Anti-collapsible umbrella

Abstract

This invention improves umbrellas for anti-collapsible use in gusty winds, where the umbrella main cover will have holes therein arranged outwardly around the umbrella shaft part way out to the main cover periphery, and a secondary cover will overlie the main cover and all holes therein. Elastic ties are connected between the periphery of the secondary cover and the umbrella arms at their outer ends, normally stretching the secondary cover radially tight and at least peripherally against the main cover. However, the elastic ties allow separation of the main and secondary covers. Thus, under high or gusty wind conditions, air accumulated under the main cover can be vented upwardly through the main cover holes to between the covers and radially then to beyond the secondary cover periphery, relieving the mechanical forces tending to invert and collapse the umbrella. Nonetheless, the secondary cover will yet overlies said holes to block rain from passing through the holes and wetting the user.

What is claimed as my invention is:  
     
         1 . An umbrella suited for anti-collapsible use in gusty winds, comprising the combination of 
 a frame having an elongated shaft, a plurality of arms pivoted near their inner ends relative to the shaft near one of its ends and extended radially of said shaft, a main flexible cover overlying the arms and connected centrally to the shaft and along the radial arms to near its periphery proximate the outer arm ends, operable with said umbrella in the opened condition to have said arms angled transversely of the shaft and said cover stretched somewhat as a sphere segment symmetrically disposed around the shaft and having a generally convex outer upper side facing in the direction remotely away from the other shaft end;    the main cover having holes therein arranged in a central array spaced outwardly around the shaft no further from the shaft than between 50-75% of the radial distance from the shaft to the main cover periphery; and    a secondary cover overlying the main cover and all holes therein and connected centrally to the shaft, the secondary cover periphery having circumferentially spaced portions overlying respectively underlying arms, and elastic cords connected between said portions and the respective arms at their outer ends,    whereby the opened umbrella under generally windless conditions or between gusts of high winds will have said cords stretch said secondary cover substantially tight radially of the shaft and outwardly beyond the holes and further and under gusty wind conditions will have said cords elastically extended to allow the main and secondary covers to separate at the secondary cover periphery to form radial passages for accommodating air flow upwardly through the main cover holes to between the covers and radially then to beyond the secondary cover periphery while said secondary cover yet overlies said holes to block rain from passing through the holes.    
     
     
         2 . An anti-collapsible umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising the combination of the connection of the secondary cover to the shaft being axially spaced above the connection of the main cover to the shaft, operable for defining an air filled enclosure directly overlying said holes for accommoating immediate air passage therefrom under gusty wind conditions.  
     
     
         3 . An anti-collapsible umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising the combination of the main and secondary covers having similar contours in the area where the covers lie adjacent one another.  
     
     
         4 . An anti-collapsible umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising the combination the secondary cover periphery being spaced radially outward beyond the outermost holes in the main cover by between 1-4 inches.  
     
     
         5 . An anti-collapsible umbrella according to  claim 1 , further comprising the combination the main and secondary covers being of the same flexible material, color and pattern.