Abstract: A lap blank and holder assembly includes a lap blank having two spaced apart flat surfaces separated by a given thickness and formed from a material capable of compressing about a member inserted into it. The holder has a projection extending outwardly from a front face thereof and is inserted into the material making up the lap to secure it against rotational and shifting movement while being cut in a surfacing machine. This arrangement further allows the assembly to be placed as an assembly in a finishing machine for subsequent polishing of a cut lens surface in an off-axis polishing procedure.

Abstract: A method and related system and article provides a lens blank and block assembly capable of being mounted in any of a surface generating machine, a finishing apparatus and an edging machine without requiring re-blocking of the lens in order to compensate for axis shifts. The method and associated system utilizes a controller which takes data inputted to it in the form of prescription information and a frame opening shape and converts it into two sets of machine operating data together used by a computer to allow the surface to be generated on the blank so as to be readily shaped edgewise according to a selected frame pattern by simply the mounting blank and block assembly in the edging machine thereafter. The blank is separated from the block assembly and readily inserted into a selected glass frame.

Abstract: A lap blank and holder assembly includes a lap blank having two spaced apart flat surfaces separated by a given thickness and formed from a material capable of compressing about a member inserted into it. The holder has a projection extending outwardly from a front face thereof and is inserted into the material making up the lap to secure it against rotational and shifting movement while being cut in a surfacing machine. This arrangement further allows the assembly to be placed as an assembly in a finishing machine for subsequent polishing of a cut lens surface in a polishing procedure.

Abstract: A method and related system and article provides a lens blank and block assembly capable of being mounted in any of a surface generating machine, a finishing apparatus and an edging machine without requiring re-blocking of the lens in order to compensate for axis shifts. The method and associated system utilizes a controller which takes data inputted to it in the form of prescription information and a frame opening shape and converts it into two sets of machine operating data together used by a computer to allow the surface to be generated on the blank so as to be readily shaped edgewise according to a selected frame pattern by simply the mounting blank and block assembly in the edging machine thereafter. The blank is separated from the block assembly and readily inserted into a selected glass frame.

Abstract: A device for tracing a surface such as one defining the lens opening of an eyeglass frame includes a tracer element moved automatically about a rotational axis surrounded by the traced surface and arranged perpendicularly to the area enclosed by the surface. As this rotation occurs a carrier for the tracer element is moved along a second axis extending perpendicularly to the rotational axis in response to a position error signal developed by the tracer element to maintain the position error signal at a substantially zero value through the use of feedback circuitry. The positions of the carrier about the rotational axis and along the second axis are repeatedly captured during the tracing movement to provide point data defining the shape of the traced surface. Results are a smooth steady movement of the tracer element along the surface with a minimum amount of force being exerted on the traced surface by the tracer element.

Abstract: A three axis, computer controlled apparatus for edging optical lenses maps the surfaces of a lens blank along a path defining the shape of the lens to be cut from the lens blank and from which mapping a computer controlled cutting algorithm directs the movement of the lens in the R, Z and theta axes direction. The apparatus provides rough cuts, finished cuts and automatic placement of bevels and grooves along the edge of the lens with minimal operator intervention.

Abstract: A web loading and feeding system comprises an elongated web and a web loading and feeding machine. The web is fed longitudinally of itself through the machine by a pair of drive sprockets having pins which cooperate with holes in side edge portion of the web. The hole arrangement in the web and the pin arrangement on the sprockets readily enable a machine operator to visually determine how to properly load the web onto the sprockets.

Abstract: A web loading and feeding system comprises an elongated web and a web loading and feeding machine. The web is fed longitudinally of itself through the machine by a pair of drive sprockets having pins which cooperate with holes in side edge portion of the web. The hole arrangement in the web and the pin arrangement on the sprockets readily enable a machine operator to visually determine how to properly load the web onto the sprockets.

Abstract: A cutting machine has a planar support surface for supporting a work piece and a carriage supported for movement above the planar surface. The carriage independently supports a vacuum shroud having a body portion partially defining a chamber and at least one duct portion outwardly extending therefrom. The body portion is adjustably fixed to the carriage through a connecting flange which extends upwardly from the body portion. The body portion also has a base portion that supports a resilient layer and a contact elements, the layer when it is compressed, exerts a force between the base portion and the contact element contacting the work piece supported on the planar support surface.

Abstract: An ink jet printing system has a low aspect ratio cylindrical drum adapted to support a sheet of material to be printed by a computer controlled printing head of a plurality of pigmented inks. The drum is preferably of approximately the same diameter as its axial length, is made up of at least two spoked wheel assemblies consisting of several arcuate wheel segment subassemblies that are joined together and held in place by a corregated skin covered with a fiberglass layup to provide a smooth cylindrical surface onto which the sheet material is spread. A clamping device is provided for tensioning the sheet material as it is rotated past a carriage carrying the printing head and affording two relative movement directions as between the printing head and the sheet to be printed for these differently colored printing inks.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for laying out a sign containing a plurality of lines of text performs and comprises the steps of entering into a computer information defining the sign text and the heights of the lines of text, providing a spatial factor which corresponds to a related level of openness of the sign, and positioning the lines of text relative to each other to yield balanced spacings between the lines which are a function of the spatial factor and one or more of the line heights. Provision for top, bottom and side margins may also be provided. The layed-out sign may be displayed or plotted and, if it is not satisfactory, the operator may select another spatial factor to provide another lay-out of differing openness.

Abstract: An elongated sheet of web material has a longitudinal row of feeding holes in each side edge portion and a plurality of binary codes longitudinally spaced along one side edge portion; and an associated web handling and working machine has sprockets which cooperate with the feeding holes to feed the web, a tool or other instrument for working on the web and a device for reading the codes as the web is fed through the machine. Each code comprises a group of data bits and provides such information as the remaining length of web available to be worked upon, the type of instrument suitable to work on the web, and whether the instrument should be rotated to maintain it tangent to its path of travel over the web.

Abstract: A blank having a rectangular shaped body from which a lens pattern is cut to the desired size and shape of a frame lens opening is connected to other identical blanks to form a chain for continuous feeding to a lens pattern generator. The blanks have ball and socket hinge members symmetrically arranged on each edge with a ball hinge member on one edge being opposite a socket hinge member on the other edge. The hinge members are offset with respect to a plane passing through the center of the body between the top and bottom faces of the blank so that the pivot axis of the ball and socket hinge members on one edge is in the plane of the top face and the pivot axis of the ball and socket hinge members on the other edge is in the plane of the bottom face. The blanks are connected together in a like edge-to-like edge fashion and indicia provided to identify the nasal side of the blank alternates from side to side when the blanks are interconnected in a chain.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing perforated pounce patterns from sheet material has a work-engaging surface for moving and supporting the sheet material. A tool carriage is supported adjacent, and movable relative to the work-engaging surface, and a tool mount is supported on the tool carriage and movable between elevated and lowered positions relative to the work-engaging surface. A pouncing tool is supported in the tool mount and has a tool shaft and a pouncing wheel rotatably suspended from the tool shaft. The pouncing wheel has a plurality of radially extending pins for forming a perforated path in the shape of a pounce pattern when engaged with the sheet material on the work-engaging surface. A keying member is engaged with the tool mount, and the tool shaft has a longitudinally extending keyway engageable with the keying member for fixing the orientation of the pouncing tool relative to the tool mount.

Abstract: A knife and knife holder assembly for use with a sheet material cutting machine includes a replaceable knife with a lower most tip point and a guard and clamp member having a shoe surface engagable with the material being cut to limit the knife's penetration. An adjustment means and a connecting means associated with the guard and clamp member and with the holder allow for quick and easy adjustment of the vertical position of the member on the holder to vary the amount by which the knife protrudes beyond the shoe surface, thereby adjusting its penetration, and also allows quick and easy movement of the member between tightened and loosened conditions relative to the holder, the knife being removable from and replacable in the holder and the member being vertically adjustable in its loosened condition, and the guard and clamp member in the tightened condition of the connecting means being itself fixed to the holder and also holding the knife clamped in a fixed position to the holder.

Abstract: Apparatus for tracing the inner periphery of an eyeglass frame lens opening and for producing a set of coordinates each of which coordinate set describes a sensed position along the traced path. The eyeglass frame is positioned on an overhead bridge and a stylus held by a stylus holding fixture engages the eyewire groove of the lens opening and is used as a guide to move the fixture along the traced path. Encoding arms are coupled to the fixture and drive respective associated rotary encoders whose outputs represent the distance each arm has moved from a first to a second sensed location along the path. A computer operates in accordance with an instruction set to generate coordinates for each of the sensed points along the traced path whereby the set of coordinates characterizes the size and shape of the lens opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a pattern from a blank in accordance with a set of coordinates defining a plurality of data points and collectively characterizing the size and shape of a lens opening in an eyeglass frame is presented. A controller includes an instruction set to control the operation of a router coupled to a carraige arranged for rectilinear movement toward and away from a work station and relative to the rotation of a blank fixtured at the work station whereby a pattern is cut with the desired size and shape. The apparatus further includes a sensor and light source in the feeding and staging area of the apparatus to advance a blank to a fixturing spindle located at the work station and to determine the nasal side orientation of the blank at the work station.

Abstract: An elongated sheet of web material having a longitudinal row of feeding holes in each side edge portion and plurality of binary codes longitudinally spaced along one side edge portion, and a web handling and working machine comprising sprockets which cooperate with said longitudinal rows of feeding holes to feed said web, means for working on said web and means for reading said codes as said web is fed through the machine. Each code comprises a group of data bits and provides such information as the remaining length of web material available to be worked upon, the type of instrument suitable to work on the web, and if a knife blade is suitable, the fact that the instrument should be rotated to maintain it tangent to the line of cut.

Abstract: An ink jet printing system suited to the making of large scale graphics, such as outdoor billboards, includes an endless carrier for moving a plurality of rigid flat panels, onto which a graphic is to be printed in sections, repetitively past an ink jet printing station. At the printing station each panel moves in purely rectilinear fashion in a direction parallel to its ink drop receiving face so that such face remains essentially at a uniform spacing from the ink jet printing heads of the printing station as the printing occurs. A means for timing the operation of the ink jet heads takes into account irregularities or changes in the motion of the panels past the printing station so that the ink drops are correctly placed despite such irregularities or changes. The ink jet heads can eject relatively large drops of pigmented ink.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement in an apparatus for cutting a profile of a selected shape from a natural sheet material at a given location, which apparatus comprises a cutting platen having an upper generally flat cutting surface and a lower generally flat support surface. The platen is movable to the desired position relative to a cutter which moves along an axis downwardly against the cutting surface to cut the preselected shape from the natural material. In accordance with the improvement, there is provided a fixed anvil having a flat force reaction surface parallel to and facing the supporting surface of the platen so that the cutting action is against the anvil. The anvil can also form the structure for supporting the platen as it is moved into the cutting position.