United States Patent [191 [111 3,861,698 Greig [45] Jan. 21, 1975 [54] COMBINATION SNOWSHOE AND SKI 3,269,037 8/1966 Massicotte .................... .1‘ 36/15 AB [76] Inventor: James W. Greig, 565 Barrington _ _ Rd Grosse Pointe’ Mich 48230 Primary Exammer—Allen N. Knowles ’ Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Burton & Parker [22] Filed: July 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 378,077 [57] ABSTRACT A combination snowshoe and ski comprises a hollow [52] U.S_C1_‘__280/11_13Y,36/2_5 ABJgO/U'B W, lightweight plastic envelope which is longitudinally " " ‘ ' ‘ " 280/1113’ S, 280/11_13 M corrugated along its upper portion and along its bot [51] Int. Cl. ............................................ .. A63C 5/00 tom Portion exhibits trarlsversely extending wedge [53] Fie]dofSeal-chn_280/11'13W’1L13S, 1113 C, shaped corrugations which allow the snowshoe ski to ' 28071 L13" Y, ‘1113 M’ 1135 P; 36/45’ 25 AB slide forwardly but resist rearward movement, with the longitudinal and transverse corrugations being con [56] References Cited nected together to rigidify the snowshoe ski and with :1 UNITED STATES PATENTS foot binding on the upper portion adapted to retain _ the ski on a variety of sizes of footwear. ' 2,643,888 6/1953 Hargls, Jr. .................. .. 280/11.35 F 3,118,157 1/1964 Houser ...................... .. 280/1 1.13 M 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures EWENTEDJKNZI 1975 3.861.698 1 sum 1 or 2 PATENTEDJAHZI 1915 3.861.698 saw 2 or 2 m3 3,861 ,698 1 2 COMBINATION SNOWSI-IOE AND SKI FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5—5 of FIG. 1. FIELD OF INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This invention relates to sporting equipment, in par 5 ticular a combination snowshoe and ski adapted to per As shown in the drawings my combination snowshoe mit the user to traverse snow-covered areas by walking and ski comprises a lightweight hollow elongate plastic up hill much like one may do with snowshoes and yet envelope or member 10 having spaced-apart top and slide down forwardly much like one may do with skis. bottom portions 12 and 14 connected together along the periphery l6 and at other points within the enve~ DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART lope as hereinafter explained. The plastic of which the Both snowshoes and skis are of course well known in envelope is formed should preferably have a low fric the prior art. In recent years there has been a renewed tional coefficient with snow so that the combination interest in cross-country skiing and to ?ll this need ski snowshoe and ski will readily slide thereover as well as manufacturers have been offering skis of greater length 15 shed snow therefrom. l have found that high density and somewhat narrower width which will support the polyethylene is quite satisfactory as it is easily molded user on soft snow. In addition, bindings have been of or shaped, is both light weight and quite slippery on fered which will allow the foot to rise easily during the snow, and also possesses sufficient structural strength walking motions. However, such cross-country skis still for the purposes intended. Other plastics having the require the user to exercise considerable skill and dex above noted characteristics may also be used. terity in manipulating the skis, particularly in climbing One end of the envelope or member 10 is upturned hills as the skis have a tendency to slide backwards and as at 18 to provide a ski tip for riding over and gradu therefore hills must be climbed either by the so-called ally depressing the snow ‘during forward movement. The top portion 12 is generally dish-shaped in cross traverse method, herringbone, or sidestepping. Snow 25 shoes, while enabling ready ascent of snow-covered section as shown in FIG. 5 and is longitudinally ribbed or corrugated as at 20 and 22 in medial areas ahead and surfaces, do not permit the user to slide downhill. behind the foot binding 24. ‘The bottom portion. pro So far as I am aware, little if any attention has been vides a running surface 25 which extends from the tip given to the provision of a combination snowshoe and end 18 to the rear end of the envelope. Longitudinally ski which will permit the user to directly ascend a snow 30 extending rib means in the bottom portion, in the form covered slope and slide down when the summit is of a pair of longitudinal corrugations or ribs 27, provide reached. directional stability for the combination snowshoe and SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ski during movement across a snow surface. Recessed within the plane of the running surface 25 and extend Disclosed herein is a combination snowshoe and ski 35 ing transversely between the ribs .27, are a plurality of which is of relatively light weight as compared with transverse corrugations 26 of generally wedge-shaped conventional skis or snowshoes and will provide the or ripsaw-shaped vcross section as shown in FIG. 4. user with adequate support and traction similar to a Each such transverse corrugation exhibits a forwardly, snowshoe and yet is capable of allowing downhill ski gently upwardly sloping face 28 and a rearward steeply ing. My combination snowshoe and ski is simple to use sloping or snow-biting face 30. The forward face 28 is and does not require special ski boots but rather nor adapted to ride or slide over a snow surface and the mal shoes, galoshes, hunting shoes and the like may be rearward face will dig into the snow upon any tendency worn with the ski. A novel binding is provided adapt to rearward movement of the combination snowshoe able to large or small shoes and retains the feet securely and ski and will thereby resist backward sliding of the but ?exibly on the combination snowshoe and ski. In 45 ski. addition, the binding may be easily applied and re As best shown in FIG. 4, when the snowshoe ski moved. The combination snowshoe and ski is in the slides forward, that is towards the right, the upwardly form of a hollow envelope-like member made of plas turned end 18 will depress the snow and level it to sub tic, such as polyethylene. The underside of the ski is stantially the apices of the transverse corrugations so provided with a series of transversely extending corru that they may slide easily over the snow. It will be gations which are of wedge-shape or ripsaw tooth con noted, for example, that the running surface in the area figuration in cross section allowing the ski to move for 32 directly ahead of the transverse corrugations is at wardly but tending to grab the snow and prevent rear the same height as the apices of the corrugations. The ward motion. The shape and structural design of my transverse corrugations 26, as shown in FIG. 5, lie combination snowshoe and ski and the construction 55 within what might be considered a trough between the thereof provides high strength in relation to its weight, ribs 27 so that the transverse corrugations lie, as shown is comfortable to wear and simple and easy to use for in FIGS. 4 and 5, slightly above the plane of the running the intended purpose. surface 25 and 32. As a consequence the transverse corrugations do not impede forward progress of the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 60 wearer sliding across the snow, but upon tendency of FIG. 1 is a plan view of my combination snowshoe the combination snowshoe and ski to slide rearwardly, and ski; the corrugations will dig in and their faces 30 will tend FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the combination snow to bite into the snow and resist reverse sliding. It will be noted in FIGS. 4 and 5 that the longitudinal shoe and ski; 65 FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view; corrugations of the top portion 12 and the transverse FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on corrugations 26 of the bottom portion 14 are juxta the line 4--4 of FIG. 1; and posed at points, lines or areas of intersection 34. At 3 ,861,69.8 3 4 such intersections the top and bottom portions 12 and molded rubber whose ends are adapted to be received 14 are secured together, preferably by fusion or weld in suitably shaped apertures in the walls 58 and 60. The ing of the plastic during manufacture of the combina channel member having the sidewalls 58 and 60 and tion snowshoe and ski. The result of such connection the bottom wall 64 may be formed of polyethylene. , of the top and bottom portions is to substantially add I have found that a foot binding of the character dis to the rigidity of the snowshoe ski throughout the cen closed herein enables the combination snowshoe and tral portion extending from a point 35 near the rear end ski to be adapted to a wide variety of footwear and of of the point 37 ahead of the binding 24, and beneath sizes ranging from children’s through adults’. The elas the binding. tic heel strap urges the toe of the shoe into the toe piece It will also be noted from FIG. 5 that the top and bot 40 and the converging walls 46 and 48 center the toe tom portions 12 and 14 along opposite sides of the cen of the shoe in proper alignment with the combination tral corrugated area have relatively widely vertically snowshoe and ski, while the downwardly extending wall spaced walls 36 and 38 which provide a tubular con 52 maintains the toe of the shoe depressed against the struction of substantial strength for the periphery of the top portion 12.