Improvements in and relating to Eyeglasses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Eyeglasses.
We, EDWIN F. ELWOOD, Optician, and WILLIAM MCLEAN GRAHAM, Lawyer,
residing respectively at 2012, Hughett Avenue, and 926, West Seventh Street,
West Superior, in the County of Douglas, and the State of Wisconsin, both in
the 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in nose-pieces or clamps for eye-glasses,
and consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts
which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
The object of the invention is to provide a nose-piece which is simple and
inexpensive in construction, effective in operation, capable of being fitted to any
regular or peculiar form of nose, and designed to be worn without injury or
discomfort.
A further object is to provide a pivoted nose-piece which may be folded inward
substantially in the plane of the frame so that the eyeglasses may be enclosed in
a case of ordinary construction, and also to provide a simple and effective form
of spring for normally holding the nose-piece in operative position.
In the drawings hereto annexed, and forming a part of this specification,―
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of eye-glasses embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the bridge-piece thereof, showing in full
and broken lines the normal and folded positions of the nose-piece.
Fig. 3 is a side view looking toward the bridge-piece, the adjoining lens
frame being removed.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the nose-piece and a portion of the bridge
on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a slight modification in the con-
struction.
!
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like letters of refer-
ence designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents
a frame of the usual or any approved construction, consisting of the lens frames B,
the spring bow or bridge-piece C and the clamping posts d connecting said parts.
The extensions C₁ of the bridge-piece project below the clamping posts and are
curved outwardly or in reverse directions towards the lens frames in the usual
manner. These extensions may form part of the bridge-piece, as shown in the
present instance, or may consist of independent arms secured to the posts.
Each nose-piece comprises in its construction a guard or clamping plate e
arranged on the inner side of the depending extension of the bridge-piece and
having a stright lower arm or portion e' pivotally connected therewith by a pin
or stud f. The lower end of this arm is bent up to form a keeper loop or
socket e, and on the front edge of the upper portion of said arm is a right angular
stop which is adapted to abut against the bridge and limit the outward, or
rearward, movement of the nose-piece. The upper arm of the guard or clamp-
ing plate is connected with the lower arm by an intermediate bend or offset
CD 017

page_text: which projects the two arms in two different parallel vertical planes, one normally
lying within the line of the frame while the other extends a short distance in
rear of the same. Applied to the upper end of the arm is a pad of suitable
construction, the said end being preferably enlarged and dished to form a seat
or bearing for a "fly-foot" or cup-shaped pad f' adapted to bear against the side
of the nose and to be retained in position against slipping by suction. When
the nose-pieces are in their normal positions, as shown in full lines in all the
figures, they project a short distance in rear of the frame and are adapted to
support the eye-glasses in an easy and comfortable manner upon the nose, the
necessary pressure being exerted by the resilient action of the bridge-piece.
When the eye-glasses are not in use, however, the nose-piece may be folded
inward so that the upper arms of the clamping plates thereof will lie within
the plane of the frame, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and so that the
glasses will not occupy any more room than an ordinary pair of glasses in which
the nose-pieces are applied directly to the bridge and may be enclosed in a case
of the form intended for the latter.
Ordinarily, special cases must be made for eye-glasses of this character in
which the nose-pieces project beyond the frame, but by arranging the nose-
pieces to fold in the manner described, I am enabled to provide a pair of eye-
glasses which may be conveniently placed in cases of ordinary construction.
Each nose-piece is normally held projected by a spring g preferably made
of thin spring wire.
This spring is bent at its upper end to form a hook which engages the
clamping post d and is provided near its lower end with a spring coil g², and
has said lower end bent at right angles thereto and loosely fitted in the loop
or socket 3 of the clamping plate. By this manner of mounting the springs,
a broken spring may be readily removed and a new spring quickly substituted
therefor. As before stated, these springs normally force the clamping plates
outwardly, and this movement of the plates is limited by the stops thereon,
thus retaining the same always in their proper relative position.
In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 5, the construction is
modified to a slight extent by employing a straight clamping plate e and offsetting
the extension of the bridge-piece, as at C, to project said plate rearwardly. The
coil at the lower end of the spring is also dispensed with in this construction.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that my invention provides a
nose-piece which is simple and inexpensive in construction, easily fitted to the
nose, and adapted to be worn without injury or inconvenience to the wearer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In eye-glasses, the combination with a bridge-piece, of folding nose-pieces
pivoted thereto.
2. In eye-glasses, the combination with a bridge-piece, of nose-pieces pivoted
at their lower ends thereto and having their upper ends normally projecting in
rear of the bridge-piece and adapted to fold in the plane thereof.
3. In eye-glasses, the combination with a bridge-piece, of folding nose-pieces
pivoted at their lower ends thereto and having their upper ends projecting in rear
of the bridge, and springs for normally holding the bridge-pieces projected.
4. In eye-glasses of the character described, the combination of a bridge-piece,
and nose-pieces comprising clamping plates pivoted to the inner sides of the
bridge-piece and provided with stops to limit their outward movement, and springs
for normally holding the bridge-pieces projected, substantially as described.
5. A folding nose-piece for eye-glasses, consisting of a clamping plate pivoted
near its lower end to the bridge-piece and having its upper end projecting rear-
wardly, a stop to limit the movement of the plate, and a spring acting on the
lower end of said plate to hold it normally projected, substantially as described.

page_text: 6. A folding nose-piece for eye-glasses, consisting of a clamping plate pivoted
near its lower end to the bridge-piece and having its upper end arranged at an
angle thereto and carrying a pad, a stop to limit the outward movement of the
plate, and a spring secured at its upper end to the clamping post and at its lower
end to the plate and provided adjacent to the latter with a coil, substantially as
described.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.