US3107923A - Ski sled - Google Patents

Description

M. M-. NUSS oct; 22, 1963 SKI SLED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1962 Oct. 22, 1963 M. M. NUSS SKI SLED Filed March 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill INVENTOR. Mar/V0490 M. Muss BY Arman/5r 3,197,923 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 3,107,923 Sift SLED Maynard M. Nuss, Patton, Pa, assignor to Slice-Bird Manufacturing ompany, Ind, Patton, Pa. Filed Mar. 23, 1962, gar. No. 182,51 2 Qiaims. (Cl. 280-21) This invention relates to a ski sled and more particularly to a sled construction which incorporates the use of a pair of skis together with a ski platform thereabove and with steering means provided whereby a child, for example, can achieve results similar to those of a profes-.

sional skier, without the hazards involved.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and unusual form of ski sled construction which incorporates in conjunction with a pair of skis a tubular frame, a seat platform and a steering means incorporating a steering wheel tied into the framework, whereby the user can achieve a tilting action of the skis similar to the normal operation of the skis in a conventional manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel form of ski sled together with a novel form of frame structure and steering arrangement incorporated therein and including a steering wheel by which the ski sled may be maneuverable as desired by the user.

It is another object of the present invention to incorporate within the front framework portion of the ski sled a pair of vertically spaced parallel steering arms con nected with the respective skis, and for use in conjunction with a horizontal control bar, so connected with the steering arms, and so interconnected with the steering wheel upon a steering post, that operation thereof will cause a tilting action of the said horizontal control arm for turning the parallel steering arms, and in order to achieve a bending or torque action relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective skis, to thus produce a very maneuverable action therein.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the present ski sled.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof on a reduced scale.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on an increased scale.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5--5 of PEG. 3.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present ski sled includes a pair of parallel spaced skis 11 in conventional form with upturned forward portions 12 suitably interconnected by a framework. The said framework includes longitudinally spaced front and rear frames, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which extend transversely between and are secured to the skis 11, each of the said frames including a horizontal support means spaced above the skis over which an elongated seat platform 26 is mounted and secured as by fasteners 27.

A rear frame, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, includes a tubular support means 13 whose respective opposite ends are curved downwardly forming the upright supports 14, whose end plates 15 overlie and extend transversely of end portions of the skis 11, and are fixedly secured there-to as by the fasteners 16.

The framework for the present ski sled also includes a front frame, which includes the pair of upright tubular posts 17, closed at their upper ends, and at their lower ends having transversely secured thereto mounting plates 13, which span their respective skis 11 and are fixedly secured thereto by suitable fasteners 19.

The front frame also includes a pair of transverse vertically spaced steering arms -2028, which at their opposite ends are pivotally connected as at points 2-2 and 3% by suitable rivets to portions of the respective posts 17. The upper of the said steering arms 20 includes. bifurcated end portions 21 which extend over adiacent end portions of post 17 and are pivotally connected as by suitable rivets 22.

The lower steering arm 28 is likewise bifurcated at its ends as at 29 so as to receive intermediate portions of the upright posts 17 and is pivotally connected thereto as by the rivets 3t The framework for the ski sled also includes the pair of parallel spaced longitudinally extending tubular members 23 which interconnect the front and rear frames and are fixedly secure-d thereto as by the welds 24 and 25, FIGS. 4 and 5. The formed seat platform, preferably constructed of plywood or the like, as at 26, spans the pair of horizontal support means which includes a portion 13 of the rear frame and the arm 26 of the front frame, and

is fixedly secured thereto by a series of fasteners 27.

An upright tubular steering post 31 is mounted and secured centrally upon the upper of the steering arms 2t. For this purpose the said steering post includes the transverse end ilange 32 which overlies steering arm 2%? and is fixedly bolted thereto by the transverse bolts 33, or suitable fasteners, or may be welded thereto as desired.

The transversely arranged bushing 34 is fixedly secured as by welding to the upper end of steering post 31. The sprocket gear 35 has a central mounting spindle 36 which bears against the front edge of bushing 34 and to define a shoulder in the said spindle, there is. provided a spindle extension 37 which is journaled through the said bushing and on the opposite side thereof is fixedly secured to the steering wheel 39, with a suitable Washer 3 8 being interposed between the steering wheel 39 and bushing 34.

The present invention also includes a cross-shaped steering column 4d4=3, whose upper and lower upright portions 4i) are pivotally connected to the respective steering arms 20 and 28, as by the bolts or rivets 4142. The horizontally disposed arm 43, which forms a part of the steering assembly, is fixedly interconnected with the upright portions 46 as by the welds 44, and at one end has a looped portion 45 for connection with the elongated rod Eye-bolt 46 is adjustably secured through the opposite end of the arm 43 as by the fasteners 47' and at its eyeportion 5 2 is connected to the lower end of a second partly flexible rod 51. The respective upper ends of the rods 49 and 51 as at points 48 and 50 are swivelly or pivotally connected to the free end portions of the sprocket chain 4-7, which extends over and around and is driven by the sprocket gear 35.

One of the most important parts of the present ski sled is of course its steering apparatus. This is achieved by employing rectangular parallel steering arms 26-28 actuated by the cross-shaped steering column 4ii4-3. The steering column is associated with the steering post 31, and is pivotally connected centrally to the steering arms 20 land 28.

Activation of the steering wheel 3-9, through the sprocket 35, chain 47 and flexible rods 49 and 51 will cause a tilting ortwisting action of the elongated arm 43, which due to the rigid connection with the cross portions 40, forming a part of the steering assembly causes a disaligning of the steering arms 20 and 28. Thus the steering column assembly is tilted. This throws the parallel steering arms 20 and 28 [and upright posts 17 out of square and produces a tilting action to each of the skis 11. This causes the skis to bend or torque to thus provide a maneuverable action.

Accordingly, a child can obtain the same results as a professional skier without the hazards involved.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 2, adjacent the lower end of the steering post 31, there is provided a suitable clip 53, fixedly secured thereto to provide a means of attaching a rope for pulling the sled.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ski sledcomprising a pair of parallel skis, longitudinally spaced front and rear frames extending transversely between and secured to said skis, and including horizontal support means spaced above the skis, an elongated seat platform mounted over and secured to said support means, the front frame including a pair of upright posts at their lower ends fixedly secured to said skis respectively, and a pair of transverse vertically spaced steering arms at their opposite ends pivotally connected to said posts respectively, the upper of said arms defining the support means of the front frame, an upright steering post mounted and secured centrally upon the said upper arm, a steering wheel journaled upon the upper end of said steering post and including a rotatable driving means, a cross-shaped steering column arranged centrally of and at its upper and lower ends pivotally connected to said steering arms respectively, land'movable driven means interconnecting the rotatable driving means and the outer ends respectively of the horizontal portion of said steering column, said rotatable driving means being a sprocket gear, and said driven means including a sprocket chain and a pair of rods at their one ends pivotally connected to the respective ends of said chain, and at their other ends pivotally connected respectively to the respective ends of the horizontal portion of the steering column.

2. A ski sled comprising a pair of parallel skis, longitudinally spaced front and rear frames extending transversely between and secured to said skis, and including horizontal support means spaced above the skis, an elongated seat platform mounted over and secured to said support means, the front frame including a pair of upright posts at their lower ends fixedly secured to said skis respectively, and a pair of transverse vertically spaced steering arms at their opposite ends pivotally connected to said posts respectively, the upper of said arms defining the support means of the front frame, an upright steering post mounted and secured centrally upon the said upper arm, a steering wheel journaled upon the upper end of said steering post and including a rotatable diriving means, a cross-shaped steering column arranged centrally of and at its upper and lower ends pivotally connected to said steering arms respectively, and movable driven means interconnecting the rotatable driving means and the outer ends respectively of the horizontal portion of said steering column, said rotatable driving means being a sprocket gear, and said driven means including a sprocket chain and a pair of rods at their one ends pivotally connected to the respective ends of said chain, the other end of one rod being pivotally connected to one end of the horizontal portion of the steering column, and an adjustable eye-bolt on the other end of the horizontal portion of the steering column, the other :end of the other rod being pivotally connected to said eye-bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,614 Minish Jan. 28, 1913 1,836,623 Silvestri Dec. 15, 1931 2,026,440 Scholtes Dec. 31, 1935 2,814,811 Ritter et al Dec. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 145,814 Switzerland June 1, 1931

Claims (1)

1. A SKI SLED COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SKIS, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FRONT AND REAR FRAMES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAID SKIS, AND INCLUDING HORIZONTAL SUPPORT MEANS SPACED ABOVE THE SKIS, AN ELONGATED SEAT PLATFORM MOUNTED OVER AND SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, THE FRONT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT POSTS AT THEIR ENDS FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID SKIS RESPECTIVELY, AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE VERTICALLY SPACED STEERING ARMS AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID POSTS RESPECTIVELY, THE UPPER OF SAID ARMS DEFINING THE SUPPORT MEANS OF THE FRONT FRAME, AN UPRIGHT STEERING POST MOUNTED AND SECURED CENTRALLY UPON THE SAID UPPER ARM, A STEERING WHEEL JOURNALED UPON THE UPPER END OF SAID STEERING POST AND INCLUDING A ROTATABLE DRIVING MEANS, A CROSS-SHAPED STEERING COLUMN ARRANGED CENTRALLY OF AND AT ITS UPPER AND LOWER ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID STEERING ARMS RESPECTIVELY, AND MOVABLE DRIVEN MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ROTATABLE DRIVING MEANS AND THE OUTER ENDS RESPECTIVELY OF THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF SAID STEERING COLUMN, SAID ROTATABLE DRIVEN MEANS BEING A SPROCKET GEAR, AND SAID DRIVEN MEANS INCLUDING A SPROCKET CHAIN AND A PAIR OF RODS AT THEIR ONE ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID CHAIN, AND AT THEIR OTHER ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN.

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