US3042055A - Umbrella construction - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1962 B. TODOROVIC UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1959 Bogdan Todorow'c 1N VEN TOR.

July 3, 1962 B. TODOROVIC UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1959 Fig. 3

Bogdan Todoro w'c ZNVENTOR.

Fig. 7 C54 32 United States Patent 3,042,055 UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION Bogdan Todorovic, Santa Monica, Calif. (10763 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 24, Calif.) Filed Sept. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 838,134 4 Claims. (Cl. 13520) This invention relates to umbrellas and more particularly to an eccentric umbrella.

Although eccentric umbrellas are known in the art, and the'advantages fully appreciated in a number of instances, an object of the invention is to provide new improvements in the eccentric type of umbrella which makes such an umbrella practical. Briefly, the umbrella in accordance with the invention employs a number of extensible stretchers together with some conventional stretchers, and strings to reinforce the conventional stretchers whereby a sturdy and dependable eccentric umbrella results.

Prior eccentric umbrellas have each had certain failings, making them uncommon at the present time. The eccentric umbrella in accordance with the invention is capable of smooth easy operation and is very dependable, providing additional strength and support where it is necessary in such an umbrella due to unbalance loading, e.g. wind loading.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view (cover omitted) of an eccentric umbrella in accordance with the invention, this view showing the umbrella in the open position.

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view of the umbrella in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view of the umbrella in FIGURE 2 but showing the umbrella in the partially closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an extensible stretcher used in the umbrella.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the stretcher in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the stretcher in the retracted position.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

In the accompanying drawings there is an eccentric umbrella 10 constructed in accordance with the invention. This eccentric umbrella has a handle 11 or the like at the lower end of shaft 12, and there is a conventional spider 14 at or near the tip of shaft 12. The cover for the umbrella (not shown) may be of any conventional, flexible substance suitable for umbrella construction. Slide 16 is mounted on shaft 12, and the latches for the open and closed position have been omitted since they, too, are conventional.

A ten rib umbrella is illustrated, although the number may be increased or decreased. The ribs are, by and large, conventional with the exception that some of the ribs 20 are longer than the others in order that the handle and shaft are eccentrically positioned with reference to the umbrella. For a ten rib umbrella, five conventional stretchers may be used. The stretchers are pivoted at their ends to slide 16 and to ribs 20 respectively. However, reinforcing cords 24, 25 and 26 are attached, for example by short ears having apertures, to two of the longest ribs and to one of the conventional stretchers 22a therebetween. For example, cord 25 is secured to rib 20c; ribs 20a and 20b have cords 24 and 26 secured thereto, while the inner ends of the cords are attached to 3,042,055 Patented July 3, 1962 stretcher 22a therebet-ween. This organization provides the necessary strength when the umbrella is in the elevated and open position, but yet, the umbrella is capable of being lowered as shown in FIGURE 3.

Five stretchers 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 are made extensible, and they are pivotally secured at their inner ends to slide 16 and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the shorter ribs of the umbrella frame. Typical extensible stretcher 32 is shown in detail in FIGURES 4-7. It is made of three parts. These parts consist of outer tube 38, an inner tube 40, and an innermost rod 42, all slidably related. Rod 42 has an eye 43 at one end by which to facilitate pivotal connection with slide 16, and there is an eye 43 at the outer end of the inner tube 40 to facilitate pivotal connection With one of the ribs. Cross member 44 on the rod is passed through an aperture 46 in the base 50 of inner tube 40. Inner tube 40 is slidably disposed in outer tube 38, and there are aligned slots 54 and 56 formed through the side walls of tubes 38 and 40 respectively. The member 44 extends through the pairs of slots on opposite sides of inner and outer tubes 40 and 38 respectively whereby the member 44 prevents the tubes from rotating with respect to each other. Actually, rod 42 and tube 40 constitutes an extensible link, and the purpose of outer tube 38 is to constrain the motion of tube 38 and rod 42 by having member 44 slidable in the aforementioned slot 54 and 56.

In use, it is assumed that the umbrella is in the closed or partially closed position (FIG. 3). Slide 16 is moved up shaft 12 thereby causing the conventional stretchers to open the umbrella. At the same time the extensible stretchers 3034 are capable of becoming retracted (FIG- URE 2), and in the retracted position, the length thereof is calculated to be the correct, design length for the eccentric umbrella configuration. When they are fully retracted, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, extensible stretchers 30-34 each forms a solid link.

As the umbrella frame approaches the completely opened position, cords 24 and 26 which are made of strong lightweight material, for instance nylon cord, hold the abnormally long ribs in proper position with reference to their stretchers and reinforce the conventional stretchers.

When the umbrella is closed the reverse procedure takes place automatically upon lowering slide 16 on shaft 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An eccentric umbrella which has a shaft, a slide mounted on the shaft and means adjacent to the end of the shaft by which to form a pivot mount, a plurality of longer ribs and a plurality of shorter ribs pivoted at their inner ends to said mount, a plurality of elongated stretchers connected between the mid-portions of said longer ribs and to said slide, extensible elongated stretchers connected to said shorter ribs and to said slide, said extensible stretchers including members which are extensibly connected together and which when retracted fully form a solid link, and a reinforcing flexible elongate member connected to a mid-portion of at least one of said longer ribs outwardly of its connection to the corresponding stretcher and to a mid-portion of at least one of the stretchers connected with one of said longer ribs.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner end of said flexible elongate member is connected to one of said longer ribs other than the one to which said elongate flexible member is secured.

3. An eccentric umbrella having a shaft, a slide mounted on said shaft, a plurality of ribs, means pivotally mounting an end of each of said ribs to the upper end of said shaft for movement of said ribs between depending forward positions circumferentially spaced about said shaft and extended positions extending substantially radially of and outwardly from said shaft, a plurality of elongated short and long stretchers pivotally secured at one end to said ribs and at the other end to said slide, said short stretchers being extensible and substantially fully collapsed when in the extended positions and at least partially contracted when in the folded position, some of said ribs being short and some of said ribs being long, said short and long stretchers being pivotally secured to said short and long ribs respectively, a reinforc- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,342 Anderson Dec. 31, 1901 1,613,287 Moser Jan. 4, 1927 2,700,390 Poston et al Jan. 25, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 415,176 France July 6, 1910

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