US3336902A

US3336902A - Lens holder

Info

Publication number: US3336902A
Application number: US554497A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lee O Upton; Edward J Chwalek
Original assignee: American Optical Corp
Current assignee: American Optical Corp; Irving Trust Co
Priority date: 1966-06-01
Filing date: 1966-06-01
Publication date: 1967-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, R967 L. o. UPTON ETAL LENS HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 1, 1966 LEE Q. LIPTON EDWARD J. CMWfixLEH Aug. 22, 1967 UPTON ETAL 3,336,902

LENS HOLDER Filed June 1, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet Z INVENTORS LEE 0. UPTOIN EDWAR D J. CHWALEK United States Patent 3,336,902 LENS HOLDER Lee 0. Upton, Stllrbridge, and Edward J. Chwalek, Southbridge, Mass., assignors to American Optical Company,

Southhridge, Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Filed June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,497 4 Claims. (Cl. 118-503) This invention relates primarily to lens holders and more particularly to an apparatus useful in securing a lens substantially in a plane perpendicular to the axis of a spinning mechanism to enable the deposition and spinning of a liquid coating onto the lens.

Various devices have been used and proposed for holding lenses in position for various operations thereon, such as centering, marking, grinding, etc. However, none have combined the improvements and facilities to be proposed herein for holding the lens securely, evenly distributing the holding force, providing ease of adjustment, and insuring the extension of lifetime for the motor means for the spinning procedure.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide lens holding means which evenly distribute the holding force about the lens;

A further more specific object is to provide a lens holding means wherein the holding elements move in complete unison to engage the lens to be held;

A still further object is to provide a combination of the above means with a clutch assembly to lessen the burden on the spinning motor at speeds greatly in excess of those heretofore used.

These and other objects are accomplished in one illustrative embodiment of the invention wherein a three-part holding mechanism is coupled to a slip clutch with the system being spun by a motor means. The three-part holding means comprises a first plate including a number of channels equal to the number of holding posts protruding from the third part. The second part comprises a number of channels equal to the number of posts which may be placed in substantial registry with the channels of the first part upon rotation of the second part relative to the first part. The third part has attached thereto a number of post plates individually rotatable about independent points on the third plate. The post plates have protruding therefrom, through the channels of the first and second parts, holding posts for contacting the lens to be held. Also protruding from each of the post plates is a guide pin which protrudes through a slot in the second plate. As the second plate is rotated by hand or other means, the guide pins are moved by the motion of the slots of the second plate to cause rotatable movement of the post plates outwardly away from the center of the mechanism. When the posts are in proper position to receive the lens, the lens is deposited between the posts with springs being provided to force the post plates and therefore the posts in holding engagement with the lens. The springs act as a holding force until setting bolts can be tightened through slots in the first plate to engage threaded holes in the second plate thereby discontinuing the motion between the first and second plates.

Other objects, features and embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the first plate of the holding mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the second plate of the holding mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a top view view of the third part of the holding mechanism showing attached thereto springs and post plates;

FIG. 4 is a perspective representation of an exploded view of the lens holding mechanism and clutch assembly for the complete lens holder;

FIG. 5 is an assembly perspective of the lens holder; and,

FIG. 5a is a partial top view representation showing the lens holding posts engaging a lens.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of the first plate of the lens holding mechanism. This plate comprises a plurality of channels 12 and slots 14. Also shown are bolt holes 16 and locating pins 18.

FIG. 2 is a top view of second plate 20 comprising slots 22, threaded holes 24, handles 26, channels 28, and a central locating bore 29.

FIG. 3 represents the top view of the third part which comprises a plate 32, handles 33, and rotatable post plates 34, with each of the post plates having a lens holding post and a guide pin 36. The third part also has protruding from the plate 32 a raised portion 37 which has threaded holes 38 and locating pin receptacles 39. Also shown are hairpin springs 40 anchored by screws 41. It should also be noticed that the rotatable plates 34 have their axes of rotation at point 42.

FIG. 4 represents an exploded View of the entire lens holding mechanism and clutch plate, which graphically illustrates the mating relationship of the various parts shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. It may be seen that the third part 30 is receivable by the clutch so that the surface of the third part engages surface 54 of the clutch. Channels 28 of the second plate are for receiving pins 35, with slots 22 in the second plate being to receive pins 36 of the holding post plates 34. The bore 29 of the second plate fits snugly around the raised portion 37 of the third part. The channels 12 of the first plate receive posts 35 and pins 18 are received by pin receptacles 39 in the third part. Screws 58 then go through hole 16 of the first .part to be received by threaded screw receptacles 38 of the third part. The threaded bolts 56 go through washers 57 and slots 14 to be received loosely by threaded holes 24 until the locating posts 35 are properly adjusted by rotatable motion of the handles 26 with respect to handles 33. When the posts 35 are in proper position and forced towards the held lens by springs 40, the bolts 56 are tightened to hold the posts 35 in firm position.

The assembly of the lens holding mechanism together with clutch St) is shown holding lens 60 in FIG. 5. The operation of the device is by using means such as the thumb of the human hand to handle posts 33 and with such means as the finger forcing handles 26 in direction 62 as pins 36 slide in slots 22. The lens 60 is then rested on the shoulders of posts 35 and the handles 26 released so that hairpin springs 40 force posts 35 towards the lens with a small amount of pressure. The knurled screws 56 are then tightened to bring the second plate 20 into forced engagement with the first plate 10 thereby preventing any further rotation between the two plates. Shaft 52 shown in both FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is the rotatable axis for the entire mechanism. When the device is mounted so that shaft 52 is the shaft of the motor, or connected or coupled to the shaft of the motor, the clutch 50 is brought up to a speed of approximately 4,000 rpm. Gradually a frictional engagement is established between surface 54 of the clutch and the third part 30. This is to insure that the clutch does not snap the lens holding device quickly up to such a speed. The clutch mechanism further insures that by a gradual speeding up of the rotation of the lens holding device, the lens will not be broken. The clutch further insures an easy decoupling of the lens holding device for cleaning and protects the lifetime of the motor (not shown) since less of a mass is brought quickly up to a high speed. Also, the clutch can be used with other holders such as a vacuum holder, if one side only of a lens is to be coated.

The hairpin springs discussed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 are more reliable than coil springs used in some of the prior art devices since they are less susceptible to dripping coating materials and other fluids clogging the spring action. Furthermore, by using individual hairpin springs, the spring are thereby individually replaceable and by placing an individual pressure on each post there is greater assurance that one post wont lag behind the other in contacting the lens 60, as would be the case with one spring between plates and 20. It should be noticed that the springs are not used to counteract the centrifugal force which tends to cause posts 35 to be thrown outward as the mechanism is used. This function is best served by setting screws 56, without the need for the springs 40 being strong enough to do more than to hold the posts 35 in position until the screws 56 are tightened.

FIG. 5a depicts the lens 60 being held by post 35 in position for tightening of the screws 56 (shown in FIG. 5) before operation. It should be further noted that the posts form the square of least dimension about the lens. The holder is therefore useful with almost any conceivable shape, except possibly a rectangle.

By reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and the assembly drawing of FIG. 5, it may be seen that the sides of channels 12 and 28 do not make any actual contact with posts 35. It seems then that such channels may be widened considerably to larger openings to accomplish a materials saving in producing the mechanism. However, this potential saving must be balanced in each case to the function served by the relatively narrow channels in preventing the buildup of coating materials and the like in the more intricate mechanism of the third part (shown in FIG. 3).

We claim:

1. A lens holding mechanism for a spinning operation comprising a lens holding device which includes a first part having a plurality of first openings, first locating pins depending therefrom, and first and second slots; a second part having a plurality of second openings equal in number to said plurality of first openings, a plurality of third slots equal in number to said plurality of first openings, a pair of first handles, a central bore, and threaded screw holes; and a third part having a plurality of post plates rotatably attached thereto, said plurality being equal in number to said plurality of second openings, a raised portion with holes for receiving said first locating pins and for locating said'bore centrally with relation to said third part, a pair of second handles, holding posts extending upwardly from said post plates, second locating pins on each of said post plates for insertion into said third slots, and spring means for urging said post plates towards the center of said mechanism; wherein a pair of setting screws are provided for insertion into said first and second slots, respectively, and for threading into said threaded screw holes of said second part after said pair of first handles and said pair of second handles are rotated relative to each other to cause said second locating pins, by the relative motion of said third slots, to rotate said post plates away from the center of the mechanism for insertion of a lens between said holding posts, to thereafter allow said spring means to urge and hold said holding posts toward said center, so that said pair of setting screws can be tightened through said first and second slots into the threaded holes in said second part to thereby hold a fixed relationship between said post plates and said third part for the spinning operation.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second openings are narrow channels.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said spring means comprise hairpin springs.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said second part comprises a plate, and said pair of first handles are afiixed rigidly to and extend from said plate, which is rotatable relative to said first and second parts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,004 12/1931 Bleecker 118-504 2,707,107 4/ 1955 Tucker 279-106 2,723,861 11/1955 Eisler 279-106 2,918,097 12/1959 Thompson 269-156 X 2,985,458 5/1961 Everett 279-106 3,016,245 1/1962 Zelewsky 279-106 MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A LENS HOLDING MECHANISM FOR A SPINNING OPERATION COMPRISING A LENS HOLDING DEVICE WHICH INCLUDES A FIRST PART HAVING A PLURALITY OF FIRST OPENING, FIRST LOCATING PINS DEPENDING THEREFROM, AND FIRST AND SECOND SLOTS; A SECOND PART HAVING PLURALITY OF SECOND OPENINGS EQUAL IN NUMBER TO SAID PLURALITY OF FIRST OPENINGS, A PLURALITY OF THIRD SLOTS EQUAL IN NUMBER TO SAID PLURALITY OF FIRST OPENINGS, A PAIR OF FIRST HANDLES, A CENTRAL BORE, AND THREADED SCREW HOLES; AND A THIRD PART HAVING A PLURALITY OF POST PLATES ROTATABLY ATTACHED THERETO, SAID PLURALITY BEING EQUAL IN NUMBER TO SAID PLURALITY OF SECOND OPENINGS, A RAISED PORTION WITH HOLES FOR RECEIVING SAID FIRST LOCATING PINS AND FOR LOCATING SAID BORE CENTRALLY WITH RELATION TO SAID THIRD PART, A PAIR OF SECOND HANDLES, HOLDING POSTS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID POST PLATES, SECOND LOCATING PINS ON EACH OF SAID POST PLATES FOR INSERTION INTO SAID THIRD SLOTS, AND SPRING MEANS FOR URGING SAID POST PLATES TOWARDS THE CENTER OF SAID MECHANISM; WHEREIN A PAIR OF SETTING SCREWS ARE PROVIDED FOR INSERTION INTO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLOTS, RESPECTIVELY, AND FOR THREADING INTO SAID THREADED SCREW HOLES OF SAID SECOND PART AFTER SAID PAIR OF FIRST HANDLES AND SAID PAIR OF SECOND HANDLES ARE ROTATED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO CAUSE SAID SECOND LOCATING PINS, BY THE RELATIVE MOTION OF SAID THIRD SLOTS, TO ROTATE SAID POST PLATES AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE MECHANISM FOR INSERTION OF A LENS BETWEEN SAID HOLDING POSTS, TO THEREAFTER ALLOW SAID SPRING MEANS TO URGE AND HOLD SAID HOLDING POSTS TOWARD SAID CENTER, SO THAT SAID PAIR OF SETTING SCREWS CAN BE TIGHTENED THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLOTS INTO THE THREADED HOLES IN SAID SECOND PART TO THEREBY HOLD A FIXED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID POST PLATES AND SAID THIRD PART FOR THE SPINNING OPERATION.