Year: 1898

page_text: A communication by SIEGFRIED G. MARSHUTZ, of Los Angeles, in the County of
Los Angeles and State of California, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
By this invention the spectacles are provided with side bars or temples which
have at their free ends respectively a rearwardly widening wedge shaped retainer,
arranged to wedge behind the saddle of the ear between the external ear and
the head.
the ends of
The retainer
as the
The temples are preferably bent downward at their ends, and the retainers are
arranged at
the temple, below the bend, SO that the
wedge, when in place, widens downwardly and rearwardly.
does not rest upon the saddle of the ear, but rests behind it, and
ear naturally stands out from the head, the retainer fits into this space and
strongly resists all attempts to dislodge it by pulling it forward. It can however,
be easily removed by raising it, or by pushing it slightly to the rear to loosen it,
and then raising it to bring it above the saddle of the ear.
These retainers can, if desired, by means of screw nuts which screw upon the
screw threaded end of the temples be made adjustable to cause them to hold the
spectacle rims in the proper position upon the nose of the wearer.
It will be observed that by the improved construction it is unnecessary to extend
the temples beyond the retainers to engage with the ears to hold the spectacles in
place, and it will also be noted that the wedge shape of the retainer causes it to
engage with and rest against a large surface, and thereby all liability of causing
sores or abrasion of the skin is avoided.
The cone shaped retainer may however be fixed permanently upon the end of
the temple.
In a modified form of retainer, a half cone shaped metal member is formed
integral with the spectacle temple.
Cone shaped retainers are for ordinary usage deemed to be the best, but my
correspondent does not limit his invention to this particular shape since any other
shape which will rest behind the ear at the rear of the saddle thereof, and wedge
between the external ear and the head, will be the same in principle and will not
avoid infringing this application for patent.
In practice the spectacles are placed in position with the retainers one arranged
at the rear of the saddle of each ear and between the external ear and the head.
If the retainers are made adjustable, they are so adjusted upon the temples as
to hold the temple out of contact with the saddle of the ear, so that no pressure is

page_text: exerted against the ear excepting by the retainer. If the retainers are fixed to
the temples, a pair of spectacles must be selected having temples of a proper
length to suit the wearer.
It is obvious that other means than those shown may be employed for the
purpose of rendering the retainers adjustable upon the temples, and the present
invention is not limited to any particular manner of accomplishing this end.
The retainers may be of gold, silver, steel, aluminium, ivory, celluloid, wood,
rubber or any material found suitable for the purpose. The surface of the
retainers may be corrugated or smooth as desired, and they may be made solid
or hollow.
It is also to be understood that the claim will cover eyeglasses having the
invention applied thereto.
Dated this 6th day of January 1898.
A communication by SIEGFRIED G. MARSUUTZ, of Los Angeles, in the County of
Los Angeles and State of California, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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:
The object of this invention is to provide an improvement in spectacles and the
like, whereby when the spectacles are put on for use, the glasses will be invariably
brought to the position to which they were originally fitted by the optician, and
will be held in such position invariably and with perfect ease to the wearer: and
to accomplish this with a simple and neat appliance which will be hidden from
view from front and side of the wearer.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention and the mode of its use.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles with substantially straight
temples bent down at the rear ends and constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a fragmental side view illustrating the position of the retainer relative
to the ear when the spectacles are in position."
Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan showing the position of the same retainer in place
and viewed from above.
Fig. 4 is a fragmental view showing the same retainer in place and viewed
from behind.
Fig. 5 is a view showing the improved spectacles in place to show that the
retainer is hidden from the front.
Fig. 6 shows a fragment of a temple with a pear shaped retainer.
Fig. 7 shows a globular retainer.
Fig. 8 shows a semi cone-shaped retainer.
Fig. 9 shows a fragment of a temple with retainer and screw adjustment for
the same.

page_text: A indicates the spectacle front. a a¹ indicate the temples which are bent down-
ward at their rear ends at a suitable angle as indicated at 6 b¹.
ccare the retainers which may be made of any suitable material, such for
instance as ivory, hard rubber, or metal, but preferably of celluloid, and which
are fastened to and form the end of the temple, and are flared or expanded from
the front end rearwardly. In practical operation the spectacle temples are of
such length that when the glasses are in place the retainer lies in the rearwardly
flaring space between the head and the external ear just rearward of the junction
of the helix and the head.
The retainers are preferably conical as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, of the drawings:
but a pear shape may be substituted as shown at cl in Fig. 6, or a spherical form cl
may be found to serve the purpose in a degree when applied as shown in Fig. 7.
The form shown at ein Fig. 8, is a shell forming one side of a cone and is
designed to be made integral with the temple a" and worn with the outer rounded
flaring wall resting against the head and external car, the open side being pre-
sented upward and rearward.
No attempt has been made to show all the forms in which the rearwardly
expanding lobes or bulbs may be made, the main feature of the invention being
the bent temple with a lobe or bulb below the bend to fit in the rearwardly flaring
space which is behind the junction of the head and helix.
The retainer bulb may be fixed on the temple or adjustable.
In Fig. 9 one manner of adjusting the retainer el on the temple is shown.
d indicates a screw threaded portion of the temple a¹ and a nut screw threaded
and screwed thereon to hold the bulb in place at different points. Numerous ways
for adjusting the bulb may be employed without departing from the invention."
In practical use the retainers will hold the spectacles perfectly. They are far
better than riding spectacles in this respect and have the further advantage that
they do not cut the ears, but are pleasant and agreeable to the wearer, and when
once adjusted remain always adjusted this last feature being a most important
point of advantage for the spectacle wearer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A pair of spectacles having at the end of each of its temples a retainer enlarg-
ing from the front rearwardly to fit in the space between the head and the external
car just rearward from the union of the head and helix substantially as set forth.
2. A pair of spectacles or the like having its temples bent down at their rear
ends and each provided below the bend with a retainer to fit between the head and
the external ear just rearward from the union of the head and the helix of the ear
substantially as set forth.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.