US3355183A

US3355183A - Ski having protective edge strips on its upper edges

Info

Publication number: US3355183A
Application number: US465479A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kneissl Franz
Original assignee: Franz Kneissl Skifabrik GmbH
Current assignee: Franz Kneissl Skifabrik GmbH
Priority date: 1964-06-22
Filing date: 1965-06-21
Publication date: 1967-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-28
Also published as: CH433077A; FR1437311A; AT248929B

Description

Nov. 28, 1967 F. KNEISSL. 3,355,183

SKI HAVING PROTECTIVE EDGE STRIPS ON ITS UPPER EDGES Filed. June 21, 1965 five/222w.-

franz fiveiss/ lqz fo megs United States Patent 3,355,183 SKI HAVING PROTECTIVE EDGE STRIPS 0N ITS UPPER EDGES Franz Kneissl, Kufstein, Tyrol, Austria, assignor to Franz Kneissl Skifabrik, Kulsteiu, Tyrol, Austria Fiied June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,479 Claims priority, application Austria, June 22, 1%4, A 5,322/64 6 Claims. (El. 280-1113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISQLOSURE A ski having a composite wood and plastic body is protected on its bottom side edges by metal strips which are embedded in the bottom of the ski at the side edges thereof and on its top side edges by metal strips which are embedded in the side of the ski at the top edges thereof. The metal strips at the top side edges of the ski are secured to the ski by means of inwardly directed longitudinal webs which fit into longitudinal grooves in the skis. The longitudinal webs are perforated with recesses which allow them to be securely joined to the ski within the longitudinal grooves by an adhesive.

The present invention relates to skis.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a ski having reinforced and protected upper edges and side faces.

There exist skis which are provided wit-h strips having angle-shaped cross sections, which strips run along the upper edges of the skis and serve as protective pieces. Such strips are secured to the ski by means of obliquely oriented dowels or screws. This type of protection has the inherent drawback that two such angle strips stiffen the ski too much, as a result of which its running characteristics are adverselyaifected. Furthermore, securing the portective strips by means of spaced apart dowels or screws has been found not to provide a sufiiciently durable connection, because the vibrations to which the ski is subjected will soon loosen the dowels or screws, as a result of which the strips will become detached from the ski; if this happens during use, a serious accident may result.

In another type of ski, the upper surface is protected by means of a metal strip of U-shaped cross section, i.e., a channel-shaped strip which, with its two leg portions, embraces a metal plate provided at the top of the ski and which is secured to the body of the ski by means of a synthetic resin adhesive. Since such a channel-shaped strip is relatively narrow at the sides of the ski, it offers little protection to the ski at the sides at which the ski is exposed to heavy loads and stresses. On the other hand, the ski is provided with a relatively large metal protective cover at the upper surface, where the ski is not subjected to significant stresses or loads.

There also exists a ski made of a light metal which is provided with a skirting made of sheets of light metal, this skirting embracing the lower surface and the two side surfaces of the ski and which are bent about the upper edges. Arranged within this skirting is an inset made of spring steel and arranged in an on-edge position, this inset extending along the upper edges and serving to reinforce the ski, but not as a means for protecting the edges, inasmuch as these insets are surrounded by the skirting sheet.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a ski which overcomes the above drawbacks, namely, to provide a ski whose upper edges and side surfaces are well protected and reinforced, and, with this object in view, the present invention resides, basically, in a ski which is provided, along each upper edge and at ice each side, with a fiat metal strip which lies against the side face of the ski body proper, this strip itself having an inwardly directed longitudinal transverse web which is anchored in a longitudinal groove that is provided at the side of the ski body. In this way, there is obtained a ski whose upper edges and side surfaces are effectively protected, while at the same time the inherent characteristics of the ski, which are due to the structure of the ski, are preserved. This is particularly so if the webbed strips are made of a hard light metal.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a ski according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the rear end portion of the ski of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the ski according to the present invention taken on line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing a portion of the length of a strip forming part of the ski according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the same show a ski 1 whose body comprises the longitudinal strips 2 and the upper and

lower cover strips

3 and 4, all made of wood, as well as upper and lower cover strips 5 and 6 made of synthetic resin or plastic. The ski body further comprises an upper cover strip 7 and a lower cover layer 8, the latter being the runner layer. Embedded in the runner layer 8 are metal strips 9, which serve to protect and reinforce the edges of the runner layer.

According to the present invention, each of the side faces of the ski is provided, below the upper plastic layer 5, with a longitudinal groove 11 which is formed solely in the wooden part of the ski. Arranged within these grooves are the inwardly directed transverse webs 12a of two longitudinal metal strips 12, these strips 12 being firmly anchored to the remainder of the ski by means of a conventional resinous adhesive, such as an epoxy resin, which also joins the strips 12 with the body of the ski. As illustrated in the drawings, the inwardly directed faces of the flat main portions of the strips 12 lie against the respective side surfaces of the ski, and the outer edge of each strip 12 forms the respective upper edge 1a of the ski. In this way, the edges of the upper surface as well as the side surfaces of the ski are adequately protected. The strips 12, including their longitudinal webs 12a, are preferably made of a hard light metal alloy, such as aluminum.

To increase the effectiveness of the anchoring of the web 12a in the groove 11, the web 12a is provided with recesses 1217, which taper toward the free edge of the web 12a so that the resinous adhesive which adheres to the walls defining the groove and which has hardened Within the recesses will reliably secure the strip 12 to the remainder of the ski even when the ski is subjected to vibrations and other stresses. The quality of the interconnection between the strip 12 and the body of the ski is especially good inasmuch as the connection extends continuously throughout the length of the strip, so that the strip can not work its way loose from the ski body.

As is apparent from the drawing, the web 12a of the strip 12 need not necessarily be in the middle thereof. Instead, the Web may be spaced from the central dividing plane of the strip; that is to say, the web 12a may be closer to the lower edge of the main portion of the strip 12 than to the upper edge thereof. The purpose of this is to make it possible for the ski to be provided with a relatively thick upper plastic layer although the web itself comes to lie wholly in the wooden part of the ski, i.e., in

that part of the skiwhich itself is a composite structure made of wood and metal and/or plastic-in which the resin can best take a hold. This upper plastic cover has a top surface which itself is fiush with the upper edge of the protective strip 12.

Between the strips 12 which protect the upper edges of the ski and the runner edges 9, the side faces of the ski are finished, i.e., faced, by means of a synthetic resin or plastic strips 10. As is apparent from the drawing, each strip extends from the protective strip 12 down to the metallic reinforcing strip 9, the protective strip 12, the plastic strip 10 and the metallic reinforcing strip 9 being flush with each other and forming the side wall of the complete ski.

It will thus be appreciated that, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a structurally uncomplicated ski whose upper edges are protected against vibrations, the strips 12 which serve to bring about this result also serving as a'protection for a large portion of the side surfaces of the ski. The ski, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is thus able to produce the above enumerated objects and overcomes the drawbacks of the known prior art.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski comprising, in combination:

(a) means forming an elongated, non-metallic ski body having top and bottom surfaces which concept for their edges are non-metallic, said ski body having metallic reinforcing strips embedded in the bottom surface thereof at the bottom side edges thereof, said ski body having, on each side face thereof, a longitudinal groove near the top side edge thereof;

(b) two metallic protective strips arranged along the two side faces of said ski body, respectively, eachv strip having a flat main portion whose faces lie against the respective side face of said ski body and whose upper edge forms the upper edge of the ski on the side at which the respective strip is located, each strip further having an approximately centered longitudinal web portion which is transverse to the main portion of the respective strip and which is directed inwardly into said ski body and lies in the respective longitudinal groove; and

(c) means for anchoring each web in the respective groove.

2. A ski as defined in claim 1 wherein only part of said ski body is made entirely of wood, wherein said grooves are provided solely in said wooden part of said ski body, and wherein said anchoring means comprise a synthetic resin adhesive.

3. A ski as defined in claim 2 wherein said adhesive is an epoxy resin.

4. A ski as defined in claim 2 wherein each web has a free edge and is provided with recesses which taper toward said free edge.

5. A ski as defined in claim 1., further comprising on each side of the ski a longitudinal plastic strip which extends from the protective strip on the respective side of the ski down to the metallic reinforcing means on the same side of the ski, the protectivestrip, the plastic strip and the metallic reinforcing means on each side of the ski being flush and forming the side wall of the complete ski.

6. A ski as defined in claim 1 wherein said web is closer to the lower edge of the main portion of the respective protective strip than to said upper edge thereof, thereby to allow the ski'to be provided with a thick plastic upper cover whose top surface itself is flush with said upper edge of said protective strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,928,456 3/ 1960 Potchen et a1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 141,523 4/1935 Austria. 230,784 12/ 1963 Austria. 203,459 6/ 1939 Switzerland. 237,801 9/ 1945 Switzerland.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, LEO FRIA GLIA, Examiners.

Claims

1. A SKI COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) MEANS FORMING AN ELONGATED, NON-METALLIC SKI BODY HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES WHICH CONCEPT FOR THEIR EDGES ARE NON-METALLIC, SAID SKI BODY HAVING METALLIC REINFORCING STRIPS EMBEDDED IN THE BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF AT THE BOTTOMM SIDE EDGES THEREOF, SAID SKI BODY HAVING, ON EACH SIDE FACE THEREOF, A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE NEAR THE TOP SIDE EDGE THEREOF; (B) TWO METALLIC PROTECTIVE STRIPS ARRANGED ALONG THE TWO SIDE FACES OF SAID SKI BODY, RESPECTIVELY, EACH STRIP HAVING A FLAT MAIN PORTION WHOSE FACES LIE AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE SIDE FACE OF SAID SKI BODY AND WHOSE UPPER EDGE FORMS THE UPPER EDGE OF THE SKI ON THE SIDE AT WHICH THE RESPECTIVE STRIP IS LOCATED, EACH STRIP FURTHER HAVING AN APPROXIMATELY CENTERED LONGITUDINAL WEB PORTION WHICH IS TRANSVERSE TO THE MAIN PORTION OF THE RESPECTIVE STRIP AND WHICH IS DIRECTED INWARDLY INTO SAID SKI BODY AND LIES IN THE RESPECTIVE LONGIDUTINAL GROOVE; AND (C) MEANS FOR ANCHORING EACH WEB IN THE RESPECTIVE GROOVE.