US3202436A

US3202436A - Ski poles

Info

Publication number: US3202436A
Application number: US320996A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry J Barreea
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Shelburne Corp
Priority date: 1963-11-04
Filing date: 1963-11-04
Publication date: 1965-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-24

Description

Aug. 24, 1965 H. J. BARREcA SKI POLES Filed Nov. 4, 1965 United States Patent O PLES Henry J. iarreea, 25 Prospect iace, rooldyn T3, Fiied Nov. 4, 1963, Scr. No. 32.63%

6 *Claima (Ci. 289-1137) The present invention relates to an improved ski pole as used in the sport of Skiing.

Ski poles should be strong and light Weight to facilitate their easy manipulation and safe `use. rThey are commonly formed of tubular metal poles or shafts tapered at their lower ends to points and provided at their upper ends with handle members. in order to limit the penetration of the pointed end of the ski pole into the snow a laterally projecting snow engaging member is mounted on each ski pole a short distance above the tip thereof. These snow engaging members are commonly in the form of rings concenlric with the ski pole and connected thereto radial straps or by a web and a hub section.

It is important that While the over-all snow ring should be fieible, the connection thereof to the pole should be firm and secure so as not to permit any relative movement or slipping thereof. Many expedients have been employed for securing ski rings to ski poles but these have possessed many drawbacks and disadvantages. The required firm connection of the snow ring has been usuaily difcult and costly to acllieve and frequently has weakened the lower section of the ski pole and the resulting assembly has left much to be desired.

l'n the present invention I provide a ring connection which enlploys a resilient Sleeve as a gripping member. This of itself is, of course, not new. However, a serious defect in prior sleeves has been their relative fragllty since When stretched, they tend to tear easily. Further, being generally of resilient rubber, the deteriorating action of the sun makes them short lived. This problem has existed for many years without any solution to my knowledge.

lt is therefore a principal vObject of the present invention to provide an improved ski pole construction which provides improved assemhly of a snow ring to a ski pole and which overcomes the above defect.

Still another 4object of the present invention is to provide an improved fastening device as used in such assernbly.

A further Object of the present invention is to provide an improved ski pole of the above nature characterized by strength, reliability, lightness and low cost, as well as resistance to such wear and deterioration as above described.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction With the accornpanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a ski pole embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarved fragmentary Vertical medial longitudinal sectional view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the ski ring member;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the securing member;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

Fl-GURE 6 is a fragmentary Vertical iedial longitudinal sectional view of a modified embodiment; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the snow ring of the modified embodirnent, and showing its integral elastoeric looking Sleeve, the collar having been removed for purposes of clarity.

in a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a ski pole comprising an elongated shaft having a bottom section tapered toward the free end thereof, a

ice

snow engaging member having an opening therein registering With said tapered section above said free end thereof, an elastomeric Sleeve engaging said bottom section below said snow engaging member, and a relatively rigid collar engaging and compressing said Sleeve.

According to One form of the present device, an abutment defining annulus having an inside diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of the shaft bottom section is force fitted onto the tapered section and is located below the top thereof. The snow engaging member includes a ring connected by radial spokes or the like to an apertured central hub which registers With the shaft tapered section. in said one form the elastomeric Sleeve terminates at its top in a peripheral fiange which bears against the underface of the snow ring hub and the lower end of the Sleeve is provided with a peripheral lip overlyng the bottom edge of the Sleeve confining collar and of a diameter which is greater than the inside diameter of the collar so as to serve as additional looking means.

Referring now to the l( lrawirig Which illustrates the first embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral lt) generally designates the improved ski pole which includes an elongated tubular shaft li formed of a strong, light weight material such as aluminum or the like. The shaft H is provided at its lower end with an integrally formed bottom tapered section 12 terminating in a snow penetrating point or tip 13. The remainder of the shaft lll. may be slightly tapered or of uniform crosssection. A handle member 14 of any conventional construction is attached to the upper end of the shaft li and carrles a flexible hand receiving loop or strap 16.

A snow engaging assernbly 13 is positioned on the upper part of the bottom tapered section 12 and includes an abutment member 39, a snow ring Zt and a looking device 21. The abutment member 19 is a washer or annulus Which may be likewise formed of aluminum and -has an inside diameter slightly less than that of the maximum diameter of the bottom tapered section 12. The annulus w registers with the section 12 and is force-fitted to the upper part thereof as will be hereinafter set forth.

The snow ring 2th may be integrally formed of a fieXible material, for example a low density polyethylene or polypropylerle or similar material, and is in the shape of a wheel including a cylindrical central hub 22, having an aXial bore 23 formed therein which has an insider diameter approximately that of the annulus 19. Radiating from the hub 22 are a plurality of spokes 24 which support and are joined at their outer ends to a ring section 2d of substantially circnlar transverse cross section. The snow ring 2G directly underlies the annulus 19, the aXial bore 23 registering with the tapered section 12 and the upper face of the hub 22 abutting the annulus 19.

The looking device 21 underlies the hub 22 and comprises a Sleeve 27 tightly engaging the tapered section .1.2 and terminating at its upper end in a peripheral fiange 23 the top face of Which bears upon the underface of the hub 22. The sleeve 27 may be formed of any suitable elastomeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber.

A most important aspect of this invention is the provision of the rigid collar 29 which surrounds the Sleeve 27 and Inaintains it in a radially compressed condition. The collar 29 may be formed of aluminum or other suitable material. The lower end of the Sleeve 27, in the assembled condition of the ski pole, is formed with a periphera] lower lip 30 which overlies the bottom edge of the collar 29 and is of a diameter greater than the inside diameter of collar 29 so as to provide additional looking means.

The collar 29 serves a plurality of functions in the device. First, and as is most apparent, it assures a firm and secure coupling among the various components and facilitates their Simple and rapid assembly with a minimum of skill. -ILIov/ever, 'a more important advantage is provided in that it protects thelongitudinally tensioned elastomeric Sleeve 27 from rapid deterioration Which is normally' consequent to the exposure of rubber and the like to Outdoor weathering conditions including ultra-Violet radiation andv other deteriorating infiuences. Collar 29 also prevents damage to the Sleeve 27 by abrasion or the like by ice and other objects which the Ski pole may encounter in use. V

In applying the Snow ring assembly to the Ski pole shaft 11, lthe shaft 11 is inverted and the annulus 19 and hub 22 are Slipped onto the tapered Section 12. The locking member 21 which includes the collar 2%, is then pressed over the tip 13 downwardly toward the hub 22, the flange 28 confronting the hub 22. A tubular tool having an inside diameter approximately that of the collar V29-iS then coaxially applied to the free end face of the collar 29, the tapered Section 12 telescoping into the tool. Pressure is then applied to the tool oethe tool is struck to advance the lockingrmember 21 toward the hub 22 and to advance the hub 22 and annulus 19, thereby effecting a force fit of the annulus 19 on the tapered'section 12 and a tight and secure' Sandwiching of the ring hub 22 between the annulus 19 and the flange 28.

.collar 29 and hence a tight non-Slipping connection between the locking device 21 and the Shaft tapered Section 12. It should be noted that the normal unstressed inside diameter of the Sleeve 27 is lessl than the outside diameter of the registering part of the tapered section 12 so that the Sleeve 27 is, in the complete assembly, also under peripheral tension as well as under some longitudinal-l tension.

, l'In the ambodimaut shown in FIGUES 6 and 7, the.

snow ring 30a comprses a metal Wheel 31 to Spaced portions of which is connected a Web or Spider 32 as is more or less conventional. However, the'sleeve 33 is integral with web 32, these elements being of live rubber or other elastomeric material. Y Sleeve 33 depends downwardly'so as to VServe the same function as Sleeve 27 in the previ- 'ous embodiment.' Collar 34 serves the same function as previously describedcollar 29, it being in the same form thereof. i 7

- Accordingly the Second emb'odiment described has the same advantages as the first embodiment and has an added advantage 'in that the Sleeve 33 is integral with the Snow ring web, thereby not only enhancing the locking effect thereof but Simplifying the assembly. While there have been described and illustrated preferredembodiments of lthe present invention, it is apparentthat numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made vvithout departing froml the Spirit thereof. For example, the integral-Sleeve 33 may be reversed in direction on the shaft by simply reversing the Snow ring 30d So that the Sleeve isover rather than under the Web 32.

What is claimed is: V

f 1. A Skipole comprisngan elongatedrshaft having a bottom section tapered towar'd the free and thereof, a Snow engaging member having an opening therein registering With said tapered Sectionabove Said 'free end thereof, an elastomeric Sleeve engaging'said bottom section as Well as Said snow engaging member for Securing said snow engaging member to Said Shaft, and a relatively rigid collar engaging and compressing Said Sleeve, said collar being open at both ends thereof and looking said Sleeve and Said Snow en'gaging member to Said Shaft.

2. A ski pole' comprising an elongated Shaft having a bottom's'ection tapered toward the free end thereof, a snow engaging member having an opening therein registering'iwith Said tapered Section above Said free end thereof, an elastomeric Sleeve engaging Said bottom section below Said snow engaging member, a relatively rigid collar embracing and compressing Said Sleeve, and a peripheral lip on Said Sleeve projectingbeyond the lower edge of Said collar and of a diameter greater than the inside diameter of Said collar.

3. A ski pole comprising an elongated shaft having a bottom Section tapered 'toward the free end thereof, an abutment member having an opening thereon tightly engaging Said bottom Section, a snow ring having an aper- 'tured hub engaging said bottom section and abutting the underface of said abutment member, an elastomeric Sleeve engaging Said bottom Section below said hub and terminating at its upper end 'in an integral peripheral fiange bearing onthe underface of Said hub, and a relatively rigid collar embracing and compressing said Sleeve below said flange, Said collar being open at both ends thereof and looking said Sleeve and said Snow engaging member to said Shaft.

4. A Ski pole comprising a rigid shaft, a snow engaging member on Said shaft, and fastening means for Securing said Snow engaging member to said Shaft, Said means comprisin'g an elastomeric Sleeve depending from Said Snow engaging member and an outwardly eXposed rigid collar embracing and compressing said Sleeve against Said shaft, said collar being Open at both ends thereof and locking Said Sleeve and Said Snow engaging member to said Shaft.

` 5. A Ski pole according to claim 4 and Wherein Said Sleeve is under both peripheral'and longitudinal tension on Said shaft,'andla lower peripheral lip on said Sleeve projecting beyond the lower edge of'said collar and of a diameter greater than the inside diameter of said collar.

6. A ski pole according to claim 5 and wherein Said Sleeve is integral with said snow engaging member and depends downwardly therefrom.

Referenees Cited by the Examiner UNITED STA'rEsV PATENTS V2,328,035 8/43 smith 280 1137 2,930,640 3/60 Davisetal. 287 FOREIGN iATENTS 174,566 4/53 Austria. 206,799 12/59 Austria. 987,257. 4/51 France.V 428,289 `12/47 Italy. 428,912V 1/48 Italy.

BANAMIN HERSH, Prvl'm ary Examiner. A. HARRY LEVY, Examz'u'r.

Claims

1. A SKI POLE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHAFT HAVING A BOTTOM SECTION TAPERED TOWARD THE FREE AND THEREOF, A SNOW ENGAGING MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN REGISTERING WITH SAID TAPERED SECTION ABOVE SAID FREE END THEREOF, AN ELASTOMERIC SLEEVE ENGAGING SAID BOTTOM SECTION AS WELL AS SAID SNOW ENGAGING MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID SNOW ENGAGING MEMBER TO SAID SHAFT, AND A RELATIVELY RIGID COLLAR ENGAGING AND COMPRESSING SAID SLEEVE, SAID COLLAR BEING OPEN AT BOTH ENDS THEREOF AND LOCKING SAID SLEEVE AND SAID SNOW ENGAGING MEMBER TO SAID SHAFT.