US2368303A - Protective goggle - Google Patents

Description

1945- H. L. JOHNSTON PROTECTIVE GOGGLE F'ild Sept. 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HARRY LEIGH Jo/m/srom W PM ATTOR N EYS.

Jan. 30, 1945.

H. L. JOHNSTON PROTECTIVE GOGGLE Filed Sept. 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO RN EYS.

Patented Jul. so, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE zseaso: rno'moriva. aooom: 7 Harry Leigh Johnston, Ames, Iowa 7 Application September 27; 1940, Serial No. 358,63 1001mm. '(Cl. 2--14) This invention relates toa new and improved goggle suitable for wear in athletics or other formsof strenuous, personal activity, in which there is danger of losing or breaking the'conventional type of eye-glasses or of injuring the wearer or other persons with whom the wearer may make violent contact.

It is an object of this invention to provide a goggle adapted to give protection to the wearers eyes and, if desired, to position corrective or other optical lenses before'them. 'It is a further object to provide adequate protection to eyes of those engaging in personal contact athletics with a minimum of interference with peripheral vision and without any greater degree of fogging than is experienced in ordinary eyelasses.

In the past, numerous guards for the protection of the face and eyes have been devised. None of these has proved wholly satisfactory for the purposes for which my goggle is intended. None N has, so far as I am aware, made use of the position and function of the eyebrow ridge as the natural protectiveagency of the eye. It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide an eye protective devicewhich supplements properly the protective function of the eyebrow ridge and bears thereon rather than on the cheeks or lower nose, which are not well constituted to take shock.

The term goggle" as used herein is intended to include all eye-encircling devices, regardless of whether they are fitted with lenses.

Figure I'of the accompanying drawing shows a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention using an integral head-encircling member and provided with optical lenses. Figure II is a cross-sectional view of Figure'I, taken on the plane X--X. Figure III shows my integral frontal head-band with the nose piece attached. Figure IV is a profile and Figure V1 is a perspective view of another embodiment designed for the simple protection of the upperpartof the face or of eye-glasses, in which the head-encircling member is a football-helmet and in which no lenses are used. Figure V shows the detail of the side piece of the goggle shown iii-Figures 1V and VI.

In Figure I, the frontal band A, formed of leather or some other material sufliciently flexible to follow the contours of the head but sufficiently stiff to resist lateral displacement, cooperates with the elastic band B to form the headencircling member. The frontal band A projects downwardly in back of the cars at C to increase stability. In addition to preventing per piration from running into the eyes, or onto the. lenses, the band A holds in correctposition the-frame D and cushions to the eyebrow ridge any :blow which the frame D may receive.

The frame I) is constructed of somerigid but resilient material capable of withstanding shock and resistant to permanent deformation i]: have found steel, brassand bronze very satisfactory.

This frame may be molded, stamped orbuilt up making the base H-H' of the triangularsidepiece F as long as possibie,giving a maximum #25 interior opening andalso by curving the member I-IG downward. The detachable fastening at -G allows the necessary angular -adius'tment to position. the plane of the corrective lensm properly before the eyes, and allows the-necessary anterior-posterior adjustment to allow for variations in the cimumference of diflerent foreheads.

The eye-encircling members of the. frame are interior-1y grooved at I to receive optical lenses J. The lenses may be maintained in position by any of the conventional methods, such as simple friction or a clamping device.

Although it is not necessary to the proper operation of my improved goggle, I have. foundlt advantageous to fit itwith a nose flap L, formed ofsome soft material suchasshoe-upper leather, positioned over the bridge of the nose. This flap may be attached eithertothe-headband or to the frame of the goggle but should be secured only at its upper end, at e. point above where it bears on the nose, so that it will automatically adjust itself to any size or shape of nose. This flap lies on the nose and extends far enough on each side of its center to pass between the nose and those parts-of the frame adjacent to the nose. It should be formed of amaterial having suiilcient stiffness to hold its position on the nose, or should have a stiil'ening member such as the light flexible wire M, canied around its perimeter to hold it in position on the nose. The

flap serves to protect the nose from injury when the wearer receives a blow on the side of the goggles and, in conjunction with the head-band A, to stabilize the goggles.

Figure 11, which is a cross-section of Figure I in the plane X-X, shows the components of the frame D: the pressed metal frame proper N, the stiffening rod which is folded into the frame and runs across the face and back to the point 0 on each side (see Figure I), and the rubber coating P on the frame.

Figure III shows a portion of the head-band A,

- and those parts of the to which is attached in operative position the nose flap L, with the peripheral stiffening member M. Instead of the nose flap above described I may use a nose member formed of some soft, flexible material fastened to the frame at points adjacent to each side of the nose and passing over the nose.

In Figure IV and VI, the head-encircling member is a football helmet Q to which the frame R is frontally attached at S and S, which points may be varied on the helmet to give correct vertical adjustment. The triangular side-pieces T are based, either rigidly or on hinges, at U-U and the apex is adjustably secured to the helmet at V. Points of attachment to the helmet are held by thongs Y.

Figure V shows projections V and Z which enter holes in the football helmet so positioned as to give properadjustment to the goggles.

This goggle is particularly adapted to very rough athletic contests, such as football, to proof flexible material,

assasos of the frame with respect to the member, and a nose piece of flexible material, passing over the nose and attached at each end to the respective portions of the frame adjacent the nose.

2. In combination with a goggle, a nose flap of a flexible material secured to the goggle only at a point above the point at which it contacts the wearer's nose, the portion of the flap which engages the wearer's nose being free and unattached. said flap being so positioned that it passes over the wearer's nose and lies between the nose goggle adjacent the nose. 3. In combination with a goggle, a nose flap perimetrically stiffened on its lower and side edges by means of a flexible "wire, which flap is secured only at a point above tect the eyes and eye regions from injury and to prevent breakage or displacement of goggles of the type shown in Figure 1 Or some other type. It is an advantage of this typeof my improved goggle that it does not interfere with the peripheral vision of the wearer to any greater extent than a corrective eye-glass worn underneath necessarily would.

The head-encircling member may be used exclusively to support the goggles, as shown in Figure I, or it may be some regular part of the wearer's attire, as shown in Figures IV and VI.

Either of these forms may be equipped with cor-,

rective or non-corrective optical lenses, or left open, according tov the desire and requirements of the wearer. In the interests of safety the frames and side-pieces may be coated with rubber or the like to insure against injury to the wearer or to those coming in contact with him. These many other adaptations and substitutions may be made within the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. A goggle comprising ahead-encircling member, a substantially rigid frame positioning optical lenses before the eyes and secured above the eyes directly to the said head-encircling member, whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member said frame being adapted to be selectively secured to different portions of the head-encircling member above the eyes of the wearer whereby the positionof the lenses with respect to the member may be adjusted, substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined to the upper and lower outside edges respectively of the said frame and whose apexes are fast ned to the said head-encircling member on either side' of the head at portions of said member above the eyes, said pieces being adapted to be selectively secured to different portions of the sides of the member to provide adjustment for the position the point at which it contacts the wearer's nose.

so positioned that it passes over the wearer's nose and lies between the nose and those parts of the goggle adjacent the nose.

4. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigid frame substantially encircling each eye and secured above the eyes directly to the said head encircling member substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined to the outside edges respectively of the said frame and whose apex es are fastened to the said head-encircling member on either side of the head at portions of said member above the eyes, and I. nose flap of flexible material secured only at a point above the point at which it contacts the wearers nose and disposed between the portions of the frame which encircle the eyes, said flap being so positioned that it passes over the wearers nose and lies between the ncse and those parts of the goggle adjacent the nose.

5. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigid eye-protecting frame supported only by direct attachment to the said head-encircling member at portions thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member, and side-pieces joined atone end to the outside edges respectively of the said frame and fastened at the other end to the said head-encircling member.

6. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigid frame substantially encircling each eye and supported only by direct attachment to the said head-encircling member at portions thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member, substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined to the outside edges respectively of the saidframe and whose apexes are adjustably fastened to the said head-encircling member on either side of the wearer's head.

7. A goggle comprising a head-encircling band, a substantially rigid frame positioning optical lenses before the eyes and supported only by direct attachment to the said head-encircling member at portions thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member, substantially rigid side pieces in the approximate form of triangles whose bases are joined to the upper and lower outer edges respectively of the said frame and whose apexes are fastened to the said head-encircling member on either side of the head.

8. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, and a substantially rigid eye-protecting frame substantially encircling each eye and directly secured in rigid relation to said encircling member at a portion thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to Said name is imparted to said member at a portion thileof above the eyes.

9. A goggle comprising a headaenci'rcling member, a substantially rigid eye-protecting frame encircling each eye and directly secured in rigid relation to said encircling member at a portion thereof above the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to said member at a portionv thereof above the eyes, and a nose flap of flexible material secured to said frame only at a portion thereof above the portion of the flap which contacts the wearer's nose, the portion of the flap which engages the wearers nose being free and unattached, .said flap being so positioned that it passes over the wearers nose and lies between the nose and those parts of the goggle adjacent the nose.

10. A goggle comprising a head-encircling member, a substantially rigid eye-protecting frame substantially encircling each eye and directly secured to said head-encircling member at a portion thereof above the eyes, and side pieces joined at one end to the outside edges respectively of said frame and fastened at the other end to said head-encircling member, said side pieces being out of horizontal alignment with the eyes of the wearer of the goggle whereby'said pieces create no interference with peripheral vision of the wearer of the goggle, said frame being supported in rigid relation with respect to a portion of the head-encircling member above the eyes whereby force applied to said frame is imparted to'said member at a portion thereof above the eyes.

HARRY JOHNSTON.

Images