Machine for testing toe and heel clamps on ski bindings

Claim 2

MACHINE FOR TESTING SKI BINDINGS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FRAME, MEANS FOR CLAMPING A SKI WITH A SKI BOOT IN SAID FRAME, A HEEL CLAMP TESTING DEVICE, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID HEEL CLAMP TESTING DEVICE LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID FRAME, A TOE CLAMP TESTING DEVICE OPERABLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF SAID BOOT, A TOE CLAMP TESTING DEVICE OPERABLE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF SAID BOOT, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID TOE CLAMP TESTING DEVICES LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID FRAME, SAID HEEL AND TOE CLAMP TESTING DEVICES ALL BEING OPERABLE WITH THE SKI CLAMPED IN A SINGLE FIXED POSITION BY SAID CLAMPING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING A DOWNWARD FORCE ON THE TOE OF THE BOOT DURING OPERATION OF SAID TOE CLAMP TESTING DEVICES.

Claim 3

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising an elongated frame, means for clamping a ski with a ski boot in said frame, a heel clamp testing device, means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device longitudinally in said frame, a toe clamp testing device operable on the right side of said boot, a toe clamp testing device operable on the left side of said boot, and means for adjusting said toe clamp testing devices longitudinally in said frame, said heel and toe clamp testing devices all being operable with the ski clamped in a single fixed position by said clamping means, said means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device comprising a first transverse beam slidably supported on ways extending along opposite sides of said frame, and said means for adjusting said right and left toe clamp testing devices comprising a second transverse beam slidably supported on said ways.

Claim 4

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising an elongated frame, means for clamping a ski with a ski boot in said frame, a heel clamp testing device, means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device longitudinally in said frame, a toe clamp testing device operable on the right side of said boot, a toe clamp testing device operable on the left side of said boot, and means for adjusting said toe clamp testing devices longitudinally in said frame, said heel and toe clamp testing devices all being operable with the ski clamped in a single fixed position by said clamping means, said means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device comprising a first transverse beam slidably supported on ways extending along opposite sides of said frame, and said means for adjusting said right and left toe clamp testing devices comprising a second transverse beam slidably supported on said ways.

Claim 5

A machine as defined in claim 2 including an attachment for mounting on said second beam to apply a downward force on the toe of the boot.

Claim 6

A machine as defined in claim 3, said attachment comprising an upper transverse beam, a linkage supporting said upper beam for lengthwise movement on said second beam at constant elevation, a vertical cylinder slidably mounted in said upper beam and having a cylinder head and pressure shoe on its lower end, hydraulic fluid in said cylinder head communicating with a fluid pressure gauge on said upper beam, and a screw in said upper beam bearing against the upper end of a piston in said cylinder to press said pressure shoe against the top of the toe of the boot.

Claim 7

A machine as defined in claim 2 including V-shaped rests for the ski on opposite ends of said frame, pivotal clamp arms movable into engagement with the top of the ski above sAid rests, and hydraulic actuators for said clamp arms.

Claim 8

A machine as defined in claim 2, said heel clamp testing device comprising a heel sling strap, a pair of pivotal arms on said first beam connected with opposite ends of said sling strap, and hydraulic actuators on said first beam for raising said arms.

Claim 9

A machine as defined in claim 2, said toe clamp testing device comprising a pair of slides on opposite ends of said second beam, a rocker frame in each of said slides, thrust arms on said rocker frames arranged to bear against opposite sides of the boot sole selectively, a pair of actuating arms pivotally mounted on opposite ends of said second beam and having swinging ends pivotally connected with said rocker frames, retracting springs connected with said actuating arms to depress said thrust arms and retract said slides toward the ends of said second beam, and hydraulic actuators operable on said actuating arms to raise said thrust arms and move said slides toward the center of said second beam causing said thrust arms to engage said boot sole.

Claim 10

A machine as defined in claim 7 including adjusting means to raise and lower said thrust arms relative to said rocker frames in accordance with the thickness of the ski and the thickness of the boot sole.

Claim 11

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising an elongated frame, means for clamping a ski with a ski boot in said frame, a heel clamp testing device, means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device longitudinally in said frame, a toe clamp testing device operable on the right side of the said boot, a toe clamp testing device operable on the left side of said boot, means for adjusting said toe clamp testing devices longitudinally in said frame, said heel and toe clamp testing devices all being operable with the ski clamped in a single fixed position by said clamping means, hydraulic actuators for said ski clamping means, said heel clamp testing device and said toe clamp testing devices, a hydraulic pressure system for operating said actuators, manual valves in said system for transmitting hydraulic pressure to said actuators, manual valves for relieving hydraulic pressure from said actuators, a hydraulic pressure gauge, hydraulic lines connecting said pressure gauge with said actuators for said heel and toe clamp testing devices, check valves in said lines to hold maximum pressures in said gauge occurring during operation of said heel and toe clamp testing devices, and a manual valve for relieving said pressures in said gauge.

Claim 12

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising an elongated frame, means for clamping a ski with a ski boot in said frame, a heel clamp testing device, means for adjusting said heel clamp testing device longitudinally in said frame, a toe clamp testing device operable on the right side of the said boot, a toe clamp testing device operable on the left side of said boot, means for adjusting said toe clamp testing devices longitudinally in said frame, said heel and toe clamp testing devices all being operable with the ski clamped in a single fixed position by said clamping means, hydraulic actuators for said ski clamping means, said heel clamp testing device and said toe clamp testing devices, a hydraulic pressure system for operating said actuators, manual valves in said system for transmitting hydraulic pressure to said actuators, manual valves for relieving hydraulic pressure from said actuators, a hydraulic pressure gauge, hydraulic lines connecting said pressure gauge with said actuators for said heel and toe clamp testing devices, check valves in said lines to hold maximum pressures in said gauge occurring during operation of said heel and toe clamp testing devices, and a manual valve for relieving said pressures in said gauge.

Claim 13

A machine as defined in claim 9, said hydraulic pressure system including a hydraulic integrated circuit in which said manual valves comprise spring actuated ball valves seated in bores in a block of metal, slidable valve stems arranged to unseat said ball valves, and push buttons arranged to move said valve stems.

Claim 14

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising a frame, a pair of pivotal arms for clamping said ski on said frame at a point in front of said bindings and at a point behind said bindings, a heel clamp testing device comprising a heel sling strap, a pair of pivotal arms on said frame connected with opposite ends of said sling strap to lift said sling strap, a toe clamp testing device comprising right and left side lateral thrust arms, a pivotal arm for actuating each of said thrust arms; a hydraulic actuator for actuating each of said pivotal arms, each of said actuators comprising a shouldered pressure chamber having a cylinder and a piston in said cylinder, said pressure chamber in each actuator bearing against a pair of pins in said frame and the end of said piston in each actuator bearing against a pin in one of said pivotal arms, and retracting springs acting on said pivotal arms to hold said actuators in operative positions bearing against said pins.

Claim 15

A machine for testing ski bindings comprising a frame, a pair of pivotal arms for clamping said ski on said frame at a point in front of said bindings and at a point behind said bindings, a heel clamp testing device comprising a heel sling strap, a pair of pivotal arms on said frame connected with opposite ends of said sling strap to lift said sling strap, a toe clamp testing device comprising right and left side lateral thrust arms, a pivotal arm for actuating each of said thrust arms; a hydraulic actuator for actuating each of said pivotal arms, each of said actuators comprising a shouldered pressure chamber having a cylinder and a piston in said cylinder, said pressure chamber in each actuator bearing against a pair of pins in said frame and the end of said piston in each actuator bearing against a pin in one of said pivotal arms, and retracting springs acting on said pivotal arms to hold said actuators in operative positions bearing against said pins.

Claim 16

A machine as defined in claim 11, said cylinders being in fixed positions with their axes tangent to the arcuate paths of travel of said pins in said pivotal arms at the mid points of said paths of traveL.