IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPECTACLES."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, Native of France, but
now residing at Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPECTACLES."
of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SPECTACLES."
Sealed the 14th February 1862, and dated the 20th August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustin Sylvester
Rostaing at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th August 1861.
I, AUGUSTIN SYLVESTER ROSTAING, Native of France, but now residing at
Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPECTACLES," to be
as follows:-
I propose adapting to the lower part of the rim which surrounds the glasses
of a pair of spectacles a supplementary piece, arched and furnished at one of
its extremities with a small spring, the object being to raise and at the same.
time move away the glasses from the eyes and forehead.
In the (accompanying) Drawing illustrating my Invention, a indicates a.
hinge; b, a spring (shewn separately at f); c, the bridge of the support.
Figure 1 shews a pair of spectacles, my improvements being applied, but
not in use; Figure 2 the same, my improvement being brought into action to
raise the spectacles and relieve the sight; Figure 3 shews a mode of applying
my improvements to existing spectacles by the cramp or clasp F. The weight

page_text: of the spectacles being greater than the strength of the spring, my supple-
mentary piece resumes its normal position by a very gentle and easy movement.
The soiling of the glasses, which is occasioned by the contact of the forehead
and hair when the spectacles are raised to permit the wearer to see some
distant object, or to relieve the sight, will be avoided by the adoption of my
Invention, and in raising and lowering the support with the finger and thumb
the spectacles will find a solid rest, which is neither heavy or embarassing,
and obviates the necessity of removing them to wipe the glasses, or relieve
the sight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Augustin Sylvester Rostaing in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTIN
SYLVESTER ROSTAING, Native of France, but now residing at Dresden, in the
Kingdom of Saxony, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, Her special licence that I, the said Augustin
Sylvester Rostaing, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPECTACLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly 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 Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters marked on the several Diagrams, such letters
denoting similar parts in each of the Figures respectively:-
The object of my Invention is to enable the wearer of an ordinary pair of
spectacles to raise the glasses from before his eyes up to his forehead without
the said glasses touching the skin. A person wearing the ordinary spectacles
must more or less feel the inconvenience of looking through the glasses at a
person to whom he may be speaking, or for objects more or less near to him.
It is usual under such circumstances either to remove the spectacles, or lift
them up to and on to the forehead, this latter operation, although quickly
performed, is not satisfactory in its result, as the glasses coming into contact
with the forehead or hair, become clouded or steamy from the heat or
perspiration thereof, and after all require to be removed and wiped. By the
use of my simple contrivance, the glasses being removed from before the eyes
up to the forehead, are held and supported at a sufficient distance from the
latter to ensure them from being clouded or steamed from the causes before
mentioned.
The arched spring lever rest, or extra bridge piece, which is the addition I
make to the spectacles, is neither embarassing or heavy; but my Invention
will be better understood by reference to the Drawings, in which Figure 1
shews a front or full view of a man's face, with the spectacles (made with oval
shaped glasses) adjusted for use, such spectacles being fitted with my arched
spring lever rest or extra hinged bridge piece; Figure 2 is also a full view of
a man's face, the glasses being now raised from before the eyes by means of
spring band hinge a, and supported in position across the forehead by my
arched lever rest or bridge piece, the latter being distinctly shewn, the bridge c
being on the upper part of the nose, and supporting the rest and glasses, the
latter being steadied in position by the side pieces or wires; Figure 3 indicates
a front view of an ordinary pair of spectacles, the arched spring lever or hinged
bridge being lowered to shew its shape; the hinge a and spring b are shewn
on the inner sides of the glass rims, and nearly at the bottom thereof. I have
shewn the hinge a to the left, and the spring 6 to the right, separate views of
each, Figures 4 and 5 being placed immediately under the letters a, b, but
hinges or springs of any description suitable to the purpose may be used.
Figure 6 shews a front view of a pair of oval shaped spectacles, the arched
spring lever or hinged bridge piece being lowered. In this view it will be
noted that I dispense with the ordinary nose arch, the glass rims being secured
together (at proper distance) by a single piece d, and the hinged bridge itself
forming (when in use) the nose arch. The operation of putting on the

page_text: spectacles, and raising and lowering the glasses is as follows:-Pass the
glasses on to the face in such wise that the bridge c rests on the upper part of
the nose. When it is desirable to raise the glasses, press the finger and thumb
of either hand on the side joint (at either of the outer sides of the glass rims),
and gently lift, the action of the spring 6 will assist the operation (the bridge c
remaining in its normal position), and carry the glasses to the desired height,
It will be
where they will remain until pulled down in the same manner.
observed that the moment the spring begins to act, the glasses instead of rising
vertically, do so at a considerable angle, so leaving a sufficient space between
their inner surfaces and the forehead or hair. This rest may be attached to
spectacles as now made by cramps and screws if desired.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and means by
which-I-carry it into practical effect, I would have it distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself, to the exact details herein given or shewn in the
Drawing, as modifications may be made therein without at all departing from
the principle of my Invention; and I claim the exclusive use of the arched
spring lever or hinged bridge piece (when applied to spectacles of any shape
or form), having for purpose raising spectacles from before the eyes up to and
before, but not on to the forehead or hair, the whole essentially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustin Sylvester Rostaing, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
A. S. ROSTAING. (L.D.)