US1812872A - Artificial eye for dolls, manikins, and other figure toys - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1931. L. J. GRUBMAN ARTIFICIAL EYE FOR DOLLS, MANIKINS, AND OTHER FIGURE TOYS Filed Feb. 24. 1927 IN V ENTOR leaJfirzzima w Patented 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEO J. GBUBMAN, OB BELLE HABBOil, LON G ISLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 1'0 HARBOR CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ARTIFICIAL EYE FOR DOLLS, MANIKINS, AND OTHER FIGURE TOYS Application filed February 24, 1927. Serial No. 170,449

This invention relates to artificial eyes for dolls, manikins and other figure toys, and has for its primary object and purpose to provide an eye structure which is of simple and 5 substantial construction, and may be rapidly produced in large quantities at low manufacturing cost.

It is another and more particular object of the invention to provide an artificial eye structure embodying improved means Whereby the eyelashes are permanently secured in attached relation and at a definite angle of projection with respect to the surface of the eye structure at the upper edge of the eye pupil represented thereon.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide an inner shell of celluloid and an outer thin metallic shell closely enveloping the inner shell, and provided with an eye shaped opening in its wall. A part of the wall of the inner, shell conforming in shape with said opening is angularly projected outwardly through the opening and between said part of the inner shell and the upper edge of the opening in the outer shell, the ends of the eyelash strands are positioned, said strand ends being embedded and adhesively held in the structure of the inner celluloid shell.. 1 lhe outer face of the rojected section of the inner shell wall is posltioned in the same plane as the outer surface of the outer shell wall and the shoulder thus formed by said projected wall section at the upper edge of the opening in the outer shell determines the angular projection of the eyelash strands from the outer surface of the eye structure.

It is also another object of the invention to provide simple and effective means whereby the inner and outer shells of the eye structure maybe securely interlocked or permanently connected with each other in assembled relation. With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved artificial eye structure and in the Iorm, proportion and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawin s,and subsequently incorporated in 59 the sub oined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated several slmple and practical embodiments of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an artificial eye constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

F 1g. 3 is a view similar to Fi 2 partly in section showing a slightly modi ed means for connecting the inner and outer shell members with each other, and

Fig. 4 is a verticalsection similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a further modification of the device Referring in detail to -the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, 1 preferably though not necessarily, form the 1nner shell member 5 of the eye structure from celluloid or other thermo-plastic material which is drawn from a sheet of such material into the semi-spherical form illus trated in the drawings. At the appropriate location on the surface of the celluloid sheet which forms the outer convex surface of the semi-spherical shell, the representation of the pupil of the human eye, indicated at 6 is printed, painted, or otherwise delineated.

The second primary element of the eye structure consists of an outer shell 7 which is also drawn into semi-spherical form from a relatively thin sheet of metal. This outer shell is of such internal diameter as to snugly receive the inner shell 5, the wall of said outer shell being longitudinally extended to a greater length than the wall of the inner shell from the curved portion thereof for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The wall of the outer metal shell 7 0 at the proper location is provided with an elliptical or eye shaped opening 8 there through, which however, is of appreciably greater dimensions than the dimensions of the eye pupil represented on the surface of a the inner shell.

In a companion application for patent filed of even date herewith, I have fully described the manner in which the inner and outer shell members together with the eyelash 100 out from the lower edge of the eyelid, no

strands indicated at 9 are assembled and secured in relatively fixedrelation to each other. For the purpose of this a plication, it will sufiice to state that the en s of the lash strands 9 are ositioned between the wall of the outer sh 1 5 at the-upper edge of the opening 8 therein, and an angularl offset or rojected section 10 of the wall 0 the inner celluloid shell 5 which substantially comletely fills the o ening 8 of the outer shell,- said section 10 o the inner shell wall being thus outwardl offset for a distance equivalent to the thic ess of the outer shell so that the outer surface of the inner shell wall section '10 and the outer surface of the outer shell 7 are positioned in the same circumferential plane. The ends of the eyelash strands 9 extend a short distance above the u per edge of the opening 8 and are embedde under heat and ressure in the theme-plastic substance of the inner shell 5 so that these strand ends become intimately and inseparably incor orated in the wall structure of the inner she I. The outward projection of the section 10 of the inner shell wall provides an angular shoulder 11 at the upper edge of the opening 8 in the outer shell upon which thelash strands are clampingly held or confined by the wall 7, the inclination of said shoulder thus determining the angle of outward projection of the eyelash strands with respect to the part 10 of the inner shell above the eye pupil 6.

The outer surface of the outer shell 7 above the eyelashes 9 is properly painted to represent the upper eyelid, and the exposed surface of the art 10 of the inner e e shell surrounding t e pupil 6 may also e properly painted or colored to realistically simulate the human eye. By attaching the eyelashes to the eye structure in this manner, to all external appearances, the lashes appear to grpgv O ing or securin means for the eyelash strands of any kind ein visible. Also, after the outer exposed sur aces are properly painted, the lines of demarkation between the upper and lower edges of the opening in the outer shell 5 and the corresponding edges of the projected part 10 of the inner shell wall are not discernible.

Various means may be employedforpermanently connecting or interlocking the inner .and outer shells of the eye structure against relative movementfrom their nested or assembled positions. Thus, in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the longitudinal extension of the wall of the outer shell 7 which projects beyond the rear end edge of the wall of the inner shell 5, is turned or bent inwardly around said end edge of the inner shell wall and u on the inner face'thereof as shown at 12, t us fixedly securing the two shells against relative longitudinal or axial movement. The part 10 of the inner shell projecting through the opening in the wall of the outer shell constitutes a means which effectively locks the two shells against any possibility of relative rotation.

The opposite sides of the completed eye structure may then be provided. with t e aligned openin 13 of suitable size and shape .to receive the s aft or axis ofaneye setting making the outer shell of greater length and turning the rear end edge inwardly around the edge of the inner shell, in the formation of'the shaft receiving openin s 13through the wall of the outer shell 7, t e edges of the opening throu h this outer shell wall may be flanged inwar ly as shown at 14 and in close contacting relation with the corresponding edges of the openings in the wall of the inner shell 5. In this case, it will be understood that the openings are provided through the wall of the inner shell during the separate manufacture thereof and accurately located with respect to the. upil 6 on the surface thereof prior to the al assemblage of the inner and outer shells with each other.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have shown a further modification of the invention wherein the inner shell 5' as well as the outer shell 7 is produced from a thin sheet of metal. In this case, the wall of the inner shell in addition to having the outwardly projected section 10' positioned in the opening in the wall of the outer shell is further provided at the upper edge of the section 10' with a shallow depression 10 in which the ends of the eyelash strands are adapted to be positioned. When the two shell members are forced together to their final nested positions under pressure of the assembling dies, the ends of the lash strands will be subjected to a heavy clamping pressure and they will be flattened out or transversel elongated between the wall of the depression 10 and the inner face of the wall of the outer shell 7', thus obviating any possibility of the strand ends becoming detached from the eye structure. In this last described construction, either of the methods of permanently securing the two shell members in nested relation as above referred to may be adopted.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and several advantages of my improved artificial eye structure will be clearly understood. It will be seen that by means of my invention, the use of adhesives or other additional fastening or securing means for the eyelashes is dispensed with,

and at the same time, I obtain a" more natural or realistic appearance and a closer simulation of the human eye. It will also be apparent' that the several parts of this new eye structure may be very rapidl assembled by my proposed method with t e assurance of a definitely accurate relationship of the parts with respect to each other.

In the accompanying drawings, the thickness of the walls of the inner and outer shell members has been somewhat exaggerated for the purpose of clearness of the disclosure,

'30 herein disclosed several desirable and pracwhich is particularly true of the inner celluloidshell 5. The wall of this shell need only be of'such thickness that it may not-be easily dented or collapsed so as to constitute a firm non-yielding support for the outer thin metal shell 7. It will also be understood that the artificial eye structure may be made in a great many different sizes for application to dolls or figures of varying size. Also, while I have referred to several simple and effective devices for fixedly interlocking or connecting the two shell members with each other, in so far as the means which I provide for the attachment of the eyelash strands to the eye structure is concerned, any other desired means might be utilized for permanently securing the shells in nested relation. Accordingly, it is to be understood that while I have tical embodiments of the essential features of my present improvements, the device is also susceptible of incorporation in various otherv alternative structural forms, and I therefore, reserve the rivilege of resorting to all such legitimate c an therein as may be fairly embodied within tiz spirit and scope of the appended claims. I'claim:' Y

1. An artificial eye structure comprising an outer sheet metal shell having an eye shaped opening in its well, an inner shell of thermo-plastic material having a section projected section I of sai I nite antgularly projecting relation to the surof its wall projected through and substantially closing said opening, the outer surfaces of the outer shell and the projected section of the. wall of the inner shell be' sitioned in the same circumferenti the opening in the latter and embedded in the structure of the inner shell wall, said strands being sustained by the offset section of the inner shell wall in definite outwardly projecting angular relation with respect to the surface of the outer shell, and said outer shell having its rear edge turned inwardly around and upon the rear edge of the'inner shell to permanently secure said shells in their nested positionagainst relative movement. i

3. An artificial eye comprising a semispherical shell, having an eye pupil on its outer surface, a part concentrically curved in relation to the shell and superimposed thereon having a portion representing an eyelid, eyelash strands clamped at one of their ends between said part and the shell and projecting outwardly from the surface of the latter inappropriate relation to the eye pupil,

and projecting outwardly from the surface of the latter in appropriate relation to the eye pupil, said shell being rovided in itswall at opposite sides thereo with axis receiving .openings' and said superimposed part havmg portions thereof projecting inwardly through said shell wall to secure sa1 tached relation to t e shell.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, l have signed my name hereto.

A LEO J. GRUBMAN.

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and eyelash strands having ,one of their ends embedded in the structure of the inner shell wall and su ported by 'the wall in defi-v face 0 the outer .shell opening therein. v I

'2. In an artificial eye structure, an'outer sheet metal shell having an eye shaped at one edge of the ing in its wall, an inner shell .0 thermoplasticmaterial nested within said outer shell and having a section of. its .wall .angularly offset and substantially closing the o mng 1n the,wall of the-outer shell,-.eye1as strands having one of their ends the inner and outer she openo enings and enga ed with the fi kedl 'tioned between. mt one edgeof

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