Abstract: A machine for smoothing and/or polishing lenses comprising a holder which is carried on a slide. The slide is guided for movement in two mutually perpendicular directions, both of which are perpendicular to a main axis of the machine. The slide is moved in a plane perpendicular to the main axis along a curved path which results from the combination of two orbital motions produced by cams. One cam is secured to the main shaft and rotary motion is transmitted to the other cam by an element which rotates about the axis of the main shaft and is driven from the main shaft through a transmission means which has a velocity differing from unity.

Abstract: A machine for cutting material from a lens blank to form a curved surface has a rotatable cutting wheel and a chuck for supporting the blank. The chuck is mounted for movement in three mutually-orthogonal directions relative to the cutting wheel and respective motors are provided for displacing the chuck in two of these directions to cause the cutting wheel to traverse the surface to be formed on the blank. Two templates and respective followers are provided for controlling movement of the chuck in the third direction in accordance with movement in the first and second directions. The position of the chuck relative to the follower elements can be adjusted to enable a lens with a selected thickness to be formed and one of the follower elements can be adjusted to enable different curvatures to be obtained from a single template.