Improvements in Eye-glasses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SIEVIFICATICA.
Improvements in Eye-glasses.
1, BRAINARD ELMORE GREGORY, Gentleman, a citizen of the United States of
America, residing at No. 80, Columbia Heights, in the City of Brooklyn, County
of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, 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 :-
My invention consists of certain novel parts and combinations of parts composing
an improved pair of eye-glasses. In the claims concluding this Specification I will
point out the separate and independent features composing my said invention.
In this Specification I employ the term eye-glasses in the ordinary sense. Eye-
glasses are retained in position by friction between some part of the glasses, or
frame of the glasses and the nose, which friction is ordinarily obtained by means of
a suitable spring joining and holding the glasses together. A pair of spectacles,
on the other hand, are retained in position by other means, such, for instance, as
wires passing behind the cars and are joined and held together by an inflexible or
non-elastic band or wire. Spectacles are superior to eye-glasses, because, among
other things, the glasses in spectacles are always maintained at a given distance
apart and with an unvarying relation to each other. In some kinds of glasses this
is a feature of very great importance, and is perhaps essential, because it insures
the proper relation between the eyes and the glasses, so that the person wearing
them will always look through the same part of the glass, and that the part specially
ground to correct the defects of vision. For this reason, in cases of astigmatism,
for instance, oculists in most cases strongly recommend the use of spectacles, as in
eye-glasses such a determined relation between the eyes and the glasses cannot, or
will not be maintained and this is important since the glasses are ground to correct
a defect, which consists in refracting the rays of light differently in different planes.
Patients, however, frequently object to the use of spectacles because they are
inconvenient to carry, require more labor to adjust and are usually considered
unsightly and unbecoming.
The object of my invention is to make a pair of eye-glasses which will possess
the desirable characteristics of spectacles and which will be substantially as
convenient and becoming as the eye-glasses in ordinary use at the prosent day.
In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a pair of eye-glasses embodying my
present invention in one of the forms at present preferred.
I will now describe the glasses illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which
embody my invention in preferred forms, preparatory to pointing out in the con-
cluding claims the several features of invention which I claim and desire to secure
by these Letters Patent. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that my
invention is not limited to the precise devices and combinations of devices shown,
as various modifications may be inade, without departing from the essential features
of my invention, or the scope of the concluding claims.
A, A are glasses surrounded by frames B, B of ordinary construction. C is a
bar of suitable material, such as metal, having a rigidity sufficient to insure the
glasses being always maintained in their proper position with relation to each other,
or permitting only a small and unimportant variation. In ordinary eye-glasses this
bar is made of spring metal, the resilience of which is relied upon to give the
necessary lateral friction on the nose to maintain the glasses in position. In my
improved glasses, however, it is made substantially rigid. D is a spring attached
to this rigid bar C, at or near its centre. The metal nt this point is reinforced so
as to add rigidity and strength to the structure without unduly increasing the
cross-section of the rigid bar. This spring has the necessary resilience to give the
requisite lateral friction on the nose to maintain the glasses in position. E, E are

page_text: slips of cork or some roughened, non-corrosive material as in ordinary eye-glasses.
As they form no part of my present invention and are old in various forms, a
further description of them is unnecessary. Of course, it will be understood that
the frames B, B may be omitted and the connecting wire or rod C be riveted to
the glasses themselves.
It will be observed that the eye-glasses above described very closely resemble
ordinary eye-glasses now in general use. The rigid bar C bears substantially the
same relation to the glasses as does the ordinary spring ribbon. It is desirable
that the spring D should have cousiderable length, as this increases the resilience
and adaptability to varying conditions. By employing a rod C which rises above
the point where it is attached to the glasses this desirable feature is obtained, as
the structure requires or permits the use of a longer spring than it otherwise would.
To still further increase the length of spring, I have shown it bent upon itself and
this is the form which I prefer. By attaching the spring to the centre of the rigid
bar CI obtain two advantages. In the first place, the spring is made longer than
it would be if it were attached as in ordinary glasses to the point where the said
bar is attached to the glasses or to their frames; and, in the second place, it enables
me to use a lighter bar C, because attached to this point the action of the spring
when drawn apart has no tendency to bend the bar and brings no strain whatever
upon it. These are important considerations in the construction of practical and
generally useful eye-glasses.
However, an efficient eye-glass involving the principles of my invention may be
made which does not include all the novel and advantageous features or combina-
tions of elements which I have described. As examples of this I may mention the
fact that the reflexed spring nose-piece may be replaced with a spring nose-clamp
which is not reflexed. Instead of the reflexed limbs D D being employed, the
other part of the spring marked F may be fashioned to rest in friction contact with
the nose and be provided with suitable friction surfaces; or the spring may
terminate at the points F or thereabouts and separate nose-pieces riveted to them
or attached to them by hinges (a device now commonly employed in this art) and,
if desired, this separate nose-piece, however attached, may stand in a plane other
than that of the glasses, so that it will grip the nose further back, this being also
now a common expedient in eye-glasses. Again, it is not necessary that the rigid
bar extends up above the glasses, although for the purpose of permitting the use of
a longer spring and to make these glasses resemble as much as possible the eye-
glasses in common use, I prefer to have it rise above the points of attachment to
the glasses or the frame thereof.
In the foregoing Specification I have referred to a few of the obvious modifica-
tions which may be adopted in practicing my invention, but I have not endeavoured
to specify all the modifications which may be employed because I understand that
such an enumeration is not required here and would not be desirable, even if
possible, the object of this Specification being to instruct persons skilled in the art
to practice my invention in its present preferred form, and to enable them to under-
stand its nature; and I desire it to be distinctly understood, that mention by me of
a few modifications is in no way intended to exclude others not referred to, but
which are within the spirit and scope of my invention.
As I have before remarked, many of the details and combinations illustrated and
above described are not essential to the several features of my invention broadly
considered. All this will be indicated in the concluding claims, as the omission of
an element, or the omission of reference to the particular features of the elements
mentioned is intended to be a formal declaration of the fact that the omitted
element or features are not essential to the invention therein covered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar connecting said

page_text: glasses, of a nose clamp which holds the glasses in position by friction against the
sides of the nose, said clamp being joined to said bar between the points of attach-
ment to said glasses.
2. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar connecting said
glasses, of a nose clamp having convex bearing surfaces which press upon and grip
the sides of the nose, said clamp being joined to said bar between the points of
attachment to said glasses.
3. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar C, of a nose-piece
composed of a reflexed spring attached to the centre of said bar.
4. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar connecting said
glasses, of a nose clamp joined to the centre of said bar, the metal at the point of
joining being reinforced.
5. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar connecting said
glasses and rising above its points of attachment, of a nose-clamp joined to said bar
between said points of attachment.
6. In a pair of eye-glasses, the combination with a rigid bar C, of a curved
spring D, joined to the centre of said bar, and having a nose-piece E, E
substantially as described.
SE1905
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Agents.