Huet Paris Modele 1933 Type 1 7X50 (View 3)
The Modele 1933 Type 1’s eyepiece assembly is a linear movement device i.e. when the focus ring is turned the ocular tube and eyepiece slide straight up or down instead of twisting as do conventional screw-type individual focus mechanisms. Although the design was first patented by Goerz, it became characteristic of French individual focus binoculars before WWI and is seen most often on French military binoculars. Although this type ocular was more complicated and expensive to manufacture than others, it was thought to be more weatherproof but to what extent is debatable. Today these oculars are often found stiff to turn if they turn at all due to dried lubricant or somehow broken due to careless servicing.
The components, pretty much in order of disassembly, are as follows:
1. - Eyecup. As noted in View 1 three types of eyecups are found, a winged rubber one like this, a similarly winged rubber one with a flip-out color filter, and a rubber one with level edges which is often found cut down possibly because the binocular has short eye-relief.
2. - Dioptre Scale Ring Retaining Ring.
3. - Dioptre Scale Ring with fixed focus screw. Not visible in picture, a ball detent (coil spring and ball bearing) is inset in the underside of ring. When the fixed focus screw is not tightened, the ball snaps into a depression on the surface of the push/pull plate (5) affixing the dioptre scale ring to the push/pull plate. Tightening the fixed focus screw fastens the dioptre ring to the eyelens cel (9) preventing any further upward movement the ocular tube (11)/eylens cel (9) assembly. However, forcefully twisting the focus grip (17) clockwise will disengage the ball detent from the push/pull plate allowing downward movement of the ocular tube/eyelens cel assembly for increased distance focus. To return to fixed focus setting the focus grip must be twisted counter-clockwise until it stops.
4. - Push/Pull Plate Retaining Ring and fastening screw. This part must be screwed onto the top of the focus grip (17) so that the screw-hole in the ring aligns with corresponding holes in both the focus grip (17) and edge of the push/pull plate (5). If these holes are not aligned when the screw is inserted or if the screw is missing, the ocular assembly will fail to focus.
5. - Push/Pull Plate. As described this plate is secured to the focus grip with a small screw. The plate fits over the eyelens cel (9) and rotates around it as the focus grip is turned. Turning the focus grip clockwise depresses the push/pull plate pushing the ocular tube/eyelens assembly down and turning the focus grip counter-clockwise moves the push/pull plate upward allowing the ocular/tube eyelens assembly to move upwards. Tension is provided by a large coil spring in ocular tube housing (18).
6. - Eyelens Cel Retaining Ring. This ring plus the eyelens cel fastening screw (9) helps secure the eyelens cel/ocular tube assembly to a moveable coil spring housing inside the ocular tube housing (18). 7. - Brass Washer.
8. - Fabric Washer. This part was reproduced because the original was disintegrated.
9. - Eyelens Cel and fastening screw. This can be a very difficult part to remove due to dried lubricants. The base tubing of this part underneath the flange is threaded both on the inside and outside, the inside threads screwing onto the ocular tube (11) and the outside threads screwing onto the top of a moveable coil spring housing inside the ocular tube housing (18). Once tightly fastened onto the ocular tube housing the fastening screw is inserted to secure the fit. When removing the part the fastening screw is first taken out; then the eyelens cel is removed using a pin spanner. The ocular tube onto which the eyelens cel is screwed may or may not pull out with the eyelens cel depending on how tightly dried lubricant has stuck the ocular tube in its housing. If it’s stuck very badly, the eyelens cel may unscrew from the coil spring housing and ocular tube at the same time leaving the ocular tube stuck inside the coil spring housing. Removing these parts can take a lot of patience and involves cyclical applications of penetrating oil plus heat from prolonged exposure under a 100 Watt light bulb and/or judicious use of a butane jeweller’s torch. The eyelens (10) is a two element achromat and can separate when exposed to heat which this one did. Removing the eyelens from the cel for re-bonding is also time-consuming because the outside edge of the cel crimps the eyelens into it and must be carefully hand-filed away in order to push the eyelens out.
10. - Eyelens. As mentioned, this is a two element achromat typical of a Kellner type eyepiece. The outside edge of the glass is bevelled so it can be securely crimped into the eyelens cel.
11.- Ocular Tube. The eyelens cel screws into the top of this tube and the field lens (14) fits into the bottom. The tube fits inside a moveable coil spring housing welded inside the ocular tube housing (18) and focuses by sliding up and down inside this housing as the focus grip (17) is turned. If dried lubricant has stuck the tube to the surface of the housing the focus grip will twist only with great difficulty or not at all. If it is forced, breakage of parts can occur. When servicing it is important to remove this tube completely from the housing not only for cleaning and re-lubrication but to ensure the eyelens cel is screwed completely into it. If the eyelens cel is not completely screwed into the ocular tube housing, the ocular may seem to focus properly but its magnification will be altered adversely affecting the binocular’s view.
12. - Baffling Tube?? I’m not sure what this part does. It inserts into the very bottom of the ocular tube housing underneath the field lens (14). It is not present in the right ocular assembly which has a graticule retaining ring in the same area.
13. - Field Lens Retaining Ring. This rings screws into to base of the ocular tube.
14. - Field Lens. This is a single element lens.
15. - Spacer. It fits inside the ocular tube between the eyelens and field lens.
16. - Focus Grip Retaining Ring. This screws onto the bottom of the focus grip.
17. - Focus Grip. It is threaded on the inside and fits onto the exterior threading of the ocular tube housing (18).
18. - Ocular Tube Housing. The bottom of this part is finely threaded and screws into the binocular’s prism plate. The part actually consists of several pieces which I believe are welded together and cannot be disassembled without breakage. The exterior part is threaded to accept the focus grip. The interior part is a housing into which the ocular tube fits and is attached to a large sheet metal spring termed a "Membrane Tombac" allowing it to be depressed. The eyelens cel has a flange which screws into and fits atop the interior housing. When the eyepiece is completely assembled turning the focus grip clockwise presses the interior housing containing the ocular assembly downward distance focusing the eyepiece, and turning it counter-clockwise allows the spring to decompress pushing the ocular assembly upward for close focusing. See: www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/8579625045/in/photostream/ for a picture of the Membrane Tombac spring.
The Huet Modele 1933 Type 1 8X30’s eyepieces (see View 4 - www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/8205531017/in/photostream/) are similarly constructed with only minor variations (f. ex. There is no ball detent and it has a three lens/four element eyepiece) and the eyepieces of the 10X and 12X models are likewise similar.
Note: If you have a vintage binocular you either wish to sell or would just like some information about, I can be contacted at flagorio12@gmail.com .
Huet Paris Modele 1933 Type 1 7X50 (View 3)
The Modele 1933 Type 1’s eyepiece assembly is a linear movement device i.e. when the focus ring is turned the ocular tube and eyepiece slide straight up or down instead of twisting as do conventional screw-type individual focus mechanisms. Although the design was first patented by Goerz, it became characteristic of French individual focus binoculars before WWI and is seen most often on French military binoculars. Although this type ocular was more complicated and expensive to manufacture than others, it was thought to be more weatherproof but to what extent is debatable. Today these oculars are often found stiff to turn if they turn at all due to dried lubricant or somehow broken due to careless servicing.
The components, pretty much in order of disassembly, are as follows:
1. - Eyecup. As noted in View 1 three types of eyecups are found, a winged rubber one like this, a similarly winged rubber one with a flip-out color filter, and a rubber one with level edges which is often found cut down possibly because the binocular has short eye-relief.
2. - Dioptre Scale Ring Retaining Ring.
3. - Dioptre Scale Ring with fixed focus screw. Not visible in picture, a ball detent (coil spring and ball bearing) is inset in the underside of ring. When the fixed focus screw is not tightened, the ball snaps into a depression on the surface of the push/pull plate (5) affixing the dioptre scale ring to the push/pull plate. Tightening the fixed focus screw fastens the dioptre ring to the eyelens cel (9) preventing any further upward movement the ocular tube (11)/eylens cel (9) assembly. However, forcefully twisting the focus grip (17) clockwise will disengage the ball detent from the push/pull plate allowing downward movement of the ocular tube/eyelens cel assembly for increased distance focus. To return to fixed focus setting the focus grip must be twisted counter-clockwise until it stops.
4. - Push/Pull Plate Retaining Ring and fastening screw. This part must be screwed onto the top of the focus grip (17) so that the screw-hole in the ring aligns with corresponding holes in both the focus grip (17) and edge of the push/pull plate (5). If these holes are not aligned when the screw is inserted or if the screw is missing, the ocular assembly will fail to focus.
5. - Push/Pull Plate. As described this plate is secured to the focus grip with a small screw. The plate fits over the eyelens cel (9) and rotates around it as the focus grip is turned. Turning the focus grip clockwise depresses the push/pull plate pushing the ocular tube/eyelens assembly down and turning the focus grip counter-clockwise moves the push/pull plate upward allowing the ocular/tube eyelens assembly to move upwards. Tension is provided by a large coil spring in ocular tube housing (18).
6. - Eyelens Cel Retaining Ring. This ring plus the eyelens cel fastening screw (9) helps secure the eyelens cel/ocular tube assembly to a moveable coil spring housing inside the ocular tube housing (18). 7. - Brass Washer.
8. - Fabric Washer. This part was reproduced because the original was disintegrated.
9. - Eyelens Cel and fastening screw. This can be a very difficult part to remove due to dried lubricants. The base tubing of this part underneath the flange is threaded both on the inside and outside, the inside threads screwing onto the ocular tube (11) and the outside threads screwing onto the top of a moveable coil spring housing inside the ocular tube housing (18). Once tightly fastened onto the ocular tube housing the fastening screw is inserted to secure the fit. When removing the part the fastening screw is first taken out; then the eyelens cel is removed using a pin spanner. The ocular tube onto which the eyelens cel is screwed may or may not pull out with the eyelens cel depending on how tightly dried lubricant has stuck the ocular tube in its housing. If it’s stuck very badly, the eyelens cel may unscrew from the coil spring housing and ocular tube at the same time leaving the ocular tube stuck inside the coil spring housing. Removing these parts can take a lot of patience and involves cyclical applications of penetrating oil plus heat from prolonged exposure under a 100 Watt light bulb and/or judicious use of a butane jeweller’s torch. The eyelens (10) is a two element achromat and can separate when exposed to heat which this one did. Removing the eyelens from the cel for re-bonding is also time-consuming because the outside edge of the cel crimps the eyelens into it and must be carefully hand-filed away in order to push the eyelens out.
10. - Eyelens. As mentioned, this is a two element achromat typical of a Kellner type eyepiece. The outside edge of the glass is bevelled so it can be securely crimped into the eyelens cel.
11.- Ocular Tube. The eyelens cel screws into the top of this tube and the field lens (14) fits into the bottom. The tube fits inside a moveable coil spring housing welded inside the ocular tube housing (18) and focuses by sliding up and down inside this housing as the focus grip (17) is turned. If dried lubricant has stuck the tube to the surface of the housing the focus grip will twist only with great difficulty or not at all. If it is forced, breakage of parts can occur. When servicing it is important to remove this tube completely from the housing not only for cleaning and re-lubrication but to ensure the eyelens cel is screwed completely into it. If the eyelens cel is not completely screwed into the ocular tube housing, the ocular may seem to focus properly but its magnification will be altered adversely affecting the binocular’s view.
12. - Baffling Tube?? I’m not sure what this part does. It inserts into the very bottom of the ocular tube housing underneath the field lens (14). It is not present in the right ocular assembly which has a graticule retaining ring in the same area.
13. - Field Lens Retaining Ring. This rings screws into to base of the ocular tube.
14. - Field Lens. This is a single element lens.
15. - Spacer. It fits inside the ocular tube between the eyelens and field lens.
16. - Focus Grip Retaining Ring. This screws onto the bottom of the focus grip.
17. - Focus Grip. It is threaded on the inside and fits onto the exterior threading of the ocular tube housing (18).
18. - Ocular Tube Housing. The bottom of this part is finely threaded and screws into the binocular’s prism plate. The part actually consists of several pieces which I believe are welded together and cannot be disassembled without breakage. The exterior part is threaded to accept the focus grip. The interior part is a housing into which the ocular tube fits and is attached to a large sheet metal spring termed a "Membrane Tombac" allowing it to be depressed. The eyelens cel has a flange which screws into and fits atop the interior housing. When the eyepiece is completely assembled turning the focus grip clockwise presses the interior housing containing the ocular assembly downward distance focusing the eyepiece, and turning it counter-clockwise allows the spring to decompress pushing the ocular assembly upward for close focusing. See: www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/8579625045/in/photostream/ for a picture of the Membrane Tombac spring.
The Huet Modele 1933 Type 1 8X30’s eyepieces (see View 4 - www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/8205531017/in/photostream/) are similarly constructed with only minor variations (f. ex. There is no ball detent and it has a three lens/four element eyepiece) and the eyepieces of the 10X and 12X models are likewise similar.
Note: If you have a vintage binocular you either wish to sell or would just like some information about, I can be contacted at flagorio12@gmail.com .