US2012169A - Means for exercising the ocular muscles - Google Patents

Description

I Au '20, 1935.

c. M. JoN s MEANS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES Filed Feb. 27, 1934 WN N rt .U I .M m GA w a M a na B Aug. 20, 1935. c. v. JONES MEANS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES Filed Feb. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 do& JTLCS nnzntur Patented Aug 20, 1935 MEANS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAE MUSCLES Charles Myron Jones, Yakima, wash.

Application February 27, 1934, Serial No. '113,197

e Claims. c 88-20 v "I'his invention relates to a device designed primarily for use by optometrists, the primary object of the invention being to provide means to assist a patient in exercising and developing the ocular muscles, whereby the extrinsic or ciliary to move in a similar manner in following the' movements of the object.

Another object of the invention is the proyision of an exercising device for exercising the muscles of the eye, which when used bythe patient will result in a constant contraction and relaxation of -the eye ,muscles, eliminating 'constant strain caused when a patient views an evenly and regularly moving object.-

With the foregoing and other obje'cts in view,

which will appear a's the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the` details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. 4

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a device const'ructecl in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2- of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmental detail view illustratini. the relation of the teeth of the Operating gear and teeth of the gear cooperating with the'operating ear.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the'device comprises a cabinet or body portion indicated generally by the reference character 5. Supported within the cabinet is a. motor indicated by the reference character 6, which motor trans'mits motion to the reduction gears Operating within the gear housing 'l transmitting movement to the shaft 8.

Secured within the cabinet 5, are uprights 9 and o, which are formed with hearing openings to accommodate the main shaft ll to which the gear |2 is secured. This gear !2 is formed with teeth !3, disposed in the periphery thereof, and also has laterally extended pins M disposed at points intermediate the teeth, for purposes to be hereinafter, more fully described. 5

Secured on the shaft 8, is a gear |5 which is formed with teeth l6 disposed directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown by Figure 4 of the drawings. An arm indicated by the reference character l'l, is also secured on the shalt 8, to 10 rotate therewith, the arm I'lbeing of a length so that the ends thereof extend slightly beyond the periphery of the gear !5. This arm is so arranged with respect to the teeth IS that the ends of the arm will contact with the pins M, prior to 16 the engagement of the teeth !6 with the teeth !3, so that as the shaft 8 is rotated, an intermittent movement will be trans itted to the shaftl I.

'I'he'reference character !8 designatesva gear that is mounted on the shalt I I, and secured to 20 the shaft by means of the set screw 20, the gear being in mesh with the gear 2l formed on the v inner end of the hollow shalt 22, which hollow shaft is mounted in a hearing opening formed in the upper end of the upright 9. One end of the hollow shaft 22 is threaded to receive the ring '23, that holds the hollow shaft in its hearing.

Mounted within the hollow shaft 22, to move therewith, is a projector tube 24 in which the lens 25 is mounted, the lens being in the form of a prism, so that as light rays are projected through the lens, the point of focus of the prism on a screen, not shown, will be varied, with each rotation of the projector tube. I

The shaft l I provides a support for the disc 26, which is loosely mounted thereon, the disc being provided with sets of openings 21, the openings of each' set being of various shapes or designs, to

meet the requirements of usage.

openings 28 are also formed in the disc 20, and 40 are adapted to accommodate the ball 29, held within an opening formed in -the disc 30 which is also secured to the shaft ll, so that movement of the shaft ll and disc 30, will result in relative movement of the disc 26. i

openings 3! are iormed in the disc 30, and are so disposed that the openings 3| will i'allopposite to certain of the openings of the disc 26. Extending through an opening 'in the rear wall of the' cabinet 5 is a setting shatt 32, which has a substantially U-shaped end 33 that extends through openings formed in the disc 28, the U-shaped end 33 also extending through curved ope'nings 34 of the disc 30, so that by rotating shutt 32, the disc 26 may be moved'with respect to the disc 30.

- shaft ll.

The reference character 35 designates a spring that bears against the U-shaped end of the shaft 32, normally urging the shaft 32 outwardly, and drawing thediscs close together so that a trio-'- tional contact between the discs and ball 29, will be insured. In order that the shaft 32 may be readily opera-ted, a nurled head 36 is iormed on one end of the shaft, to be 'grpped by the fingers of the operator. when 'it is desired to set the device. v

At the upper end of the upright I -are telescoping . tubes 31 and 38 respectively, the tube 31 being held within an opening formed in the 'upright, as clearly shown by Figure 1.' The tube 30 provides a support for the 'lens 39, which is mounted within the outer endthereof. Thus it will be seen that due to this Construction, the tube 38 may be moved longitudinally of the tube 31, in order to focus the lens 39. 3

The inner end of the tube 31 is formed with an opening 40 through which the light rays from the lamp`4| are projected. when the. device is in operation. 4

The operation of the device is as follows:

A screen, not shown, is, of course, used wit the projecting device, and the Outline of an object,

which is projected on the screen', is viewed by the patient under treatment.

The disc 30 is adjusted so that the openings thereot will fall opposite to certain openings of the disc 26, whereupon the motor i is rotated. Rotary movement oi' the motor is transmitted to the gear !2 intermi ttently, as described, causing a rotary, 'but intermittent movement ot the It follows that with each rotary movement of the shaft ll, openings of the discs 25 and, 30 are moved to positions intercepting the light rays passing from the lamp 4 I, with the result that the light rays will be projected through the projector tube 24 and prism-like lens 25, mounted therein.

Due to the construction' of the lens 25, it will be obvious -that the !ocus point of the lens will be moved constantly and intermittently, causing a jerky movement of the patient's eyes intollowing movements of the projected object.

It might be further stated that i'ntermittent i movement is transmitted to the projector tube 24,

through the gear |0 that meshes with gear 2 I, that in turn rotates the projector tube 24.

After the patient has viewed this' particular design or object, the operator may, by rotating shaft 32, move the disc 20 .to bring openings o! a diii'erent shape, before the openings of the disc 30, so

thata change in the design of the object projected gagesone ot the teeth |3 moving the discs 26 and 30 to'their open positions, whereby the light image is shown on the screen, in another position.

As the eyes focus on the new image, the eye muscles will automatically'contract, thereby insuring constant contraction and relaxation of the eye muscles, in viewing the image projected by the device.

Having thus described the inventiom' what I claim is: v

1. A device 'for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising a cabinet, a rotatable projector tube mounted within the cabinet, a prismshaped le'ns within the projector tube, a power shaft mounted within the cabinet, a disk having a plurality of spaced circular openings Secured to the shaft, a disk loosely mounted on the shaft adj'acent -to the first-mentioned shaft an`d having a plurality of openings of various shapes, adapted to be brought into registry with the openings of the first-mentioned disk. means for urging the disks towards each other, means for normally preventingrotary movement of one disk With respect to the. adjacent disk, means for prjecting light rays through the registering openings and prismshaped lens of the projector tube,. and means for rotating the shaft.

2. A device for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising a cabinet, a rotatable projector tube, a prism-shaped lens mounted within the cabinet, a pair of disks of equal dimensions, mounted on one end of the shaft and arranged face to face, one of the disks having a plurality of openings of various shapes, the adjaeent disks having a plurality of circular openings, means for adjusting one disk with respect to the other disk, whereby the openings of one disk register with predetermined openings of the adjacent disk, means for holding the disks in their positions of adjustmen-t, means for drecting light rays through registering openings of the disks, and means for rotating the shaft, disks and projector tubes simultaneously and at predetermined intervals.

3. A device for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising a, cabinet, a projector tube mounted for rotary movement within the cabinet,

a prism-shaped lens mounted in the projector tube, a horizontal shaft in the cabinet, a disk on one end of the shaft-and having spaced. openings, another disk on the shaft and arranged adjacent to the first-mentioned shaft and having openings of various shapes, means for adjusting the secondmentioned disk with respect to the flrst-mentioned disk wherebycertain openings of the disks are brought into registry,`means-for projecting light rays through the registering openings and pro- ;lector tube, and means for rotating the shaft intermittently whereby the disks and projector tube are rotated intermittently.

cHARLEs MYRON JONES.

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