Method of casting optical elements

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF CASTING A CONTACT LENS COMPRISING PROVIDING A PAIR OF MOLD HALVES EACH HAVING A CASTING SURFACE SHAPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ULTIMATE SHAPE DESIRED OF THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LENS, ATTACHING SAID MOLD HALVES WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE CASTING SURFACES FACING EACH OTHER ON SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS IN SUCH MANNER AS TO PERMIT ONE OF SAID HALVES TO BE MOVED LATERALLY IN A SINGLE PLANE WITHOUT BECOMING DETACHED FROM SAID MEMBER, MOVING SAID MOLD HALVES AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS ONE TOWARD THE OTHER TO CAUSE SAID CASTING SURFACES THEREOF TO BECOME ENGAGED WITH EACH OTHER BY AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SAID MOVABLE MOLD HALF TO BE AUTOMATICALLY MOVED IN SAID PLANE INTO COAXIALLY ALIGNED RELATION WITH THE CASTING SURFACES OF THE OTHER MOLD HALF, MOVING SAID MOLD HALVES APRAT FROM SAID OTHER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE A SPACING BETWEEN THEIR RESPECTIVE CASTING SURFACES SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS DESIRED OF SAID LENS, INSERTING AN INITIALLY FLOWABLE RESINOUS MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID CASTING SURFACES AND HEATING SAID INSERTED MATERIAL TO A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE AND FOR A CONTROLLED TIME PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY OLYMERIZE THE SAME.