Abstract:
A safety ski binding for cross-country and downhill skiing includes a cross-country plate which is divided into two pivotally connected parts. A sole holder for a ski shoe includes a hold-down means and a pin secured thereon, the pin being movably supported in a recess in the front part of the cross-country plate. The hold-down means engages the upper side of the front end of the ski shoe sole. An operating member is operatively coupled to the sole holder and, in response to upward movement of the rear part of cross-country plate and/or downward movement of the tip of the ski shoe sole, effects generally downward movement of the hold-down means so that it remains in engagement with the top of the ski shoe sole. A spring cooperable with the sole holder or the operating member is effective to yieldably urge the hold-down means generally upwardly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a safety ski binding and, more particularly, to a binding for cross-country skiing and downhill skiing which has a cross-country plate which either is divided into two parts connected by means of a joint or is a continuous flexible plate, the front part of the cross-country plate carrying a sole holder which has hold-down means for the sole of a shoe and is supported in a preferably cylindrical recess in the cross-country plate by means of a pin which extends approximately perpendicular to the cross-country plate. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A safety ski binding of the above-mentioned type is, for example, described in Austrian Pat. No. 343 522. The cross-country plate which is divided and jointed in the area of the ball of the foot permits a bending of the shoe sole during walking, but since the front area of the cross-country skiing shoes, in order to facilitate walking is bent slightly upwardly, the hold-down means of the sole holder digs into the uppers of the cross-country skiing shoe, due to the rolling of the ski shoe sole over the joint. Also, the hold-down means looses its lateral grip on the sole of the shoe whereby the shoe can tilt laterally, which on the one hand influences the control of the cross-country skiing shoe over the sole holder and on the other hand produces excessive loads on other binding parts. Safety ski bindings suited for cross-country skiing are also known in which the cross-country plate is a continuous, flexible plate, but these types of construction also have the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     A purpose of the invention is to provide a safety ski binding of the above-mentioned type which does not have these disadvantages and in which, during each phase of the sequence of movement produced by the cross-country skiing, sufficient contact is assured between the sole holder and the ski shoe sole. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This purpose is attained inventively by providing a binding of the above-mentioned type in which the effective vertical position of the sole holder can be regulated by one end of an operating member, the other end of which is either supported or secured in the area of the ball of the foot or is hinged to the joint, whereby during cross-country skiing either the shoe sole or the cross-country plate operatively engages the operating member, preferably at such other end, whereby the sole holder can be moved toward the upper side of the ski. Through the inventive measures, vertical adjustment of the sole holder is automatically effected by the operating member during cross-country skiing. Thus, the sole holder continuously follows movement of the shoe sole, which rolls over the joint, whereby damage to the ski shoe uppers is avoided and the control of the sole holder by the shoe is improved. 
     A change in the effective vertical position of the sole holder can occur inventively in a simple manner by the sole holder being supported movably in a cylindrical recess provided in the cross-country plate and being urged away from the upper side of the ski by a spring which is arranged between the cross-country plate and the down-holding means and urges the sole holder upwardly toward an initial position. 
     The operating member can be constructed inventively as a pedal which is hinged at one end on the joint and the other end of which either engages the pin of the sole holder or controls the sole holder through an interpositioned tilting member. This embodiment permits operation of the pedal directly by the sole of the ski shoe which rolls over the joint, by the degree of movement or tilting of the sole holder being adjustable through the selection of the angle of pitch of the pedal relative to the upper side of the cross-country plate. 
     A further characteristic of the invention relates to the recess of the cross-country plate which receives the pin of the sole holder. More specifically, this recess preferably is widened to define a frustoconical surface at the portion thereof nearest the operating member, and is otherwise designed generally cylindrically. Thus, applying forces to the tilting member with the operating member assures a tilting movement of the sole holder toward the operating member, the operating member being influenced by a spring which is cooperable with the cross-country plate and the operating member for urging the latter toward its nonoperated position. 
     A structurally simple arrangement of the tilting member results, according to a further characteristic of the invention, by same being fixedly connected to the sole holder and having two laterally spaced extensions, the ends of which extensions which face the operating member each having a slotlike hole or the like which receives the end of the operating member which is remote from the joint. In this manner, the existing structural conditions are best utilized. 
     A further characteristic of the invention consists in the operating member being constructed as a rope, a band or the like having one end secured to the rear part of the cross-country plate in the area of the joint, being guided within the front part of the cross-country plate and deflected by a roller, a bolt or the like toward the pin of the sole holder, and having its other end secured to such pin. This embodiment needs no separate structural part which projects from the plane of the cross-country plate. Operation of this embodiment occurs during cross-country skiing by lifting the rear part of the cross-country plate. 
     It is also possible to inventively construct the operating member as an extension arranged on the rear part of the cross-country plate in the area of the joint. This extension, during a swinging up of the rear part of the cross-country plate, moves a slide member which is guided within the front part of the cross-country plate in a plane approximately parallel to the upper side of the plate and has an end remote from the ball joint which is bent at an acute angle with respect to the upper side of the ski and engages the inclined lower edge of a recess in the pin. In this embodiment, the pin of the cross-country plate can be pulled downwardly toward the upper side of the ski by the bent end of the slide member. Also, this embodiment is distinguished by its simple and advantageous construction. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further characteristics, advantages and details of the invention will now be described in greater detail with regard to the drawings, which illustrate several exemplary embodiments. The figures of the drawings illustrate only the details which are important with respect to the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a safety ski binding embodying the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG. 1 showing the binding of FIG. 1 in a different position of operation; 
     FIG. 2a is a sectional top view of a pin which is a component of the binding of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2b is a side view of an alternative embodiment of part of the binding of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of another alternative embodiment of the binding of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a further alternative embodiment of the binding of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of yet another alternative embodiment of the binding of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A safety ski binding which is suitable for cross-country skiing is arranged on a ski 1. This binding has a cross-country plate 2 which consists of a front part 2a and a rear part 2b which in the area of the ball of the foot are pivotally connected by a joint 3. The cross-country plate 2 has at its front end area a sole holder 4 which consists of a sole hold-down means 6 and a pin 5 which is connected fixedly thereto. The pin 5 is received in a substantially cylindrical recess 20 provided in the cross-country plate 2, which recess is widened at the part thereof adjacent the ski shoe 8, the region of the widened portion forming a part of a frustoconical surface. A pin or axle 9 extends through an opening 11 in the pin 5, which opening 11 is arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and the pin 9 is supported on a ski-fixed and not illustrated housing of the jaw which also contains a conventional release mechanism which is not illustrated. The opening 11 is, as is particularly visible from FIG. 2a, widened in an hourglass or double cone shape with an axis lying in a plane parallel to the upper side of the ski 1, the degree of the widening controlling the horizontal swivelling range of the sole holder 4. On one hand, the cross-country plate 2 together with the sole holder 4 is pivotal about the pin 9, and on the other hand the sole holder 4 is pivotal alone, the pivotal range of which relative to the cross-country plate 2 is determined by the degree of widening of the recess 20 in the cross-country plate 2. 
     An operating member which is constructed as a pedal 10 is pivotally supported at the joint 3 which connects the two parts 2a and 2b of the cross-country plate. The end of the operating member 10 which is remote from the joint 3 engages two slotlike recesses 7a provided in a tilting member 7. The tilting member 7 is fixedly connected to a sole holder 4 and has two laterally spaced extensions 7b which project over the cross-country plate 2 toward the operating member 10. Provided in each of the extensions 7b is a respective one of the slotlike recesses 7a, which recesses open toward the operating member 10. As shown in FIG. 2b, it is alternatively possible to provide, in place of the recesses 7a, two bearing holes 7&#39;a engaged by a bolt 10a arranged on the operating member 10. In either case, an elastic element, for example, a spring 12, is provided between the upper side of the cross-country plate 2 and the underside of a stepping area of the operating member 10, which elastic element urges the operating member 10 upwardly toward its nonoperated position. 
     When the cross-country ski shoe 8 is inserted into the binding, the tip of the ski shoe sole 8a is held in position by the sole holder 4. The underside of the slightly upwardly bent front area of the sole 8a of the cross-country shoe 8 rests on the operating member 10. When the rear of the ski shoe and thus the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2 are lifted off the ski during cross-country skiing, the shoe sole 8a rolls forwardly over the joint 3 and presses the operating member 10 downwardly, and the tilting member 7 which is operatively coupled to the operating member 10 causes the sole holder 4 to pivot about the pin 9 toward the shoe sole 8a. The sole holder 4 therefore follows the movement of the shoe sole 8a. Both digging of the hold-down means 6 into the upper part of the shoe 8 and also lateral tilting of the shoe 8 are thus prevented, and a secure holding of the ski shoe 8 during cross-country skiing is assured. 
     In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, the pin 5&#39; which carries the hold-down means 6&#39; is vertically supported in a cylindrical opening 20&#39; provided in the cross-country plate 2. A spring 12&#39; which encircles the pin 5&#39; between the hold-down means 6&#39; and the cross-country plate 2 has one end supported on the cross-country plate 2 and the other end supported on the underside of the hold-down means 6&#39;, and urges the hold-down means 6&#39; upwardly so that it is spaced from the cross-country plate 2 in its normal or downhill skiing position. One end of an operating member 16 which is preferably a band, a rope or the like is secured to the end of the pin 5&#39; which is remote from the sole holder 4&#39;. The operating member 16 extends, starting out from the pin 5&#39; and within a recess provided in the cross-country plate 2, first toward the upper side of the ski 1 and then, after being deflected by a roller 13 supported rotatably in the cross-country plate 2, toward the joint 3 and the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2. The operating member 16 has its second end secured on the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2 in the region of the joint 3. This fastening is done so that a swinging up of the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate effects a partial rolling up of the operating member 16 on the joint 3, through which the pin 5&#39;, and with it the hold-down means 6&#39;, is pulled downwardly against the force of the spring 12&#39; into the opening 20&#39; in the cross-country plate 2. The sole holder 4&#39; thus follows downward movement of the top of the shoe sole 8a as it rolls forwardly on the cross-country plate 2. Therefore, in each phase of the sequence of movement which occurs during cross-country skiing, proper engagement of the hold-down means 6&#39; with the upper side of the shoe sole 8a is assured. 
     Similarly, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the pin 5&#34; which carries the hold-down means 6&#34; is supported for vertical movement against force of the spring 12&#34; in the opening 21&#34; in the cross-country plate 2. The opening 20&#34; is deeper here than in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, and the pin 5&#34; has a greater length. The rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2 which is hinged at the joint 3 carries at its end adjacent the joint 3 an operating member which is an extension 22. The operating member 22, during swinging up of the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2, urges a slide member 15 leftwardly. The slide member 15 is, in the present exemplary embodiment, a plate-shaped structural part which is supported movably in the front part 2a of the cross-country plate approximately parallel with respect to the upper side thereof. The end of the slide member 15 remote from the joint 3 is bent upwardly at an acute angle with respect to the upper side of the ski, projects into a recess 5&#34;a  in the pin 5&#34; and is slidably supported on the inclined, upwardly facing lower surface 5&#34;b of the recess 5&#34;a. When, during cross-country skiing, the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2 is swung upwardly about the joint 3, the operating extension 22 on the rear part 2b of the cross-country plate 2 presses the slide member 15 leftwardly and thus deeper into the recess 5&#34;a in the pin 5&#34;, whereby the bent end area of the slide member cooperates with the inclined surface 5&#34;b and pulls the pin 5&#34; downwardly toward the upper side of the ski against the force of the spring 12&#34;. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment in which the operating member 10 is again constructed as a pedal. As in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the operating member 10&#39; is pivotally supported at the joint 3. The pin 5&#39;&#34; which is connected to the hold-down means 4&#39;&#34; is again movably supported in an opening 20&#39;&#34; in the cross-country plate 2. The sole holder 4&#39;&#34; and the pin 5&#39;&#34; are movable in a vertical direction against the force of a spring 12&#39;&#34; which has its ends supported on the sole holder 4&#39;&#34; and the cross-country plate 2. An operating arm 10&#39;b which is offset from the stepping area 10&#39;a of the operating member 10&#39; extends through an opening in the cross-country plate 2 and has a forklike end which is supported on both sides of the pin 5&#39;&#34; on a pin 5&#39;&#34;b which extends through and is secured in the pin 5&#39;&#34;. As a result, in this exemplary embodiment the sole holder 4&#39;&#34; again follows, during pressing down of the operating member 10&#39;, movement of the sole 8a of the shoe 8. The sole holder 4&#39;&#34; always defines a plane parallel to its initial plane. 
     The invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiments. Further modifications, including the rearrangement of parts, are conceivable without leaving the scope of protection. Thus, for example, the pin which carries the hold-down means can be secured on the cross-country plate and the sole hold-down means can be supported vertically movably on the pin. In this case, it would be conceivable to secure one end of the rope, band or the like to the hold-down means. Also, it is possible to guide, from the sole hold-down means, a pull rod or the like through a recess of the cross-country plate and to move same by means of a pedal or a slide member. When a continuous and flexible cross-country plate is used, it is easily possible to arrange the pedal, which with one end controls the sole holder, so that its other end is supported in or on the cross-country plate in the area of the ball of the foot by means of a joint.