US3561169A - Ski sharpener - Google Patents

Abstract

A SHARPENING TOOL HAVING A FACE TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE A GUIDING SURFACE OF A SKI AND A SHARPENING ELEMENT SUPPORTED PERPENDICULAR TO THE FACE TO REMOVE METAL FROM AN ADJACENT METAL EDGE OF THE SKI.

Description

Feb. 9, 1971 w. PIRZEK ET AL SKI SHARPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1968 INVENrOAS WILLIAM PIRZEK MEL J. NIELSEN ATTORNEYG Feb. 9, 1971 w. PlRZEK ETAL 3,561,169

SKI SHARPENER Filed Sept.- 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet z WILLIAM PIRZEK NiEL J. NIELSEN United States Patent 3,561,169 SKI SHARPENER William Pirzek, 53 E. 6th Ave., Vancouver 10, British Columbia, Canada, and Niel J. Nielsen, 62 Morven Drive, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Filed Sept. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 759,905 Int. Cl. B241] 15/02 US. Cl. 51--205 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE I A sharpening tool having a face to slidably engage a guiding surface of a ski and a sharpening element supported perpendicular to the face to remove metal from an adjacent metal edge of the ski.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tool particularly intended for use in sharpening metal edged skis.

Skiers frequently are faced with the task of truing up the metal edges of their skis and very often the need arises when the skier is out on the ski slopes and far from a workshop where the ski can be supported properly and suitable shapening tools are available. Hitherto, the sharpening often has been attempted using a conventional flat file or hone and very few skiers appear to have the necessary skill to put a proper edge on a ski using such tools under such adverse conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Our invention contemplates a ski sharpener having a handle in the form of a flattened block which coacts with a ski surface to provide a guide for the tool. A sharpening element is supported in the block whereby metal is removed from the ski edge at right angles to the guiding surface thus ensuring that the ski is sharpened with the required speed and precision. Protective material on the tool prevents the guiding surface of the ski from being marred and the sharpening element can be retracted into the handle so that the tool conveniently can be carried in the pocket of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the ski sharpener, in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a similar view of this embodiment as seen from the underside.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1 and showing the sharpener in position of use,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4 and showing the modified sharpener in position of use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral indicates generally a ski sharpener having a handle or block 11 which is oblong and of a size which conveniently can be gripped in one hand of the user. Preferably, block 11 is formed of a suitable plastic although other materials, such as wood or metal, can be used as well. Block 11 has a plane lower face 14, a similar upper face 15, and sides 16 and ends 17 which preferably taper inwardly to a slight extent from said upper face to said lower face. All the edges and corners of the flattened block 11 are round and smooth so that the handle portion of the tool is unlikely to cause damage to a ski or discomfort to a user during the ski sharpening operation.

Block 11 has a lonigtudinally extending and centrally disposed slot 20 which is rectangular in cross section and which desirably has rounded ends 21 and 22. Slot 20 extends through the block so as to be enterable from both the lower and upper faces 14 and 15. Parallel to the slot 20 are inwardly tapering recesses 23 and 24 which serve to reduce the weight of the block 11.

Mounted in the slot 20 is an abrading element generally indicated at 25. As shown in the drawings, element 25 comprises a length of flat file 26 but it should be pointed out that other equivalent sharpening elements will serve almost as well, i.e., a similarly shaped abrading plate or scraper, or alternatively, a block of honing carborundum, neither of which is shown in the drawings. File 26 has parallel abrading surfaces 27, side edges 28, and end edges 29 which side and end edges may also be parallel to one another. The length and thickness of the flat, rectangular file 26 are such that the abrading element forms a fairly close fit within the slot 20. In addition, the file width is not greater than the distance between the faces 14 and 15 of the block.

Means generally indicated at 32 is provided on the block 11 for adjustably securing the file 26 within the slot 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, means 32 comprises a pair of set screws 33 which are threaded into longitudinally spaced openings 34 formed in one side of the block 11. The openings 34, which are threaded throughout their leigth, extend into a side 16 of the block and communicate with the slot 20. Desirably, the set screws 33 are shorter in length than the threaded openings 34 so that the slotted heads of the screws are countersunk when the tips of the screws engage an abrading surface 27 of the file 26. Thus, by means of the screws 33, the file 26 can be adjusted to one of two normally selected positions. In one position (not shown), the file 26 is housed entirely within the slot 20 and is supported therein by the screws 33. In normal position of use, file 26 is supported with a side edge 28 spaced a selected distance from and parallel to the plane lower face 14 of the block as shown best in FIG. 3. At this time, the abrading sur faces 27 are normal to the lower face 14 of the block.

Secured to lower face 14 of the block, is a layer of protective material generally indicated at 38 in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the drawings, material 38 is shown to comprise two strips of felt 39 which are suitably bonded to the face 14 on either side of the slot 20. Alternatively, means 38 can be a single piece of felt having a slot registering with the slot 20, the material extending around the face 14 near the ends 17.

The present sharpener is intended for use on a ski 42, see FIG. 3, which has a bottom surface 43 and side edges 44. At the intersections of the surface 43 and edges 44, metal strips 45 are inlayed into the ski and are suitably secured by either bonding or by the use of fasteners such as small screws, not shown. These metal wear strips eventually lose their fine edge and professional skiers as well as others like to sharpen the skis periodically so as to obtain a proper grip on a snow surface during turns and other maneuvers.

In order to sharpen such a ski, the ski is supported with the bottom surface 43 facing the tool user and the sharpener 10 is placed in the position shown in FIG. 3. The lower face 14 of the tool, which is covered by the felt strips 39, engages the guiding surface 43 of the ski with an abrading surface 27 of the file contacting the adjacent ski edge 44. The user then slides the sharpening tool back and forth along the ski to abrade the strip 45 and, to a lesser extent, the edge 44 as well. As this is done, any burrs or unevenly worn spots on the strip 45 are removed and a keen, right angular gripping edge is provided for the metal wear strip. Thus, in a very short space of time, the ski can be precision filed by even an unskilled filer who may be about to start a downhill race which will call for an extremely sharp edge on the skis.

When not in use, the tool can quite easily fit into the pocket of a ski jacket or the like. Conveniently, the file 26 is retracted so as to be enclosed entirely within the slot at which time the tool forms a neat, compact object which will occupy a minimum of space.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the numeral indicates generally a modified ski sharpener which is similiar in many respects to the sharpener 10. The modified sharpener comprises an oblong block 51 which has a centrally disposed and longitudinally extending slot 52. A file 54 is secured within the slot 52 by set screw means 56. Upper face 58 of block 51 is provided with recesses 59 and 60 spaced one on each side of the slot 52. The parallel recesses 59 and 60 are rectangular in cross section and extend into the face 58, to a point about midway between said upper face and a lower face 62 of the block 51.

Recesses 59 and 60 are fittend with rubber- like keepers 64 and 65 each of which has a transverse dimension slightly greater than the recess and a width greater than the depth of the recess. Thus, the keepers 64 and 65 are adapted to be wedged in the recesses 59 and 60 with their outer and preferably rounded edges 66 and 67 standing a short distance above the upper face 58.

The ski sharpener 50 is not fitted with felt strips as before and, in order to protect the skies during the sharpening operation, a felt strip 70 is employed. The rectangular felt strip 70 has side edges 71 and end edges 72. To attach the protective strip 70 to this particular sharpening implement, the file 54 and keepers 64 and 65 are removed from the block 51. File 54 is then placed along the centre of the strip 70 to form a fold 74 extending transversely of the centre of the strip whereupon the file and fold are entered into the slot 52 from the plane lower face 62, as shown best in FIG. 5. The set screw means 56 is tightened to clamp the file in selected position within the block, or in other words, to project therefrom as sh wn in FIG. 5, with the fold 74 enclosing the inner end of the file. The free ends of the felt strip 70 are passed across the face 62, up over sides 75 of the block, and across the face 58 so that the end edges 72 of the felt can be fed into the recesses 59 and 60. The keepers 64 and 65 are then wedged into the recesses 59 and 60 to apply suitable tension to the felt strip and to clamp the edges 72 against withdrawal.

The sharpener 50 is used to sharpen the metal edge of a ski as before, viz, it is moved back and forth while engaging the ski as shown in 'FIG. 5. The waxed bottom face 43 of the ski, which serves as a guiding surface for the tool, is protected from damage by the felt strip 70. In addition, the user is afforded a firm grip on the tool and his hands receive some protection from the cold by the felt strip 70.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a tool has been provided which is particularly well suited for sharpening skis while a skier is out on the slopes. The tool ensures that a proper edge is placed on the metal wear strips of the skis at all times and the size and compactness of the sharpener allows it to be carried conveniently about on the person of the skier without endangering him in any way during falls.

We claim:

1. A sharpener for the metal edges of a ski comprising a substantially oblong block having a plane lower face, an upper face and side edges, said block having a longitudinal slot extending therethrough, a sharpening element mounted in the slot and normally projecting beyond the plane lower face, means on the block for adjustably securing the sharpening element within the slot, said top face having a recess on each side of the slot, a strip of protective material wrapped around the block and having a fold extending over the sharpening element Within the slot, said strip extending from the fold across the plane lower face and the side edges and having end portions entering the recesses, and means for releasably securing each end portion within each recess.

2. A sharpener as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for releasably securing each end portion within each recess is a rubberlike keeper shaped to wedge in said recess and project above the upper face of the block.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,994 7/1894 Lynch 76-83 656,290 8/1900 Herman 29-78 1,441,499 1/1923 Hanlon 51205 2,398,566 4/ 1946 Talbert 51205 2,442,088 5/ 1948 Kreutzer 51205 2,689,437 9/1954 Miller 51205 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner

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