An Improved Optometer.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1891-Accepted. 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by DANIEL RANDALL PRUDEN, of No. 332,
Broadway, Chelsea, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Optician.]
An Improved Optometer.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to furnish for opticians and oculists an improved
instrument or apparatus for conveniently holding a series of lenses which may be
brought successively into position before the eye and between the eye-piece and a
fixed or adjustable object-support connected thereto.
Heretofore lenses have been mounted in the edges of rotating discs, to come
successively before the eye, two such discs being provided, one for each eye; but
such apparatus (when furnishing a complete series of lenses of the various powers)
is too bulky and expensive for ordinary use and is otherwise objectionable.
With my improvements a series of independent lens-holders are placed in a race
or connected in a chain so as to be moved successively before the eve-pieces as the
observer looks through the lenses placed in the lens-holders. A suitable frame
encloses the lens-holders, and an opening below and between them admits the lower
face, thus bringing the eye up to the eye-pieces.
The features peculiar to my device are hereinafter described.
The improved instrument comprises a frame of any suitable form and material
which is furnished with two folding legs pivoted to the edges of the frame and
provided with transverse braces pivoted to the legs and having a slot and pin con-
nection with the edge of the frame,. permitting a folding movement, without
disconnecting.
The braces are connected at their free ends by a cross bar which has a narrow
vertical slot in it and serves as a support for a card or other object to be viewed.
This construction may be modified as occasion requires.
A large opening is made through the frame, for the nose and lower part of the
face of the patient, and two eye-pieces are provided to which the several lenses are
successively brought in order to select those best suited to the eyes of the observer.
Each instrument has one or more distinct series of the sample lenses placed in the
annular lens-holders in any proper order and following each other as in a race-way
or in a chain each eye-piece covering a convenient point in the race or chain, and
each series having an independent propelling means, causing all the lenses of that
series to pass before the eye-piece.
The race may be cast, moulded formed with a die or milled out but is preferably
formed between two flat sheet metal plates, on one of which the walls or sides of the
channel are erected and secured, by bending narrow strips of brass into the desired
form and soldering or brazing them permanently in place, with just sufficient space
for movement of the rings in succession. A flat plate over all keeps the rings or
holders from getting out of position. A box or case of this general form is placed
within each upper quarter of the frame, a hole being formed through the front and.
back plate at the point where the eye-piece is located, so that each lens of that
series must pass before it.
A wheel recessed in its perifery is provided with projecting prongs engaging
the rings to move them forward when the shaft is rotated at will by the operator
turning a knob.
The lenses placed loosely in the flanged rings are protected from surfacc wear.

page_text: which would otherwise arise from friction upon the walls of the race, and also from
abrasion or chipping, due to their edgewise contact with each other and with the
actuating wheel and all danger of their overlapping and clogging in the race is
avoided.
The eye-pieces may be somewhat varied in their distances from each other by
suitable means. They may be attached to the flanged margins of the face opening
and these may be moved laterally by a screw-rod or other device carrying with them
one or both of the series of lenses in the races. Slots are provided for this
lateral movement of the shafts with each lens-holding case.
The series of lenses placed in the sinuous races will ordinarily include samples of
the various numbers, both concave and convex glasses. It is sometimes desirable
to introduce in addition a series of cylindrical lenses. In such case, I prefer to
superpose the additional set, properly enclosed and actuated, upon the box which
encloses the first set or series, and in position to pass before the eye-piece. omit
the lens from one of the lens-holders, of the first series, leaving an opening at that
point through which the lenses of the superposed series can be examined. By
leaving open one of the holders of this series and bringing the open ring to the
eye-piece the lenses of the first series may again be seen. So, too the operator
may combine a cylindrical with a concave or convex lens, by bringing both into
position simultaneously.
The lenses in the holders are samples and are known by certain numbers. I
combine with the lens-holding and actuating devices an indicator, showing at a
glance what lens is in position. A flexible tape numbered on one of its sides to
correspond with the numbers of the successive lenses, is secured to and wound upon
the shaft by rotation of which it is drawn out from a spring box.
Dated this 17th day of June 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Optometer.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to furnish for opticians and oculists an improved
instrument or apparatus for conveniently holding a series of lenses which may be
brought successively into position before the eye and between the eye-piece and a
fixed or adjustable object-support connected thereto.
Heretofore lenses have been mounted in the edges of rotating discs, to come
successively before the eye, two such discs being provided one for each eye; but
such apparatus (when furnishing a complete series of lenses of the various powers)
is too bulky and expensive for ordinary use and is otherwise objectionable.
With my improvement a series of independent lens-holders are placed in a race
or connected in a chain so as to be moved successively before the eye-pieces as the
observer looks through the lenses placed in the lens-holders. A suitable frame
encloses the lens-holders, and an opening below and between them admits the lower
face, thus bringing the eye up to the eye-pieces.
The features peculiar to my device are hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the front and side of one form in which
my apparatus has been embodied.
Figure 2 represents a succession of annular lens-holders placed in a curved race-
way of desirable form with a driving disc or flat wheel surrounded by said races

page_text: and having in its periphery curved recesses with intermediate prongs fitting the sides
of and projecting between said holders, so as to propel them when the wheel is
rotated the whole being adapted to be placed between the front and rear surfaces
of the frame or upright.
Figure 3 is a rear view of Figure 1, the braces or supports being folded.
Figure 4 shows some of the lenses placed in holders which are connected in a
chain by loose pivots which enable the whole series to move together within the
frame or otherwise, without being confined within the walls of the race.
Figure 5 is a transverse section through a lens and its holder.
The frame A, of any suitable form and material, is shown furnished with two
folding legs B, pivoted at C to the edges of the frame and provided with transverse
braces, D, pivoted to the legs and having a slot E, and pin connection with the edge
of the frame, permitting a folding movement as in Figure 3, without disconnecting.
The braces D are connected at their free ends by the cross-bar F which has a
narrow vertical slot in it and serves as a support for the card G or other object to
be viewed. This construction may be modified as occasion requires.
Hrepresents a large opening through the frame, for the nose and lower face of
the patient, and I, I, the two eye-pieces to which the several lenses L' are succes-
sively brought in order to select those best suited to the eyes of the observer.
Each instrument has one or more distinct series of the sample lenses placed in the
annular lens-holders, in any proper order and following each other as in the
race-way K, Figure 2, or the chain Figure 4, each eye-piece covering a convenient
point in the race or chain, and each series having an independent propelling means,
causing all the lenses of that series to pass before the eye-piece.
The race may be cast, molded, died or milled out; but is preferably formed
between two flat sheet metal plates, on one of which the walls or sides of the
channel are erected and secured, by bending narrow strips of brass into the
desired form and soldering or brazing them permanently in place with just
sufficient space for movement of the rings J' in succession. A flat plate over all
keeps the rings or holders from getting out of position. A box or case of this
general form is placed within each upper quarter of the frame, as indicated by
dotted lines Figure 3 a hole being formed through the front and back plate at the
point where the eye-piece is located, so that each lens of that series must pass
before it.
In Figure 2 the wheel M, is seen recessed in its periphery and with projecting
prongs engaging the rings J, to move them forward when the shaft N is rotated at
will by the operator turning the knob O Figure 3. The lenses placed loosely in the
flanged rings are protected from surface wear which would otherwise arise from
friction upon the walls of the race, and also from abrasion or chipping due to their
edgewise contact with each other and with the actuating wheel and all danger of
their overlapping and clogging in the race is avoided.
The distance between the eye-pieces may be adjusted by any suitable means not
shown, as for instance, by means of a screwed rod or other device, and for this
purpose slots are provided as shown in Figure 3 to allow of the lateral movement
of the shafts N with each lens-holding case.
The series of lenses placed in the sinuous races K will ordinarily include samples
of the various numbers, both concave and convex glasses. It is sometimes desirable
to introduce, additionally a series of cylindricals. In such case I prefer to superpose
the additional set, properly enclosed and actuated, upon the box which encloses the
first set or series and in position to pass before the eye-piece L. I omit the lens L
from one of the lens-holders J, of the first series leaving an opening at that point
through which the lenses of the superposed series can be examined. By leaving
open one of the holders of this series and bringing the open ring to the eye-piece
the lenses of the first series may again be seen. So, too, the operator may combine
a cylindrical with a concave or convex lens, by bringing both into position
simultaneously.
The lenses in the holders are samples and are known by certain numbers. I

page_text: combine with the lens-holding and actuating devices an indicator showing at a
glance what lens is in position. Figure 3 shows suitable apparatus. A flexible
tape T, numbered on one of its sides to correspond with the numbers of the succes-
sive lenses, is secured to and wound upon the shaft N by rotation of which it is
drawn out from the spring box S.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I make no claim to any
instrument having the lenses fixed in a rotating disc or discs, but what I
claim is :-
First. In an eye testing apparatus, a suitable frame provided with eye-pieces in
combination with a succession of independent lens-holders J', adapted to receive
sample lenses and bring them successively before the eye-pieces, for the purpose
set forth.
Second. In an eye testing apparatus a suitable frame or case provided with an
eye-piece and having a race or channel leading thereto, adapted to receive a
succession of disconnected lens-holders in combination with suitable means for
moving the lenses therein successively before the eye, for the purpose set forth.
Third. In an optometer or eye-testing apparatus, a suitable frame or case having.
eye-pieces and enclosed channels or races leading to such eye-pieces in combination
with a series of annular disconnected lens-holders fitting edge to edge, loosely
within said channels, and carrying a succession of lenses past the eye-pieces without
contact with the walls of such channels, and with a peripherally-recessed wheel or
like device for causing said lenses and holders to traverse the channel, for the
purpose set forth.
Fourth. In an optometer a suitable enclosing frame having a face-opening H and
eye-pieces adjacent thereto, in combination with a succession of independent,
annular lens-holders movable in a recess within such frame, means for actuating
such holders and the lenses therein, and a suitable indicator to designate the number
of each lens, for the purpose set forth.
1
1 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.