US2616714A

US2616714A - Safety ski binding

Info

Publication number: US2616714A
Application number: US164334A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mitchell H Cubberley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-26
Filing date: 1950-05-26
Publication date: 1952-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-04
Also published as: CH300633A; FR1045717A

Description

Nov. 4,-1952 M. H. CUBBERLEY 2,616,714

SAFETY sx1 BINDING Filed May 2e, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 4, 19,52

i UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE I u .4 y. l ,A M...5;616714V-4. v y

f SAFETSKI BINDIG f Y Machen H. cbberley, Belleville, N. J'.'

f Application May'zt, 195o, serial No. v164,364

to the vusers ski boot, and which, under certain' conditions, is self-releasing for freeing the boot from the ski.

YThe present inventionhas for an object to' provide a novel ski binding whereby the toe and heel of a Vski boot are separately engaged and held attached to the ski by front and rear springloaded retaining devices'whioh are adapted to independently exert regulatable predetermined hold down pressure upon the boot' in direction substantially perpendicular to the 'plane of the ski, whereby to normally bind the ski to the boot; said clamping devices (as a safety factor) being respectively so constructed that each is independently yieldable to force tending to lift the' boot away from the ski, if the lifting force exceeds the normal spring induced hold down pressure of either clamping device', so that, in either case, the boot will be automatically released from the ski; the toe clamping device being additionally yieldable'to laterally directed or twisting thrust if the forceof such thrust exceeds the normal spring induced holding pressure.

The invention has for a further object to provide, ina ski binding, a novel construction of spring-'loaded boot toe holding device which is self-releasing'under excessive force exerted in any 'angular direction Within a range of arc 0f 180 above the plane of the ski.

'Another' object of the invention is to provide, in a ski binding, a novel construction of springloaded boot toe holding device which so functions that Vit oifers greater resistance to automatic release under lifting force exerted perto an. improved construe Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ski boot toe holding device, showing the same in boot releasing conditionunderthe'thrust of excessive force exerted parallel vor transversely angular to the plane of theskiandjFig. 4'is a side elevational view of the ski boot toe holding device, showing the same in'boot releasing condition under the thrust of excessiveupwardly' directed force exerted per,- pendicular to the plane of the ski.

.-Figgjuisja 'side V elevational view, 0n an enlarged scale, 4ofj'av modified construction ofA the ski boot toejholding device, shown in its operative relationto the boot toe; and Fig. 6 is adetail transverse vertical sectional view, taken on line finFigi. y

4Fig7 is a plan Vview of the modified constructipnv Vbootxtoe holding device, showing the same mboot releasing condition under the thrust of'excessive force exerted parallel or transversely angular to the plane of the ski; and Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of the modied construction of skiboot toe holding device showing the same in boot releasingcondition under the thrust of excessive upwardly directed force exerted perpendicular to the plane of the ski.

Similar characters cf reference are employed in the hereinabove `described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character l'indicates the body of a ski, and the referencev characters II and I2 respectively indicate the sole of the boot is equipped with a specially pendicular to the plane of the ski than it does 'i to releasing force exerted parallel or transversely angular to the plane of the ski.

Othere objects of this invention, not at this time 'more particularly enumerated, will be understood'from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are l height. :Said ange or abutment is preferably designed toe lplate I3, and the heel of the ski bootliis also equipped with a specially designed heel plate I4;

The'heel plate I 4 is aixed to the bottom of the bootvheel I2,` as by fastening screws I5, and

so that its rearward portion projects somewhat beyond the rear-end of said boot heel. The rearward end of the heel plate I4 terminates in an upstanding'flange or abutment I6 of suitable providedV witha rearwardly projecting perpendicular kfulcrum nosing II, the purpose of which will be later herein disclosed.

The heelI holding device, in a preferred fo thereof, is substantially of the same form, and

construction disclosed in my copending applica# tion for Letters Patent Ser. No. 70,739, led January 13, 1949, now Patent No. 2,573,955, patented November 6, 1951, and comprises a carrier frame formed by a bottom plate I8 having at its opposite sides, adjacent to its inner end, transversely aligned, upstanding bearing ears I9. rIhe inner end of the bottom plate I8 is provided with an upstanding stop member of reduced width. The outer end of the bottom plate I3 is provided with an upstanding perforate thrust bearing member 2i. Extending between and supported by the bearing ears I9 is a transverse pivot pin or shaft 22. pivot pin or shaft 22 is a clamp plate 23 which is provided at its opposite sides with dependent perforate side iianges 24 through which the pivot pin or shaft 22 extends so as to provide a fulcrum about which the clamp plate 23 can turn. The medial forward marginal portion of the clamp plate 23 is cut back, as at 25, to form forwardly projecting clamp tongues at the respective sides of the clamp plate. These clamp tongues are bordered at their outer sides by the forward portions of the dependent side flanges 24 of the clamp plate 23. Said clamp tongues 25 are adapted to straddle the stop member 2G of the carrier frame, thus holding the heel plate I4 and boot heel against lateral displacement or shift. Integral with the clamp plate 23, and extending upwardly and rearwardly from said cut back forward marginal portion 25 thereof, is a lever member 21 by means of which the clamp plate can be manually actuated. Integral with the media rearward marginal portion of the clamp plate 23 is a pair cf laterally spaced knuckle members 28. Pivotally joined to the rear end of the clamp plate 23 by a cross pin 29, which is carried by the knuckle members 23, is the forward end of a rearwardly extending thrust rod 30. The rearward end portion of said thrust rod extends slidably through the perforate thrust bearing member 2l of the carrier frame, being thus fulcrumed on the latter, at a somewhat upward inclination relative to the horizontal plane of the pivot pin or shaft 22 about which the clamp plate 23 turns; the degree of such inclination being predetermined by a stop nut 3| which is threaded onto the rearward end of said thrust rod 30, to normally abut stop projections 32 with which the thrust bearing member 2| is provided. The forward portion of the thrust rod 3IJ is provided with screw threads and threaded thereon is an adjustable thrust nut 33. Mounted on and around the thrust rod 3i), intermediate the thrust nut 33 and the thrust bearing member 2l of the carrier frame, is a compression spring 34. The bottom plate I8 of the carrier frame is affixed to the ski III by screws 35.

The toe plate I3 of the boot is also affixed to the toe portion I I of the boot sole, as by fastening screws 36. The forward portion of the toe plate I3 projects somewhat forwardly beyond the extremity of the toe portion I I of the boot sole. The forward end of the toe plate terminates in an upstanding iiange 31, from the upper end of which extends a keeper tongue 38 which is rearwardly and downwardly bent to overlap and strongly grip the top marginal part of the toe portion II of the boot sole, thus reenforcing the toe plate against displacement from operative relation to the latter. Intersecting the juncture of the ange 31 and keeper tongue 38 of the toe plate I3 is a centrally disposed indenting notch or seat 39 adapted to be engaged by a member of the boot toe holding device, as will presently be more vfully explained.

The boot toe holding device, in one illustrative embodiment thereof as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 Fulorumed on saidA 4 inclusive, comprises a base plate 43 which is suitably aixed to the ski I0, preferably by fastening screws 4I which pass downwardly through slots 42 in said base plate, whereby the latter can be longitudinally adjusted upon the ski, so as to dispose the boot toe holding device for proper engagement with the size of boot worn by the ski user. Aflixed to the base plate 45 is a longitudinally disposed carrier frame comprising a perpendicular inner end plate 43 and a perpendicular outer end plate 44 bridged by a top plate 45. The outer end plate 44 is perforated, and provides a thrust bearing plate for purposes presently to be disclosed. The inner end portion of the base plate 40 is provided with upwardly offset abutment members 45 upon which the toe plate I3 of the boot sole impinges or rests, when lthe boot is footed upon the ski I3, whereby to properly position the toe plate for engagement by the boot toe holding device.

Extending through an opening in the inner end plate 43 of the carrier frame, to project outwardly therefrom toward the toe portion II of the ski boot, is a latching member 41 of substantially conical form, the base of which fits the opening in said inner end plate 43. Said latching member terminates at its outer end in an axially projecting latching stud 48. This latching stud preferably includes a diametrically enlarged annular stop portion 49 disposed intermediate its free end portion and the body of the latching member 41. The latching member 41 is provided at its inner end with a diametrically enlarged annular fulcruming flange 50 which normally bears flatly against the inner face of the carrier frame end plate 43. Projecting axially rearward from said fulcruming ange 5I) is a coupler pin or stud 5I. Extending slidably through the outer end or thrust bearing plate 44 of the carrier frame is a thrust rod 52, the forward end of which is pivotally engaged by the coupler pin or stud 5I of the latching member 41. Said thrust rod 52 is normally axially aligned with the latching member 41 and its latching stud 43. Said thrust rod 52 is provided with screw threads and threaded thereon is an adjustable thrust nut 53. Mounted on and around the thrust rod 52, intermediate the outer end or thrust bearing plate 44 and the thrust nut 53, is a compression spring 54, the tensional pressure or thrust of which can be predetermined by adjusting the thrust nut 53. y

To attach the ski to the users boot, the latter is applied to the ski between the toe and heel holding devices. To permit this, the heel holding device is opened by swinging downward the lever member 21, thus upswinging the clamp plate 23 and thereby raising the clamp tongues 26 out of the way, so that the boot may be footed upon the ski, with the boot toe plate I3 inserted beneath the latching stud 43 of the boot toe holding device in such manner as to seat said latching stud in the notch or seat 33 of said toe plate I3 (see Figs. 1 and 2). This being done, the heel I2 of the boot is brought down on the ski sov as to position the upstanding flange or abutment I3 of the heel plate I4 in front of the open heel clamping device, and in the path of down-swinging movement of said clamp plate 23 and its clamp tongues 26. The boot being thus footed upon the lski IIJ, the fulcrum nosing I1 of the heel plate I4 will be abutted against the stop member 26 so that the boot is engaged between the toe and heel holding devices and thereby held against longitudinal shift or disavoid frictional resistance to lateral ,oscillationv of the heel plate flange or abutment I6 relative to said clamp tongues 26 about the fulcruming nosing l1 as a pivot under automatic boot releasing conditions, as will presently be explained.

' It will be understood that, when the heel holdingdevice is operative, the toe holding device will be also operative by reason of the seating of the locking stud 4,3 in the notch or seat 39 ofthetoe plate I3, so that the toe of the boot isnormally held against both upward and lateraldisplacement from the ski, unless the tensional thrust of the compression spring 54 is overcome by abnormal uplifting or laterally exerted force.

' It will be obvious, in thel event of a fall or other o ccurrencel which induces an abnormal force tending to separate either the toe or heel of the boot from the ski, and which is in excess ofthe force of theA spring loading, that either the vtoe or the heel holding device, as the case may. be, will snap open, and thus release the boot from the ski. If one holding device snaps open the boot will be displaced therefrom and willpull away from the other holding device, even if thevlatter remains closed.

' The heel holding device holds the heel of the boot down uponl the ski so long as the' force of the spring induced holding pressure (which acts perpendicularly to the plane of thevski) is not exceeded by a counterrelease force.` On the other hand, the ,toe holdingdevice holds the toe of the boot against displacement from the ski so,v long as the force of the spring induced holding pressure (which acts both perpendicular andA parallel to the plane of the ski) is not exceeded by an upwardly directed or laterally directed counterrelease force.

In the toe holding device the latching means provided by the

elements

4l, 48, 49, 50 and 5I constitute a bell-crank type of lever which is fulcrumed by the periphery of the fulcruming flange 5l! upon the inner face ofthe inner end plate 43 of the carrier frame. The outer arm of -this lever includes. the latching stud 48, and the inner or opposite arm of said lever includes the coupler pin orstud 5i. Normally the lever thus provided, when the fulcrumng flange 50 flatly abuts the inner end plate 43 of the carrier frame, being held in such condition by thev tension of the compression spring 54, disposes the coupler pin or stud 5I and latching stud 48 in axial kalignment with the thrust rod 52, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby disposing the latching stud 48 subject to the embrace of the toe plate notch or seat 39 and thus in operative holding relation to the boot toe, and so as to resist both lateral and uplifting displacement of the'latter from the ski.

When the boot toe holding device is in the above described retaining relation to the boot toe, in the event a twisting force, i. e. a lateral force in either direction, is transmitted to the boot toe in amount in excess of the holding force exercised by the compression spring 54, the latching stud arm of the lever is swung laterally or transversely angularly about a peripheral point of the fulcrum ange 5l] which impinges upon the ,innerv end plate 43 of the carrier frame. vSuch movement of the lever swings thecoupler pin arm of the lever` in opposite direction, and thus, by the exerted leverage thereof, moves` the thrust vmd5!) rearwardly against the tension of the compression spring 54. If such twisting or laterally applied force is continued and is great enough to effect the required amplitude of lever movement, vthe latching stud 48 will be withdrawn from the toe plate notch or seat 39, thus freeing the boot toc from the ski (see'Figg). Such lateral movement of the boot toev will cause the boot heel plate to pivot about its. fulcrum nosing Il, and after the boot toe is freed` from thetoe holding device, boot heel will readily pull away from the heel holding device even though the latter remains closed. It will be obvious, that corresponding releasing action of the toe holding device will occur in response to an uplifting force perpendicular to the plane of the ski (see Fig. 4), if such force is sufficient to overcome the tension of the compression spring 54.

In the form of toe holding device shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the fulcruming flange 5i] of the latching lever is of circular periphery so that the radial offset of the lever fulcrum is the same for all directions of lever movement. Under these circumstances, the latching lever requires application thereto of the same amount of releasing.

force regardless of direction of application whether said directionfis lateral, transversely angularor perpendicularly upward; in other words'the resistance to release of the boot toe offered by the compression spring `54 is uniform with respect both to twisting or laterally exerted releasingv force and to uplifting releasing force. In some cases, however, it may be preferable that greater resistance to releasing force applied perpendicularly upward be offered by the toe holdingV means than that offered to releasing force applied laterally or in transverse directions. Means to modify the toe holding device for such differential operation is shown in Figs. 5 to 8. Such modied form of the toe holding device comprises the substitution in the latching lever structure, for the annular fulcrumingflange 50 vof circular periphery, of a rectangular fulcruming flange 50', which is so related to the longitudinal axial alignment of the latch stud 48 and coupler pin or stud 5| that its bottom fulcruming edge 55 is perpendicularly offset therefrom a greater distance than are the laterally offset distances of the opposite side fulcruming edges 5B and 5l, the offsetting distances of which are alike. Under these circumstances, the lengths of the bell-crank leverage arms are greater in the perpendicular plane of the latching lever structure than they are in the transverse plane of said latching lever structure, and consequently the throw of said lever structure in perpendicular plane is of greater amplitude than is the throw thereof in transverse plane. As a consequence of this, compression spring 54 must be compressed to a greater degree to effect release of the uplifted boot toe than is necessary to effect release vof the laterally or transversely moved boot toe, and therefore greater resistance to boot toe uplifting force is offered by the compression spring 54 than is offered by the latter to lateral or transverse force applied to the boot toe. In other words, greater release force mustbe applied for uplifting release 7 of the boot toe than is necessary to be applied for lateral release of said boot toe. This will be understood by comparison of the showings of Figs. 8 and 'l of the drawings.

It may here Vbe pointed out that the boot toe holding device according to this invention is not dependent upon associated use with the particular style or construction of boot heel holding device shown in the drawings and above described, and, although the latter is perhaps preferable, various other and different forms of heel holding devices may be utilized within the broader aspects of my invention.

While I have described my invention in preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation, and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in rits broader aspects.

What I claim is:

l. A ski binding ccmprising longitudinally spaced holding devices adapted to respectively engage a ski boot at toe and heel portions thereof, the boot toe holding device including a toe plate afiixed to the ski boot, said toe plate having a projecting `portion indented by a seating notch, holding means cooperative With said toe plate, said holding means comprising a latching lever and a spring actuated thrust means, a universal joint connecting said lever and lthrust means in end to end relation, means to support the thus connected lever and thrust means in normal axial alignment with the outer end of the lever engaged in the seating notch of the toe plate with boot toe holding eiect, and the lever having a radially extending fulcruming flange intermediate its ends and normally bearing iiatly against a portion of the support under the pressure of the thrust means, peripheral .portions of the fulcr-uming flange providing fulcrum points about which the lever may selectively pivot upon said portion of the support when the outer end of the lever is subjected to transversely applied or uplifting force suiiicient to overpower the counterforce of the thrust means, thereby to disengage the lever from the seating notch of the toe plate with boot toe releasing eiect.

2. A ski binding as defined in claim 1 including means for adjusting the tensional force exerted vby the spring vactuated thrust means upon the lever.

3. In a ski binding having longitudinally spaced holding devices adapted to respectively engage a skiboot at toe and heel portions thereof., a boot toe holding device comprising a toe plate a'ixed to the ski boot, said toe plate .having a projecting portion `indented by a seating notch, a latching lever means, a support through Which the lever means extends, the lever means Vhaving a radially extending .fulcruming flange intermediate its ends .and adapted to normally bear against the inner -face of said support, the outer end of the lever means normally engaging in said seating notch of the toe plate with boot toe holding eiect, spring actuated thrust means, means to support said thrust means, and means to pivotally couple the inner end of the lever means with the thrust means, peripheral portionsof said fulcruming flange providing fulcrum points about which the lever means may selecttively pivot when its outer end is subjected to transversely applied or uplifting force sufficient to overpower the counterforceof the spring actuated thrust means, thereby to disengage the lever means from the seating notch of the toe plate with boot toe releasing effect.

4. A ski binding as defined in claim 3 including means for adjusting the tensional force exerted by the spring actuated thrust means upon the lever means.

5. In a ski binding having longitudinally spaced holding devices adapted to respectively engage a ski boot at the toe and heel portions thereof, a boot toe holding device including a toe plate aiiixed to the ski boot, said toe plate having a projecting portion indented by a seating notch, holding means cooperative with said toe plate comprising a lcarrier means aixed to the ski, said carrier means including longitudinally spaced upstanding inner and outer end plates, a latching lever extending through said inner end plate, a spring actuated thrust rod extending through said outer end plate 'in normal axial alignment with said lever, means pivotally connecting the rearward end of said lever with the forward end of said thrust rod, the forward end of said lever having a latching stud to engage in the seating notch of the toe plate when the lever is in normal axial alignment with the thrust rod, and a radially extending fulcruming flange intermediate the ends of said lever adapted under the thrust of said thrust rod to bear flatly against the inner face of the inner end plate of the carrier means in the normally axially aligned position of the lever relative to the thrust rod, peripheral portions of the fulcruming flange providing fulcrum points impinging upon said inner end plate of the carrier means about which the lever may selectively pivot when the latch kstud providing outer end of the lever is subjected to transversely applied or uplifting force suiiicient to overpower the counterforce of the thrust rod, thereby to disengage the latch stud from the seating notch of the toe plate with boot toe releasing effect.

6. A ski binding as dened in claim 5 including means for adjusting the tensional force exerted by the spring actuated thrust rod upon the latching lever.

7. A ski binding as defined in claim 6 including means to longitudinally adjust the carrier means on the ski relative to a ski boot to be engaged by the boot toe holding device.

8. A ski binding as defined in claim 5 including means to longitudinally adjust the carrier means on the ski relative to a ski boot to be engaged by the boot toe holding device.

9. A ski binding as defined in claim 5 wherein the fulcruming flange is of greater downward radial projection than of lateral radial projection vfor the purposes described.

l0. A ski binding comprising longitudinally spaced holding devices adapted to respectively engage a ski boot at toe and heel -portions thereof, the boot toe holding device including a toe plate alxed to Vthe ski boot and having a projecting portion indented by a seating notch, holding means cooperative with said toe plate comprising a latching lever anda spring actuated thrust means, a universal joint connecting said lever and thrust means in end to end relation, means to support the thus connected lever and thrust means in normal axial alignment with the outer end of the lever engagedin the seating notch of the toe plate with 'boot toe holding effect, the lever 'having a radially extending fulcruzning flange intermediate'its ends and normally bearing iiatly against -a Aportion of the supportunder the pressure of the thrust means, peripheral portions of the fulcrumng flange providing fulcrum points about which the lever may selectively pivot upon said portion of the support when the outer end of the lever is subjected to transversely applied or uplifting force suicient to overpower the counterforce of the thrust means, thereby to disengage the lever from the seating notch of the toe plate with boot to relasing eiect, and the boot heel holding device including a heel plate `aiixed to the ski boot, said heel plate having an upstanding ange at its outer end, a pivoted clamping plate, means on the ski'to support said clamping plate, said supporting 4means having an upstanding stop member opposed to' the heel plate flange, said heel plate flange having a fulcrum nosing to bear against said stop member, whereby to pivot the ski boot Vsubject to lateral swinging movement in the event the boot toe holding device yields to transversely applied force, and spring actuated thrust means operative to normally maintain the clamping plate in holding engagey ment with'the heel plate flange but adapted to clamping plate from the boot heel to thereby release the latter.

1l. A ski binding as defined in claim 10 in which the spring actuated thrust means of both vthe boot toe holding device and the boot heel holding device are respectively provided with means for adjusting the tensional thrust thereof.

MITCHELL H. CUBBERLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,236,874 Hvam Apr. 1, 1941 2,513,926 Erwin July 4, 1950