US2338249A

US2338249A - Disuniting ski bindings

Info

Publication number: US2338249A
Application number: US424710A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jansen Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-12-29
Filing date: 1941-12-29
Publication date: 1944-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1961-01-04

Description

y Jan. 4, 1944.

H. JANSEN DISUNITING SKI BINDINGS Filed Dec. 29, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 HOWA en x/AMsE/v H. JANSEN DISUNIITING SKI BINDINGS Jan. 4, 1944.

Filed Dec. 29. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Haw/wo JANSEN INVEN Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISUNITING SKI BINDINGS Howard Jansen, Portland, Oreg.

Application December 29, 1941, Serial No. 424,710

` 15 Claims. Cl. 28o-11.35)

This invention relates to ski bindings and more particularly to lbindings which will permit the boot to free itself from the ski upon undue stresses being imposed thereupon such as are likely to occur upon falling of the skier.

A common form of ski binding consists of a toe fastening means which engages with the opposite sides of the bootV adjacent the toe end and a resilient cable which extends around the heel of-the boot forcing the boot with a clamping action into the toe fastening means. Due to the resiliency of the cable, sufcient upward movement of the heel is permitted to enable the skier to walk along, but the toe is fastened to the ski so as to substantially preclude lateral shifting movements of the boot on the ski for' insuring proper control of the ski. However, a serious disadvantage inherent in the usual ski bindings is that the boot is thereby fastened to the ski so ysecurely that it cannot be detached rapidly from the skis in the event of an i emergency. Thus, if a skier while gliding down slope should lose his balance, the'body upon striking the surface of the snow tends to roll on down the hill, while the relatively long skis offer a considerable resistance to a rolling movement of the body and -a severe twist is imposed upon the ankles and legs ofthe skier with the result that painful sprains or fractures may follow.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved ski binding of the type described which will hold the boot firmly inv place during normal maneuvering, and which will permit the release of the ski boot from the ski automatically upon undue stresses being imposed thereupon.

It is a further object of the invention toprovide a new and improved automatically releasable ski binding, the component parts of which may readily be attached to the ski and to the ski boots by one of ordinary skill and which after installation does not require further adjustment to insure reliable operation thereof. y

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a new and improved ski binding which is simple in design, reliable in operation, and low in manufacturing cost.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the ski binding ofthe invention comprises a pair of metal cleats adapted to be flxedly attached to the sole of the ski boot on the opposite side edges thereof adjacent the toe end. The cleats are provided with recesses in the side wallsvthereof defining grooves or slots sloping upwardly from a point adjacent the lower and forward edge of the cleats. A pair of metal members adapted-to be secured to the upper surface of the ski have arms extending upwardly adjacent the opposite edges of the ski boot sole. In the upper ends of these arms are arranged a pair of pins extending toward each other and which are adapted to be cooperatively received in the cleat grooves as the boot is moved forward into position. Under the force of the heel cable the ski boot is wedged tightly into position between the side arms and against an upstanding toe plate so as to insure proper control of the skis during normal use thereof. Upon the occurrence of a fall, however, and an undue twisting torque between the boot and the ski, the boot will slide upwardly on the pin of one or both of the arms and clisengage therefrom to permit the boot to move free of the ski.

Further yobjects and advantages will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, while the features of novelty will be pointed out with greater particularity in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a ski and a ski boot illustrating a binding constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the ski portion shown in Figure 1 further illustrating the binding; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views in perspective illustrating functional features of the invention; `and Figures 6, 7 and 8 are additional views` in perspectivev illustrating various component parts of the ski binding of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in Figure 1 is shown a portion I0 of a ski having a boot II se cured thereon by means including an adjustable resilient cable I2 extending around the boot heel. The forward end of the boot is releasably secured to the upper surface of the ski by an arrangement which includes cleats I4 secured to the sole of the boot on the opposite sides thereof, bracket arms I5 for cooperatively engaging the cleats I4 and a toe stop I6.

Referring more particularly to Figure 8, the cleats I4 each comprises a generally U-shaped metal member adapted to be secured to the opposite edges of the boot soie with the side wall portion I3 thereof extending substantially at right angles with respect to the plane of the sole. The lower right angular extending flange portion I9 extends underneath the boot so-le and is adapted to be secured thereto such as by suitable screws extending through perforatons 2I. The upper edge of the side wall 'I8 is provided 4with right angularly extending ears 22 having perforations 33 therethrough for attachment of the upper portion of the cleat to the boot sole as by means of suitable nails. The side wall I8 of the cleat is provided with an upwardly sloping recess E@ forming a pair of facing shoulders which define a slot which is open at the forward end of the cleat and adjacent the lower edge thereof. It will be observed that the slot extends rearwardly of the cleat and upwardly kto a point adjacent the upper Yedge of theside wall 13, being preferably of substantially uniform depth throughout the greater portion of its length and tapers substantially to zero depth at its uppermost end. The cleats of each pair have their respective slots E45 sloping in opposite direetions so that when they are attached to the sole of a boot on the opposite side edges thereof the slots of the pair of cleats slope in the same direction, that is, upwardly from the forward end and lowermost edge thereof. lnattaching thecleats to the boot sole it is preferred vto Yrecessthe edge of the sole slightly for the accommodation of the depression in the side wall of the cleat forming the slot 214i in a manner lsuch as is `indicated Amore clearly in the cross sectional view of Figure 3.

The bracket arms is, one of which is shown in the perspective view of vvFigure 7, comprises la base portion 25 having a plurality of openings 2,7 therethrough for cooperatively receiving a corresponding number of screws for the attachment thereof to the upper surface of the ski. EX-

tending upwardly from the base portion 2t and ysubstantially at right Iangles with respect thereto -is an arm 28 having a pin Zt rigidly secured thereto and extending from the inner surface thereof substantially parallel with the base portion 2 6. rIhe height of the pin 29V above the upper surface of the base portion 251s somewhat less than the thickness of the boot sole for reasons as will presently appear. rIhe pair of similar bracket arms l are shown attached .to the upper surface of the ski in Figures?. and 3 with the outerends thereof overhanging somewhat the adjacent edges of the ski. The bracket arms `vi 5 are `so mounted on the ski that the `space between the facing surfaces of the upstanding arms `2li correspond substantially with the spacing between the outermost surfaces of the side walls L8 ci the metal cleats i4 attached to the ski boot. The pins 29 attached to the arms 2i? are of a ulength somewhat less than the depth of the recesses in the cleat side walls.

The toe Stop I6, shown more dearly the perspective View of Fleur@ 6. `comprises a ,base portion hai/ine .a -rzluralitvv of openings .3,2 therein for cooperatively receiving screws for the attachment of the stop .to the upper surface of the sl-gi. Extending upwardly from the forward end vof the base portion 13.! are a pair of wall portions t3 with a vertical slot 34 'extending therebetw .et .the base of the vertical slot at is a horizontal slot the metal struck out to form the slot being bent vdownwardly as indicated more clearlyat in Figure 1 to support the forward end of `the base portion 3l p .tly above the surface of the ski. The upding wall portions of the stop l5 are provided with lateral extensions 3'! which are ,adapted to be deformed with a curvature so as to fit relatively closely around the forward end .of the boot sole. The ski boot maybe fastened to the ski by lowering the ski boot onto the ski with the lower open ends of the `slots in the metal cleats M in alignment with the pins 29 on the bracket arms and then moving the boot slightly forwardly. The cable l2 may then be fitted around the boot heel and tightened which will force the boot forward to its limit of travel as determined by the wedging action between the pins 29 of the bracket arms l5 and the upwardly sloping slots formed in the sole cleats I4. rI'he stop E6 is fastened in place so that the toe of the A`boot sole just engageswith `the wall portions 33 as the boot is shifted to `its forward limit of travel under the force of the heel cable. rIhis will insure that the sole cleats |11 lit snugly between the bracket arms I5 thereby precluding relativelateral movement between the ski and the boot during normal maneuvers.

.Assume now that the skier spills while traveling along and that his body starts to roll over while the skis, due to their length and digging into the snow, are prevented from similarly rolling, resulting in a twisting of one or both of the -skiers legs. 'Upon such an application of vtorque to the ski binding the boot will pivot laterally about one or theother of the bracket arm pins 29 causing theother side of the boot to disengage from the bracket arm ,pin on that side. lReferring more particularly to the perspective view of Figure 4 ,fassume that the boot is twisted relative to the ski in the direction indicated by the arrow. Pivotal movement of the vboot takes place about the pin of the bracket arm |75 Aas shown in Figuren and `binding or wedging of the pin 29 within the cooperating slot in the ysole cleat is prevented by the toe ,stop lli which precludes additional forward movementof the boot relative to theiski. Such pivotal movement of the boot aboutthepin of one `of the ybracket arms is accompanied by'a disengagementof the sole lcleat von the .opposite yside' of the boot vfrom its corresponding bracket arm in a manner such ,as is indicated more clearly in Figure 5. rUpon disengagement of the one sole cleat Ifrom the correspondingbracketarm 4the sole Yof the vboot will be shifted substantiallyy above the upper extremity of `the adjacent bracket k,arm dueto theuppermostshoulder of the slot forming recess riding upon the upper surface of the pin. This will guide the sole of the boot over the upper end of the bracket arm to permit it to shift freely'sidewise sufficiently to Vpermit disengagement of the pin of the opposite 4'bracket arm from its cooperating cleat slot. The boot is then free to disengage from the ,toe stop It and, since tension is 'thereby' relieved from the heel fcable, the boot is immediately detached from the ski.

It has been described above how disengagement is effected between the 'boot and the ski upon a twisting movement therebetween. Such a movement, however,is lnot required vto effect a release o f the boot. Assume, for example, that the skier loses his balance -and lunges forward in the direction of the` skis, causing the boots to tilt forwardly pivoting about the toe portions. Upon such an occurrence the heel cables will stretch sufficiently to permit the boot to simply lift up oif of the pins 29 of the bracket arms due t0 the downward slope of the slot forming recesses in the sole cleats and the boot will then be Vfreed from the ski. Thus any undue strain imposed Aupon the binding as the result of a `fall will effect a release of the ski boots from the skis.

Due to the fact that the height of the pin above the surface of the base portion 2B of the bracket arms is substantially less than the thick,

ness of the boot sole, there will be no possibility for the upper edge of the sole to become hooked underneath these pins and so prevent the freeing of the boot.

' The amount of force required to effect disengagement of the boots from the skis may be determined by adjusting the tension of the heel cable or by determining the curvature of the wing extensions of the toe stop I6, or both. It will readily be understood that the tighter the tension in the heel cable the greater will be the force tending to wedge the toe end of the boot between the bracket arms I 5. It has also been found that if the wing extensions of the toe stop I6 are deformed so as to fit snugly against the opposite corners of the toe of the boot sole, a greater twisting force will be required to be applied to the boot to effect a disengagement thereof than if the wing extensions of the toe stop yare permitted to are outwardly with a relatively slight curvature.

Once the cleats I 4 have been applied to the ski boots, the bracket arms l5 and the toe stop IB attached to the upper surface of the ski so as to iit the boot, no further adjustment of these parts will be required.

Having described the principles of my invention in what is considered to be a preferred embodiment thereof, it will readily be understood that the specic details shown are merely illustrative and that the vinvention is susceptible of considerable modification of detail. It is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and sco-pe of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a ski boot, apair of generally U-shaped metal cleats secured around the edge of the sole ofsaid boot 0n the opposite sides thereof, a longitudinal groove formed in each of said cleats, said groove sloping upwardly from the lowermost forward corner o-f said cleats, said groove being open at the lower end and closed at the upper end, a ski having bracket arms extending upwardly from the opposite sides thereof, pins secured to said arms and extending toward each other, said bracket arms being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the width between the outermost surfaces of said cleats, said pins being adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat grooves.

2. In combination, a ski boot, metal cleats secured to the opposite edges of the sole ofv said boot, a longitudinal slot in each of said cleats extending upwardly therein from adjacent the forward end and lowermost edge thereof, said slots being open at the lower end and closed at the upper end, a ski, bracket arms extending upwardly from the opposite sides of said ski, a pin secured to each of said arms and extending toward each other, said pins being adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat slots, said pins being spaced above the surface of said ski by a distance corresponding substantially to the distance of the closed end of said slot from the lower surface of the sole of said boot.

3. In combination, a ski boot, a pair of metal cleats secured to the opposite edges of the sole of said boot spaced slightlyr rearwardly from the toe thereof, said cleats having surfaces substantially parallel with the edges of said boot sole, a longitudinal recess in said cleats, said recess sloping upwardly from adjacent the forward and lowermost corner of said cleats, said recess being closed adjacent the upper edge of said cleats, a ski, a

pair of bracket armsmounted on said ski and extending upwardly from the opposite sides thereof, pins on said bracket arms and extending toward each other and spaced above the upper surface of said ski by a distance substantially equal to the height of the closed end of said cleat recesses above the sole of said boot, said pins on said bracket arms being adapted to be cooperatively received in said recesses by forward movement of said boot relative to said ski.

4. A ski boot, a pair of metal cleats secured to the opposite edges of the sole of said boat, said cleats having portions extending upwardly substantially at right angles with the plane of the sole of said boot and fitting closely against the opposite edges of said boot sole, means forming a slot in the outer surfaces of each of said cleats, said slots sloping upwardly from the forward end of said cleats, said slots being open adjacent the lower edge of said cleats and closed adjacent the upper edge of said cleats, a ski, a pair-of bracket arms extending upwardly from the opposite sides of said ski, pins on said arms extending toward each other and adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat slots.

5. Means for releasably securing a ski boot to a ski, comprising a pair of metal cleats adapted to be fixedly attached to the opposite side edges of the ski boot, said cleats each having a slot formed in the side wall thereof and extending upwardly from adjacent the forward lower edge thereof, said slot being open at the lower end and closed at the upper end, bracket arms adapted to be secured to the upper surface of a ski and having pins extending toward each other and adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat slots.

6. Means for releasably securing a ski boot to the upper surface of a ski, said means comprising a pair of metal cleats adapted to be fixedly attached to the opposite side edges of the sole of the ski boot, said cleats each having a longitudinal recess in the side wall thereof, said recess extending upwardly from the forward end and adjacent the lower edge thereof, said recess being open at the lower end and closed 4at the upper end, a pair of brackets adapted to be xedly attached to a ski and having portions extending upwardly from the upper surface of the ski, and means on said arms adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat recesses.

7. A ski binding comprising a pair of metal cleats adapted to be iixedly attached to the sole of a ski boot, each of said cleats having a wall portion extending upwardly against the opposite edges of said boot sole, a depression in the outer surface of said wall portion defining a slot sloping upwardly therein from adjacent the forward and lower edge thereof, said slots being open at the lower end, a pair of members adapted to be secured to the ski and having portions for extending upwarly closely adjacent the opposite edges of the ski boot and having pins secured thereto and extending toward each other, said pins being adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat slots, and stop means adapted to be secured to said ski for engagement by the forward end of the ski boot sole.

8. A ski binding comprising means adapted to be secured to a ski boot and defining a pair of slots on the opposite sides of said boot, said slots sloping upwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent the toe end of said boot, and means adapted to be secured to said ski and having projections adapted to be cooperatively received by said slots.

:9. Ayski binding comprising a pair of metal members adapted 'to `be secured to each V oi the opposite sides of a ski boot and having means therein defining :upwardly and rearwardly sloping slots, means adapted to be secured to theski and having projectie-ns adapted to rbe cooperativelyreceived in said slots.

10. A ski binding for releasably ataching a boot to a ski, said binding comprising a pair of cooperating members for the opposite sides of said boot and ski, one of each of said members being adapted for attachment to said boot and the rother to said ski, the one of each of said pairs of members for attachment to said boot having means dening an upwardly and rearwardly sloping .groove and the other of said pairs of Vinembers having a portion to be cooperatively received infsaid groove.

l1. A `ski binding comprising a pair of cooperating members one of which is adapted to be fixedly attached to one side of a ski boot adjacent the forward end thereof, the other of said members being adapted for attachment to the corresponding side oi the ski, the one of said members for attachment to a boot being provided with a longitudinal recess therein facing the other of said members and sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the forward end of said boot, the other of said members having means deining a projection adapted to be cooperatively received in said recess.

l2. A ski binding comprising a pair of members adapted for attachment to the boot and the ski on each of the onposite sides thereof, the one of each of said pairs o1 members for attachment to a boot having a longitudinal slot therein extending upwardly and rearwardly relative to the forward end of said boot, the other of each oi said pairs of members having means defining a projection adapted to be received cooperatively in said slot whereby the 'forward end of said boot is held in the upper surface of said ski with a wedging action between said, pairs of cooperating members under a force tending to move said boot forwardly of said ski.

13. A ski binding comprising a pair of oooperating members adapted to be secured to each of the opposite-sides of a ski boot and a ski, corresponding ones of each of said pairs vofcoo'per ating members for attachment to a boot having means defining a longitudinal slot therein eX- tending upwardly and rearwardly relative to :said boot, the other corresponding ones of said pairs of cooperating members having means dening a projection adapted to be cooperatively received in said slots, and means for urging said boot forward whereby the forward end of said boot is held fast to the upper surface of the ski, and 4stop means adapted to be mounted on said ski and to be engaged by the forward end of saidboot.

14. 1A ski binding comprising a pair of metal members adapted to be xedly attached to the opposite edges of a ski boot sole and having means therein dening a pair of spaced apart facing shoulders, means adapted to be attached to the upper surface of the ski and having arms extending upwardly adjacent the opposite sides of the boot, means on said arms defining projections extending toward each other and adapted to be cooperatively received between said pairs'of shoulders of each of said members, a member adapted to be secured to the upper surface ofthe ski and having a struck up wall portion adapted to be cooperatively engaged vby the toe of said boot, said wall portions having lateral extensions adapted to iit cooperatively around the corners of the forward end of said ski boot.

l5. A ski binding comprising 'a pair of metal cleats adapted to be xedly attached to the sole of a ski boot, each of said cleats having a wall portion for extending substantially parallel with the edge of the boot sole, means dening a slot in each of said cieat wall portions, said slots extending upwardly frcm adjacent the forward and lower edge of said cleats, the slots being open at the lower end and closed at the upper end, means adapted to be secured to the ski and having portions for extending upwardly adjacent the opposite edges of the ski boot and having pins secured thereto and extending toward each other, said pins being adapted to be cooperatively received in said cleat slots.

HOWARD JANSEN.