Goggles

Application filed November 10, 1928. Serial No. 318,357.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial Number 174,133, filed March 10,1927. While this invention is applicable to goggles in general, 5 one of its principal purposes is to meet the exacting requirements of aviators’ goggles, particularly with regard to the cushioning of the goggles against the face of the wearer.

Where the aviator is unprotected the wind 10 pressure against the goggles when the air ship is traveling at high speed is so great as to require extreme care that the eyecup members of the goggles do not come into direct contact with the face lest they will cut 15 into the flesh. For this reason they are usually protected by cushions of suitable soft material. A thick annular pad of sponge rubber is commonly employed for the purpose, and it is necessary so to attach the cushion to 20 the eyecup that the inner edge of the eyecup cannot become accidentally detached therefrom in use. For this reason the attachment must be so secure as to withstand the strain of the wind pressure when its bears at an ²⁵ angle against the goggles and tends to cause a rolling of the cushions upon the face by a shifting or displacement of the goggles.

At the same time a desideratum of the article is the ability easily and quickly either 60 to renew a cushion or to shift it rotatively with respect to its eyecup so as to secure a more accurate fit against the face.

These desirable objects are attained by my invention, which contemplates an annular ³·’ pad or cushion of suitable soft material such as sponge rubber and of the correct shape to fit the contour of the face, and which has upon the outer axial face an attaching flange which is elastic and snaps over or elastically ¹⁰ interlocks with a complementary flange on the eyecup. I have found that this attachment affords the requisite security, and it enables the user readily and quickly to detach, replace or shift a cushion. It substi⁴⁵ tutes ready detachability for the more permanent modes of attaching, such as stitching, which have heretofore been believed to be necessary.

Certain .additional detail features of my in^co vention will appear from the particular de scription of the embodiments thereof illustrated in thet accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation as viewed from above of a pair of goggles embodying my invention, one of the cushions and its eyecup 55 being .in section.

Fig. 2 is a detail in plan of the cushion for the left eyecup of Figure 1, showing its outer face.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the reverse plan of go the same showing its inner face.

Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation of the same as viewed from the top side.

Fig. 5 is a detail in fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified embodiment of my 65 invention. . ;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 of another modified embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of the 70 cushion and attaching elements of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of a fragment of a cushion constituting still another modified form in which my invention may be embodied. . . _ 75

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 of still another modification.

Fig. 10 is a rear view of a pair of cushions applied to goggles and embodying still another modification. , so

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the same as viewed from above.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail of the middle portion of Fig. 11 showing the position of the parts on the wearer. 85

As shown in the various illustrated embodiments, the cushion with its attaching flange may be one integral and unitary member. It will be made of a suitable soft cushioning substance such as sponge rubber. . :;·

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the cushion is comparatively wide and flat, being dished to conform substantially to the contour of the area of the face surrounding the eye. The cushion for the left eye is indicated generally by the numeral 1 and that for the right eye by the numeral 2, the cushion 1 being applied to the left eyecup 3 and the cushion 2 being applied to the right eyecup 4. At the nasal end the cushion is relatively nar- ¹⁰⁰

1,853,872 row but elsewhere it is of considerable width, the extent of which may, of course, be varied to suit the particular needs. The flat annular cushion is of approximately oval shape and ⁵ is comparatively thick at the inner edge and tapers to a thin outer edge. For attachment of the cushion to the eyecup, the cushion is provided on its outer face with an axial lip 5 upstanding about its inner periphery and this ¹⁰ lip terminates in an outwardly turned flange 6, this flange being spaced from the body of the cushion, a distance equal substantially to the thickness of the metal of the eyecup. This lip and flange, therefore, serve as an under¹⁰ cut axial extension on the outer face of the cushion and immediately surrounding the eye opening. The inner end of the eyecup is provided with an inturned flange 7 and the parts are so proportioned in size that the ³⁰ flanges 6 and 7 coincide or overlap when the cushion and eyecup are in their proper coaxial relation. To attach the cushion to the eyecup the lip 5 is deformed so as to permit of the insertion of the flange 6 through the flanged end of the eyecup, whereupon the flange of the cushion is released and allowed to resume its normal shape. While the material of the cushion is sufficiently flexible to permit of the insertion of the flange 6 past the flange 7, it also has sufficient rigidity to hold the cushion locked to the eyecup with the requisite security. The flange 7- provides a rather wide bearing surface for the cushion against the end of the eyecup and this surface surrounds the eye opening in such relation thereto as to avoid any tendency of the parts to become detached as lateral pressure is applied to the goggles. The width of the inner face of the cushion assures that there will be ⁴⁰ no rolling tendency of the cushion with respect to the eyecup. The width of the undercut formed by the overhanging flange 6 is just sufficient to receive the flange 7 without any unnecessary axial play between the parts. These features all make for security of attachment while they permit ready removability and replacement of a cushion.

In order to protect the nose of the wearer against injury by the protuberances which commonly result from the swivel connection between the bridge and the eyecups, I may provide a protecting flap 8. This flap is preferably molded integral with the cushion and upstands on its outer face between the flanged lip 5 and the outer periphery of the cushion at its nasal end. As shown in Fig. 1, it covers up the joint between the bridge and the eyecups and thus protects the nose.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. ^Cj 5, the cushion instead of being of the flat and relatively wide type above described, is a ring 9 which may be molded of sponge rubber. This ring is approximately circular instead of flat in cross section and is of varying ⁶³ cross section in accordance with the construc tion disclosed in the patent to W. N. Cook, #1,669,229, of May 8, 1928. This varying cross section enables the cushion to fit more accurately into the contour of the face and it is desirable with such a cushion that it be capable of adjustment rotatively within the eyecup to adapt it for wear by different persons. Upon the outer axial face, this cushion is provided with an axially extending lip 10 terminating in an outwardly turned flange 11 ⁷⁵and this flange fits over the inwardly extending flange 7 on the eyecup 4. This flange 7 affords a sufficiently wide bearing surface against the outer face of the body of the cushion around the outside of the lip 10 to pre- ⁸⁰vent any accidental separation of the parts in use. I will ordinarily form the lip 10 on the outer face of the ring substantially midway between the inner and outer peripheries. Not only is this mode of attachment suffi- ^G:jciently secure for all purposes, but it permits the ring to be easily rotatively adjusted to fit it to the contour of the face of the wearer and also to be easily detached and applied..

The construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 ⁹⁰differs from those above described in that the flanges are reversed, that is, the flange on the eyecup is outwardly turned and that on the cushion is inwardly turned. The cushions 1' and 2' are ring-shaped and approxi- ⁹⁵mately round in cross section, substantially corresponding in this respect to the construction shown in Fig. 5.. The cushion 1' is applied to the eyecup 3' and the cushion 2' is applied to the eyecup 4'. The eyecups have theii’ inner ends provided with an outward flange 12, and the cushions have on their outer axial face an undercut formed by the inwardly turned lip or flange 13. The elasticity of the cushion permits it to be expand- ³⁰⁵ed in diameter so that the lip 13 will snap over the flange 12 and thus secure the parts together while permitting of ready detachment. In the form of cushion shown in these figures the undercut is disposed somewhat -^1Qoutside of the center line of the top surface toward the outer periphery. It may also desirably be formed on the top more toward the inner periphery, as shown in the case of the cushion la of Fig. 8. In this latter figure, the attaching lip 13' is directed inwardly from substantially the center line of the top surface. When molded in this way the elastic lip obtains a more substantial hold upon the goggle frame when it is stretched -²’“ or snapped over the outwardly turned flange of the eyecup.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 9 the cushion 9« corresponds in general to the cushion of Figure 5 in that it is round in cress ~ section and has an outwardly flanged lip 11« engaging over the inturned flange 7« of the eyecup 4«. Additionally, however, this cushion has a second lip 14 on its outer face which clamps between the usual hinged lens

1.853.872 3 cover 15 and the eyecup. This lip 14 serves as a gasket to prevent air seepage in the eyecup and also manifestly the clamping of this lip between the metal parts makes the attacli§ ment of the cushion to the eyecup more positive in character.

In the construction shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, a somewhat different way is provided for protecting the nose. Instead of having ₁₀ the flap 8, the cushions 16 and 17 are provided at their inner or nasal ends with extensions 16' and 17' which are of a. length to overlap, as shown, and of a width to protect the nose from the entire bridge 18. The ex15 tensions will be thin and will ordinarily be formed as continuations of the general plane of the inner face of the cushions. They will yield to accommodate the nose of the wearer, as indicated in Fig. 12, and will be of such -20 length as still to overlap when thus pushed outwardly by the nose.

In the description and in the appended claims I refer to the cushion snapping over or upon the eyecup, intending such express's sion to comprehend the engagement of a lip elastically with the eyecup whether the cushion flange be inturned and requiring a stretching to apply it over the interlocking part on the eyecup, or be turned outwardly and re30 quire a contraction of the lip to apply the flange to the eyecup.

While I have shown several embodiments of the device of my invention in the accompanying description, it is capable of various 35 other modifications therefrom without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are required by the prior art or indicated by the appended 40 claims.