United States Patent Hannes Marker llauptstrasse 51-53, Garmisch- Partenkirchen, Germany 808,084
Mar. 18, 1969 June 8, 1 971 Mar. 26, 1968 Germany Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Priority SAFETY SKI BINDING 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.
11.8. CI 280/1135 Int. Cl A63c 9/081 Field of Search 280/1 [.35
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1954 Beyl ..280/1 [.35 (CB) 3,079,163 2/1963 DeBeausacq ...280/1 1.35 (AA) 3,095,210 6/1963 Hallam ..280/1 1.35 (CB) 3,129,951 4/1964 Lusser ...280/1 1.35 (HA) 3,305,242 2/1967 Marker ..280/11.35 (TT) 3,489,424 l/1970 Gertsch et a1 ...280/11.35 (CA) Primary Examiner- Kenneth H. Betts Assistant Examiner- Milton L. Smith Attorney-Fleit, Gipple and Jacobson ABSTRACT: An expanding member is adapted to be screwconnected to the ski and serves to expand two pantograph arms having forward end portions pivoted to a coupling link, before the expanding member and rear end portions, which are pulled toward each other behind the expanding member by a spring. Elements for guiding and retaining the pantograph arms are adapted to be screw-connected to the ski and prevent a displacement of the pantograph in the longitudinal direction of the ski but enable a pivotal movement of the pantograph about the expanding member.
PATENTEI] JUN 8 I971 3583.719
sum 1 or 3 I? TTDRNEyS PATENTEU JUN 8 WI 3583719 sum 2 [IF 3 IL! I l IN VENTOR H'R/W/ E6 HHRHEK HTT RIVEyS SAFETY SKI BINDING The present invention relates to a safety ski binding and is characterized by an expanding member, which is adapted to be screw-connected to the ski and serves to expand two pantograph arms having forward end portions, which before the expanding member are pivoted to a coupling link, and rear end portions, which are pulled toward each other behind the expanding member by a spring, elements for guiding and retaining the pantograph being adapted to be screw-connected to the ski and preventing a displacement of the pantograph in the longitudinal direction of the ski but enabling a pivotal movement of the pantograph about the expanding member.
Ski bindings are known which have a soleplate, which is mounted on the ski for rotation about a vertical axis and carries jaws for retaining the toe portion of the skiing boot and can be swung out of its normal position against spring force.
These ski bindings have various disadvantages, which are avoided in the safety ski binding according to the invention. The means for restoring one of the known ski bindings must be accommodated in a recess formed in the ski. Such recesses cannot be formed in modern skis so that said known ski binding cannot be used in practice. In another known design, two helical tension springs are respectively disposed before and behind the soleplate and are connected at one end to the soleplate and the other end to the ski and resiliently hold the soleplate in its normal position. This design has a large overall length particularly because the means for holding down the heel of the boot must be added.
In the safety ski binding according to the invention, the retaining means, e.g., the toe jaws for retaining the toe portion of the skiing boot, are provided on a coupling link by which two pivoted levers are articulatedly connected. In a design which has proved particularly simple and desirable, the coupling link carries a mouthlike abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot and this abutment has an angled top end portion for engaging the edge portion of the sole from above so that there is no need for an adjustment to various forms of the boot toe portions. An adjustment for adaptation to soles differing in thickness must be provided for only if the upper end portion of the abutment is right-angled rather than angled obliquely upwardly.
The rear end portions of the pantograph arms suitably carry a baseplate, which serves to hold a holding-down device, which is under the influence of a spring element. The holdingdown device may consist of a known heel-holding device, which releases the skiing boot under an overload.
In a special embodiment of the safety ski binding according to the invention, each pantograph arm may be provided on its outside with downpull hooks and the coupling link may carry a cable tightener.
In a development of the invention, the safety ski binding may be used as a universal binding both for downhill and cross-country skiing if the abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot is pivoted on a horizontal axis which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski.
If there is no tightener and cable for holding down the heel, the safety ski binding according to the invention will enable cross-country skiing if a soleplate extends from the lower end of the abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot and is provided with a heel-holding device. A stop for limiting the pivotal movement of the soleplate may be provided on the pivot for the abutment.
It has been found particularly desirable to provide a soleplate which extends rearwardly beyond the skiing boot and is pivoted at its free end to the holding-down device and carries a heel-holding device which can be only arbitrarily released. With this design, the skiing boot will not be released by the binding in case of a fall and there is no danger of an injury being inflicted to the skier by an impact of a ski. In all embodiments previously described, dangerous twisting forces will not be transmitted to the skier's legs because an overload will result in a relative movement between the pantograph arms and the ski. In the last-mentioned embodiment, an excessive upward tension on the heel, e.g., during a forward fall, will cause the holding-down device to yield to such an extent that the soleplate and the skiing boot resting thereon can be pivotally moved upwardly so that the force cannot become effective on the leg of the skier.
Embodiments of the subject matter of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a safety ski binding according to a first embodiment,
FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the binding of FIG. 1 but with the pantograph in a deflected position, such as is assumed under the action of an excessive twisting force,
FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing a ski binding according to a second embodiment,
FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing the ski binding of FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing a ski binding according to a third embodiment and FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing the ski binding according to FIG. 5.
The safety ski binding according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an expanding member 1, which is screw-connected to a ski 2 by means which are not shown. In the present case, the expanding member has the form of a rectangle having rounded corners. On both sides of the expanding member, two pantograph arms 3 and 4 extend longitudinally of the ski. At their forward end portions extending from the expanding member toward the forward end of the ski, the pantograph arms are pivoted to a coupling link 7 at 5 and 6. At their rear end portions extending from the expanding member to the rear, the pantograph arms are pulled toward each other by a spring 8 so that the two pantograph arms will always firmly engage the sides of the ex anding member when the ski binding is in normal position (see FIG. 1). A guiding and retaining element 9 is mounted on the ski before the coupling link 7 and is stepped upwardly on its side facing the coupling link so that a groove is formed between said stepped edge portion and the ski and serves to guide the forward end of the coupling link. A guiding and retaining element 10 which is similar to the element 9 is mounted on the ski behind the pantograph arms. The stepped side of the element 10 is engaged from below by the free end portions of the pantograph arms 3 and 4. The arrangement of the guiding and retaining elements 9 and 10 is such that they hold the pantograph against a displacement in the longitudinal direction of the ski but enable a pivotal movement of the pantograph about the expanding member 1. To prevent a separation of the pantograph from the ski when the pantograph has disengaged the guiding and retaining elements, the expanding member 1 also carries a lock washer 11, which is so large in diameter that it will at least partly engage the pantograph arms from above even when they are expanded as far as possible.
The coupling link 7 carries a mouthlike abutment 12 for the toe portion of the skiing boot. The upper free end portion of said abutment is obliquely angled upwardly so that it can engage the edge of the sole from above. This abutment is adapted to receive any desired boot toe portion, regardless of the thickness of the sole. The rear end portions of the pantograph arms 3 and 4 carry a baseplate 13, to which a suitable holding-down member for the heel can be screw-connected. This holding-down member releases the skiing boot in response to an overload. Such holding-down member for the heel does not form a part of the present invention so that only a step-in binding 14 is indicated in dash-dot lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 for a better understanding. The baseplate has two curved elongated holes 15 and 16, through which retaining pins 17 and 18 respectively extend. These pins are secured to the pantograph arms 3 and 4.
Under the influence of the spring 8, the safety ski binding normally assumes the position shown in FIG. 1. When the step-in binding 14 is open, the skier can step into the binding in the usual manner. When a force exceeding the initial stress of the spring 3 acts on a leg of the skier in the longitudinal direction of the ski, this force will cause a pivotal movement of the pantograph and the two pantograph arms 3 and 4 will be forced apart because the expanding member l is noncircular. As a result, the spring 8 is stressed above its initial stress (see FIG. 2). When the force decreases, the spring 8 will return the pantograph to its initial position. The design is such that during a twisting fall of the skier the pantograph can perform a pivotal movement to such an extent that the leg of the skier will not be injured only because the skiing boot is not released by the binding. If an excessive tension acts on the skiers heel, the step-in binding 14 will be released in normal manner so that the skiing boot is released by the binding.
The safety ski binding according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is basically similar to the design shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
There is alsoan expanding member I. The two pantograph arms 20 and 21 are pivoted to a coupling link 22 and are pulled against the expanding member I under the action of a spring 8. Guiding and retaining elements 9 and serve again to hold the pantograph against a displacement in the longitudinal direction of the ski and to enable a pivotal movement of the pantograph about the expanding member 1. Just as in the embodiment previously described, the expanding member 1 carries a lock washer Ill.
This embodiment differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 in that a mouthlike abutment 23 for the toe portion of the skiing boot is not rigidly mounted on the coupling link 22 but is pivoted on a horizontal axle 24, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski. Each pantograph arm 20 and 21 is provided on its outside, adjacent to the ankle axis, with a downpull hook 25, into and out of which a cable can be hooked at will. Another downpull hook 26 is provided on each longitudinal side of the coupling link 22 below the abutment 23. These downpull hooks 26 are so-called captive hooks, which do not permit of a removal of the cable by hand. A cable tightener 27 is provided on the coupling link 22 before the abutment 23 and serves in known manner to tighten a cable 28, which is divided adjacent to the heel of a skiing boot and carries a holding-down member 29 for the heel. This holding-down member is provided with a safety release device to avoid injury to the skier in case of a forward fall.
In FIGS. 3 and d, the safety ski binding is shown in the correct position for downhill skiing. A skiing boot is indicated in dash-dot lines in FIG. l. The safety ski binding can be altered to be suitable for cross-country skiing in a simple manner, known per se, in that the cable is disengaged from the hooks 23 and the tightener 27 is adjusted so that the holding-down member for the heel is pulled with the correct tension against the sole of the skiing boot. Because the abutment 23 is pivoted on the axle 24, cross-country skiing is facilitated and there is no danger of a damage to the edge portion of the sole; this danger is present where fixed jaws are used. The pivotal movement of the pantograph under the influence of a force which acts on the leg of the skier transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski and the return movement of the pantograph are effected as has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 so that this description need not be repeated.
FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of a safety ski binding according to the invention. Just as in the two embodiments previously described, an expanding member 1 is secured to the ski and the two pantograph arms 31 and 32 are pivoted to a coupling link 33 and pulled against the expanding member ll under the influence of a spring, not shown. Just as in the embodiments previously described, guiding and retaining elements 9 and it) serve to hold the pantograph against a displacement in the longitudinal direction of the ski and to enable a pivotal movement of the pantograph about the expanding member 1. The expanding member I is again provided with the lock washer II.
In this embodiment, the mouthlike abutment 34 for the toe portion of the skiing boot is firmly connected to a soleplate 35, which by means of horizontal pivot pins 36 extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski is pivoted to the coupling link 33. A known heel tightener 37, which can be only arbitrarily opened, serves to hold the skiing boot, indicated in dash-dot lines, on the soleplate. Just as in the embodiment first described, the rear end portions of the pantograph arms 31 and 32 carry a baseplate 38 (see particularly FIG. 6), which carries a holding-down device 39. A prying member 40 of that holding-down device is pivoted at its free end at 41 to a vertical extension at the rear end of the soleplate. The other end of the prying member is pivoted to a link lever 42, which is pivoted to a support 4-3, which stands on the baseplate 44 of the holding-down device 39. A selector lever 45 is pivoted to the vertex of the angle link lever 42 and at its free end carries a U-shaped loop member 46, which has depending legs provided with means for connection to respective tension springs 47. Each tension spring is held at its lower end on the baseplate 44 approximately under the vertex of the link lever and is prestressed as required. In known manner, the springs and the selector lever may selectively assume one of two positions. One position is the so-called downhill skiing position and the other position, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, is the cross-country skiing position. The selector lever and the springs can be pivotally moved in the counterclockwise sense in FIG. 6 into the downhill skiing position. In the position for cross-country skiing, shown on the drawings, the free end of the soleplate 35 can sufficiently lift from the ski and from the pantograph arms.
Independently of the selected position of the selector lever 45 and the springs 47, the soleplate 35 is lifted in any case against the force of the springs 47. When the selector lever with the springs is in its downhill skiing position, not shown, and an excessive upward tension is applied to the heel, e.g., as a result of a forward fall, the link lever 42 will perform an upward pivotal movement into a position in which the selector lever 65 and the springs 47 are automatically caused to swing to the position shown. In this case, the prying member 40 yields sufficiently so that the force does not act onthe skiers leg and cannot result in a typical skiing injury. With this design of the safety ski binding according to the invention, a fall of whatever kind will not cause the skiing boot to be released by the binding so that there is no need for a special retaining belt and no danger of an injury being inflicted to the skier by the impact of the ski.
The coupling link connecting the forward end portions of the pantograph arms may extend closer to the expanding member than in the embodiments shown so that the length of the pantograph arm portions between the coupling link and the expanding member is reduced. This is advantageous because it results in a higher resistance to bending.
In the embodiments described by way of example with reference to the drawings, the straight-lined inner longitudinal sides of the pantograph arms contact the expanding member and the guiding and retaining elements 9 and it) hold the coupling link and the pantograph arms against a displacement in the longitudinal direction of the ski. If the expanding member is more elliptical in cross section, the arms may not only laterally engage the expanding member but may be provided with suitable recesses so that they can partly embrace the expanding member. This will prevent a longitudinal displacement so that the guiding and retaining elements serve substantially only to prevent an upward movement of the coupling link and the pantograph arms and may be spaced from these parts in the longitudinal direction of the ski. This arrangement will avoid a seizing of the coupling link and pantograph arms between the guiding and retaining elements if the ski bends, e.g., when the skier is moving through a depres- SIOII.
lclaim:
1. A safety ski binding comprising a noncircular expanding member adapted to be connected to a ski; said expanding member serving to expand two pantograph arms; said pantograph arms having forward end portions pivoted to a coupling link in front of the expanding member and rear end portions which are pulled toward each other behind the expanding member by a spring, and guiding and retaining elements mounted to said ski; said guiding and retaining elements being arranged in front of said pantograph arms and behind said pantograph arms to allow the ends of said pantograph arms to rest so that the pantograph arms are secured from displacement in the longitudinal direction of a ski but are permitted to pivot around the expanding member.
2. A safety ski binding according to claim 1, wherein the coupling link carries a mouthlike abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot and the abutment has an angled upper end portion for engaging the edge portion of the sole from above.
3. A safety ski binding according to claim 1, wherein the rear end portions of the pantograph arms carry a baseplate which serves to hold a holding-down device that is under the action of a spring element.
4. A safety ski binding according to claim 3 holding-down device consists of a known heel-holding device wherein the which releases the skiing boot under an overload.
5. A safety ski binding according to claim 1,.wherein each pantograph arm is provided on its outside with downpull hooks and the coupling link carries a cable tightener.
6. A safety ski binding according to claim 1, wherein the abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot is pivoted on a horizontal axis member which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski.
7. A safety ski binding according to claim 6, wherein a soleplate extends from the lower end of the abutment for the toe portion of the skiing boot and is provided with a heel-holding device.
8. A safety ski binding according to claim 7, wherein the soleplate extends behind the skiing boot and is pivoted at its free end to the holding-down device and carries a heel-holding device which is only arbitrarily releasable.