Machine and method for the automated manufacture of protective spectacles

A machine and method for the fully automated manufacture, assembly, and packaged delivery of protective spectacles of that type typically provided by an optometrist to a patient for temporary protective eyewear use following mydriatic eye examination procedures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a machine and method for accomplishing the 
automated manufacture, assembly and packaged delivery of protective 
spectacles such as those typically provided by an optometrist to a patient 
for temporary protective eyewear use following pupil dilative eye 
examination procedures, the type of protective eyewear device being 
commonly referred to as post-mydriatic spectacles and generally similar to 
those as disclosed and taught by Mull in U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,027 dated 
Oct. 24, 1950. 
The traditional method for manufacturing post-mydriatic spectacles of the 
type referred to has, up until the present, been accomplished by a 
combination of separate mechanical die cutting and manual assembly and 
envelope packaging operations. And, up until recent times, although the 
labor contributive cost factors for the type of manufacturing operations 
employed have been a consideration, they have not been controlling. Since, 
however, the post-mydriatic spectacles of the type with which we are 
herein concerned are intended as a "give-away" item, and because the 
current manufacturing operations employed to make, assemble and package 
them are labor intensive, with the continuing escalation of both labor and 
material costs it has become no longer economically feasible to make and 
provide the subject post-mydriatic spectacles as a "give-away" item in a 
market environment and tradition where it continues to be expected. Thus, 
the need and incentive to provide a more efficient and economical 
manufacturing means and method for producing and packaging "give-away" 
post-mydriatic spectacles is timely, and met by the applicant's present 
invention as herein set forth describing in detail a machine and method 
for the automated manufacture of protective spectacles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a machine 
for the auomated production and packaged delivery output of protective 
spectacles of that type typically provided by an optometrist to a patient 
for temporary protective eye wear use following pupil dilative eye 
examination procedures, the type of protective eyewear device hereby 
produced being commonly referred to as post-mydriatic spectacles. 
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a machine that 
will automatically produce protective spectacles made from a flexible 
sheet material, which spectacles are provided with adjustable temples in 
order that they may be made to accommodate various sizes. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a machine for 
the automated manufacture of protective spectacles which is capable of 
substantially higher assembled and packaged spectacle production output 
per man hour than is otherwise currently possible with presently available 
equipment. 
It is still another object of the instant invention to provide a machine 
for the automated manufacture of protective spectacles which is safe and 
relatively simple in operation, as well as a machine which requires a 
minimum of make-ready time, in addition to a machine which may be easily 
maintained, and set and operated by an employee not possessed of special 
skill or training. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a highly efficient 
automated production method for protective spectacle manufacture by 
embodying operational procedures which enable the accomplishment of 
simultaneous machine processing functions respectively upon the various 
component input materials for thereby achieving the automated assembly and 
packaged production output of finished protective spectacle product. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine and 
method for automated manufacture of protective spectacles which 
mechanically consolidates functions that have heretofore been relatively 
time consuming and separate mechanically and manually accomplished 
operations. 
Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other 
objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and 
illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIG. 1, the machine 10 of instant invention for the automated 
manufacture of protective spectacles 12, and the major mechanically 
integrated components of said machine 10 comprising the same are shown in 
a top plan view thereof, which components consist of a lens material 
infeed roll stand 14 and the lens material web indexing infeed 16 
therefor, in addition to a set of temple material infeed roll stands 18 
each having a temple material web indexing infeed 20 respectively 
therefor, the foregoing in turn respectively delivering the lens material 
web 22 and temple material webs 24 to the infeed material die punch and 
product assembly station 26 which with each operational cycle of said 
machine 10 concurrently completes a sequentially progressive plurality of 
product component parts formation and joining and assembly steps for 
delivery of a completed protective spectacle 12, and by means of the 
product pick-up and delivery station 28 removes and presents the completed 
protective spectacle 12 to the packaging station 30 for automated 
individual insertion of the same into a protective envelope 32, thereafter 
followed by delivery of the envelope packaged product to cartoning for 
shipping or storage. 
Referring again to FIG. 1 to explain in greater detail both the major 
mechanical components of said machine 10 as well as the sequential method 
provided thereby for the automated formation, assembly, delivery and 
packaging of completed spectacles 12. The material infeed roll stands 14 
and 18 respectively for the lens material web 22 and temple material webs 
24 are of conventional design and structure for such devices, each being 
provided with a material infeed roll support frame 34 comprised of 
interconnected vertical and horizontal members and having adjustable foot 
pads 36 for operationally levelling the frame 34 at a machine 10 
installation site, wherein each such frame 34 has an axle 38 which is 
adapted to insertably engage and support the lens material infeed roll 40 
and temple material rolls 42 through the central reel core openings 44 
respectively thereof. Each material infeed roll stand 14 and 18 is also 
provided with a web tensioner 46 which is comprised of a freely rotating 
counterbalance arm 48 attached to a rotating shaft 50 and having a web 
tensioning roller 52 at one end to ride on the material infeed web 22 or 
24 and thereby dynamically maintain the same in a state of operationally 
balanced slack and tensioning during machine 10 running, and at the other 
end of said arm 48 having a slidably adjustable and set counterbalance 
weight 54 to accommodate roller 52 adjustment to the running 
characteristics of different web materials as well as ambient operational 
condition effects such as temperature and humidity upon the web materials 
and machine 10 running speed variations. 
The material webs 22 and 24 pay out from their respective infeed roll 
stands 14 and 18 into the web indexing infeeds 16 and 20 which in timed 
operational machine 10 cycles engagably clamp and indexably advance the 
respective material webs 22 and 24 into the infeed material die punch and 
product assembly station 26. The respective web indexing infeeds 16 and 20 
are structurally, mechanically, and operationally the same, differing only 
in physical size wherein the lens material web indexing infeed 16 is of 
one dimensional size and the two temple material web indexing infeeds 20 
are of a smaller but respectively identical dimensional size. 
Operationally, the respective webs 22 and 24 are engaged and indexably 
advanced by the spaced web infeed clamps 58 on a cyclic basis, the spaced 
web infeed clamps 58 respectively being pneumatically operated each by a 
clamp cycling air cylinder 60, the respective web clamp 58 dwells and web 
engagement pressures being established by clamp switches 62 and the clamp 
switch adjustment screw 64 wherein said switches 62 are spaced to 
reciprocally engage the screw 64 to effect reciprocal operation of the 
clamp cycling air cylinder 60 through contact deflection of the clamp 
cylinder switch trigger 66, all of which is initiated upon machine 10 
activation through the control panel 68 start cycle switch 70, wherein 
said control panel 68 and the related switch and machine 10 operational 
indicator signal light means associated therewith are not shown in FIG. 1 
but are as illustrated in FIG. 2 to be hereinafter described in greater 
detail. 
Following the machine 10 cyclic indexing infeed of webs 22 and 24 to the 
material die punch and product assembly station 26, the master cylinder 72 
is triggered to cycle and reciprocally operate a vertical displacement and 
retraction of the punch holder platen 74 and cooperatively with the fixed 
die table 76 effect a concurrent simultaneous plurality of machine 10 
functional operations including punching, creasing, folding, component 
assembly, ultrasonic welding, and finished protective spectacle 12 
delivery to envelope packaging, wherein more detailed descriptions of the 
specific machine 10 operations as above recited will be discussed in 
greater detail on consideration of subsequent illustrative Figures 
hereinafter. 
With each operational cycle of said machine 10 as outlined above, a 
sufficient charge of lens material web 22 and temple material web 24 is 
indexably infed to the material die punch and product assembly station 26 
for conversion thereof to a single finished protective spectacle 12, and a 
single protective spectacle 12 is delivered from said material die punch 
and product assembly station 26 to the product pick-up and delivery 
station 28, which receives and delivers each protective spectacle 12 
singly to the packaging station 30 for individual protective envelope 32 
insertion. 
The product pick-up and delivery station 28 consists of a set of 
pneumatically operated pick-up fingers 78 driven by the pneumatic pick-up 
finger cylinder complex 80 by which the pick-up fingers 78 clampably 
engage a completed protective spectacle 12, and then pivotally rotate the 
same 90-degrees downward by said cylinder complex 80 to insertably deliver 
the spectacle 12 to an opened protective envelope 32 as shown in phantom, 
wherein one side of the open end of the envelope 32 is held by a set of 
retaining fingers 82 while the other side is held and pulled away by a 
pneumatic sucking cup 84 to thereby open and then hold open a protective 
envelope 32 for finished protective spectacle 12 insertion therein. 
The packaging station 30 further includes an envelope feeding magazine 88 
in which protective envelopes 32 are placed and retained for feeding to 
the product pick-up and delivery station 28, wherein said envelope feeding 
magazine 88 is operable by means of a simple gravity feed comprised of an 
envelope pusher 90 that is connected by a cable 92 about pulleys 94 to a 
depending weight 96 and is thereby caused to maintain a constant forward 
feed force on the protective envelopes 32 therein contained. 
The machine 10 for automated manufacture of protective spectacles 12 as 
shown and illustrated in FIG. 1, and certain subsequent Figures 
hereinafter, may be constructed of metals or plastics, or any other 
suitable materials or combinations thereof. 
Referring now to the side elevation view of said machine 10 as illustrated 
in FIG. 2, which is simplified in the respect that only the lens material 
infeed roll stand is shown, and not the temple material infeed roll stands 
18, so as to reduce what would otherwise present clutter and confusion in 
the view at the material infeed end thereof. Additionally shown in FIG. 2 
is side elevation detail of the infeed material die punch and product 
assembly station 26, and in particular the master cylinder 72 and the 
assembly thereof to reciprocally drive the punch holder platen 74. As 
shown, the master cylinder 72 is assembled to the master cylinder mounting 
and support base 98 by means of cylinder connecting bolts 100 threadably 
inserted through openings in the cylinder mounting base plate 102 and into 
cooperative threaded openings in said support base 98. The master cylinder 
mounting and support base 98 is in turn supportably assembled to the 
cylinder elevating posts 104 by post connecting bolts 106 so as to thereby 
elevate said master cylinder 72 sufficiently and thus enable vertical 
displacement and retraction of the master cylinder ram 108 in reciprocally 
driving the punch holder platen 74 to which it is connected by ram collar 
bolts 110. As the punch holder platen 74 is reciprocally displaced by the 
advance and retraction of the master cylinder ram 108, the punch holder 
platen 74 is maintained in close register and alignment by means of the 
punch holder platen register posts 114 having register lugs 116 which 
provide mechanically cooperative close tolerance clearance within the 
punch holder platen register openings 118 to thereby maintain said punch 
holder platen 74 in close and consistent alignment so the respective 
punches 120 carried thereby maintain operational register with the 
corresponding cooperative dies 122 during machine 10 production running. 
As the material webs 22 and 24 are forwarded through the material die punch 
and product assembly station 26 and the spectacle product is formed and 
assembled, one of the operations performed is that of ultrasonic welding 
of a retaining tab over each inserted temple member, which is accomplished 
by a set of ultrasonic welding electrodes 124 as shown in FIG. 2. 
Following the ultrasonic welding station there are a set of earpiece 
fold-over pushers 126 and 128, one being for the left temple fold-over and 
the other for the right, afterwhich the protective spectacle 12 is then 
forwarded in a temple fold-over configuration to the product pick-up and 
delivery station 28. 
As the material webs 22 and 24 are indexably advanced through the material 
die punch and product assembly station 26, the punch waste therefrom is 
advanced and discharged by gravity down the waste discharge chute 130 to 
be collected in the waste container 132 for removal and disposal. 
Similarly, the completed and envelope packaged protective spectacles 12 
are released by the pneumatic sucking cup 84 and gravity deposited into 
the product discharge chute 134 for delivery thereby to the completed 
product collection box 136 and removal to counting, cartoning and either 
storage or shipping. 
Also shown in greater detail in FIG. 2 are the interconnected horizonal and 
vertical members of the machine support frame 138, in addition to the 
machine stop switch 140 located in the control panel 68 in a position 
adjacent the start cycle switch 70, the later of which as was previously 
explained. Additional control panel switches include the machine reset 
switch 142 which is to reset the machine 10 for operational cycling during 
and after make-ready procedures, the fault reset switch 144 to react the 
machine 10 for operational cycling following a fault stoppage, the single 
cycle switch 146 to cycle said machine 10 through a single material infeed 
and product delivery cycle, and the single step switch 148 to cycle single 
step machine 10 functions through a single step cycle. The control panel 
68 is electrically connected to the machine 10 operational stations 
through operational control conduit 150, and to a suitable power source 
through power connector conduit 152. The remaining control panel 68 
positions are used for machine 10 malfunction indicator lights which will 
be explained in detail on consideration of the subsequent Figures 
hereinafter. 
Considering now the views shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, which respectively 
illustrate the die table 76 of the infeed material die punch and product 
assembly station 26 of said machine 10, the punch holder platen 74 
thereof, and in FIG. 5 results of the simultaneously performed functional 
operations progressively carried out by the mechanically cooperative die 
table 76 and punch holder platen 74 respectively upon the infeed lens 
material and temple material webs 22 and 24 during the indexable infeed 
cycling thereof through said station 26, which includes the concurrent 
plurality of punching, creasing, folding, component assembly, ultrasonic 
welding, and finished spectacle 12 delivery to envelope packaging as is 
hereinafter explained in further detail, and in so doing looking first at 
FIG. 5. 
In FIG. 5, the lens material web 22 has a repetitively recycling imaginary 
infeed leading edge with every infeed on a machine 10 cycle, being 
designated as 22a and which is perpendicular to the direction of web 22 
indexably infed cyclical advancement through the material die punch and 
product assembly station 26 as is indicated by arrow 22b, and the 
respective temple material webs 24 each likewise have a repetitively 
recycling imaginary infeed leading edge with every infeed on a machine 10 
cycle, being designated as 24a and which is perpendicular to the 
directions of web 24 indexably infed cyclical advancements through said 
station 26. The geometrically shaped cross-hatched elements shown in FIG. 
5 represent various punches of station 26 in relation to the material webs 
22 and 24 as they are sequentially employed to form spectacle lens 
components 156 and the set of spectacle temple components 158 respectively 
therefor. As has been previously pointed out, all punches cycle 
simultaneously so that as the punch holder platen 74 as shown in FIG. 4, 
on cycling of the master cylinder 72 is advanced to cooperatively engage 
with the die table 76 as shown in FIG. 3, all operational functions are 
simultaneously performed upon the respective material infeed webs 22 and 
24 and a single completed set of protective spectacles 12 is delivered 
from said machine 10 with each operational cycle thereof. However, for 
purposes of clarity, the production process will be sequentially described 
in terms of following the respective material infeed imaginary leading 
edges 22a and 24a through the series of indexing cycles from initial 
infeed to delivered product. 
The material infeed webs 22 and 24 are advanced through the material die 
punch and product assembly station 26 at the die table 76 die face level, 
and in particular as shown in FIG. 3 in a mechanical disposition of being 
interposed between the respective die faces for webs 22 and 24 and 
cooperative overlying stripper plates 160 and 162 having complementary die 
opening cut-outs therein which function as a mechanical means whereby on 
each machine 10 cycle as the punches are retractably withdrawn 
therethrough they are cleaned of any adhereing lens or temple punch blank 
material so as to avoid machine 10 operational jams which might otherwise 
be resultant from punch blank material from either source hanging up on 
the punches. 
The first die punch impression to be made in the material webs 22 and 24 on 
indexed infeed advancement of the respective imaginary infeed leading 
edges 22a and 24a are those of the lens material web register holes 164 
made by the lens material web register hole punches 166 and the temple 
material web register holes 168 made by the temple material web register 
hole punches 170, which register holes 164 and 168 respectively serve 
during subsequent machine 10 cycles and continued infeed material 
advancement to receive either the lens material web register pins 172 or 
temple material web register pins 174 whereby webs 22 and 24 are 
positively maintained and held in operational alignment and register for 
subsequent sequential punching, creasing, folding, component assembly, 
ultrasonic welding, and completed spectacle 12 separation from the lens 
material web 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the respective stripper plates 160 
and 162 of the die table 76 are provided with openings for the lens and 
temple web register pins 172 and 174 to pass through on machine 10 
operational cycling and advancement of the punch holder platen 74 to the 
die table 76, being the lens material web register pin openings 176 and 
the temple material web register pin openings 178, as well as also 
openings for passage of the lens material web register hole punches 166 
and the temple material web register hole punches 170, being respectively 
the lens material web register hole punch opening 180 and the temple 
material web register hole punch opening 182. 
In mechanically accomplishing the processing operations herein taught, the 
lens web material being typically a plastic substance and less susceptable 
to the effects of ambient operational temperature and humidity conditions 
than is that of the temple web material which is typically a paper based 
product, is employed as the control web for purposes of primary machine 10 
set and material guidance for automated assembly and fabrication of the 
protective spectacle 12 product. For the foregoing reason, and since 
uniform lens web material cross-web lateral dimension is important in the 
foregoing respect, the lens material web 22 is trimmed from both lateral 
sides thereof by the lens material lateral dimension uniforming punches 
184 as shown in FIG. 5, which are accommodated in passage through the 
stripper plate 160 to the die table 76 by lateral dimension uniforming 
punch openings 186 as is shown in FIG. 3. 
The next punch impressions to be made in the temple material webs are those 
for the temple adjustment stops 188 as shown in FIG. 5, which are a set of 
half-moon shaped imprints that may be selectively employed by a user to 
adjust the temple 158 extension in accommodating fit to head size of the 
user. The foregoing imprints are made with the temple adjustment stop 
punches 190 as shown in FIG. 4, which are accommodated in passage through 
the stripper plate 162 to the die table 76 by temple adjustment stop punch 
openings 192. 
Next the laterally dimensioned lens material web 22 is engaged along the 
indexably advanced imaginary infeed leading edge 22a thereof with a 
laterally spaced set of lens forming punches 196 and an intermediately 
spaced nose notch punch 198 which punches simultaneously form the bottom 
lens profile 200 of the preceding spectacle lens component 156 and the top 
lens profile 202 of the following spectacle lens component 156. At this 
time the tabs 204 are also formed as parts of the spectacle lens component 
156 structure, which tabs are thereafter folded and secured in a manner to 
be hereinafter described whereby are provided mechanical means for 
securing the adjustable temples to the protective spectacles 12. 
Concurrent with the foregoing punch forming operation the temple end 
forming punches 206 engage the respective temple material webs 24 and 
effect die cutting of the temple stop extension 208 as well as the end of 
the temple ear bow 210. It will be noted that the spectacle temple 
components 158 from this stage forward are progressively formed as the 
temple material webs 24 are indexably advanced, thus to incrementally 
remove material and thereby maintain maximum operational control over the 
temple components 158 while they are being formed and mechanically 
advanced in convergence to assembly connection with the spectacle lens 
component 156. 
Each of the foregoing punches are provided with corresponding openings in 
the appropriate stripper plates 160 and 162, and in the case of the lens 
forming punch 196 and nose notch punch 198 respectively being the lens 
forming punch opening 212 and the nose notch punch opening 214 in the lens 
die cooperative overlying stripper plate 160, and in the case of the 
temple end forming punches 206 being the temple end forming punch openings 
216 in the respective temple die cooperative overlying stripper plates 
162. 
As the lens material web 22 continues to be indexably advanced with each 
machine 10 cycle, the tabs 204 are engaged by the die table 76 tab folding 
dies 218 mounted upon the reciprocating die bar 220 which is operable by 
the die bar cylinder 222 all as shown in FIG. 3, and bent upwards at a 
90-degree angle to the spectacle lens component 156 as shown at 204' in 
FIG. 5. On continued indexably advanced movement of the lens material web 
22 the 90-degree upward bent tabs 204' move under the die table 76 tab 
hold-down shoes 224 as shown in FIG. 3 and are further bent over also as 
shown in FIG. 5 as 204". 
During continued indexably advanced forwarding of the lens material web 22 
as above described, the continually angularly inward forwarding 
convergence of the respective temple material webs 24 moves the spectacle 
temple component 158 temple stop extensions 208 into closer proximity with 
the spectacle lens component 156 bent over tabs 204", whereupon the temple 
bow extension punches 226 on cycling of the punch holder platen 74 move to 
form the temple bow extensions 228 immediately prepatory to assembly of 
the temple components 158 with the lens component 156. In operational 
mechanical cooperation with the die table 76, the temple bow extension 
punches communicate through the temple bow extension punch openings 230 as 
shown in FIG. 3. 
As the respective right and left temple stop extensions 208 are moved into 
insertable communication with the bent over tabs 204" on their continued 
indexable forward transit under the tab hold-down shoes 224, and they 
emerge therefrom, said tabs 204" are engaged and compressed by the tab 
creasing dies 232 as shown in FIG. 3 to be thereby conformed into a 
flattened condition against the temple stop extensions 208. Concurrent 
therewith the temple back bow punch 234 makes an initial temple back bow 
cut 236 as shown in FIG. 5, leaving the temple back bow connecting web 238 
as that remaining forward moving temple material guidance control by which 
to mechanically effect final insertable communication of the temple bow 
extensions 228 slidably within the now folded and creased tabs 240. 
On continued indexable forwarding of the respective material webs 22 and 24 
the temple bow extensions 228, guided and controlled by the temple back 
bow connecting webs 238 as shown in FIG. 5, are fully inserted from either 
side within the bent over tabs 240 which are engaged by the ultrasonic 
welding electrodes 124 as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 to provide a welded 
seal 242 and thereby functionally and structurally assemble the respective 
spectacle temple components 158 to the spectacle lens component 156 by 
means of welded retaining tabs 244. Concurrent with the ultrasonic tab 
welding, the temple back bow punch 234 completes the final temple back bow 
cut 246 to thereby severably free the respective spectacle temple 
components 158 from the temple material webs 24, leaving continued 
forwarding of the assembled protective spectacle 248 to be carried and 
controlled by the nose notch connecting webs 250 of the lens material web 
22 and the lens material web register pins 172 which insertably 
communicate through the lens material web register holes 164 remaining 
within the nose notch connecting webs 250. Also, on simultaneously 
completing the initial and final temple back bow cuts 236 and 246, the 
respective temple back bow punches 234 do so by insertably communicating 
through the corresponding complementary temple back bow punch openings 252 
in the temple die cooperative overlying stripper plates 162 as shown in 
FIG. 3. 
During indexably advanced transit of the respective material infeed webs 22 
and 24 as previously described, any jamming or mis-feed condition 
respectively with regard thereto is detected by one of the sensors 
therefor and signaled by a light on the control panel 68 as shown in FIG. 
2. The lens material web feed status is monitered and signaled by the lens 
material web feed sensor 256 which is mounted on the punch holder platen 
74 as shown in FIG. 4, with the sensed lens material web 22 operational 
infeed condition being transmitted to the control panel 68 as shown in 
FIG. 2 by means of the lens material web feed sensor control panel 
connecting cable 258 to operate the lens material web feed sensor 
indicating light 260. Likewise, the right and left temple material web 
status are respectively monitered and signaled by the right and left 
temple material web feed sensors 262 and 264 also mounted on the punch 
holder platen 74, with the sensed temple material web 24 operational 
infeed conditions being transmitted to the control panel 68 by means of 
the temple material web feed sensor control panel connecting cables 266 to 
respectively operate the right and left temple web feed sensor indicating 
lights 268 and 270. In the event of a web infeed malfunction the power to 
operate said machine 10 is automatically cut off by way of a sensor signal 
through the control panel 68 and the malfunction location as detected by 
the appropriate sensor is thereon indicated by an illumination of the 
corresponding sensor indicating light. 
The assembled protective spectacle 248 as previously identified and 
discussed on earlier consideration of FIG. 5 is now further forwarded on 
the next indexable advancement into the earpiece folding station 272, 
wherein the right and left earpieces 274 and 276 are respectively engaged 
by the right and left earpiece folding dies 278 and 280 and thereupon bent 
inward at 90-degree upward angles to the protective spectacle lens section 
282. The 90-degree fold configuration of the right and left earpieces as 
performed at the earpiece folding station 272 is as shown in FIG. 5, and 
the earpiece folding station 272 and the right and left folding dies 278 
and 280 thereof are shown in FIGS. 2 through 4. 
The spectacles now enter left and right earpiece fold-over pushers 126 and 
128 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for finishing of the assembled protective 
spectacles 248 by a folding of the respective earpieces into the typical 
closed spectacle configuration 284 as shown in FIG. 5. Operationally, the 
respective earpiece fold-over pushers 126 and 128 are mechanically 
assisted by directed air blasts from the earpiece fold-over air nozzles 
286 mounted upon the punch holder platen 74 as shown in FIG. 4, each of 
which nozzle directs a stream of air to impinge upon the corresponding 
90-degree upright standing earpieces 274 and 276 and thereby deflect them 
slightly inward as a cooperative fold-over assist just prior to and during 
cycling of the respective earpiece fold-over pushers 126 and 128. As is 
best shown in FIG. 3, the fold-over pushers each consist of a pivotal 
fold-over plate 288 the lower end of which pivots about a plate pin 290 
when the pivot plate cylinder 292 is cycled to extend the ram 294 which is 
in turn pivotally connected to said plate 288 the upper end thereof by a 
pintle assembly 296. Each fold-over pusher is further provided with a stop 
block 298 opposite thereto, against which the opposing side of the 
assembled spectacle 248 abuts during completion of the earpiece fold-over 
operation in delivering a closed spectacle configuration 284 for 
separation from the lens material web 22. 
The last operation to be performed by the infeed material die punch and 
product assembly station 26 is that of separating the completed protective 
spectacle 12 for delivery to the pick-up fingers 78 as previously shown 
and explained on consideration of FIG. 2, and which is accomplished by 
removal of the nose notch connecting webs 250 by means of the nose notch 
connecting web punches 300 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which punches 300 
thereupon communicate through the nose notch connecting web punch openings 
304 in the auxiliary stripper plate 306 and by which said nose notch 
connecting webs 250 are removed to thereby deliver a completed protective 
spectacle 12 with each cycle of said machine 10, wherein the packaging 
sequence which thereafter follows is as was previously explained on the 
earlier detailed descriptive consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The last illustration for consideration is that as shown in FIG. 5A, which 
is simply an opened protective spectacle 12 profile, being included herein 
for purposes of clearly depicting the various component parts as 
previously described during the fabrication thereof on indexable 
production transit of the material webs 22 and 24 through the infeed 
material die punch and product assembly station. 
Although the invention herein disclosed has been shown and described in 
what is considered to be the most practical and preferred method and 
mechanical embodiment for the practice thereof, it is recognized that 
departures may be made therefrom within the scope thereof, which is not to 
be limited to the specific details disclosed herein but is to be accorded 
the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent 
methods and means.