US1810896A - Method and means for assembling the parts of artificial eyes - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1931. GRUBMAN Q 1,810,896

METHOD AND MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING THE PARTS ARTIFICIAL EYES Original Filed Feb. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Z60] 62225222 an M ATTORNEY June 23, 1931. L. J. GRUBMAN Q METHOD AND MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING THE PARTS OF ARTIFICIAL EYES 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb.

/g: INVENTOR Zt'af'rzzfmaia Y /%%e( /5u14 ATTO EY Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a I LEO J. GRUBMAN, OF BELLE HARBOR, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MABGON CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK,'N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK METHOD AND MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING THE PARTS OF ARTIFICIAL EYES Application filed February 12, 1927, Serial No. 167,634. Renewed February 12, 1930. I

This invention relates to an improved method and means for assembling the parts of artificial eyes, and has for its general object and purpose to expedite the quantity pro- "s duction and reduce the manufacturing cost of such artificial eyes as are generally used in connection with dolls, manikins and similar figures.

It is one of the important objects of the present disclosure to provide a novel'method characterized by the fact that inner and outer shells constituting the eye structure are assembled in nestedrelation to each other and parts of the walls of said shells simultaneously interlocked to fixedly secure the shells against relative movement. It is also another novel feature of the new method to permanently secure eyelash members in the operation of assembling the eye shellswhereby the lash members will projectoutwardly from the outer surface of the eye at a definite angle with respect thereto and in relation to the eye pupil.

t is also a further object of the invention to provide novel means for quickly assembling an outer metallic eye shell having an eyeshaped opening in its wall and an inner shell of thermo-plastic material which includes means for moving said shells under pres-' sure into nested relation and heating said inner shell whereby a part of its wall is angularly offset outwardly through said opening and the outer surface of said part positioned in the same circumferential plane as the outer surface of the outer shell.

It is also a further object of the invention to provide means for feeding eyelash strands into position between said inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in the latter and adhesively incorporating the same in the structure of the inner shell as said shells are assembled and simultaneously cutting off said eyelash strands.

It is also an additional object of the inveni' tion to provide means automatically operating in the assemblage of the shell members to bend or turn the edge of one shell around or upon the edge of the other shell whereby said shells are permanently fixed or secured against relative' movement.

ap propriate- With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved method and means for assembling the parts of artificial eyes, and in the several novel features of the assembling apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incorporated in t-hesubjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the assembling apparatus, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several V ieWS,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the relative arrangement of the several parts of the eye structure with respect to the cooperating parts of the apparatus prior to the operation of the latter;

Fig. 2 isa fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scale after the apparatus has been operated and showing. the several parts of the eye structure as finally assembled;

' Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the completed eye structure; 7

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the male assembling die; and v Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view showing a modified form of one part of the apparatus. 1 In the accompanying drawings, for purposes of illustration, I have shown the several essential parts of the apparatus mounted and arranged upon ,a suitable framestructure 5, said structure including the base 6 upon which an upstanding hollow boss 7 is formed. Positioned concentrically with respect'to this boss a vertical post 8 is rigidly fixed at its lower end in any suitable manner in the base 6. This post extends above the boss 7 and is provided upon its upper end with a semi spherical head 9 constitutinga male die. This head, at the appropriate. location on its surface is formed with a relief or raised portion 10 of substantially elliptical or eyeshaped form. The post 8 is provided with a longitudinal centralbore 11 extending into the head 9 which is adapted to receive a suit able electrical resistance unit indicated at 12 whereby the die head 9may be heated.

Above the boss 7 and below the head 9, a

collar 13 is loosely engaged upon the post 8 and is urged upwardly and yieldingly supported in a normal position against the head 9 by means of a coiled spring 14 arranged in the hollow boss 7 and surrounding said post. The upper surface of the collar 13 is provided with an annular groove 15 in spaced concentric relation to its inner edge. The purpose of this construction will be hereinafter explained in detail, r

A female die member 21is suitably inount ed in the frame 5 for vertical movement and is urged upwardly to its normal position by a spring 22. This die member has ahorizon tally extending part 23 provided with a semispherical cavity 24 therein opening upon the lower. side of said part 23, an opening 25 formed through said part communicating with-the top of said cavity. The part 23 is provided with an upwardly extending tubular portion 26 constituting. a guide. for the vertically'movable member 27. This member at its lowerend and at oneside of itscenter has a downwardly extending part28 provided with; an obliquely inclined lower end face 29. To the inner'side of this part 28 the knife blade 30 isrsuitablyfixed, the cutting edge' of said bladebeing located belowandin spaced relation to the inclined face 29.1 Anysuitable means may be employed for imparting relative vertical movements to the female die 21 and the knife carrying member 27 inproperly timed relation to each other.

The upper end of the member 21 is'provided with a laterally extending part having an upper obliquely inclined surface 31 over which eyelash strands indicated at S. are adapted to be fed from suitable spools (not shown) by means of the friction feed roller 32 rotatably supported upon the member 21.

The lower end of this inclinedsurface 31 communicateswith one side of the opening 25 and, throughv said opening the ends of the eyelash strands are projected to position the same for attachment to the eye structure as the parts thereof are assembled in the manner which I shall now explain in detail.

' The member 21'is normally urged upwardly by the spring 22 to a position wherein the arm 23 of'said memberisdisposed above and in spaced relation .tothe head 9 of the post 8. In this, normal position of said die meme ber, the inner shell 33 of the eye structure which. is formed. from celluloid or other thermo-plastic material is arranged upon the head 9 of the post. This shell is of semi, spherical form and the edge thereof at the open side. of the shell is engaged upon the base wall; of the groove 15 and the collar 13. Anouter shell..34 is then arranged over. the shell 33,. said outer shell preferably being formed from a. thin metal sheet and being of;

somewhatgreater depth than the inner shell 33. Therefore, when the outer shell is arranged positionwith its edge also in contation of the'human eye pupil is painted or otherwise delineated. At the corresponding location, the wall of the outer metal shell 34 is provided withan eye shaped opening 35 therethrough. The eyelash strands S are now fed downwardly through the opening 25 of the female diemember so that theirends are projected beyond one side of said opening into tangential contacting engagement with the surface of the inner shell 33. It will of cours e, be understood that this feeding of the eyelashes to position is done either by hand or automatically after the members 21 and 27 havebeen moved downwardly from their uppermost positions to approximately the position shown in Fig. "1 of the drawings where the outer surface of the outershell 34 is substantially in contacting engagement with the-wall ofthe cavity 24 in the arm 23of member 2 21. the parts 26 and 27v then continues so. that While the inner shell 33 is retained in a sta-..

tionary position upon the head 9 of the post 8, the outer shell 34 is forced downwardly under pressure. Initially, in this independent downward movement of the outer shell,

The downward movement of til;

the collar 13 is forced downwardly for a short'dis'tance against the action of spring l4unt1l it strikes upon the upper end of the boss 7,.whereupon, the edge portion of the a shell 34- yielding to the pressuneofthe female die member thereon is turned inwardly. around the edge ofthe inner shell. and upwardly upon the inner surface thereof sub stantially inthe manner shown at 36in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus interlocking the edges of the inner and outer shells with each'other. Simultaneously with this interlocking; en-: gagement of the shell edges, the curved section of the outer shell 34 is-broughtinto concentric contacting engagement upon the outer surface of the inner'shell. The head 9 of the post being more or less highly heatedby the heating unit 12, the wall of the inner shell 33 is softened 'orred-ucedto a semi-plastic condition so thatsin the. final downward, movement of the female die member, the. two shells are forced together undencompression and a sectionof the wall of the'inner shell corresponding in shape to the eye shaped. -protu.- berancelO on the head 9 isprojected out wardly through the opening 35 in the outer shell to position the outer'surface of'such projected section of the inner shell wall in substantially the same circumferential, plane.

as theouter surface of the outer shell 34. At the same time, the ends of the eyelash strands S interposed between the wall of the outer shell '34 at one edge of the opening therein and the wall of the inner shell are embedded under pressure in the softened structure of the inner shell wall so that they become adhesively united or incorporated therewith. Simultaneously with this final compressing action of the female die member, an independent downward movement is imparted to the knife blade 30 so that the eyelash strands are severed at the opposite edge of the opening 25 in said die member. In this manner, it will be seen that the two shells constituting the eye structure may be assembled in nested re-- lation with each other and permanently secured against relative movement and the eyelash strands also securely attached in appropriate relation to the pupil bearing section of the eye structure in a single operation and without necessitating the employment of an adhesive or other additional mechanical fastening means for the several parts.

After the parts 26 and 27 of the apparatus are returned to their uppermost positions, the completed eye may be removed from the upper end of the post 8. Thereafter, the opposite sides of the eye are provided with perforations or openings of suitable size and shape therethrough as indicated at 87 for the purpose of receiving the shaft or axis of an eye mounting. Also, the outer surface of the wall of the outer shell 34 above the eyelashes may be appropriately colored'to represent the upper eyelid.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated'a slightly modified form of a part of the apparatus, wherein the collar 13 may be mounted in fixed relation to thepost 8, and said collar provided with a number of spaced vertically movable pins 38 the upper ends'of which intersect the groove 15 in the upper face of said collar. These pins are yieldingly held in a normal position by means of suitable springs 39 with their upper ends projecting above the upper face of the collar,said ends of the pins being rabbeted to provide horizontal shoulders 40 above the base of the groove 15 upon which the edges of the inner and outer eye shells are adapted to be initially engaged. It will be evident that such an arrangement will operate to interlock the edges of the eye shells to each other in substantially the manner above e."- plained. Thus, in the downward movement of the female die, the outer shell 34 will be forced downwardly relative to the inner shell, and the spring pressed pins 38 will 7 therefore, also be forced downwardly in the collar 13 until the edge of said outer shell engages the wall" of the groove 15 whereby under the continuing pressure of the female die member said edge of the outer shell is turned inwardly and clinched upon theedge of the-inner shell.

It will be-understood from the foregoing that I have devised a method of assembling the elements of the eye structure together with the eyelashes which maybe expeditiously executed by means of apparatus of comparatively simple form, thus greatly increasing quantity production and reducing the manufacturing cost of artificial eyes for use in dolls, manikins and similar figures. In the explanation of this new method, I have referred to certain apparatus which I have found to be quite satisfactory in practicaluse. Necessarily, I have also referred in some detail to the structural features of the eye itself. However, I am not herein claiming the novel features of the eye structure, as such subject matter is fully described and claimed in a separate application for 'ill patent filed February 24,1927, Serial No;

170,446. It is accordingly to be understood that the illustrated apparatus is to be considered primarily with a view to enabling the several steps as involved in my new method of assembling-the parts of the eye structure to be clearly understood, since it is possible that such method might be carried out by means of various other structural forms of the apparatus. However, the esr sential features of the apparatus whichare particularly identified with my new method, are herein claimed, since in so far as I am aware, there is no known apparatus now em ployed in this art capable ofutilization for the particular purpose in view. These characteristic features of the assembling apparatus may however, be exemplified in other 7 plane, then moving said members relative 7 to each other to dispose the walls thereof in concentric contacting engagement and simultaneously turning the edge of the outer shell member inwardly and clinchin the same upon the edge of the inner member. I

2. In a method of assembling the parts of an artificial eye, first arranging two semispherical shell members one withinthe other then relatively moving said shell members to dispose their walls in concentric contactmg engagement and simultaneously bending the edge of one shell member and clinching the same upon the edge of the other member, and interlocking said shell walls with each other in spaced relation to the edges thereof.

3. A method of assembling the parts of artificial eyes which consists in arranging two semi-spherical shell members one within the other, the outer member having an eyeshaped opening through its wall, positioning eyelash strands between the walls of the inner and outer shells at one edge of the open ing inthe latter, and moving said shells relative to each other to dispose their walls in concentric contacting engagement and projecting a part of the wall of the inner shell through the opening in the wall of the outer shellto thereby secure the eyelash strands inatta-ched relation to said shell members.

4. In a method of assembling the parts of an artificial eye, the step which consists in nestin inner and outer semis Jherical shell members with their walls in substantial contacting engagement, and simultaneously bending the edge of one shell member around and upon the edge of the other shell member andalso interlocking a part of the latter shell member with the wall of the first named shell member to thereby secure said members against relative movement.

5. In a method of assembling the parts of an artificial eye, the step which consists in her into substantially concentric nested relation, and simultaneously projecting a part of the wall of the inner shell member'from the plane thereof through the perforation in the wall of the outer shell member and also bending the edge of the outer shell member around and upon the edge of the inner shell member to interlock said shell members with each other.

7. A method of assembling the parts of ar tificial eyes which consistsin nesting an inner shell of thermoplastic materlal within an outer metal shell havin 'an o enin throu h its wall, heating the wall of said inner shell and moving said shells relative to eachother under pressure to position their walls in substantially concentric contacting relation, and simultaneously projecting a part of the inner shell through the opening in the wall of the outer shell. i v

8. A method of assembling the parts of artificial eyeswhich consists in nesting an inner shell of thermoplastic material within an outer metal shell havingan opening through itswall, heating the wall of said inner shell and moving saidshellsrelative to each other under pressure to position their wallsin sub stantially concentric contacting relation, simultaneously projecting a part of the inner shell through the opening in the wall of the outer shell, and simultaneously bending the edge of the wall of the outer shell inwardly around and upon the edge of the wall of the inner shell. v

9. A method of assembling the parts of artiiicial eyes which consists in nesting an inner shell of thermoplastic material within an outer metal shell having an opening through its wall, heating the wall of said inner shell, positioning the ends of the eyelash strands between the walls of'the inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in the latter, and moving said shells relative to each other under pressure to position their walls in substantiallyconcentric contacting relation, and projecting. a part of theiwall of the inner shell through the opening in the wall of the outer shell to adhesively incorporialtp the strand ends in the wall of said inner s e l.

10. A method of assembling the parts of artificial eyes which consists in nesting an inner shell of thermoplastic material within an outer metal shell having an opening through its wall, heating the wall of said inner shell, positioning the ends of eyelash strands between the walls of the inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in the latter, moving said shells relative" to each other. under pressure to position their walls in substantially:concentric contacting relation, and projecting a part ofthe wall of the inner shell through the opening in the'wall of the outer shell to adhesively incorporate the strand ends in the wall of said-inner shell, and simultaneously bending the edge of the outer shell inwardly around and upon the edge of the inner shell. I

11. A method of making artificial eyes which consists inapplying a representation of an eyepupil on the outersurface of a semi-spherical eye shell of thermo-plastic material, then assembling said shell within an outer metallic shell having an eye shaped opening through its wall, heating the wall of the'inner shell to render the same semiplastic, and then moving the inner and outer shells relative to each other under pressure to project said portion of the wall of the inner shell having the eye pupil thereon through the opening in the wall of the outer shell and position the outer surfaces of said projected portion of the inner shell wall and of the wall of the outer shell in the same circumferential plane.

12. A method of making artificial I eyes which consists in applying a representation of any eye pupil on the outer surface of a semi-spherical eye shell of thermo-plastic material, then assemblingtsaid shell within an outer metallic shell havinganeye shaped opening through its wall, heating the Wall of the inner shell to render the same semi-plastic, positioning the ends of the eyelash strands between the walls of the inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in the latter, and then moving tie inner and outer shell: relative to each other under pressure to project said portion of the wall of the inner shell having the eye pupil thereon through the openin in the wall of-the'outer shell and position the outer surfaces of said projected portion of the inner shell wall and of the Wall of the outer shell in the same circumferential plane, and simultaneously adan outer metallic shell having an eye shaped opening through its wall, heating the wall of the inner shell to render the same semi-plastic, positioning the ends of the eyelash strands between the walls of the inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in the latter, then moving the inner and outer shells relative to each other under pressure to project said portion of the wall of the inner shell having the eye pupil thereon through the opening in the wall of the outer shell and position the outer surfaces of said projected portion of the inner shell wall and of the wall of the outer shell in the same circumferential plane and simultaneously adhesively incorporating the ends Or the eyelash strands under pressure in the wall structure of the inner shell, and during such relative movement lOGJWEEIl the inner and outer shells bending the edge of the wall of the latter shell inwardly around and upon the edge of the inner shell wall to permanently secure the shells in nested relation.

14. Apparatus of the character described including means for supporting inner and outer eye shell members in nested relation for movement relative to each other, the outer shell member having an opening in its wall,

means for feeding eyelash strands to posi-,

tion the ends thereof between the shell members at one edge of said opening, means for relatively moving the shells to permanentlysecure the strand ends between the shell walls in projecting relation to the edge of said opening and. position said walls in substantially concentric contacting relation to each other, and additional means for interlocking parts of the shell walls with each other to secure said shells against relative movement.

15. Apparatus of the character described including means for supporting inner and outer eye shell members in nested relation for movement relative to each other, the outer shell member having anopening in its wall, means for feeding eyelash strands to positionthe ends thereof between the shell members at one edge of said opening, means for relatively moving the shells to permanentl secure the strand ends between the shell walls in projecting relation to the edge ofsaid opening and position said walls in substan tially concentric contacting relation toeach other, and means automatically acting in the relative movement oi said shells to bend the edge. of the outer shell inwardly around and upontiie edge otthe. inner shell and permanently secure saidshells against relative movement. 7 H I 16. Apparatus of the character described including a male die adapted to receive and support a semi-spherical shell member of thermo-plastic material, said male die having an eye shaped protuberance on its surface,la iemale-dle having a cavityto receive an outer metal shell positioned in "enveloping rela-- tion tothe shell on said male die, said outer shell having an eye shaped opening in its wall, one of said die membersbeing movable relative to the other to force the shell walls under pressure into contacting engagement, and means for heating the male die whereby the part of the, wall ofthe inner shellengaged'by said protuberance is renderedsemi- 'face, a female die having a cavity to receive an outer metal shell positioned in enveloping relation to the shell on said male die, said outer shellhaving an eye shaped opening in its wall, means for feeding eyelash strands to position the ends thereof between the inner andouter shells at one edge of the opening in the latter, one of said die members being movable relative to the other to force the shell walls under pressure into contacting engagement, means for heating the male die whereby the part of the Wall of the inner shell engaged by said protuberance is rendered semi-plastic and projected under pressure through the opening in the wall of the outer shell, and simultaneously embedding the ends of the eyelash strands in the wall of the inner shell, and additional means for simultaneously interlocking parts of the shell walls with each other to permanently secure said shells in their final nested position.

18. Apparatus of the characterdescribed including a male die adapted to receive and support a semi-spherical shell I member of thermorplastic material,.saidmale diehaving an eye shaped protuberance on its surface, a'female die'havinga cavity to receive an outer metal shell positioned in enveloping relation to the shell onsaid male die, said outer shell having an eye shaped opening in its Wall, means for feeding eyelash strands to position the ends thereof between the inner and outer shells at one edge of the opening in a the latter, one of said die members being movable relative to the other to force the shell Walls under pressure into contacting engagement, means forheating the male die whereby the art of the Wall of the inner shell engaged y said protuberanceis rendered' semirplastic and projected underi pressure through the opening. in'the Wall of the outer shell, and simultaneously embedding the ends of the eyelash'strands'in the Wall of the innerlshell and means automatieally actinghduring therelative movement between said shell members .to bend the edge ofmtheouter shell member inwardlyflaround and upon theedge. of the innershell memberand therebyiperma-nently secure said shelllmembers against movement. in theirifinally nested positions, a V V 19. In a method of-assembling the parts of an artificial-V eye, the step Which consists in nesting innerand outer-semi sgherioal. shell members .with their Walls in en stantial con-. tacting engagement, and simultaneously bending the edge of oneshellmember around and upon thev edge of the other shell;v member to secure said. members against relative movement.

In testimonythat I. claim the aforegoingflas my invention, 'I;have signed myiname hereto.

L'EO J. GRUBMAN.

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