US3710881A - Power ski - Google Patents

Power ski Download PDF

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Publication number
US3710881A
US3710881A US00196136A US3710881DA US3710881A US 3710881 A US3710881 A US 3710881A US 00196136 A US00196136 A US 00196136A US 3710881D A US3710881D A US 3710881DA US 3710881 A US3710881 A US 3710881A
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ski
endless belt
posterior
anterior
power
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US00196136A
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R Thompson
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ROYCE HILL HUSTED US
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Individual
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
    • B62M27/00—Propulsion devices for sledges or the like
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63C—SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE
    • A63C5/00—Skis or snowboards
    • A63C5/08—Skis or snowboards motor-driven
    • A63C5/085—Skis or snowboards motor-driven with rolling or like devices

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A power driven ski with an anterior sliding portion and posterior toothed endless belt portion, a motor for propelling the belt and control means attached to a ski pole for regulating the belts speed.
  • This invention relates to skis, and more particularly to a ski having means of carrying a skier over snow covered surface under its own power.
  • Applicants invention provides the skier on one hand with some of the challenges, such as holding balance, etc., of downhill skiing without the dependency of hilly terrain and ski lifts, and on the other hand it is much less cumbersome to use, to transport and to store than the snowmobile, and less expensive to produce and maintain.
  • the power ski comprises an anterior elongated sliding ski portion which is similar to the anterior portion of a conventional ski.
  • the skiers boot is attached by a conventional binding mechanism.
  • the posterior ski portion is made of a toothed endless belt fit to engage with snow and resist slippage. It is important that the posterior portion of the ski will evenly pack and compress the snow from above while the endless belt is obtaining from the packed snow, a forward thrust. Without this even packing, the snow, especially if in powdery form, is easily blown away from under the belt. Thus, it is also important to proportion the anterior and posterior ski portions, and to locate the binding mechanism so that some of the skiers weight will be utilized to evenly compress and pack the snow through the posterior ski portion.
  • the power ski In order to obtain an even packing under the toothed belt, the power ski has to be constructed with a dihedral angle somewhat smaller than 180 between its anterior and posterior portions, when the ski is free of skiers weight, so that under skiers weight, the ski would be straightened, distributing skiers weight evenly along the posterior and anterior ski portions.
  • FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a power ski generally in- V dicated by numeral 10, having an anterior elongated
  • the motor utilized is preferably an internal combustion engine. It can be mounted directly on the ski or carried by the skier on his back or belt. (The reader should keep in mind the ultra light engines of the type utilized in chain saws, weighing 4-8 lbs., which develop several H.P.). If carried by the skier it can be coupled by a flexible shaft to the endless belt, or by a hydrostatic drive.
  • the drive line between the motor and the endless belt can include clutching and/or speed changing mechanism, preferably a centrifugal clutch or a miniature hydrokinetic torque converter.
  • a skier may bind a power ski to each of his legs, or bind a power ski to one leg and a conventional ski to the other leg.
  • FIG. 1 shows a side view of a skier equipped with a power ski according to my invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a side view of the' posterior section of the power ski shown in FIG. 1, and
  • FIG. 3 shows a top view of the center section of the power ski shown in FIG. 1.
  • skis 14 and 15 sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow 11, and a posterior toothed endless belt portion generally indicated by numeral 12, for driving the ski.
  • a skiers boot 13 is attached to the ski by a conventional step in type ski binding mechanism indicated by numerals 14 and 15.
  • the skier carries on his back a motor 16 which transm'its its power to a right angle gear box 19 through a hydrokinetic torque converter 16a and a flexible shaft having a core 17 and an outer protective cover 18.
  • a driver pulley 20 is mounted on the output shaft 21 of the gear box 19 and secured to it by a spring pin 22.
  • a toothed endless belt 23 is rotatably supported on the driver pulley 20 and on an idler pulley 24 which is rotatably supported on a rear fork 25 which is secured to a posterior ski section 1 la.
  • the anterior and posterior ski section 11 and 11a respectively, the ski binding mechanism 14 and the right angle gear box 19 are all secured to a central frame 26.
  • a flexible cable having a core 27 and a protective cover 28 connects a trigger mechanism 29 which is mounted on a ski pole 30 to the motor 16 regulating motors power output to the endless belt.
  • Numeral 32 indicates a dihedral angle between the anterior and posterior portion of the ski, 11 and 12 respectively, which is somewhat smaller than when the ski is free of skiers weight.
  • This construction of the ski helps to even the weight distribution of skiers weight along the ski.
  • the size of the ideal dihedral angle depends on the skis stiffness, length and width as well as on skiers weight, thus it is possible to design a mechanism that will allow to adjust the dihedral angle to suit.
  • Such a mechanism consists of bolts 33 and 34, and slot 35 in the center frame 26, which allow the skier to secure the binding mechanism 14 to the center frame 26 in different angles resulting in a different dihedral angle 32, since the anterior ski portion 11 is secured to the center frame 26 through binding mechanism 14.
  • anterior portion of the ski II is readily separable from the rest of the power ski 10, which can ease transporting the power ski in the trunk of a car, or substituting one anterior portion of ski'with another portion having a different length, width or stiffness characteristics to suit a particular snow condition or a particular skier.
  • a power driven ski comprising, in combination:
  • an anterior elongated sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow
  • a posterior toothed endless belt portion for driving said ski, said anterior and posterior ski portion forming a dihedral angle smaller than 180,

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Abstract

A power driven ski with an anterior sliding portion and posterior toothed endless belt portion, a motor for propelling the belt and control means attached to a ski pole for regulating the belt''s speed.

Description

United States Patent 1 .1 1111 3,710,881 Thompson 1 1, Jan.- 16, 1973 v [54] POWER SKI [56] References Cited [75 Inventor: 1111111116 Ff'iliompsomGien Ellyn, UNITED STATES PATENTS- 2,625,229 1/1953 Van Voorhees ..180/5R Assignee: Royce Hill Husted, Wheaton, Ill. and Samuel Shiber, Chicago, 111.
Filed: Nov. 5, 1971 Appl. No.: 196,136
Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 828,968, May 29, 1969, Pat. No. 3,645,348.
U.S. Cl ..180/5 R, 180/1 G, 280/1 1.11 E Int. Cl. ..B62m 27/00 Field of Search ..280/11.11 E; 180/5 R, 1 G
v FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 530,131 9 1921 France ..280 11.11 B 343,909 2/1922 Germany ..2s0 1 1.11 E
Primary ExaminerLeo Friaglia [57] ABSTRACT A power driven ski with an anterior sliding portion and posterior toothed endless belt portion, a motor for propelling the belt and control means attached to a ski pole for regulating the belts speed.
2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures POWER SKI This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application titled power ski," Ser. No. 828,968, filed on May 29, 1969 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,348.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND This invention relates to skis, and more particularly to a ski having means of carrying a skier over snow covered surface under its own power.
Presently, there is polarization between outdoor winter sports enthusiasts. The purists use nothing but skis, while the modernists take their relaxation along with their recreation and mount a snowmobile.
Applicants invention provides the skier on one hand with some of the challenges, such as holding balance, etc., of downhill skiing without the dependency of hilly terrain and ski lifts, and on the other hand it is much less cumbersome to use, to transport and to store than the snowmobile, and less expensive to produce and maintain.
The power ski comprises an anterior elongated sliding ski portion which is similar to the anterior portion of a conventional ski. To this section, the skiers boot is attached by a conventional binding mechanism. The posterior ski portion is made of a toothed endless belt fit to engage with snow and resist slippage. It is important that the posterior portion of the ski will evenly pack and compress the snow from above while the endless belt is obtaining from the packed snow, a forward thrust. Without this even packing, the snow, especially if in powdery form, is easily blown away from under the belt. Thus, it is also important to proportion the anterior and posterior ski portions, and to locate the binding mechanism so that some of the skiers weight will be utilized to evenly compress and pack the snow through the posterior ski portion. In order to obtain an even packing under the toothed belt, the power ski has to be constructed with a dihedral angle somewhat smaller than 180 between its anterior and posterior portions, when the ski is free of skiers weight, so that under skiers weight, the ski would be straightened, distributing skiers weight evenly along the posterior and anterior ski portions.
2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES:
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a power ski generally in- V dicated by numeral 10, having an anterior elongated The motor utilized is preferably an internal combustion engine. It can be mounted directly on the ski or carried by the skier on his back or belt. (The reader should keep in mind the ultra light engines of the type utilized in chain saws, weighing 4-8 lbs., which develop several H.P.). If carried by the skier it can be coupled by a flexible shaft to the endless belt, or by a hydrostatic drive. The drive line between the motor and the endless belt can include clutching and/or speed changing mechanism, preferably a centrifugal clutch or a miniature hydrokinetic torque converter.
A skier may bind a power ski to each of his legs, or bind a power ski to one leg and a conventional ski to the other leg.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 shows a side view of a skier equipped with a power ski according to my invention;
FIG. 2 shows a side view of the' posterior section of the power ski shown in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 shows a top view of the center section of the power ski shown in FIG. 1.
sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow 11, and a posterior toothed endless belt portion generally indicated by numeral 12, for driving the ski. A skiers boot 13 is attached to the ski by a conventional step in type ski binding mechanism indicated by numerals 14 and 15.
The skier carries on his back a motor 16 which transm'its its power to a right angle gear box 19 through a hydrokinetic torque converter 16a and a flexible shaft having a core 17 and an outer protective cover 18. A driver pulley 20 is mounted on the output shaft 21 of the gear box 19 and secured to it by a spring pin 22.
A toothed endless belt 23 is rotatably supported on the driver pulley 20 and on an idler pulley 24 which is rotatably supported on a rear fork 25 which is secured to a posterior ski section 1 la.
The anterior and posterior ski section 11 and 11a respectively, the ski binding mechanism 14 and the right angle gear box 19 are all secured to a central frame 26.
A flexible cable having a core 27 and a protective cover 28 connects a trigger mechanism 29 which is mounted on a ski pole 30 to the motor 16 regulating motors power output to the endless belt.
Numeral 32 indicates a dihedral angle between the anterior and posterior portion of the ski, 11 and 12 respectively, which is somewhat smaller than when the ski is free of skiers weight.
This construction of the ski helps to even the weight distribution of skiers weight along the ski. The size of the ideal dihedral angle depends on the skis stiffness, length and width as well as on skiers weight, thus it is possible to design a mechanism that will allow to adjust the dihedral angle to suit. Such a mechanism consists of bolts 33 and 34, and slot 35 in the center frame 26, which allow the skier to secure the binding mechanism 14 to the center frame 26 in different angles resulting in a different dihedral angle 32, since the anterior ski portion 11 is secured to the center frame 26 through binding mechanism 14. 8
An additional benefit of this construction is, that the anterior portion of the ski II, is readily separable from the rest of the power ski 10, which can ease transporting the power ski in the trunk of a car, or substituting one anterior portion of ski'with another portion having a different length, width or stiffness characteristics to suit a particular snow condition or a particular skier.
While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a specific embodiment, it is understood that various changes may be made in the form, details arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the invention.
I claim:
1. A power driven ski comprising, in combination:
an anterior elongated sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow,
a posterior toothed endless belt portion for driving said ski, said anterior and posterior ski portion forming a dihedral angle smaller than 180,
means for attaching a ski boot to said sliding surface portion so that part of the skiers weight is carried by said sliding surface portion, and the other part by the endless belt portion,
motor means for powering said endless belt portion, said motor means being coupled to said endless belt portion,
2. As in claim 1, where said dihedral angle is adjustable.

Claims (2)

1. A power driven ski comprising, in combination: an anterior elongated sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow, a posterior toothed endless belt portion for driving said ski, said anterior and posterior ski portion forming a dihedral angle smaller than 180*, means for attaching a ski boot to said sliding surface portion so that part of the skier''s weight is carried by said sliding surface portion, and the other part by the endless belt portion, motor means for powering said endless belt portion, said motor means being coupled to said endless belt portion,
2. As in claim 1, where said dihedral angle is adjustable.
US00196136A 1969-05-29 1971-11-05 Power ski Expired - Lifetime US3710881A (en)

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US82896869A 1969-05-29 1969-05-29
US19613671A 1971-11-05 1971-11-05

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Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3812813A (en) * 1972-11-06 1974-05-28 W Dickson Shoulder pack power unit for propelling water skis or surf boards
US3853192A (en) * 1973-10-09 1974-12-10 Saroy Eng Power driven ski
EP0290185A2 (en) * 1987-04-30 1988-11-09 Boris Aronovich Velman Recreational vehicle
US4984648A (en) * 1988-12-21 1991-01-15 Michael Strzok Motorized skiboard
WO1997018866A1 (en) 1995-11-17 1997-05-29 Dempster Harry E Portable, power-drive unit and accessory attachment
FR2893585A1 (en) * 2005-11-18 2007-05-25 Mathieu Leclercq Leisure vehicle for e.g. snow surfing, has motor connected to endless track for permitting surfboard or snow skateboard to advance by propulsion, and fixations that permit to transfer balancing efforts of body to surfboard or skateboard
US20070205034A1 (en) * 2006-03-01 2007-09-06 Wier Kenneth L Powered snowboard
US8695994B2 (en) 2006-02-03 2014-04-15 Mark Maratta Board sliding device with air pump for sliding on ground
AT515765A1 (en) * 2014-04-23 2015-11-15 Abp Patent Network Gmbh Sports equipment
US10322331B2 (en) * 2015-03-12 2019-06-18 Rottefella As System for optional dynamic positioning a ski binding
WO2022262994A1 (en) 2021-06-18 2022-12-22 Villares Lafarga Jordi Powered device for propelling a surface on snow

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE343909C (en) *
FR530131A (en) * 1921-01-24 1921-12-16 Self-ski
US2625229A (en) * 1950-05-19 1953-01-13 Stanley Van Voorhees Power-driven ski

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE343909C (en) *
FR530131A (en) * 1921-01-24 1921-12-16 Self-ski
US2625229A (en) * 1950-05-19 1953-01-13 Stanley Van Voorhees Power-driven ski

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3812813A (en) * 1972-11-06 1974-05-28 W Dickson Shoulder pack power unit for propelling water skis or surf boards
US3853192A (en) * 1973-10-09 1974-12-10 Saroy Eng Power driven ski
USRE29657E (en) * 1973-10-09 1978-06-06 Saroy Engineering Power driven ski
EP0290185A2 (en) * 1987-04-30 1988-11-09 Boris Aronovich Velman Recreational vehicle
EP0290185A3 (en) * 1987-04-30 1989-02-08 Boris Aronovich Velman Recreational vehicle
US4984648A (en) * 1988-12-21 1991-01-15 Michael Strzok Motorized skiboard
WO1997018866A1 (en) 1995-11-17 1997-05-29 Dempster Harry E Portable, power-drive unit and accessory attachment
FR2893585A1 (en) * 2005-11-18 2007-05-25 Mathieu Leclercq Leisure vehicle for e.g. snow surfing, has motor connected to endless track for permitting surfboard or snow skateboard to advance by propulsion, and fixations that permit to transfer balancing efforts of body to surfboard or skateboard
US8695994B2 (en) 2006-02-03 2014-04-15 Mark Maratta Board sliding device with air pump for sliding on ground
US20070205034A1 (en) * 2006-03-01 2007-09-06 Wier Kenneth L Powered snowboard
US7434644B2 (en) 2006-03-01 2008-10-14 Wier Kenneth L Powered snowboard
AT515765A1 (en) * 2014-04-23 2015-11-15 Abp Patent Network Gmbh Sports equipment
US9737785B2 (en) 2014-04-23 2017-08-22 Abp Patent Network Gmbh Sporting device having a sliding body and a drive for a circulating belt
AT515765B1 (en) * 2014-04-23 2020-02-15 Abp Patent Network Gmbh Sports equipment
US10322331B2 (en) * 2015-03-12 2019-06-18 Rottefella As System for optional dynamic positioning a ski binding
WO2022262994A1 (en) 2021-06-18 2022-12-22 Villares Lafarga Jordi Powered device for propelling a surface on snow

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