Patents Examined by Milton L. Smith
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Patent number: 4363498Abstract: A cross country ski binding has a support element attachable directly to a ski for engaging a forwardly extending boot sole extension, and is also provided with latching mechanism for latching the sole extension to the supporting element, under imposition of spring forces. The cross country ski binding may include spring biased detent members engageable into detent provisions provided directly on the boot sole extension, such that the forward part of the ski boot is automatically locked in position upon insertion of the boot sole extension into the support element. Preferred embodiments of the invention include those accommodating an axial movement of the boot sole extension into the support element and latching mechanism, as well as embodiments wherein the boot sole extension is placed downwardly over a pivot pin forming part of the holding mechanism. Also, certain embodiments of the invention include additional locking levers for locking the latching mechanism in a latched position.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1977Date of Patent: December 14, 1982Assignee: Geze GmbHInventors: Peter Biermann, Otto Ewald, Rudi Feucht, Manfred Schmidt
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Patent number: 4363495Abstract: A sloping terrain recreational vehicle having a pair of ski-like terrain engaging elements with coupling means between them. The coupling means provides three limited degrees of freedom so that the elements can simulate skiing movements. The coupling means permits the skiis to be folded bottom-to-bottom for storage.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1980Date of Patent: December 14, 1982Inventor: Kenneth A. Henson
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Patent number: 4363493Abstract: A uni-wheel skate has a circular wheel which has a rim arranged to rotate about a frame having a generally tilted axis so that the rim rotates in a plane which is generally tilted relative to the vertical. The frame has satellite rollers rotatably attached to the frame and engaging the rim so as to permit the rim to rotate about the frame. A foot support is pivotally carried by the frame and receives the rider's foot for transmission of the rider's body load to and through the frame to the wheel. A separate support is associated with the frame to be rotatable relative to the frame to be engaged with the rider's leg to maintain stability. The pivotable foot support may be provided with brake pads for engaging the rim.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1980Date of Patent: December 14, 1982Inventor: Paul S. Veneklasen
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Patent number: 4362314Abstract: A structure for securing one end of a safety strap to a ski or to a component fixedly mounted on the ski. The other end of the safety strap is presumed to be secured to the skier by any conventional means. The structure by which the safety strap is secured to the ski structure enables the strap to hold the ski to the skier should the ski become disconnected from the skier while travelling on a chairlift or at slow speeds. However, this same structure will facilitate a release of the strap from engagement with the ski structure should the ski be pulled away from the skier with a sufficient magnitude of force, such as will occur during falls at high speeds. The thereafter released ski will be stopped by, for example, a ski brake mechanism mounted on the ski.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1981Date of Patent: December 7, 1982Assignee: TMC CorporationInventor: Josef Svoboda
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Patent number: 4362322Abstract: A ski stick for use in particular in cross country skiing and having a sprung ski stick handle, which is fixed on the top end of a ski stick tube. The ski stick handle body is movable on the ski stick tube against a spring means arranged between the ski stick handle body and the ski stick tube in the direction of the ski stick tip.The ski stick handle is designed in such a way that the spring means which are arranged on the top ski stick handle fixing means, are resiliently stretchable rubber or plastic cords which run through the ski stick handle body toward the ski stick tip and are joined to the ski stick handle body at the bottom end thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1980Date of Patent: December 7, 1982Inventor: Jochen Schwarz
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Patent number: 4360218Abstract: In a step-in electrical releasable ski binding (1) there is provided clamping means (5,6) having an open condition and a closed condition and a force unit (15) for providing a clamping force for releasably securing a ski boot (4) to a ski (2). A holding means (32) is provided for holding the clamping means (5,6) in its open condition against the force of the force unit (15). An electrically operated solenoid assembly (40) is provided which is responsive to the placing of the ski boot (4) in skiing position in the binding for releasing the clamping means (5,6) from the holding means (32) for closing the clamping means (5,6) with the force of the force unit (15).Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1980Date of Patent: November 23, 1982Inventor: Richard G. Spademan
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Patent number: 4360222Abstract: In a moving vehicle such as an automobile, compressed air is used for powering the vehicle, for minimizing friction in the wheel bearings so as to maintain the vehicle's momentum and decrease the amount of energy required for maintaining the vehicle at a predetermined desired speed, and for braking the vehicle. The present invention can be used instead of a conventional internal combustion engine, or as an auxiliary means for decreasing the amount of energy that is consumed by an internal combustion engine to increase the speed of a vehicle and maintain a vehicle at a predetermined speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1980Date of Patent: November 23, 1982Inventor: William M. Fisher
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Patent number: 4358123Abstract: An attachment for a broom or similar device has a bracket engageable on the broom handle and an axle pivotally mounted on the bracket. The axle carries wheels, castors or the like and a stop is provided to limit the range of pivotal movement so that the axle can be positioned relative to the handle so that the wheels or castors either support said broom on the ground or do not support said broom on the ground.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1979Date of Patent: November 9, 1982Inventor: Dean E. Richards
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Patent number: 4358137Abstract: A carrier for ski equipment that enables a skier to transport skis, ski boots and ski poles all at once to and from the ski slopes. The carrier can be collapsed for storage. The carrier includes a base for supporting the ski equipment, an enclosure having a sealable opening for enveloping and protecting the ski equipment, a base support with transporting apparatus, such as wheels, attached thereto and grips to facilitate handling of the carrier. Further, the base includes apparatus for fixing one end each of a pair of skis within the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1980Date of Patent: November 9, 1982Inventor: Raymond J. Gramm
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Patent number: 4358132Abstract: A safety ski binding includes an end piece engageable with a ski boot and horizontally pivotable on a body rotatably mounted on a pivot member carried on the surface of a ski for vertical pivotability with respect to the ski. The vertical pivot member includes two diametrically opposed cam faces movable in the longitudinal direction of the ski, each of the cam faces being engaged by a separate piston while being urged by a common spring. The end piece is adapted to move one of the two pistons away from the corresponding cam surface on vertical movement of the end piece. A modified embodiment of the invention utilizes a single piston and the spring controls the release of the ski boot under both side torsion stresses and vertical movements of the ski boot end associated with the binding when they exceed predetermined and adjustable limit values.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1979Date of Patent: November 9, 1982Assignee: Look S.A.Inventor: Jean J. A. Beyl
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Patent number: 4358138Abstract: A ski pole in which the elongated shaft is provided with a mounting device for mounting the ski-pole to the seat of a ski-lift and a foot support device extending from the shaft for supporting the feet of a skier when the ski pole is mounted to the ski-lift seat. The mounting device and foot support device have a stored position on the pole and may be a unitary part of the pole or detachably mounted thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1980Date of Patent: November 9, 1982Assignee: James L. LaughlinInventors: James L. Laughlin, Richard F. Hansen
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Patent number: 4355695Abstract: A restraining device for removable components of vehicles, such as the battery unit (26) of an electrically powered lift truck. The vehicle has an enclosure frame (14) having opposite sides (16,20) each of which has an aperture (30,28) through which passes in a longitudinally slidable fashion a restraining bar (34) positionable to a locked position preventing dislocation of the removable component (26). The restraining bar (34) may be fixed against longitudinal movement by affixing it to the enclosure frame (14) with a locking means (42). If the restraining bar (34) is not in its locked position a pivotably positional cover (52) overlying both the removable component (26) and the restraining bar (34) cannot be placed in an operating position owing to contact between the restraining bar (34) and a downwardly extending edge portion (58) of the cover (52).Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1980Date of Patent: October 26, 1982Assignee: Towmotor CorporationInventor: Edward V. Leskovec
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Patent number: 4354566Abstract: In a radiator grille fixing structure having a radiator grille fixing fastener formed of a base plate portion, engaging means provided one each on the opposite sides of the base plate portion and a screw hole bored in the base plate, and a fixing portion of a radiator grille, which fixing portion is provided with a fitting hole for admitting one of the engaging means in the width direction and a perforation provided at a position opposed to the aforementioned screw hole; either the screw hole in the fastener or the perforation in the fitting portion of the radiator grille is elongated in the width direction of the fastener or the fitting portion, permitting the radiator grille which has been brought into temporary attachment to the automobile body through the medium of the aforementioned fastener to be given fine positional adjustment and brought to its exact position relative to the automobile body and finally fixed at that exact position.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1980Date of Patent: October 19, 1982Assignee: Nifco Inc.Inventor: Takuo Yuda
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Patent number: 4353566Abstract: A roller ski training device which effectively simulates weighting, unweighting, and edging techniques of the downhill parallel snow skiing. The device includes a support frame, a pair of parallel elongated foot plates pivotally carried in side by side relation by said support frame, and rollers flexibly coupled to the underside of the support frame whereby the shifting of weight by a user to the foot plate on one side of the device tends to cause the device to turn in the direction of the other side. The flexible roller coupling further permits tilting of the frame, with the resultant raising and lowering of the foot plates, in response to the shifting of weight from one foot plate to the other. Parallel linkage is connected to the underside of the foot plates to synchronize pivotal and vertical positioning of the foot plates such as to maintain them in parallel planes at all times.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1980Date of Patent: October 12, 1982Inventor: William Mohlenbrock
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Patent number: 4353575Abstract: A bridge for alpine skiing is positioned to span over the toepiece of a conventional downhill, releasable ski binding. In one embodiment, the bridge is an elongated platform pivotable forwardly of the toepiece of the downhill binding and supported between the toepiece and the heelpiece of the downhill binding by an adjustable post. In another embodiment, a platform is stationarily mounted ahead of the toepiece of the downhill binding, with a separate heel support secured to the ski between the downhill toepiece and heelpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1980Date of Patent: October 12, 1982Inventor: Ralph E. Brice
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Patent number: 4352404Abstract: A device for the control of the traveling speed of a motor vehicle with an electrical controller applied by an actual speed signal and a desired speed signal, an output stage which contains a servo-motor being in operative connection with an element, preferably the throttle valve, which element influences the ratio of the fuel-air mixture that is supplied to the vehicle engine, and the output stage being electrically connected to a first switch which is coupled to the foot brake to switch the output stage into an inoperative condition if the foot brake is actuated. An additional switch which is actuatable by output stage, which switches are disposed in an electrical control circuit (which circuit influences the rotational speed of the engine) are embodied such that if the brake is actuated and if the output stage is outside the idling position the control circuit is controlled in the sense of a reduction of the rotational speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1979Date of Patent: October 5, 1982Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AGInventor: Bernhard Stier
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Patent number: 4352506Abstract: A ski brake having at least one braking leg, which is pivotal by a force applied by a ski boot or by a sole plate to a pedal about an axle, which extends substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski in a mounting member which is secured to the ski, from a braking position against a spring force into a retracted position. The braking leg is pivotal about a swivel shaft which extends in longitudinal direction of the ski when the ski brake is in the retracted position. The braking leg has a sliding segment thereon which slidingly engages during the swing of the ski brake from the retracted position into the braking position a ski binding part to thereby positively effect a driving of the braking mandrel about the axis of the swivel shaft laterally outwardly beyond the lateral edges of the ski.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1980Date of Patent: October 5, 1982Assignee: TMC CorporationInventors: Josef Svoboda, Friedrich Leichtfried
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Patent number: 4352402Abstract: An apparatus for regulating the traveling speed of a motor vehicle has a regulating device connected to control the fuel-air mixture supplied to the vehicle engine, with a safety circuit including a switching-off device responsive to a prespecified deceleration of the vehicle to deactuate the regulating device.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1980Date of Patent: October 5, 1982Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AGInventor: Harald Collonia
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Patent number: 4352502Abstract: A mud-flap supporting assembly for mounting a mud-flap on a vehicle including a horizontally disposed arm with a mud-flap attached to it. The arm is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical pin, and a coil compression spring is provided operatively connected between the arm and an arm portion which is moveable with respect to the arm, for centering the arm so that it is normally in a first position but may pivot against the bias of the spring about the vertical pin out of the first position and will be returned automatically by the spring to the first position. The arm portion includes a first portion fixed to the arm, and a second portion slidably moveable with respect to the first portion, and guided by the first portion, the first portion being deformed to provide a stop to provide the limit of travel of the second arm portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1979Date of Patent: October 5, 1982Inventors: Charles F. Leonard, Claude H. Leonard, deceased, legal representative Leonard
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Patent number: 4352508Abstract: A releasable step-in ski binding has movable clamping members (1,2) at the forward ends of a pair of elongated arms (21,22,21',22'). The rear ends of the arms (21,22,21',22') are coupled to a pair of transverse spring members (43,44) forming a transverse spring assembly (10). A lever member (11,11') is pivotably mounted on the binding and has a first position for compressing the rear ends of the arms (21,22,21'22') against the springs (43,44) for opening the clamping members (1) and (2). Extending from the lever member (11,11') there is provided a member (14) for receiving a ski pole tip to move the lever member (11,11') to its first position for opening the clamping members (1,2). In one embodiment a ski boot receiving member (12) for moving the lever member (11) to a second position is provided for closing the clamping members (1,2). In another embodiment a trigger member (103) between the clamping members (1,2) is provided for closing the clamping members (1,2).Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1980Date of Patent: October 5, 1982Inventor: Richard G. Spademan