Patents Assigned to TMC Corporation
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Patent number: 4216976Abstract: A heel-release binding pivotally secured to a base plate which is in turn slidable on a set of rails fixedly secured to the upper surface of a ski along the longitudinal axis of the ski. A ski brake is pivotally secured to the base plate and is movable therewith. The axles supporting the ski brake for pivotal movement extend inwardly of the base plate. Notches are provided in each of the rails on the ski to facilitate the movement of the base plate longitudinally of the ski. A support flange is provided on the heel-release binding and is positioned to be engaged by the holding arms of the ski brake only when the holding arms are urged from the upright braking position toward the retracted downhill position. The holding arms are readily pivotal between the retracted position and the braking position without necessarily requiring a pivotal movement of the heel-release binding when the ski boot is not engaged with the heel-release binding.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1978Date of Patent: August 12, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Erwin Krob
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Patent number: 4214773Abstract: A heel holder for release ski bindings having a hold-down device pivotally secured to a base plate slidably mounted on a guide rail fixedly secured to the upper surface of the ski. The hold-down device has an internal cam surface thereon which is engaged by a locking member urged into engagement with the cam surface by a release spring. The force generated by the release spring is adjustable to a desired amount to hold the ski boot onto the ski with the desired amount of yieldable force. A manually operated release mechanism is provided for effecting a release of the ski boot from the ski without necessitating a compression of the release spring. The release mechanism includes a lever pivotally supported on the base plate and effects a pivotal movement of a locking pawl to move same out of engagement with a spring fork member also pivotally secured to the base plate about the same pivot axle as is the hold-down device.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1978Date of Patent: July 29, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Heinz Wittmann
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Patent number: 4214777Abstract: A ski brake construction utilizing a spring wire bent into a desired configuration so that the entirety thereof lies in a common plane. The spring has a portion which is bent generally into a U-shape with an intermediate bight portion interconnecting the legs of the U being received in an elongated and inclined slot in a holding plate device mounted on the upper surface of a ski. The intermediate bight portion has a general configuration to hold it in the aforementioned common plane even though the braking members are moved out of the common plane. As a result, a torsional force is developed in the spring, which torsional force effects an erecting of the brake after the ski boot is released from engagement with the ski bindings.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1978Date of Patent: July 29, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Erwin Krob
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Patent number: 4213629Abstract: A ski brake mechanism having braking arms on which are provided structure for facilitating a connection of two skis together in a position wherein the running surfaces thereof engage one another at the tips and tails thereof. The structure on the arms of the ski brake is a projection which is received into a crevasse or notch on the opposite side thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the projection projects laterally inwardly of the arms and the crevasse is provided on the laterally outside thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1978Date of Patent: July 22, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
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Patent number: 4213630Abstract: A spring locking device for preventing unauthorized adjustment of the spring force subsequent to an adjustment conducted by a person having skill in the art. The spring locking device is composed of a seal which is positioned in a blocking relation with respect to the adjusting member and will be either totally destroyed if an effort is made to adjust the force of the spring or at least reflect that the adjustment has been tampered with. The seal can be in the form of a member which is press fit into an opening adjacent the adjusting member or it can be cast or poured in a liquid form and subsequently solidified in the opening adjacent the adjusting member. In addition, the seal can have an identification indicia placed thereon to reflect the last skilled person to make the adjustment to the spring force.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1978Date of Patent: July 22, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Josef Svoboda, Herbert Wuerthner, Karl Stritzl
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Patent number: 4210342Abstract: A connecting element for connecting a stepping plate to a ski binding. In this disclosure, a pair of such stepping plates are provided, one of which has a ski brake mounted thereon, the other of which has no ski brake associated therewith. In certain areas, ski brakes are not desirable and the skier will use safety straps for securing the ski to the leg of the skier. Thus, to enable the skier to select the mode of equipment which will meet the local conditions, a stepping plate and ski binding combination is provided which permits a selective coupling of the desired stepping plate. The connecting element consists of suspended and receiving parts, one of the parts having hooks thereon co-operably coupled with receiving structure on the other part. Other structure is provided to give the connection lateral rigidity.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1977Date of Patent: July 1, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl
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Patent number: 4194387Abstract: A testing apparatus for testing the sliding characteristics of the soles of ski boots. The testing apparatus includes a lever arm for applying a downwardly directed force onto an upwardly facing boot sole adjacent structure engaging either the toe or heel of the ski boot. A drive mechanism is utilized to draw the member which is applying the downwardly directed force laterally of the ski boot. A measuring device is provided for detecting the sliding characteristic of the member which applies the downwardly directed force onto the upwardly facing boot sole.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1978Date of Patent: March 25, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Rupert Hofbauer, Josef Svoboda
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Patent number: 4194759Abstract: A U-shaped ski brake made of spring wire wherein intermediate the legs of the U, the spring wire is bent to form laterally extending axles to define a pivotal support for the ski brake. The intermediate portion of the length of the spring wire extending between the axles is also U-shaped and is connected to the inner ends of the axles. The legs of the holding bars are prestressed so that they extend, when the ski brake is in the braking position, at an angle which is greater than 90.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the axles. A slide is mounted on the holding arms and is reciprocal along the length thereof. The spacer has holes receiving the holding arms therein so that as the slider moves along the holding arms, the resiliency of the spring wire will cause the brake arms to move laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to the outer edges of the ski. The spacer is pivotally secured through a lever arm to a mounting plate, the same plate to which the spring wire is pivotally secured.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1978Date of Patent: March 25, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Josef Svoboda
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Patent number: 4194758Abstract: A ski brake pivotally secured to a base plate which in turn is secured to the upper surface of a ski. The ski brake is composed of a brake member having a pair of braking arms and a pair of holding arms. The holding arms are interconnected via a slide piece, on the one hand, or both a slide piece and a crossbar on the other hand. The holding arms are prespring-tensioned into a position diverging away from one another with the slide piece being slidably disposed on the holding arms. The slide piece has a pair of openings therein which receive the holding arms therethrough. Thus, as the slide piece slides along the holding arms, the spacing between the holding arms will be varied in accordance with the position of the slide piece thereon. The slide piece can, if desired, be pivotally secured to the holding plate and the pivot axis therefor located on one side of the pivotal support for the brake member.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1978Date of Patent: March 25, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Josef Svoboda, Erwin Weigl, Erwin Krob, Karl Stritzl, Jaroslav Knotek
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Patent number: 4190264Abstract: A safety release ski binding mounted in association with a sole plate construction which is pivotally secured to the upper surface of a ski for movement about a vertical axis. The locking structure for holding the sole plate construction in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the ski also effects a holding of the jaw plate and associated front jaw in a fixed position to effectively hold the ski boot in engagement with the bindings associated with the sole plate construction. The sole plate, while being pivotally secured to the ski, remains with the ski even after a release of the ski boot from engagement therewith. Upon the occurrence of a sufficient force causing the sole plate to be pivoted beyond a predefined limit, the locking structure associated with the jaw plate is released so that the front jaw is freely movable away from the ski boot to permit a release of the ski boot from engagement therewith.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 1978Date of Patent: February 26, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Alois Himmetsberger, Heinz Wittmann
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Patent number: 4189163Abstract: A structure for a use in either an anti-crossing device for skis or a ski brake. A torsion spring is utilized to urge a projection member to an upright position on the ski. In the anti-crossing device for skis, the resilient projection member will prevent movement of a ski to the crossed position in one direction while simultaneously permitting movement of the ski in the opposite direction by flexing the resilient projection downwardly onto the upper surface of the ski. In the ski brake environment, the ski boot effects a resilient flexing of the projection member down onto the upper surface of the ski when the ski boot is mounted between the ski bindings. The resilient projection member has extension members which project below the lower surface of the ski when the resilient projection member is in the upright position.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1976Date of Patent: February 19, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Gottfried Schweizer, Axel Kubelka, Karl Stritzl, Josef Svoboda
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Patent number: 4185852Abstract: A safety ski binding arrangement utilizing a sole plate pivotally secured to the ski and remaining with the ski following a release of the ski boot from engagement therewith. A front jaw is mounted on the sole plate and is adapted to move forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto. A locking mechanism is provided to hold the front jaw in a fixed position relative to the sole plate. Lateral forces applied to the locking arrangement will cause the sole plate to swivel about the pivot axis support therefor and effect an unlocking of the securement of the front jaw to the sole plate. The pressure applied by the ski boot to the front jaw will cause the front jaw to move forwardly away from the ski boot and facilitate a release of the ski boot from engagement with the ski. Following a release of the ski boot from engagement with the ski, a weak return spring generates the necessary force to effect a return of the sole plate to the longitudinally aligned position relative to the ski.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1978Date of Patent: January 29, 1980Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Alois Himmetsberger, Erwin Weigl
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Patent number: 4176857Abstract: A safety ski binding having a base plate secured to a ski and a push rod movably mounted on the base plate and adapted to be displaceable against spring force along the axis of symmetry of the base plate. The axis of symmetry extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski. The push rod is adapted to be held in position by a tensioning device. A pair of rollers is carried by the push rod and the base plate, one roller being movable toward and away from the other roller. The axles of the rollers extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the push rod and parallel to the base plate. The bottom of the heel portion of the ski boot has a longitudinally extending groove therein. The upper surface of the base plate has in the central portion thereon an upstanding truncated cone adapted to be received in the groove in the heel of the ski boot.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1978Date of Patent: December 4, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Roland Bodendorfer
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Patent number: 4172602Abstract: A releasable safety ski binding holding a release plate, having a safety release device secured to the ski for releasably holding the release plate to the ski. A heel holder is longitudinally non-adjustably mounted on the rear of the release plate, and a toe holder is adjustably disposed on the front of the release plate to hold different size ski boots without affecting the safety release holding of the binding. In another embodiment, the safety ski binding has a lateral and vertical safety release member only adjacent one end of the release plate, the other end of the release plate defining a vertical release pivot fulcrum. The release plate is pivotally mounted on the ski intermediate its ends, whereby different lateral and vertical release moments exist.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1976Date of Patent: October 30, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Ernest Gertsch, Ulrich Gertsch
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Patent number: 4170371Abstract: A ski binding wherein the sole holding members are pivotally secured to a carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly on the upper surface of a ski. The carriage is locked to a base plate fixedly secured to the ski. A movement of the ski boot toward the ski boot release position relative to the sole holding members initiates an unlocking of the carriage from the base plate so that the entire carriage, including the sole holding members, is shifted away from the ski boot to facilitate a release of the ski boot from engagement with the ski. Upon release of the ski boot from the ski, the sole holding members are returned to their initial sole holding position and, simultaneously therewith, the carriage is returned and locked to the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1978Date of Patent: October 9, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Erwin Weigl, Alois Himmetsberger
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Patent number: 4166636Abstract: This invention is an improvement over the structure illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,730. The ski binding includes a pair of pivoted sole holders pivotal about axles which are fixed to the ski. The sole holders each have two arms, one of which engages the ski boot adjacent the toe thereof and the other arm engaging a structural part which is under spring tension, which spring tension must be overcome in order to effect a release of the ski boot from the ski. Structure is provided to interrupt the transfer of force of the ski boot acting on the spring intermediate the travel of the particular sole holder so that a decrease in the force resisting movement of the ski boot occurs and the ski boot can be freely removed from engagement with the ski.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1977Date of Patent: September 4, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Josef Svoboda, Karl Stritzl
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Patent number: 4166634Abstract: An improvement in an attachment for release ski bindings enabling the skier to selectively decide the mode of skiing, namely downhill skiing or cross-country skiing. The attachment includes a sole plate which holds the ski boot onto the ski. The sole plate has a connecting piece fixedly connected thereto and is pivotally secured to a ski binding element about an axis extending transverse of the longitudinal axis of the ski. The connection between the sole plate and the ski binding element is a releasable connection to facilitate the skier's selection of the mode of skiing.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 1977Date of Patent: September 4, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Gustav Kirchmeyr, Erwin Weigl, Jaroslav Knotek, Tibor Szasz
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Patent number: 4165883Abstract: A safety ski binding mounted on member movable with respect to the ski but fixedly secured thereto. A release of the ski boot from engagement with the ski binding is initiated by forces applied to the heel holder. The heel holder is movable about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis so that it is responsive to not only vertical and horizontal applied forces by the ski boot but also diagonally applied forces. A connecting lever-like element is movably secured to the housing for the heel holder and has one end thereof connected to a piston reciprocally movable in an open-sided cylinder on the housing. Thus, a reciprocal movement of the piston will initiate a pivotal movement of the connecting element. The other end of the connecting element is pivotally attached to a lock so that the lock is movable in response to a pivotal movement of the connecting element. The lock has a protuberance which projects over a lip on the heel holder to hold the heel holder in the boot holding position.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1978Date of Patent: August 28, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Erwin Weigl, Karl Stritzl
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Patent number: 4163569Abstract: A ski brake having a resilient tensioning member to which is secured bladed members is mounted on a ski plate having a releasable binding thereon. The resilient member is normally held in a position parallel to the upper surface of the sole plate by the weight of the skier to hold the bladed members in a retracted position. A release of the ski boot from the sole plate will cause the spring force of the resilient tensioning member to effect a movement of the bladed members to an extended position to brake the ski.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1978Date of Patent: August 7, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Hans Horn
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Patent number: 4154460Abstract: A device for facilitating the mounting of various parts onto a holding surface. The device is particularly readily adaptable for use in facilitating a mounting of various ski binding components, such as base plates and stepping plates, onto a ski. A holding member has a plurality of holes therein with a segment of material surrounding each of the holes. A screw is fixedly held in each hole. A notch is provided in the segment of material surrounding each hole to weaken the material at that particular location. A ski binding part, for example, is then mounted on top of the ski and the holding member laid on top of the ski binding part. The same screws fixed in the holding member are screwed through holes in the ski binding part into the ski to fasten the ski binding part to the ski.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1977Date of Patent: May 15, 1979Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Erwin Weigl