Abstract:
A heel holder of a ski binding is mounted on a guide plate which is in turn supported on a ski for movement longitudinally thereof. A biasing mechanism yieldably urges the guide plate forwardly with respect to the ski. A ski brake mounted on the ski just ahead of the heel holder includes a pedal which is supported for pivotal movement and two braking mandrels operatively coupled to the pedal, pivotal movement of the pedal effecting movement of the braking bars between a braking and a retracted position. An inclined surface is provided on either the free end of the pedal or the forward end of the guide plate, and at least one roller engageable with the inclined surface is provided on the other of the pedal and guide plate. The biasing mechanism, through engagement of the roller and inclined surface, urges the pedal and braking mandrels toward the braking position. When a ski shoe is releasably secured in the heel holder, a small space preferably exists between the roller and the inclined surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a ski brake. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A ski brake includes a braking bar which has two braking mandrels, is made of a bent wire material having several sections, and can be pivoted by means of a pedal against the force of a spring about an axis which extends substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski from a braking position in which the two braking mandrels project below the running surface of the ski to a retracted position in which the braking mandrels lie substantially above the upper side of the ski. The pedal is supported for pivotal movement about an axis which extends substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski. The braking bar or its pedal is biased for pivotal movement from the braking position toward the retracted position. A ski binding part is arranged on a guide plate or the like which is movably supported on a ski-fixed guide rail and, during a stepping in with a ski shoe, can be moved away from the pivot axis of the ski brake against the force of at least one spring. The spring is part of a thrust-balancing mechanism and can urge the pedal toward the retracted position. The end surface of the pedal which faces the ski binding part cooperates with a congruent end surface of the guide plate or the like of the ski binding part, these two cooperating end surfaces preferably being sloped or beveled. 
     One goal of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned type of ski brake so that stepping into the binding is easier. 
     A further goal of the invention is to improve the above-mentioned type of ski brake so that external influences, such as bending of the ski during use, do not cause erecting forces to be exerted on the ski brake. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These purposes are attained inventively by providing, either on the pedal of the ski brake or on the guide plate of the ski binding, at least one roller which engages a sloped or beveled end of the other of said structural parts. 
     This inventive measure produces, in response to relative movement between the sloped or beveled ends of the pedal of the ski brake and the guide plate of the ski binding, only friction which is characteristic of rolling movement and which is less than friction caused by sliding movement. 
     In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the roller is spaced slightly from the associated beveled surface when a ski boot is releasably secured in the binding and the ski brake is in the retracted position. 
     It has proven particularly advantageous if the roller is arranged on the pedal so that its circumferential surface is tangential to the underside of the pedal. In this manner, the absence of engagement between the sloped or beveled ends of the pedal and the guide plate is always assured. 
     In a further development of the inventive thought, it is provided that the underside of the pedal transfers into the sloped or beveled pedal end surface through a rounded portion. Through this, any kind of tilting of the pedal on the guide plate in the area of the roller is to be avoided. 
     According to a further characteristic of the invention, the roller is provided on the guide plate of the ski binding and, viewed in elevational direction, is arranged approximately in the plane of symmetry of the guide plate, a vertical distance existing between the circumferential surface of the roller and the upper side of the guide plate which is preselected to effect proper support of the pedal on the roller in an operational position. The underside of the pedal again preferably transfers into the sloped or beveled end surface through a rounded portion. Through this inventive measure, the pedal of the ski brake is always supported in its braking position on the roller so that, during a stepping in by the ski shoe or a sole plate, the low friction rolling movement starts immediately. Thus, in the first phase of the stepping in, it is not possible for a sliding movement and thus sliding friction to occur. 
     Two rollers are preferably provided which are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of the pedal or the guide plate in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the ski. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a combination ski binding and ski brake mechanism embodying the present invention in the braking position; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the ski binding and ski brake mechanism in a retracted position; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the mechanism of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the ski binding and ski brake mechanism; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 of the second embodiment; and 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top view similar to FIG. 3 of the second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As can be recognized from the first exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, a ski 1 is provided, on the upper side 1a of which is secured a guide rail 2. The guide rail 2 is preferably screwed onto the ski 1 in a conventional manner by screws which are not illustrated. The guide rail 2 serves to slidably support a guide plate 3 for a conventional ski binding 4 in a conventional manner for movement longitudinally of the ski. The ski binding 4 and guide plate 3 are urged in the direction of the arrow P 1 , namely toward the front tip of the ski, by a thrust-balancing mechanism 5 which includes a ski-fixed holding part 5a, a binding-fixed holding part 5b and a compression spring 5c which has its ends disposed against the holding parts 5a and 5b. The end of the guide plate 3, which end faces the tip of the ski, has a beveled surface 3a. The beveled surface 3a is arranged at an acute angle with respect to the upper side 1a of the ski 1 and rises in a direction toward the rear end of the ski. A ski brake 6 which includes a pedal 7 is supported on the guide rail 2 in a manner which will yet be described in greater detail a small distance from the ski binding 4. A beveled surface 7b is provided on the pedal 7 and is preferably constructed so as to be parallel to the beveled surface 3a of the guide plate 3 when the brake is in the retracted position. The beveled surface 3a can, starting from the retracted position of the ski brake 6 illustrated in FIG. 3 and with no ski shoe secured in the ski binding 4, engage a pedal 7 of the ski brake 6 and urge it toward the braking position illustrated in FIG. 1. The guide plate 3 is biased by the thrust-balancing mechanism 5, which urges the guide plate 3 in the direction of the arrow P 1  into engagement with the ski brake 6 when no ski boot is secured in the binding 4. In the area of the beveled surface 7b the pedal 7 in the present exemplary embodiment is preferably constructed as a solid part 7c. The remainder of the pedal 7 is preferably manufactured of a thin material of generally constant thickness. The pedal 7 has, starting from its upper side 7a and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1, a side part 7d on each side thereof which is positioned vertical with respect to the upper side 1a of the ski 1. The two side parts 7d are bent portions of the material of the upper side 7a of the pedal 7 and are approximately normal thereto. The height of the portion of the side parts 7d adjacent the solid part 7c corresponds with the height of the pedal in the area of the solid part 7c. The portion of the side parts 7d remote from the solid part 7c is of lesser height, the lower edge thereof being offset upwardly in order to assure a satisfactory swinging of the pedal 7 from the braking position of the ski brake 6 to the retracted position, and vice versa. The side parts 7d each have, in the area thereof adjacent the solid part 7c, a recess 7e which receives, when the pedal 7 is in the retracted position, a braking bar 10. The full part 7c at this time engages the upper side of the ski 1 and thus serves as a stop to limit movement of the pedal 7. 
     The side parts 7d of the pedal 7 each have in the area of their end nearest the tip of the ski a hole 7f which extends at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. The two holes 7f are aligned and pivotally support the pedal 7 by means of two bearing axles 8 and a support plate 9 which will be described in greater detail later and is fixedly connected to the guide rail 2. The pedal 7 thereby grips slightly over the support plate 9. The pedal 7 also carries on the underside of its upper side 7a, symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1, a guide block 7h having a slot 7i therein which extends through the block 7h at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. The slot 7i is arranged in the guide block 7h at an inclination so that its end adjacent the full part 7c is, in the retracted position of the ski brake, further from the upper side 1a of the ski 1 than its other end. A connecting section 10a of a braking bar 10 is guidedly received in the slot 7i, which braking bar will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The guide block 7h is preferably designed as two pieces for installation purposes, and the two pieces of the guide block 7h, which are not identified in detail in the drawings, could for example be screwed together. 
     The support plate 9 carries, in the area of its end which faces the tip of the ski and on each side thereof, as can best be seen in FIG. 3, a bearing flange 9a which is positioned normal to the upper side 1a of the ski 1. The bearing flanges 9a preferably end flush with the end of the support plate 9 which is closest to the tip of the ski. A hole 9b which extends at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1 is provided near the end of each bearing flange 9a. Furthermore, this end of the bearing flanges 9a is preferably rounded in a manner concentric with the hole 9b. The support plate 9 carries at its opposite end and on each side a bearing member 9c. The bearing members 9c end flush with the associated sides of the support plate and extend part of the way toward the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. The bearing members 9c have bearing holes 9d which extend at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. 
     The braking bar 10 is supported for limited pivotal movement in the bearing holes 9d by means of bearing sections 10c. The bearing sections 10c lie parallel to the connecting section 10a, and the sections 10a and 10c are positioned approximately at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. The connecting section 10a lies, in a direction toward the tip of the ski, in front of the two bearing sections 10c, the sections 10c being connected to the section 10a by respective sections 10b which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski 1. The bar 10 includes braking mandrels 10d which in FIG. 2 point toward the end of the ski and are connected at a right angle to the respective bearing sections 10c. The braking mandrels 10d have at their free ends, in a conventional manner, plastic coatings 10e. 
     A roller 91 is illustrated in the drawings and is described in greater detail hereinafter. If the roller 91 were not present, the illustrated mechanism would operate in the following manner. 
     If a force were to act in the direction of an arrow P 2  (FIG. 1) onto only the pedal 7 of the ski brake 6, then it would pivot in a clockwise direction in FIG. 1 about the two bearing axles 8. The beveled surface 7b of the pedal 7 would thereby slidably engage the beveled surface 3a of the guide plate 3 and move the guide plate 3, against the urging of the spring 5c of the thrust-balancing mechanism 5, toward the rear end of the ski. The connecting part 10a of the braking bar 10 would slide in the slot 7i of the guide block 7h of the pedal 7 to its end nearest the tip of the ski and thereby pivot the braking bar 10 and swing the braking mandrels 10d into the retracted position of FIG. 2. As soon as the full part 7c of the pedal 7 engaged the upper side 1a of the ski 1, the swivelling movement of the ski brake 6 would end, the ski brake 6 then being in the retracted position. 
     When a ski shoe 11 of a skier is inserted into the ski binding 4, then the binding is moved, against the force of the spring 5c, toward the rear end of the ski. Furthermore, a force in the direction of the arrow P 2  is simultaneously applied onto the pedal 7 by the shoe, causing the ski brake 6 to swing into its retracted position in the manner described above. 
     In order that, in spite of external influences on the ski 1 causing movement of the binding 4 relative to the ski 1, for example bending of the ski during use, no erecting movement whatsoever of the ski brake 6 occurs, there is provided in the downhill skiing position of the ski brake 6 and ski binding 4 when the ski shoe 11 is engaged in the binding 4 a gap &#34;a&#34; (FIG. 2). Thus, sufficient clearance exists in order to permit the ski binding 4, during bending of the ski, to carry out a thrust-balancing movement, namely a movement in the direction of the longitudinal of the ski 1, without the beveled area 3a of the guide plate 3 engaging the associated surface of the pedal 7 of the ski brake 6 and thus starting an undesired pivotal movement of the ski brake. 
     When the ski shoe 11 is released from the ski binding 4, the thrust-balancing mechanism 5 will move the ski binding 4 toward the tip of the ski. The beveled surface 3a of the guide plate 3 will engage the beveled surface 7b of the pedal 7 and cause the pedal 7 to pivot counterclockwise so that the braking bar 10 assumes the braking position according to FIG. 1. 
     As can best be seen from FIG. 3, the roller 91 is arranged rotatably on an axle 92 which is supported in the solid part 7c of the pedal 7. The solid part 7c of the pedal 7 has a recess 7&#39;c for this purpose symmetrically arranged in relationship to the longitudinal axis of the ski. The axis 92 is supported in a hole 7m which is provided in a part of the solid part 7c of the pedal 7 on one side of the recess 7&#39;c and is in alignment with another hole 7n which is a blind hole and is provided in the solid part 7c of the pedal 7 on the other side of the recess 7&#39;c. In this manner, it is easy to carry out installation or, if necessary, removal of the roller 91. 
     The arrangement of the roller 91 on the pedal 7 is furthermore such that the circumferential surface of the roller 91 is tangential to the lower edge of the side parts 7d of the pedal 7 adjacent the solid part 7c. This arrangement assures that the roller 91, rather than the surface 7b, will come into engagement with the beveled surface 3a of the guide plate 3 during operation, thereby assuring a rolling cooperation and not a sliding cooperation between the pedal 7 and the base plate 3. Accordingly, rolling and not sliding frictional forces are always involved. Furthermore, the danger of canting or wedging is avoided. 
     Also, it is provided that the lower end of the solid part 7c of the pedal 7 transfers into the underside of the pedal 7 defined by the lower edges of the two side parts 7d through a rounded portion 7p (FIG. 1) which also serves to prevent an unintended canting. 
     When a ski shoe is releasably secured in the binding 4, the roller 91 is spaced from the inclined surface 3a of the guide plate 3, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby allowing the guide plate 3 and binding 4 to move relative to the ski, for example in response to bending thereof, without exerting erecting forces on the ski brake. 
     In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 6, the design of the ski brake 6, the ski binding 4 and the thrust-balancing mechanism 5 corresponds substantially with that described above. The primary difference is the arrangement and number of rollers. Here, two rollers 91&#39; are provided which are each supported rotatably on an axle 92&#39;, which axles 92&#39; are in turn supported in the guide plate 3. The two axles 92&#39; each are received in holes 3a and 3b, the latter being a blind hole. Thus, a respective through-going hole 3a and a respective blind hole 3b are provided for each axle 92&#39;. 
     The positioning of the two rollers 91&#39; in the guide plate 3 of the ski binding 4 is such that the beveled surface 7b of the pedal 7 can engage the circumferential surface of the rollers 91&#39; during operation in a manner avoiding contact between the surfaces 7b and 3a. The solid part 7c again transfers into the underside of the pedal 7 defined by the lower edges of the two side parts 7d through a rounded portion. The two rollers 91&#39; are disposed in recesses 3d provided in the guide plate 3. 
     The invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiments. Further modifications and variations, including the rearrangement of parts, are possible without leaving the scope of protection of the invention. In particular, there exists no limitation with respect to the design of the pedal. It can consist in its entirety of a plastic or cast material or can be made of a sheet-metal material. Also, the arrangement and guiding of the braking bar in the pedal is not limited to the described arrangement. 
     It is also conceivable to reverse the illustrated arrangement of the rollers, namely, to arrange a single roller on the guide plate of the ski binding or to arrange two rollers on the pedal. Accordingly, two recesses would have to be provided in the solid part of the pedal and one support in the center area of the pedal. 
     A further modification could consist in supporting, as it is known, each roller on a split axle, the two parts of which are movable relative to one another against a spring force. It is then sufficient to provide for the support of each axle two blind holes, which increases the strength of the pedal. For this, blind holes with a small diameter are sufficient. Such axles are well known, for example for window blinds or for rolls of toilet paper. Thus, a further description of the structure of such split axles should not be needed for the average man skilled in the art. 
     The circumferential surface of the rollers can, if desired, by roughened or provided with grooves, which improves the grip of the roller on the cooperating inclined surface as compared with rollers with a smooth circumferential surface but at the burden of friction, which is slightly increased in such a case.