Frame for eyeglasses with inclinable lenses

At the ends of the front part (1) for the lenses, two principal articulations (3) with parallel axes engage two arms (7, 9) adapted to be swung back against the front part (1) and lifted from it for use on the ears. Each arm (7, 9) has a transverse articulation (10) along a transverse axis with respect to the head and common to the two arms, with the frame mounted on the face, so as to permit angulation between the parts (7, 9) of the arm and therefore inclination of the front part (1) and of the lenses along said transverse axis; the two component parts (7, 9) of the two transverse articulations (10) are frictionally connected to each other so as to maintain the inclination imposed on them and thus on the front part. The front part (1) can be folded at the center (at 5).

The object of the present invention is a frame for eyeglasses comprising a 
front part for the lenses to the ends of which there are articulated by 
two principal articulations, two parallel arms adapted to be swung back 
onto the front part and raised up from it for use on the ears. 
The object of the invention is to permit a better positioning of the lenses 
with respect to the direction of the optical axis of the eye, under the 
various conditions in which the eyeglasses can be used, as compared with 
what can be obtained with traditional frames of the aforementioned type. 
In accordance with the invention and for the purpose indicated, each of the 
arms has a transverse articulation along an axis transverse to the head 
and common to the two arms when the frame is in position for use, so as to 
permit an inclination of the front part, and therefore of the lenses along 
said transverse axis; the component parts of each of the two transverse 
articulations are frictionally attached to each other so as to maintain 
the inclination established between them and accordingly to the front 
part. 
In accordance with one embodiment, the transverse articulations can be 
arranged closely adjacent to the principal articulations of the arms to 
the front part. In accordance with another embodiment, the transverse 
articulations are disposed in an intermediate position of the length of 
the arms; each of the arms is then divided into two parts by the 
corresponding transverse articulation. In this further embodiment, the 
front part can be made of two parts articulated in an intermediate 
position substantially corresponding to the nose support bridge; therefore 
the entire frame can be folded into a relatively short space. 
The articulations have a discoidal thickening of an elastically 
compressible material and as articulation pin there is provided a rivet 
pin which produces axial compression. In this way the friction between the 
two parts constituting the articulations is assured for a long time.

In FIGS. 1 to 7, there is generally indicated by 1 the front part of an 
eyeglass frame to which by main articulations 3 having approximately 
parallel axes there are mounted the two arms for use on the ears. The 
front part 1 is made of two substantially symmetrical parts which are 
articulated to each other by a bridge piece 5; in this way the front part 
can be folded from the position shown in FIG. 6 into the position shown in 
FIG. 7, with the two lenses substantially behind each other; this is made 
possible by the fact that the arms are developed in the manner hereinbelow 
indicated. 
Each of the two arms for use on the ears consists of two contiguous arm 
parts 7 and 9, said two arm parts 7 and 9 being articulated at 10 along a 
transverse axis of articulation in a position which is therefore 
intermediate with respect to the total length of the arm formed by the two 
parts 7 and 9. When the eyeglasses are worn, the two articulations 10 
arrange themselves approximately along a common transverse axis of 
articulation. 
Each articulation 10 is made with a pin 12 having a head 12A which passes 
through a hole 14 in the arm part 7, a hole in a friction ring 16, a hole 
18 in the arm part 9 and a central hole of a concave washer 20 in which 
the end of the pin 12 is bulged to form a second retaining and pressure 
head 12B. By this arrangement, the two arm parts 7 and 8 can be inclined 
with respect to each other with a certain friction and held by friction in 
the position imposed on them at the time. The friction ring 16 consists of 
a material such as to assure a long life of the friction articulation so 
as to obtain the possibility of inclining the two arm parts 7 and 9 with 
respect to each other. 
With this arrangement there is obtained the possibility of inclining the 
front part of the eyeglass frame and therefore the lenses with respect to 
the face in such a manner that the axes of the lenses can be adapted at 
least approximately to the axes of the respective eyes, depending on the 
use temporarily contemplated for the eyeglasses. There is therefore 
obtained a satisfactory adaptation with respect to the correct use of the 
eyeglasses and a position of the lens which is as aligned as possible with 
the axis of the eye. 
The articulations 10 also make it possible to fold back the front part 1 as 
shown in FIG. 7 and to fold the parts 7 and 9 of each arm approximately 
against each other around the respective articulation 10. 
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 13, the parts corresponding to those 
of the preceding example are indicated by the same reference numbers 
increased by 100. The front part 101, which in this case is not centrally 
articulated, has principal articulations 103 with approximately parallel 
axes for the arms which engage on the ears. On the pins defining the 
principal articulations 103 there are engaged connecting elements 130, 
each of which forms a transverse articulation 110 for an arm 132, which in 
the present embodiment is a single piece. To the connecting element 130 
there is engaged a pin 112 for the transverse articulation 110; this pin 
112 passes through a friction ring 116 which is interposed between the arm 
132 and the part 130, the arm 132 and a washer 120, which serves for the 
riveting of the pin 112. 
In this case also, as a result of the common transverse articulation 110 it 
is possible to incline the front part 101 with respect to the face, as is 
clear by comparing FIGS. 8 and 9, so as to cause the axis of the eye to 
coincide at least approximately with the axis of the lens, under the 
conditions of normal use. 
In both cases, the user can easily incline the front part to a greater or 
lesser extent with respect to his face, even with substantial frequency, 
in view of the ease with which the front part can be inclined with respect 
to the arms 132 and to the arm parts 9 respectively. The development of 
the transverse articulations with the friction rings--which may consist of 
synthetic resin of so-called nylon or equivalent type--assures long life 
for the transverse frictional articulations with substantial constancy of 
the moment of friction, the mounting being effected with a certain axial 
compression. 
It will be understood that the drawing merely shows one illustrative 
embodiment, given merely as a practical demonstration of the invention, 
and it may be varied in its forms and arrangements without thereby going 
beyond the scope of the present inventive concept.