IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECTACLES AND HAND FRAMES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Braham, of Bristol, Optician, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECTACLES AND HAND FRAMES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Braham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
February 1861.
I, JOHN BRAHAM, of Bristol, Optician, do hereby declare the nature of tho
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECTACLES AND HAND FRAMES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention of improvements in spectacles and hand frames relates, in the
first place, to a novel mode of adapting to spectacles additional glasses or
media which are capable of being brought over the eye or removed therefrom
with facility when required, and without removing the spectacles from the
head. To this end the additional glasses or media are jointed to the frames
on a swivel or joint in such a manner that the additional glasses or media may
be pushed on one side, and thus be removed from the line of sight. The
additional glasses may be made of any desired focus, or simply of coloured
glass. For rifle shooting and other purposes where great steadiness of sight
is required I make media of discs of some opaque substance, such as horn or
other suitable material, and I make a small eye hole or opening in the centre
of the medium or disc so that such hole shall be immediately in front of the
centre of the pupil of the eye. By adapting these perforated media either to
spectacles or hand fraines, and employing them to assist the vision, the delicate

page_text: nerves of the eye are not disturbed by too strong a glare of light, and great
steadiness of sightwill be the result. It is evident that opaque discs of this
kind, with perforated eye holes in the centre, may be made separate from the
spectacles or hand frames and provided with a spring or springs, so that they
may be readily adapted-to-any ordinary spectacles or hand frames, or used
without spectacles. Sometimes I find it convenient to adapt to the small
central eye hole of the disc a small lens of any desired focus to suit the sight
of the wearer.
Another improvement in hand frames relates to a novel mode of constructing
the spring whereby these frames are held on the face. This improvement
consists in the employment of a helical steel wire spring to connect the eyes
together instead of a flat steel spring, as is now the case in all spring hand
frames. In order to protect spectacles and hand frames from being broken
I make the sides of the cases for enclosing these articles of 'sheet iron, steel,
or other strong metal, and cover the same with leather or other suitable
material, or otherwise ornatient the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Braham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BRAHAM, of Bristol, Optician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Braham, Her special license that I, the said John Braham, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Braham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECTACLES AND
HAND FRAMES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Braham, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the

page_text: · Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said John Braham, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be-particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "improvements in spectacles and hand frames relates, in
the first place, to a novel mode of adapting to spectacles additional glasses or
media which are capable of being brought over the eye or removed therefrom
with facility when required, and without removing the spectacles from the
head. To this end the additional glasses or media are jointed to the frames
on a swivel or joint in such a manner that the additional glasses or media
may, when required, be pushed on one side and be removed from the line of
sight. The additional glasses may be made of any desired focus, or simply of
colored glass. For rifle shooting, and other purposes where great steadiness of
sight is required, I make media of discs of some opaque substance, such as
metal, horn, or other suitable material, and I make a small eye hole or
opening in the centre of the medium or disc so that such hole shall be imme-
diately in front of the centre of the pupil of the eye, or on one side, as circum-
stances may require. By adapting these perforated media either to spectacles
or hand frames, and employing them to assist the vision, the delicate nerves of
the eye are not disturbed by too strong a glare of light, and great steadiness
of sight will be the result. It is evident that opaque discs of this kind, with
perforated eye holes in the centre, or otherwise, may be made separate from
the spectacles or hand frames and provided with a spring or springs, so that
they may be readily adapted to any ordinary spectacles or hand frames, or
used without spectacles. Sometimes I find it convenient to adapt to the small
central eye hole of the disc a small lens of any desired focus to suit the sight
of the wearer.
Another improvement in hand frames relates to a novel mode or constructing
the spring whereby these frames are held on the face. This improvement
consists in the employment of a helical steel wire spring to connect the eyes
together instead of a flat steel spring, as is now the case in all spring hand
frames. In order to protect spectacles and hand frames from being broken
Lmake the sides of the cases for enclosing these articles of sheet irou, steel, or
other strong metal, and cover the same with leather or other suitable material,
or otherwise ornament the same.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn views of various forms of

page_text: spectacles, hand frames, and glasses constructed according to my Invention,or
with my improvements adapted thereto.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a pair of spectacles in which the jointed arms may
be set either at right angles or at an acute angle to the frame a, as is generally
known as the pantoscopic. To this frame a I attach another pair of eyes b,b,
which are secured to the spectacle frame by a swivel joint c, a boss or pro-
jecting piece being made at c for the purpose. By this means the spectacle
can be used either with or without the additional
eyes, which
may, however,
be pushed on one side, as shewn in the Drawing. These additional eyes cau
be provided with lenses to increase the power when required, or any concave
or coloured glass, or plano-coucave or convex lenses, according to the require-
ments of the wearer, thereby enabling a greater or less power, or of any colour,
to be used on the same spectacle. I would observe, that I have found it
particularly advantageous to use the shades of orange and yellow in my spec-
tacles. Fig. 2 is a front view, and Fig. 3 a plan view of a spectacle frame in
which the additional eyes are adapted to the frame a in a somewhat different
manner to that shown at Fig. 1. In Figures 2 and 3 the additional eyes,
which may be glazed with any required lens or colored glass, are attached to
the frame by pins or screws at d, d. The eyes b, b, may therefore be readily
turned aside when not required, as indicated by dots in Fig. 3, or they may be
detached, if desired, as shewn at Fig. 3 a. By these means lenses or concave
glasses of any focus or number can be used on the same frame for assisting
the eyes in all diseases or nervous temperament where lenses of certain colours
will be useful. Several sets of such lenses may be fitted into a case or box, as
shewn in section and plan at Figures 4 and 4 a.
Three or more sets or pairs
of glasses may be slidden into grooves made in the box or case to receive them
and keep them apart so as to provent them from being scratched. This con-
struction of spectacles, in conjunction with a box containing additional glasses
of different focus, will be suitable where persons have dissimilar sights, gene-
rally known as odd eyes, which require the use of glasses of different focus.
The construction of these spectacles will readily allow of any alteration, so as
to exactly suit the sight of the wearer or any disease of the eyes. I propose
making use of colored glasses specially for the use of persons who are continu-
ously reading or writing, or are working on black material, or cloths of all
descriptions, and who complain of a dullness of sight. Fig. 5 is a front view of
a frame similarly constructed to that shewn at Fig. 1, except that the boss or
projecting piece c is placed nearer the top of the front, and the side arms are
made so as to enable the frame to be used either on the head or as an eye
glass or hand frame.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a modification of the frame shewn at Fig.5,the principal difference
between the two spectacles being in the form of the side arms, which are bent
out of a straight line so as not to interfere with the line of sight.
Fig. 7 is a front view, and Fig. 8 a plan view of another spectacle frame, in
which the additional eyes are adapted to the spectacle in a different manner.
The front frame of the spectacle is made with a projecting piece or block e ou
the inside of the knuckle. The additional or extra eye glasses 6 are made as
shewn at the detached side and front views Figs. 7 and 8, with hooked
projections f, f, which fit on to the eyes of the spectacle frame a. These extra
eyes may be temporarily attached to the front frame a, and are steadied in
their place by the block piece e. By this means any extra lens or colored
glasses may be fitted to the spectacle.
My next improvement relates to constructing spectacles with sights pecu-
liarly adapted to rifle shooting. Fig. 9 is a front view, and Fig. 10 a plau
view of a spectacle to be used for rifle shooting, or for other purposes, in which
the eyes require invigorating and assisting, and may be used when ordinary
glasses or lenses are not required. The improvement consists in the use of a
disc of metal, horn, or other opaque substance g, in the centre of which a small
hole is made. This disc q is mounted in a frame or attached to an arm,
whereby it may be adapted to the spectacle frame in either of the ways already
described. By means of this opaque disc all superfluous rays of light will be
excluded from the eyes, and the visual or direct line or ray of light will be
caused to fall on the retina, while the s urrounding rays will be excluded. By
the use of this contrivance all objects will become more distinct,and the target
will be more readily and clearly seen. This disc I purpose fitting to the
frames in various ways most suitable to the wearer or to the frame in use.
Figures 11 and 11* represent front and plan views of a mode of adapting
the rifle-sight disc to spectacles. A perforated disc of ivory is mounted in a
frame and attached by a hinge joint to the front frame of the spectacle, so
that it may be moved out of the way when not wanted.
Fig. 12 represents another mode of adapting the disc. In this instance the
disc is mounted excentrically on a pin 1, so that the perforations 2 therein
may be brought over different parts of the lens. Lenses suitable to near or
far sight may be inserted in the centre or at the side, as may be most
convenient.
Figures 13 are front, back, and sectional views of a disc with a lens inserted
therein to increase or diminish the focallength,as the sight of the wearer may
require.
Figs. 14 represent another node of adapting an opaque rifle disc to p

page_text: spectacle. The disc may be constructed of metal, shell, horn, japauned paper'
gutta percha,or other opaque substance, through the centre of which a hole is
made. Hooked pieces extending from the top and bottom edge of the disc
serve to attach it to the spectacle so as to bring the hole in the disc over the
centre of the lens, as shewn in the Figure.
I
Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, represent different views of various cou-
trivances for adapting or securing the discs to spectacle frames. Sometimes
I propose to attach the arm of the disc, or the disc itself, to the lens, for which
purpose I make a hole therein and secure the disc by means of a screw or pin
as shewn at Figures 20 and 21. On referring to Figures 17, 18, and 19, it
will be seen that the disc is attached to the frame of the spectacle by a simple
hinge joint, which will only admit of the disc being raised or lowered in front
of the lens when required; but in Figures 15 and 16 there are double joints,
so as to allow the hole in the centre of the disc being moved about to different
parts of the lens. In Fig. 15 the arm of the disc turns on the point 1, and
is capable of being elongated or shortened by being moved in or out, as
indicated by dots in the Figure. The same effect may be produced by ineans
of the double joint shewn in Fig. 16. Fig. 22 is a back view of a disc with a
lens in the centre and cross slits made in the disc for the purpose of seeing
objects in a vertical or horizontal plane. A small pin hole is made in the disc
in frout of the lens, as in Fig. 13. Fig. 23 is a perforated trial plate with
boles of different diameters, by means of which the optician may ascertain the
particular sized hole which will best suit the eye of his customer. Figures 24
and 25 represent eye protectors or preservers to which my improved rifle
sights have been adapted. The protector is secured to the head by an elastic
band, as is usual with these articles.
My next improvement relates to hand frames or double eye glasses to be
worn on the nose. Fig. 26 represents one of my improved hand frames, in
which the two eyes i, i, are attached by a helical spring k constructed of well-
tempered steel wire which will not readily break, and which may be silvered'
or gilt. I purpose making these springs of any suitable metal. This spring
is attached to the shell frames without screws or rivets, two bosses or blocks
being left on the shell frame with holes in which the ends of the spring are
inserted and secured; but the improved helical spring may, if desired, be
secured to the shell frame by screws, as shown in Fig. 26. Sometimes I
make these helical springs flat, by winding a thin piece of steel round another
piece of flat metal, as at Figures 27. 1 sometimes place a helical spring
within a flat hollow tube, which will form the nose piece of an eye glass. A
spring of this constraction is shewn at Figs. 28, and an eye glass with one

page_text: of these spring nose pieces may be used with less pressure on the nose, and
will be more comfortable thau the harsh springs now in use. Any of these
improved springs may be adapted to eye-glasses or hand frames of the ordinary
construction. By the application of these helical springs the pressure, when
the hand frame is in use, will be more uniform,and will suit the conformation
of the head, face, and nose much better than heretofore.
The next part of my Invention relates to an improvement in the cases used
for the protection of eye glasses. I purpose constructing a case for the protec-
tion of the helical spring and other eye-glasses in use with two slightly convex
shaped metal plates covered with leather. This case is shewn in section at
Figs. 29, and from its convex shape and bringing the outside edges of the
plates of metal together is intended to withstand a great pressure.
In conclusion, I claim as my Invention the above-described improvements
in spectacles and hand frames and cases. I claim particularly adapting
additional glasses to spectacles in the manner and for the purpose above set
forth,and also the use and application of opaque discs for the purposes above-
mentioned. I claim also the application of coiled springs to hand frames, and
also constructing the cases for hand frames with covered metal sides, as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Braham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOHN BRAHAM. (L.S.)