US2294561A - Eye protector - Google Patents

Description

Sept. l, 1942. D. E; KIMBALL EYE PROTECTOR Filed May 27,A 19:59

Donald L`Kmbq.

`being curved to iit the face of the user.

Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES Aralar OFFICE EYE PROTECTOR Donald E. Kimball, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 27, 1939, Serial No. 276,195

8 Claims.

This invention relates to eye protectors, more particularly to goggles of the type employed by mechanics, machinists, and others when working with welding torches, abrading wheels, and the like, and has for a principal object the provision of a new and improved adjustable nose-piece construction for goggles.

This application is a continuation in part of my application for Eye protectors, filed August 31, 1938, Serial Number 227,735.

In the drawing accompanying this specication and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, embodiments which my invention may assume, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention, a portion of the head band being broken away to better accommodate the View to the sheet,

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the nose-piece construction,

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the eye-cup construction disclosed in Figure 2,

' Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing another embodiment of the nose-piece holding means,

Figure 5 is a view'similar to Figure 2, showing still another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective View of a portion of the eye-cup construction disclosed in Figure 5,

Figure '7 is an enlarged, broken, top face View of a fragment of one of the goggle cups, disclosing yet another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 8--8 of Figure 7, while Figure 9 is a fragmentary, exploded view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring rst to Figures 1 through 3, of the drawing, the eye protectors comprise a pair of eye-cups I and II of identical construction, except for their opposite disposition. Each of the eye-cups I and II is preferably molded from a suitable moldable composition, and comprises a substantially circular section I2, circumferentially threaded on the exterior, as at I3, and integrally formed with a rear section I4, the latter rear section I4 of each of the eye-cups Il) and II merges into a temporal portion I of greater length than the nose portion, indicated at I6, and is outwardly flared, as at I1, and to the ends of the temporal portions I5, a head band I8 is COI!- 55 nected, only a fragment of the head band I8 being shown. Threaded onto the threaded section I3, is a bezel I9, having a, shoulder 20, against which is adapted to rest, a glass disc 2|, a lens proper 22 being adapted to rest against the disc 2I, both the disc 2I and lens 22 being adapted to be clamped between the outer edge 23 of the eye-cup and the shoulder 20 of the bezel when the bezel is screwed home.

The eye-cups I0 and II are secured together by a nose-piece 24, which comprises a chain member 25, covered by a piece of rubber tubing 26, the chain member being made up of a series of spaced balls 21, swiveled onto connecting bars 28, each end of the chain member being adapted to be connected to its related cup at the nose portion I6. For this purpose the nose portion I6 is provided with a slot 29 extending transversely across the edge 30 of the threaded circular section I2, and extending inwardly from the edge 30 a suitable distance, the nose portion I6 being cut out at opposite sides to form substantially half-round, oppositely disposed grooves 3l, communicating with the slot 29, the cross-sectional contours of the grooves 3| corresponding substantially to the spherical contour of each of the balls 21 of the chain 25, while the distance between the defining walls of the grooves 3| is the same, or very slightly less than the length of the bars 28, or the distance between adjacent surfaces of the balls 21.

Because of the relative proportions of the balls 21, bars 28, and contours of the grooves 3|, when the bezel I9 has been removed, and a bar 28 nserted into the slot 29, and adjacent balls 21 into the grooves 3|, the chain is frictionally held in the slot 29 and grooves 3|, so that it requires some little force to remove the same. Thisfeature is of advantage in that even with the bezel I9 removed, as when cleaning the lenses, the chain 25 will not readily be disconnected, or the adjustment disturbed, but the chain will remain in place unless forced out of the slot 29 to change the adjustment. Of course when the bezel I9 is screwed on it prevents retraction of the chain 25 from the slot 29 should the chain be subjected to forces sufficient to overcome the frictional resistance already referred to.

In Figure 4, all parts of the construction, with .the exception of additional parts now to be described, are the same as those shown in Figures l, 2, and 3, and will be designated by the same reference characters. In this construction, however, instead of at some time relying upon the bezel I9, or solely upon frictional holding when the bezel is removed, to prevent unintentional detachment of the chain 25, positive lock means 32 are provided, which hold the chain 25 in position at all times independently of the bezel I9 and the frictional holding heretofore mentioned. The lock means preferably take the form of a sleeve 33 having one end split, as at 34, and its opposite end provided with a shoulder 35 and, outwardly of .the shoulder 35, with a flat head 35, the sleeve 33 being adapted to be forced into a bore or socket 31, which at right angles intersects the slot 29, the socket 31 preferably opening at the inner side of the nose portion, as shown, to permit insertion and retraction of the sleeve from the inner side of the nose portion.

When the sleeve 33 is in position, by reason ofV its split nature, it will be held frictionally against accidental retraction, and overlie the chain 25 to prevent its removal from the slot 29 until the sleeve 33 has been removed. The Sleeve 33 may readily be removed by inserting the finger nail or some suitable instrument under the flat head 36, and prying the same from the socket 31, thereby releasing the chain 25 for adjusting movement.

In Figures and 6, an embodiment similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is disclosed, and like "parts of the two constructions will be indicated by the same reference characters used in connection with Figures l, 2, and 3. In this embodiment, the section 45 of the nose portion I6, inwardly of the threaded section 4I, is of less cross-sectional thickness than the threaded section 4I, while the nose portion I5 adjacent the inner extremity of the threaded section 4 I, is provided with a circumferential rib 42, preferably taking the form of an extension on the innermost thread of the threaded section 4 I, and which projects radially outwardly beyond the remaining threads 43. The rib 42 is intersected by the grooves 44 and slot 45 similar to the grooves 3I and slot 2S already described in connection with Figures 1, 2, and 3, the grooves 44 preferably being made somewhat deeper than the grooves 3| so that the balls 21 do not fit so tightly. Y In this construction, whenY a b-ar 28 of the chain member 25 is inserted into the slot 45, the balls 21 somewhat loosely enter the grooves 44, and when 4the chain is pressed inwardly, the balls 21Y encounter the rib 42 and are forced therepast by the application of considerable force, snapping over the same to a position in the bottom portion of the slot 45, and the balls 21 at opposite sides of the section 40, may loosely tilt with respect to the section 49, sorthat normally there vis no tendency for the same unintentionally to pass outwardly of the rib 42. In fact in order to remover the chain member from the slot 45 it is necessary to line up the balls 21 and connecting bar 28 so that they lie substantially at right angles to the opposite side walls of the section 40 and 'to the defining walls of the grooves 44, before the chain member may readily be snapped outwardly over the rib 42, and the chain member removed for purposes of adjustment, The holding means for the chain member therefore operate independently of the bezel I9 and securely, though detachablyhold the chain member in position when the bezel I9 is removed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures '7 and 8, many of the parts are similar to those described in connection with Figures l, 2, and 3, and will be designated by similar reference characters. The nose portion 45 of this construction, however, is made somewhat thicker, preferably being bulged inwardly, as at 41, to

provide additional thickness, and centrally of the edge surface, transversely in line with the bulged portion a socket 48 is provided which extends inwardly a suitable distance, the socket 48 communicating with oppositely disposed trans- Versely extending slots 49. The bottom of the socket 43 is further preferably provided with a threaded recess for the reception of a threaded stud 59, formed on the bottom of a cup 5I, inserted into the socket 48, the cup being slightly reduced in diameter toward its outer end as at 52, and extending outwardly to a point substantially flush with the entrance to the socket 48, the reduced portion 5'2 being split at opposite sides, as at 53, in line with the slots 49, the cup 5I being constructed of spi'ingy metal so that the splits 53 normally are sprung substantially closed.

In this construction, a ball 21 is adapted to enter the cup 5I, the bars 28 being pressed into the splits 53, and passed `through the slots 49, the split reduced section frictionally holding the bars 28, and the ball 21, and of course the chain member 25, against unintentional retraction, when the bezel I9 is not in position.

In Figure 9, there is disclosed an embodiment of the invention operable to provide a continuous surface along the edge of the eye-cup, even though holding means of the character heretofore set forth are employed. The nose-portion I6 is provided with grooves 54 'and a connecting slot 55 as before described, but in this case the outer edge of the eye-cup is cut out, as at 56, for the reception of a plug or covermember 51, having a fiat body portion 58 shaped to fit flush into the recess 5G, and having curved spring prongs 59 adapted to fit into the grooves 54 and frictionally hold the cover member in position, the cover member of course acting as a locking member to hold the chain member in position when the bezel is removed, but being detachable to permit adjustments to be made.

It will be apparent t0 those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention, and it also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence i t will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is notv limited thereto.

I claim:

1. Eye protecting fastening means, comprising: a pair of eye protecting means; nose bridge means for flexibly connecting the eye protecting means together; at least one of said protecting means being in the form of a cup-shaped member having a slot therein for the reception of said nose bridge means, said member between the ends of said slot and for a relatively short distance therealong being provided with an enlargement, said nose bridge means having abutments and connecting links between said abutments, said links each being spaced apart a distance slightly less than the lateral thickness of said member at said enlargement, whereby movement of one of said links past said enlargement necessitates forcing said spaced abutments therepast to hold the nose bridge means against accidental detachment.

2. Eye protecting fastening means, comprising: a pair of eye protecting means; nose bridge means for flexibly connecting the eye protecting means together; at least one of said protecting means being lin the form of a cup-shaped member having a thread thereon, and having a slot therein for the reception of said nose bridge means, said member between the ends of said slot and for a relatively short distance therealong being provided with an enlargement formed by a portion of said thread; said nose bridge means having abutments and connecting links between said abutments, and said links each being spaced apart a distance slightly less than the lateral thickness of said member at said enlargement, whereby movement of one of said links past said enlargement necessitates forcing said spaced abutments therepast to hold the nose bridge means against accidental detachment.

3. Eye protector fastening means, comprising in combination with a pair of eye protecting means, nose bridge means for flexibly connecting said eye protecting means, said nose bridge means including ball means spaced apart a predetermined distance, and link means between said ball means; at least one of said eye protecting means being in the form of a cup-shaped member having a tubular part for the threaded reception of a lens holding bezel, the wall of said tubular part in cross-sectional thickness being substantially greater than the, distance between said ball means, and having a recess for the adjustable recep-tion of said nose bridge means, said recess opening through the outer edge of said 'J tubular part, and extending inwardly from said edge, the walls of said tubular part at opposite sides of said recess being cut out to form grooves communicating with said recess, said grooves being oppositely disposed and substantially halfround in cross-section, and adapted to provide room for spaced adjacent balls and to permit entry of the connecting link between said balls into said recess.

4. Eye protector fastening means, comprising in combination with a pair of eye protecting means, nose bridge means for flexibly connecting said eye protecting means, said nose bridge means including ball means spaced apart a predetermined distance, and link means between said ball means; at least one of said eye protecting means being in the form of a cup-shaped member having a tubular section for the threaded reception of a lens holding bezel, the wall of said tubular part in cross-sectional thickness being substantially greater than the distance between said ball means and having an external thread molded thereon for threaded reception of said bezel, said molded thread terminating short of the opposite end of said tubular part, the latter having a recess for the adjustable reception of said nose bridge means, said recess opening through the outer edge of said tubular section, and extending inwardly from said edge and past the threaded portion, the Walls of said tubular part at opposite sides of said recess being cut out to form grooves interrupting said molded thread and communicating with said recess, said grooves being oppositely disposed and substantially halfround in cross-section, said recess and said grooves terminating inwardly of said threaded portion, said grooves being adapted to provide room for spaced adjacent balls and to permit entry of the connecting link between said balls into said recess.

5. Eye protective fastening means, comprising in combination with a pair of eye protecting means, nose bridge means for flexibly connecting the eye protecting means together, including spaced abutments with connecting means therebetween, at least one of said protecting means being in tubular form having an outer end portion somewhat thicker in cross-section than an adjacent inner portion thereof, said outer portion having a recess extendingtherethrough and into said inner portion, for the detachable reception of the connecting means of said bridge means, the opposed walls defining said outer portion being spaced apart substantially the normal maximum distance between said abutments, whereby to operably enter and leave said recess the abutments and connecting means of said bridge means must lie in a plane substantially at right angles to said opposed walls, being loosely shiftable in the recess of said inner portion;- land non-removable from said inner portion recess until lined up substantially at right angles to the said opposed walls of said outer portion.

6. Eye protective fastening means, comprising in combination with a pair of eye protecting means, nose bridge means for flexibly connecting the eye protecting means together, including spaced abutments with connecting means therebetween, at least one of said protecting means being in tubular form having an outer end portion somewhat thicker in cross-section than an adjacent inner portion thereof, said outer portion having a recess extending therethrough and a continuation of said recess extending into said inner portion, said recess and continuation being adapted to have the connecting means of said bridge means enter through said recess and enter the continuation thereof; the opposed walls defining the recess of said outer portion being spaced apart substantially the normal maximum distance between said abutments except for a relatively short distance between the ends of the recess and continuation having at this point an enlargement slightly greater than the distance between the abutments of said nose bridge means, while the walls dening the continuation of said recess are spaced a less distance apart, said nose bridge means being loosely shiftable when in the continuation of said recess, and non-removable from said continuation until lined up substantially at right angles to the opposed walls of the recess of said outer portion and forced past said enlargement.

7. Eye protector fastening means, comprising; a pair of eye protecting means; nose bridge means for connecting said eye protecting means, said nose bridge means including spaced ball means, and link means between said ball means: at least one of said eye protecting means being in the form of a cup-shaped member having a tubular section for the threaded reception of a lens holding bezel, and a lens holding bezel detachably engageable with said tubular section; said tubular section having a recess for the adjustable reception of said nose bridge means, said recess opening through the outer edge of said tubular section, and extending inwardly from said edge, the dening walls of said recess and said nose bridge means being constructed and proportioned to interengage snugly, and thereby effect frictional resistance to accidental -disconnection of said nose bridge means when said lens holding bezel is removed from said tubular section; and detachable locking means for preventing removal should said friction holding means be accidentally overcome.

8. Eye protector fastening means, comprising in combination with a pair of eye protecting means, nose bridge means for flexibly connecting said eye protecting means, said nose bridge means including ball means spaced apart a predetermined distance, an-d link means between said ball means; at least one of said eye protecting means being in the form of a cup-shaped member of inoldable material having a tubular 5 part for the threaded reception of a lens holding bezel, the dening wall of said tubular part being integrally formed, and having a cross-sectional thickness substantially in excess of the distance between said ball means, and having a recess 10 DONALD E. KIMBALL.

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