US3001483A

US3001483A - Tow clamp for ski pole

Info

Publication number: US3001483A
Application number: US726504A
Authority: US
Inventors: James E Gmeiner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-04-04
Filing date: 1958-04-04
Publication date: 1961-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 1978-09-26

Description

Sept. 26, 1961 J. E; GMEINER TOW CLAMP FOR SKI POLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1958 INVENTOR JAMES E. GMEINER gmgzt ATTORNEYS Sept. 26, 1961 J. E. GMEINER ,001,

TOW CLAMP FOR $141 POLE Filed April 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES E. GMEINER ATTORNEYS nite States Patent 3,001,483 r TOW CLAMP FOR SKI POLE James E. Gmeiner, 103 W. College Ave., Appleton, Wis. Filed Apr. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 726,504 6 Claims. (Cl. 104-173) This invention appertains to skiing and more particularly to a novel appliance for aiding a skier in the use of a tow rope.

It is common in most skiing localities to employ a tow rope for pulling skiers up mountainous and like slopes. f necessity, the top rope must be tightly grasped by the skier. This causes undue hardship in that the skiers hand usually becomes cramped before reaching the top of the slope and the entire body of the skier is more or less under tension, and thus no helpful rest is given to the skier. It has been proposed to use clamps for engaging the rope, but this does not solve the entire problem.

It is one of the primary objects of my invention to provide means attached directly to or forming a part of one of the skiers poles for gripping the rope, and in such a manner that the pole will extend directly at a desired angle to the rope whereby the basket of the pole forms an effective seat for the skier, so that all strain is relieved from the skier and whereby the skier can assume a position of some repose.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the pole is used as a layer for operating the rope grip or clamp, so that when the pole is moved in one direction the clamp will tightly grip the rope and when the pole is moved in the opposite direction, the clamp will be released from the rope.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for forming the clamp, so that the same can be quickly associated with the rope and one which will freely drop from the rope when pressure is relieved from the clamp.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a tow rope clamp carried directly by the pole, which will *collapse to a position substantially parallel with the shaft of the pole, so that when the clamp is not in active use,

the same can be disposed in an out-of-the-way position, whereby the pole can be effectively used without interference from the clamp.

line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view through the clamp and tow rope, the view showing the opposite side of the clamp from that shown in FIGURE FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the connection of the movable gripping jaw with the body portion of the appliance, and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the clamp removed from the tow rope and in its collapsed, inoperative position alongside of the shaft of the pole.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts Patented Sept. 26, 1961 throughout the several views, the latter C generally indicates my novel clamp for use in conjunction with a ski pole P for gripping engagement with a tow rope R. The ski pole P is of a construction now in common use and hence includes a shaft 10 having a pointed lower terpole. This sleeve on opposite sides of its open or split portion is provided adjacent to its opposite ends with apertured ears 15. Adjusting bolts 16 extend through the apertures of the ears and by tightening these bolts the sleeve can be firmly secured to the pole against accidental movement. In actual practice, the bolts 16 are removed from the ears 15 and the body portion 14 is spread open and sprung over the shaft 10 of the pole P, preferably adjacent to its lower end, but above the bracket 13. The body portion 14 is then slid up on the pole to a point adjacent to the upper end of the pole and the bolts 16 are reinserted in the apertured cars 15 and tightened. The sleeve or body portion 14 at one side and adjacent to its opposite ends is provided with hearing ears 17 and 18. These bearing ears are arranged in longitudinal alignment for a purpose which will now appear. The lower bearing cars 17 pivotally support and carry a clamping arm 19.

The outer end of the clamping arm :19 has formed there on a jaw 20 and this jaw is in the nature of an open book for partially embracing the tow rope R. It is to be noted that the hook opens out through its upper end, so that the same can be easily hooked onto the rope and so that the jaw can easily drop off of the rope by its own weight.

The inner end of the arm 19 is connected to the lower bearing ears 17 by means of a pivot pin or rivet 21. Between the rigid jaw or hook 20 and the pivot pin 21, the arm is provided with a longitudinally extending guide slot 22.

Pivotally carriedby the upper bearing ears 18 is a clamping arm 23 and the outer end of this arm is provided with an angularly extending U-shaped clamping jaw 24. This jaw slides back and forth over the jaw 20 and across the open end of the jaw 20. The inner end of the arm 23 is pivotally connected to the upper cars 18 by means of a pivot pin or rivet 25. In actual practice, one of the

pivot pins

21 or 25 can be in the nature of an adjusting bolt for a purpose, which will be later set forth. The outer end of the arm 23 inward of the jaw 24 is provided with laterally extending guide ears 26 which slidably embrace the lower arm 19. These guide ears 26 carry a guide pin 27, which is slidably received within the slot 22.

With the clamp C attached to the pole P, as just described, and it is desired to connect the same with the tow rope R, then the rigid jaw 20 is hooked into engagement with the rope and the lower end of the pole P is swung outwardly away from the rope causing the pole to pivot on the pin 21 forcing the upper end of the pole toward the rope and the consequent sliding of the jaw 24 into intimate gripping contact with the rope. Thus the rope is firmly held between the rigid jaw 20 and the sliding jaw 24. Obviously, the greater the movement of the lower end of the pole away from the rope the tighter the gripping of the rope. As the clamp extends laterally from the rope R and at an angle to the rope the skier can easily pass the lower end of the pole between his legs and sit upon the basket 13. Thus an effective seat is provided for the skier and the pull of the rope is on the body of the skier. Hence the firm grasping of the rope R by the skier is eliminated. If the skier should so desire, one hand could be used on the rope merely as a steadying means.

'Ehe clamp "C i can be .instantly detached item the rope ndrthusithe device-is provided with a-maximum amount of safety forthe skier. Whenitisdesired to release the ,clampC from the rope R, itis merely necessary for the .Sklel3t0 ,move the lower end of the pole ,towardthe rope andsthis in'turn willmove the slidable jaw '24 away from the iropeland out of gripping contact with the rope. As the;rigid jaw 20 is.in: the form of an open hook, the same will fall-off of the rope by its own weight.

WhentheskipOle -P isibeing used in its normalfashion, {the arm 22isswung;toward the pole P, as best shown in .FIG'URE'6 of the drawings, and hence the entire clamp -,w ill be-disposed substantially parallel with the shaft 10 of the pole. Thus, the clampisdisposed in an out-of-the-way positionandwill not-interfere with normal use of the ,pole.

As stated, one of the pivot pins 21 or :25 can beinthe (nature of an adjusting bolt and when the clamp is in its collapsed position, thelboltcan be tightened so as gto preaventaccidental swinging movementof the inner andouter arms-19 and 23.

it is obvious that the shaft 10 of the poleitself could =be;manufactured with the lower and upper pivotears '17 and 18,1and hence the clampcan form a direct partof the .pole. bviously,-in the form illustrated, the clamp is .to be attached to poles now on-the open market.

zvariousmther changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what-I claim asnew is:

.1. Adevice for facilitatingthe pulling ofskiers uptinclines by tow ropes .cornprising .a ski =pole including a .shaft,-means-,carried by the-shaft for releasably clamping .a :tow rope including, an arm having its inner end pivot- ,ally carried by theshaft, adjacent to the upper .end of said gpole, iaghook-shaped rigid jaw carried by the outer .end of said arm for partially receiving the :tow rope, a

second arm ihavingjits inner end pivotallycarried by the ,shaft.in spaced relation to the first .-rnentioned.arm, :a U- shaped jaw formed onzthe outer'end. of the second arm for movementtowardand away from the hook-shaped rigid :jaw forzengaging the tow ropeon the opposite side of the rope from-said hook-shaped rigid jaw, saidfirst-mentioned arm being provided with a longitudinally extending guide slot, and second arm having guide ears intermediate its :length embracing the first :mentioned arm, and .a slide pin: carried by the-earsreceived insa-id slot, said vU-shaped jaw:being movable toward and away from the rigid jaw upon swinging movement of ithe shaft and said .U-shaped jaw Ein.one;of its positions partially closing the hookshaped. rigid jaw.

2. :Inadevice for facilitating .the pulling ofskiers up inclines lbyJtQW ropes, the combination with a tow rope, :a ski pole :including a shaft and a basket secured to the ;S;ha .t"adjac.ent1tolitsplowertend,.and a releasable tow rope ZEI'iPPiBEfilQHlPJOHITlfid by the shaft adjacent to its upper end-and in spaced relation to .the l-basket, said clamp including an arm pivotally carried by the shaftand having :Iigid jawwfor tpartially encircling the :tow rope and a second arm pivotallyicanied :by the shaftehaving a clamping gjawslidablymountedonthe'first:arm and operated by movement of onerendtofxthe shaft toward andaway from the rope and the rigid jaw, said sliding jaw being of a U-shape for partially encircling the rope on the opposite side thereof from the rigid jaw, and said sliding jaw being movable over the rigid jaw and the open portion of said rigid jaw by the swingingiof .the shaft with the shaft extending downwardly and away from the 'rope, whereby the shaft can bestradd-led by a skier with jthe-basketin rear of the skieintoforma seat. 3. A device for facilitating the pulling of skiers up in- .cl-ines bytowropes comprising aski pole including a shaft, an arm pivotally carriedbysaid shaftforswinging-movement having a rigid jaw on its outer end for engaging one side of a tow rope, and asecond armpivotally-carried by the sha ftsfor swinging movement in spaced relation-{to the first mentioned arm and having a substantially U-shaped jaw on its ou-ter end for partially engaging thertowrope on the opposite side-thereofifromthe rigid.jaw,.and-means slidably connecting the second arm adjacentgto its outer end .to the first-mentioned arm.

4. A device for facilitating the pulling of skiers up {inclines-by-tow ropes comprising a longitudinally split'sleeve adapted .to embrace a ski pole intermediate its "longitudinal length and adjacent to the upper end thereof, -rneans for-tightening the split sleeve for gripping engage- :ment with the ski pole, an arm pivotally secured to-the sleeve adjacent to ,the lower end thereof for swinging movement having a longitudinally extending slotand'a hook-shaped rigid jaw, a second arm pivotallyeonnected to the sleeve adjacent to the upper end of said sleeve, :a .U-shapedjaw carried by the outer end of said second'arm, and said secondarm having laterally extending guide :ears :embracing said first mentioned arm and a guide .pin carried by said ears slidably received in said slot, .said U- ..shaped jaw being slidablealong said firstmentionedann upon swinging movement ofzthe sleeve and ,pole.

5. ;A device for facilitating the pull-lingof skiersup inclines (by {tow ropes as defined in claim 4, andsaid arms being collapsible 1053311 inoperative .positiou substantially .-parallel with the-sleeve.

6. A device for facilitating the pulling of skiers .up.in-

clinestby tow .ropes comprising a ski pole includinga shaft and means carried by the shaft forreleasably clamping a .towsropeincluding apair of arms pivotally canried'byrthe shaft in spaced relation, :ahook-shaped rope engagingv jaw References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,843 Shipp -Apr. 18, 1893 2,340,868 Dye Feb. '8, 1944 2,548,800 Judson ,Apr. 10, 1951 2,624,289 Pomagalski Jan. 6, 1953