Emergency ski boot removal device

A ski binding adapted to be displaced between a boot retaining and boot releasing position. The binding includes a jaw and two lateral arms pivotally connected at one end to the ski around a first transverse axis and pivotally connected at their other end to the jaw around a second transverse axis passing through a journal. Also provided is an elastic element for biasing the jaw against pivoting around the second transverse axis, and a retractable support. The support supports the jaw, the arms and the journal when the support is in its active position. The support is also retractable to an inactive position in which the jaw, the arms, and the journal are unsupported by the support. When the support is retracted into this inactive position the jaw, the arms, and the journal can be displaced around the first transverse axis to release the boot from the binding without substantial pivoting around the first transverse axis, and therefore without pivoting against the bias of the elastic element. As a result, the boot can be released from the binding without substantial effort when the support is retracted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to safety bindings for ski boots which are 
adapted to retain one of the ends of the boot on a ski. More particularly, 
the present invention relates to the type of binding which allows for the 
voluntary removal of the boot independent of skiing conditions. 
2. Description of Pertinent Information 
All bindings manufactured today currently use mechanisms which 
automatically free the boot from the binding and the ski when forces 
experienced by the skier exceed a certain safety threshold. However, 
during skiing, it is often desirable for the skier to voluntarily remove 
the boot from the binding independent of these above-mentioned safety 
considerations. This voluntary removal of the boot is desirable, for 
example to facilitate travel up the slope on a ski lift, or when the skier 
wishes to stop skiing or has fallen down. Normally, the removing of the 
boot is performed by pushing or pulling on a release lever or on the jaw 
or body of the binding. This operation almost always requires a relatively 
substantial force to be exerted by the skier. Under normal conditions, it 
is fairly easy for the skier to exert this substantial force. However, 
there are certain situations in which it is difficult for the skier to 
exert such a substantial force. These include when the skier is in an 
advanced state of fatigue, when the skier is inexperienced, or is a child, 
or when the skier has fallen in deep or powdered snow which has not 
resulted in the release of the boot from the binding. Under these 
conditions, the skier must be able to remove the boot without exerting 
substantial effort. In addition, it is also necessary for the skier to be 
able to remove the boot from the binding without substantial effort when 
the skier is in a particularly critical or delicate position and/or when 
the skier is wounded or has fractured his leg because under these 
circumstances any movement made by the skier to free himself from the skis 
must be performed without increasing the pain felt and without 
inadvertently exerting a force on the broken leg. 
Thus, there is a need for a binding which permits manual removal of the 
boot from the binding without substantial effort by the skier. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of 
the prior art by providing a binding which permits voluntary removal of 
the boot from the binding without substantial effort by the skier. 
The present overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an 
apparatus and a binding which permits voluntary removal of the boot very 
simply and without requiring a substantial effort by the skier or by 
another, particularly in the case of an emergency and/or when the boot 
will not be attached to the binding immediately or shortly afterwards. 
Further, the present invention can be used with those types of bindings 
comprising a jaw for retaining the boot on the ski, which is pivotally 
mounted around an axis transverse the ski and which is supported by one 
end of two lateral arms. The other end of the lateral arms is journalled 
on the ski around an axis transverse to the ski. Also provided is an 
elastic mechanism for normally biasing the jaw into a boot retention 
position. Bindings which have such an elastic mechanism, two lateral arms, 
and a jaw are described in French Patent Nos. 1,363,895; 2,258,876; 
2,263,796; and Certificate of Utility No. 2,248,680, the disclosures of 
which are hereby incorporated by reference thereto. 
According to one embodiment of the present invention, means are provided to 
limit the pivoting of the jaw and the lateral arms toward the ski when the 
binding is in its boot retention position. Furthermore, this means can be 
retracted by the voluntary intervention of the skier to render this means 
or retention apparatus inactive or overridden so that the boot can be 
freed from the binding without substantial effort by the skier. 
In this embodiment, the invention comprises a safety binding for retaining 
a boot on a ski. The binding comprises a jaw for retaining the boot and a 
support means for limiting the displacement of the jaw toward the ski. The 
support means is at least partially retractable. 
In addition, the jaw is pivotally mounted on the ski around an axis 
transverse to the ski, and the support means limits the pivoting of the 
jaw toward the ski. 
The binding further comprises two lateral arms each having first and second 
ends. The first end of the lateral arms are pivotally attached to the ski 
around an axis transverse to the ski and the second ends of the lateral 
arms are attached to the jaw. Also provided is a base element positioned 
under the sole of the boot on the ski. The first ends of the two lateral 
arms can be pivotally attached to this base element. 
The jaw can be pivotally attached to the second ends of the lateral arms, 
and the binding can further comprise means for elastically biasing the jaw 
into a position in which the jaw retains the boot on the ski, and means 
for pivotally attaching the jaw to the second end of the lateral arms. The 
attaching means, the jaw, and the lateral arms together comprise an 
assembly. In this embodiment, the support means comprises means for 
normally limiting the pivoting of the assembly towards the ski. 
Further, the support means can comprise a support element displaceable with 
respect to the ski between an active, support position in which the 
support element supports the assembly and prevents the assembly from 
pivoting toward the ski, and an inactive retracted position in which the 
assembly is unsupported by the support element thereby permitting the 
assembly to pivot toward the ski. As a result, the support comprises means 
for withdrawing support for the assembly when the support is displaced 
into its inactive retracted position. When the support is in its inactive 
position the skier can easily pivot the assembly toward the ski without 
substantial effort by pushing the jaw downwardly. This permits the skier 
to disengage the jaw from the shoe without overcoming the bias of the 
biasing means to any substantial degree because the assembly is primarily 
pivoted around the journal axis around which the first ends of the lateral 
arms pivot. 
The support element can comprise an upper surface, and the support means 
can further comprise at least one rod integral with the lateral arms so 
that one end of the rod contacts the upper surface of the support element. 
One end of the at least one rod can comprise a roller which contacts the 
upper surface of the support element. Furthermore, the at least one rod 
can extend downwardly from the lateral arms to the support element. 
The support element can further comprise a ramp positioned at the forward 
end of the support element for facilitating the displacement of the roller 
in the direction of the ski when the support element is displaced into its 
inactive position. 
In addition, the jaw is adapted to be positioned in a retention position in 
which the jaw holds the boot on the ski, and in a non-retention position 
in which the jaw releases the boot from the ski and in which the jaw 
permits the boot to be attached to the binding. In this embodiment, the 
binding further comprises a body comprising the jaw and a tongue. The 
tongue extends forwardly and generally horizontally when the jaw is in its 
non-retention position so as to comprise means for pivoting the jaw from 
the non-retention position to the retention position in response to 
downward movement of the boot on the tongue. 
Furthermore, the assembly is adapted to pivot downwardly toward the ski 
around the transverse axis around which the first ends of the lateral arms 
are pivotally attached to the ski in response to retraction of the support 
member into its inactive retracted position. 
The binding can further comprise an abutment for limiting the displacement 
of the support element beyond the inactive position. Also, the support 
element can be slidably attached to the ski so as to slide in the 
direction of the longitudinal axis of the ski. In this embodiment, the 
support element has an opening therein, and the binding further comprises 
means for positioning the support element on the ski at the active and 
inactive positions. This positioning means comprises a base plate attached 
to the ski, and a ball spring positioned in the opening in the support. 
The support element is positioned on top of the base plate to slide 
thereon, and the base plate comprises a top surface having two spaced 
apart recesses therein. The position of each recess corresponds to a 
different one of the active and inactive positions of the support element. 
Furthermore, the bottom end of the ball spring is adapted to engage the 
recesses in the base plate. 
The binding can further comprise means for elastically biasing the support 
element against displacement between the active and inactive positions. 
In an alternative embodiment, the support element can comprise at least one 
rod pivotally attached to the lateral arms around an axis transverse to 
the ski and movable with respect to the ski. One end of the rod is adapted 
to normally contact one of the following: the upper surface of the ski and 
the upper surface of an element integral with the ski. In this embodiment, 
the at least one rod is adapted to be displaced with respect to the ski 
between an active support position in which the at least one rod supports 
the assembly by the contact between one end of the rod and one of the 
upper surface of the ski and the upper surface of an element integral with 
the ski so as to prevent the assembly from pivoting toward the ski, and an 
inactive retracted position in which the assembly is unsupported by the at 
least one rod so as to permit the assembly to pivot toward the ski. In the 
inactive position the at least one rod is positioned out of contact with 
one of the upper surface of the ski and the upper surface of an element 
integral with the ski. 
The at least one rod can further comprise a roller positioned at one end of 
the rod for contacting one of the upper surface of the ski and the upper 
surface of the element integral with the ski. Also, the lateral arms can 
comprise a first abutment integral therewith, and in this embodiment the 
at least one rod can comprise a second abutment. The first and second 
abutments are adapted to contact each other during pivoting of the at 
least one rod with respect to the lateral arms to the active, support 
position, so as to comprise means for defining the active, support 
position of the at least one rod. Further, in this embodiment the binding 
can further comprise means for biasing the at least one rod into the 
active, support position. Also, the binding can further comprise means for 
being manually gripped by the skier. The gripping means is attached to the 
at least one rod to facilitate displacement of the at least one rod into 
the inactive, retracted position. 
In still another embodiment, the support element is displaceable with 
respect to the ski and comprises a tongue extending transversely with 
respect to the ski. The tongue is journalled on one of the ski and an 
element integral with the ski around a substantially vertical axis. In the 
active, support position the tongue is positioned under the lateral arms 
to support the lateral arms against pivoting in the direction of the ski. 
Further, in order to be displaced from the active to the inactive 
position, the tongue is rotated in a rearward direction around the 
substantially vertical axis. 
In still another embodiment the invention relates to a device for assisting 
a skier to manually remove a boot from a ski binding. The binding 
comprises an assembly comprising a jaw, two lateral arms, and a journal. A 
first ends of the two lateral arms are pivotally attached to the ski 
around a first transverse axis. The journal pivotally attaches a second 
end of the two lateral arms to the jaw around a second transverse axis. 
The jaw is biased against pivoting around the journal. The assembly is 
adapted to be displaced around the second transverse axis between a 
retention position, in which the jaw is retained on the ski during skiing, 
and an emergency release position in which the boot can be disengaged from 
the ski without substantial effort by the skier. The retention position is 
higher than the emergency release position. The device to be used with 
such a binding comprises a support adapted to be displaced from an active 
support position to an inactive retracted position. In the active support 
position the support supports the assembly in its retention position and 
prevents the assembly from being displaced into its emergency release 
position. In its inactive retracted position the assembly is unsupported 
by the support, thereby permitting the assembly to be displaced into its 
emergency release position. In another embodiment the invention comprises 
this device in combination with the above discussed binding. 
In the retention position of the assembly the jaw is adapted to pivot 
against the bias of an elastic means between a first position and a second 
position. In the first position the jaw holds a portion of the boot. In 
the second position the jaw is out of contact with the boot. The support 
comprises means for permitting the jaw to be displaced between its first 
and second positions when the support is in its active support position. 
The support can comprise a support element slidably attached to the ski and 
adapted to be slidingly displaced between an active support position in 
which the support supports the binding, and an inactive, retracted 
position. Also, the device can further comprise an abutment for limiting 
the displacement of the support element in the inactive position. 
The support can also comprise a rod having a first end attached to the 
binding, and a second end comprising a roller sliding on the upper surface 
of the support element. This device can have all of the characteristics 
described above in the other embodiments. Further, the invention relates 
to such a device in combination with the binding described above in the 
other embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1-10 schematically illustrate the safety binding of the present 
invention which holds one end of a ski boot. More particularly, the 
present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-10 illustrate a safety ski 
binding which is adapted to hold the heel of a ski boot. This binding has 
the general structural and functional characteristics of the bindings 
described in the patents incorporated by reference above to which 
reference may be made if necessary. Only the elements important for 
understanding the present invention will be described below in detail. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the present invention comprises a heel binding 
2 which is rotatable around a journal 3 transverse to the longitudinal 
axis of a ski 1. Heel binding 2 is adapted to attach the rear of heel 4 of 
the boot to the ski via jaw 10. Binding 2 is attached to ski 1 by two 
lateral arms or lateral boot straps 5 positioned on either lateral side of 
the boot and extending from each end of the boot. These arms 5 are 
pivotally mounted at their forward end to a base element 7 which is 
positioned under the sole of the boot and on top of ski 1. Lateral arms 5 
are adapted to pivot at their forward end around an axis 6 transverse to 
the longitudinal axis of ski 1 and parallel to the plane of the upper 
surface of ski 1. 
Heel binding 2 comprises a hollow body 8 within which, in a known manner, 
an elastic element or biasing means is positioned, as illustrated in FIG. 
3. This elastic element can be for example, a coil-type spring one end of 
which rests on small collar 14. Collar 14 is adapted to be screwed into 
one end of body 8 and adjusts the bias of the spring on the binding. The 
other end of the spring rests upon journal 3 or on an element cooperating 
with journal 3. In order to adjust the predetermined bias of the spring on 
the binding one selects the predetermined amount of bias desired by 
rotating collar 14 a predetermined amount into body 8. 
The elastic element in body 8 biases body 8 against pivoting around journal 
3. It is the force generated by the elastic element that provides the 
retention force holding the boot on the binding during skiing because a 
portion of body 8 holds the boot. As a result, the bias against pivoting 
body 8 around journal 3 is substantial and requires substantial effort by 
the skier to pivot body 8 around journal 3 to release the boot from the 
ski. This operation is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, and 5-7 and will be 
discussed in more detail below. Each of the positions illustrated in FIGS. 
1-3 and 5-7 are called a boot retention position of the binding. 
In an emergency it may be desirable for the skier to remove the boot from 
the ski without substantial effort. The present invention accomplishes 
this objective by permitting body 8 to pivot not around journal 3, but 
around axis 6 so that the portion of body 8 holding the boot is displaced 
downwardly toward said ski and longitudinally away from said boot and away 
from an associated toe binding to a point at which the boot can be freed 
from the binding with substantially little or no effort, as is illustrated 
in FIG. 4. Because the elastic element does not bias body 8 against 
pivoting around axis 6, this can be accomplished with substantially little 
or no effort by the skier, as will be described in more detail below. The 
position of the binding illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8 is called the 
emergency release position. 
Journal 3 pivotally attaches body 8 with the rear end of lateral arms 5. In 
addition, the bottom of body 8 comprises a portion forming a retention jaw 
10 which is adapted to be supported on the edges of boot 4 by a projection 
11. Jaw 10, journal 3, and lateral arms 5 form an assembly which together 
are adapted to be supported by the retractable support and are adapted to 
be positioned in the first and second boot retention positions mentioned 
above. 
In addition, body 8 further comprises a tongue 9 which extends from the 
side of body 8 opposite from projection 1. Tongue 9 extends substantially 
horizontally and is the forwardmost portion of body 8 when in the boot 
attaching and boot releasing position as illustrated in FIG. 1. As a 
result, in order to attach the boot to the binding of the present 
invention, the heel of the boot presses downwardly upon forwardly 
extending tongue 9 as illustrated in FIG. 1, thereby pivoting body 8 in 
the counterclockwise direction from its boot releasing and boot attaching 
position illustrated in FIG. 1 to the boot retaining position illustrated 
in FIG. 2. 
The operation of heel binding 2 is known to those skilled in the art. 
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. In this 
embodiment the present invention comprises a support for supporting 
binding 2. More particularly the support supports journal 3, arms 5, and 
jaw 10 in a boot retention position. In this position a rod 12, which 
extends downwardly from journal 3, is supported by a retractable support 
15 which is in its active position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. When the 
support is retracted so that it no longer supports jaw 10, lateral arms 5, 
and axis 3, the assembly of these elements can be easily displaced 
downwardly toward the ski into an emergency release position around axis 6 
as is illustrated in FIG. 4. During this procedure the assembly primarily 
pivots around axis 6 and pivots only slightly around journal 3 so that 
substantially little or no effort is required by the skier. Further, in 
being displaced from the boot retention position in FIG. 2 to the 
emergency release position in FIG. 4, jaw 10 is displaced from a position 
in which it extends over a substantial length of the sole of the boot in 
FIG. 1 to a position in which jaw 10 is almost tangential to the vertical 
edge of the sole of the boot, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In this position, 
the boot can be freed from the binding with substantially little or no 
effort by the skier. As a result, the present invention makes it possible 
for binding 2 to be easily displaced from its boot retention position to 
its emergency boot releasing position without substantial effort by the 
skier and for the boot to be released from the binding without substantial 
effort by the skier once binding 2 is in its emergency release position. 
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 this support comprises a rod 12 
and sliding support element 15. Rod 12 is integral with lateral arms 5, 
and rod 12 extends downwardly from arms 5 and journal 3. The bottommost 
end of rod 12 comprises a roller 13 which rests on the upper surface of 
support element 15. Support element 15 is slidably attached to ski 1 so 
that support element 15 slides between an active, support position 
illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and an inactive, retracted position in 
FIG. 4. In the active, support position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, support 
15 and rod 12 elevate and support body 8 and the assembly of journal 3, 
arms 5, and jaw 10 into a first position in which these elements compress 
the spring and are thus biased by a substantial predetermined amount of 
force against displacement out of the boot retention position illustrated 
in FIG. 2. 
The operation of placing the boot in the binding as illustrated in FIG. 1 
occurs in the usual manner. More specifically, the boot is placed in the 
binding and attached to the ski by displacing the boot in the downward 
direction along the direction of arrow F.sub.1 so that the heel of the 
boot rests upon tongue 9. The heel of the boot is then pushed downwardly 
so as to pivot tongue 9 and body 8 in the counterclockwise direction along 
the direction of arrow F.sub.2 so that binding 2 and body 8 then pivot 
into a latched, boot retention position in which the boot is held on ski 1 
by binding 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2. 
The normal operation of manually releasing the boot from the ski is 
illustrated in FIG. 3. This occurs in the normal manner by manually 
pressing body 8 in the direction of arrow F.sub.3 which compresses the 
elastic apparatus or spring positioned within body 8 and frees heel 4 of 
the boot which can then be lifted upwardly in the direction of arrow 
F.sub.4. During this process, rod 12 and roller 13 are maintained in 
positive contact with the upper surface of support element 15. This 
operation requires a substantial effort by the skier. 
In the event of an emergency in which the removal of the boot from the 
binding must be accomplished without substantial effort by the skier, 
support element 15 can be retracted without substantial effort by the 
voluntary action the skier to its inactive, retracted position illustrated 
in FIG. 4. As a result of retracting support element 15 into its inactive, 
retracted position, roller 13 will no longer be supported by element 15, 
as illustrated in FIG. 4. 
Support element 15 is preferably slidably mounted on a base plate 16 which 
is attached to ski 1 for example by screws. Furthermore, support element 
15 is provided with an apparatus for assuring that element 15 can be 
easily displaced and maintained in its active, support position and in its 
inactive, retracted position. This positioning apparatus comprises a ball 
spring apparatus comprising a ball 17, a spring 18, and spherical recesses 
19. This apparatus is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2a and 2. Ball 17 and 
spring 18 are positioned in a vertical opening in support element 15. 
Spring 18 biases ball 17 downwardly into contact with one of two spherical 
recesses 19 positioned on the upper surface of base element 16. One of 
these spherical recesses 19 is positioned at the active, support position 
of support element 15, and the other of these spherical recesses 19 is 
positioned at the inactive, retracted position of support element 15. The 
bias of spring 18 holds support element 15 in the active and inactive 
positions in recesses 19 but permits support element 15 to be easily moved 
with substantially little effort by the skier between the active and 
inactive positions. 
In addition, an abutment 20 is preferably provided to limit the 
displacement of support element 15 rearwardly beyond its inactive, 
retracted position so as to avoid the displacement of support element 15 
off of the ski, thereby preventing its loss in the snow. Support element 
15 can also be provided with a ramp 21 at the forward end of support 
element 15 to facilitate displacement of roller 13 downwardly in the 
direction of the ski when support element 15 is retracted from its active 
position into its inactive position. 
As illustrated in FIG. 4, when support element 15 is retracted to its 
retracted position, binding 2 can easily be displaced downwardly and 
rearwardly and in the direction of arrow F from its boot retention 
position to its emergency release position without substantial pivoting 
around journal 3 and without substantial effort by the skier because the 
jaw is no longer supported by support 15 and because the bias of the 
elastic element need not be overcome to any substantially degree. From 
this position jaw 10 can easily free the sole of the boot without 
substantial pivoting around journal 3 and, therefore without overcoming 
the bias of the elastic element to any substantial degree. 
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which support element 15 is 
again slidingly mounted on the ski. However, in this embodiment support 
element 15 is slidingly mounted on ski 1 against the bias of a spring 22 
of low rigidity. Spring 22, however, is of sufficient rigidity to normally 
assure the retention of support element 15 in its active, support position 
so that support element 15 supports the binding. Spring 22 is of 
sufficiently low rigidity that it takes substantially little effort on the 
part of the skier to displace support element 15 from its active to its 
inactive position. 
It should be noted that in the embodiments described above, support element 
15 is slidingly mounted with respect to ski . However, it is within the 
scope of the present invention to pivotally mount support element 15 on 
ski 1. 
FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention in which 
the support means comprises rod 12 alone. As a result, support element 15 
is not needed in this embodiment. Further, in the embodiment illustrated 
in FIGS. 5-8, rod 12 is no longer integral with lateral arms 5, but is 
rotatably mounted with respect to arms 5 and with respect to jaw 10 on 
journal 3. In addition, rod 12 carries, in its bottommost end a roller 13 
which rests directly on the upper surface of ski 1. 
FIGS. 6 and 6a illustrate, respectively, a side view and a partial 
cross-sectional top view of the manner in which rod 12 is mounted on 
lateral arms 5, journal 3, and jaw assembly 10. As illustrated in FIG. 6a, 
rod 12 comprises an abutment 23 which is adapted to cooperate with 
abutment 24 integral with arms 5. Abutments 23 and 24 limit the clockwise 
rotation of rod 12. When abutments 23 and 24 contact each other, rod 12 is 
in its active, support position, so that these two abutments define the 
active, support position of rod 12. In addition, a spring apparatus 25 is 
also provided to pull rod 12 rearwardly into this active support position. 
In normal use, the apparatus of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 
5-8 operates as in the preceeding embodiments. FIG. 5 shows the binding in 
its boot retention position, and FIG. 7, which corresponds to FIG. 3 in 
the previous embodiment, illustrates the normal manual removal of the boot 
in which support 12 is in its active, support position. 
In an emergency, when it is necessary to remove the boot from the binding 
without substantial effort by the skier, rod 12 is retracted by pivoting 
rod 12 into its inactive retracted position above and out of contact with 
ski 1 as illustrated in FIG. 8, thereby permitting the pivoting of the 
assembly into its emergency release position without substantial effort by 
the skier. Rod 12 can be pivoted into its retracted position illustrated 
in FIG. 8 against the weak retention force exerted by spring 25 so that 
this retraction of rod 12 requires substantially little or no effort by 
the skier. This retraction of rod 12 into its retracted position is 
facilitated by providing rod 12 with a gripping apparatus 26 which can be, 
for example, a buckle or strap which is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 8 
and which extends rearwardly from rod 12. 
FIGS. 10, 10a, and 10b illustrate another embodiment of the present 
invention. In this embodiment lateral arms 5 are preferably angled for 
constructional and functional reasons. Lateral arms 5 are biased 
downwardly by their own weight. However, lateral arms 5 are prevented from 
being pivoted downwardly by their own weight by a support element 27. 
Support element 27 is in the form of a tongue extending in a direction 
transverse to the ski. Tongue 27 is pivotally attached to ski 1 around a 
substantially vertical axis 28 passing through base element 7. Support 
element 27 is pivotally mounted around this substantially vertical axis on 
base element 7. In addition, lateral arms 5 are also journalled on base 
element 7, but around an axis transverse to ski 1. 
In the active, support position, support element 27 is positioned under and 
supports lateral arms 5 and prevents lateral arms 5 from pivoting 
downwardly in the direction of ski 1 under their own weight. In the case 
of an emergency, the skier pulls the end of support 27, which is 
preferably bent, in the direction of arrow F.sub.5 in FIG. 10b, thereby 
rotating tongue 27 around axis 28 so as to retract tongue 27 into its 
inactive, retracted position thereby removing the support from lateral 
arms 5. As a result, lateral arms 5 will pivot downwardly towards the ski. 
As a result, binding 2 can be easily pivoted without substantial effort 
from its boot retention position to a boot releasing position. 
Furthermore, this pivoting of support element 27 requires a little or no 
substantial effort by the skier. 
Although the invention has been described with respect to particular means, 
methods and embodiments, it should be understood that the present 
invention is not limited to the particulars disclosed but extends to all 
equivalents within the scope of the claims.