Laterally releasable toe unit for a ski safety binding

A laterally releasable toe unit for a ski safety binding for securing a ski boot to a ski, said toe unit comprising first and second laterally pivotable side jaws;

• a yoke for holding said first and second laterally pivotable side jaws in a ski boot retaining position;
• a release spring disposed to bias said yoke in a direction to hold said side jaws in said ski boot retaining position, said side jaws being pivotable laterally against the spring bias to release the ski boot;
• a toe plate disposed to receive a toe portion of a ski boot thereon, said toe plate being movable in a direction perpendicular to said ski;
• a force deflecting transmission means operative between said toe plate and said spring for exerting a force on said spring against the spring bias, said force being dependent on a contact force acting on said toe plate perpendicular to said ski, said force deflecting transmission means comprising a bar member extending in the longitudinal direction of the ski and bearing against said yoke;
• a laterally fixedly located toe restrainer for restraining upward movement of said toe portion away from said ski, said toe restrainer being movable in an upward direction away from said ski;
• and at least one lever operatively associated with said toe restrainer and responsive to an upwardly directed force acting on said toe restrainer to act on said bar member to move same in a direction to exert a relief force against said spring bias in the same sense as said force deflecting transmission means exerts, said relief force being related to said upwardly directed force.