Toe binding

Claim 2

A lateral release toe binding for holding the toe portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to said ski, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said boot engaging means including lever means, retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member acting against said lever means on a side of said lever means toward the toe portion and bias means acting on said retainer means and urging said lever means toward a first normal position, whereby any movement of said lever means about said one axis causes said retainer means to move and said bias means to increase in force and tend to return said lever means to its first position through said retainer means.

Claim 3

The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said boot engaging means is mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis by structure including a socket defined in said support member, and a pivot member fitting in said socket and engaging the surfaces defining said socket only under the force of said bias means.

Claim 4

The combination as specified in claim 1 and a clip mounted onto the toe portion of said boot, said clip member having a forward surface, and wherein said boot engaging means has a surface having a radius substantially equal to the radius of movement of the boot engaging means about said one axis and mating with the forward surface on said clip member, said toe binding being placed so that any force exerted on said boot in direction toward the toe binding is transferred through a line of contact between said mating surfaces, said boot engaging means being positioned so that upon lateral movement of said boot and pivotal movement of said boot engaging means, the line of contact between said mating surfaces remains substantially along the line of force toward the toe binding between the boot and the axis of pivotal movement of said boot engaging means.

Claim 5

A releasable toe binding for retaining a boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened onto the ski, said base member including a first portion extending substantially parallel to the upper surfaces of a ski on which it is mounted and an end upright member integral therewith, a post fixedly attached to said base member adjacent the position of the toe of a boot held by the toe binding, a boot retaining member pivotally engaging said post member for movement in at least two mutually perpendicular pivotal planes, a first plane being parallel to the first portion of the base member, means to retain said boot retaining member in pivoting position on said post comprising a housing having a forward wall, a rear wall and a top wall, a screw member rotatably mounted on said post and extending on an opposite side of said post from said boot retaining member, said screw member being rotatably mounted through the upright member of said base member and the forward wall of said housing, a nut threadably mounted on said screw, compression coil spring means positioned between the forward wall of said housing and said nut on the interior of said housing, said boot retaining member having lever plate means positioned on the interior of said housing and adapted to contact the inner surface of said rear wall of the housing and having a portion passing through the rear wall of the housing and being in position to engage the toe of a boot, said spring means exerting a retaining force on said lever plate means through said housing to retain the boot retaining member in pivoting position on said post, said lever plate means acting between said post and the rear wall of said housing to move said housing against the action of said spring means whenever said boot retaining member moves from a normal centered position in either direction in the first plane, said lever plate means having a second portion adapted to contact a second portion of said rear wall of said housing and to move said housing against the action of said spring means when said lever plate pivots in a second plane of pivoting, and means on said boot retaining member adapted to engage the toe portion of a boot until the boot retaining member has pivoted a preselected amount from its normal position.

Claim 6

A releasable toe binding for retaining a boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened onto the ski, said base member including a first portion extending substantially parallel to the upper surfaces of a ski on which it is mounted and an end upright member integral therewith, a post fixedly attached to said base member adjacent the position of the toe of a boot held by the toe binding, a boot retaining member pivotally engaging said post member for movement in at least two mutually perpendicular pivotal planes, a first plane being parallel to the first portion of the base member, means to retain said boot retaining member in pivoting position on said post comprising a housing having a forward wall, a rear wall and a top wall, a screw member rotatably mounted on said post and extending on an opposite side of said post from said boot retaining member, said screw member being rotatably mounted through the upright member of said base member and the forward wall of said housing, a nut threadably mounted on said screw, compression coil spring means positioned between the forward wall of said housing and said nut on the interior of said housing, said boot retaining member having lever plate means positioned on the interior of said housing and adapted to contact the inner surface of said rear wall of the housing and having a portion passing through the rear wall of the housing and being in position to engage the toe of a boot, said spring means exerting a retaining force on said lever plate means through said housing to retain the boot retaining member in pivoting position on said post, said lever plate means acting between said post and the rear wall of said housing to move said housing against the action of said spring means whenever said boot retaining member moves from a normal centered position in either direction in the first plane, said lever plate means having a second portion adapted to contact a second portion of said rear wall of said housing and to move said housing against the action of said spring means when said lever plate pivots in a second plane of pivoting, and means on said boot retaining member adapted to engage the toe portion of a boot until the boot retaining member has pivoted a preselected amount from its normal position.

Claim 7

The combination as specified in claim 4 wherein said means on said boot retaining member to engage the toe portion of a boot comprises a pin member adapted to fit within a socket on a boot.

Claim 8

The combination as specified in claim 4 and means positioning a first pivot axis and the first portion of said lever means so that upon movement of said boot retaining member in said first plane, the resulting movement of said housing tending to further increase the force from said spring becomes less for each degree of pivoting of the boot retaining member as the boot retaining member moves farther from its normal position.

Claim 9

The combination as specified in claim 4 wherein said effective lever arm acting on said housing when the boot retaining member moves in said first plane is substantially less than the effective lever arm acting on said houSing when the boot retaining member moves in said second plane.

Claim 10

The combination as specified in claim 4 wherein said nut mounted on said screw has a projection thereon, a slot defined in the top wall of said housing, said projection passing through said slot so said nut is retained from rotation by said wall and moves in said slot when said screw is rotated to change the force exerted by said spring.

Claim 11

A release binding for holding a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to the ski, boot engaging means, said boot engaging means being mounted for unpinned pivotal movement on the support member for pivotal movement in at least two directions of pivoting in a first plane from a first normal position, said boot engaging means including lever means, bias means positioned on a side of said support member opposite from the lever means, retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member and coupling said bias means to the lever means to exert a force on the lever means urging the boot engaging means against said support member and urging said boot engaging means toward said first normal position about its pivot whereby pivotal movement of said boot engaging means in said first plane from its first normal position causes said bias means to increase in force tending to return said boot engaging means to its first normal position, said boot engaging means being otherwise unrestrained from pivoting in said first plane.

Claim 12

A release binding for holding a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to the ski, boot engaging means, said boot engaging means being mounted for unpinned pivotal movement on the support member for pivotal movement in at least two directions of pivoting in a first plane from a first normal position, said boot engaging means including lever means, bias means positioned on a side of said support member opposite from the lever means, retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member and coupling said bias means to the lever means to exert a force on the lever means urging the boot engaging means against said support member and urging said boot engaging means toward said first normal position about its pivot whereby pivotal movement of said boot engaging means in said first plane from its first normal position causes said bias means to increase in force tending to return said boot engaging means to its first normal position, said boot engaging means being otherwise unrestrained from pivoting in said first plane.

Claim 13

The release binding of claim 9 wherein said boot engaging means are mounted for pivotal movement on the support member with a pivot member and a receptacle therefor on the boot engaging means and the support member respectively.

Claim 14

In lateral release bindings for releasably retaining a ski boot on a ski and permitting release laterally when said ski boot pivots laterally, the improvement comprising a toe binding having a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to a ski, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one substantially upright axis with respect to said support member, means to normally retain said boot engaging means in a first normal skiing position, said boot engaging means having a first curved boot engaging surface having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of movement of said boot engaging means about said one axis, means defining a second curved surface on a forward surface of said ski boot engaging the the first curved surface and curving in opposite direction, said second curved surface having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of lateral pivoting of the forward portion of said ski boot when said ski boot is laterally moved relative to said ski for release of said toe binding.

Claim 15

In lateral release bindings for releasably retaining a ski boot on a ski and permitting release laterally when said ski boot pivots laterally, the improvement comprising a toe binding having a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to a ski, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one substantially upright axis with respect to said support member, means to normally retain said boot engaging means in a first normal skiing position, said boot engaging means having a first curved boot engaging surface having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of movement of said boot engaging means about said one axis, means defining a second curved surface on a forward surface of said ski boot engaging the the first curved surface and curving in opposite direction, said second curved surface having a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of lateral pivoting of the forward portion of said ski boot when said ski boot is laterally moved relative to said ski for release of said toe binding.

Claim 16

The lateral release binding of claim 11 wherein said first and second curved surfaces are substantially normal to the upper surface of the ski.

Claim 17

The lateral release binding of claim 12 and means positioning said toe binding on said ski with respect to the normal placement of said boot in skiing position so that any force exerted on said boot in direction toward said toe binding is transferred along a line of contact between said second surface and said first surface, said boot engaging means being positioned so that upon lateral movement of said boot and pivotal movement of said boot engaging means the line of contact between said first and second curved surfaces remains substantially along the line of force between the boot and the pivotal mounting of said boot engaging means.

Claim 18

A lateral release binding for holding a ski boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened to a ski; a support member fixedly secured to said base member; boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said boot engaging means including lever means; retainer means comprising a housing overlying said base member, said support mEmber, and a portion of said lever means; said housing having a surface mating with and bearing against said lever means to keep said lever means in a normally centered position; and bias means urging said housing against the lever means to hold said lever means in its normally centered position; and whereby any movement of said lever means about said one axis causes housing to move and said bias means to increase in force and to tend to return said lever means to its centered position through action of said housing against said lever means.

Claim 19

A lateral release binding for holding a ski boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened to a ski; a support member fixedly secured to said base member; boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said boot engaging means including lever means; retainer means comprising a housing overlying said base member, said support mEmber, and a portion of said lever means; said housing having a surface mating with and bearing against said lever means to keep said lever means in a normally centered position; and bias means urging said housing against the lever means to hold said lever means in its normally centered position; and whereby any movement of said lever means about said one axis causes housing to move and said bias means to increase in force and to tend to return said lever means to its centered position through action of said housing against said lever means.

Claim 20

The binding of claim 14 wherein said lever means comprises a plate having portions extending outwardly on opposite sides of a plane bisecting the boot engaging means and having the one pivot axis lying therein, said housing surface bearing on the plate portion and exerting a balanced load on the lever means when the lever means is in its centered position.

Claim 21

The binding of claim 14 wherein said boot engaging means bears against the support member on a first side of said support member and said bias means is on a second side of said support member.

Claim 22

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened to a ski, a support member fixedly secured to said base member, an upright member fixed to said base member and spaced from the support member in direction away from said boot, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said boot engaging means including lever means, retainer means having a first wall portion engaging said lever means and acting against said lever means, and a second wall portion positioned between the upright member and the support member, bias means acting against said second wall portion of said retainer means to urge said lever means toward a normal position through said retainer means, a threadable member rotatably mounted through said upright member and said second wall portion and being rotatably supported by said support member on a side thereof opposite from said lever means, a nut threadably mounted onto said threadable means, said bias means comprising a spring mounted over said threadable means between said second wall portion of said retainer means and said nut, whereby movement of said nut will cause the force exerted by said spring against said second wall portion of said retainer means and thereby against said lever means to change, said bias means increasing in force when said lever means moves about said one axis from its first position.

Claim 23

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a base member adapted to be fastened to a ski, a support member fixedly secured to said base member, an upright member fixed to said base member and spaced from the support member in direction away from said boot, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said boot engaging means including lever means, retainer means having a first wall portion engaging said lever means and acting against said lever means, and a second wall portion positioned between the upright member and the support member, bias means acting against said second wall portion of said retainer means to urge said lever means toward a normal position through said retainer means, a threadable member rotatably mounted through said upright member and said second wall portion and being rotatably supported by said support member on a side thereof opposite from said lever means, a nut threadably mounted onto said threadable means, said bias means comprising a spring mounted over said threadable means between said second wall portion of said retainer means and said nut, whereby movement of said nut will cause the force exerted by said spring against said second wall portion of said retainer means and thereby against said lever means to change, said bias means increasing in force when said lever means moves about said one axis from its first position.

Claim 24

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support to said ski, boot engaging means, pivot means for mounting said boot engaging means with respect to said support member, said pivot means comprising contacting unsecured members which permit pivoting of said boot engaging means about at least two axes with respect to the support member, said boot engaging means including an actuator means, a retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member and acting against said actuator means and including bias means urging said actuator means toward a first normal position, whereby any movement of said boot engaging means about one of said pivot axes causes said bias means to increase in force and tend to return said boot engaging means to its first position through said retainer means.

Claim 25

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support to said ski, boot engaging means, pivot means for mounting said boot engaging means with respect to said support member, said pivot means comprising contacting unsecured members which permit pivoting of said boot engaging means about at least two axes with respect to the support member, said boot engaging means including an actuator means, a retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member and acting against said actuator means and including bias means urging said actuator means toward a first normal position, whereby any movement of said boot engaging means about one of said pivot axes causes said bias means to increase in force and tend to return said boot engaging means to its first position through said retainer means.

Claim 26

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to said ski, boot engaging means, means to mount said boot engaging means for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, said means to mount said boot engaging means comprising a stud member, a receptacle for said stud member defined on said support member to support said stud for unpinned pivotal movement, said boot engaging means including an actuator meaNs thereon, retainer means yieldably mounted with respect to said support members and acting against the actuator means and including bias means urging said boot engaging means toward a first normal position and urging said stud toward said receptacle, whereby any movement of said boot engaging means about said one axis causes said bias means to increase in force and tend to return said boot engaging means to its first position through said retainer means, said boot engaging means being held in its first position only from force from the bias means acting through said retainer means. 20 The release binding of claim 9 wherein said boot engaging means is pivoted to the support member with two pivot pins and mating sockets on the relatively pivoting members, said pins being spaced apart in upward direction form the ski.

Claim 27

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to said ski, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, on a side of said support member toward the boot engaging means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member including lever means, retainer means, bias means acting on said retainer means, said retainer means having a first wall portion engaging said lever means and acting against said lever means to balance the force on the lever means with respect to said one pivot axis and urge the lever means toward a normal position, and a second wall portion positioned on an opposite side of the support member from the boot engaging means and spaced from the support member, and means to mount said bias means in position to act between the support member and said second wall portion to exert a force tending to move the second wall portion away from the support member and thereby urging the first wall portion against said lever means.

Claim 28

A lateral release binding for holding a portion of a ski boot on a ski comprising a support member, means to fixedly secure said support member to said ski, boot engaging means mounted for pivotal movement about at least one axis with respect to said support member, on a side of said support member toward the boot engaging means yieldably mounted with respect to said support member including lever means, retainer means, bias means acting on said retainer means, said retainer means having a first wall portion engaging said lever means and acting against said lever means to balance the force on the lever means with respect to said one pivot axis and urge the lever means toward a normal position, and a second wall portion positioned on an opposite side of the support member from the boot engaging means and spaced from the support member, and means to mount said bias means in position to act between the support member and said second wall portion to exert a force tending to move the second wall portion away from the support member and thereby urging the first wall portion against said lever means.

Claim 29

The release binding of claim 21 wherein said means to support said bias means includes a member mounted on said support means, and an adjustable element on said last mentioned member engaging said bias means to change the force exerted on said second wall portion by said bias means.

Claim 30

The release binding of claim 22 wherein said bias means comprises a compression coil spring.