Combination Ski Lock And Safety Strap

Abstract

A combination ski lock and safety strap including an elongated cable having a male member on one end and a female member on the other end forming a lock mechanism. A control mechanism is operative to permit the male member to be securely maintained within the female member while at the same time preventing movement of the lock mechanism to the locked position thereof. The control mechanism is operative to permit easy release of the male member from the female member or to permit the lock to function in the normal manner.

Description

This invention relates to a combination ski lock and safety strap and more particularly to a mechanism which functions both as a combination lock and a quick release safety strap.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a combination ski lock and safety strap, comprising an elongated cable having a male member on one end thereof and a female member on the other end thereof, the male member having an elongated shank with a plurality of lugs extending outwardly therefrom, the female member having an elongated slot therein for receiving the elongated shank and the lugs carried thereby, the female member having a plurality of locking rings movable between a locked position thereof wherein movement of lugs into and out of the slot is prevented and an unlocking position thereof wherein free movement of the lugs within the elongated slot is provided, and a control mechanism mounted on one of said members and movable between an engaged position wherein the locking rings in the unlocked position thereof are prevented from being moved to the locked position thereof and the elongated shank is firmly held in the elongated slot and a disengaged position thereof wherein the locking rings are movable between the locked and the unlocked positions thereof, whereby the combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a safety strap when the locking rings are in the unlocked position thereof and the control mechanism is in the engaged position thereof thereby to permit easy removal of the male member from the female member by movement of the control mechanism to the disengaged position thereof and the combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a ski lock when the control mechanism is in the disengaged position thereof and the locking rings are in the locked position thereof thereby firmly holding the male member within the female member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination ski lock and safety strap of the type set forth wherein a first camming surface on the control mechanism cooperates with a second camming surface on the other member to position the male member with respect to the female member such that the locking rings of the female member are maintained in the unlocked position thereof, the first camming surface and the second camming surface further cooperating to permit the male member to be positioned with respect to the female member to allow the locking rings to move to the locking position thereof.

These and other objects of the present invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a ski binding showing the invention in use as a safety strap;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the combination ski lock and safety strap showing the mounting thereof on the heel piece of the ski binding;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view also showing the mounting of the combination ski lock and safety strap on the heel piece of the ski binding;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the lock mechanism of the present invention showing the male member firmly seated within the female member and the control mechanism in the disengaged position thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4 with the male member longitudinally spaced from the female member;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 4 showing the control mechanism in the engaged position thereof wherein the male member is locked within the female member and the locked rings of the female member are prevented from moving;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the lock mechanism shown in FIG. 4 taken along lines 7--7 thereof;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view like FIG. 7 showing the control mechanism in the operative position thereof; and

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a pair of skis showing the present invention in use as a ski lock.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a combination ski lock and sagety strap 50 having an elongated cable 51 provided with a clip 52 which forms a loop 53 in substantially the center thereof. A short piece of cable 56 is connected to the cable 51 at spaced apart points by a clip 57 and a clip 58, thereby to form a rear support portion of the safety strap. The cable 51 is provided with a lock 60 comprised of a male member 70 and a female member 80 and a control mechanism 100. More particularly, the male member 70 is connected to the cable 51 by an end piece 71 which is pivotally mounted to an enlarged head portion 72 of the male member by a rivet 73. An elongated shaft 74 extends outwardly of the enlarged head portion 72 and has three spaced apart perpendicularly extending lugs 75 thereon. The end of the enlarged head portion 72 away from the cable 51 is formed into a cam which has a sinuous surface with a protruding camming surface 76 and an indented camming surface 77. An indicator mark 78 is provided in the center of the protruding camming portion 76.

At the other end of the cable 51 there is provided the female member 80 which is attached to an end piece 81 firmly connected to the cable 51, the female member having an enlarged head 82 pivotally mounted to the end piece 81 by a rivet 83. The female member has an elongated keyhole shaped slot (not shown) extending longitudinally of the member and also has three lock rings 85, 86 and 87 each provided with a knurled head 88, 89 and 91 thereon which cooperate to provide a combination lock of the type set forth in British Patent No. 629,119 having a specification acceptance date of Sept. 13, 1949, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. It is seen, therefore, that the female member 80 and the male member 70 of the lock 60 cooperate to provide a normal combination lock of the type wherein longitudinal movement of the male member 70 with respect to the keyhole shaped slot in the female member 80 is permitted or prevented by the position of the individual lock rings 85, 86 and 87.

The control mechanism 100 is mounted on the female member 80 at the end thereof and includes a ring member 101 having a sinuous camming surface 102 including an indented portion 103 and a protruding portion 104. A keyhole shaped slot 107 extends through the ring 101 and is complimentary to the keyhole shaped slots in each of the lock rings 85, 86 and 87, the slot 107 being provided with a circular portion 108 and a rectangular portion 109 thereby to receive the shaft 74 and the lugs 75 of the male member 70. The control mechanism 100 is rotatable independently with respect to the female member 80 and more particularly with respect to each of the lock rings 85, 86 and 87.

The lock rings 85, 86 and 87 of the female member 80 are movable between an unlocking position thereof wherein the keyhole shaped slots of each of the lock rings are aligned one with the other so as to permit the insertion thereinto of the male member 70 and a locked position thereof wherein at least one of the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 is rotated so as to position the keyhole shaped slot therein out of alignment with the other keyhole shaped slots so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the male member with respect to the female member. This type of combination lock is well known in the art.

The control mechanism 100 is movable between a disengaged position thereof wherein the keyhole shaped slot 107 is in alignment with the other ones of the keyhole shaped slots in the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 when the lock rings are in the unlocked position thereof. When the control mechanism 100 is in the disengaged position thereof, as shown in FIG. 4, the indented portion 103 of the sinuous surface 102 is in position to receive the extended portion 76 of the enlarged head 72 thereby to permit the male member 70 to be firmly seated within and fully extended into the female member 80. In the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the male member 70 is fully seated within the female member 80 and the control mechanism 100 is in the disengaged position thereof, the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 may be operated between the unlocked position thereof wherein the male member 70 is longitudinally movable within the female member 80 and the locked position thereof wherein the male member 70 is prevented from moving longitudinally within the female member 80.

When the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 are in the unlocked position thereof and the male member 70 is firmly seated within and fully extended into the female member 80 movement of the control mechanism 100 from the disengaged position thereof to the engaged position thereof results in a slight longitudinal movement of the male member with respect to the female member from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 6. As seen in FIG. 6, the male member 70 has been moved longitudinally of the female member 80 a sufficient amount to position the lugs 75 between the keyhole slots of adjacent locking rings, thereby to prevent rotational movement of the locking rings 85, 86 and 87 to maintain the locking rings in the unlocked position thereof. The male member 70 is prevented from disengaging from the female member 80 because the ring 101 of the control mechanism 100 has been rotated as shown by the arrow 115 in FIG. 8 to position the keyhole shaped slot 106 out of alignment with the lugs 75 and more particularly, the rectangular opening 108 is rotated 90.degree. with respect to the lugs 75 to prevent further outward movement of the male member 70 with respect to the female member 80. It is seen, therefore, that with the control member 100 in the engaged position thereof the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 are maintained in the unlocked position thereof while the male member 70 is firmly locked within the female member 80. The male member 70 is quickly disengaged from the female member 80 by movement of the control mechanism 100 90.degree. in a direction opposite to the arrow 115 thereby to align the keyhole shaped slot 106 with the shaft 74 and the lugs 75. Quick disengagement of the male member 70 from the female member 80 is an important feature of the present invention as well as the prevention of the lock rings 85, 86 and 87 from being rotated from the unlocked position thereof during use of the combination 50 as a safety strap, all for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3 and 9, there is disclosed a pair of skis 120 and 130, the ski 120 having a binding 121 consisting of a toe piece 122 and a heel piece 123 having a ring 124 extending therefrom. Similarly, the ski 130 is also provided with a binding including the heel piece 133 with a ring 134 extending therefrom. Further, there is shown a pair of poles 140 each provided with a strap 141, the skis 120 and 130 resting on a support bar 145 as shown in FIG. 9.

When it is desired to use the combination lock and safety strap 50 as a ski lock, as shown in FIG. 9, the cable 51 is passed through the rings 124 and 134 of the skis 120 and 130 through the straps 141 on the poles 140 and around a support bar 145. The control mechanism 100 mounted on the female member 80 is moved to the disengaged position thereof as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and the male member 70 is inserted therethrough and into the female member 80. When the control mechanism 100 is in the disengaged position thereof, the indented portion 103 of the sinuous camming surface 102 is in alignment with the extended portion 76 of the camming surface on the enlarged head 72 of the male member 70, thereby to permit full insertion of the male member 70 into the female member 80, as seen in FIG. 4. In this position, the indicator 78 is in alignment with the OFF indicia on the control mechanism 100. When the male member 70 is fully inserted into the female member 80 as seen in FIG. 4, the lugs 75 fit within the keyhole slots in each of the locking rings 85, 86 and 87 which are in position wherein their individual keyhole slots are aligned to receive the shank 74 carrying the lugs 75 thereon. Rotation of one or more of the locking rings 85, 86 and 87 results in locking the male member 70 within the female member 80 in the usual manner. Release of the male member 70 from the female member 80 may be obtained only by positioning the individual locking rings 85, 86 and 87 in a predetermined position wherein the individual keyhole shaped slots of the rings are aligned to permit the passage therethrough of the shank 74 and the lugs 75.

When it is desired to use the combination lock and safety strap 50 as a safety strap, the cable 51 is passed through a ring 124 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the loop 53 is initially passed through the ring 124 and thereafter the remainder of the cable 51 along with the male member 70 and the female member 80 is passed through the loop 53, as seen in FIG. 3, to provide the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. The short cable 56 provides a rear support for the heel of the boot 150 positioned in the binding 121 and against the heel piece 123, the remainder of the cable 51 being wrapped around the boot in the usual manner for safety straps. The individual locking rings 85, 86 and 87 are moved to their prearranged position wherein the individual keyhole slots are in alignment to receive the male member 70 and more particularly the shank 74 with the lug 75 thereon. As seen in FIG. 4, the male member 70 is fully inserted into the female member 80 and the control mechanism 100 is in the disengaged position thereof. Since it is important to provide a quick release for the safety strap when a skier falls so that the ski can be repositioned on the boot if the ski comes off or if the skier is injured and it is necessary to remove the ski quickly, the locking rings 85, 86 and 87 remain in their aligned position while the control mechanism 100 is moved from the disengaged position thereof shown in FIG. 4 to the engaged position thereof shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the ring 101 has been rotated 90.degree. so as to position the extended portion 104 of the sinuous camming surface 102 in alignment with the extended portion 76 of the camming surface on the head 72 and more particularly in position so that the indicator 78 is in alignment with the ON indicia of the ring 101. When the control mechanism 100 is in the engaged position shown in FIG. 6, the individual locking rings 85, 86 and 87 are prevented from moving as hereinbefore set forth due to the position of the lugs 75 with respect to each of the locking rings while at the same time the male member 70 cannot be longitudinally withdrawn from the female member 80 due to the rotation of the ring 101 which misaligns the keyhole shaped slot 106 with the rearmost lug 75. In this position, the combination lock and safety strap 50 can function as a safety strap in the usual manner while at the same time providing quick release which permits removal of the male member 70 from the female member 80 without knowledge of the combination which is needed to release the lock 60 when it functions as hereinbefore described as a lock to prevent theft of skis and other equipment.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made herein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and alterations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A combination ski lock and safety strap, comprising an elongated cable having a male member on one end thereof and a female member on the other end thereof, said male member having an elongated shank with a plurality of lugs extending outwardly therefrom, said female member having an elongated slot therein for receiving said elongated shank and said lugs carried thereby, said female member having a plurality of locking rings movable between a locked position thereof wherein movement of lugs into and out of said slot is prevented and an unlocking position thereof wherein free movement of said lugs within said elongated slot is provided, and a control means mounted on one of said members and movable between an engaged position wherein said locking rings in the unlocked position thereof are prevented from being moved to the locked position thereof and said elongated shank is firmly held in said elongated slot and a disengaged position thereof wherein said locking rings are movable between the locked and the unlocked positions thereof, whereby said combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a safety strap when said locking rings are in the unlocked position thereof and said control means is in the engaged position thereof thereby to permit easy removal of said male member from said female member by movement of said control mechanism to the disengaged position thereof and said combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a ski lock when said control means is in the disengaged position thereof and said locking rings are in the locked position thereof thereby firmly holding said male member within said female member.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said male member and said female member are each pivotally mounted on said cable.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said elongated cable has a clip thereon forming a loop between said male member and said female member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the number of locking rings on said female member corresponds to the number of lugs on said shank.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means is mounted on and rotatable with respect to said female member.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means is rotatable 90.degree. with respect to said one member between the engaged and the disengaged positions of said control means.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means is a ring having a keyhole shaped slot therethrough, said keyhole shaped slot being constructed and arranged to accept therethrough said shank and lugs of said male member.

8. A combination ski lock and safety strap, comprising an elongated cable having a male member on one end thereof and a female member on the other end thereof, said male member having an elongated shank with a plurality of lugs extending outwardly therefrom, said female member having an elongated slot therein for receiving said elongated shank and said lugs carried thereby, said female member having a plurality of locking rings movable between a locked position thereof wherein movement of lugs into and out of said slot is prevented and an unlocking position thereof wherein free movement of said lugs within said elongated slot is provided, and a control means mounted on one of said members having a first camming surface thereon engaging a second camming surface on the other of said members, said control means being movable between an engaged position wherein said first camming member and said second camming member cooperate to position said lugs with respect to said locking rings to prevent said locking rings from moving from the unlocked position thereof and said elongated shank is firmly held in said elongated slot and a disengaged position thereof wherein said first camming surface and said second camming surface cooperate to permit said locking rings to be movable between the locked and the unlocked positions thereof, whereby said combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a safety strap when said locking rings are in the unlocked position thereof and said control means is in the engaged position thereof thereby to permit easy removal of said male member from said female member by movement of said control means to the disengaged position thereof and said combination ski lock and safety strap may be used as a ski lock when said control means is in the disengaged position thereof and said locking rings are in the locked position thereof thereby firmly holding said male member within said female member.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said control means is mounted on and rotatable with respect to said female member.

10. The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said control means is rotatable 90.degree. with respect to said one member between the engaged and the disengaged positions of said control means.

11. The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said control means is a ring having a keyhole shaped slot therethrough, said keyhole shaped slot being constructed and arranged to accept therethrough said shank and lugs of said male member.