Improvements in the Construction of Pince-nez and other Eyeglasses.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
[Communicated from abroad by JULES COLLET, of 11, Quai de l'Hôpital, Morez-
du-Jura, Spectacle Maker.]
Improvements in the Construction of Pince-nez and other
Eyeglasses.
I ALFRED WILLIAM NEWBOLD of 37 Spencer Street, in the County of
London, Spectacle Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Pince-nez or folding glasses have hitherto been constructed with a spring
(bridging the nose of the wearer) for the purpose of connecting the two glasses.
They are also provided with two pieces (at the sides of and between the glasses)
which rest on either side of the nose. The upper ends of these pieces are slotted
so as to allow the bent terminations of the connecting spring sliding therein, and
the lower portion is hinged or secured in such a way as to give an outward
tendency to the upper part, thus producing the desired elasticity for adjusting the
glasses in position on the nose of the wearer.
It is a well known fact however that this connecting spring is a source of great
annoyance owing to it breaking so frequently, and it is to obviate this defect and
to lighten and cheapen the cost of the frames that my invention has been
designed.
In carrying out my invention I take by way of example a pair of ordinary
spectacle frames (minus the side pieces). I flatten the base of both sides of the
rigid bridge piece and tap a hole to receive two small screws (one on either side).
On each of these screws I wind for about two thirds of their length a piece of
fine wire to form a coiled or spiral spring. I then place over each tapped hole a
piece of metal of bat wing or other shape carrying at one end the pieces to rest
on either side of the nose when the glasses are in use, the other ends serving as
levers. I now insert through the centre of the bat wing & tapped hole the screws,
and secure them therein at about a third of their length or up to where the wire
is wound thereon. One end of the wire or coiled spring is secured to the frame
holding the glass, & the other end is attached to the piece of metal or bat wing.
From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that by pressing
the two levers together it will open outward or part the pieces that abut on the
nose and when placed in position, by simply releasing the levers the glasses will be
left or remain securely and comfortably adjusted on the nose of the wearer.
It will therefore be apparent that such a simple, yet efficient contrivance,
necessitating only the employment of one hand, (whereas the old glasses invariably
required the use of both) to operate also the doing away with the unsightly heavy
connecting spring and clumsy mode of adjustment hitherto in use, will be found a
great boon and meet with ready & thorough appreciation of all wearers of glasses.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Pince-nez and other
Eyeglasses.
1, ALFRED WILLIAM NEWBOLD of 37 Spencer Street, in the County of
London, Spectacle Maker, 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 :-
Pince-nez or folding glasses have hitherto been constructed with a spring
bridging the nose of the wearer for the purpose of connecting the two glasses.
They are also provided with two pieces (at the sides of and between the glasses)
which rest on either side of the nose. The upper ends of these pieces are slotted
so as to allow the bent terminations of the connecting spring sliding therein, and
the lower portion is hinged or secured in such a way as to give an outward
tendency to the upper part, thus producing the desired elasticity for adjusting the
.glasses in position on the nose of the wearer.
It is a well known fact however that this connecting spring is a source of great
annoyance owing to it breaking so frequently, and it is to obviate this defect
and to lighten and cheapen the cost of the frames that my invention has been
designed..
In carrying out my invention I take by way of example a pair of ordinary
spectacle frames (minus the side pieces) marked X in the accompanying drawings.
I flatten the base of both sides of the rigid bridge piece Y and tap a hole to
receive two small screws (one on either side). On each of these screws I wind
for about two thirds of their length a piece of fine wire to form a coiled or spiral
spring d. I then place over each tapped hole a piece of metal of bat wing or
other shape a carrying at one end the pieces or plaquettes c to rest on either side
of the nose when the glasses are in use, the other ends serving as levers.
I now
insert through the centre of the bat wing and tapped hole the screws and secure
them therein at about a third of their length or up to where the wire d is wound
thereon. One end of the wire or coiled spring is secured to the frame holding
the glass, and the other end is attached to the piece of metal or bat wing a.
From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that by pressing
the two levers a together it will open outward or part the pieces that abut on the
nose and when placed in position, by simply releasing the levers the glasses will be
left or remain securely and comfortably adjusted on the nose of the wearer.
It will therefore be apparent that such a simple, yet efficient contrivance,
necessitating only the employment of one hand, (whereas the old glasses almost
invariably required the use of both) to operate also the doing away with the unsightly
heavy connecting spring and clumsy mode of adjustment hitherto in use, will be
found a great boon and incet with ready and thorough appreciation of all wearers
of glasses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is:
1. In pince-nez the fixing of plaquettes upon arms or levers which are pivoted
upon the frame of the pince-nez and controlled by springs, combined with a fixed
bridge, substantially as above described.
2. The improved pince-nez substantially as above described.
T
y of August 1894.
C. URQUHART FISHER,
45, Holborn Viaduct, London, Agent for the Applicant.