Improvements in Eye-glass Frames.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Eye-glass Frames.
I, WILLARD BECKWITH GREENE, of Chrystal Street, Wakefield, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to eye-glasses of the pince-nez class, in which the brackets
which hold the lenses are held together by a spring bow and are provided with
guards which, by the action of the spring, are caused to pinch the nose in order
to keep the glasses in place.
Heretofore much difficulty and annoyance has been experienced with glasses
of this kind, owing to the tendency of the screws which secure the bow and the
guards to the brackets to become loosened, by reason of the repeated strain
occasioned by the movement of these parts each time the glasses are put on or
removed.
The distinctive feature of my invention consists in so disposing the fastening
screws in relation to the other parts that the screw is prevented from becoming
loose or falling out by the lens itself, without the necessity of employing any
special locking device or attachment.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two of the various ways of
embodying my invention.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of glasses constructed in accordance with my
invention, certain of the parts being shown partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional detail view on the line of Fig. 1, showing one
form of lens-holding bracket with the securing screw in place.
Fig. 3 is a similar sectional detail showing a modified construction of the
bracket.
a designates the usual spring bow which serves to connect the two lenses.
bdesignates the nose guards. e designates the lens-holding bracket. It will
be understood that it is immaterial whether the rim c' of this bracket extends
entirely around the lens or only part way, as in either case my invention is applied
in exactly the same way.
The lens-holding bracket c is formed with a recess of a suitable size to receive
the bow and the guard b. The bracket is bored from its outer end—that is, the
end adjacent to the lens, so as to permit the insertion of the screw d from said
outer end. The securing screw passes through the aperture and through the
parts a and b and is tapped into the inner end of the said bracket. The head of
said screw lies flush with the outer face of the bracket against which the lens e
bears. It will be understood that after the screw has been inserted and screwed
up until the parts are held securely together the lens is inserted so as to press
against the rim of the bracket. It is clear that as long as the lens remains in
place the screw cannot become displaced, as the lens presses closely against
its head.

page_text: I have shown in Fig. 3 a modified form of bracket. Instead of having the
recess for the reception of the guard closed on the inner end by a part of the
bracket, I may form an open recess at that end. In this case I employ a squared
nut or head which has a tapped hole on its inner face to receive the end of the
screw. As this nut is held between the jaws or flanges of the bracket it can-
not turn, while on the other hand the screw is held from accidentally backing out
by means of the lens e as in the form shown in Fig. 2.
It will thus be seen that my invention is capable of various modifications. The
essential feature, however, consists in the insertion of the screw from that part
of the bracket which is adjacent to the lens, so that the lens serves to hold the
screw in place.
It will be observed that, while avoiding all possibility of accidentally loosening
the securing screw, I do not encumber the glasses with any additional or com-
plicated parts, nor do I increase the cost of making the same. By the arrange-
ments that I have shown I secure absolutely reliable fastening means which are
cheap in construction and of great simplicity and durability.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Fastening the spring bow and the guard to the lens-holding bracket by a
screw passed from the outer end of the bracket through the bow and guard so
that the lens, when in place, will prevent the screw from becoming loose, substan-
tially as described.
2. An eye-glass frame comprising in its construction a spring bow and a nose
guard secured to the lens-holding bracket by means of a screw inserted from the
outer end of said bracket so that its head is flush with the inside surface of the
rim, whereby the lens, when in place, will prevent the screw from working loose,
substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of June 1800
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.