Umbrella hat

Jan.. 7, 1941.

2,227,554

C. C. RIORDON

UMBRELLA HAT.

Filed June 28, 1939

<img file="US2227554A_D0001.tif" />

Patented Jan. 7, 1941

2,227,554

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,227,554 umbrella hat Carl C. Riordon, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application June 28,1939, Serial No. 281,747

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in foldable or collapsible hats of the umbrella type. Such hats are worn either as rain or sun shields and usually comprise a collapsible fabric cov₈ ered frame provided with a headband attachment for supporting the frame a short distance above the head of the wearer. The headband is usually attached to the lower ends of suitable frame supporting members having their upper ends piv10 otally secured to said frame.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of umbrella hats so that they may be folded and unfolded with greater ease and rapidity.

HI Another object is to provide an umbrella hat having a simple and inexpensive frame structure which is provided with novel means for retaining it in the unfolded condition.

The foregoing objects are attained by the pro20 vision of a collapsible fabric covered frame comprising a central telescopic post, a plurality of spaced ribs having their upper extremities hinged to the uppermost section of said post, and a plurality of struts or braces, each having one end 25 hinged to one of said ribs and the other end hinged to the lowermost section of the post. These component parts of the frame are so arranged that the shortening of the telescopic post causes the hinged struts to swing the ribs of the 30 frame outwardly to an unfolded position and at the same time results in the ends of the struts connected to the lowermost post section being raised to a position level with or slightly above the ends connected to the ribs whereby the frame 35 is automatically locked against collapse. When it is desired to collapse the frame this is accomplished by pulling downwardly on the lowermost post section until the post is fully extended. During this lengthening of the post the struts serve 40 to swing the ribs downwardly and inwardly about their pivotal connections to the uppermost post section.

In the unfolded condition of the frame the struts are under compression between the ribs 45 and the lowermost post section due to the fact that the fabric covering of the frame is tensioned or stretched by the unfolding of the ribs. By reason of this- compression and the relative location of their pivotally connected ends the struts 50 serve to effectively hold the sections of the post against accidental relative movement in a post lengthening direction.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel construction of the frame supports to which 55 the headband is attached. Each of these supports (CI. 2—177) comprises a U-shaped member having arms of unequal length, the longer arm being pivoted to one of said ribs. The two arms of each member are close together and constitute the two sides of a clasp between which the headband is fitted. ³

Proceeding now to a more detailed description of this invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, in which—

Fig. 1 is· a top plan view of my improved hat.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially 10 along the line 2—2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly, in vertical section, showing the manner in which the hat is collapsed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the construction of the central post and parts as- 15 sociated therewith.

As shown in the drawing the frame structure of my improved hat comprises a central post 5, a. plurality of framing ribs 6 and a plurality of struts 7. The post 5 is of telescopic construction 20 including an upper section 8, an intermediate section 9, and a lower section 10. The upper ends of the ribs 6 are pivotally secured in slots 11 provided in a rib anchoring ring i 2 fixed to the upper end of post section 8. One end of each strut 7 25 is pivotally mounted in a slot 13 provided in a strut anchoring ring 14 fixed to an intermediate portion of the lowermost post section IS. The remaining ends of the struts 1 are pivoted to intermediate portions of the ribs 6 as indicated at 30 15. The ribs 6 carry a fabric covering 11 secured thereto in any suitable manner. The central portion of the covering is confined between the rib anchoring ring 12 and a suitable knob 18, the latter being fitted on a rod 19 projecting upwardly 35 from post section 8 and being pinned to- said rod as indicated at 20.

The fabric covered frame is supported on the head of the user by means of the headband 22 and the frame supports 23. As here shown each 40 frame support comprises a U-shaped member presenting gripping arms 24 and 25 between which the fabric headband 22 is firmly gripped. The longer arm 25 of each support is pivoted, as at 27, to- one of the ribs 6 and is extended beyond 45 said pivotal connection to provide a stop 28 engageable with the rib to limit swinging movement of the arm in one direction.

The lowermost post section 10 is closed at its lower end by a padded member 39 which serves ⁵⁰as a stop engageable with the lower ends of the remaining post sections when the post is collapsed or shortened as shown in Fig. 2 to effect unfolding of the fabric covered frame. When thus unfolded, the fabric covered frame is prevented from ³⁵

2,227,554 collapsing by reason of the fact that the pivotal connections between the struts and the strut anchoring ring 14 are either level with or slightly above the pivotal connections between the struts and the ribs 6. As previously stated, the struts are under a certain amount of compression in the unfolded condition of the fabric frame owing to the fact that the fabric covering is stretched or tensioned by the spreading of the ribs 6 to their frame unfolding positions. Owing to the relative location of the pivotally connected ends of the struts the pressure transmitted from the ribs 6 to the lowermost section of the post tends to resist relative movement of the post sections in a frame collapsing direction. However, this resistance is not sufficient to prevent manual extension of the post to the frame collapsing position shown in Fig. 3. During collapse of the fabric covered frame, the frame supports 23 swing about their pivotal connections 27 to a folded position against the ribs 6.

In the present instance covering 17 is shown as comprising a single thickness of fabric. It may, however, be composed of two or more superposed fabrics of any desired nature.

It may also be pointed out that, in the unfolded condition of the frame, the headband 22 is under a, certain amount of tension and exerts an inward pull on the frame supports which is resisted by engagement of the stops 28 with the ribs 6.

An important advantage of the hat described herein is that the location of the frame supports 23 is such that these supports do not touch the head when the hat is in place, the contact between the head and band occurring only at points located between said supports.