Automatic brake for ski

In a device for braking of a ski upon the release of a skiboot from a binding thereof, comprising a support member mounted on said ski, a brake element pivotably mounted for swinging movements between a retracted inoperative position permitting free skiing and an operative brake position wherein said element is engageable with a snow surface to hold the ski released from the skiboot, and spring means acting upon said brake element for swinging same between said inoperative position and said operative position upon release of the skiboot from the ski, the improvement wherein:

• said spring means is formed as a generally U-shaped bent spring wire having a pair of shanks and a bight;
• at least one of said shanks is bent at an angle to form an offset portion, said support member being formed with a cam means for engaging said shanks to stress said wire upon the retention thereof by a skiboot and cause said wire to spring into said operative position upon release by said skiboot, said offset portion being swingable in said support member and forming a pivot for said brake element;
• said bight is formed with an actuating member movable relative to said support member and forming a pressing surface engageable by a skiboot to retain said wire in said inoperative position while said surface is engaged by the skiboot;
• and
• a pair of such brake elements are disposed along opposite edges of the ski, each of said brake elements being secured to a respective shank of said wire.