IMPROVEMENTS IN EYE GLASSES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Frederick Redfern at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1881. A communi-
cation from abroad by Fred Terstegen, of Elizabeth, Union County, State of
New Jersey, in the United States of America.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EYE
GLASSES." [A communication from abroad by Fred Terstegen, of Elizabeth,
Union County, State of New Jersey, in the United States of America.]
The object of the Invention communicated to me is to provide certain new and
useful improvements in eyeglasses which permit of folding the eyeglass without
twisting, breaking, or weakening the bow spring, and at the same time these
improvements permit of adjusting the nose rests in such a manner that they will
fit on any nose, and the nose rests can be so adjusted that the glasses can have any
desired inclination to the line of sight, that is to say, the glasses can be adjusted
at a greater or less inclination to the face, accordingly as a person is looking down,
as on a book, or at an object in the distance.
Heretofore eye glasses have been constructed with a bowspring made in one
piece and rigidly attached to the frames of the glasses or in frameless glasses to
the glasses themselves.
But with this construction of the bowspring the glasses must be folded over each
other and one glass is moved over the other in a plane parallel or about parallel
with the plane of the fixed glass, and this movement does not only twist, break,
and weaken the bowspring and break the noserests, but it also causes the glasses to
scratch and wear each other's surfaces, especially if the glasses are constructed
without a frame, as the so called "frameless glasses" are.
For the purpose of avoiding the above named deficiencies, the bow spring
according to this Invention is composed of two spring sections and attached to the
frames or in frameless glasses to the glasses themselves, in a suitable manner.
The free ends of these sections are overlapped and are united by a pivot or rivet
CD

page_text: which however permits of the glasses turning on this pivot as a centre of rotation,
thus permitting the glasses to be folded together in a plane at right angles to the
plane of the glasses, or in other words, the glasses do not swing over but towards
cach other. But when the eyeglass is opened the glasses must be held in this
position, and for this purpose one section is provided with short projections or studs
at each side of the pivot, and the other section is provided with corresponding
recesses, indentations, or apertures (small holes) at each side of the pivot, or vice
versa. When the eyeglass is opened the projections or studs snap or snatch into
the notches, recesses, or apertures, and will lock the sections in the position they
have when the eyeglass is opened.
But when the eyeglass is to be closed the projections or short studs will leave
the recesses or apertures if a slight pressure is exerted, and the eyeglass can be
closed and is held in this position by any suitable spring, catch, or other appropriate
device.
But in place of the locking device described for locking the sections in position
when opened, any other suitablo devices may be used, for instance, the ends of the
springs can be slightly bent or twisted, or the outer edge of one end can be bent
downwards so that the glasses can only be opened so far that the sections shall
be in a straight line.
It has been stated that a further object of this Invention is to provide adjustable
nose rests, which can be adjusted to fit any nose, or to the option of the wearer.
I will now proceed to describe the various constructions of these improved
adjustable nose rests.
In carrying out this part of the Invention, a band spring is employed, which is
attached to a projection or lug of the frame and is bent down, then twisted, and
then bent upwards, and to the upper end of this spring which forms the nose rest
a stud with a head at its end is attached, this stud projecting towards the frame.
A longitudinally slotted (or slide) strip or longitudinal plate provided with, a
notch at the outer end of the slot or slide is pivotted to the frame or to a projection
of the same, and the stud passes through the slot of this strip, the head of the stud
holding the strip on the stud and preventing it from slipping off.
If the upper end of the nose rest spring is drawn outward, that is, towards the
face of the wearer, the outer end of the pivotted strip will be raised, and finally the
stud will pass into the notch, and will hold the nose rest spring in position.
By slightly raising the outer end of the strip the stud is drawn out of the notch
and the spring nose rest snaps back into its original position. If the strip is provided
with a series of notches the nose rest spring can be locked at various inclinations
to the lens.
This construction of slide nose rests can be made in
instance, the slide may work on the outside of the nose
be slotted and the upper link or strip can be made solid.
various other ways; for
rest, or the nose rest may
The upper end of the nose rest is pivotted to the lower end of a small strip
pivotted to the edge of the glass, its frame or a projection thereof and the lower
end of the nose rest is provided with a fork fitting on the edge of the glass or its
frame.
By moving the upper end of the nose rest in the direction towards the face of
the wearer the nose rest can be placed at any desired inclination.
In a slight modification of this construction the edge of the glass or its frame is
provided with a series of grooves or notches into which the fork fits for holding the
nose rest at the desired inclination.
Or the pivotted end of the strip is lapped or folded over to form a friction spring
which assists in holding the nose rest at any desired inclination.
In another modification the band spring is attached to the frame, or a projection
thereof is bent downwards and twisted, and is then bent upwards, this spring
forming the nose rest. This spring nose rest is provided with a stud,
projection, lug, or finger which may be attached thereto rigidly or adjustably, that

page_text: is to say, to slide up or down, or may be pivotted to form a moveable finger or
lever.
If the nose rest springs are first pressed towards each other a short distance, they
can be drawn in the direction towards the face of the wearer and the stud will
rest against the inner edge of a prolongation of the bow spring and will thus
hold the nose rest in position. If the stud is made adjustable the inclination of
the nose rest can be varied. The prolongation of the bow spring and the nose
rest spring can be made of one piece if desired, and the nose rest spring can be
made in any suitable desired form, and the lug or finger can be attached to the
frame or connection of the bowspring to hold the nose rest in any position.
Or a nose rest may be pivotted at its upper end to the outer end of a strip, which
is pivotted to a projection of the stud of the eye glasses, to which the bowspring
is fastened.
The pivotted end of the strip may be doubled or folded over to form a friction
spring. The nose rest is preferably made polygonal in cross section.
In some cases the nose rest is pivotted at its lower end to the frame or by
frameless glasses on a connection stud thereof, and its upper end is pivotted to a
short link which in turn is pivotted to another like link pivotted to the frame.
By drawing the upper end of the nose rest in the direction towards the face
the same will be placed in position. A suitable spring for holding or folding the
nose rest in desired position can be connected with the upper part or with the lower
end of the nose rest.
In a more simple construction the nose rest is pivotted to the frame or projection
thereof, and the lower end of the nose rest is bent or doubled over to form a loop
or friction spring for bolding the nose rest at any desired inclination when the
same is drawn in the direction towards the face of the wearer.
Or the nose rest may be pivotted to the eye glass frame or projection thereof,
and a spring be attached rigidly to the frame or bowspring and provided at its
lower end with a shoulder or projection, so that if the nose rest be inclined, the
projection rests against the lower end of the nose rest and holds it in this
position.
If the nose rest is folded in the inverse direction the pressure of the spring will
be overcome and the spring will lock the nose rest in the folded position.
With the improved folding bow spring may be combined a modified construction
of the improved adjustable nose rest as follows :—
A nose rest is pivotted at its upper end to the end towards the face of the
wearer, of a lever pivotted to a projection of the stud or projection to which the
bowspring is fastened. A coiled spring or its equivalent is attached to
the projection, and the lower and free end of this spring passes into an aperture in
the outer end of a lever. The bowspring is composed of sections provided with the
locking devices as herein before described. If desired, the nose rest can be rigidly
fastened to the lever instead of being pivotted. The spring presses the nose rests
against the side of the nose and the nose rests thus adjust themselves automatically
to the size of the nose. If the glass is closed (folded) in the manner previously
described, the levers will be folded down against the glasses and will be held in
this position as long as the glasses are held on each other by means of a suitable
catch.
As soon as this catch is released the springs will turn the levers and will open
the glasses automatically which are locked in the opened position by means of the
locking devices of the pivotted or hinged bow spring.
Or the nose rest is pivotted to one or two strips at the top or bottom, or at both
top and bottom, which strips are pivotted to lugs or projections of the frame.
If desired, the pivotted ends of the strips may be lapped over to form friction
springs.
The hereinbefore described adjustable nose rests can be attached to the frame, to
the glasses, to the bowspring or connection thereof, and can be used with ordinary

page_text: eye glasses, or with eye glasses provided with the improved pivotted or hinged
bowspring. All the band springs may be doubled over at the pivotted ends to form
friction springs if desired.
The spring on a nose rest can be separately connected and can be replaced by
various other forms.
The herein before.described devices can be applied to any kind of frames, or to
glasses without frames, and the springs can be made of gold, silver, brass, com-
position, steel, or other metal.