Support for umbrellas.

Application filed December 6,1904. Serial No. 235,746.

To (til whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Durand Whipple, acitizen of the Uniteci States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Ar5 kansas,have invented new and useful Improvements in Supports for Umbrellas, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in umbrella-supports; and the object of the same is io to construct a device for supporting or holding an umbrella at the proper angle or inclination.

A further object is to produce a device to be secured, preferably, to the back of a carriage-seat for holding an umbrella over the 15 occupant therein.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the several parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth in the following specification and claims, and 20 as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention applied to the back of a carriage-seat. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sec25 tion on line x x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the supportingarm; Fig. 4, a partial section on line y y of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective view of the base-plate; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail 3° perspective view of the adjusting-screw; Fig.

7, an enlarged perspective view of the clamping-screw. Fig. 8 is a front view of a modified form of clamp; Fig. 9, a side elevation of the same. Fig. 10 is a front view of another 35 form of clamp. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of still another form of clamp, and Fig. 13 is a detail view of a modified form of the ball end of the umbrella-engaging member.

4° _ Referring more particularly to the drawings, like reference-numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a supporting-plate or base-engagingmember which is preferably 45 secured to the back 2 of a carriage-seat within a recessed portion 3 and is so located that when the cushion 4 is secured in position said plate is practically hidden from view. The supporting member 1 is provided with the necessary screw-apertures 5 and is also pro- 50 vided at its upper end with a centrally-disposed rearwardly-extending portion 6, having a central screw-threaded aperture 7. Upon the upper face of said projection or extension are a series of corrugations or serrations 8, 55 which preferably radiate from the aperture 7 for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Secured to the supporting member 1 in a maimer hereinafter described is an arm composed of two members 9 and 10, which for the 60 sake of convenience I designate as the “seatengaging ” member and the ‘ ‘ gripping ” member. These two members are connected by means of a ball-and-socket joint. The reference-numeral 11 designates the ball, which is 65 carried by the end of the gripping member 10, and 12 designates the socket or clamp, which is carried by the seat-engaging member 9. I prefer to construct the socket member as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4—that is, with a 70 tubular portion provided with diametrically opposite openings or apertures 13 and 14, the aperture 13 being smooth and somewhat larger than the aperture 14, and said aperture 14 is provided with screw-threads. A tapering 75 clamping-screw 15, provided with a screwthreaded portion 16, is adapted to pass through these apertures 13 and 14 with the threads engaging those in the aperture 14. The apertures are so located in the socket 12 that the 8c screw 15 will engage the ball 11, and by screwing the same into the aperture 14 the ball will be forcibly seated against the collar or flange 17 on the forward end of the socket. The lower face of the other end of the mem- 85 ber 9 is serrated or corrugated, as at 18, and is provided with a longitudinal slot 19, and the extremity 20 thereof is disposed at an angle to the body portion, preferably about thirty degrees. The serrated face 18 is adapt- 90 ed to engage the serrations 8 on the upper face of the extension 6 of the base-plate 1 in such a manner that the slot therein registers with the screw-threaded aperture 7. A screw 21, designated an “adjusting-screw,” is adapted 95 to pass through the slot and engage the threaded aperture 7 for holding the two members in position. This screw 21 is provided with

787,486 an integral collar or flange 22, which rests upon the upper face of the member 9. The shank thereof is provided with a metal - engaging screw 23, and its lower portion ter5 . minates in a wood-engaging screw 24. It will be seen that when the screw is inserted through the slot 19 the metal-screw 23 will engage the threaded aperture 7, while the wood-screw will pass therethrough and into the wood of io the seat-back 2, as shown in Fig. 2.

The gripping member is constructed at its forward end with a hinged section 25, provided with an open slot 26 at its outer end. A bolt 27, pivoted to the stationary section, 15 is adapted to be swung at right angles thereto, so as to enter the slot 26, and said bolt is provided with threads, upon which is mounted a nut 28, and said nut is adapted to force the hinged section against the stationary section 20 to hold the umbrella in position.

Coacting recesses 29 and 30, padded or lined with leather or other material, are arranged in the two members of the clamp to prevent scratching or marring the umbrella handle or 25 rod. The recess 30 is somewhat smaller than 29 and is adapted to grip the rod, and 29 is adapted to grip the handle proper of the umbrella when desired.

The ball 11 of the member 10 may be cor30 rugated or roughened, as shown in Fig. 13. if desired, which will tend to more securely hold the same in position.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modified form of my ball-and-socket member. The socket 12 is 35 provided with projecting ears 31 and 32. The ear 31 is provided with a smooth.aperture 33, and the ear 32 has a smaller threaded aperture 34 for the reception of the threaded end 16 of the tapering screw 15. In this form a 40 collar or block 35 is interposed between the screw 15 and the ball 11 and tends to give a greater bearing-surface upon the ball 11 when the screw 15 is adjusted.

Figs. 10 and 11 show another form ofclamp, 45 in which the socket 12 is hinged, as at 36, and the ears 31 and 32 are provided with threaded apertures to receive a bolt 37.

In Fig. 12 the socket 12 is shown as a springmember, and the ears 31 and 32 are provided 50 with apertures near their lower extremities for the reception of the bolt 37, and said apertures are so located that the bolt when in position serves as a stop for the downward movement of the member 10, which in this 55 instance passes between the ears 31 and 32.

The operation of my device can be clearly seen from the above description. If it is desired to elevate the staff or standard from the position as shown in Fig. 1, all that is neces60 sary is to loosen the screw 21, slide the member 9 forward until the slot in the angularlydisposed extremity is adjacent the screw 21, and then tighten the latter. This will raise the whole staff or standard, and thus elevate 65 the umbrella to the desired height.

I have shown my invention applied to a carriage-seat; but I desire it to be understood that it may be used in any place desired and for any purpose. I also wish it understood that various changes may be made in the size, 7° proportion, and construction of the same without departing from the spirit of my invention.