GB2053009A - Archery bows - Google Patents

Abstract

An attachment for an archery bow comprises a strut having a catch mechanism at one end thereof for releaseably connecting the strut to the stock of a bow, and a trigger mechanism at the other end thereof for releaseably engaging the bow string. The arrangement of the strut is such that when the catch mechanism engages the stock of the bow with the bow string connected to the trigger mechanism, the bow string is maintained in the drawn position until the trigger mechanism is released to shoot an arrow, bolt or the like projectile from the bow. The strut thus enables a standard bow to be adapted to provide a weapon which can be drawn easily in the manner of a conventional longbow, whilst the bowstring can be mechanically maintained in the drawn position in the manner of a conventional crossbow. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Archery bows The invention relates to archery bows and more particularly to attachments for such bows.

According to the invention an attachment for an archery bow comprises an elongate strut having engaging means at or adjacent to one end thereof for releaseably engaging the bow, and releaseable connecting means at or adjacent to the other end of the strut for releaseably connecting the bow string thereto, the attachment being adapted in an operable position, in which the bowstring is received in the releaseable connecting means thereof, to be drawn back until the engaging means becomes releaseably engaged with the two to maintain the bowstring in the drawn position, the bowstring being releaseable on release of the connecting means.

Preferably, the releaseable connecting means is adapted to be releaseably connected to the bowstring at a position on the bowstring substantially at the centre of the bowstring.

Preferably, also, the engaging means is adapted to releaseably engage with the bow at or adjacent to a handgrip of the bow.

Preferably, the engaging means comprises a catch mechanism adapted to be releaseably secured to a formation formed on, or secured to the bow. The catch mechanism may be spring-loaded into a position in which it is adapted to engage with the formation. The catch mechanism may be pivotally connected to said one end of the strut and may be arranged to pivot towards and away from the formation.

Preferably, also, the connecting means may comprise a trigger wherein the trigger is adapted in an operable position to maintain a bow string in connection with said other end of the strut, and is arranged when released from the operable position to release the bow string from its connection with said other end of the strut. The connection means may alternatively, or in addition, comprise a pair of jaws adapted to move one relatively towards and away from the other such jaw so that the bow string can be respectively connected thereto and released therefrom. The trigger may be connected to one of the pair of jaws so that as the trigger is moved into and/or out of the operable position, the said one of the pair of jaws is moved relatively to the other of the pair of jaws.

The formation may comprise or may be connected to a guide which is adapted to locate the strut in a fixed position relatively to the longitudinal axis of the bow but which is also adapted to allow the strut to slide therein or thereon transversely with respect to the bow. The guide may comprise at lease two rollers connected to, or connectable to the bow in spaced-apart relationship so that one of the rollers is adapted to engage with an upper edge or face of the strut whilst another of the rollers is adapted to engage with a lower edge or face of the strut. The guide may have one or more flanges arranged to engage with one side face strut and the other side face of the strut may be arranged to be slidingly positioned at, or adjacent to a side portion of the bow, such as, for example, at the side of a handle or hand-grip of the bow.

The strut preferably has at least one handgrip portion connected to or connectable thereto and one hand-grip portion may be connected to said other end of the strut. One of the hand-grip portions of the strut may comprise a pistol grip. The strut may also be provided with at least one sight for use in positioning the attachment relatively to a target, and the strut preferably has a front sight and a rear sight.

The attachment means may further comprise holding means arranged to hold a bolt or arrow to be fired from the bow, and the holding means may comprise an aperture formed in one or more plates, wherein a bolt or arrow is arranged to be releaseably located within the or each aperture. The one or more plates may for example comprise respectively one or the pair of the jaws of the connection means.

The invention includes a bow having an attachment, as described above, releaseably secured thereto. The invention also includes a method of releaseably securing an attachment, as previously described to a bow comprising releaseably engaging the engaging means of the attachment with the bow to releaseably connect the strut thereto. The method may further comprise the step of drawing back the strut with the bow string of the bow releaseably connected thereto until the strut becomes locked relatively to or in the engaging means, to maintain the bow and bowstring in the drawn condition.

One embodiment of an attachment for a bow in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an attachment for an archery bow, Figure 2 is a plan view of a rear part of the attachment shown in Fig. 1, the attachment having an arrow connected thereto, and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of an archery bow having an attachment, as shown in Fig. 1, connected thereto.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, an archery bow is indicated generally at 10, and a forward portion of a releaseable attachment 1 2 is shown connected to the bow 10. The bow 10 is of a conventional type having a stock 1 5 with a hand grip 1 6 mounted thereon, and a bow string 18 8 (as shown in Fig. 2) which is connected between the two curved ends (not shown) of the bow 10, the bow string 1 8 being lightly tensioned.

The attachment 1 2 which is intended for use by a left-handed archer comprises an elongate metal strut 20 of square cross-section having a trigger mechanism 22 at a rearward end 24 thereof, and a catch mechanism 26 at a forward end 28 thereof. The attachment 1 2 further comprises a draw guide 30 which is shown secured to the stock 1 4 of the bow 10 in Fig. 3, and a pistol grip 32 which is formed at the extreme rearward end 24 of the strut 20.

The arrangement of the rearward end 24 of the strut 20 is such that one hand of an archer (not shown) is able to operate the trigger mechanism 22 whilst also holding the piston grip 32. The piston grip 32 has wooden facings 33 screwed one to each side thereof to facilitate holding of the grip 32.

The guide 30 comprises a triangular plate 34 which is secured to the stock 14 by means of a screw 36, passing through a hole in the plate 34 and screwed into the stock. A roller 38 is rotatably mounted near to each corner of the plate 34 and a peg 40 extends outwardly from the plate 34 adjacent to the upper one of the rollers 38. The rollers 38 are arranged so that the strut 20 can be located between the lower two of the rollers 38 and the upper roller 38, the strut 20 then being able to slide transversely of the bow 10 between the rollers 38. Since the strut 20 is arranged to be a close fit between the upper rollers 38 and the two lower rollers 38, the strut 20 is restricted from pivoting in a vertical plane about any of the rollers 38.Also, since the faces of the strut 20 are flat, the interengagement of the flat upper and lower faces of the strut 20 respectively with the curved surfaces of the upper roller 38 and the two lower rollers 38 restrict the rotation of the strut 20 about its own longitudinal axis.

The peg 40 is arranged to be engaged by a latch 42 pivotally mounted at the extreme forward end 28 of the strut, the peg 40 and the latch 42 together forming the catch mechanism 26. The latch 42 has a pair of arms 44 which are connected together at a front plate 45 at the forward end 28 of the strut 20. The arms 44 are arranged to pivot one at each side of the strut 20, the latch 42 being pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 46 passing through the forward end 28 of the strut 20 and extending outwardly from each side of the strut through the arms 44. A bridging pin 48 is welded between and interconnects each arm 44 of the latch 42. The bridging pin 48 is arranged to engage with the upper surface of the strut 20 to prevent the arms 44 from pivoting down over and past the respective sides of the strut 20.A notch 50 is formed in each arm 44 of the latch 42, the notches 50 being in registration with each other. The rear edges of the arms 44 curve forward towards the notches 50, thus as the strut 20 is drawn rearwardly through the rollers 38, the rear edges of the arms 44 are each arranged to be engaged by peg 40, the curvature of said rear edges ensuring that the latch 42 is deflected upwardly relatively to the peg 40, on the pivot pin 46 until the peg 40 engages in each of the notches 50. The latch 42 is biased into the position in which the bridging pin 48 is in engagement with the upper surface of the strut 20, by its own weight, and once the peg 40 engages in each notch 50 the biasing of the latch 42 ensures that the arms 44 each drop over a respective end of the pin so that the peg 40 becomes located within each notch 50.A release lever 52 depends from the front plate 45, and the arms 44 can be raised to disengage the peg 40 from the notches 50, by rearward pivotal movement of the release lever 52.

The trigger mechanism 22 comprises a trigger lever 54 and a pair of jaws 56. A first jaw 58 of the pair of jaws 56 is rigidly secured by means of rivets 60 to one side face of strut 20 adjacent to the rearward end 24 thereof.

Said first jaw 58 is formed of an angle bracket 59 which is right angled where it is secured to the strut 20 but which is firstly inturned towards, and then flares outwardly from, the one side face of the strut 20 to which it is connected. The inturned portion 61 of the bracket 59 is arranged to co-act with an out-turned portion 62 of the second jaw 64 of the pair of jaws 58, so that the inturned portion 61 and out-turned portion 62 can be nipped together so as to hold the bow string 18 between and substantially behind them as shown in Fig. 1. The second jaw 64 is pivotally mounted on the strut 20 by means of a pivot peg 66 which passes vertically through from the upper face to the lower face of the strut 20, and pivotally connects a lobe 68 of the second jaw 64 to the said upper face of the strut 20.The second jaw 64 is thus able to pivot towards and away from the first jaw 58 but is urged into engagement with the first jaw 58 by means of a compression spring 70 secured between the second jaw 64 and the one side face of the strut 20.

The trigger lever 54 is pivotally mounted on the strut 20 and is connected to the second jaw 64 so that when the trigger lever 54 is operated by pivoting it rearwardly of the strut 20, the second jaw 64 is pivoted out of engagement with, and away from the first jaw 58 against the action of the spring 70. The bow string 18, as illustrated in Fig. 1, can thus be released from the trigger mechanism by operating the trigger lever 54 as previously described, so that the out turned portion 62 of the second jaw 64 is moved away from the unturned portion 61 of the first one jaw 58, the bowstring 1 8 then being free to pass forward between the first jaw 58 and the second jaw 64.

A recess (not shown) is cut in each jaw 58 and 64 so that when the respective portions 62 and 61 of the jaws 58 and 64 are engaged, an aperture (not shown) is formed by the registration of the recesses. An arrow 72, as shown in Fig. 2, can be inserted through the aperture (not shown) formed by the recesses (not shown) in the jaws 58 and 64 so that the bow string 18 retained behind the portions 61 and 62 of the respective jaws 58 and 65 can be engaged in the shooting notch (or knock) 74 at the rear of the arrow 72 passes through the aperture (not shown).

In order to releaseably secure the attachment 1 2 to the bow 10, the guide 30 is firstly screwed to the stock 14 by means of the screw 36. The strut 20 is then engaged with the guide 30 between the upper roller 38 and the two lower rollers 38 thereof. The strut 20 is then drawn rearwardly through the guide 30 until the peg 40 becomes located in the notches 50 of the latch 42 as previously described. The strut 20 is then fixed relatively to the bow 10, and extends substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bow 10.

In order to shoot an arrow 72 from the bow 10, the bowstring 18 is drawn back until it passes through the pair of jaws 56, the second jaw 64 moving away from the first jaw 58 against the action of the spring 70 to allow the bow string 1 8 to pass between the jaws. The second jaw 64 then moves toward the first jaw 58 under the action of the spring 70 until the out turned portion 62 thereof engages with the in turned portion 61 of the jaw 58. The bow 10 is then held by the hand grip 16 whilst the pistol grip 31 is withdrawn from the hand grip 1 6 until the peg 40 becomes located in the notches 50, as previously described. As the pistol grip 32 is withdrawn, the bow string 1 8 is drawn within the jaws 58 and 64 so that with the peg 40 becomes located in the notches 50, as previously described.As the pistol grip 32 is withdrawn, the bow string 1 8 is drawn within the jaws 58 and 64 so that with the peg 40 becomes located in the notches 50, the bow string 1 8 is maintained drawn and fully tensioned by the strut 20. The engagement of the bow string 1 8 within and behind the jaws 58 and 64 prevents the bow string 1 8 from assuming its normal inoperative position in which it lies adjaacent to the stock 1 4 of the bow 1 0. It will be appreciated that the shooting notch 74 of the arrow 72 can be engaged with the bow string 1 8 either prior to the piston grip 32 being withdrawn in which case the arrow 72 can be placed on and drawn over the hand grip 1 6 as the piston grip is withdrawn, or after the stock 20 is locked in position relatively to the bow 10 with the bow string 1 8 maintained in tension, the arrow then being located on the hand grip 16 with the bow string 1 8 engaged in the notch 74.

Obviously the extent of the draw, or the draw length of the string will depend on the distance between the catch mechanism 26 and the trigger mechanism 22 but it is envisaged that a variety of different struts 20 could be provided each having a different distance between the catch mechanism 26 and the trigger mechanism 22 thereof in order that the draw length of the bow 10 may be varied by replacing one strut 20 by a second strut 20 of the required different distance between the catch mechanism 26 and the trigger mechanism 22 to provide the required draw length.

With the attachment 1 2 secured to the bow 10, the bow string 1 8 drawn back and the arrow 72 loaded and ready to shoot, the bow 10 and attachment 1 2 resemble a cross-bow since the archer need only support the weight of the bow 10 and pistol grip 32, and does not have to maintain the tension in the bow string 1 8. This latter tension is maintained by the strut 20. There is thus correspondingly less effort required to operate and shoot an arrow 72 from a bow 10 having an attachment 1 2 in accordance with the invention than to operate and shoot an arrow from a conventional bow.Thus, the attachment 1 2 and bow 10 are operable to provide the ease of draw of a conventional long bow in combination with the further advantage that the bow string 1 8 can be maintained in the drawn position as for a conventional crossbow.

The arrow 72 is shot from the bow 10 by operating the trigger lever as previously described, to release the bow string 1 8 which when freed from the jaws 58 and 64 is hurled forwards under its own tension to propel the arrow 72 forwards. The operation of the trigger lever 54 should be relatively consistent for each arrow shot from the bow 10 so that consistency of arrow release is achieved by the bow 10 with the attachment 1 2. Also, because the draw length of the bow 10 is fixed by the construction and arrangement of the strut 20 as previously described, the tension in the drawn bow string 1 8 is always the same when the arrow is shot so that the arrow 72 is always propelled forwards by substantially the same amount of force.The arrow 72 can thereby be shot from the bow 10 and attachment 1 2 with substantially the same velocity at each shooting of the arrow.

The guide 30 and strut 20-can of course be removed from the bow 10 if desired firstly by operating the release lever 52 to disengage the latch 42 from the peg 40, by removing the strut 20 from the guide 30, and then by removing the screw 36 from the stock 14 to release the guide 30 therefrom. The bow 10 can then be used in a conventional manner independently of the attachment 1 2. It will be appreciated that the attachment 1 2 could be connected to and used with the bow 10 until an archer becomes competant enough to handle the bow 10 in a conventional manner, at which time the attachment 1 2 can be removed from the bow 10 and can be dispensed with.

The bow 10 and attachment 1 2 are obviously advantageous for hunting as compared to a conventional bow since the bow 10 and attachment 1 2 can effectively be carried in a loaded condition with an arrow ready to be shot without the bow having to be maintained in tension by the archer as with a conventional bow.

Alternative embodiments according to the invention are also envisaged, thus for example the attachment 1 2 and/or the bow 10 could be provided with a front and/or a rear sight to facilitate the aiming of the bow 10 and/or the attachment 1 2 relatively to a target (not shown) at which an arrow 72 is to be shot from the bow 1 0. Also, the guide 30 could be replaced by other guides such as, for example, an 'L' or 'U' shaped bracket, a channel section member or the like, and if desired, the rollers 38 could each be provided with a flange arranged to engage a side face of the strut 20 to hold the strut 20 in the guide 30 between the flange and the stock 14 of the bow 1 0. The strut 2û could alternatively be formed of wood and may have another crosssection other than square. Thus, for example the strut 20 could be formed as a rod having a circular cross-section.

Other forms of catch mechanism 26 and trigger mechanism 22 may also be used instead of those described above, it being necessary for the catch mechanism to releaseably engage with the bow 10, and for the trigger mechanism to hold the bow string 1 8 under tension until the trigger lever 24 is operated to release said tension. The trigger mechanism could for example, be released rather than pulled to release the bow string 1 8.

As previously mentioned, a stock of attachments 1 2 could be provided each being arranged to provide a different draw length for the bow 10.

As a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the strut 20 may comprise for example one or more barrels each adapted to fire bullets, the bow string 1 8 then being arranged to pass through the or each barrel to propel a bullet from within the barrel outwards as the bow string is released.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments specifically described herein and it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the invention may be adapted for many different types of bow whether that bow is arranged to fire bullets, arrows, bolts or some other projectile, the invention providing the advantages for a bow of a relatively easy draw but also the facility to mechanically maintain the bow in the drawn condition without efford needed by the bowman.

Claims (27)

1. An attachment for an archery bow comprising an elongate strut having engaging means at or adjacent to one end thereof for releaseably engaging the bow, and releaseable connecting means at or adjacent to the other end of the strut for releaseably connecting the bow string thereto, the attachment being adapted in an operable position, in which the bowstring is received in the releaseable connecting means thereof, to be drawn back until the engaging means becomes releaseably engaged with the bow to maintain the bowstring in the drawn position, the bowstring being releaseable on release of the connecting means.

2. An attachment as claimed in Claim 1, in which the releaseable connecting neans is adapted to be releaseably connected to the bowstring at a position on the bowstring substantially at the centre of the bowstring.

3. An attachment as claimed in Claim 1, or Claim 2, in which the engaging means is adapted to releaseably engage with the bow at or adjacent to a hand grip of the bow.

4. An attachment as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, in which the engaging means comprises a catch mechanism adapted to be releaseably secured to a formation formed on, or secured to the bow.

5. An attachment as claimed in Claim 4, in which the catch mechanism is springloaded into a position wherein the catch mechanism is adapted to engage with the formation.

6. An attachment as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, in which the catch mechanism is pivotally connected to said one end of the strut and is arranged to pivot towards and away from the formation.

7. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the connecting means comprises a trigger, wherein the trigger is adapted in an operable position to maintain the bow string in connection with said other end of the strut and is arranged when released from the operable position to release the bow string from its connection with said other end of the strut.

8. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the connecting means comprises a pair of jaws adapted to move one relatively towards and away from the other such jaw so that the bow string can be respectively connected thereto and released therefrom.

9. An attachment as claimed Claim 8 when dependent from Claim 7, in which the trigger is connected to one of the pair of jaws so that as the trigger is moved into and/or out of the operable position, the said one of the pair of jaws is moved relatively to the other of the pair of jaws.

10. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims when dependent from Claim 5, in which the formation comprises, or is connected to a guide which is adapted to locate the strut in a fixed position relatively to the longitudinal axis of the bow, but which is also adapted to allow the strut to slide therein or thereon transversely with respect to the bow.

11. An attachment as claimed in Claim 10, in which the guide comprises at least two rollers connected to or connectable to the bow in spaced-apart relationship so that one of the rollers is adapted to engage with an upper edge or face of the strut whilst another one of the rollers is adapted to engage with a lower edge or face of the strut.

1 2. An attachment as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, in which the guide has one or more flanges arranged to engage with one side face of the strut.

1 3. An attachment as claimed in Claim 12, in which the other side face of the strut is arranged to be slidingly positioned at or adjacent to a side portion of the bow.

14. An attachment as claimed in Claim 13, in which the side portion of the bow comprises a side of a handle or hand-grip of the bow.

1 5. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the strut has at least one hand-grip portion connected or connectable thereto.

16. An attachment as claimed in Claim 15, in which one hand-grip portion is connected to said other end of the strut.

1 7. An attachment as claimed in Claim 15, or Claim 16, in which one hand-grip portion comprises a pistol grip.

1 8. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one sight is provided on the strut for use in positioning the attachment relatively to a target.

1 9. An attachment as claimed in Claim 18, in which the strut is provided with a front and a rear sight.

20. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising holding means arranged to hold a bolt or arrow to be fired from the bow.

21. An attachment as claimed in Claim 20, in which the holding means comprises an aperture formed in one or more plates wherein a bolt or arrow is arranged to be releaseably located within the or each aperture.

22. An attachment for a bow as claimed in Claim 21 when dependent from Claim 6, in which one or more plates comprise respectively one or the pair of jaws of the connecting means.

23. An attachment for a bow substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. An attachment as claimed in Claim 23, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

25. A bow having an attachment, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, releaseably secured thereto.

26. A method of releaseably securing an attachment as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 24, to a bow comprising releaseably engaging the engaging means of the attachment with the bow to releaseably connect the strut thereto.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 26, comprising the further step of drawing back the strut with the bow string of the bow releaseably connected thereto until the strut becomes locked relatively to, or in the engaging means, to maintain the bow and bowstring in the drawn condition.