Power Ski

Abstract

This invention relates to a ski equipped with mechanical propelling means to propel the ski over snow-covered surface; the under surface of the ski slides over the snow at all times, and the mechanical propelling means may be engaged and disengaged from the snow surface.

Description

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements is snow skis, and has for its primary purpose propelling means for sliding skis over snow.

The power ski according to the present invention can be used on one of skier's legs only while other leg is equipped with ordinary ski, or skier can use a pair of power skis--one on each leg.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

The most pertinent art appears to be U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,229 by S. Van Voorhees, composed of conventional skis, each formed with the usual surface for sliding over snow-covered terrain and this surface is used in traveling downwardly over inclined surfaces in exactly the same manner as conventional skis are used. In all embodiments of S. Van Voorhees invention, the sliding ski surface of ski is displaced from its operative position, for replacement by a driving or propelling surface whenever the terrain is such, that the skier can no longer slide under the action of gravity.

In all embodiments of the present invention, there's an important distinction; namely, the sliding surface of ski is always in contact with the snow, supporting at all times, part or all of skier's weight with relatively low resistance to forward motion over snow as is typical with all skis and the driving or propelling means can be engaged and disengaged from snow, and the weight of the skier is never fully supported on the driving or propelling

It is also an object of the present invention to provide means to engage the drive means with snow in order that the propelling means would become effective, or to disengage the propelling means so that ski can slide freely on snow as an ordinary ski does.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a remote hand hand control to control the engagement of the propelling means with snow covered surface.

It is another object of the present invention to include a power source and power transitional means to connect the power source to the propelling means. Such power source can be any of the commonly used, such a a small internal combustion engine, and electric motor, preferably equipped with nickel cadmium rechargeable accumulators or other compact electric storage cells.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide hand remote control for the output of the power source.

Other objects reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully herein after described and claimed, reference being had to accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a skier equipped with the first embodiment of the invention in which the motive power is carried fastened to the skier's back, and the power is transmitted to the belt through a flexible shaft and a right-angle gear box;

FIG. 2 is top plan view of the power ski of first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a view of an arrangement by which a rotary power source can be attached to two power skis simultaneously;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of an arrangement by which single control handle assembly can control simultaneously to power skis;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of an arrangement by which single control handle assembly can control simultaneously to power skis, and

FIG. 6 shows a view of a hydrostatic power-transmitting connection between power source and power ski.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a skier equipped with one power driven ski 7, which comprises a body member 8 with an anterior, elongated sliding under surface 8a, including a conventional attaching mechanism to attach the ski to a human foot comprising a handle 1 which is pivoted on a shaft 3. Shaft 3 connects an attaching mechanism base 4 to the handle 1 so that it can pivot relatively to the attaching mechanism base 4. A spring 5 is connected by the shaft 2 to handle 1. Hooks 6 are attached to the ski body 8 and support the spring 5 downwardly, for supporting and binding a boot 12 of the skier to ski 8. At the rear end of the ski a U shaped bracket 14 is fastened to the ski by four rivets 16 and carrier a shaft 18. A subassemblies's frame 20 contains a hollow sleeve 22 through which the shaft 18 passes, therefore the frame 20 can pivot around the shaft 18.

A bracket 24 is connected to the ski body 8 by two rivets 26 and supports one end of an outer shell 28 of flexible cable 30, which at one end thereof is connected to a crossmember 32 of the subassembly's frame 20.

The other end of the outer shell 28 is connected to a handle bracket 34, an at this same end the flexible cable is connected to a control handle 36. A shaft 79 supported in the handle bracket 34 on which handle 36 is pivotally mounted. A screw 72 is used to fasten the handle bracket 34 to pole 71. When the handle 36 is depressed it causes the cable 30 to pull the frame member 32 upwards raising the frame 20. This will in turn raise a posterior endless belt 38 from contact with the snow.

A similar type of flexible cable controls a carburetor 42 opening of an engine 44, and thereby controls the power generation of the engine 44. The engine's output shaft is power transmittingly connected to a flexible shaft 45. Said flexible shaft is covered by a protective cover 48. The other end of the flexible shaft is power transmittingly connected to an input shaft of a right-angle gear box 50. The output shaft of the right-angle gear box is power transmittingly connected to a shaft 52 which carries a toothed pulley 54, and is power transmittingly connected to the said pulley 54. The shaft 52 is rotatably supported by the frame 20. The belt 38 is supported on the toothed pulley 54 and teeth 56 it contains mesh with the pulley's teeth to form a good power transmitting connection between pulley 54 and the belt 38. Teeth 58 on the outer side of belt 38 serve to engage the snow-covered surface. The belt 38 is also supported by an idler, a pulley 60 which is mounted on a shaft 62 which is supported by the frame 20 and free to rotate with respect to the frame 20.

OPERATION

Skier fastens his boot 12 to ski 8 in an ordinary manner by the ordinary mechanism which components are indicated by numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, puts an engine 44 on his back, and grabs poles 71 in his hands.

He pulls the handle 36 to disengage the belt 38 from snow and permits idling He now raises the engine 44 power output by pressing the handle 64, and he estimates the engine's 44 adequate power, he releases the handle 36 slowly, bringing the belt 38 into engagement with snow. These actions are similar in their nature to the procedures of bringing a motorcycle into movement.

Once forward movement is initiated the skier can vary speeds by controlling engine power output by pressing or depressing the handle 64. If the skier prefers to stop or freely glide downhill he can disengage the belt 38 from the snow by depressing the handle 36.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement by which two skis according to first, second or third embodiment can simultaneously be driven by one rotary power source. The engine 44 has an output shaft 300 which carries a gear 301 which is in mesh with two identical gears 302. The gears 302 each is mounted and connected to rigid shaft section 303. The rigid shaft ends each is connected to the end of the flexible shafts 46.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show an arrangement by which two skis 7 according to the first embodiment can be controlled for the elevation of the subassembly 20 carrying the mechanical propelling means by a single handle. A handle 64a contains two seats for ends of flexible cable 30 and handle bracket contains two holes 401 through which cable 30 can pass but outer shell 28 cannot pass.

FIG. 6 shows a hydrostatic drive line replacing the flexible cable arrangement for transmitting power source power to mechanical propelling means. The engine 44 drives a hydrostatic pump 500 which sends pressurized fluid through flexible hose 501 to hydrostatic motor 502 which rotates the shaft 52. Flexible hose 503 serves to return the unpressurized fluid to the pump 500. A control valve 504 regulates the output of the hydrostatic pump 500, and this valve is adjusted by the handle 505 which is mounted on shaft 506.

While this invention has been described and illustrated in connection with specific embodiments it is of course understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of may invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A power-driven ski comprising, in combination:

an anterior elongated sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow,

a posterior toothed endless belt portion for driving said ski,

means for attaching a ski boot to said sliding surface portion so that at least part of the skier's weight is carried by said sliding surface portion,

motor means carried by a skier for powering said endless belt portion, said motor means being flexibly coupled to said endless belt portion,

a ski pole,

means carried by said ski pole for controlling the speed of said endless belt.

2. A power-driven ski comprising, in combination:

an anterior elongated sliding ski surface portion for slidingly contacting the snow,

a posterior toothed endless belt portion for driving said ski,

means for attaching a ski boot to said sliding surface portion so that at least part of the skier's weight is carried by said sliding surface portion,

motor means for powering said endless belt portion,

said motor means being coupled to said endless belt portion,

a ski pole,

and means carried by said ski pole for controlling the speed of said endless belt.