Blank for use in a lens pattern generator

A blank for use in a lens pattern generator and from which a lens pattern is cut wherein said generator includes drive means for moving the blank along a travel path and sensing means for sensing the blank as it moves along the travel path, said blank comprising:

• a relatively thin body having generally parallel top and bottom major faces of substantially rectangular shape, said body also having first and second side edges parallel to and opposite one another and first and second end edges parallel to and opposite one another and perpendicular to said side edges;
• a series of drive elements located along each of said first and second side edges of said body, said drive elements engaging with the drive means of the pattern generator for moving the blank in a direction parallel to its side edges.
• first hinge means located adjacent said first end edge;
• second hinge means located adjacent said second end edge, and
• nasal locating means cooperating with the sensing means associated with the pattern generator for determining the orientation of a nasal side of said blank at a predetermined position along the travel path in the pattern generator.

A chain of blanks for continuous feeding to a lens pattern generator of the general type including drive means for moving the blanks along a travel path to a work station and sensing means for sensing a blank in the chain of blanks and from which of each blanks a lens pattern is cut, said chain comprising:

• a number of rectangularly shaped blanks, each of said blanks including:
• (a) a relatively thin body having generally parallel top and bottom major faces, said body also having first and second side edges parallel and opposite one another and first and second end edges parallel and opposite one another and perpendicular to said side edges;
• (b) a series of drive elements located along each of said first and second side edges of said body, said drive elements engaging with the drive means of the pattern generator for indexing and advancing said blanks in said chain along the travel path in the generator;
• (c) nasal locating means cooperating with the sensing means associated with the pattern generator for determining the orientation of a nasal side of a blank in said chain at a predetermined position along the travel path;
• (d) first hinge means located adjacent said first end edges;
• (e) second hinge means located adjacent said second end edge;
• said first hinge means located adjacent said first end edge of one blank being arranged for cooperation with said first hinge means located adjacent said first end edge of a similar advance blank located adjacent said first end edge to permit said blank and said similar advance blank to rotate relative to one another about an axis parallel to said first end edge, and said second hinge means located adjacent said second end edge of said one blank being arranged for cooperation with said second hinge means located adjacent said second end edge of a similar rear blank located adjacent said second end edge to permit said blank and said similar rear blank to rotate relative to one another about an axis parallel to said second end edge, and
• said first hinge means being located adjacent said first end edge and said second hinge means being located adjacent said second end edge such that a first plane passing through said axis associated with said first hinge means and through said axis associated with said second hinge means is inclined with respect to said top and bottom faces and a second plane passing through said first hinge means axis is substantially coplanar with one of said top and bottom faces and a third plane passing through said second hinge means axis is substantially coplanar with the other of said top and bottom faces.