Abstract: This motorized carriage for opening/closing a curtain is able to move along a rail thanks to a friction wheel driven by an electric motor and pivot mounted in a casing containing this electric motor. The casing is provided with at least two members for suspending it from the rail or from the rod, which include a support and/or a base element and at least one pivoting roller. The casing is equipped with at least one housing for partially accommodating and reversibly immobilizing each suspension member, so that the pivoting rollers or the shoes of the suspension members are mounted removably on the casing. The support is mounted, removably and via a rotational movement (F4), in the housing. Elements allow the support to be immobilized about its axis of rotation. The movement assembly (E) includes a casing and at least two sets of two suspension members.

Abstract: A motor-driven carriage (100) for opening/closing a curtain, includes a housing (110) that is provided with two members (124, 126) for suspending the housing from a rail (50), wherein a friction wheel (112), which is driven by an electric motor and which is to contact at least one rolling surface (56, 57) of the rail, is rotatably mounted inside the housing. The carriage (100) also includes a cradle (150) provided with two other members (155, 156) for suspending the cradle from the rail (50), which are separate from the members (124, 126) for suspending the housing (110), as well as elements (153, 154) for coupling to the curtain. The cradle is mounted onto the housing (110) and is driven by the housing when the latter moves along the rail, the housing (110) and the cradle (150) optionally being capable of relative movement there between.

Abstract: This motorized carriage for opening/closing a curtain is able to move along a rail thanks to a friction wheel driven by an electric motor and pivot mounted in a casing containing this electric motor. The casing is provided with at least two members for suspending it from the rail or from the rod, which include a support and/or a base element and at least one pivoting roller. The casing is equipped with at least one housing for partially accommodating and reversibly immobilizing each suspension member, so that the pivoting rollers or the shoes of the suspension members are mounted removably on the casing. The support is mounted, removably and via a rotational movement (F4), in the housing. Elements allow the support to be immobilized about its axis of rotation. The movement assembly (E) includes a casing and at least two sets of two suspension members.

Abstract: A motor-driven carriage (100) for opening/closing a curtain, includes a housing (110) that is provided with two members (124, 126) for suspending the housing from a rail (50), wherein a friction wheel (112), which is driven by an electric motor and which is to contact at least one rolling surface (56, 57) of the rail, is rotatably mounted inside the housing. The carriage (100) also includes a cradle (150) provided with two other members (155, 156) for suspending the cradle from the rail (50), which are separate from the members (124, 126) for suspending the housing (110), as well as elements (153, 154) for coupling to the curtain. The cradle is mounted onto the housing (110) and is driven by the housing when the latter moves along the rail, the housing (110) and the cradle (150) optionally being capable of relative movement there between.

Abstract: This binding comprises an elastic buffer (20) or comparable device, designed to exert a return-motion stress on the boot when the latter is raised off the upper surface of the ski. The deformation of the elastic buffer during its compression by the boot when raised is controlled so as to avoid vertical expansion of the buffer during compression. The binding also comprises a housing (16) in which at least one part of the elastic buffer (20) may be fitted, and which has transverse dimensions greater than those of the elastic buffer.

Abstract: Apparatus for releasably attaching a toe member of a boot to a binding member on the upper surfaces of a ski having a longitudinal median plane includes complementary latching parts on the members which are relatively movable in a longitudinal direction to an operative position at which the latching parts complementarily engage each other. The apparatus further includes a base for mounting on the upper surface of the ski, and an abutment element movably mounted on the base and adapted to engage the toe member of the boot when the members are in operative position. Finally, a resilient element or device acting on the abutment element resiliently maintains the members in operative position.

Abstract: A guidance apparatus for a cross-country ski and shoe includes a guidance rib on the ski for cooperation with a complementary groove on the shoe to provide lateral guidance of the shoe. The front portion of the guidance rib is widened to define a support and bearing surface for a journal pin on the shoe. The ribs on the shoe that define the groove are wider at their rear portions to provide support on the ski and for walking.

Abstract: A cross-country ski shoe having a journal axle to allow the shoe to be journalled on a cross-country ski. A support surface on the shoe is adapted to contact an elastic element on the binding which exerts a return force on the shoe when it is pivoted upwardly about the journal axle. The journal axle is positioned beneath and to rear of the elastic element so that forces from the elastic element are not transmitted to the journal axle, giving the skier better control of the ski.

Abstract: A cross-country ski binding member for releasably attaching the toe of a boot member to a ski includes cam elements on the members cooperable during downward movement of the boot member relative to the binding member in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the ski for effecting forward displacement of the boot member relative to the binding member until the sole of the boot member seats on the ski. A movable stirrup on the binding member is resiliently biased to a neutral position. Mutual engagement elements are provided on the stirrup and on the boot member. During cooperation of the cam elements, the engagement elements engage for affecting resilient displacement of the stirrup from its neutral position during initial forward displacement of the boot member. During final displacement of the boot member, the stirrup is resiliently displaced towards its neutral position and serves to retain the boot member to the ski.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching one end of a boot to a ski. The apparatus includes a support, a movable lock, and a journal. The support is attached to the ski and is adapted to engage the boot. The movable lock pivots around the journal between an inactive, non-retention position in which the boot is free to be attached to and removed from the ski, and an active, retention position in which the boot is locked on the ski. The journal is positioned between the walls of a housing of the apparatus. The journal is spaced from these walls of the housing so as to produce play between the journal and the housing in response to the movable lock pivoting into its active, retention position.

Abstract: A cross-country ski binding arranged to improve the ability of a skier to keep the skis in the tracks and to permit the skier to perform skating steps. The binding includes a cylindrical pin mounted in a bearing surface, such as an upper longitudinal rib of the ski, and having at least one portion complementary with at least one portion of the sole of a ski boot whereby the portion of the binding and the portion of the boot are engaged when the boot is affixed to the ski by the binding. At least one compressible member is associated with the pin so that as the pin and the boot connected thereto rotate, a return moment is created as the heel is lifted from the ski during cross-country skiing which compresses the compressible member thereby urging the boot towards the position whereby the boot is substantially flat on the ski.

Abstract: An apparatus for retaining a boot on a ski including a mobile lock adapted to be displaced between a retention position and an open position. In the retention position the lock retains the boot on the ski. In the open position the lock permits the boot to be disengaged from the ski. Also provided is a generally upside down U-shaped spring in the form of a stirrup having a two ends which are pivotally attached to the ski and a median portion including a projection which extends toward these ends and which is adapted to be displaced on the surface of the lock. Both the lock and the spring are pivotally attached to the ski around different transverse axes so that the lock and the spring form a toggle mechanism. As a result, when the projection is displaced on the surface of the lock to one side of a plane passing through the two transverse axes, the lock is biased and displaced into one of its two positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for retaining a boot on a ski including a mobile lock adapted to be displaced between a retention position and an open position. In the retention position the the lock retains the boot on the ski. In the open position the lock permits the boot to be disengaged from the ski. Also provided is a generally upside down U-shaped spring in the form of a stirrup having a two ends which are pivotally attached to the ski and a median portion including a projection which extends toward these ends and which is adapted to be displaced on the surface of the lock. Both the lock and the spring are pivotally attached to the ski around different transverse axes so that the lock and the spring form a toggle mechanism. As a result, when the projection is displaced on the surface of the lock to one side of a plane passing through the two transverse axes, the lock is biased and displaced into one of its two positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a front end of a ski boot to a ski, particularly for a cross-county ski, comprising a support pivotably mounted about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ski and retaining the front end of the boot on the ski. The apparatus further elastically biasing the support toward the rear of the ski. The biasing device being fixedly attached to the support which pivots about a fixed axis and is longitudinally displaceable with respect to the ski. The biasing device comprising at least one longitudinal tongue. The apparatus comprising a longitudinal rib adapted to be positioned on the ski surface and having at least one tongue attached to the support and being guided by the longitudinal rib.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a linkage apparatus between a ski boot and a cross-country ski which comprises a linkage blade which is pivotally mounted to a ski and which is attached to the toe end of the ski boot. In one embodiment, a sliding finger is biased by a compressing spring and constantly exerts a resilient pressure against an inclined forward surface of the linkage blade to maintain the blade in an equilibrium position, when at rest or inoperative, which is at an angle of about 20.degree. with respect to the horizontal ski surface. In another embodiment, a compressible wedge is used to exert such a force on the blade, and the pivotable blade is attached directly to the forward surface of a ski boot.