Improvements in or connected with Pince-nez, Double Eye-glasses, and other Spectacles.
Year: 1891

page_text: The decision of the Chief Examiner, acting on behalf of the Comptroller, of the
. 19th day of May 1894, allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c.
Act, 1883, an Amendment of this Specification.
Date of Application, 7th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
IICOIDIONAL
Improvements in or connected with Pince-nez, Double Eye-glasses,
and other Spectacles.
I, JOHN JAMES WOOD, of 20, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to pince-nez, double eye-glasses, or spectacles, and
the chief object, amongst others, of my invention is to provide glasses which shall
be best for the eyesight, and at the same time shall be easy fitting and comfortable
to the user.
There are practically two kinds of pince-nez, double eye-glasses, or spectacles,
namely, those which have a bridge so connecting the two glasses that the relative
positions of the foci of the two glasses are constant and provided with means of
different kinds for gripping the nose of the wearer, and those having a spring or
adjustable bridge wherein the relative position of the foci of the glasses is variable
and changes according to the shape and size of the user's nose, and which spring
causes the pince-nez or spectacle to grip the nose, with or without additional or
secondary gripping devices. Of these the kind I employ, by preference, is that
in which the relative positions of the foci of the two glasses is constant or practically
constant when applied to the nose of the wearer; I use this type because it is
best for the eyesight. In connection with the frame of the glasses, and according
to a former invention for which I made application for Patent No. 428000, I fitted a
gripping device, consisting of spring retained hinged or movable gripping bearers,
the hinge or movable support being susceptible of movement laterally, and the
gripping bearers being adapted to have oscillatory movement about the point of
their spring retained support, said spring supports being attached one to each
eyeglass frame. Now, according to my present invention, instead of making both
the bearers or plaquetts of the gripping device to have oscillatory movement on
their spring supports, I so connect one of the plaquetts to its spring support that
it can be set or fixed at any required angle to its support, whilst the fellow plaquett
is free to oscillate. I am thus enabled to set or fix one plaquett to suit the angle
of one side of the wearer's nose and the other or oscillatory plaquette adapts itself
to the angle of the other side.
The chief object in so forming and arranging the plaquetts is, that in the
generality of cases the angle of the nose in relation to the cheek is not the same on
each side, and hence the glasses are apt to, and in fact always do get more or less
out of line with the eyes, which is a great objection. By the use of eyeglasses
provided with the improvements according to this invention, the above objection is
entirely overcome.

page_text: Although, as above stated, the form of glasses I prefer to use is that in which
the relative positions of the foci are constant when in use, I would have it under-
stood that the improvements herein set forth can be applied to other forms of
pince-nez or eyeglasses or spectacles and to other forms of gripping bearers.
Dated this 5th day of May 1891.
5
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in or connected with Pince-nez or Double Eye-glasses.
and other Spectacles.
I, JOHN JAMES WOOD, of 20, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to pince-nez, double eye-glasses, or spectacles, and
the object of my invention is to provide glasses which shall be best for the
eyesight, and at the same time shall be easy fitting and comfortable to the user,
and when applied shall remain in the correct and proper position, and also shall be
more steady upon the nose.
There are practically two kinds of pince-nez or double eye-glasses, or spectacles,
namely, those which have a bridge so connecting the two glasses that the relative
positions of the centres of the two glasses are constant, and provided with means of
different kinds for gripping the nose of the wearer, and those having a spring
bridge or adjustable bridge, wherein the relative positions of the centres of the
glasses is are variable and change according to the shape and size of the user's
nose, and which spring or adjustable bridge causes the pince-nez or spectacles to
grip the nose, with or without additional or secondary gripping devices. Of these
the kind I employ by preference, is that in which the relative positions of the
centres of the two glasses is are constant or practically constant when applied to
the nose of the wearer: I use this type because it is best for the eye-sight.
In connection with the frame of the glasses, and according to this invention, I
fit a gripping device consisting of spring retained gripping bearers, the gripping
bearer supports being susceptible of movement laterally through springs, and the
gripping bearers adapted to have oscillatory movement about the point of their
spring retained support, the said supports being attached one to each eye-glass or
glass frame; and, instead of making both the bearers of the gripping device to have
oscillatory movement on their supports as is usually done, I so connect one of the
bearers to its support that it can be set or fixed at any required angle to its
support, or I make it a fixed connection, whilst the fellow bearer is free to oscillate.
I am thus enabled to set or fix one bearer to suit the angle of one side of the
wearer's nose and the other or oscillatory bearer adapts itself to the angle of the
other side.
One of the chief objects in so constructing and arranging eyeglasses is, that in
the generality of cases the angle of the nose in relation to the cheek is not the same
on each side, and hence the glasses are apt to, and in fact always do, get more or
less out of line with the eyes, which is a great objection. By the use of eye-glasses
provided with the improvements according to this invention, the above objection
is entirely overcome.
Although, as above stated, the form of glasses I prefer to use is that in which
the relative positions of the centres or foci are constant when in use. I would have
it-understood that the improvements-herein-set forth-ean be applied to other forms
of pince nez or eye glasses or spectacles, and to other forms of gripping bearers.

page_text: in the drawings which serve to mustrate this invention,
Figure 1 is a front elevation, shewing the application of it to a pair of eye-glasses
fixed in a frame, and having the distance apart of the centres of the glasses constant.
Figure 2 is a detail of the connection and support of gripping bearer, the glasses
in this case having no frame, but connected together by a rigid piece.
Figure 3 is an elevation; and
Figure 4 a plan of a modification; and
Figure 3 is an elevation of another a modification.
In the different figures, the same letters are used to represent the same or like
parts wherever they occur.
With reference to the drawings, a are the gripping bearers, 6 are spring supports
of said bearers, c is the frame for holding the glasses, d is the bridge piece
connecting said frames together, and are the glasses.
In Figure 1, one of the gripping bearers a, namely, that on the right, is shewn
to be fixed, whilst that on the left swivels freely on its hinged support. The
jointing or hinging of the gripping bearers and springs b, in the example shewn in
the drawings, consists of a screw pin e passing through a boss h on the springs b,
and screwing into a projection or boss on the back of the gripping bearers a.
This is more clearly seen in Figure 2. It will be plain it is not necessary that this
so called fixed gripping bearer should be fixed as just described, since its connection
with the spring, or other part, might be rigid, or if desired, practically form part
thereof, in which case it will mostly be necessary to bend the bearer to the
inclination of the wearer's, or intended wearer's, nose.
The loose or adjustable gripping bearers of the eye-glass is supported in position
in the same manner as shewn in Figure 2, except that it is not drawn tightly and
rigidly up to the boss by the screw e.
By providing eye-glasses with one fixed and one adjustable gripping bearer, the
fixed bearer having been adjusted and fixed to suit the wearer's nose, no matter how,
or in what manner they may be applied to the nose, they will assume the correct
position across the face that is in line with the eyes. Again in addition to this
effect, they positively keep the glasses firmly upon the nose, and entirely prevent
wriggling or sbaking.
This construction or provision of a fixed and a loose or swivelling gripping
bearer, is not only applicable to eye glasses having constant glass centres, but also
to those with shifting centres, and to bearers differently-supported.
In Figures 3 and 4, improvements in the relative positions of the gripping
bearers, springs and frame, are illustrated. These improvements consist mainly,
firstly, in positioning the boss h on the inner side of the spring-b, that is to say, on
the side of the spring next the glass-frame c by which improvement the spring does
not-come in front of the glasses when pressed back; and secondly, in arranging the
gripping bearers in the plane of the frames of the glasses, whilst the bosses/-and-h
lie-outside-of-such plane, so that when pressed fully back they (the bearers) come
in-contact-with, and are stopped by, the frame. By the latter improvement; the
bearers-a-are-stopped against the frame; but at the same time the projections-f
thereof-miss-the glasses, or the frame, when the springs are pressed back, whilst
the connection of the spring with the frame-at-i, is kept in, that is projects as little
as possible from the frame, and has in consequence a neat appearance and is not
so liable to scratch or touch the eyes when applying the glasses.
A further improvement is shewn in Figures 3 and 4, consisting of the pin-k
working through a staple 1, the pin having a bent over or enlarged head, whereby
it is prevented from being drawn-out of the staple. The effect of this device is to
guide-the-springs-b-and to prevent them being pulled accidentally too far away
from-the-glasses and becoming bent, and also to render the spring and gripper
bearing attachment more rigid and strong, and able to withstand more or less
rough usage.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 3, the springs 6 are fixed to the connecting
bar d of the glasses, and are extended from the gripping bearers to the underside

page_text: of the frame, by a part k, as shewn, where it passes through an eye, which is
equivalent to the staple / in Figures 3 and 4, whilst the extended part of the spring
is equivalent to the pink. The connection or joint of gripping bearers with the
springs, in this case, may be is the same as those above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In eyeglasses or similar articles, pince-nez or double eyeglasses in which the
relative positions of the centres are constant the herein described improvement, con-
sisting in constructing the same with gripping bearers, one of which is fixed or set
or adapted to be set at a suitable angle, for the purposes specified, and the other
free to oscillate or move about a hinge or joint substantially as set forth.
Second. Eyeglasses or similar articles having fixed or immovable centres, springs
secured to the frame or glasses, and gripping bearers pivotted thereon, one of
which is fixed or adapted to be fixed at a suitable angle and the other free to
oscillate upon its pivot; substantially as set forth.
Third Eyeglasses or similar articles having gripping bearers supported on
springs, said springs being provided with means such as specified by which they
are supported or guided, or both.
Fourth. The arrangement or combination of parts by which the gripping bearers
of eyeglasses or similar articles are supported; substantially as set forth with
reference to-Figure 5.
Fifth. The gripping bearers-a, arranged in relation to the eyeglasses or glass
frames and connected to said frames or glasses by the springs b, as set forth with
reference to Figures 3 and 4.
ovu day of reoruary 1994.
2.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Agents.