Skis are often easily releasably secured for example on a carrier, or holder, mounted on a car. Also it is common to lean the skis loosely, for example against a wall of a house, during a break while skiing. This unsecured storing of the skis has resulted, particularly lately, as shown by statistics, in a considerable increase in the theft of skis. Lockable ski holers for cars are already known. Freely standing lockable ski holders, for example at lift stations or guest houses, are also known. These devices are, however, relatively expensive to purchase, and in the case of the stationary lockable ski holders the skier does not find such a ski holder everywhere where he may want to place his skis. To avoid the above disadvantages, with the German Gebrauchsmuster 79 13 531 there has already been provided a ski lock having a flexible longitudinal member, such as a band, rope, wire or rod-shaped design or the like, which has two locking areas which are arranged in longitudinal direction at a greater distance from one another than the perimetral extent of the ski or a pair of skis, which areas can be connected fixedly with one another through a lock which is fixed on the longitudinal member to form a closed loop. However, a higher mechanic solidity of the locking device is desired.
To the above purpose, according to the invention a ski lock is provided wherein said bendable longitudinal member is a bendable locking member to which a lock is allotted to which the one end of the locking member is secured permanently and in which the free end of the bendable locking member can be selectively locked, said bendable locking member having at least one through-receiving means at a distance from its free end, which distance is set to accommodate the perimeter of a ski or a pair of skis, the free end of the bendable locking member being introduceable through said receiving means into the lock to impart to the bendable locking member the shape of a double loop, said receiving means being constructed as a coupling member which is mounted fixedly on the bendable locking member, which in turn passes through said coupling member.
This ski lock embodiment provides an especially high mechanic solidity at low manufacturing cost. It can also well withstand rough forces, as are often used during a theft attempt. In this embodiment, a coupling member can be arranged directly in the vicinity of the lock. This ski lock has thus in operation very compact dimensions. Furthermore the bendable locking member thereof extends substantially without any bends through the coupling member. Moreover, during manufacture, different widths of skis can be provided for by spacing the coupling members correspondingly differently along the bendable locking member and by then fixing them in the desired position by compressing the coupling member at a recess therein through which the bendable locking member extends. Such ski lock can be used universally for a plurality of types of skis. The coupling member remains at all times in close vicinity of the lock, since it is held back by the radial collar. On the one hand, this makes handling of the ski lock easier. On the other hand, it is advantageous in particular for locking skis on roof mounted baggage holders, since the locking member is secured safely and rattle-free in this manner. When the lock is closed, the two loops of the locking member lie substantially in two planes which extend generally perpendicularly to one another. This again is very advantageous when used with a roof mounted baggage carrier, in which the carrier crossbars also extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the skis.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds