IMPROVEMENTS IN EYE GUARDS OR PROTECTORS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EYE GUARDS OR PROTECTORS
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 eye guards or protectors and has for its object to
provide an eye guard or protector for firemen and employés in metal working and
chemical manufactories, which protector shall be practically impervious to smoke,
to the fumes of acids, or to noxious vapors of all kinds, as well as an effectual
protection against flying particles of metal, grit or finely divided matter floating in
the atmosphere.
To this end the said Invention comprises a flexible metallic plate within which
are set plane lenses of mica, or other transparent and flexible material, the joints
between them and the frame being hermetically sealed, and an elastic, marginal
body secured to the frame and completely surrounding the orbital space, whereby
the smoke, fumes or vapors are effectually excluded. Suitable attachments are
applied to each end of the frame for fastening the guard to the helmet or upon the
head of the wearer, and in some instances provision is made for the admission of
air to the space between the guard and eyes of the wearer thereof.
In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 is a view, showing the inner face of the guard, the elastic margin being
removed.
Figure 2 is an elevation showing the outer face of the guard.
Figure 3 is a transverse section upon the line 1-1. Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view in perspective, showing the method of constructing the elastic
marginal strip.
Figure 5 is a view illustrating a modification in construction.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 Figure 5, showing the elastic

page_text: Figure 10 is a plan view of one end of the guard showing the application thereto
of a tube for the admission of air.
Figure 11 is a section of the same.
Figure 12 is a similar view but with a metallic loop substituted for the tube.
In Figures 7 to 12 the plates are represented as they appear before the margin C
is applied.
A indicates a frame, within which are set the plane lenses B, the latter being
made' of thin laminae of mica, whereby danger of cracking from heat, or splintering
from a sudden blow is avoided and whereby the requisite flexibility is provided.
The frame A is made from thin plates of easily flexible material, such as lead or
copper, and the lenses B, having their margins smeared with raw india-rubber, as
shown at a in Figure 6, are laid between the said plates, and a suitable pressure is
applied and maintained until the india-rubber has hardened. Rivets a are then
inserted at short intervals, around each lens opening, passing through both plates
and through the mica, and finally soft solder may be applied along the margin of
the inner plate. By this construction a perfectly tight joint is formed around each
lens, which is absolutely impervious to air.
Of the two plates forming the frame the inner one A', may be so much less in
dimension than the plate A³, upon which it lies, as to leave a margin b, between the
edges of said plates. These edges may le milled or turned, as shown at < for a
purpose presently to be described.
Referring to Figure 4, C indicates a portion of an elastic, cylindrical body, which
jay consist of an india-rubber tube. It is firmly secured to a strip D, which may
be of india-rubber and cemented to the tube C, or of metal in which case the
parts are vulcanized together. The strip D, is of such width that it may be laid
between the edges d, d of the plates A¹, and A, and when in place these edges
may be turned down upon the margins of the said strip, thereby securely fastening
the elastic body C, to the margin of the frame A, as seen in Figure 3.
When the marginal body C is formed of india-ulber tubing, a nipple e may be
attached thereto for the purpose of filling the tube with water.
The elastic margin C, is applied to the inner surface, or border, of the frame A,
and completely surrounds the eyes, bring brought into contact with the face at
every point. The material of which the frame and the lenses are composed
permits the bending of the former to ensure perfect contact, as described, at all
point, whereby the guard may be made to fit different facial configurations.
At each end of the frame A are attached loops f, f. to receive elastic
connections E, E, which may consist of flat, spiral springs, united at their ends by
a ring which may engage with a button upon the helmet or may receive a
strap which passes around the head. The tension of these springs when the parts
are properly adjusted, retains the guard in place, and draws it against the face
with sufficient force to secure a close contact of the elastic margin C, and conse-
quently an air tight joint around the eyes. Instead of the springs, there may be
used a strap and buckle or any other suitable means serving to secure the guard
to the head of the wearer.
A slight modification of construction is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 in which
the elastic portion C, is connected directly to the metal frame. I prefer, however,
the construction shown in Figures 1 and 3, the latter being more durable.
In the modification shown in Figures 7 to 9, the inner plate A', is formed with
the openings for the lens made continuous so that both the inner and outer edges
of sail plate may be turned or milled to form the flanges to be turned down upon
the margins of the strip C, as in the other Figures. Under this last construction
the mica for the lenses is fitted between the two plates A A', and the three parts
secured together by rivets a passed through the three parts inside of the edges d, d,
as shown in Figures 7 to 9. Cement may be used as in the other cases to assist
in holding the parts together. A plate F, which may be of the same material as
the pla es A A', is then fitted between the edges d d of the inner plate about the
middle thereof as shown in Figure 7, to receive the rivets a, which will secure the

page_text: adjacent ends of the lens to the guard. This last construction makes the guard
lighter than in the other forms and at the same time is strong and quite as durable
ns the other forins..
In some instances, especially for the use of stone-masons, it may be desirable to
admit air into the space between the guard and eyes, and in that event the guard
with the plates A and A¹, represented in Figures 10 and 11, ns of the construction
shown in Figures 1 to 6, is provided at the end with loops G made of metal or
other suitable material tubular in form, and provided with apertures g on one face
for the admission of nir into the tube from which it will pass out through the open
ends of the tubular lop into the space between the guard and eyes, as will be
apparent from an inspection of Figure 11. This tube may be secured by sulder or
other means to the plates of the guard, and will serve for the attachment of a strap
or other suitable means for securing the guard to the wearer.
If it is not desirable to admit air to the eyes, the tube may have its openings
closed by any suitable means, and then used merely for the attachinent of the
securing strap. Or instead of the tubular loop there may be used a solid loop G¹
of any suitable material hooke into the plates and soldered or otherwise secured
thereto as illustrated in Figure 12.
For persons working in chemical factories, foundries, cotton factories, and metal
working establishments, this Invention will be found valuable, since in such
manufactures the eyes are dangerously exposed to the action of acrid vapors, as
well as foreign matters. It may be used with equal advantage by engineers,
locomotive drivers, and miners, but is indispensable to firemen who are frequently
compelled to enter apartments filled with smoke which is often mingled with fumes
of a most irritating kind.
In those fe runs of ophthalinic disease in which it is necessary to exclude the eyes
from contact with the outer air, it may be used with advantage.
When finished the guard frame may be japanned or painted with any suitable
paint which will not be affected by heat or by acid vapors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that what
I claim is
First. A flexible air-tight eye guard or protector consisting of a fraine of
flexible metal, having plane lenses of mica, or other transparent and flexible
substance, and an elastic marginal body secured to said frame in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as described.
Second. The combination with the frame, of the lenses composed of laminae of
mica laid between the frame plates, rivets uniting the parts, and raw india-rubber
or similar material sealing the joint between them, substantially as described.
Third. The combination with the frame composed of two plates lying one upon
the other with the lenses interposed as described, of an elastic margin secured to a
strip which is attached to the frame by bending the edges of the plates over the
margins of the strip, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination with the frame composed of the plates A', A², having
milled edges d, d, of the elastic inargin C, mounted upon a strip D, the parts being
united, substantially as describe.l.
Fifth. The combination with the eye guard or protector having the marginal
elastic tube C, secured thereto, of the nipple e entering the said tube substantially
as described.
Sixth. The combination of the plate A, the plate A¹, formed with a continuous
opening for two lenses, the mica lens interposed between the two plates, and the
intermediate plate for the attachment thereto of the inner ends of the lenses
substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination with the two plates composing the frame, and the
lens, of the tubes connected to the frame and having openings for the admission of
air to the space between the guard and eyes, substantially as described.
•

page_text: Eighth. The combination with the frame composed of two plates lying one upon
the other with the lenses interposed as described, and the elastic margin secured to
the strip, of the loops at the ends of the frame for the attachment thereto of means
for securing the guard to the head, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of March 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.