Lens blocking machine

Claim 2

A machine for blocking lens blanks, comprising a base, a table reciprocable rectilinearly on said base, a pair of spaced reticles on said table, spaced supporting means on said table for holding two lens blanks in registry, respectively, with the two reticles, locating means on said base to be registrable selectively with said supporting means, upon movement of said table in opposite directions, for precisely locating lenses on said supporting means relative to said reticles, two molds movably mounted on said table for movement into registry with lens blanks supported on said supporting means, clamping means associated with each mold to hold a lens blank releasably on its supporting means when a mold is in registry with the lens blank, and supply means including two dispensers fixed on said base at opposite sides of said locating means to supply molten blocking material to said two molds, respectively, said table being slidable back and forth on said base to dispose each supporting means and the blank thereon selectively in registry with one of said supply means or said locating means.

Claim 3

A machine for blocking lens blanks comprising a base, a table reciprocable rectilinearly on said base, two reticles mounted, respectively, in spaced openings in said base, lens supporting means associated with each reticle, a housing secured on said base, locating means positioned in said housing to cooperate with said reticles to position lens blanks precisely on their respective supporting means, two molds movably mounted on said table to be movable selectively into and out of registry with the respective lens supporting means, clamping means associated with each mold for clamping a lens blank between a supporting means and an associated mold, when the associated mold is in registry with a supporting means, and a pair of dispensers fixed at opposite sides of said locating means for supplying molten blocking material to the two molds, respectively, said molds being movable into registry with the respective dispensers by sliding movement of said table from one to the other of two limit positions on said base, said table in each of its limit positions disposing one of said supporting means in registry with said locating means and the other of said supporting means in registry with one of said dispensers.

Claim 4

A machine for blocking lens blanks comprising a base, a table reciprocable rectilinearly on said base, two reticles mounted, respectively, in spaced openings in said base, lens supporting means associated with each reticle, a housing secured on said base, locating means positioned in said housing to cooperate with said reticles to position lens blanks precisely on their respective supporting means, two molds movably mounted on said table to be movable selectively into and out of registry with the respective lens supporting means, clamping means associated with each mold for clamping a lens blank between a supporting means and an associated mold, when the associated mold is in registry with a supporting means, and a pair of dispensers fixed at opposite sides of said locating means for supplying molten blocking material to the two molds, respectively, said molds being movable into registry with the respective dispensers by sliding movement of said table from one to the other of two limit positions on said base, said table in each of its limit positions disposing one of said supporting means in registry with said locating means and the other of said supporting means in registry with one of said dispensers.

Claim 5

A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said locating means comprises a set of projection lenses, a reflector associated therewith, and a rear projection type receiving screen optically cooperating with said reflector and mounted in one wall of said housing to be visible externally of said housing.

Claim 6

A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein a light bulb, a reflector and a set of condenser lenses are mounted in said base to cooperate with the associated reticle when each supporting means is in registry with said locating means to aid in locating a lens blank precisely on the associated supporting means.

Claim 7

A machine for blocking lens blanks comprising a base, a table reciprocable on said base, two reticles mounted, respectively, in spaced openings in said base, lens supporting means associated with each reticle, a housing mounted on said base, locating means positioned in said housing to cooperate with said reticles to position lens blanks precisely on said supporting means, a mold mounted on said table to be movable selectively into and out of registry with each lens supporting means, clamping means associated with each mold for clamping a lens blank on a supporting means when the associated mold is in registry with each supporting means, and means disposed at opposite sides of said housing for supplying molten blocking material to the respective molds when the associated mold is moved into registry therewith by movement of said table on said base, said table being movable on said base to bring each supporting means selectively into registry with said locating means or with the corresponding supply means, each supply means including a device for delivering a measured amount of the molten blocking material to tHe associated mold, and each said device including a pot for holding molten blocking material, a barrel reciprocably and tiltably mounted in each pot, a standpipe mounted in each pot, a nozzle with which each standpipe communicates for delivering molten material into the associated mold, and adjustable means in each pot for controlling the extent of movement of each barrel to determine the quantity of molten material to be delivered into the associated standpipe when said barrel is actuated.

Claim 8

A machine for blocking lens blanks comprising a base, a table reciprocable on said base, two reticles mounted, respectively, in spaced openings in said base, lens supporting means associated with each reticle, a housing mounted on said base, locating means positioned in said housing to cooperate with said reticles to position lens blanks precisely on said supporting means, a mold mounted on said table to be movable selectively into and out of registry with each lens supporting means, clamping means associated with each mold for clamping a lens blank on a supporting means when the associated mold is in registry with each supporting means, and means disposed at opposite sides of said housing for supplying molten blocking material to the respective molds when the associated mold is moved into registry therewith by movement of said table on said base, said table being movable on said base to bring each supporting means selectively into registry with said locating means or with the corresponding supply means, each supply means including a device for delivering a measured amount of the molten blocking material to tHe associated mold, and each said device including a pot for holding molten blocking material, a barrel reciprocably and tiltably mounted in each pot, a standpipe mounted in each pot, a nozzle with which each standpipe communicates for delivering molten material into the associated mold, and adjustable means in each pot for controlling the extent of movement of each barrel to determine the quantity of molten material to be delivered into the associated standpipe when said barrel is actuated.