'AN IMPROVED EYE-SHADE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"
'AN IMPROVED EYE-SHADE." A communication from abroad by Oliver M.
Holmes, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd May 1879.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. AN IMPROVED EYE-SHADE." [A communication
from abroad by Oliver M. Holmes, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.]
This Invention relates to an improved instrument or device for protecting the
eyes of the wearer thereof from the rays of light proceeding from the sun, or from
lamps or other sources; which instrument is so constructed that it is readily fitted
to and removed from the required position, and when being worn does not
practically impede the vision of or otherwise inconvenience the wearer.
The said eye-shade is made as follows, that is to say, I provide two concavo-
convex pieces of colored glass, ground glass, india-rubber, wood, or other suitable
material, which are connected by a bridge or nose piece, preferably made of spring
steel, and serving as a means of attachment to the wearer's nose.
The said shading
pieces may, if desired, be provided with a frame connected by a nose piece, and
with a temple-bow to hold them in position, as is usual with some spectacles. The
said shading pieces are so made and arranged that they fit under the eyebrows, and
are inclined outward at such an angle that they form a kind of awning, which
protects the eyes from rays of light which would otherwise fall directly upon them.
The said shading pieces extend far enough around the eyes to protect the latter at
all parts, and the upper portion of each piece, namely, that which fits to the part
of the face under the eyebrows, is curved inward, so as to conform to this part.
This portion of each shading piece may be covered with soft india rubber, velvet,
or similar material, to render the instrument comfortable and easy to the wearer.
It is an important feature of the said Invention that the shading pieces are
Prins B31

page_text: made to fit closely under the eyebrows, so that the bone projecting over a
person's eye assists in forming, in conjunction with the shading pieces, a perfect
protection.
The wearer does not look through the shading pieces, and it will be seen that
the said instrument provides a perfect awning or covering at the upper part of the
eyes, and ensures this advantage without impeding the vision of the wearer, except
to a small and unimportant extent in an upward direction.
The said instrument or eye-shade may be made of various sizes, to suit different
persons or different circumstances under which it is used; for example, persons
with sore eyes will require larger shading pieces than those persons who merely
wish to preserve their eyes when reading or otherwise occupied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
November 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED EYE-SHADE." A communication
from abroad by Oliver M. Holmes, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to an improved instrument or device to be worn for
shading the eyes and protecting them when weak, or when exposed to excessive or
injurious light from the sun, or from lamps, or other sources. This improved
instrument is so constructed that it can be readily fitted over and removed from
the eyes, and when worn does not practically impede the vision of or otherwise
inconvenience the wearer.
The said improved eye-shade is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in
which,―
Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the said instrument as it is applied to
the eyes when used."
Figure 2 is an edge view, and Figure 3 is a top or outside view of the same.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a top or outside view, illustrating a modification of the said
instrument.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 3, y, Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a front view, illustrating a further modification of the said Invention.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
I provide two concavo-convex pieces a of colored glass, ground glass, india-
rubber, wood, or other suitable material, which are connected by a bridge or nose
piece b, preferably formed of spring steel, and serving as the means for attaching
the instrument to the wearer's nose. The said shading pieces a may, if desired, be
provided with a frame connected by a nose piece, and with a temple-bow to hold
them in position, as is usual with some spectacles.
In the instrument shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, the said shading pieces a are so
formed and arranged that they fit under the eyebrows, and are inclined outward at
such an angle as to form a kind of awning, which protects the eyes from rays of
light that would otherwise fall directly upon them. The said shading pieces a
extend far enough around the eyes to protect the latter at all parts, and the upper
portion of each piece, namely, that which fits to the part of the face under the
eyebrows, is curved inward, so as to conform to this part. This portion of each
shading piece may be covered with soft india-rubber, velvet, or similar material, to
render the instrument comfortable and easy to the wearer. It is an important
feature of the said Invention that the shading pieces a can be made to fit closely
under the frontal bones below the eyebrows, thereby taking advantage of the
natural configuration of the face at this part to assist the said shading pieces to
form a perfect protection for the eyes.
The vision of the wearer will not be obstructed by the pieces a, and it will be
seen that the said instrument provides an awning or shade for the eyes without
impeding the vision of the wearer, except to a small and unimportant extent in an
upward direction.
Another important feature of my Invention is the use of connections of very
inalleable metal at the parts c, where the pieces a are attaahed to the bridge b, so
that by twisting these connections the said pieces a may be set or adjusted to suit
the requirements of any person wearing the instrument.
The said instrument or eye-shade may be made of various sizes to suit different
persons or different circumstances under which it is used; for example, persons

page_text: with sore eyes will require larger shading pieces than those shewn in Figures 1, 2,
3, 4, which are suitable for persons who merely wish to preserve their eyes when
reading or otherwise occupied. The said pieces a may be enlarged by simply
increasing the width of the same, or by forming then as shewn in Figures 5 and 6.
When this form is used the part-al may be made to fit either under or over the
eye-brows. In some instances additional pieces d, as in Figure 7, may be fixed on
or used as an attachment to one or both of the pieces a, to still further cover the
eyes in cases of great weakness of sight, or in other cases when it is desirable to
almost entirely exclude the light from the eyes; and in some instances iny
improved eye-shade may have these pieces d replaced by lenses or glasses, so that
no inconvenience will be experienced in the use of such eye-shades by persons
accustomed to wear glasses for reading or other purposes.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
The improved instrument substantially as described and as shewn in the
accompanying Drawing, for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
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W. ROB. LAKE.
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(L.S.)