Abstract: A belt clamping apparatus is provided for a seat belt system comprising a belt retractor and a device which is controlled by at least one acceleration sensor and serves to lock gears which are connected to the reel shaft of the belt retractor. The clamping apparatus comprises a clamping wedge, which is guided on a sliding surface that is fixed to a housing to move parallel to a back-pressure plate which is fixed to the housing, and together with the clamping wedge defines a gap for the passage of the belt, and an actuating member, which is movable by the locking device and displaces the clamping wedge to its clamping position. The actuating member is rotatably connected at one end to the housing and is pivoted at its other end to the clamping wedge, when the belt is being extracted further after the gears have been blocked by the actuating member in response to the movement of the reel shaft and imparts a translational movement to the clamping wedge.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor for safety systems such as seat belt systems in motor vehicles, particularly so-called buckle-connected tighteners, comprises a sensor mass which is generally held in a position of rest but is capable of displacement in response to a predetermined critical acceleration to activate the safety system. In one embodiment, an inertial force sensor consists of a sensor lever pivoted to a part fixed in the vehicle, said sensor lever carries at its upwardly protruding free end an inertial mass, preferably in the form of an enlarged head, the sensor lever being held by a spring which urges said sensor lever toward its vertical stand-by position, and being connected by levers and/or links to a release mechanism for releasing a spring-loaded tie rod or the like or a blocking device.

Abstract: In a device for coupling and locking a bracket, which is provided with a buckle of a seat belt, in case of danger to a retaining member, which is fixed in a vehicle, the bracket, or a housing part or the like which is connected to the bracket, is connected to a movable coupling member, which in a guide of a seat frame plate or the like is guided in such a manner or by a linkage is so connected to said seat frame plate or the like that a tension exerted on the buckle will cause the latter to be coupled to the retaining member, which is fixedly mounted in the vehicle.

Abstract: A belt tightener for seat belts in vehicles comprises a device for moving the belt buckle in a belt-tightening sense and for locking the belt buckle at the end of the tightening movement, which device is activated by a so-called vehicle-sensitive system in response to an acceleration or deceleration in excess of predetermined critical values.

Abstract: A heel piece for a safety ski binding is provided comprising a support member in the form of a slide member on which is pivotally mounted a sole holder having a pedal, a sole engaging portion and an interior cam surface configured to cooperate with a bearing member or cam follower which engages the cam surface. The cam follower is supported by a bearing lever having an axis of rotation near the upper surface of the ski, and a connecting member. The cam surface has an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate critical portion, and the binding opens when the soleholder is driven upwardly so that the critical portion passes the cam follower. An opening lever for manually opening the binding is rotatably attached to the connecting member, and is pivotally mounted on the soleholder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a front piece for safety ski-bindings. The front piece comprises a supporting member which can be pivoted sideways. Linked to the support member are side clamps for engaging the toe of a ski boot in order to hold the ski boot in the front piece of the safety ski-binding. The side clamps are releasable when a predetermined force is applied to the side of the ski binding. The binding of the present invention will automatically reset after the side clamp is released and the boot is free from the binding. An advantage of the mechanism of the present invention is that internal friction is minimized during the release/reset operation. This is achieved in part by the side clamps being designed such that they are extended beyond their respective points where they are pivotally attached to the supporting member.

Abstract: A toe piece for a safety ski binding having a pivotable rearwardly facing soleholder for releasably engaging the sole of a ski boot, a pedal having a series of ramps inclined towards opposite sides of the binding and joined by flattened junctures and engageable by lower support elements when the pedal is subjected to downward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal. The tow piece further includes a second set of transverse ramps engageable by upper support elements when the pedal is subjected to upward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal.

Abstract: A safety ski binding having a release member actuable in response to forces or moments exceeding a threshold value, a carriage biased forwardly by a carriage spring, a sole holder mounted on the carriage and biased to an open position, a locking lever mounted on the carriage for releasably locking the sole holder in the open position, a locking lever spring biasing the locking lever to the position for opening the sole holder and for biasing the carriage rearwardly, a locking pawl for controlling the condition of the locking lever, and a connecting mechanism responsive to actuation of the release member for actuating the locking pawl to effect rearward movement of the carriage under the influence of the locking lever spring without overcoming the force of the carriage spring.

Abstract: A transducer for responding electrically to forces and torques applied to the transducer including a force-variable impedance element engaged by force members which are retained in bearing relationship with the impedance element by an annular retainer and which transmit applied forces to the impedance element.

Abstract: An electronic ski binding incorporating a capacitor for generating actuating signals to a release circuit, and a recharging circuit for recharging the capacitor from an energy source according to the energy level of the capacitor. A charge measuring circuit is provided for measuring the charge of the energy source according to the time required to recharge the capacitor.

Abstract: A safety ski-binding having force transmitting surfaces which are inclined at an angle which corresponds substantially to the angle of friction. The force component acting in the direction of release of the sole plate created by the additional load compensates for the friction, so that the release resistance is not influenced even for a heavy load from the ball of the skier's foot even for the purely rotary fall load. These inclined surfaces are preferably provided on a rearward tongue which is disposed between the base plate and a rearward guide rail, the rearward tongue comprising an upper surface in substance in the shape of a flat M whose upper tips are flattened to abut in the normal position supporting elements depending from the guide rail.

Abstract: An indicator in a grasping piece of a safety ski binding for indicating the setting of an adjustable operating characteristic, including a window and an elongated indicating member operatively connected at one end to the operating characteristic adjusting means, the opposite end of the indicating member bearing on the window, the indicating member being supported intermediate its ends.

Abstract: A pedal-actuated ski brake biased into the braking position and having a means for holding the brake prong inboard of the ski when in the skiing position. The ski brake may also have a means for biasing the brake prong outboard of the ski when in the braking position. When the ski brake is used with a turntable ski binding, the pedal is received inside an opening in the turntable and there is also a means for engaging the heel retainer so as to hinder unwanted movement.

Abstract: A power supply for the release circuitry of an electronic ski binding having a plurality of electrical sources, switches for controlling the connecting of the respective electrical sources to the release circuitry, and comparator circuits for actuating the appropriate switches to connect the electrical source having the highest electrical potential to the release circuitry.

Abstract: A magnetic release system of a safety ski binding having a permanent magnet, a release mechanism, a core disposed between the magnet and release mechanism in which a temporary magnetic field may be induced, an electromagnet coil associated with the core for cancelling or diminishing the magnetic field induced in the core by the magnet, and a spring biasing the release mechanism from a non-actuating to an actuating position.

Abstract: A cross country ski binding is provided with a tensioning yoke for engaging over the front upper edge of the boot sole to secure the toe of the boot against lifting off a base plate which is to be fixed to the sole and is provided with upright prongs for engaging in appropriate holes in the underface of the sole of the boot. The tensioning yoke is mounted in side flanges of the base plate and secured in the closed position by a spring-biassed locking lever. In order that the tensioning lever is in its readiness position in the unsecured condition and after release by the locking lever, it is subjected to the force of a retaining spring which seeks to hold it in the open position.

Abstract: A manually releasable heel holder of a safety ski binding having a housing, a sole holder, a connecting arm movably connected to the housing and to the sole holder, and a manually actuable releasing member for releasing the connecting arm from a locking to an unlocking position, allowing the sole holder to open under the influence of a spring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically releasing a ski boot from a ski on which the ski boot is held by a ski binding. Circuitry is provided for continuously monitoring over a time integral the forces exerted by the ski on the leg of the skier. The monitored forces are compared with a characteristic threshold value representing a product of force .times. time, which lies above an integration threshold value corresponding to the holding force of the ski binding. The connection between the ski and boot is released when the monitored forces exceed the characteristic threshold value. The characteristic threshold value is varied independently of a static actuating force by varying the integration threshold value.

Abstract: A pedal-actuated ski brake biased into the braking position and having a means for holding the brake prong inboard of the ski when in the skiing position. The ski brake may also have a means for biasing the brake prong outboard of the ski when in the braking position. When the ski brake is used with a turntable ski binding, the pedal is received inside an opening in the turntable and there is also a means for engaging the heel retainer so as to hinder unwanted movement.

Abstract: A toe piece for a safety ski binding having a pivotable rearwardly facing soleholder for releasably engaging the sole of a ski boot, a pedal having a series of ramps inclined towards opposite sides of the binding and joined by flattened junctures and engageable by lower support elements when the pedal is subjected to downward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal. The toe piece further includes a second set of transverse ramps engageable by upper support elements when the pedal is subjected to upward and sidewise forces for receiving forces which offset the frictional forces resulting from the engagement of the boot and the pedal.