Ski brake

Abstract

A ski brake, more specifically for use in association with cross-country skis and including a plate fixed to, and extending outwardly from each ski near the conventional harness. The plate includes an attachment portion and a ski pole catching portion, the latter having a rearwardly directed notch to receive the ski pole with the basket of the pole against the bottom of the ski. The notch is oriented relative to the ski to form in the ski pole catching portion a hooking portion which projects transversely inward toward the ski and restrain the ski pole in the notch. In one embodiment, each plate includes an upwardly directed flange at its outer edge provided with a notch to receive the rim of the ski pole basket and thus providing for downhill braking. The ski pole may have a flexible joint to enable convenient positioning of the ski pole handles relative to the skier. In a preferred embodiment, the ski pole is provided with an annular spacer of predetermined thickness and outside diameter to hold the basket flat against the bottom of the ski and to hold the ski pole against unintentional disengagement with the ski pole hooking portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.