Title:
Ski brake
United States Patent 3884487
Abstract:
A ski brake including a length of spring wire of round cross-section, having a central shaft portion extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ski, and acting as a pivoting axis of the brake, one end portion extending beside the ski and acting as a brake spur engageable with the snow, and the other end portion being bent to form a holding loop engageable by a ski boot to pivot the brake, against its own spring action, to a rest position beside the ski.
US Patent References:
AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR SKIS
Bortoli - June 1973 - 3741575
SKI BINDING WITH SKI BRAKE
Sittmann - February 1974 - 3794336
AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR SKIS
Bortoli - June 1973 - 3741575
SKI BINDING WITH SKI BRAKE
Sittmann - February 1974 - 3794336
Application Number:
05/460532
Publication Date:
05/20/1975
Filing Date:
04/12/1974
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A63C7/10; A63C7/00; A63C7/10
Field of Search:
280/11.13B
Primary Examiner:
Schonberg, David
Assistant Examiner:
Mitchell, David M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Kaul
Claims:
We claim
1. In a ski brake securable to the upper surface of a ski and having, laterally of the ski, a brake spur which can pivot about a pivoting axis extending on the upper side of the ski transversly to the longitudinal axis thereof and a holding lever depressible by the ski boot to hold the brake spur in its rest position, the brake spur being pivoted into its braking position by spring action upon removal of the ski boot from the ski binding, the improvement in the brake comprising a wire, bent so that one end part forms the brake spur, a central first shaft portion lying in the pivoting axis and the other end part being shaped into a holding loop forming the holding lever, said holding loop acting as a spring which moves the spur to its braking position and having two alternate positions, one position being against the ski when depressed by the ski boot and the other position extending outwardly from the ski when the ski boot is removed from the ski binding, the free end of said holding loop forming a second shaft portion which can pivot in its location about an axis arranged spaced from and parallel to the pivoting axis on the upper side of the ski.
2. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a holding plate fastenable to the upper side of the ski, and means defining first and second recesses in which the first shaft and the second shaft are located respectively.
3. A ski brake as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising a third recess in the holding plate and a transition piece from said second shaft portion into said holding loop lying freely in said third recess.
4. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a protective cap protecting said brake spur.
5. A ski brake as claimed in claim 4, wherein said protective cap is formed of a plastics material.
6. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brake spur is bent back in the form of a U.
7. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wire is of round cross-section throughout its length.
1. In a ski brake securable to the upper surface of a ski and having, laterally of the ski, a brake spur which can pivot about a pivoting axis extending on the upper side of the ski transversly to the longitudinal axis thereof and a holding lever depressible by the ski boot to hold the brake spur in its rest position, the brake spur being pivoted into its braking position by spring action upon removal of the ski boot from the ski binding, the improvement in the brake comprising a wire, bent so that one end part forms the brake spur, a central first shaft portion lying in the pivoting axis and the other end part being shaped into a holding loop forming the holding lever, said holding loop acting as a spring which moves the spur to its braking position and having two alternate positions, one position being against the ski when depressed by the ski boot and the other position extending outwardly from the ski when the ski boot is removed from the ski binding, the free end of said holding loop forming a second shaft portion which can pivot in its location about an axis arranged spaced from and parallel to the pivoting axis on the upper side of the ski.
2. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a holding plate fastenable to the upper side of the ski, and means defining first and second recesses in which the first shaft and the second shaft are located respectively.
3. A ski brake as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising a third recess in the holding plate and a transition piece from said second shaft portion into said holding loop lying freely in said third recess.
4. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a protective cap protecting said brake spur.
5. A ski brake as claimed in claim 4, wherein said protective cap is formed of a plastics material.
6. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brake spur is bent back in the form of a U.
7. A ski brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wire is of round cross-section throughout its length.
Description:
The invention relates to a ski brake.
One form of such ski brake has, on the outside of the ski, a brake spur, which can pivot around a pivoting axis running on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski, the brake spur being held in its rest position by a holding lever depressible by the ski boot, and being pivotable into the braking position, in which it engages the snow, by spring action on removal of the ski boot from the binding.
A ski brake serves to replace the safety strap fixed to the foot, in order to avoid accidents which, should the skier fall, could be caused by the ski held by the safety strap being thrown around. Various constructions of ski brakes are known, in which on removal of the ski boot from the binding, braking members, which can be located either on one side or on both sides of the ski, are pivoted into a braking position by means of a spring action and thus bring the ski to a stop. The relatively high cost is a disadvantage of the known embodiments. In particular, additional springs are fitted for the purpose of pivoting the braking members into the braking position.
An object of the present invention is to provide a ski brake of the type initially described in such a way that it functions reliably in spite of great simplicity of construction.
According to the invention, this may be achieved by providing, in a ski brake securable to the upper surface of a ski and having, laterally of the ski, a brake spur which can pivot about a pivoting axis extending on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof and a holding lever depressible by the ski boot, to hold the brake spur in its rest position, the brake spur being pivoted into its braking position by spring action upon removal of the ski boot from the ski binding, the improvement consisting in that the brake comprises a wire, bent so that one end part forms the brake spur, a central first shaft portion lies in the pivoting axis, and the other end part is shaped into a holding loop forming the holding lever, the free end of which forms a second shaft portion which can pivot in its location about an axis arranged spaced from and parallel to the pivoting axis on the upper side of the ski.
As a result of this arrangement, the spring force required for pivoting the brake spur into the braking position and for holding the spur in the braking position, is generated by the shaping of the wire. The first shaft portion only of the wire may be of round cross-section, but preferably the whole of the wire has a round cross-section.
The invention will be more fully understood from the following description, given by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of ski brake according to the invention, fitted onto a ski in the braking position; and
FIG. 2 shows a view from above of the ski brake according to FIG. 1, but in the rest position.
A holding plate 2 is fastened by means of screws 3 onto the upper side of a ski 1, which is only partially shown in the Figures. The holding plate 2 is located near to a holding piece 4, not shown in more detail, for example a heel holding piece of a safety ski binding, and has a first recess 5 which extends, in form of a groove, on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski. In the recess 5, a round wire 6 is located which can pivot and the central part of which forms a central first shaft portion 7. One end part 8 of the wire 6 forms a brake spur 9 which is obtained by appropriate shaping of the end part 8. In FIG. 2, the brake spur 9 is seen to be bent back in the form of a U and covered with a protective cap 10, for example of plastics material. The other end part 11 of the round wire 6 is shaped into a holding loop 11 which, in the rest position is pressed by a ski boot (not shown) onto the upper side of the ski and thus, at the same time, pivots the brake spur 9 into its rest position which is above the running surface of the ski.
At its free end, the holding loop 11 forms a second shaft portion 13 which is located so that it can pivot in a recess 12 of the holding plate 2. As can be seen, the axes of the two recesses 5, 12 are substantially parallel and spaced from one another, so that an elastic pre-tension is imparted to the round wire so that, on release of the holding loop 11, the brake spur 9 automatically pivots into the braking position and is held there. Thus, the ski brake consists of two working parts and is thus of extreme simplicity. It is expedient to provide a recess 14 in the holding plate 2, so that the holding loop 11 can be completely depressed immediately onto the upper side of the ski.
A steel spring wire, of a diameter of about 2.5 - 3.0 mm, is suitably used as the round wire 6.
One form of such ski brake has, on the outside of the ski, a brake spur, which can pivot around a pivoting axis running on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski, the brake spur being held in its rest position by a holding lever depressible by the ski boot, and being pivotable into the braking position, in which it engages the snow, by spring action on removal of the ski boot from the binding.
A ski brake serves to replace the safety strap fixed to the foot, in order to avoid accidents which, should the skier fall, could be caused by the ski held by the safety strap being thrown around. Various constructions of ski brakes are known, in which on removal of the ski boot from the binding, braking members, which can be located either on one side or on both sides of the ski, are pivoted into a braking position by means of a spring action and thus bring the ski to a stop. The relatively high cost is a disadvantage of the known embodiments. In particular, additional springs are fitted for the purpose of pivoting the braking members into the braking position.
An object of the present invention is to provide a ski brake of the type initially described in such a way that it functions reliably in spite of great simplicity of construction.
According to the invention, this may be achieved by providing, in a ski brake securable to the upper surface of a ski and having, laterally of the ski, a brake spur which can pivot about a pivoting axis extending on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof and a holding lever depressible by the ski boot, to hold the brake spur in its rest position, the brake spur being pivoted into its braking position by spring action upon removal of the ski boot from the ski binding, the improvement consisting in that the brake comprises a wire, bent so that one end part forms the brake spur, a central first shaft portion lies in the pivoting axis, and the other end part is shaped into a holding loop forming the holding lever, the free end of which forms a second shaft portion which can pivot in its location about an axis arranged spaced from and parallel to the pivoting axis on the upper side of the ski.
As a result of this arrangement, the spring force required for pivoting the brake spur into the braking position and for holding the spur in the braking position, is generated by the shaping of the wire. The first shaft portion only of the wire may be of round cross-section, but preferably the whole of the wire has a round cross-section.
The invention will be more fully understood from the following description, given by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of ski brake according to the invention, fitted onto a ski in the braking position; and
FIG. 2 shows a view from above of the ski brake according to FIG. 1, but in the rest position.
A holding plate 2 is fastened by means of screws 3 onto the upper side of a ski 1, which is only partially shown in the Figures. The holding plate 2 is located near to a holding piece 4, not shown in more detail, for example a heel holding piece of a safety ski binding, and has a first recess 5 which extends, in form of a groove, on the upper side of the ski transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski. In the recess 5, a round wire 6 is located which can pivot and the central part of which forms a central first shaft portion 7. One end part 8 of the wire 6 forms a brake spur 9 which is obtained by appropriate shaping of the end part 8. In FIG. 2, the brake spur 9 is seen to be bent back in the form of a U and covered with a protective cap 10, for example of plastics material. The other end part 11 of the round wire 6 is shaped into a holding loop 11 which, in the rest position is pressed by a ski boot (not shown) onto the upper side of the ski and thus, at the same time, pivots the brake spur 9 into its rest position which is above the running surface of the ski.
At its free end, the holding loop 11 forms a second shaft portion 13 which is located so that it can pivot in a recess 12 of the holding plate 2. As can be seen, the axes of the two recesses 5, 12 are substantially parallel and spaced from one another, so that an elastic pre-tension is imparted to the round wire so that, on release of the holding loop 11, the brake spur 9 automatically pivots into the braking position and is held there. Thus, the ski brake consists of two working parts and is thus of extreme simplicity. It is expedient to provide a recess 14 in the holding plate 2, so that the holding loop 11 can be completely depressed immediately onto the upper side of the ski.
A steel spring wire, of a diameter of about 2.5 - 3.0 mm, is suitably used as the round wire 6.