IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO SPECTACLES AND GOGGLES OR EYE PROTECTORS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Vale of the firm of Henry Vale and Sons of
Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturers for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO SPECTACLES AND GOGGLES OR EYE
PROTECTORS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Vale at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1883.
WILLIAM VALE of the firm of Henry Vale and Sons of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Manufacturers "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO
SPECTACLES AND GOGGLES OR EYE PROTECTORS
"
My invention consists in combining with spectacles and goggles or eye
protectors eye shades constructed and applied substantially as hereinafter
described.
For convenience of description I will describe my invention in connection with
spectacles to which it is particularly applicable.
Each eye shade consists of a hood or screen bent or shaped to the figure of the
upper half of the eye of the spectacle frame in which eye the glass is fixed. The
Baid hood or screen may be made of a metal frame or skeleton filled up or covered
with gauze or wire gauze; or the hood or screen may be made of sheet metal or
other hard and light material The eye shade is furnished with a flange by which
it can be affixed to the upper half of the eye of the spectacle frame the said flange
being secured by soldering or otherwise to the said eye. I do not however limit
myself to this method of affixing the eye shade to the eye of the spectacle frame.
When so fixed in its place the eye shade is situated nearly at right angles to and
projects from the upper half and outer side of the eye of the spectacle frame to a
distance about equal to one half the shortest diameter of the said eye the said
eye shade intercepting the light falling in a vertical and nearly vertical direction.
I prefer to give the eye shade a curved figure at its outer edges but I do not
limit myself to any particular shape of the eye shade
I apply my invention to goggles or eye protectors substantially in the manner
described with respect to spectacles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Vale in the Patent Office on the 28th March 1884.
WILLIAM VALE of the firm of Henry Vale and Sons of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturers " IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS ΤΟ
SPECTACLES AND GOGGLES OR EYE PROTECTORS"
My invention consists in combining with spectacles and goggles or eye
protectors, eye shades constructed and applied substantially as hereinafter
described.
For convenience of description I will describe my invention in connection with
spectacles to which it is particularly applicable.
Each eye shade consists of a hood or screen bent or shaped to the figure of the
upper half of the eye of the spectacle frame in which eye the glass is fixed
The said hood or screen may be made of a metal frame or skeleton filled up or
covered with gauze or wire gauze or the hood or screen may be made of sheet
metal or other hard and light material. The eye shade is furnished with a flange
by which it can be affixed to the upper half of the eye of the spectacle frame, the
said flange being secured by soldering or otherwise to the said eye. I do not
however limit myself to this method of affixing the eye shade to the eye of the
spectacle frame.
When so fixed in its place the eye shade is situated nearly at
right angles to and projects from the upper half and outer side of the eye
of the spectacle frame to a distance about equal to one half the shortest
diameter of the said eye, the said eye shade intercepting the light falling in a
vertical and nearly vertical direction.
I prefer to give the eye shade a curved figure at its outer edges but I do not
limit myself to any particular shape of the eye shade.
I apply my invention to goggles or eye protectors substantially in the manner
described with respect to spectacles.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan and Figure 2 in front elevation a pair of spectacles to
which eye shades made of sheet metal according to my invention are applied, the
said Figures 1 and 2 and the other Figures herein after described being drawn to
a large scale; Figure 3 represents a cross section taken through one of the eyes
and the eye shade of the spectacles
a, a are the sheet metal hoods or screens constituting the eye shades; b b are
the eyes of the frame and c, c the glasses fixed therein. Each hood or screen a is
situated nearly at right angles to the eye b and is secured in the manner herein-
after described to the upper part of the said eye b, the said hood or screen
projecting in the manner shown in the plan Figure 1 on opposite sides of the said
eye b of the spectacle frame. The hood or screen a is also bent or shaped to the
figure of nearly the upper half of the eye b of the frame as seen in the front
elevation Figure 2. The hood or screen, as will be seen by reference to Figure 1,
projects on the outer side of the eye b to a distance about equal to one half the
shortest diameter of the eye b while that part of the hood or screen on the inner
side of the eye projects to a less distance and has the figure represented in the
Drawing. The inner part of the screen may be dispensed with in cases where its
contact with the eye lid would distress the wearer.
By combining the eye shades a, a with the spectacle frame in the manner
represented, the light falling in a vertical and nearly vertical direction is intercepted
and more distinct vision is secured.

page_text: The eye shade a is furnished with a hollow flange or rib d crossing it in the
direction of its length for securing it to the eye 6 of the spectacle frame. The
relative positions of the glass c, eye b, and screen or shade a will be understood
by reference to Figure 3, where it will be seen that the hollow of the rib or flange &
of the screen rests upon the outer edge of the glass c and the eye b upon the said
rib or flange d. That is to say, the glass c is fixed in the eye b in the ordinary
way with the rib b of the shade or screen a between the edge of the glass and the
eye. The shade is thereby securely fixed in its place. Where instead of a glass o
the eye is filled up or covered with gauze or wire gauze the screen or shade is fixed
to the eye by soldering or otherwise.
I prefer to make the sheet metal hood or screen in the following way.
I first cut out from thin sheet metal at a press, a blank having the form
represented in Figure 4. I then raise the edge of the said blank in the manner
shown in Figure 5 and afterwards close or flatten the raised edge upon the blank
in the manner shown in Figure 8 so as to strengthen the blank and give a rounded
and non-cutting edge to it. I next take the blank Figure 6 and bend or shape it
into the curved form represented in front elevation in Figure 7; side elevation in
Figure 8; section in Figure 9 and edge view in Figure 10. At the same time
and by the same operation the cross hollow rib or flange d is made in the hood or
screen for securing it as before described to the eye of the spectacle frame.
Instead of making the screen or hood of sheet metal it may be made of other
hard and light material, such as ebonite.
As already explained in applying my invention to goggles or eye protectors
having gauze or wire gauze in place of glass, the screen or shade requires to be
attached to the frame or eye of the goggle by soldering or otherwise and in
applying my invention to goggles or eye protectors consisting of colourless or
coloured glass having parallel sides I proceed in the manner herein before
described with respect to a pair of spectacles having spectacle glasses c, that is,
lenses either concave or convex.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in or additions to spectacles and goggles or eye
protectors";
Constructing and adapting to spectacles and goggles or eye protectors, light
hoods, screens or shades projecting from the front of the eyes of the said spectacles
and goggles or eye protectors, or projecting both at front and at back of the said
eyes for the purpose of intercepting vertical and nearly vertical light and thereby
giving clearness to the vision; the said hoods, screens or shades being constructed
and applied substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
In witness whereof I the said William Vale have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four