 of 15 the staff is a runner 11 having at its upper end the notched rib holding flange 12 and at its lower end the internally-grooved portion 13 which is formed with a notch 14 opening to the lower edge of the runner to ²⁰ admit a retainer projection 15 on the main section 2 to enter. Said projection is normally out of vertical alinement with said notch, the purpose of this construction being to retain the runner, when in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, against movement lengthwise on the staff, thus preventing the accidental opening of the frame. In order to secure the runner in this position, it is only necessary to slightly turn the same so as to bring the notch 14 therein in line with the retainer projection 15 on the main section of the staff and then draw said runner over said projection until the latter is brought into registration with the groove 13 in the runner. Upon relieving the runner of the strain exerted thereagainst in slightly turning it on the staff, the retainer projection 15 is caused to enter the groove 13 and locks the runner against lengthwise movement. In order to release the runner it is simply necessary to slightly turn the same on the staff until the notch 14 of the runner is brought into vertical alinement with the retainer projection 15 of said staff, after which the runner may be moved upwardly to cause the frame to open.

To the notched rib-holding flange 12 of the runner are pivotally secured the lower ₅₀ or inner ends of stays or braces 16, as at 17, said stays or braces being hollow or channelshaped, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. At their upper or outer ends these stays or braces are cut. away, as at 18, and pivotally _5g attached to said last-mentioned ends are the ribs 19 of the frame, each rib comprising two parts or sections 20, 21 pivotally connected, together and to the stays or braces by a pivot pin 22, common to all. The two ₆₀ parts or sections 20, 21 of the ribs may assume either of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 when the ribs are extended, and when almost folded these parts or sections assume the positions, shown in Fig. 2. When fully folded the upper or inner part or section 20 of each rib folds .into its cooperating channel-shaped stay or brace, while the lower or. outer section folds into the upper section with the covering material 23 between the two. To permit of this the upper or inner section of each rib is also _7nchannel-shaped in cross section to receive ^Zthe lower or outer section. By means of this construction, the two sections of the ribs, when the umbrella is folded, nest into the braces and therefore take up only the ₇₅space of the braces, thus making a compact and close fold. By cutting away the outer ends of the stays or braces, sufficient clearance is provided to permit the ribs to swing in close, proximity to the staff, thus allow- ₈₀mg the closing of the frame in the same manner as any ordinary umbrella. I provide for retaining the two parts or sections of each rib in unfolded position by curving the side walls of the upper or inner part ₈5 or section 21 inwardly at their outer or lower ends, as at 24, and by slightly recurving the edge portions of said walls outwardly, as at 25. When swinging the cooperating lower or outer part or section into 90 line with the upper or inner section, the curved side wall portions of the latter yield and receive the adjacent end of said lower or outer portion, retaining the latter in position by the inherent spring pressure of 95 said walls. In order to fold the ribs, it is simply necessary to exert sufficient force to overcome, the spring pressure of the curved wall portions of the upper or inner parts or ' sections. In order to provide a secure fas- 100 tening between the rib section, the upper or inner end of the lower or outer section is made, solid, as at 26, preferably by inserting a solid piece of metal or the like into the channel thereof. Thus the side walls of the 105 lower or outer sections, where they are jointed to the upper or inner section, cannot yield inwardly when forcing them between the curved wall portions of the upper or inner sections. _no

It is thus evident from the foregoing that the braces are connected at their lower or inner ends to the notched flange of the runner 11, and at their upper or outer ends to the two sections of the ribs. The upper or 115 inner rib sections 21 are pivoted, as at 27, to a notched ring 28 threadingly or otherwise secured to the upper end of the staff section. 4, and a. nut 29 is threaded onto the extremity of said staff section to clamp the 120 cover material 23 between the same and said notched ring, the latter and nut 29 constituting the cap hereinbefore referred to.

. 30 designates a. lever catch which is located m the point section 5, it having a fulcrum 125 protuberance 31 bearing against the inner surface of said section, a finger piece 32 which passes outwardly through an opening 33 in said point section· and projects therefrom above the nut 29, and a keeper 34 130

1,300,599 per end of the umbrella. This handle may be of various designs and shapes and is adapted, when the umbrella is folded, to receive the outer or lower ends 42 of the upper or inner rib sections 20, as clearly shown in ₇θ Fig. 4. When the umbrella is folded with the ribs engaged in the groove 41 of the handle the runner 11 will be retained in the position shown in Fig. 2., and only after drawing on the main section sufficiently to ₇₅disengage the ribs from the handle and when swinging said ribs will it be possible for the runner to move on the staff. It is apparent therefore that the handle indirectly serves as a means of retaining the run- _8C!ner in its uppermost position. When the umbrella is folded, the loose portions of the covering material may be rolled around the rigid portion of the umbrella in the manner shown in Fig. 4 and be held by a suitable gg band. When the covering material is thus rolled the umbrella is but slightly larger than an ordinary umbrella when closed and rolled, and is approximately one-third the length so that it can be conveniently carried ₉₀in a pocket and be always at hand for use. After opening the umbrella, the spring catch remains in the position shown in Fig. 2, but may be easily disengaged from the annular groove 39, after which it will gravi- 93 tate and lie in contact with the inner end of staff section 3. . .

The construction and operation or my umbrella will be readily apparent, from the description and drawings, and it will be 100 noted that the umbrella, when in use appears, as partly shown in Fig. 1; when the staff sections are extended and the. frame closed it has the appearance shown in Fig. 3; and when almost folded the parts assume 105 the positions shown in Fig. 2, and when entirely folded, the umbrella appears as shown in Fig. 4. The parts can be readily folded and opened and will remain in either position. The construction is light, but durable, 110 of ornamental appearance and generally efficient and useful.