An Improved Folding Opera Glass.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Folding Opera Glass.
I. EDMOND BLOCH of 5 Place de la Republique, Paris, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention consists of a system of mounting which permits the object
glasses, eye glasses and accessory parts to lie in the same plane when desired.
This is effected by jointing the mounts to an extensible connecting bar in such
a way that they can oscillate 90°, so as to be relatively either vertical or horizontal
to each other. The connecting bar carries at its free end the object glasses and on
the extending end the eye glasses. The extension is effected by a simple slide
action or by a rack and spur wheel. Springs are added to prevent a too easy.
motion of the folding joints and retain the glasses in position until sufficient
pressure is applied to overcome their resistance.
Dated this 20th day of October 1894.
:
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Folding Opera Glass.
I, EDMOND BLOCH of 5 Place de la Republique, Paris Engineer 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 is designed to supply a description of jointed opera glass made to
fold the mounting of which allows the object glasses, and the eye glasses, and
their connections to be brought into the same plane; the usual tubes or sleeves
being added or dispensed with as preferred. This system of opera glass when
folded or turned back has the advantage of presenting only a very thin body to
the hand and consequently will occupy little room. It may be easily carried in a
pocket book or card case.
.
I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
of which:
Fig. 1. shews a plan view of my improved opera glass in the folded or turned
back position.
Fig. 2, shews an end view of the same in position ready for use, the eye glasses
being turned up in front of the object glasses, and the handle turned down.
Fig. 3. shews a detached view of the mounting 6 of the eye glasses, the
mounting g of the object glasses being similar, but usually larger.
Fig. 4. shows a side and plan view of the sliding extension plate or runner o
permitting of the necessary focussing adjustment of the glasses as described below.
Fig. 5. shews a plan and end view of a sleeve h in which the sliding extension
o travels, to permit of the focussing adjustment.
plate
Fig. 6, shows enlarged plans and side views of the two halves t, ur, of a bearing
[P8]

page_text: used to support the mounting g of the object glasses. The two halves of this.
bearing are fastened in place one on each side on the end of the sleeve by means.
of screws t¹, t¹, Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 shews an alternative arrangement for bringing the glasses into focus by
means of a rack and pinion gear.
a, a, are the eye glasses.
b, is the mounting for the eye glasses a. a Figs. 1. 2 and 3.
This mounting is made to revolve in a quarter of a circle to fold up or down as
required; a spur or lug n Fig. 3, cut in the middle of its length engages with a
slot in the extension plate o Fig. 4, and the spring e' controls the movement by
holding the mounting firm in either position, as it presses against one of two flat
faces formed at right angles to each other on the bar of the mount.
ff, are the object glasses.
g, is the mounting for the object glasses f, f, and is similar to the mounting b of
the eye glasses.
The object glasses ff are mounted on one end of the sleeve h, and the eye
glasses a a are mounted on the opposite end of the extension plate o.
1. (Figs. 1 and 2) is a handle hinged to the underside of the sleeve h at a for
holding the instrument conveniently when in use.
I will now proceed to describe the various parts and fittings in detail.
Referring to the sleeve , the mounting g is attached to the end of same by means
of the spring bearing, forming a hinge joint shewn in the halves t. w, in Fig. 6.
The halves t, w, are fastened to sleeve by means of screws t, t, one on each side
thus forming an open ring or spring hinge, the spring e of which determines the
position of the mounting 9.
The upper half w is fitted in the centre with a tongue shaped spring e, and the
lower half t, is provided with a slot v which engages with a lug n¹ formed on
the centre bar of the mounting 9, (Figs. 1 and 2.) similar to the lug n shown on the
mount in Fig. 3. The whole ring or bearing thus forms a compact spring hinge.
The mounting is fitted on the end of the extension plate o in a slightly different
manner to mounting g.
The extension plate o consists of a single sheet of metal doubled transversely
over in the middle upon itself, the two ends of the piece are then each curved or
arch shaped so that they form an open ring or spring bearing a when finished as
shewn in Fig. 4.
The upper half is provided with a slot u², which engages with a lug n on the
centre bar of the mounting 6 (Fig. 3), and the lower half with a spring tongue e',
forming a spring bearing or open ring similar to that shewn in Fig. 6.
It will be understood that the turning movement of either of the respective
mounts b, g, will be limited in the length of its travel by the length of the slots'u³, V.
both of which engage with their respective spurs n, n'.
Referring again to the extension plate o, this is hollowed out near its opposite
end at p, and is further provided with a friction spring tongue r, into which is
screwed the shank (Fig. 4) of a pressure knob or button i (Figs. 1 and 2).
This shank projects upwards through the slots in the sleeve h (Figs. 1 and 5),
the object of the spring being that the extension plate o, shall not move too easily
in sleeve . The length of the slots cut in the upper face of the sleeve h (Fig. 5)
will obviously limit the travel of the extension plate o.
Referring now to Fig. 7 an alternative arrangement is here shown consisting of
a button, to the spindle of which is attached a pinion u¹, carried by the sleeve h
engaging with a rack formed in the extension plate o, as shown in dotted lines.
The two mounts b. g, are each formed as shewn, preferably of a single strip of
metal conveniently bent into shape and fastened by means of screws m, m, Figs. 1. 2
and 3.
The space between the eye glasses and the object glasses may be enclosed by
some suitable material such as cloth or leather fixed on mounts b and suitably
mounted in such a manner as to be able to be expanded or contracted.
g

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
laim is :
1. A system of forming jointed opera glasses so compressible as to be capable
of being placed in a pocket, pocket book, card case and the like and distinguished.
by the following features:
a. Two object glasses and two eye glasses so jointed as to be able to fold
about 90° from the vertical or horizontal position.
b. A sliding plate arrangement, one part carrying the object glasses and one
part the eye glasses, which permits the necessary action either by slide.
movement, or by a rack and pinion.
8. A handle attached to the instrument capable of being folded down to-
describe an arc similar to that of the eye glasses as herein described and
set forth.
L
T. 1905
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.