Support for mounting spectacles

A metallic crossbar device has mounting means for the end regions of spectacle frame yokes and space for a number of adjacent spectacle frames oriented in about the same direction. The cross-bar device comprises two crossbars which run parallel to each other and are spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the spacing of the end regions of the spectacle frame yokes. The crossbars have cross yokes at their end regions which rigidly connect the crossbars together. Each of the crossbars comprises two adjacent, flexurally stiff partial bars and clamping means for clamping one partial bar like a vice against an adjacent partial bar. The partial bars have a maximum clamping height which corresponds to the unprocessed length of the spectacle frame yoke end regions. Both partial bars have strip-shaped plastic clamping linings on their sides adjacent each other.

The invention relates to a support for mounting metallic spectacle frames 
in polishing drums, with a metallic crossbar device and with a respective 
mounting for each end region of the spectacle frame, the support having 
room for a number of spectacles oriented adjacently and in about the same 
direction. 
Such spectacles always have a bridge, lens edges closed by a closing block 
including screw, and yokes linked by hinges to the lens edges. The end 
region of the yoke is later pushed into plastics sleeves. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The spectacle frames, without the pads, without lenses and without the ear 
sleeves, are polished smooth for a few hours in polishing drums. In this 
finished state, the end regions of the spectacle yokes are still straight, 
i.e. not bent corresponding to the later ear shape. 
The spectacle frames are held, according to a prior art process, in such a 
support of respectively 9 pieces. The support consists of a box profile, 
which has respective arms to right and left. Each arm merges at its end 
into a ring, which has a diameter in the centimeter range. The end regions 
of the spectacle yokes are located within these rings. At the upper side 
are provided ten punch pins which likewise carry a ring at their ends, 
which however is substantially smaller than the previously mentioned ring. 
A plastics loop is slipped through these rings and is held festoon-like by 
the rings. The low point of each festoon acts as a support for the 
interior side of the bridge of the spectacle frame. 
So that the spectacle frames do not float away in the polishing medium, a 
fixing bar is also put through the smaller rings above the bridges; it is 
as long as the box profile. So that this securing bar does not itself 
float away, it is secured. This construction has the following 
disadvantages: 
(a) The flow resistance which this support exerts on the polishing medium 
is relatively high. 
(b) Only a completely determined number of spectacle frames can be 
polished, quite independently of whether they are large or small. 
(c) The bridge of the spectacle frame is indeed held on one side by the 
plastics loop and on the other side by the securing pin. The bridge is 
therefore always insufficiently processed and frequently even scratched, 
because polishing medium particles penetrate between the bridge and the 
securing rod and/or the plastics loop. This leads to reprocessing. 
(d) The plastics loop must be frequently changed, because the polishing 
medium abrades the plastics. Apart from this, those rings which hold the 
end regions of the spectacle frame yoke, are clad with a plastics 
sheathing. Even this is abraded and must be frequently changed. 
(e) Every polishing is associated with vibrations. The screws of the 
closing blocks therefore often loosen during use of the known support. If 
the screws have fallen out, the lens edge can be bent, since in fact the 
polishing medium flows onto it from below. It is conjectured that the lens 
edge screws open because the vibrations of polishing lead to knee-like 
movements of the lens edge. 
(f) The production of the support is expensive. 
SUBJECT AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the invention is to specify a support of the kind stated at 
the beginning, which no longer has the abovenamed disadvantages and in 
particular makes reprocessing superfluous, is cheap to produce, has a long 
useful life and with which it is possible to polish the optimum number of 
spectacle frames. At the same time, the supports are to be at least as 
easily manipulated as the known supports during loading and unloading of 
spectacle frames. 
According to the invention, this object is achieved by the following 
features: 
(a) The crossbar device comprises two crossbars which run mutually parallel 
and are spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the spacing of the end 
regions of the spectacle yokes, and their end regions are rigidly 
connected together by crossyokes. 
(b) Each crossbar comprises two adjacent, flexurally stiff partial bars, a 
respective partial bar being able to be clamped against the neighboring 
one by clamping means, in the manner of a vise. 
(c) The partial bars have at most a clamping height which corresponds to 
the unprocessed length of the spectacle yoke end regions. 
Advantageously, the invention includes the following additional features: 
Said partial bars have substantially I-profiles. By means of these 
features, the flexural stiffness in the direction of stress is increased 
and the resistance to flow is reduced. Apart from this, the polishing 
medium particles then float, directly after the clamp, against the 
spectacle frame yokes again, and a minimum flow shadow arises. 
At least one partial bar has on its inner side a strip-shaped clamping 
lining of plastic material, the plastic material being considerably softer 
than the metal of the spectacle yoke. Preferably, both partial bars have 
strip-shaped plastic clamping linings on their sides adjacent each other. 
By means of these features, the end regions of the spectacle yokes are 
gently but securely held. 
The plastic material is connected securely as a lining to its associated 
partial bar. By means of these features, only the accompanying partial bar 
needs to be pulled somewhat away from the other partial bar during 
releasing, and the lining then also moves and the slot is visible in which 
the end regions of the spectacle yokes must be placed. This is 
substantially more favorable than a per se likewise possible loose 
association of the plastics material with the partial bar. 
The plastic material is continuous and has an I-profile. By means of these 
features, the plastics material is equally well packed at all places, and 
care need not be taken as to where the end regions are inserted. 
One of said adjacent partial bars has a passage hole and the other of said 
adjacent partial bars has an aligned threaded hole and said clamping means 
comprises wing bolts, the shaft of which passes through said passage hole 
of one partial bar and is screwed into said threaded hole of said other 
partial bar, and said clamping means is adapted to permit a greater gap 
between said partial bars than the thickness of the end regions of the 
spectacle frame yokes. By means of these features, no tools are needed, 
and in practical cases partial bars about 440 mm long, with three wing 
bolts each, are sufficient. The plastics material distributes the clamping 
force better than would be the case with metal-to-metal clamping. 
One of said partial bars is an inner partial bar which merges integrally 
into said cross-yoke and forms said cross-yoke. By means of these 
features, the cross-yokes can easily be produced by bending the inner 
partial bars aside. 
The parting plane of two adjacent partial bars forms an acute angle with 
the mid symmetry plane of the support. By means of these features, those 
spectacle frames can be polished, without the appearance of additional 
stresses, which have the spectacle yokes likewise forming acute angles. 
Apart from this, also, the hinge regions of the spectacle yokes, seen in 
projection, do not lie in the flow shadow. 
One of said partial bars is as inner partial bar having an inside bevel in 
its corner region arranged to be placed upstream and inside in the 
polishing drum. By means of these features, a certain elasticity is 
produced in this region, and also it becomes more favorable to flow. 
Said clamping means comprises a quick clamping device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
A polishing drum 11 has a hexagonal periphery and, correspondingly, six 
divisions. One of the divisions 12 can be opened and closed. Polishing 
medium can be introduced through this division. The polishing drum is 
closed by floors on both sides. The front floor is omitted to 
schematically show internal processes [sic]. The polishing drum 11 is 
mounted on bearings 14, and a drive tends to move it in the direction of 
the arrow 16. When the polishing drum 11 is running, the polishing medium 
13 assumes the shape of a wave 17 which, as in FIG. 1, is slightly 
S-shaped. The polishing medium 13 remains standing there, i.e., it does 
not move along with the polishing drum 11. Mountings 18 are provided, 
respectively in pairs, in the floor of the polishing drum 11, and the 
orientation of spectacle frame holders 19 is respectively schematically 
shown. It can be seen from this that the polishing medium 13 pushes 
through them. 
In the mountings 18 there are seated releasably, though fixed--and in 
particular, fixed against rotation--metallic squares 21, 22, through which 
passes the mid symmetry plane 23 of a support 24. These floatingly 
arranged squares 21, 22 are welded on their mutually facing sides to 
respective carrier plates 26, 27, which are flush at the top with the 
related square 21, 22. 
Respective yoke halves 28, 29, 31, 32 are welded on overlappingly at the 
lower, internal region of the carrier plates 26, 27, which lie 
symmetrically of the mid symmetry plane 23. The yoke halves do not run 
horizontally. On the contrary, they make an angle of 8.degree., falling 
away to left and right, with the mid symmetry plane 23. The yoke halves 
are about 60 mm long, and have an I-profile, which lies parallel to the 
direction of the arrow 16. The yoke halves 28, 31 are the ends, bent 
around through 90.degree. in a U-shape, of a partial bar 33. The like 
partial bar 34 originated in the same manner. The partial bars 33, 34 are 
about 460 mm long, are of an I-profile, and form with the mid symmetry 
plane 23 an angle of 8.degree. respectively along mid planes 56. Both have 
a chamfer 36, 37 at their inner, downstream corner region. Furthermore, 
both have four threaded holes 38, respectively spaced 120 mm apart and 
provided centrally in the height of the I-profile. 
Respective rubber linings 39, 41 are adhered externally to the partial bars 
33, 34, cover the whole external surface of the partial bar 33, 34, and 
have through holes where the threaded holes 38 are located. Like rubber 
linings 42, 43 abut against, but are not adhered fast to, the rubber 
linings 39, 41. On the contrary, they are adhered fast to the inner side 
of the partial bars 44, 46 which form, with the opposite partial bars 33, 
34 a kind of long vise. The partial bars 44, 46 have through holes 47 
aligned with the threaded holes 38 and with bolts passing through them 
which can be tightened from outside by means of wing bolts 49 and thus 
press the rubber linings 39, 41, 42, 43 against each other. The partial 
bars 44, 46 have the same cross section as the partial bars 33, 34, but 
are only 440 mm long, since a remainder is left over for bending aside 
between the yoke halves 28, 29, 31, 32 and the partial bars 33, 34. 
The rubber linings 39, 41, 42, 43 are about 1 mm thick. The partial bars 
are 25 mm high and 4 mm thick. 
In operation, the bolts 48 are first released, so that a gap arises between 
the rubber linings 42, 39 on the one side and 41, 43 on the other side. 
End regions 51 of spectacle yokes 52 are placed between them, which are 
attached by hinges 53 to lens edges 54. When beginning with the 
arrangement according to FIG. 3, the bolt lying further to the right can 
be opened up more than the bolt lying further to the left, and the more 
the support 24 is filled from left to right, the screws are also tightened 
from left to right also. A spectacle frame can now be arranged next to the 
others, or can be arranged at a different height, or can even be arranged 
at a different angle as seen in the direction of FIG. 3. The lower tips of 
the end regions 51 can then project out downwards to some extent. 
Because of the 8.degree. angle, the spectacle yokes 52 run at the same 
angle.