US1029367A - Lens-cutting machine. - Google Patents

Description

F'. L. HIGGINS. LENS CUTTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED SH12, 1911. 1,029,367, Patented June 11,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. L. HIGGINS.

LENS CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION HLED SH12, 19'11.

Patented June 11, 1.9-1.2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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entren sra ras FREDERICK Il. HIGGINS, OF RIDGEFIELD,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MEYRO- WITZ MANUFACTURING CO., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LENS-CUTTING- MACHINE.

Application led September 2, 1911.

ting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to lens-cutting machines, such as are used for cutting lenses for spectacles or eye-glasses, and more par-` ticularly to an improvement in a machine of this description patented Feb. 18, 1896, by J. B. Gury, Patent No. 554,777, the manner of constructing the present mechanism being hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Vwhich form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar viewof the side of themachineillustrated in Fig. 1, parts of the mechanism being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line IIIMIII of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line IV-IV of F ig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the clamping parts which engage the lens to be cut. Fig. G is a transverse' detail section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail plan of the` lower lens clamp-holder and parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 8 is a detail of the lower' lens clamp, viewed from above.

The construction set forth in the patent to Gury above noted, disclosed a lens cutting ma chine which in so far as its outward appearance is concerned, does not greatlydiffer from that herein shown, and in any of the principles of the machine embodied in the said patent are also included herein. Owing to the fact that lenses differ materially in thickness, the spring pressure which is exerted by the lens clamps upon a lens is different in one case from another, and the present device differs from/that of Gury in that it is provided with means for regulating or adjusting this pressure: the said pressure being varied, as desired. and the lower plane of the lens being always maintained in substanti ally a fixed horiaontal plane, the maintenance of the lens in this position being positive.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1912.

Serial No. 647,313.

lVth the foregoing objects in view therefore reference may be made to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The main frame or standard 1 of thedevice is mounted upon a suitable base 2, and is provided with a laterally extending arm 3, which is adapted for the reception of a spindle 4. The upper side of the arm 3 is recessed for the reception of a sleeve 5, the lower extremity of which is secured therein in any suitable manner. This sleeve extends upwardly Afrom the arm 3, and is preferably of uniform diameter throughout, except for the provision of a flange 6, the purpose of which will be herefrom one side of the arm 3, and this stud carries a bevel gear 8, to which is secured a crank arm 9, bearing a suitable handle 10, by means of which the gear may be rotated; and the gear 8 is in mesh with a corresponding bevel gear 11, which is mounted upon sleeve 5, directly above the upper surface of the arm 3. Bevel gear 11 has a hub 12, about which is disposed a plate 13, the said plate being firmly ailixed to the gear in any suitable manner, and rotating therewith. Plate 13 carries two bearing members 1/1 which are preferably substantially triangular in outline, and which are provided with recesses in their upper surfaces and at the inner ends thereof for the reception of the flange 6 of the sleeve 5, above referred to'. The apices of these triangular members are directed outwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 3, and their inner sides are preferably arcuately formed to conform to the hub 12 of gear 11; the said members each being secured ixedly in position upon plate 13 by means of a screw 16.

A disk 17, the upper peripheral edge of which is threaded as at 18, carries upstanding segmentally shaped lugs 19.` This disk is apertured or slotted at 20, and through this aperture extends the upper end of the sleeve 5; the sleeve quite neatly litting the ywalls of the slot 20, as shown in Fig. 4. so that it serves as a guide for the said disk when the latter is oscillated in the manner hereinafter described. Disk 17 also carries depending segmentally shaped bearing parts 21. which are secured thereto in any suit* able manner, as by screws 21. One of y these segments is slotted upon the underside i thereof as at 22, in Fig. 2, for the reception inafter noted. A stud 7 projects laterally of a pin 22 which projects up from the upper surface of the plate 13. Both of the segments or bearing parts 21 are rabbeted or recessed at their inner and upper edges as at 23, sufficient space being provided between the opposed vertical walls of such recesses to receive the flange 6, above referred to. The upper extremity of the sleeve 5 is flattened upon either side thereof as at 24 and carries a cam disk 25, which is slotted `as at 26` the slot extending diametrically of the said disk and .being some-what eccentric as shown in Fig. 4. The cam disk is hence adapted to be displaced laterally with respect to the sleeve 5, but is guided by the upper end thereof and movement of the Vdisk is effected by means of a small pinion 27 which is secured to the upper extremity of the spindle 4. A collar 28 is provided on the said spindle immediately below spindle 27, which collar engages the upper face of the body of the cam disk 25. The cam disk is recessed so as to provide room for the reception of collar 2S and the parts which directly co-act therewith; this recess in the said disk forming a iiange 29 around the periphery thereof, the peripheral surface of Awhich flange is adapted to neatly engage the vertical walls of the lugs 19.

A rack 30 is secured by screws 31 or the like, to the interior of the cam disk, and this rack is disposed in mesh with pinion 27. As the spindle 4 is held against lateral displacement, it is obvious that when it is rotated the rack 30, and thereby also the cam disk, will be displaced Veccentrically withrespect to the axis of the said spindle. A stop 32 is also secured to the cam disk, the said stop being adapted for engagement with `the collar 28 when the latter has been moved the limit of its throw, and the spin- .dle 4 carries a. cross-pin 33, which when inserted therethrough locks the said spindle against longitudinal displacement. An adjusting nut 34 is slotted upon its upper surface as at 35, so as to neatly receive the pin 33, and the lower extremity of the spindle 4 is threaded as at 36, and is provided with a lock nut 37, by means of which the adjustment nut may be clamped in any desired position rotarily. The tightening up of`nut 37 hence effects the locking of the -cam disk in any desired position. An internally threadedv cap 38 is disposed around and over the cam disk and is secured in position by means of the threads 18, above referred to; Y

It should be noted that the triangular upper surfaces of the bearing pieces 14 are adapted to afford seats for the under surface of the disk 17. It has been found Vhighly desirable to provide these bearing pieces 14, since when the disk is disposed eccentrically to any considerable extent with respect to the axis of spindle 4, thereis a strong tendency for the machine to bind, owing to the practically relatively limited and segmentally shaped bearing surfaces between the flange 6' and the walls of the grooves formed by the rabbets 23, vWithin which it rides. In the present improved construction, the upper surfaces of the bearing members 14 carry a considerable part of the strain, and are preferably disposed on the median line between the vertical walls of the recesses 23.

The cap 384 carries a centrally disposed and upwardly projecting cylindrical extension 39, which is journaled in the lower extermity of a C-shaped frame 40. 'This frame carries a bifurcated rod 41 which extends laterally therefrom, and the slotted or bifurcated end of the said rod is adapted for the reception of a pin 42 whichV projects upwardly from a small. bracket 43, upon the face of the standard 1; the slot at the extremity of the said rod being` designated 44. A stem 45 projects upwardly from the center of the cylindrical extension 39, and around this stem is a sleeve 46, the lower end of which is enlarged as at 47 and recessed for the reception of a suitable ball bearing 48. The sleeve 46 is adapted to rotate with the stem 45, being secured thereto by means of a pin 49. It is desirable that a certain amount of play be allowed between Y pin 49 and stem 45 in order to prevent undue friction after the parts have become worn to some extent, and with this end in view the aperture in the stem 45, through which extends the said pin, is slotted very slightly longitudinally of the same, as at 49. The upper end of the stem 45 is recessed for the reception of a cylindrical extension 50, which projects downwardly from the lower lens clamp-holder 51; extension 50 being adapted to be firmly held in position by a set screw 52 which is provided in the side of the sleeve The clampholder 51 is recessed upon its upper face, as at 53, and is preferably provided with prongs 54 which project upwardly from the bottom of the recess 53, the said recess being filled with a disk of suitable slightly resilient composition or material 55.

Secured in any suitable manner to the upper surface of this composition disk 55 is a preferably elliptical plate 56 of ivory, or the like, which is inscribed with cross lines 57 in order to facilitate the resetting of the lens, should it become necessary to remove the latter from the machine, while cutting the same. The inscribed upper surface of elliptical plate 56 carries aA ring 58 Yof rubber, or other suitable material, which is adapted to directly engage the surface of the lens without injury thereto, the upper surface of the lens being pressed thereagainst when the mechanism is in use by a universally jointed upper clamping piece 59, said piece carrying a leather pad 60, or the like, which directly engages the face of the lens. The clamping piece 59 is carried upon the lower extremity of a plunger 61, a universal joint 62 being provided therebetween. This or a similar method of mounting the clamping pieces is quite essential to the production of good work, the upper clamping piece being' adapted to swivel in any direction and therebybeing able to accommodate itself to the irregular surface of a lens. The plunger 6l is neatly received into a recess 63 formed in a rod 64, one side of the plunger being slotted as at 65, and a spline or pin 66 carried by the said rod projecting into the slot and serving to prevent rotation of the plunger. The upper extremity of the plunger is reduced as at 67, and around this reduced portion is disposed a spring 66. The disposition of this spring in connection with the upper clamping member' is of importance, since the lower clamp should preferably be so formed as not to recede or be materially displaceable whether the stress in the spring be much or little. The reason for this construction will be hereinafter further considered in connection with the description of the lens cutting` means. The upper extremity of the rod 64 carries a cross-pin 69 which extends into a slot 70 formed in lever 7l, which lever is pivoted at 72 upon an upwardly extending bracket 73, which preferably forms an integral part of the'frame 40. A spring 74 is provided which normally maintains t-he lever 7l in its uppermost position, but the said lever carries a latch 75 which is provided with a number of teeth 76 adapted for engagement with a prong 77, which projects laterally from the upper port-ion of the C-shaped frame.

By reason of the provision of a plurality of notches in the latch 75, it is possible to place the spring 68 under substantially any desired pressure, since, of course, the notches may be made as numerous as desired. The machine described in t-he patent to Gury was also provided with a latch, but the said latch had but a single notch therein, and it was practically impossible to provide it with a plurality of notches because todo so would have resulted in the disposition oi. the lens to be cut at differentlevels, according to the pressure placed upon the spring which he employed for the purpose of yieldingly clamping the lens; this being due to the fact that the said spring was disposed upon the opposite side of thelens to that upon which the operating lever was placed.

An inspection of Fig. 2 will show that in the present structure any7 pressure placed upon thelens in order to clamp the same in place merely exerts a stress tending to spread apart the upper and lower arms ot'- 'the VC-shaped frame, and by no possibility can this pressure be transmitted to t-he stem 45, or other parts operatively connected to the lens rotating means; the downward thrust of the spring 67 being carried by the ball bearing 48, and being transmitted thence directly to the lower arm of the C- shaped frame. Both the bearing members lfland the novel arrangement of parts just described, therefore, co-act to the end that frictionin the machine is reduced substantially `to a minimum, the present machine being adapted to be operated with very little effort.

The fact that the lower clamping member is rotatable independently of the sleeve 41-6 is a decided advantage, since it facilitates the alining of the longer line 57, which corresponds to the horizontal axis of the lens, with the major axis of the elliptical cut made by the tool when in operation. The said clamping member may be freely rotated by merely slaclening the screw 52, and may therefore also be readily replaced when worm out or torn off.

lVe shall now consider briefly the preferred construction of the diamond holder. rlhe diamond 78 is carried upon the extremity of an arm 79, which is pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane about an axis which passes through the center of the stud S0, which stud is adjustably mounted upon. the upper extremity of t-he standard l. Arm 79 is 'provided at its rear end with an ott'set portion 79 from which extends upwardly a linger-piece 8l; a pivoting rod 82 being secured in the said extension and being journaled in a sleeve 83. This sleeve has a downwardly projecting ear 84 through which extends the pivoting stud 80, above referred to; the rear end of the sleeve -terminating in'la second lingerpiece S5 which serves to control the vertical moveu'ient of the diamond while the lingerpiece 81 correspondingly serves to effect. the presentation of the desired cutting edge of the said diamond to the material to be cut. A s was pointed out in the patent to Gury. it is desirable to provide some means whereby the same cutting surface oit' the diamond may be presentedv substantially norma-l to the line of curvature of the cut, and in order to seciui'e greater accuracy in this movement, especially in view of the varied disposition ot' the arm 79, I prefer to form this portion of the device in the manner shown in Figs. l. 6 and 7. Herein the arm 79 is provided with a rigid lateral extension 66. and has pivoted at the end thereof at 87 a small volte S6 which carries two guide rods 89 disposed in parallelism and spaced apart from each other a sutlicient distance to tangentiallv engage the cylindrical surface ot the sleeve 46. lt is obvious that by reason of this arrangement the movementof fthe yoke 88 will be accurately controlled re-- gardless of the vertical angular' displacement of the arm 79, and also regardless of its rotative displacement about the axis Vof the stud 82. The yoke 88 has downwardly projecting therefrom, as best seen inlTigs. l and 6, a pin 90; and this pin is neatly received rinto a slotr 91 provided in a small cra-nk arm 92 which is mounted upon the lower extremity of a small spindle 93; the said spindle extending upwardly'through and being journaled in t-he enlarged eX- tremity 94 of the arm T9, and having the diamond 78 mounted upon the upper extremity thereof.

The stud 8() above referred to is fixedly mounted in the lower portion of a flange 95 whichis formed upon the end of a longitudinally movable rod 96 (see Fig. 2) the said rod being made adjustable in any suitable mannerin Vthe direction of its length, move-ment thereof being controlled by the adjustment nut 97. This particular portion of the mechanism forms no special part of the present invention, and hence need not be herein further described.

The general'operation of the device is substantially as follows: Nut 37 `is slackened and the graduated adjustment nut 84 is rotated to displace the cam disk 25, in the manner above described, this'one setting determining the amount of eccentricity of the cut; and any size or shape of round or oval lens may be obtained by means of this adjustment when used in conjunction with the adjustments for the diamond supporting arm. After the adjustment lint has been turned the desired amount and has been clamped in position by t-he nut 37 and the position of the arm 79 has been determined, 'the lens to be cut is disposed upon the rubber ring 58 and is clamped thereon by pressing down upon the free extremity of the lever 7l. the desired clamping pressure being obtained by engaging the prong T7 with one or the other of the teeth 76; the horizontal and vertical axes of the lens to be cut having first of course been disposed in correspondence with the `lines 57 on the plate 5G. The finger-piece 59 is now depressed. and the finger-piece 8l rotated into the desired position, bringing the desired cutting surface of vthe diamond into contact with the lens material. Upon turning the handle 10 the gears will rotate the plate 18; and, b v reason of the engagement of the pin 22 of .plate 13 with the slot Q2 in one' of the segments 2l, the said segments and the disk 17 to vwhich they are attached will b-e correspondingly rotated. Owing to the fact, however, that the cam disk is more or less eccentrically disposed an oscillatory movement will be imparted to the disk 17, and it, together with the segments which are attached to it, will be swung first toward one side and then toward the other of a line joining the center of the pin 22 and the axis of the spindle 4. The cap 38 will, of course, move correspondingly while rotating and will thereby drive t-he frame 40 in an elliptical path the relative proportions of whose major and minoraxes will depend upon the amount of lateral displacement of the cam disk Thearm 4l is not 'free to rotate owing to the engagement of the slotted end thereof'with the fixed pin 42. This pin however will ride back and forth in the slot 44 as the frame 40 swings toward and from the said pin. The lens mounted between the clamps carried by the frame rotates in correspondence with t-he movable frame part-s adjacent thereto, and when the finger piece 85 is depressed the diamond '78 is driven up into engagement with the under surface of the lens and scores an ellipse of greater or less eccentricity thereupon, according to the adjustment of the machine. This lower surface of the lens material which is thus cut invariably occupies substantially t-he same horizontal plane, regardless of the thickness of the lens or of the pressure upon the spring 68. As the lens carrying parts swing through their elliptical path, the sleeve 46 oscillates the yoke 88 by reason of the tangential engagement between the pins or rods 89 and the cylindrical surface of the sleeve. This movement of yoke 88 correspondingly oscillates crank 92 and thereby spindle 93 and the diamond 78. The movement of the V10() latter is such, by reason of the Aconstruction employed, that the same cutting edge of thediamond is invariably presented normal to the curve to be cut. The point of the diamond lies in the prolongation of thehorizontal axis of rotation of the diamond, as shown in Fig. 2, so that whether the finger piece 8l be swung to the right or left, the line of curvature of the out will continue to be a true circle or ellipse, according to the lateral displacement of the camdisk. This feat-ure of mounting the diamond so that it may be tilted in or out at will materially facilitates cutting Toric,

Coquille and strong double-convex lenses.

In order to prevent too free movement of this part of the device, the sleeve 88 may be slotted as at 98, and a small clamping screw 99 may be provided which may eXtend through ears 100, disposed upon either side 1.20

of this slot. The pressure of the spring 68 is ultimately or indirectly exerted upwardly uponV the upper arm of the C-shaped frame 40, while the downward pressure is transmitted through the lens to the lower clamp and from thence to the sleeve 46, and the ball bearing 48. As this bearing is seated upon the-enlargement at the eXtremitv of the lower arm of the frame, reactance both upwardly and downwardly from the 13G clamping act-ion is actually sustained solely by the frame and merely tends to spread the arms thereof apart, which as the frame is substantially unyielding produces no effect. The rotating parts hence merely have to sustain the Weight of the lens carrying elements and friction is reduced to a minimum. l

rIhe lens is held perfectly free between the clamps or chucks, by reason of the universal joint provided in connection With the upper clamp; and this is a very important feature, since it permits the handling of the thickest or thinnest lenses, Whether fiat, concave or convex, Without danger of breakage and without the use of what are commonly known in the art as pads In conclusion I particularly Wish to call attention to the fact that in my lens cutter construction-if the pin 49 be driven out, the entire clamping means, e., the clamps proper, he co-acting spring pressed parts and the frame 40 may be removed from the stem e5, Without releasing the lens from the determined pressure, by merely drawing the said clamping means upwardly. In other Words the clamping means actually form a self-contained and unitary structure which in so far as the driving mechanism is concerned is substantially independent thereof. rllhis construction renders it possible to effect a repair of the driving mechanism Without remo-ving the lens material from the clamps.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a unitary, self-contained, lens-clamping structure carried by said support, and mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, said driving mechanism being substantially independent of the clamping action of said structure.

2. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens-clamping structure, mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, said structure having means for clamping a lens under adjustable pressure, said driving mechanism being substantially independent of the clamping action of said structure.

3. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens-clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper and means for clamping a lens therebetween under adjustable pressure, mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, said driving mechanism being substantially independent of the clamping action of said structure, one of said lens clamps being normally spaced determinedly with respect to parts of said mechanism, regardless of the pressure exerted by said lens clamps upon a lens therebetween.

et. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens clamping structure comprising lens clamps `proper and means for clamping a lens therebetween, one of said clamps being ixedly held against longitudinal and lateral displacement With respect to said support, and the other being universally jointed, whereby said latter clamp may accommodate itself to the surface of the Work, mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, and means co-acting with said mechanism for varying the path of said structure.

5. In a lens-cutt-ing machine, a support, lens cutting' means, a lens-clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper and means for clamping a lens therebetween, one of said clamps being universally jointed, whereby said clamp may accommodate itself to the surface of the Work, mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, and means co-acting with said mechanism for varying the path of said structure.

G. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens-clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper and means for clamping` a lens therebetween, one of said clamps being normally positively held against longitudinal displacement with respect to said support, and` mechanism for driving said structure rotarily,said mechanism comprising a separable connection between a driven element thereof and said positively held clamp.

7. In a lens-cutting machine, a support,

pivotally mounted lens cutting means, said means being mounted for movement 1n a plane normal to the surface of the lens to be cut and also being rotatable about an axis disposed substantially in a plane passing through a face of said lens, a lens clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper and means for clamping a lens therebetween, one of said clamps being normally positively held against longitudinal displacement With respect to said support, the

lens engaging part of said clamp lying substantially in the plane aforesaid.

8. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, pivotally mounted lens cutting means, said means being mounted for movement in a plane normal to the surface of the lens to be cut and also being rotatable about an axis disposed substantially in a plane passing through a face of said lens, frictional means for normally holding said lens cutting means against rotation about said axis, a lens clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper andmeans for clampinga lens therebetween, one of said clamps being normally positively held against longitudinal displacement with respect to said support, the lens engaging part of said clamp lying substantially in the plane aforesaid.

9. In a lens-cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens clamping structure, mechanism for driving said structure ro- -tarily, said mechanism comprisingaspindle,

a c am element laterally displaceable with respect to said spindle, a revoluble part adapted when revolved to be moved laterally with respect to the axis of said spindle by said cam element,V co-acting revo-luble parts the a-Xis of revolution ot' which is normally coincident with that of the spindle, said coacting revoluble parts having' a slidable connection With the laterally movable revoluble part, and auxiliary bearing` means carried by one of said parts for diminishing friction between said revoluble parts at the said sliclable connection.

l0. In a lens cutting machine, a support, lens cutting means, a lens clamping structure7 mechanism for driving said structure rotarily, said structure comprisingclamps adapted to engage a lens and a spring for 4holding said clamps in clamping relationship, said spring being disposed upon one Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing side of said clamps and said driving'mechanism upon the other side of said clamps.

ll. In a lens-cutting machine, a support,

lens cutting means, a lens-clamping structure comprising lens clamps proper and less of the pressure exerted bv said lens clamps upon a lens therebetween.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of tivo Witnesses.

' FREDERICK L. HIGGINS. IVitnesses:

HAROLD A. BURT, VILLIAM P. HALL.

the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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