US2072254A - Umbrella frame - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1937.. w. s. EVANS 2,072,254

UMBRELLA FRAME I Filed June 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR March 2, 1937-.

W. s. EVANS UMBRELLA FRAME Filed June 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 i4 a l I INVENTOR- Wiz yne 51E 7'63 715,

BY WWW ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1937 PATENT OFFICE V 2,012,254 UMBRELLA FRAME Wayne S. Evans, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to S. W. Evans & Son, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 19, 1935, Serial No. 27,333

5 Claims.

5': tions of fabric with which the frame is ultimately covered.

Another object is more particularly to provide for halving the usual number of ribs in a standard frame, and thereby lightening its weight 1 and cost of construction, but without decreasing the required degree of strength inherent in the frame. In fact, it has been found that a single primary rib or rib section adjacent to the axis of the frame can take the place of as many as 15 three or even four of the usual type of ribs now used in the average umbrella frame.

Thus, a standard sixteen-rib frame can be equally well constructed with but eight or even with as few as four primary ribs, with each of such ribs being provided respectively with two or four divergently branching secondary or terminal sections. Again, an ordinary fifteen-rib frame may be made with but fiveprimary ribs, and a so-called twelve-rib frame with only six or even four primary ribs, in which latter case each such primary rib is provided respectively with two or three terminal sections, as the case may be. In any such case, the radially inner or primary section of the rib may be as short as desired, instead of being substantially one-half of the length of the entire rib unit as shown in the drawings. Thus, with such a substantial decrease in the number of primary ribs, the circumferences and therefore the diameters of the al- 5 most inevitable "notc and the runner elements of the frame are decreased, andthe overall thickness or bulk of the resulting complete umbrella is correspondingly lessened.

A further object is to provide a simple form 0 of construction for carrying into practice the general object above stated, and this may be accomplished in several ways, as hereinafter described. Broadly, however, the improved rib unit in any caseis to a large degree of substantially Y-shape or similar when extended to the arrangement of the stem and ribs of a palm leaf, and may for instance be formed (1) of a single rigid primary section to which are secured a pair of divergent wire sections, or.(2) of two 0 wires or ribbons secured together throughout a portion of their lengths to provide a primary section, and branch terminal sections which diverge with respect to each other towards their opposite ends, or (3) a single solid rib through- 5 out the length of the primary section, sheared throughout the remainder of its length to pro-v vide diverging terminal sections, or (4) any one of these constructions with one, two, or more terminal sections secured between saidfirst terminal sections, so as to provide more than a pair of divergent terminal sections for a single primary section.

Still more detailed objects comprise the reverse bending or other manner of shaping one of the rib sections, so as to provide an integral hinge member for connection of the usual stretcher to the rib unit, instead of having to add such hinge as an initially separate member; the provision of a sectional cover the seams of which coincide with the terminal or branch sections of each rib unit, and to provide other details of construction and operation as will hereinafter appear.

With the objects of the invention thus broadly stated, the said invention further comprises additional details, such as are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an umbrella rib unit showing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of an umbrella, showing a sectional cover operatively stretched across the several rib units, which latter are shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of an umbrella cover, a portion of which is shaded with flat black, in order to contrast with the gusset-like inserts of contrasting color, material, or even of the same material;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the axial portion of an umbrella frame;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one complete rib unit and stretcher, operatively assembled upon the usual shaft or rod;

Fig. ,7 is a plan view of a modified form of a rib unit;

a Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a further modified form of rib unit;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on the line lflll'l of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of another modified form of rib unit;

. Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional View on the line l2- -l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a still further modified form of rib unit;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional View on the line ll-l l of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the hinge connection between the rib unit of Fig. 13 and the usual stretcher of an umbrella frame;

Fig. 16 is a plan View of a portion of an umbrella frame covered in the usual manner and illustrating by dotted lines the use of ribunits comprising three terminal sections, each; and

Fig. 17 is a similar View showing the use of rib units comprising four terminal sections, each.

With reference to the drawings, it is to be understood that by reason of the relative thinness or narrowness of the elements of which the umbrella ribs are formed, it has been found necessary to exaggerate the width or thickness of each of these parts in many cases, in order to satisfactorily illustrate them for reproduction purposes, as otherwise the lines would-be so close together as to cause them to merge or become blurred.

Referring to Figs 1 to 6, there is here shown a rib unit comprising a normally radially inwardly directed relatively rigid primary section I of substantially U-shaped cross section, and at one end 2 being contracted or pinched and apertured to provide for the well known type of hinge connection to the so-called notch or fixed annular hinge member 3, which is secured in any suitable manner to the rod 4. Such a rib unit is further more connected in the usual manner to the rod 4 thru the medium of a stretcher I the outer end of which is connected to the rib thru the usual hinge member l while its inner end is connected to the said rod thru the annular hinge connection I slidable thereon.

The normally outer or freely extending end portion of said primary rib section 'I in this instance receives the inner adjacent end portions of a pair of relatively flexible wire terminal sections 5, which extend in substantially parallel relation with each other when the umbrella frame is in closed or collapsed position, but which terminal sections are adapted to separate and angularly diverge, as shown in Figs. 1 and-3, when the umbrella is in extended or open position. In a complete umbrella comprising a set of these improved rib units, the cover 6 is secured in the usual manner to the rib units, and comprises the means or force by which the terminal rib sections are distorted as shown. While it has ever been the practice to divide the sectors of the usual umbrella cover along the lines defined by the usual radially extending one-piece ribs, the present invention comprises the additional cutting away of said cover sectors, somewhat similar to the sectors indicated by the solid black portions 1, so as to provide between each pair of adjacent sectors a V- shaped gusset-like panel 8, the seams which join said panel to said pair of sectors following substantially the lines definedby the relatively flexible terminal sections 5 of the improved rib unit.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 8, there is here shown a modified form of rib unit comprising a pair of initially flexible wires In, which are secured together throughout any desired portion .of their common extent, to provide a primary relatively rigid rib section II, one end of which is formed in any suitable manner, so as to provide a hinge connecting end l2, while the opposite end portions of said wires are adapted to angularly diverge in the form of relatively flexible terminal sections l3. One method of uniting the firstmentioned portions of said wires is by means of one or more bands I 4, in addition to the usual stretcher connecting hinge member 65, but the method of securing said rib elements together does not comprise a part of the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, there is here shown a pair of initially separate lengths of flexible strips or wires in ribbon-like form, which are secured together throughout a given portion of their common parallel extent by any suitable means as for instance the band M as hereinbefore referred to, to provide a relatively rigid primary section ll, having a hinge connection H3 at one end, and at their opposite ends being adapted to flex divergently outwardly as a pair of relatively flexible terminal sections I9. These terminal sections when using ribbon-like wires or strands tend to flex only in their common plane, but will flex slightly laterally of such plane, under the tension imparted thereto by the umbrella cover when in extended position, and in such case terminal sections of such cross section tend to warp or twist slightly as shown in Figs. 9, 11 and 13.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, there is here shown a solid preferably rectangular strip of metal homogeneous and unsevered throughout a portion of its length, to provide a relatively rigid primary rib section 20, one end of which is provided with the usual hinge connection 2|, while its opposite end portion is vertically split or sheared in such manner as to provide at least a pair of relatively flexible terminal sections 22, but while tending to flex only in their common plane, will as a matter of fact warp and flex slightly to one side of such plane, under the force imparted thereto by the umbrella cover when in stretched position.

Referring to Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive, there is here shown a composite rib unit comprising three (or even four or more) strands of initially flexible ribbon-like elements, which are secured together throughout a given portion of their common extent, to provide a relatively rigid primary section 23, having the usual hinge-connection 24, at one end, and at its opposite end merging into a series of independently flexible terminal sections 25, which also while tending to flex only in their common plane, will flex laterally thereof under the tension of the umbrella cover. In this case, the central element 26 is deflected downwardly and reversely upwardly to provide a loop or off-set portion 27, which is adapted to form a hinge connection for the adjacent end portion 28 of the usual stretcher 29, which construction eliminates the necessity heretofore practiced of applying to the rib unit an initially separate hinge member.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not descriptive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An umbrella rib, comprising a plurality of initially flexible wire elements, secured together throughout a portion of their common extent, to provide a relatively rigid primary section and a plurality of relatively flexible terminal sections.

2. An umbrella rib, comprising a plurality of initially flexible elements of ribbon-like form,

secured together throughout only a portion of their common extent, to provide a relatively rigid primary section, and a plurality of terminal sections restricted to flex primarily in their common plane.

3. An umbrella rib, comprising a plurality of initially flexible wire elements, secured together throughout only a portion of their common extent, to provide a primary rib section and a plurality of relatively flexible terminal sections, one of said elements being formed to provide an offset portion, operative to form a hinge connection for the usual spreader.

4. An umbrella rib, comprising a plurality of initially flexible'elements of ribbon-like form, secured together throughout only a portion 01.

their common extent, to provide a relatively rigid primary section and a plurality of terminal sections restricted to flex primarily in their common plane, one of said elements being formed to provide an offset portion, operative to form a hinge connection for the usual spreader.

5. An umbrella rib, comprising a plurality of initially flexible elements, secured together throughout only a portion of their common extent, to provide a primary rib section and a plurality of relatively flexible terminal sections, one of said elements being bent and reversely bent to provide a lateral ofiset portion, operative to form a hinge connection for the usual spreader.

WAYNE S. EVANS.

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