Claims
- 1. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow-engaging surface, a connector frame adjustably connected to said support base, at least one foot enclosure assembly having a toe portion and heel portion and means for interconnecting said at least one foot enclosure assembly with said connector frame, said means comprising:
(a) heel securement means for securing said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly within said frame, said heel securement means comprising a magnet connected to a selected one of said foot enclosure assembly and said connector frame; and (b) toe securement means connected to a selected one of said foot enclosure assembly and said connector frame for securing said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly within said connector frame.
- 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said magnet is connected to said foot enclosure assembly and in which said heel securement means comprises a ferrous metal plate affixed to said connector frame, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly.
- 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said magnet is connected to said foot enclosure assembly and in which said toe securement means comprises a ferrous metal plate affixed to said connector frame, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly.
- 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said magnet is connected to said connector frame and comprises an electromagnet and in which said heel securement means further comprises means for energizing said electromagnet.
- 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said means for energizing said electromagnet comprises:
(a) transmitter means remotely located from said connector frame for transmitting an electromagnet energizing signal; (b) a receiver housing connected to said connector frame; and (c) a receiver mounted within said receiver housing for receiving said electromagnet energizing signal, said receiver being operably associated with said electromagnet.
- 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a toe locking member having a locking tab and in which said toe securement means comprises a locking element affixed to said connector frame, said locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said toe locking member.
- 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said heel securement means comprises heel locking means connected to said connector frame for locking engagement with said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly.
- 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said foot enclosure assembly has an opening therein and in which said heel locking means comprises:
(a) a locking pin telescopically receivable within said opening; and (b) operating means connected to said locking pin for moving said locking pin relative to said opening in said foot enclosure assembly.
- 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 and which said operating means comprises:
(a) an operating lever having a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion; and (b) a connector link having a first end pivotally connected to said intermediate portion of said operating lever and a second end pivotally interconnected to said locking pin.
- 10. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a toe portion and heel portion and including a magnet affixed thereto intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow-engaging surface; (c) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) a frame connected to said support base and having a first end and a second end; and (ii) heel securement means connected to said frame for securing said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly within said frame, said heel securement means comprising:
a. a ferrous metal plate affixed to said frame intermediate said first and second ends, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly; b. heel locking means connected to said frame proximate said first end for locking engagement with said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly; and (iii) toe securement means connected to said frame proximate said second end thereof for securing said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly within said frame.
- 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a heel locking member affixed to said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly, said heel locking member having an opening therein and in which said heel locking means comprises a locking pin having a locking tongue telescopically receivable within said opening in said heel locking member and finger gripping means connected to said locking pin for moving said locking pin relative to said opening in said heel locking member.
- 12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a toe locking member having a locking tab and in which said toe securement means comprises a locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said toe locking member.
- 13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a second magnet and in which said toe securement means comprises a second ferrous metal plate engageable by said second magnet.
- 14. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said frame includes positioning means engageable by said foot enclosure assembly for positioning said foot enclosure assembly within said frame.
- 15. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said frame further includes adjustment means for adjustably interconnecting said frame with said support base.
- 16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said frame is provided with a central opening and in which said adjustment means comprises a generally disk shaped connector member rotatably mounted within said central opening.
- 17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 further including threaded connectors carried by said connector member for interconnecting said connector member with said support base.
- 18. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a toe portion and heel portion and including:
(i) a magnet affixed thereto intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; and (ii) a heel locking member affixed to said heel portion, said heel locking member having an opening therein; and (iii) a toe locking member affixed to said foot enclosure assembly proximate said toe portion, said toe locking member having a locking tab; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow-engaging surface; (c) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) a frame connected to said support base and having a first end and a second end; (ii) a ferrous metal plate affixed to said frame intermediate said first and second ends, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly; (iii) heel locking means connected to said frame proximate said first end for locking engagement with said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly said heel locking means comprising:
a. a locking pin having a locking tongue telescopically receivable within said opening of said heel locking member; and b. finger gripping means connected to said locking pin for moving said locking pin relative to said opening in said heel locking member; and (iv) toe securement means connected to said frame proximate said second end for locking engagement with said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly, said toe securement means comprising a locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said toe locking member.
- 20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 in which said frame includes positioning means engageable by said foot enclosure assembly for positioning said foot enclosure assembly within said frame, said positioning means comprising a pair of upstanding locating pins.
- 21. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a toe portion and heel portion and including:
(i) a magnet affixed thereto intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; and (ii) a heel locking member affixed to said heel portion, said heel locking member having an opening therein; and (iii) a toe locking member affixed to said foot enclosure assembly proximate said toe portion; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow engaging surface; (c) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) a frame connected to said support base and having a first end and a second end, said frame further including adjustment means for adjustably interconnecting said frame with said support base; (ii) a ferrous metal plate affixed to said frame intermediate said first and second ends, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly; (iii) heel locking means connected to said frame proximate said first end for locking engagement with said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly said heel locking means comprising:
a. a locking pin having a locking tongue telescopically receivable within said opening of said heel locking member; and b. finger gripping means connected to said locking pin for moving said locking pin relative to said opening in said heel locking member; and c. toe locking means connected to said frame proximate said second end for locking engagement with said toe locking member of said foot enclosure assembly.
- 22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 in which said toe locking member comprises a second magnet and in which said toe locking means comprises a second ferrous metal plate affixed to said frame intermediate said first and second ends, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said second magnet.
- 23. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 in which said toe locking member comprises a locking member having a locking tab and in which said toe locking means comprises a locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said locking member.
- 24. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 in which said heel locking means comprises an upstanding heel receiving block having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving said locking pin and in which said finger gripping means comprises a finger gripping lever pivotally connected to said heel receiving block and to said locking pin for movement between an upward position wherein said locking pin is received within said opening in said heel locking member and a downward position wherein said locking pin is retracted from said opening and said heel locking member.
- 25. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a toe portion and heel portion having a pair of spaced apart openings formed therein and including a magnet affixed thereto intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow-engaging surface; (c) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) first and second spaced apart mounting brackets connected to said support base; and (ii) heel securement means connected to said first and second spaced apart mounting brackets for securing said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly to said support base, said heel securement means comprising:
a. a ferrous metal plate affixed to said frame intermediate said first and second ends, said ferrous metal plate being engageable by said magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly; b. heel locking means connected to each of said mounting brackets for locking engagement with said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly, each said heel locking means comprising:
(i) a locking pin having a locking extremity telescopically receivable within a selected one of said spaced apart openings formed opening in said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly; and (ii) operating means connected to said locking pin for moving said locking pin relative to said selected one of said spaced apart openings formed in said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly between a first locked position and a second retracted position; and (iii) toe securement means connected to said support base for securing said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly to said support base.
- 26. The apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which said toe securement means comprises a generally U shaped strap connected to said support base.
- 27. The apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which said each said mounting bracket comprises an upstanding member having a bore therethrough and a side member connected to said upstanding member and in which said operating means comprises:
(a) an operating lever connected to said side member, said operating lever having a first end, a second end and an intermediate portion; and (b) a connector link having a first end pivotally connected to said intermediate portion of said operating lever and a second end pivotally interconnected to said locking pin.
- 28. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a:
(i) toe portion; (ii) a heel portion having first and second spaced apart bores formed therein; (iii) a magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; and (iv) a first locking pin carried within said first spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for movement between a first retracted position and a second extended, locking position; (v) a second locking pin carried within said second spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for movement between a first retracted position and a second extended, locking position; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow-engaging surface; (c) toe securement means connected to said support base for securing said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly to said support base; and (d) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) a first housing connected to said support base, said first housing having an opening; (ii) a first magnet carried within said first housing for urging said first locking pin into said opening in said first housing; (iii) a second housing connected to said support base, said second housing having an opening; and (iv) a second magnet carried within said second housing for urging said second locking pin into said opening in said second housing.
- 29. The apparatus as defined in claim 28 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a toe locking member having a locking tab and in which said toe securement means comprises a locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said toe locking member.
- 30. The apparatus as defined in claim 28 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes:
(a) a first biasing means carried within said first spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for yieldably urging said first locking pin toward said first retracted position; and (b) a second biasing means carried within said second spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for yieldably urging said second locking pin toward said first retracted position.
- 31. The apparatus as defined in claim 28 in which said first and second magnets are electromagnets and in which said connector means further comprises means for energizing said electromagnets.
- 32. The apparatus as defined in claim 31 in which said means for energizing said electromagnets comprises:
(a) transmitter means remotely located from said first and second housings for transmitting an electromagnet energizing signal; (b) a receiver housing connected to said first and second housings; and (c) a receiver mounted within said receiver housing for receiving said electromagnet energizing signal, said receiver being operably associated with said electromagnets.
- 33. An apparatus for gliding over snow comprising:
(a) at least one foot enclosure assembly having a:
(i) toe portion; (ii) a heel portion having first and second spaced apart bores formed therein; (iii) a magnet affixed to said foot enclosure assembly intermediate said toe portion and said heel portion; and (iv) a first locking pin carried within said first spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for movement between a first retracted position and a second extended, locking position; (v) a second locking pin carried within said second spaced apart bore formed in said heel portion for movement between a first retracted position and a second extended, locking position; (b) at least one support base having an upper surface and a lower snow engaging surface; (c) toe securement means connected to said support base for securing said toe portion of said foot enclosure assembly to said support base; and (d) connector means connected to said support base for releasably interconnecting said heel portion of said foot enclosure assembly with said support base, said connector means including:
(i) a first housing pivotally connected to said support base for movement between a first position and a second position, said first housing having a cam surface provided with an opening; (ii) a first magnet carried within said first housing for urging said first locking pin into said opening provided in said cam surface when said first housing is in said first position; (iii) a second housing pivotally connected to said support base for movement between a first position and a second position, said second housing having a cam surface provided with an opening; and (iv) a second magnet carried within said first housing for urging said first locking pin into said opening provided in said cam surface when said first housing is in said first position.
- 34. The apparatus as defined in claim 33 in which said foot enclosure assembly includes a toe locking member having a locking tab and in which said toe securement means comprises a locking element having an opening for receiving said locking tab of said toe locking member.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a Continuation-in-Part Application of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/696,805 filed Oct. 2, 2001.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09699805 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10219873 |
Aug 2002 |
US |