Patents by Inventor Erwin Krob

Erwin Krob has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4245851
    Abstract: A ski brake made of spring wire and pivotally secured to a mounting plate which is in turn secured to the upper surface of a ski. The spring wire contains multiple bends therein with the spring wire being pivotally secured to the mounting plate about two axes which are spaced in the longitudinal direction of the ski. One of the pivot axes is centrally located on the mounting plate and movably supports the spring wire therein for movement toward the tip and tail of the ski. The other pivot axis of the ski brake is defined by a pair of laterally spaced axles which are located forwardly from the first-mentioned pivot axle and each are housed in bearing structures which will facilitate a pivoting of the axle about a vertical axis. This pivotal movement about the vertical axis can be by either making the axle housing the spring wire therein loose or by mounting the spring wire in a member which is in turn pivotally secured to the upper surface of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4244598
    Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for facilitating an adjustment of the relative position between a ski binding part and a sole support. The ski binding part and the sole support are mounted on separate guide structures. The sole support is movable laterally of the longitudinal axis of the support structure therefor to facilitate a desired positioning thereof relative to the ski binding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1981
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Josef Svoboda, Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4243245
    Abstract: A safety ski binding having a sole holder pivotally secured to a base member. The sole holder is held in condition of use by a locking member, which locking member is engaged by a locking part. The locking part is urged into engagement with the locking member by a spring. The locking part is guided in a limited manner in a guideway provided on a support part, which support part is pivotally secured to the base. The support part carries the spring which controls the force necessary to effect a release of the binding. A release lever is pivotally secured to the housing by means of two axially spaced and separate axles. A bolt, which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski, is provided for blocking the free upward travel of the housing when the release lever is in the normal position of use for facilitating downhill skiing. A movement of the release lever to the release position will permit the housing to freely move relative to the bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventor: Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4239256
    Abstract: A ski brake mechanism for preventing the runaway of a ski after the release of same from a ski boot which is held on the ski by a ski binding. The ski brake includes an approximately U-shaped braking bar which is provided with braking arms which lie on both sides of the ski and are pivotally supported about an axis which lies at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ski. The braking bar can be swung, loaded by a spring, with downwardly projecting arms into the braking position and can be swung into the ready position above the upper surface of the ski when the ski boot is inserted into the ski binding by means of a stepping plate. The spring is an approximately U-shaped spring bar which is bent from spring wire and is supported in a mounting plate on the ski and spaced longitudinally a distance from the braking bar. The braking bar and the spring bar are pivotally connected by interpositioning of the stepping plate through carrier parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl
  • Patent number: 4216976
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventor: Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4214777
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventor: Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4213629
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4210342
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl
  • Patent number: 4194758
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Josef Svoboda, Erwin Weigl, Erwin Krob, Karl Stritzl, Jaroslav Knotek
  • Patent number: 4125275
    Abstract: A safety ski binding for use with a ski boot having an ankle cuff which is pivotally secured for movement about a transverse axis to the remaining shell portion of the ski boot. The rear side of the ankle cuff of the ski boot has a reinforcing member defining a shoulder or the like. The shoulder of the reinforcing member is engaged by a binding part mounted on the ski binding and has a surface thereon adjustably supported for movement in a vertical direction to control the location of engagement between the shoulder and the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4116461
    Abstract: A brake device for skis wherein a pair of levers are pivotally mounted on a bracket mounted on the upper surface of the ski. Each of the levers is composed of two arms wherein one arm functions as a brake wing and the other arm functions as a control element. Projections are provided on the ski binding which cooperate with the lever arms functioning as the control elements to control the movement of the levers during a pivotal movement of the ski binding to the ready or cocked position. As a result, the ski brake is held in the cocked or ready position by the ski binding mechanism rather than directly by the ski boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4111453
    Abstract: A heel holding release binding mountable on a ski and having a pivotal housing which has a movable blocking part locked by a locking element which can be moved against the force of a spring. In a position of use, the locking element engages a stop arranged on an operating lever which is pivotally supported on the housing. The blocking part is formed by a bolt which extends parallel to the upper side of the ski and terminates at opposite ends thereof in slots provided in the sidewalls of the housing. The base plate has a recess therein into which is received, in the position of use of the heel holder, an extension, shoulder or the like on the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventor: Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4103916
    Abstract: A ski brake for skis utilizing a spring construction such as is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,563. The spring is composed of a U-shaped portion having a pair of generally parallel legs and a connecting cross-part. The heel holder of a ski binding has a projection thereon which cooperates with the U-shaped part to effectively hold down the ski brake in the cocked or ready position without requiring a direct engagement of the ski boot with the U-shaped part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4093270
    Abstract: A safety ski binding having a reinforcing member on a ski boot, which ski boot has a shaft portion which is pivotal about a transverse axis. The reinforcing member has a shoulder thereon which is engageable with a removable support to limit the backward pivoting movement of the shaft portion but permit a desired amount of frontward movement. A lever is provided which is movable into and out of supporting engagement with the shoulder to facilitate entry of the ski boot into the ski binding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4088343
    Abstract: A front jaw for a ski binding having a base plate fixedly secured to the ski and on which two pivot axes are positioned which are perpendicular with respect thereto. A two-arm lever is pivotally supported on each of the pivot axes and one arm thereof is adapted to move into and out of engagement with the toe of the ski boot. The other arm of each two-arm lever cooperates with a pull rod resiliently urged to the initial position by an adjustable spring operated mechanism to resiliently hold the toe of the ski boot in the clamped position on the ski. Each of the two-arm levers cooperates with an intermediate structure to effectively control the spring force urging the two-arm levers to the clamping position holding the ski boot onto the ski. In one embodiment, this intermediate structure is a plate resiliently held perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pull rod and is moved to a position out of perpendicular relationship against the spring force by a pivoting of one of the two-arm levers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: TMC Corporation
    Inventor: Erwin Krob
  • Patent number: 4082315
    Abstract: A safety ski binding having a base and a sole holder pivotally connected to the base and movable about a pivot axis between a position of use and a release position. An adjustable abutment and a holding member are provided on the base. A slide member is reciprocally slidably movably mounted on the base and has an inclined surface thereon. The slide member is movable toward and away from the holding element. A single spring is provided and engages and extends between the slide member and the adjustable abutment for urging the slide member toward the holding member on the base. A locking pin is secured to the sole holder and is positioned to engage the holding element and the inclined surface at a location spaced from a threshold part when the sole holder is in the position of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1978
    Assignee: Gertsch AG
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl, Josef Svoboda
  • Patent number: 4025087
    Abstract: Manual release means for safety ski binding. The sole holder for the forward or rearward end of a ski boot is pivoted to a housing and includes a pin within said housing which moves upwardly and downwardly with opening and closing movement of the sole holder. A pair of tonglike means resiliently embrace said pin for normally holding the sole holder in sole engaging position but are spread apart against an adjustable spring force upon imposition of a predetermined opening force onto the sole engaging means of the device. One side of said tonglike device is directly engaged by one end of the adjusting spring and the other side of said tonglike device is engaged by the reaction means holding the other end of said spring whereby to double the holding strength of the tonglike means for a given spring as compared to a construction in which the spring holds only one side of a pin retaining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Assignee: Gertsch AG
    Inventors: Erwin Krob, Erwin Weigl, Josef Svoboda