METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THEFT OF SKIS

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preventing theft of skis. The device comprises a locking means (1), which by means of a key (2) is maneuvrable between a locking and a non-locking position, first portions (4a, 4b) of a locking device, which are connected with the skis (3a, 3b) and have an opening (50, 50') for the locking means and a second portion (5) of the locking device, which is rigidly arranged in a frame (100) or the like and which has a recess (14) for the locking means (1) and a recess (17) for taking up a part of the first portions (4a, 4b) of the locking device. The first portion (4a, 4b) of the locking device comprises two plates (40, 41; 40', 41'), which are turnably connected to each other, the one plate (40; 40') being fixed to the top side of the ski (3a, 3b) between a front (30) and a back (31) portion of the binding, and the second plate (41; 41') being turnably arranged in relation to the ski and being provided with the mentioned opening (50; 50') for the locking means (1). The skis are fixed in the frame (100) by the fact that the locking means (1) is locked to the second portion (5) of the locking device so that the openings (50, 50') of the turnable plates (41, 41') of the first portions (4a, 4b) of the locking device are pierced by the locking means (1). Strips (9) and pins (12) of the second portion (5) of the locking device contribute to the fixation of the skis (3a, 3b).

Description: Method and device for preventing theft of skis The present invention intends to a method and a device for preventing theft of skis. Skiing equipments have in course of time become very expensive to acquire, which has resulted in that they have become property that is especially liable to be stolen. This has the consequence that a person hardly will leave his slalom skis, expensively purchased, unguarded in connection to a skiing plant, since there is a risk that the skis are not there when the person for instance after a break in the skiing shall use the skis again. Thus, there is an expressed need to be able to keep the skis in a secure way in for instance skiing plants. The purpose with the present invention is to bring about a method and a locking device offering an extra ordinarily attractive solution of the above mentioned problem, and this purpose is achieved by the fact that the method and the device have the characterizing features mentioned in the claims. Among the advantages of the invention can be mentioned that a first portion of the locking device is mounted on top of the skis and is accordingly always at hand and that a second portion of the locking device is mounted at a frame, a building or the like, and that the only loose part that the ski owner needs to carry in order to be able to lock the skis in an optional locking frame is a personal little locking cylinder with a key belonging to it. Locking frames according to the invention can be simply arranged in each skiing plant and the persons being responsible for the operation of the skiing plant need not give these locking frames any special attention since the ski owners have in their possession the supplementary components, which are necessary for the utilization of the mentioned locking frame. Since the locking cylinder is personal, no keys need to circulate between different persons. The risk of unauthorized copying of keys is therewith eliminated. The portion of the locking device which is mounted on top of the skis does not influence the qualities of the skis. Embodiments of the invention will in the following be more closely described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig 1 in a view from the front shows a frame carrying a number of locking devices according to the invention; Fig 2 shows a portion of Fig 1, a single locking device, in a larger scale; Fig 3 shows a section along the line III-III of Fig 2, only the skis and the first portion of the locking device being shown; Fig 4 shows in a perspect¬ ive view a part of the second portion of the locking device, carried by the frame; Fig 5 shows the locking device in a section along the line V-V of Fig 2; and Fig 6 shows in a view from above a part of two skis having the first portion of the locking device. A locking device according to the invention comprises a locking means 1 in the form of a locking cylinder, which by means of a temporarily applied key 2 is maneuvrable between a locking and a non-locking position. The locking device further comprises first portions 4a,4b of the locking device connected with the skis 3a,3b of a ski couple, the portion 4a of the locking device being connected with the ski 3a and the portion 4b of the locking device being connected with the ski 3b. The locking device also comprises one or several second portions 5 of the locking device mounted in a frame 100. In the frame 100 is mounted an outer profile 6 of for instance extruded aluminium. The outer profile 6 has two longitudinal grooves 7, the purpose which is to fixate the portions 5 of the locking device and a number of plate-formed elements 8 arranged between the portions 5. The profile 6 further carries two longitu¬ dinal protection strips 9, which are suitably made of a plastic material. The protection strips 9 come into contact with the underside of the skis and protect the same from damages. The portions 5 of the locking device comprise an inner profile 10, for instance of extruded aluminium, the profile 10 having two legs 11, the free ends of which fixatingly engage the grooves 7 of the outer profile 6. The portion 5 of the locking device further comprises two pins 12, the end portions of which project a certain distance outside the end portions 10 of the profile. The projecting portion of the pins 12 is surrounded by a protection sleeve 13 of for instance a plastic material, which protection sleeves come into contact with the upper sides of the skis. The second portion 5 of the locking device and then more definitely the profile 10 has a recess 14 for the locking cylinder 1 and a recess 15 for taking up the locking element 16 of the locking cylinder 1. Of course, the recess 14 is so designed that the locking cylinder 1 can be applied in only one single way and is accordingly secured against turning in relation to the profile 10. The profile 10 also has a recess 17 for taking up parts of the first portions 4a and 4b of the locking device, which are mounted on the skis. The profile 10 on a limited part of its end planes also carries a protection strip (not shown) on the places where it comes into contact with the edge portion of the skis. On the skis 3a and the 3b is as has been mentioned previously a first portion 4a and 4b, respectively, of the locking device mounted. From Fig 6 appears that the mentioned first portions 4a,4b of the locking device are mounted on top of the skis 3a and 3b, respectively, in an area between a front portion 30 and a back portion 31 of the ski binding, that is in an area where they get under the soles of the ski boots. In Fig 6 is shown the position of the portions 4a and 4b of the locking device in connection with the use of the skis, and in Figs 2 and 3 is shown the position of the portions of the locking device in connection with the locking of the skis. The portions 4a and 4b of the locking device are mainly mirror images of each other, and therefore only the portion 4a of the locking device is described in detail here. The portion 4a of the locking device comprises a fastening plate 40, which is applied on to the ski 3a, for instance by screws, and a turning plate 41, which is turnable between the end positions shown on one hand in Fig 6 and on the other hand in Figs 2 and 3. Thus, the turning plate 41 is via a bearing turnably connected with the fastening plate 40. The bearing has a pin 42 with a collar 43, the pin 42 having an annular groove, which takes up a locking washer 44. The fastening plate 40 has a recess, which makes it possible for the locking washer 44 to be applied after that the fastening plate 40 is mounted on to the ski, but the locking washer 44 cannot be demounted when the turning plates 41 are in swung out position (according to Fig 3). A resilient element 45 mounted on to the ski prevents an unintentional swinging out of the turnable plate 41 since it rests against the. side surface of the mentioned plate and only yields away when the plate 41 is turned by hand power from a resting position to an active position. The contact between a surface 46 of the plate 41 and a surface 47 of the plate 40 prevents the turning of the plate 41 to a not intended direction. The plate 40 has a shoulder 46 which, when the plate 41 is swung out, gets into a recess 49 of the plate 41 and therewith serves to limit the outswinging movement of the plate 41. The turning plate 41 has a recess 50 in the form of a hole at its free end and the plate 41 in the mentioned free end is so designed that it overlapp¬ ing fits together with a corresponding part of the turning plate 41' that is arranged on the ski 3b. As appears from Fig 3 the turning plate 41 has a shoulder 51, which is intended to be in contact with an end surface 52' of the turning plate 41' of the ski 3b. The facts just mentioned secure that the opening 50 of the turning plate 41 comes into correspondence with the opening 50' of the turning plate 41' when the free ends of the turning plates 41 and 41' are introduced into the recess 17 of the second portion 5 of the locking device. The locking device according to the invention is used and functions according to the following. In connection with skiing the portions 4a and 4b of the locking device, which are positioned on the skis are in an inactive resting position shown in Fig 6. When the person wants to make a break in the skiing activity and lock the skis in the frame 100, the turning plates 41 and 41' are swung out so that they partially project outside the skis as is shown in Fig 3. Thereafter the turning plates 41 and 41' are introduced from different directions into the recess 17 of the second portion 5 of the locking device until the turning plates come into contact with each other, as is shown in Fig 3, which secures that the recesses 50 and 50' coincide with the recess 14 of the second portion 5 of the locking device. Therewith the skis 3a and 3b take place between the pins 12 and the strips 9. The next step is to put in the locking cylinder 1 brought along into the opening 14 and the openings 50 and 50' , whereafter the key 2 is turned so that the locking element 16 projects out of the locking cylinder 1 and takes place in the recess 15 of the portion 5 of the locking device, which results in that the locking cylinder 1 is fixed to the portion 5 of the locking device. Thereafter the key 2 is removed from the locking cylinder 1. The fixation of the locking cylinder 1 to the portion 5 of the locking device has the consequence that the skis 3a and 3b become locked in relation to the frame 100 and accordingly the skis can not be removed by an unauthorized person. When the person again wants to use his skis, the key 2 is inserted into the locking cylinder 1, whereafter, by turning the key the locking element 16 is moved into the locking cylinder 1 having the consequence that the locking cylinder 1 can be removed from the second portion 5 of the locking device and that the turning plates 41 and 41' and by that the skis 3a and 3b can be removed from the portion 5 of the locking device. Then the plates 41 and 41' are turned back to an inactive position shown in Fig 6, whereafter the skis again can be used for skiing activities. It should be realized that the outer profile 6 is of course anchored to the frame 100 or another building part in such a way that it cannot be removed unautho- rizedly. The profile 6 has a lid in each end, which is also anchored in such a way that it cannot be removed unauthorizedly and mentioned lid also prevents that the portions 5 of the locking device can be removed from the frame 100. Of course, also the pins 12 are so anchored in relation to the inner profile 10 that they cannot be removed unauthorizedly. Of course the material choice of the included components is such that the locking of the skis in relation to the frame 100 becomes reliable and cannot be broken without so large travails that no one takes that trouble. The plates 40,41 and 40',41', respective¬ ly, are manufactured for instance of aluminium. It shall be realized that a second portion 5 of the locking device described according to the above mentioned can be an integral part of a roof rack of a passenger car, which also makes it possible to lock the skis to a roof rack so designed. The invention is not limted to what has been shown and described but changes and modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: Claims 1. Method of preventing theft of skis, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device, which are mounted on the skis (3a,3b) and a second portion (5) of the locking device, which is rigidly arranged in a frame (100) or the like are used, and that the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device and the second portion (5) of the locking device are connected by means of a separate locking means (1) during the time period when theft of the skis shall be prevented. 2. Method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z d in that a part (41, 1' ) of the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device is turned from a resting position to a using position before the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device are connected with the second portion (5) of the locking device by means of the locking means (1). 3. A device for preventing theft of skis, c h a¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a locking means (1), which is maneuvrable between a locking and a non-locking position, first portions (4a,4b) of a locking device, which are connected with the skis and have a recess or an opening (50,50') for the locking means (1) and a second portion (5) of the locking device, which is rigidly arranged in a frame (100) or the like and which has a recess (14) for the locking means (1) and a recess (17) for taking up a part of the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device. 4. A device according to claim 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the locking means (1) comprises a maneuvrable locking element (16), which makes possible for the locking means in its locking position to be locked to the second portion (5) of the locking device. 5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the first portion (4a;4b) of the locking device comprises two plates (40,41;40', 41'), which are turnably connected to each other, the one plate (40;40') being fixed to the top side of the ski (3a;3b) and the second plate (41;41') being turnably arranged in relation to the ski and being provided with the mentioned recess or opening (50;50') for the locking means (1) . 6. A device according to claim 4 or 5, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the second portion (5) of the locking device has a recess (15) for the maneuvr¬ able locking element (16). 7. A device according to claim 5 or 6, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the second plate (41;41 ' ) of the first portion (4a;4b) of the locking device is turnable to an active position, in which a portion of the second plate (41; 1') projects outside the side edge of the ski (3a;3b). 8. A device according to claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the projecting parts of the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device overlap each other when they are inserted into the actual recess (17) of the second portion (5) of the locking device, and that the recesses or openings (50,50') of the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device therewith coincide with each other. 9. A device according to anyone of the claims 3-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second portion (5) of the locking device has strips (9) and pins ( 12) , which are parallel with the strips, which strips and pins form a space, which contributes to fix the locked skis (3a,3b). 10. A device according to anyone of the claims 3- 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device are connected with the skis (3a,3b) within an area of the skis so that the first portions (4a,4b) of the locking device are essentially positioned in a space between a sole of a ski boot and the top side of the ski.

Inventors: JOELSSON SOEREN, JOELSSON, SOEREN
Applicants: JOELSSON SOEREN, JOELSSON, SOEREN
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A63C11
IPC codes: A63C11