US1601133A - Artificial eyes for dolls, display figures, and the like and method of making the same - Google Patents

Description

sept. 2s, '1926. www@ AND THE LIKE,

S. MARCUS ARTIFICIAL EYES FOR DOLLS, DISPLAY FIGURES AND METHOD CF MAKING THE SAME Filed OGL. l5, 1923 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28 i926.

NITE. SEATS SAMUEL-.Maestre or BROOKLYN, NEW Yoan.

ARTIFICIAL-EYES FOR DOLLS,

DISPLAY IIIIVG"UIBES,v AND THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application led October 13, 1923. Serial No. 668,281.

The invention pertains to improvements in artificial eyes for dolls and the like, and 1t resides more particularly in the novel method and means I have invented for applylng eye-lashes to these eyes. The invention also pertains to the certain features` of the eye permitting my invention to be carried into eii'ect in a preferred manner.

The eyes are connected together by a bridge member to form a pair or eye-set, and each eye is usually preferably formed of an exterior shell of transparent celluloid enclosing an opaque or white shell also preferably of Celluloid and bearing a representation of the iris, and this combined shell, constituting the exterior of the eye, is preferably mounted upon a hemispherical metal shell to be adj ustably secured on a transverse rod or bridge which in use has one of the eyes at'each end thereof and at its middle portion supporting hanger or bracket and also connected with means for eecting a rolling motion'` of the eyes to close when the doll is reclined and to open when the doll is restored to vertical position. The iris is exposed at the front .and ispreferably slightly below the center of the hemispherical shells so that when the doll is reclined the eye may rather. quickly close or disappear within the head of the doll.

In carrying out my invention I preferably provide an eye-lash member which consists.

of a suitable width of parallel fibres or strands arranged close together and secured at their end portions in xed relation to eachother by means of paper or other thin strips secured upon one side thereof and extending at right angles to the length of the fibres or strands. This eye-lash member I utilize for providing the artificial eye with eye-lashes, and in respect to this part of the invention I vcut a transverse slit through the front wall of the exterior shell of the eye and above the iris representation exposed thereon and insert one end of the eye-lash member carrying its binding strip through this slit and preferably press the binding strip on said end upwardly against the inner surface of the exterior shell of the eye, causing the same to adhere thereto by adhesive or other means'. The positioning of one end of the eye-lash member within the exterior portion of the eye leaves the other is pivotally mounted upon a' end of the eye-lash member exposed outwardly beyond the eye, and this portion of the eye-lash member is trimmed down along an arcuate line crossing the member to such extent as lmay be des1red for leaving the fibres or strands exposed at the front of the eye of proper length to constitute the eyelashes. The eye-lashes will appear directly above the iris of the eye, and when the exterior portion or shell of the eye is mounted upon the metal shell or base, the eye-lashes will become permanently secured in place.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front view of an eye-set adapted for introduction into the head of a doll in a well understood lmanner and embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. vertical section through the same, taken on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and showing the iris offset from the center of the eye;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of one of the eyes, the bridge rod being partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section, on an lenlarged scale and partly broken away,

through one of the eyes and taken on the dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig.' 5 is a perspective view of the eye-lash-V tion through the two outer shells of one of the eyes and illustrates the preliminary step in introducing the eye-lash member thereto Fig. 7 is a top view, on a smaller scale, of the same. and bv the arcuate broken. line indicates the line on which the eye-lash member is trimmed-off as the final step in forming the eye-lashes, and

Fig. 81is an enlarged central vertical section thro-ugh the two outer shells of the eye and illustrates the manner of securing t e inner end of the eye-lash member, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, preparatory to the trimming 0H of the strands constituting the eye-lashes on the arcuate broken line indicated in j Fig. 7.

In the drawings, 10 designates the two eyes of a pair of eyes, said eyes being supported upon a transverse ro or bridge 11 which is pivotally .mounted in a bracket or ibs hanger 12 and has rigidlyconnected with it a rod 13 suspending a weight 14, which acts when a doll containing the eye-set is reclined, to turn the rod 11 and'therethrough effect a closing motion'to the'eyes 10 and which also acts when the doll is returned to vertical position, to effect an opening movement of the eyes. The rod 11, hanger 12, rod 13 and weight 14 are disclosed in Fig. 11 of Letters Patent No. 1,433,901, granted to me on October 13, 1922, and hence these mechanical features donot require specific description.

The eyes 10 correspond with each other and each eye comprises an inner or base hemispherical metal shell 1'5 and an exterior shell preferably comprising, as illustrated, an outer transparent thin Celluloid shell or layer 16 and a thin intermediate opaque shell or layer 17 upon which the iris is imprinted and which iris becomescexvposed through the outer shell, as shown. The shells 15, 16 and 17 are assembled and nested in a well-known manner, and the eyes formed therefrommay be secured upon the ends of the bridge `or rod l11 by means of screws 18 passing through threaded holes in the backs of the metal shells 15 and engaging at their `forward endsI the rod 11, as shown in Fig. 4. As illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing the iris 19 of the eye is not centrally disposed lwith respect to the hemispherieal shells 16, 17, but is nearer to the lower edge of said shells than it is to the upper edge thereof, this being for two purposes, one being to throw the iris directly to thelfront when the 'eye is inclined as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and the doll is upright, and the other being to effect a quick concealment of the iris when the doll is reclined and the eyes roll downwardly along their sockets within the head of a doll. When the iris is disposed in the manner described there is less of the white of the eye below the iristo roll into concealment lthan there would be if the iris were directly at the center of the shells 16, 17 and said shells were not normally inclined to the position indicated in Figs 2 and 4. I regard the location 'of the iris below the center of the shells 16, 17 as quite important in securing proper action in artificial eyes for dolls and also as import-ant when said eyes are provided with eye-lashes, since with such location of the iris and the inclination hereinbefore described of the eye-shell, the eye-lashes can meet the lower lids of the eyes without necessitating undue rolling action of the eyes.

An essential feature of the present invention relates to the eye-lashes and the manner of securing them to the artificial eye. and with respect to this part of my invention I provide an veye-lash member 20, shown in Fig. 5, which I make use of in equipping the eye-shells with eye-lashes. The eye-lash member 20 comprises a series of parallel closely arranged fibres or strands 21, these fibres or strands 21 being arranged to form al flat band and being connected together at their ends by spaced apart pliable strips 22 of thinvpaper, textile fabric or the like secured by an adhesive on one side of the band at the ends thereof, both strips 22 preferably being on one side of the band of fibres or strands. In order to utilize the eye-lashmember 20 I cut a transverse slit 23 preferably through the thickness ofthe eye-shell member from its exterior to the interior, and in the specific embodiment of the invention, through the front wall of the eye-shell, made up of the parts 16, 17, from front to rear, on a line directly above the -iris 197 or in the appropriate position for within the eye-shell or eye-shell member and partly without the same. After the inner end of the eye-lash member 20 has been secured within the upper port-ion of the shell 17 I trim off the projecting ortion of said member, which intervenes t e spaced strips 22, 22, along an arcuate line. indicated at 24 in Fig. 7, to leave projecting 'outwardly from the slit 23 the eye-lashes 25, the length of the eye-lashes 25 being determined by the size of the eyes and the particular effect I desire to secure. When the eye-lash member is trimmed off along the arcuate line 24 the eye-lashes are left projecting out-- wardly from -between the slightly separated upper and lower edge walls o1' the slit 23 and may be pressed upwardly to a slight extent, if desired, so as to impart a curvature to the eye-lashes. After the surplus portion of the member 2O has been trimmed olf to leave the eye-lashes 25 of the desired length, it will be found that by reason of the upward bending of the inner portion of the member 2O against the upper portion of the shell 17, the eye-lashes will tend to spread out radially in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, and in this way come closer to approximating the appearance of human eyelashes. The slot 23 is directly above the iris 19 and above the horizontal center of the hemispherical shell formation of the eye and hence the lower wall of the yslot stands lforwardly beyond the upper wall thereof. as shown in Fig. 4. and affords a seat for the full width of the lever of fibres to provide an artificial eye with eye-lashesl and I consider the method just described of providing the eyes with eye-lashes, as i111- portant, both from a manufacturing standpoint and in producing eye-lashes approximating in ap earance the eye-lashes of the human eye. y -first constructing the eyelash member 20 and then applying the same to the eye-shell as described, the flexible fibres or strands may be readily handled and secured in position, the means securing them being concealed within lthe' eye-shells. In the use of the eye-set shown in the drawings, the manufacturer of the dolls will color the upper ends of the eye-shells above the eye-lashes to imitate eye-lids, the coloring material used corresponding with the coloring matter applied upon the face and forehead of the dollhead. I therefore leave the eye-shells above the eye-lashes plain and smooth so that'they may receive such coloring matter as the manufacturer of the doll may elect' to'placel thereon.

It is to be noted that the metal base shell 15 constitutes a retaining member in enga-gement with that portion of the e e-lash member -which is within the eye-s ell member,

and servesin holdingl the eye-lash member attached to the eye-s ell member, the rear portion of said' retaining member constituting connecting means to `connect the eyeshell member with a supporting member, such, for example, as therod or bridge 11. What'I claim as In invention and desire to secure by Lettersatent, is:l

1. Artificial eyes for dolls and the like, said eyes each being substantially hemispherical in and presenting an iris and having eyelashes, said shell structure being formed with a transverse slit extending through the front wall of the structure from front to rearabove the horizontal center thereof and above theiris, and the eye-lashes composed of a layer of strands secure within the structure and extending through the slit between the upper and lower edge vwalls thereof.

2. An artificial eye for. dolls andthelike comprising an e e-shell structure forme with a slot exten ed through the .front wall from front to rear thereof, and eye-lash strands in the form of a band at one end The slot 23 is very outline and of shell structureat one end dl representation of an secured within the 'shell structure and pro'- Jected forward through the slot inthe frontwall between the upper and lower edge walls thereof.

3. An eye structure, com rising an eyeshell member having a slit ormed through its thickness from the vexterior to the interior thereof, and an eyelash member in saidgslit and projecting outwardly therefrom. i

4. An eye structure, comprising an eye shell having aslit therein opening through the front f ace thereof, and an eyelash member in said slit and projecting forwardly therefrom to comprise an eyelash attached to the eye shell.

5I`ne e structure, comprising an eyeshell mem er having a slit formed through itsk thickness from the exterior tov the interior thereof, and an eyelash member projecting through said slit and being partly within and partly without the said eye-shell member.

6. An e e structure comprising an eyeshell mem er having 'a slit formed through its thickness from thevexterior to the interior thereof, and an eye lash member projecting through said slit and being partly withinand partly without the said eye shell menber, and means engaging the portion of the eye lash member within the eye shell member to retain the eye lash member in position.

. 7 AnA eye structure comprisin an eye shell member having a slit forme through its thickness from the exterior to the interior thereof, an eye lash member projecting 'through said slit and being partly within and partlywithout the eye shell member, and a retaining member engaging the portion of the e e lash member which is within the eye shell7 member to hold the eyelash member in position and havingv a part to hold the eye shell member connected with a suitable support.

8. An eye structure com Arisin an eye shell member havin a slit orme through its thickness from t e exteriorpto the interior thereof, an eye lash member'projecting through said slit and being partly withln and partly without the eye shell member, and connectingmeans to hold the eye shell member connected with a suitable supporting member, and said connecting means havin a part also serving in hol ing the eye las member in position.

9. -An eye structure, comprising a base shell and two outer shells mounted upon the transparent shell and an inner shell fitting -within the transparent shell and bearing the iris visible through the transparent shell, said two outer shells having. slits therethrou h .and eye lashes pirejecting through sai slits an havlng t elr inner ends held between the 'base shell and the inner shell.

10. An artificial eye for dolls and the like comprising an eye shell structure formed with a slit extending through the wall of the eye shell from the exterior to the interior thereof, and eye lash strands in the form of a band secured at one end Within the shell structure and projecting outwardly through the slit between the upper and lower edges of said slit.

11. As an article of manufacture, a forming member for the eye lashes of artificial eyes, said eye lash forming member comprising a series of strands arranged lengthwise side by side, and strips secured to said strandsand spaced apart, the parts of the strands between said strips adapted to be severed in forming eye lashes.`

12. As an article of manufacture, an eye lash forming member from which to form eye lashes upon artificial eyes, said eye lash forming member comprising a series of strands arranged lengthwise side by side, and a pair of strips secured to said strands spaced apart adjacent the opposite ends of the strands so as to leave the intervening parts of the strands free of said strips, said eye lash forming member being thus adapted to be connected with the artificial eye by having either one of said strips inserted through a slit of the eye and secured within the eye, and the strands between the eye and the second strip being adapted to e trimmed oft` to leave the desired length of eye lash on the eye.

13. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell having a slit formed through its thickness and said slit being in an appropriate position to accommodate an eye lash member.

14. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell having'the representation of an iris thereon and having a slit'formed throu h its thickness, above the representation o? the iris and in ap ropriate position to accommodate an eye ash member. l v

15. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell having the representation of an iris thereon and having a slit formed throu h its thickness, above the representation o? the iris and in an appropriate position of an eye lash member, the general plane of said slit being tangential to the geometric centre of the shell.

16. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being composed of Celluloid and being c semi-spherical shape and having a slit 'formed through its thickness and in the appropriate position of an-eye lash member.

17. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being semispherical in shape and being formed with Leoniss a slit through its spherical outer surfacenin the appropriate position of an eye lash member.

18. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being formed of a plurality of semi-spherical layers nested together, and said layers having slitsftherethrough in the appropriate position of an eyelash member.

19. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being formed oftwo semispherical members nested together, and at least one of said members having a slit formed through the material thereof in theappropriate position of an eye lash member.Y

20. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being formed of two semispherical members nested together,

one of said members having the representation of an iris thereon, and there being a slit formed through one of said members adjacent the upper edge of said iris in the appropriate position of an eye lash member.

21. As an article of manufacture, a shell yfor artificial eyes, said shell being formed of two semispherical layers nested together, the outer layer being transparent, the inner layer having the representation of an iris thereon visible through the outer layer, and the outer layer having a slit therethrough adjacent to the upper edge of said iris in the appropriate position of an eye, lash member.

22. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being formed of two semispherical layers nested together, the outer layer being of transparent material, the inner layer having the representation of an iris thereon visible through the material ofthe outer layer,`and said two layers having slits therethrough arranged to accommodate an eye lash member adjacent the upper edge of said iris.

23. As an article of manufacture, a shell for artificial eyes, said shell being formed of a pluralit of semisplierieal shells of celluloid neste together, and said shells each having a slit formed through the material thereof arranged collectively to accommodate an eye lash member in the appropriate position forsuch member.

24. An eye structure comprising an eye shell member having a slit formed through its thickness from the exterior to the interior thereof, an eye lash member projecting through said slit being partly within and partly without the eye shell member, and a semispherical shell nested within the mentioned eye shell member serving as retaining means engagingv the portion of the eye lash member within the e e shell member to retain the eye lash mem r in position.

25. The herein described method of producing artificial eyes having lashes thereon,

which-method consists in providing an eyeshell member, forming a slit througlrsaid eye-shell member in the appropriate position Jor an eye lash, providing an eye lash member having'eye lash strands held together by a retaining strip, inserting the retaining strip through said slit so that the eye lash member is disposed with its eye lash strands projecting outwardly through the slit andwith "l said retaining strip within the eyeshell member securing the eye lash member againstdisplacement, and then trimming olf the outer ends of the eye lash strands to leave a desired length thereof projecting from the slit.

Signed at New York City,l in the' county of New York and State of New York, this 11th day of October, A. D. 1923.

SAMUEL MARCUS.

Images