Abstract: A cross-country ski boot comprising a sole (2) made of a molded plastic material, having a longitudinal groove (2a) by means of which it covers a longitudinal rib (3a) provided on the upper surface of the ski (3), when the boot is flat on the ski. The boot comprises, at least in the area of its heel (4), a shaped, rigid reinforcing element (5) which shapes itself so as to fit the transverse profile of the groove (2a) of the sole (2) and which is embedded at least partially in the plastic material of the sole (2), and this reinforcing element (5) carries walking and/or wear-resistant runners (6) which are mounted on its surfaces (5b, 5c) which come to rest for support on corresponding surfaces (3c, 3d; 3e, 3f) of the ski.

Abstract: A linkage apparatus between the end of a boot and a cross-country ski, includes a flexion blade adapted to be affixed to a ski by its anterior end and to receive the end of a ski boot or shoe at its posterior end has a lower surface which is fitted against an upper surface of a support plate attached to the ski or the ski itself. The lower surface of the blade and the upper side of the ski lie in planes which are non-complementary with respect to each other in a manner which creates during assembly of the boot to the ski a pre-stressed moment in the blade which tends to counteract the tendency of the rear portion of the blade to lift-off the ski when the material making up the blade becomes fatigued by maintaining the rear portion of the flexion blade pressed against the ski when the boot has been detached.

Abstract: Cross-country ski boot whose sole, made of a molded plastic material, carries, at its front end, a transverse fastening axis which cooperates with a binding mounted on the cross-country ski. A part (6a) of the anchoring element (6), which is embedded in the plastic material of the front portion of the sole (2), extends along a plane (P) sloping upward from back to front, and the transverse fastening axis is located on the lower portion of the anchoring element (6). The sole (2) has, immediately behind the fastening device (4), a recess (2a) which marks off, on the upper portion of the sole (2), an area (2b) of reduced thickness constituting the equivalent of a hinge for the sole (2).

Abstract: A cross-country ski binding that includes a first axis about which a shoe rotates in relation to the ski and a second axis of rotation for a retention or bridling stirrup that acts on the front end of the shoe. An elastic member biases the stirrup in the direction of bridling the shoe and also exerts a return force on the shoe when it is lifted from the upper surface of the ski. A transmission plate is journalled to the ski at a lower end and at the upper end to a connecting rod that is in turn journalled to the stirrup. The transmission plate transmits the forces of the elastic member to the stirrup.

Abstract: A "step-in" binding for cross-country skis. The binding includes a latching element, directly biased into an attachment position, which is pivotably mounted to a stirrup element, which is pivotable mounted to a linkage element, the linkage element being indirectly biased to the attachment position. These three elements are associated with a biasing assembly to create an over-center device to urge the latching element toward the attachment position. The binding can be arranged so that the over-center device is bi-stable to thereby urge the latching element toward a release position. In one form of the invention, the front portion of the ski boot is supported for rotation on a journal surface of the binding which coincides with the axis of rotation of the linkage element to provide a less complex and relatively light-weight assembly.

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: A binding is adapted to attach the front end of a ski boot to a ski, and is particularly useful in cross-country skiing apparatus. The apparatus includes a support which is pivotably mounted about a first transverse axis on the ski and a device for retaining the front end of the boot on the ski. The upper ski surface includes a longitudinal rib which is bordered by two longitudinal strips, and the support is adapted to be elastically biased downwardly and rearwardly by two longitudinal tongues which are elastically flexible and which are located on either side of the central rib. The front ends of the tongues are pivotably mounted to the ski around a second axis which is parallel to the first axis. This enables the structure to be formed in a relatively compact fashion with respect to the width of the ski.