US2907574A - Safety release for ski bindings - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1959 G. GOY ET Al.

SAFETY RELEASE FUR SKI BINDINGS Filed DSC.

INVENTORS:

am HARD @ov BY mfr/5R Gay /i UUR/VD H N N :naar

United States Patent i The present invention relates to a Vsafety release for i ski bindings.

The `large number of prior proposals `of safety releases for ski bindings is anindication of the need for ajsafety release which will reliably and automatically `operate to release the ski binding immediately from the boot of the skier in 'the event of a fall.

Some of the conventional safety devices include a locking pin, the free end of which is connected to the strap or cable which is tightened around the heel part of the ski boot and which extends in the direction of the tension of this strap or cable. In Vone of `these safety devices, the looking pin 4is provided with enlarged portions which extend "between resilient -tongue's fand uare Vadap'ted to disengagetherefrom lwhen the tension on the strap or cable exceeds a certain value. This safety device has the disadvantage that, after being released, the respective parts can only be reengaged with each other by the application of considerable force.

It is the object of the. present invention to provide a self-releasing safety release :for ski bindings which is of an extremely simple and sturdy design, which is very easy to operate, and affords a maximum degree of safety. An other object of the invention is to provide such a safety device which can be easily adjusted by the skier to different releasing forces in accordance with the danger of the terrain or his own skiing skill.

An essential feature of the invention resides in the provision of a self-releasing coupling which is interposed in the strap or cable of the skibinding and which essentially consists of a locking pin or rod which is placed at the side of the foot and inside of a tubular member, and of a ball bearing, the Iballs of which are placed in apertures in a diametrical plane of the tubular member and which are retained therein by suitable retaining means associated with the tubular member. The balls are pressed against the locking rod, and, when the coupling Y is engaged, into an `annular groove in the locking rod by an inner conical surface of an annular member which surrounds the tubular member and which is pressed against the balls by an adjustable compression spring. If in a collision or fall of the skier the pull of the ski boot upon the ski binding is suddenly increased, the locking balls are just as suddenly disengaged from the groove in the locking rod, thereby releasing the latter together with the strap or cable of the binding. The coupling parts may thereafter be quickly reengaged and such reengagement will not require any appreciable physical effort. The safety release according to the invention is therefore very easily operated and of a design which is not subject to jamming or other disorders.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed de-V scription thereof, particularly when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a part sectional side elevation of a portion of a conventional cable ski binding equipped with a safety release according to the invention;

ICC

Fig. 2 is a `small scale plan View of the ski binding according to Fig. 1 with one end of the cable at one slde of the ski -being in the locked position and the other endat the other side of the ski being in the released position. l

Referring to the drawings, numeral 2 designates a conventional `front tension lever 2 which is pivotably mounted on a ski 1 and which is pivotably connected to a pair of tension springs 3 for tightening a strap or Acable 10 about the sole and heel of a ski boo'tland for releasing it therefrom. When the ski binding is applied to a ski boot a pinlike rod 7 ywhich lis connected to one end of cable 10 by means of a socket 11 is in the position as indicated in Fig. l and in the lower half of Fig. 2. In this position anannular .groove 6 in rod 7 is in a locking engagement with a plurality of locking balls 5 placed Within an inner conical surface of a ring 4. The balls Sextend through radial bores 14 in a sleeve member 12 which is provided with an annular ange 13 forward of the bores 14. The member 1-2 has aportion 12a forward of the ange 13, `a tension lspring 3 `#for the cable binding being rigidly connected-With the portion 12a. ,The ring 4 surrounds, the sleeve member 12 in the rearof the balls 5 and is resiliently pressed `into the operating position shown in Fig. 1 by a coil spring 8 Wound around the member 12. The tension of the spring 8 is adjustable by means of a nut '9 screwed onthe threaded rear end of the member 12. The greater the pressure under which spring 8 acts upon Vring 4, the more `firmly .the rod '7 will be gripped by the locking balls S in groove 6 and the more securely the cable 10 will be held on the boot.

The operation of the safety binding is as follows:

If the tension of cable 10 around the sole of a ski boot exceeds a certain preadjusted limit, the pin 7 will be pulled rearwardly, i.e. to the right in Figs. l and 2 (arrow y in Fig. l), and will be moved relatively to the sleeve member 12 so that the locking balls 5 are .forced out of groove 6 and move `radially on the conical inside surface portion of the ring 4. The rod 7 is thereby released and slides rearwardly, as seen in the upper part of Fig. 2 so that the cable 10 immediately releases the boot in the event of a fall or collision of the skier.

Fig. 2 illustrates the ski binding Awith the safety devices according to the invention at the right side of the binding in the released position and at the other side in the engaged position. While in the engaged position, which is also shown in Fig. l, the forward end of the rod 7 extends into the spring 3 so that the visible part of its rear or outer end `which is connected to socket 11 has a length a. When the safety release is in the released. position the visible portion of the rod 7 is increased to ya length a. For placing the safety device into operating position it is merely necessary to grip the socket 11 and push the pin 7 forwardly until the locking balls 5 will again engage the groove 6 in rod 7 as shown in Fig. 1.

Apart from the adjustment of the tension of the spring 8 by means of the nut 9, it is also possible to vary the releasing action of the safety device by providing rings 4 of different taper angles of their conical surface. Thus, for example, if the taper .angle of ring 4 is made less than 45, it will require a greater tension of cable 10 to disengage locking balls 5 from groove 6 than when the taper angle is made greater than 45. The releasing action of the safety binding may also be controlled by the strength of spring 8. Thus, for example, if llocking ring 4 should have a small inner taper angle which has the tendency to retain locking balls 5 more rrnly within the groove `6, the compression spring 8 can be relatively Weak, whereas a locking ring 4 with a Wide taper requires a stronger spring `8 to produce the same releasing action. i

Making the actual locking elements in the form of a Patented Oct. 6, 1959 ball bearing has the further advantage of automatically holding the locking elements in a centered or coaxial position by the balls 5 whereby jamming is prevented.

Although our invention h as been illustrated and described with reference, to preferred embodiments thereof, we wish to have it understood that it is in no vway limited to the details of such embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within'the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed our invention, what we claim is: i f

1. In a `Ski binding of the type in which a strap means including 'resilient means and means for'tensioning the strap means is connected with the ski and extends around the heel of the ski boot, a self-releasing coupling interposed in said strap means, said strap meansV having end portions connected by said coupling, one of said end portions being provided with a tubular member, the other of said end port-ions being provided with a rod extending coaxially through and being axially movable relatively tov said4 tubular member, a plurality of apertures in Said tubular member, said apertures being spaced from each other and placed in Ca dametrical plane off and around said member, balls individually -placed in said apertures and abutting against Said rod, and ball retaining means operatively associated with said tubular member `for Vretaining the balls in 'saidv apertures, said retaining means including means for resiliently pressing said balls against Said rod, the latter being provided with an annular groove adapted to receive a portion ofreach of said balls when said'apertures V,are opposite said groove for restraining relative axial movement of said tubular member and said rod, said means for resiliently pressv 4- ing said balls againstk said rod permitting movement of said balls out of said groove and relative axial movement of said member and of said rod upon excessive pull on said strap means.

2. In a ski binding as defined in claim 1 and wherein said retaining means include an annular member surrounding said tubular member and having an annular surface portion engaging said balls, said resilient means being connected with said annular member and'with said tubular member; n

3. In a ski binding according to claim Zand wherein said tubular member has a threaded outer surface portion, a nut being screwed on said threaded surface portion, said resilient means being in the Aform of' a coil spring extending around said tubularmember and being interposed between said annular member and said nut whereby the pressure of said annular member on said balls can be changed by manipulating said nut for changing the tension of said spring. A l p 4. In a ski binding according to claim 2 andgwherein said annular surface portion is conical and farces said tubular member, the aXis of the cone coinciding with the longitudinal axis of said annular member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED `STATES PATENTS ASwitgerland V. V Feb. 1, 1942

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