Method and apparatus for buckling contact lenses

A method for buckling contact lenses comprising the steps of:

• (a) mounting a lens blank to be buckled on a lens mounting tool such that the lens adopts a datum position,
• (b) bringing a protruding element or elements into touch contact with said lens, such that the contact point is coincident with the datum level,
• (c) setting an indicator gauge to a setting to indicate the position of the contact point,
• (d) moving the said element or elements away from touch contact with the lens,
• (e) setting a new elevation of the mounting tool by displacing said mounting tool over a distance commensurate with the predetermined degree of buckling of the lens required, and
• (f) bringing said protruding element or elements into descending engagement with a portion of the lens thereby buckling the lens until the protruding elements have been displaced the predetermined distance relative to the datum.

A method for buckling a contact lens comprising the steps of:

• (a) Mounting a lens blank on a lens mounting tool,
• (b) setting said tool so that said lens is at a datum elevation,
• (c) introducing an element or elements which downwardly depend from a supporting die into contact with said lens,
• (d) setting an element travel indicator gauge at zero,
• (e) raising said elements away from said lens,
• (f) elevating said lens mounting tool to a preselected elevation above said datum elevation,
• (g) heating said mounting tool and thereby said lens to a predetermined temperature,
• (h) lowering said elements into engagement with said lens until said elements reach said datum elevation then further lowering said elements to a point commensurate with said preselected elevation thereby buckling said lens.

A method for buckling a contact lens comprising the steps of:

• (a) Mounting a lens blank on a lens mounting tool such that the lens is at a datum elevation,
• (b) bringing an element or elements which downwardly depend from a supporting device into engagement with said lens,
• (c) adjusting the elevational position of said element or elements according to the degree of buckling required or adjusting the elevational position of said mounting tool according to the degree of buckling required,
• (d) continuing said downward movement of said element or elements to a preset and predetermined position relative to said datum thereby buckling said lens about said mounting tool.

A method for buckling contact lenses comprising the steps of:

• (a) mounting a lens blank to be buckled on a lens mounting tool such that the lens adopts a datum position,
• (b) bringing a protruding element or elements into touch contact with said lens, such that the contact point is coincident with the datum level,
• (c) setting an indicator gauge to a setting to indicate the position of the contact point,
• (d) moving the said element or elements away from touch contact with the lens,
• (e) setting a new elevation of the protruding elements by displacing the protruding elements over a distance commensurate with the predetermined degree of buckling of the lens required, and
• (f) bringing said protruding element or elements into descending engagement with a portion of the lens, thereby buckling the lens until the protruding elements have been displaced the predetermined distance relative to the datum.

A lens buckling machine comprising:

• a lens mounting tool adapted to receive and support a lens,
• a descending and ascending device for engaging at least a portion of said lens when said device is on a descending stroke,
• a means to manually adjust the altitude of said device relative to said mounting tool, and
• a means for setting and adjusting the bottommost position of the travel of said device relative to said mounting tool and to a datum point,
• the descending and ascending device comprising a die having engaging pins which downwardly depend from said die in the direction of said lens,
• wherein when a lens is mounted on said lens mounting tool for buckling, said engaging pins engage said portion of said lens when said descending and ascending device descends, thereby buckling said lens about said lens mounting tool according to a predetermined and preset bottom most position of travel of said device.