Jaws for a safety ski binding
I Umted States Patent 1 91 1111 3,877,71 1  
 Koehler 1 Apr. 15, 1975 [54] JAWS FOR A SAFETY SKI BINDING 3,199,885 8/1965 Smolka 280/1135 T 3,430,971 3/1969 Berlenbach... 280/1135 T 1 51 lnvemorl Kwhler, lmmenstad&#34; 3,584,891 6/1971 Khazzam 280/1135 T Germany [73] Assignee: Josef Ess a/k/a Allgaeuer Primary Examiner Robert Song Sklbeschlaege Fabnk sonthofen Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Silverman &amp; Cass, Ltd. Germany [22] Filed: Apr. 23, 1973 A S CT 57 B TRA [21] Appl. No.: 353,861 1 A jaw for a safety ski binding having a stationary hous- [301 Foreign Application Priority Data ing arranged on the ski, a sole holder and a bolting,  
  the sole holder being positioned pivotably about a ver- API&#39;. 26, Germany cal Shaftv in-the using7 a pa t f the Sole o de o cated in the housing being connected with an engage- [52] US. Cl 282931.350; ment bearing positioned in the housing and pivotable Cl. f g out the vertical Shaft a bearing co p g Fleld of Search .3 T the bolt ng, Said mpr s ng a p ing o &#39;t&#39; th h [56] References Cited ban posl p m ousmg UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures 3,027,173 3/1962 Beyl 280/1155 T JAWS FOR A SAFETY SKI BINDING The invention relates to front and heel jaws for a safety ski binding. comprising a housing arranged on the ski. a sole holder and a bolting. wherein the sole holder is positioned so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis in the stationary housing.  
  Front jaws of the type known from prior art which are particularly appropriate for children are of such constructive design that the entire housing can rotate with the sole holder about a vertical axis and as a result of this rotation releases the ski boot if a danger occurs. Due to the total rotation of housing and sole holder. higher spring forces are required. as is well known. said forces being substantially higher. since the lever effect between the pivoting point in the housing and the point of contact of the ski boot can be compensated only by stronger and thus more expensive springs. particularly if a longitudinal stroke (good absorption of energy) is to be accomplished.  
  Moreover. friction forces often oppose. under different weather conditions. a troubleproof release of the front jaw at the moment of danger. Moreover. structures of known front jaws of this kind are of relatively expensive design. Thus. they become unfavorable in price. which is a disadvantage particularly in case of children&#39;s ski bindings.  
  Moreover. front jaws are known having a stationary housing. wherein the sole holder coacts directly with the bolting which consists of a spring-loaded plane surface or a serration. This is both expensive and operationally unsafe.  
  The object of the present invention is to provide a jaw of the initially mentioned kind. which in spite of its simple structure releases in any event the ski boot if it is subjected to a lateral pivoting in a troubleproof manner. which is not functionally short-stroked and which after accomplished release automatically resets into the starting position. which is a prerequisite for a good absorption of energy.  
  According to the invention. this object is achieved in that the part of the sole holder located in the housing is connected with an engagement bearing positioned in the housing. pivotable about the continuous vertical shaft. said bearing coacting with a bolting provided with a spring-loaded ball positioned in the housing. This produces the advantage that the housing is mounted fixedly on the ski. so that upon loosening of the safety binding. the sole holder has merely to pivot. whereby a separation is accomplished between the part of the sole holder located in the housing and the engagement bearing. so that the ball first impinges upon the engagement bearing.  
  ln an advantageous improvement of the invention. the sole holder is to be adjustable in relation to the engagement bearing. in vertical direction. That way different heights of soles of ski boots can be taken into account in a perfect manner.  
  According to another characteristic of the invention. the vertical shaft is designed as a threaded spindle on which the part of the sole holder provided with an internal thread is positioned in a vertically adjustable manner. By simple rotation of the threaded spindle the sole holder. thus. can be fixed in relation to the thickness of the sole of the ski boot.  
  According to another characteristic of the invention the spring impingement of the ball is adjustable, so that the release tension can be varied. depending on the requirements prevalent in practical operations.  
  According to another feature of the invention. the spring may impinge on the ball on the one hand. and on an adjustment member operable from the outside and positioned in the housing. on the other hand.  
  According to another feature of the invention. the adjustment member is provided with a flange impinged by the spring which is designed multi-stepped on the opposite side coacting with the inside wall of the housing. wherein the flange is followed by an externally operable pin. By rotation of the pin a variation of the tension of release is simply accomplished by the ball impinging on the spring more or less.  
  According to another feature of the invention the adjustment member to be is an externally operating adjustment screw. so that again a variation of the tension of release results in a simple manner.  
 BRIEF DESCRlPTlON OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows a side view of a front jaw according to the invention. in section:  
  HO. 2 shows a plan view upon the front jaw according to FIG. 1. partially in section.  
 DESCRlPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to FIG. 1 the front jaw comprises a housing 1 which is fixedly screwed to the ski via a bottom plate 15 and two screw apertures 16. An engagement ball 5 is placed within the housing and positioned in a partition 17 thereof. The engagement ball 5 is impinged by a spring 7. I  
  Moreover. an engagement bearing 4 provided with a recess 9 is arranged inside the housing. The ball 5 partially engages the recess 9 which may have a truncated-cone-configuration. The engagement hearing 4 is designed semi-circular on the one hand and positioned with this semi-circular form within the stationary housing 1. The engagement bearing 4 is provided in addition with a U-shaped recess. A part 8 of the sole holder 2 engages said recess. Said part 8 of the sole holder 2 is thus positioned within the housing I.  
  The sole holder 2 is pivotable about a vertical shaft 3. The same pivoting shaft also is included with the engagement bearing 4. because the center of the semicylinder of the engagement bearing 4 and the pivotal point of the sole holder 2 are placed concentrically.  
  The vertical shaft 3 is advantageously designed as a threaded spindle 10. This threaded spindle 10 is positioned fixedly within the housing 1. According to FIG. 2. the sole holder 2 extends with its part 8 into the U- shaped recess of the engagement bearing 4. This provides for a possible vertical adjustment. Thus. if the threaded spindle 10 is rotated. for example by means ofa screw driver or a coin. the result is a vertical adjustability of the sole holder 2 provided with an internal threading. which is positioned on the threaded spindle 10. At a moment of danger the sole holder. thus. pivots according to FIG. 2 either to the left or to the right. whereby at the same time the engagement bearing 4 likewise pivots about the vertical shaft 3. and the sphere 5 is urged out of the recess 9.  
  In order to comply with varying requirements regarding the tension of release of spring 7 as occuring in practice. a variation of the impingement of the ball is provided. This adjustment may be so designed. for example. that the spring impinges the ball 5 on the one hand and a flange ll of an adjustment member 6 on the other hand. This adjustment member 6 shows on the opposite side 12 of the flange 11 two steps for example. according to FIG. 2. Both steps may coact with the inside wall 13 of the housing. which also is of a two-step design. If now the pin 14 of the adjustment member projecting out of the housing I is urged in the direction of the arrow 1 and rotated by 180. another step of the multi-step opposite side 12 abuts to the multi-step inner housing wall 13. which results in a modification of the compressed spring 7. This modification of the compressed spring 7 is transferred to the engagement ball 5 as a modified release tension.  
  In the embodiment according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 only two steps are represented with regard to the ad justability. However. it also is possible to provide more than two steps by selecting merely a different form of graduation on the opposide side 12 of the flange 11, wherein the rotation of the pin 14 is to be carried out accordingly. It also is possible to provide. in lieu of an adjustment pin. an adjustment screw not shown in the drawing. which on the inside of the housing 1 impinges the spring and is operable from the outside.  
 On the whole. the present invention offers a frontjaw for safety bindings of simple design and of very high In that case. the sole holder pivotable about a vertical shaft grips the heel of the ski boot (not represented in detail).  
 What it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the.  
 United States is:  
 l. A jaw for a safety ski binding comprising a housing including:  
 A. means for fastening the housing to the ski. said fastening means comprising a bottom plate I and screws.  
 B. a vertical shaft rotatably supported in the housing.  
 C. a sole holder pivotably positioned about the vertical shaft.  
 D. locking means comprising a spring-loaded ball in cluding means for adjusting the load thereof.  
 E. an engagement bearing and a portion of the hous- 7 justment member including an adjustment pin inner wall of the housing. a portion of the pin projccti ng out of the housing and being operable from the outside.