US3147489A - Safety goggles - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1964 H. w. NELSON SAFETY GOGGLES Filed Oct 15, 1962 1 255620 770 6040250 fleesce/pr/au Mme/W00," awe Gus/n2 sunrrsepeoor (L542 48 v 44 40 46 J0 40 46 J0 4 INVENTOR. HARRY W. NELSON ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,147,489 SAFETY GUGGLES Harry W. Nelson, 1669 Riverside Drive, Akron 10, Ohio Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,444 4 Claims. (Cl. 2--14) This invention relates to safety goggles, and more particularly to that type of safety goggle worn for oxy-acetylene welding or cutting and to safety goggles for grinding, chipping and scaling metals.

Heretofore it has been known that safety goggles must be worn while cutting or welding with oXy-acetylene equipment. There have been many and varied types of goggles removably carrying dark lenses in use for this purpose. However, these goggles do not provide for the introduc tion, in addition to the dark lenses, of a prescription lens and/ or a shatterproof lens. It has been the practice that when a man who normally wears glasses used oXy-acetylene welding equipment, that he either had to remove his glasses to put the goggles on, or try tofit a pair of goggles over his glasses. Also, in the present goggles, there has not been a satisfactory air vent on the side of the goggles to prevent all sparks from entering the goggles and possibly burning a persons eye or the skin of the face inside of the goggles. Moreover, known goggles often inadequately protect the dark or other lenses of the goggles. Fastening straps provided in commercial goggles usually fail after a few weeks use of the goggles.

It is the general object of the invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other diificulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provisions of a pair of safety goggles adaptable to receive, selectively, and in desired order, several or all of the following; a protective lens, a colored lens, a prescription lens, a shatterproof lens, and a protective lens with the foregoing being accomplished in a streamlined frame having improved air vents and fastening strap, with the goggles being characterized by safety, simplicity of design, low maintenance, effectiveness of use, long-life and low cost fabrication.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety goggle characterized by a construction that holds certain lenses in a spaced apart position providing a dead air space thereby creating a dual window effect which will allow no clouding up between lenses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of safety goggles capable of containing any thickness of prescription lens in either eye piece.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a safety goggle wherein the air vent on the side of the goggle will not allow sparks from outside to penetrate into the inner goggle causing possible harm to the persons eyes or skin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a goggle whose parts can be made from a plastic-like material formed in a simple mold.

The aforesaid objects of the invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing a safety goggle for oxyacetylene welding and/or grinding or chipping processes adapted to receive a prescription lens and/or a shatterproof glass lens, with both lenses being relatively inexpensive and readily available on the retail market. An adapter ring receives the prescription lens so that any 3,147,489 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 desired curvature or power prescription lens will fit in the goggle. If no prescription lens is needed the ring serves as a spacer. Practically any combination of lenses (i.e. colored, safety glass, prescription, or clear) may be placed in the frame in any manner desired. With the construction hereinafter described, it is not necessary to use any gaskets between lenses to be sure all lenses fit closely and tightly together without rattling. Also, a novel and improved air vent is provided on the side of each goggle together with improved strap fastening means.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one of the goggles of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the goggles of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale of another combination of lenses in the goggles of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale of another combination of lenses in the goggles of FIG- URE 2.

Although the principles of the invention are broadly applicable to any type of goggles utilizing colored or safety lenses, the invention is usually employed in conjunction with oXy-acetylene safety goggles, or safety goggles for grinding or chipping metal, and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates generally a pair of safety goggles having an eyepiece frame 12 which is contoured to fit the face line of the average person. The frames 12 are flexibly connected together by a ball and pin type chain 13 secured to each frame with a set screw 14 and covered by a rubber or plastic tube 15 which acts as a bridge for the nose of the wearer of the goggles. Each frame 12 is molded from a strong light plastic to the form shown including integrally molded air vent 18. As best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the air vent 18 is molded as a bulge of geometric shape, somewhat thicker than the body of the frame, and contains a wide thin slot or a plurality of holes 20 extending upwardly and inwardly from the outside bottom portion of the bulge of the air vent 18 to the inside top portion of the frame 12. This air vent 18 admits sufficient air to the goggle to reduce fogging, but opening upwardly virtually eliminates the possibility of any sparks entering the inner goggle area.

The strap 19 for securing the pair of goggles to the head of the wearer of the goggles is molded or otherwise formed of high grade rubber of at least the quality of inner tube stock and so as to provide spaced vertical openings adjacent both ends thereof when the plane of the strap is vertical. In one known embodiment the strap is made from two pieces of rubber stock cemented or cured together and around small rubber tubes 21 positioned vertically and having internal holes adapted to removably receive the legs of a spring wire buckle 23. The buckle 23 is made in a square -O-shape as shown with one straight end being sprung into or out of a circular eye at the other end. Thus, with the strap ends extending through holes 16 in each frame 12 the buckle or buckles 23 can be opened and repositioned to any seected pair of tubes 21 so that the strap 19 snugly and resiliently engages the back of the head of the wearer of the goggles and holds the goggles in position with the desired tension.

Having specific reference to FIGURE 2, the frame 12 is molded with an internal shoulder 24 and an internally threaded circular end 26. An externally threaded spacer ring screws into the threaded end 26, and an internally threaded cap 32 screws onto the spacer ring 30. The cap 32 has a knurl 34 molded into its outer periphery, a circular skirt 36 extending slidably over the end of the frame 12, and a lip 38 directed inwardly at its outer end.

With the structure described, various combinations of lenses can now be provided in the goggles. In a typical embodiment of the invention, with the parts disassembled, a clear glass 40 is first positioned down against the shoulder 24. This acts simply as a protecting means. Against the glass 40 is positioned an internally grooved plastic ring 42 which has a dual purpose. This ring 42 acts to receive and mount a prescription lens 44. The ring, of a composition similar to a regular glasses frame, is simply softened with heat and positioned around the periphery of the circular prescription lens. Or if no prescription lens is to be incorporated into the goggles the ring 42 simply acts as a spacer.

The spacer ring 36 is now screwed snugly but without excessive pressure down to the position shown in FIGURE 2 to hold the glass 40 and ring 42 in non-moving position. A clear glass 46 is now positioned down against the lip 38 of the cap 32. This glass, like glass 449, acts as a protective means. A colored glass 43, neces sary to protect the eyes during welding, is positioned on top of the glass 46 and the cap 32 is now screwed down snugly on the spacer ring 30 to hold glasses 46 and 48 in non-moving position.

If the goggles are to be used for grinding or chipping, rather than welding, the cap 32 is removed and the colored glass 48 is replaced with a shatterproof laminated clear glass 50. FIGURE 6 shows this arrangement. Should the wearer of the goggles wish to have both the colored glass 48 and the laminated glass 50 this can also be done, as seen in FIGURE 7. The clear glass 46 may or may not be used in this combination.

The skirt 36 on the cap 32 slidably fits over the frame 12 allowing the cap 32 to be screwed down tight on the spacer ring 30 and provides a seal of the entire goggle unit. It is noted that a gap 45 exists between the frame 12 and the cap 32 which is of sufficient distance to insure that no matter what the thickness or combination of any of the lenses within reasonable limits that a tight fit will be secured by screwing the cap 32 down snugly onto the spacer ring 30.

If it is desired gaskets can be placed between the lens combinations to prevent scratching or to provide a better seal. However, it has been found in practice that gaskets are normally not necessary to the proper operation of the goggles.

Thus, it is seen that a prescription lens 26 of any of the usual thicknesses and curvatures will slidably fit into the goggles and with the axial length of the ring-preventing the surface of the prescription lens from touching any other lenses. The circular prescription lens 26 can be purchased from readily available sources. Also, a lens of safety shatterproof glass can easily be installed to replace the colored lens 40 to make the goggles usable for grinding or chipping metal.

In effect, a dual window and dead air type construc tion is provided between the lenses 46 and 48 and the lenses 40 and 44 by means of the spacer ring 30. With the cap 32 screwed onto the spacer ring 30 in a snug 4 manner, the thermopane type of construction is formed and no condensation or clouding occurs between the lens combinations.

During normal oxy-acetylene welding or cutting, the outer glass is often badly scarred by hot pieces of metal coming in contact with its surface. After a period of time when this disc 46 is badly scored, it can easily be replaced.

The invention provides a safety goggle for welding with oxy-acetylene equipment and with the goggles adaptable to receive a standard prescription lens and/ or a lens of shatterproof glass. A goggle is provided wherein a thermopane effect is achieved between the outer lenses and the inner lens to prevent clouding up between the lens combinations. The goggle is adaptable to any combination or arrangement of lenses, making it possible to change prescription lenses as a persons eyes change, or changing the goggles from welding goggles with colored glass lenses, to goggles for chipping or grinding metal with clear glass lenses of shatterproof glass. An improved air vent is provided on the side of the goggles, said air vent having the cap-ability to virtually eliminate any sparks from entering inside the goggles. The goggles are adaptable to be easily formed by molding operations, therefore making them sturdy in construction, durable, attractive, and relatively inexpensive.

It will be recognized that the objects of the invention have been achieved by providing a safety goggle characterized by a capability to receive a prescription lens, complete adaptability to any various combination of lenses, an improved air vent, simplicity of construction, durability, and relatively low cost.

The term lens as employed in the specification and claims is intended to include fiat discs not ground to curvatures but used in the goggles for protective or other purposes. Also, the term glass is intended to cover plastic or other substitutes for glass.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that the inventive scope is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pair of goggles including hollow eye piece frames, each frame including a face fitting rear portion, a cylindrical forward portion, an internal shoulder spaced from the front end of the forward portion, an internal thread on the forward portion between the shoulder and the end, an externally threaded spacer sleeve screwing into the internal thread of the forward portion of the frame so that a portion thereof extends outwardly beyond the outer end of the forward portion of the frame, a first group of lenses operatively held in position between the shoulder and the sleeve when the sleeve is removably screwed into the internal thread of the forward portion of the frame, an internally threaded cap screwing on the spacer sleeve, a radially inwardly directed lip on the outer end of the cap, and a second group of lenses operatively held into position between the lip and the end of the sleeve when the cap is removably screwed over the outwardly extending portion of the sleeve so that a thermopane effect is achieved between the first and second groups of lenses held in secured adjacent relationship on each end of the spacer sleeve.

2. A pair of goggles according to claim 1 where the cap has a sealing skirt integrally formed therewith ex tending slidably over the outer periphery of the forward portion of the frame.

3. A pair of goggles according to claim 1 where the rear portion of each frame has a plurality of vent openings extending from the outer surface of the frame upwardly and arcuately inwardly to enlarged openings on the inner surface of the frame and said vent openings being substantially parallel to the cylindrical forward portion of the frame.

r 1 I I 5 4. A pair of goggles according to claim 1 where the 1,659,165 rear portion of each frame has a downwardly directed 1,687,818 vent opening which extends upwardly and arcuately 1,727,455 through the frame to an enlarged internal opening on the 1,851,579 inner surface of the frame. 2,204,631

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,402,827 1,308,484 Day July 1, 1919 2,718,007 1,587,131 Tillyer June 1, 1926 10 2,351,383

6 Sangren Feb. 14, 1928 Wollensak Oct. 16, 1928 Tully Sept. 10, 1929 Hixon Mar. 29, 1932 Tillyer June 18, 1940 Andrews Nov. 18, 1941 Splaine et a1 Aug. 1, 1944 Malcom June 25, 1946 Schauweker Sept. 20, 1955 Punton et a1 Sept. 9, 1958

Claims (1)

1. A PAIR OF GOGGLES INCLUDING HOLLOW EYE PIECE FRAMES, EACH FRAME INCLUDING A FACE FITTING REAR PORTION, A CYLINDRICAL FORWARD PORTION, AN INTERNAL SHOULDER SPACED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE FORWARD PORTION, AN INTERNAL THREAD ON THE FORWARD PORTION BETWEEN THE SHOULDER AND THE END, AN EXTERNALLY THREADED SPACER SLEEVE SCREWING INTO

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