Eyeglass frame measuring cradle

Abstract

In accordance with the invention a holder is provided for an eyeglass frame having a pair of lens rims spaced apart by a bridge. A pair of supports are fixed in spaced apart relationship on a base plate and a cradle is journalled between the supports to rock beneath an axis spaced from and parallel to the base plate. A pair of jaws transversely mounted on the cradle in relation to the axis is biased toward closing and has a mouth accessible from above the axis. One or both of the jaws inwardly tapered from the mouth to a narrow passage and outwardly tapered from the narrow passage to a throat. The throat has inwardly extending seats. Thus, when a frame is inserted transversely into the mouth toward the throat with its upper rims against one of the jaws and its lower rims against the other of the jaws, the jaws open against bias to pass the frame through the narrow passage and then close under bias to secure the frame in the throat and on the seats. Preferably, the seats are aligned on the jaws so as to support the frame substantially along a plane parallel to the base plate when the cradle is in a normal angular orientation with respect thereto and to support either of the rims substantially along that plane when the cradle is rocked to left or right angular orientations with respect thereto. The cradle is preferably journalled snugly enough to be frictionally secured in its normal, left or right orientations as desired. A tongue extending from the cradle is biased for reciprocal motion between the jaws and to extend from beneath the throat toward the narrow passage to center the frame transversely across the axis while the frame passes through the narrow passage to the throat.