US2539369A - Wood ski with bonded wood insert - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1951 c. F. LUND 2,539,369

WOOD SKI WITH BONDED WOOD INSERT Filed Nov. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iaavezzifam:

008 3 1. Luzad, him

a X T y yioflzmus Jan. 23, 1951 c. F. LUND woon SKI WITH BONDED WOOD INSERT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1949 wzw s W Patented Jan. 23, 1951 TENT 7 2,539,3 9 V WOOD SKI WITH BONDED Wooo INSERT Carl F. Lund, Laconia, N. H., assignor to G. A. V Lund and 00., Laconia, N. H., a partnership Application November 15, 1949 Serial No. 127.298

Claims.

This invention relates to wood skis and more particularly to an improved ski constructed of natural wood including a wood insert adhesively bonded to the forward portion of the ski and holding it firmly and permanently to the upturned shape impartedthereto.

In accordance with my invention, tip end portion bent upwardly is provided with a recess horizontally'thereacross and therealong and a strip of natural wood is coated with adhesive and inserted in the recess. I This portion of the ski is then bent to the desired shape and thus held. in a press while the adhesive sets. No steaming of the tip is required and the final product comprises a substantially integral wood ski including the insert and ski body permanently bonded together at their contacting faces.

Natural wood not only is the strongest satisfactory insert material that can be employed in constructing laminated wood skis but such use furthermore makes possible a product of uniform character throughout the thickness of the ski. Furthermore, naturalwood is tough and flexible and will not chip, break off or pull apart in the manner of various compositions and like inserts. Skis take on moisture and expand when subjected to wet snow conditions and dry out and shrink when stored in a dry and warm place. This expansion and contraction will cause the ski to crack or open at the adhesive joints unless the rate of expansion and contraction is substanthe forward tially the same in the adhesively joined pieces.

Natural wood has the characteristic of substantially equal expansion and contraction and it will be apparent that in a ski constructed in accordance with my invention all adjacent and adhesively united parts, being of wood, will expand and contract substantially in the same ratio and therefore maintain the integral integrity of the wood and joints. The construction of an improved ski of this nature comprises the primary object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary edge view of a ski blank being constructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary edge view of the completed ski,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of broken away,

the ski, partially of the ski body which is to be I,

Fig. is a view like Fig. 1 but showing a modi fied construction,

Fig. 5 illustrates the completed ski,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View, partially broken away, of a further modified construction,

Fig. 7 is an edge view of this construction, and

Fig. 8 is an edge view of a like ski somewhat modified.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the forward end of a wood ski blank or body It] in process of construction. In Figs. 2 and 3 is illustrated the finished ski with its forward end 12 curved upwardly.

In accordance with my invention, I form a recess or slot l4 horizontally through the forward end of the ski body including the portion that is to be curved. I then insert a wood strip IS in the slot, adhesively coated at its ski contacting faces, and then bend the end of the ski upwardly and hold it in the desired shape in a press with the adjacent faces in firm contact while the adhesive sets. The ski will thereafter permanently maintain this shape. I preferably employ heat in the press to save time and aid in the bending and drying operations.

The ski body In and insert 16 are of natural wood and therefore exp-and and contract substantially in equal degree, thereby maintaining the unbroken and integral character of the laminated tip of the ski under all conditions. To further facilitate this characteristic, I preferably employ the same kind of wood, such as hickory, in both the ski body and insert or select woods which are most nearly alike in the characteristics desired.

It will be noted that the tip end portion iii of the ski is thickened for the purpose of reinforcing such end. In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a similar construction employing a thickening wood wedge 20 for this purpose and permitting the upper lamination 22 to be of uniform thickness throughout its length. This ski 24 and its construction are otherwise like that shown in Figs. 1-3.

In Figs. 6 and '7 I have illustrated a modified construction in which the tip end of the ski body 30 is recessed at 32 in its top surface. This recess increases in depth forwardly and a strip insert 34 of like tapering thickness is fitted into the recess. The adjacent faces of the insert and ski are adhesively coated and the ski is bent to the desired curve and thus held in a press with the adjacent faces in firm contact while the adhesive sets, The insert thereafter serves permanently to hold the ski to this shape. This ski also preferably employs a wedge 36 for thickening and reinforcing the forward tip.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 8 is the same as in Figs. 6 and 7 except that this ski body 40 is recessed at its bottom surface to receive the insert 42. This recess and insert increase to greater thickness forwardly and a reinforcing wedge 44 is preferably employed at the tip.

The ski bodies, inserts and wedges illustrated in Figs. 6-8 are constructed of natural wood as and for the purpose hereinbefore described in connection with the other forms of my invention.

It will now be apparent that I have produced an improved ski which will withstand without breakage or damage the substantial expansion and contraction incident to the absorption and loss of moisture when the .skis are used in the presence of moisture and storedin a warm and dry atmosphere. My improved ski furthermore will permanently retain the curved shape irnparted to it even under the varying atmospheric conditions to which skis are subjected.

This application is a continuation-in-part of .my'copending application Serial No. 621,937, =filed .Gct.ober 12, 1945, now abandoned.

Having thus disclosed my invention what -I claim as new and desire to ,secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A natural wood ski having a bottom snowengaging surface and an upturned forward end .portiornsaid end portion of the ski body having .a .recess therein disposed horizontally thereacross and vtherealong and extending continuously from the forward tip of the ski rearwardly to a point kad-jacent to but rearwardly of said forward end portion, and a strip insert of natural .wood ad- .hesi-vely secured to an adjacent face ,of the ski body within the recess and holdingsaid forward :end portion in upturned shape.

:2. The ski defined in claim '1 .in which the vski body and insert embody the same .kind of natural wood.

3. The ski defined in claim 1 plus a wedge of natural wood adhesively bonded to the inward tip end portion of the ski between the top surface of said insert and the adjacent portion of the ski body, said wedge tapering rearwardly of the ski and thickening and strengthening the forward tip end portion of the ski.

4. The ski defined in claim 1 in which the reicess *isd-isposed interiorly of the ski body'between its top and bottom surfaces and said insert is adhesively secured at its top and bottom faces to the ski body.

.5. .A natural .wood ski having bottom and top surfaces and an upturned forward end portion, :saidzendrportion of the ski body having a recess therein disposed horizontally thereacross and therealong at one of said surfaces and extending continuously from "the forward tip of the ski rearwardly to a point adjacent to but rearwardly of said forward end portion, and a strip insert of natural wood adhesively secured to the adjacent face of the .ski body within the recess and holding said forward end portion in up- ?turned shape, said insert being relatively thick .at its forward end .and tapering to a relatively thin rear end.

CARL F. .LUND.

REFERENCES .CITED The following references are of record in the -f le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,223,202 Davidson .Jan. 7, 1941 {2369.004 Andreef Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN "PATENTS Number Country Date 805,257 France Nov. 16, 1936

Images