Adjustable water ski binding

Claim 2

In a water ski binding of the type which comprises a vamp assembly and a counter assembly and support means for mounting one of said assemblies on a ski for longitudinal slidable adjustment, said support means including one-way clutch means for permitting unrestrained movement of the assembly in one direction but for automatically locking the assembly against movement in the reverse direction in any position of the assembly, said oneway clutch means comprising a longitudinally extending element having a tapered camming surface connected with the slidable assembly and a cam lock mounted for rotary movement about an axis fixed with respect to the support means and having an eccentric surface for Continuous engagement with said tapered camming surface.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said eccentric surface is yieldably urged into engagement with said camming surface.

Claim 4

In a water ski binding having a movable harness, said harness including a first plate for attachment to a ski, said plate having upwardly and reentrantly directed side flanges, a second plate having side margins slidably received in said flanges, said second plate including a tail portion of reduced width, an eccentric rotary cam surface means mounted on said first plate for engagement with one margin of said tail portion, means for urging said engagement of the cam surface to lock said second plate against movement in one direction, and permit unrestrained movement in the other direction.

Claim 5

In a water ski binding having a movable harness, said harness including a first plate for attachment to a ski, said plate having upwardly and reentrantly directed side flanges, a second plate having side margins slidably received in said flanges, said second plate including a tail portion of reduced width, an eccentric rotary cam surface means mounted on said first plate for engagement with one margin of said tail portion, means for urging said engagement of the cam surface to lock said second plate against movement in one direction, and permit unrestrained movement in the other direction.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said one margin of the tail portion is angularly disposed with respect to the direction of movement of the second plate to increase gripping engagement with the camming means.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said second plate is provided with downwardly and outwardly directed margins engageable in the reentrant flanges of the first plate to support the main body of the second plate out of direct sliding contact with the first plate.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 4, wherein said rotary camming means includes a generally semicylindrical member mounted on said first plate for rotation about an eccentrically disposed vertical axis, the peripheral surface of said member being positioned for abutment against the side edge of the second plate.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 6, wherein means is also provided for engagement with the side margin transversely opposite said rotary camming means for counteracting side thrust resulting from camming action.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 7, wherein said means for counteracting side thrust includes a rearward extension of one of the reentrant flanges of the first plate.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 6, wherein said tail portion of said second plate is of reduced width.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 9, wherein both side margins of the tail portion are inwardly and rearwardly tapered.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 10, wherein said second plate is loosely received in the margins of the first plate and a member is positioned on said first plate adjacent one margin of the tail piece for counteracting thrust exerted transversely by said rotary camming means.

Claim 14

The invention defined in claim 11, wherein said member and said rotary camming means extend upwardly above said tail piece and are provided with flanged portions overlying the tail piece.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 11, wherein a transverse strap is connected between said member and said rotary camming means overlying said tail piece.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 9, wherein a second rotary camming means is mounted for one-way locking engagement with the margin of the tail portion opposite said first mentioned rotary camming means.

Claim 17

In a two-part ski binding wherein one foot-engaging portion is fixedly attached to a ski and the other foot-engaging portion is mounted for slidable movement toward and away from the fixed portion, said other portion including a horizontal flat plate having at least one tapered margin extending in a direction away from the fixed foot-engaging portion and decreasing in width in the direction of the extremity thereof, and locking means for limiting said movement, said locking means including a pair of elements attached to the ski adjacent the sides of said flat plate having respective surfaces positioned for continuous engagement with the opposite margins of said tapered plate, and means for adjusting the distance between said last mentioned pair of surfaces in response to movement of the tapered plate.

Claim 18

In a two-part ski binding wherein one foot-engaging portion is fixedly attached to a ski and the other foot-engaging portion is mounted for slidable movement toward and away from the fixed portion, said other portion including a horizontal flat plate having at least one tapered margin extending in a direction away from the fixed foot-engaging portion and decreasing in width in the direction of the extremity thereof, and locking means for limiting said movement, said locking means including a pair of elements attached to the ski adjacent the sides of said flat plate having respective surfaces positioned for continuous engagement with the opposite margins of said tapered plate, and means for adjusting the distance between said last mentioned pair of surfaces in response to movement of the tapered plate.

Claim 19

The invention as defined in claim 15, wherein one of said pair of elements includes a rotary camming surface in engagement with one margin of tHe tapered plate.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 15, wherein one of said last pair of elements includes a bar and means for mounting the bar for movement transverse to the direction of movement of said other foot-engaging portion.

Claim 21

The invention defined in claim 17, which also includes a rotary cam means for positioning said bar.

Claim 22

The invention defined in claim 18, wherein said cam means includes locking means for adjusting the cam means.