Carrier for ski equipment
United States Patent Breault Apr. 15, 1975 CARRIER FOR SKI EQUIPMENT [76] Inventor: Richard V. Breault, Lake Orion, f&#39; Exam&#34;,1er Stan1ey Tonberg Mich ASSlSldrll ExammerJohn P. Shannon [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 403,500 A carrier for skis and ski poles having an elongated member with a handle thereon, and a downwardly ex- [52] U CL 224/45 S tending central leg. A transverse terminal foot is pro- [51 1 Cl 63/00 vided on the downwardly extending central leg to sup- [58] Fieid 224/45 sizsolll 37 K port a pair of skis thereon in a back to back relationship. A holding device on the leg is adapted to releas- [56] References Cited ably secure the skis on the carrier. A pair of spaced clamps are provided on each side of the elongated 3 307 759 r PATENTS 224/45 member for holding the ski poles.  
  u on i 3,718,242 2/1973 Larson 224/45 s 4 Clams, 9 DraWlllg Flgllres PATENTEDAPRISME 3.877.623 SHEEIIOFZ II, I!  
 FIG?) CARRIER FOR SKI EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to devices for carrying ski equipment, and more particularly to a type of hand carrier suitable to accomodate a pair of snow skis and two ski poles. Ski equipment is inherently bulky and unwieldy, and accordingly presents a handling problem whenever it must be manually carried a substantial distance.  
  The prior art has not been too responsive to this problem; consequently no simple, compact and effective hand carrier has been developed which will enable a skier to conveniently transport his equipment from a vehicle to the skiing site or lodge. Fully cognizant of this fact, the applicant has devised a hand carrier for ski equipment which is relatively inexpensive to produce, very sturdy in construction, and extremely simple to manipulate and use.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention consists of an elongated member 10 with a carrying handle 12 and a downwardly extending central leg 22 having therein a vertically disposed rectangular slot 24. Two spaced resilient clamps 18 are provided on each side of the elongated member 10. A transverse terminal foot 26 on the central leg 22 has a pair of lateral extensions 28 each provided with a series of linear slots 30 in the lower side. A resilient strap 32 is slidably located in the rectangular slot 24 in the downwardly extending central leg 22. A buckle 36 on each end of the resilient strap 32 is adapted to holdably engage in the linear slots 30 in the lateral extensions 28.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of acarrier embodying the applicants invention. showing two ski poles 20, and a pair of skis 34 thereto attached.  
  FIG. 2 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing structural details of the transverse terminal foot 26 on the downwardly extending central leg 22.  
  FIG. 3 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 3-3 in FIG. I, with the ski equipment and resilient straps 32 removed, showing the characteristic shape of the transverse terminal foot 26 on the downwardly extending central leg 22.  
  FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification of the applicants invention.  
  FIG. 5 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 5-5 in FIG. 4, showing structural details of the transverse feet 72 on the downwardly extending legs 68.  
  FIG. 6 is a section view, taken substantially on plane 66 in FIG. 4, with the ski equipment and resilient straps 76 removed from the carrier, showing the spaced openings 60 in the elongated member and the parting lines 54 between the two separable components 50 and 52 thereof.  
  FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, with the two components 50 and 52 of the elongated member 10 separated, showing respectively the connecting pins 56 and the sockets 58 therein.  
  FIG. 8 is a side elevation view, taken substantially on plane 8-8 in FIG. 7, showing by broken lines, the extension unit 62 of FIG. 9 in position for insertion into the elongated member 10.  
  FIG. 9 is a side elevation view, showing structural details of the extension unit 62.  
 CONSTRUCTION For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawing in which numeral 10 designates an elongated member having a carrying handle 12 removably attached thereto by bolts 14 and wing nuts 16. Two spaced resilient clamps 18 are provided on each side of the elongated member 10 for holdably receiving a pair of ski poles 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A downwardly extending central leg 22 on the elongated member 10, has therein a vertically disposed rectangular slot 24.  
  A transverse terminal foot 26 on the downwardly extending central leg 22 has thereon a pair of lateral extensions 28, each provided with a series of linear slots 30 in the lower side. A resilient strap 32, slidably located in the vertically disposed rectangular slot 24 in the central leg 22, is adapted to extend across a pair of skis 34 when they are placed on the transverse terminal foot 26 in a back to back relationship as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
  A buckle 36 on each end of the resilient strap 32, is adapted to holdably engage in the linear slots 30 in the lower side of the lateral extensions 28. In practice, it may prove desirable to invert the two spaced resilient clamps 18 on each side of the elongated member 10 which receive the ski poles 20, thereby making it possible to use the ski poles 20 as a carrying means, so as to eliminate the need for a separate handle 12.  
  In the modification of the applicants invention disclosed in FIGS. 4 through 9, the elongated member 10 comprises two aligned components 50 and 52 separable at a parting line 54. A pair of spaced pins 56, in one of the components 50, holdably engage in two sockets 58 in the other component 52 of the elongated member 10. A series of vertically disposed openings 60 are provided through each of the separable components 50 and 52 of the elongated member 10.  
  A pair of spaced resilient clamps 18, on each side of the elongated member 10, are adapted to holdably receive two ski poles 20, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A handle 12, has on each end thereof, a bolt 14 extending through two of the vertically disposed openings 60 in the elongated member 10, and removably secured therein by detachable wing nuts 16. An extension unit 62, shown in FIG. 9 is insertable between the two components 50 and 52 for lengthening the elongated member 10.  
  The extension unit 62 has a pair of pins 64 in one end and two sockets 66 in the other end, spaced to match the separation between the pins 56 and the sockets 58 in the components 50 and 52 respectively of the elongated member 10. A downwardly extending leg 68, on each end of the elongated member 10, has therein a vertically disposed rectangular slot 70.  
  A transverse terminal foot 72, on each of the downwardly extending legs 68, has a plurality of linear slots 74 in the lower side.  
  A resilient strap 76, slidably located in each of the vertically disposed rectangular slots in the downwardly extending legs 68, is adapted to extend across a pair of skis 34 when placed on the transverse feet 68 in a back to back relationship as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A buckle 78, on each end of the resilient straps 76,  
 is adapted to holdably engage in the linear slots 74 in the lower side of the transverse feet 72.  
  The preceding discussion completes a description of the structure characterizing the two embodiments of the applicants invention herein disclosed; however, to facilitate a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, a discussion of the manner in which the carrier is used to fulfill its intended function is immediately hereinafter set forth.  
 USE AND OPERATION As both embodiments of the applicants invention function in substantially the same manner, the description relating to use and operation will be restricted to the modification shown in FIGS. 4 through 9, since such modification is structurally more complex than the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In use, the loaded carrier, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, will frequently have a balance point which fails to coincide exactly with the center of the handle 12 on the elongated member 10.  
  In such instances, the handle 12 should be shifted longitudinally to facilitate handling. This is done by removing the wing nuts 16 from the bolts 14 and lifting the handle 12 to withdraw the bolts 14 from the elongated member 10. The bolts 14 are then inserted through two other openings 60 in the elongated member so that the handle 12 will be approximately centered over the balance point on the loaded carrier.  
  This placement of the handle 12 will enable the carrier to assume a position substantially parallel to the ground so as to facilitate handling. On those occasions when the user is walking either up or down hill, the handle 12 may be shifted accordingly, in the manner previously described, so as to permit the loaded carrier to assume a natural attitude substantially matching the incline of the terrain being traversed.  
  Whenever the carrier is to be used in handling skis which are either unusually long, or have an unconventional type of binding, the elongated member 10 can be lengthened to better accomodate such equipment. This is done by detaching the handle 12, in the manner previously described, and inserting the extension unit 62 shown in FIG. 9 into the elongated member 10. The handle 12 is then reattached to the elongated member 10, and the carrier is again ready for use in the customary manner.  
  Based upon the foregoing discussion, the applicant is of the opinion that his invention has fulfilled a long-felt need in the field of ski carriers, and that he has accordingly made a valuable contribution to the related art. The invention, however, was described with reference to the structural details of only two embodiments, but it will be appreciated by those familiar with the art that the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other practical adaptations.  
  I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:  
  1. A carrier for skis and ski poles comprising an elongated member, at least one downwardly extending leg on the elongated member, a transverse foot on the downwardly extending leg for supporting the skis, a resilient strap on the downwardly extending leg, a buckle on each end of the resilient strap for entering into a holding engagement with the transverse foot on the downwardly extending leg, clamping means on the elongated member for releasably holding the ski poles, and a carrying handle on the elongated member.  
  2. A carrier for skis and ski poles comprising an elongated member, an extension unit insertable into the elongated member for increasing its length so as better to accomodate a greater variety of ski equipment, a pair of spaced downwardly extending legs on the elongated member, a transverse foot on each of the downwardly extending legs for supporting the skis, holding means on the downwardly extending legs for releasably securing the skis on the transverse feet, clamping means on the elongated member for releasably holding the ski poles, and a carrying handle on the elongated member.  
  3. The carrier of claim 2 in which the carrying handle is movable longitudinally on the elongated member so that it can be selectively positioned relative to the balance point on the loaded carrier to facilitate handling.  
 4. The carrier of claim 3 in which the holding means on the downwardly extending legs comprises a resilient strap on each of the downwardly extending legs, and a buckle on each end of the resilient straps for entering into a holding engagement with the transverse feet on the downwardly extending legs.