US3161189A

US3161189A - Archery bow and method of fabrication

Info

Publication number: US3161189A
Application number: US136871A
Authority: US
Inventors: Chessman Sylvester Louis
Original assignee: Morweld Steel Products Corp
Current assignee: Morweld Steel Products Corp
Priority date: 1961-09-08
Filing date: 1961-09-08
Publication date: 1964-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-15

Description

Dec- '1 1964 s. L. CHESSMAN ARCHERY BOW AND METHOD OF FABRICATION 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Sept. 8. 1961 6%1 55727/04/5 dams/v4 INVENTOR.

BY E1. E flwf Dec. 15, 1964 s. CHESSMAN ARCHERY BOW AND METHOD OF FABRICATION Filed Sept. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II'II.

El -ll IE/ZO W El LE INVENTOR.

fiyu asrifioa/sds aismm/ BY w /4rr0,e/v/J United States Patent Office 3,161,189 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3,161,189 ARCHERY 30W AND METHQD OF FAERICATIOIQ Sylvester Louis (Chessman, Eiisworth, Mich, assignor to Morweid Steel Products Corporation, Ellsworth, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Fiied Sept. 8, E61, Ser. No. 136,871 2 Claims. (Cl. 124-24) This invention relates to a precision-type take-apart archery bow and more particularly to a take-apart archery bow provided with limbs having cast-in-place resin encapsulated butt ends that are flexibly mounted on a unitary recessed central handle limb retainer member and the method for fabricating a take-apart archery bow with an automatic zeroed-in feature.

While take-apart bows are well known in the prior art, none of these bows have provided a take-apart bow wherein the precision and quality usually found only in unitary archery bow instruments has been preserved. Generally, the take-apart devices of the prior art have consisted of solid central handle sections whose ends have been co-axially drilled or bored to provide limbreceiving holes into which the limbs are inserted. These central handle sections have either been of solid unitary construction or have consisted of mating sections between which the limbs are mounted. In still other devices of the prior known art, extraneous detachable clamps have been provided on the handle portion so as to receive the limb members.

in such devices of the prior art, the limb members have been attached and fitted to the socket portions of the handle member by use of wedge members, pins, set screws, external clamps, hinges and the like, that act directly upon the limbs in order to connect them directly to the handle member.

The effect of this type of multi-piece segmental construction has been to provide a bow which did not have the precision and high quality performance of one-piece bows. The use of these various wedge and pin members has generally resulted in loss of energy because there was no smooth interaction between the parts, thereby providing a bow which was relatively inefficient. In ad dition, the use of these various elements in fabricating a multi-piece bow has resulted in loss of accuracy in the operation of the final product due to the absence of overall alignment between the co-actin'g segments.

In the fabrication of the devices of the prior art, no thought has been given to the provision of a multi-piece archery bow having precision-type construction whereby a rigid handle element is provided having matched limbs, thus eliminating the need for the use of wedges or other shim means to complete the how. The central handle portions of the devices of the prior art have either consisted of solid members provided oneach end with hole sockets to receive limb members or have consisted of elaborate and complex hinge structures to which limb members were attached. Nowhere in the prior art has the concept been utilized of a rigid U-frame or open channel central handle portion provided with longitudinally disposed recesses at the ends thereof into which the butt ends of matched limbs are positioned in a nest relationship to provide a multi-piece bow having the performance characteristics of a one-piece integrally formed archery bow unit.

In the instant invention, the use of matched limbs having'cast-in-place resin encapsulated butt ends along with the rigid U-frame handle portion provides an archery bow having a solid feeling. This is due tothe fact that the butt end of the finished limb bears on all surfaces of the limb receiving recesses or sockets pro} vided in the handle member.

use of a flexible retainer cap plate or lock element to form a flexible wall of the limb retaining socket or recess against which the butt end of the limb bears when the bow is drawn. The retainer cap plate or look element is drawn against the exposed side surface of the butt end of the limb thereby retaining the butt end within the limb receiving recess portion of the rigid handle member. Inasmuch as the retainer cap plates are positioned on the inside or archers side of thehandle unit, they flex with the limbs when the bow is drawn thereby providing greater stability and a more controlled release of energy during the drawing and release of the bow. Y

'Nowhere in the prior art is there found a take-apart bow having a socket portion whereby the archers or inside wall of the socket flexes or gives when the bow is drawn. The flexing of the cap plates also enhances the storage and release of energy because the bending of the limbs is thus distributed over a larger area as opposed to the bending which occurs across the outer edge of a rigid socket which consists merely of a coaxially bored hole provided in a handle portion and which does not employ the flexing concept found in the instant invention.

None of the devices of the prior known art utilize the concept of limbs having cast-in-place resin encapsulated butt ends whereby the walls of the socket portion matingly bear against the sides of the butt ends with percent area contact, thus providing for a more ef-. fective storage and release of energy and a more solid feel to the bow. In addition, as will be described hereinafter, the use of this method provides limbs that are automatically zeroed in for any particular handle.

A problem that has always existed in the archery bow field has been that the limbs of a bow, particularly a take-apart bow, did not always bend in a single plane (the plane established by the center line of the handle portion) during the drawing and release of the bow..

This has generally resulted in sub-par performance and has brought about the need for time-consuming and costly corrective maintenance. A need has therefore existed for a bow and method for fabricating a bow that would automatically insure flexure of the limbs in the plane of the handle center line thereby avoiding loss of energy and resulting in greater accuracy.

The use of this method also makes it possible for a single handle member to be provided with several sets of mating limbs whereby each set is designed for a specific purpose, such as hunting, target shooting and the like.

Further, none of the devices of the prior known art teach the use of a channel type construction in the central handle portion of a take-apart bow so as to provide a rigid structure having high strength characteristics while being light in weight due to its hollow recess construction. The rigidity of this type of central handle also helps to eliminate the loss of energy when the bow is drawn and subsequently released inasmuch as the flexure of the bow occurs primarily in the limb members. The

U-frame design alsoprovides a hollow bow having versadetachable grip portion can be fitted for the grip of the A I individual archer. Thus, the take-apart bow of the instant invention can be mass produced while maintaining customrbuilt characteristics due to the use of an individualized grip member which matingly engages the standard handle portion. I

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a take apart bow: having limbs with; cast-.in-place resin 7 the recessor socket end of the handle member, the upper encapsulated butt ends; I i V retaining cap plate and the retaining screws.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a' take I FIGURE 6 is'a perspective view of the flanged lower apart bow having a rigidrcentral handle member of a retaining cap plate which matingly fits into the lower unitary open channel construction. socket portion of the handle member so as to bear A still further object of this invention is to provide 8. against and retain the butt endof a limb mounted therein take-apart bow whereby flexible retainer cap plates are in nest position. utilized to retain the butt ends of limbs within the socket FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the upper socket or recess portions of the handle member. I I portion of the assembled take-apart bow taken on line Another object of this invention isto provide a take-1' 1f) VIP-VII of FIGURE I illustrating the complete nestapart b ow wherein one wall of the limb retainer socket I ing contact between the encapsulated butt end of the portions consist of a retainer cap plate which yieldably limb and the socket portion and, further, showing the, bears against the butt end of the limb thus retained. I retaining cap plate bearing solely upon the butt end of Another object or this invention istoprovide a unique the limb. as the retaining screws draw the retaining cap method wherebya limb having a cast-in-place. butt end '15" plate thereagainst. I Y I is provided by the use of a plastic. resin filler to form an FIGURE 8 is a persective viev v-of the detachable grip encapsulating layer around'the butt end of the limb. I portion which matingly engages the U-frame handle Still another object of this invention is to provide a member of the take-apart bow. take-apart bow. having a U-frame channel type handle FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the spacer cover portion and matched limbs that are automatically member which is mounted on the U-frame handle memzeroed in" so as to bend only in one plane. ber directly above and below the rear of the detachable Yet another object of thisfinvention is to provide a a grip member.

I take-apart bow having a solid feel because the walls FIGURE 10 is a schematic front elevation view of the of the butt ends of the limbs have 100 percent area con- U-frame handle member mounted on parallel rest bars on tact against the walls of the socket portions o-fgthe how. 'a gauge reference table with rough butt ends of limbs Another object of this invention is'to provide a take- I mounted therein by use. of crclarnps so that the limbs apart bow that may be easily cou-nterweighted due to its may be suitably shimmed to ,bend solely within the hollow U-frame channel construction. I v I horizontal plane established by the center line of the Still another object of this invention is toprovide a U-fr'ame-member.

' take-apart bowgwhe-rein storage and carrying space is FIGURE 11 is a schematic to-pview of the U-frame V easily providedby virtue of its hollow U-frarn'e' conhandle member, as shown in FIGURE 10, and showing figuration; I in phantom line the method of flexing the limbs .50 as Another object of this invention is to provide a taketo determine the amount of shimming necessary to insure apart bow having a detachable grip member which may fiexure of the limbs solely within the horizontal plane befcustom designed for the grip of theindividual archer of the centerline of the handle member. I

using the bow. I FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional'schematic view of the A still further object of thisinvention is to provide a socket portion of the handle "member containing the take-apart bow having a handle-portion which is lightshimmed but-t end of the limb held in'place by a C-clamp weight. but which is not likely to'warp when exposed to and illustrating the encapsulating resin filler poured heat or inclement weather. ii 7 40 into the socket'around the shimmed butt end of the Yetanother object of theinvention isto provide atakelimb (including the shim members) so as to build the apart bow having great versatility in use due to its design butt, end of the limb up to the exact size of the socket vand method of 'construction. whereby interchangeability I 1 portion and thus provide a limb which'is automatically and replacement of parts is enhanced while maintaining z r inl 1' high quality and high performance. I FIGURE 13 i'sia side View of a limb used inthe take,- I Other objects and advantages found in the construction apart bow and illustrating the reinforcing wedge utilized of my invention will be apparent from a consideration to build upthe butt end of the limb. i of the following specification in connection with the FIGURE 14 is a front view of the limb'showingthe appended claims and the accompanying drawings narrow 'configuration'ofithe butt end of the -limb made In the drawings: I I F FIGURE-l is a side elevation view of the assembled f inphanto m-line the width of] the limb which would have I take apart bow illustrating thelimbs having cast-in -place been necessary without the use of the wedge member.

.- I the buttend of a limb in place within one of theirecesses *or sockets 7 illustrate the U-fran' resin 'encaps llat butt ends mounted on thec'entral 1 U-frarne handle member andyshowing the detachable Gama] Description 1 In general, a take-apart archery bow is provided having gripmounted thereon; I v y 7 I FIGURE 2'1 a ffonf lev ti 'yi w. of theI'eIntral. two matched limbs'with cast-in-p-lace resin encapsulated portionof the assembled take-apart bow illustrating the 1 b s n a nt l 3K member- 11166611 onfigur tion f the central U fr Channel y handle, tral handle member consists of an elongate channel member and the detaohablegrip 'as shown FIGURE 1. em f hJ P l S section and'havins p n FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation viewof the U-frarne fiflfmachinedfim irtainhlgyrmssssbrsccketfporficns at handle member of the take-apart bow, as viewed from "116 d thfifwfy T lim n Of't iIim S' are 1165'!- the rear or archers side, illustrating the overall unij D Y-P Within lonsifl'ldifially'disrb'sed socket tary channel type. configuration thereof with limb ri or recess portions ofthe handlermemher and on three ing recesses or sockets provided therein and, showing 1 d s have '100%-percentfiarea Contact with- 'Aswillbe described-hereinafter,the rough butt ends a V of the limbs are zeroed in-"during fabrication thereofby *FIGURE 4 "is a cross-sectional view of the handle shimming themgwithin the socketportions'of the handle member, taken on line IV IV'of, FIGURE 3 sof as to S a h y en l/ the plane established by the ross sectiona l chann el 'cohfigura t'longitudin'al; centerlirie 'ofithefhandle After they;have- Xplodedview olt' thet" thefsocket-portions or" the handle around the -rohgh butt aster-n1 hrn so vthat the' hiitgerids are at'ed s itui Thus','; ce the epoxy resin l ardens, limbs'ar'e prov ed h vingbutt 'nds that are 50 possible by the use of thewedge member and illustrating -ib ce'n properly -shlmmed,' an epoxy resinlis poured intov alanine i perfectly mated with the precision surfaces of the socket portions of the central handle member.

Inasmuch as the U-channel handle member obviously does not provide an enclosed socket portion for the rete. tion of the limbs therein while the bow is in use, a retainer cap plate is provided across the longitudinal open portion of the limb receiving recess which faces the rear or archers side of the bow. In this position, the retainer cap plate bears against the rear side of the butt end of the limb, thus retaining the butt end of the limb within the socket portion of the handle member. Retainer screws are provided which engage the front wall of the U-channel handle member, pass freely through holes provided in the butt end of the limb, and engage the oppositely positioned retainer cap plate so as to draw it into retentive engagement against the rear or exposed side of the butt end of the limb.

In use, the handle member is oriented so that the open portion of the handle faces to the rear or archers side of the bow. In this manner, the butt end portions of the limbs bear directly against the retainer cap plates while the bow is drawn. The retainer cap plates thus tend to give or flex when the bow is drawn and therefore provide for a smoother storage and release of energy in use. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the retainer cap plates are tapered so as to enhance this flexing action. In addition, it should be noted that the retainer cap plates bear solely against the resin encapsulated butt end of each limb and do not engage the edges of the handle member.

The U-channel construction of the handle member not only provides an inherently stable rigid handle element that does not bend in use, but in addition provides a hollow structure which not only receives the encapsulated butt ends of the limbs but which may easily be counterweighted at any desired point. In addition, carrying or storage compartments may be provided in the handle as desired or the handle may be filled with an epoxy resin filler to provide any overall desired Weight and additional strength to the bow.

A detachable grip member having a customized outer surface is provided which slides over the outside of the U-frame handle portion and is detachably secured thereto.

In this manner, the grip portion of the handle may be easily changed to provide individuality to the bow in accordance with the particular grip requirements of the archer.

Further, as will be hereinafter described, a unique method is provided for fabricating limbs with resin encapsu lated butt ends that are cast-in-place within the actual sockets or recesses in which they are ultimately used.

It is thus seen that a highly versatile bow is presented having take-apart and interchangeability characteristics while maintaining precision performance and accuracy.

Specific Description More specifically, the take-apart bow, as shown in FIGURE 1, consists of a central handle member 20, limb members 21, an upper retaining cap plate 22, a lower retaining cap plate 23, and a detachable grip member 24. As shown in FIGURE 3, the central handle member 20 is an elongate unitary structure of channel type construction having a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, as shown in FIGURE 4. The handle member 24) is configured to provide a longitudinally disposed upper limb retaining recess or socket 25 and a longitudinally disposed lower limb retaining recess or socket 26 at the ends thereof. The center portion 27 of the handle 20 is offset in the manner well known in the archery art and, as shown in FIGURE 3, may be filled with a resin filler 28 to provide added sta bility. The central handle member 20 may be stamped o'r forged out of any suitable material, such as aluminum or steel. The preferred embodiment consists of anodized aluminum. It is also within the scope of this invention to fabricate the U-frarne handle member 29 from plastic 6 resins having the characteristics necessary to provide the rigid structure described herein.

The inner surfaces of the socket or

recess portions

25 and 26, are machined to achieve precision surfaces. In the preferred embodiment, these surfaces are perpendicular to each other and are fiat. However, other configurations may be used, such as semi-circular or modified V- shape cross sectional designs. The central or front wall of each socket or

recess portion

25 and 26 is provided with retainer screw holes 29. The retainer screw holes 29 are countersunk on the front face of the handle member 20. The heads of the retainer screws 30 engage the countersunk portion of the screw holes 29, but the stems of the screws 30 extend through the holes 29 into the limb receiving recesses or sockets, 25 and 26.

The limbs 21 consist of wood and fiberglass laminates and are fabricated in a conventional manner well known in the art, with the exception of the use of a wedge member 33 to build up the butt end of the limb. As shown more specifically in FIGURES 13 and 14, the limbs 21 are unique in that a reinforcing wedge member 33 is utilized to form the butt end 32 of the limb 21. The wedge is fabricated from wood, but plastic or wood-plastic laminate construction can be used. The added thickness made possible by use of the wedge member 33 enables the butt end 32 to have the narrow width necessary to matingly engage the socket or recess portions of the handle. Without the added thickness, the limbs would split in use if a narrow width were maintained in the butt end. As shown in the phantom line of FIGURE 14, the butt end of the limb would have to be wider in order to avoid such splitting.

Limb retaining screw holes 31 are provided through the butt ends 32 of the limbs 21. The limb retaining screw holes 31 are of a sufficiently large diameter to allow the retainer screws 30 to pass freely therethrough so as to engage the threaded holes provided in the

retainer cap plates

22 and 23.

As will be hereinafter described, the butt end 32 of each limb 21 has been coated or encapsulated with a resin material so as to provide zeroed in percent area contact between the wall surfaces of the butt end 32 of each limb 21 and the walls of the limb retaining recesses or

sockets

25 and 26. The exploded view of FIGURE 5 and the cross sectional view of FIGURE 7 illustrate the interrelationship between the limb receiving recess or socket portion of the handle 20, the resin-encapsulated butt end 32 of the limb 21, the retainer cap 22 and the retainer screws 30. For purposes of clarity, the thickness of the encapsulating resin layer 34 is slightly exaggerated in the crosssectional view of FIGURE 5. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an epoxy resin is utilized to encapsulate the butt end of the limb, but any other type of plastic material having similar qualities may be utilized.

The

retainer cap plates

22 and 23 are configured to extend slightly into their respective socket or recess portions, 25 and 26, so as to bear against and thus retain the butt end of the limb in a nest relationship within the recesses or sockets. The

retainer cap plates

22 and 23 are provided with flange extensions 35 which extend over but do not engage the edges of the handle member 20. This relationship is clearly shown in FIGURE 7 wherein the retainer cap plate 22 bears solely upon the butt end 32 and its encapsulating layer 34. A tapered upper surface 36 gradually reduces the thickness of the end portion of each retainer cap plate so as to permit a limited controlled fiexure of the

cap plates

22 and 23 when the bow is drawn and the limbs 21 increase their pressure against the retainer cap plates. This brings about greater stability when the bow is drawn and subsequently released. The unique positioning of the retainer cap plates across the rear of the socket or recess portions in effect provides a socket member which has a flexible rear wall against which the butt end of the limb bears when it is being drawn. The retainer screws cooperate with the retainer cap plates to bow is strung by use of string 46. Sight provide resilient lock means which yielclably secure the I limbs within the limb retainer handle. v

A detachable. pistol-type grip element 24 is provided which slides into frictional mating and enveloping engage-.

ment with the central portion 27 of the handle element same horizontal plane as the center line 42 of the handle 1 member 20.

the. grip member matingly conformto the outer configura- 1 tionof the central portion 27. of the handle member 201 so 24 may be 'cast or fabricated from any suitable material,

either a wood laminate or a lightweight plastic. The grip 24 it attached to the handle member by use of suitable screws. p

An elongate contoured grip spacer member 38 is'afiixed to the front face of the handle member, as shown in FIG- URES' l and 2. The contoured grip spacer member 33 cooperateswith the grip'member 24- so as to complete the detachable grip portion around the central portion of the take-apart bow. a

It is within the scope of the invention to alter the configmration of the detachable gripmember as desired. Experience may show that it would be more economical to fabricate thegrip in two substantially similar half portions. Theimportant featureis to'provide a readilydetachable grip element which may be designed to fit the hand of any given archer and which is easily mountable upon the'standard handle portion.

Spacer cover members 39, shown in FIGURE 9, are' provided to engage and extend into the handle member as shown in FIGURES l and 2. These'cover members 39 are positioned between the retainer cap plates and the detachable grip 24 and serve to cover the open portions of the handle member 20 and are secured thereto by use of screws which engage the side walls of the handle and pass through a hole provided in the extension of the spacer member. Thus,.the. spacercover members provide a stabilizing as well'as decorativejeifect in that the Walls of the handle are anchored thereagainst.

It .is thus .seen that a highly versatile take-apart bow is provided. The use of the channeled or recessed construction provides a handle portion which is rigid yet lightweight. any unused portion of the hollow handle may be filled by plastic or other fillermaterial to'balance the bow as desired and to give the bow any desired total overall weight. These hollow portions of the bow may be provided with suitable covers so as to'p'rovide storage space for auxiliary archery and hunting equipment, such' as a compass, extra strings, glue, matches, arrow knocks and the like. An arrow rest shelf 'or shoulder 37 is pro vided integral with thedetchable grip portion 24 and the devices'may be easily attached to the'handle as desired.

In the preferred embodiment, the limb retainer handle member 20- is fabricatedby stamping so as to provide recess or socketportions 25 and 26. However, the. handle member 20 may be forgedycastor molded, depending on 1 the materialbeing utilized. 7 The inner walls of therecess or'socket portions are then precision machined to provide" accurate limb contact surfaces;

As shownin FIGURES 10 and ll, the handle member I 20 is then horizontally positioned on a reference surface (gauge table) 40. by use of parallel rest blocks 41 so that thecenter line 42 of the handlemember 20' is parallel to the hofrizontal reference surface of the gauge table 40.

.70 1.;In atake-apart bow, the;cornbination comprismgz a After the recesses or sockets have been coated with suitableresin release agents, the rough butt end 32 of alimb a 21 .is then clamped .into its use position :in' each recess or j 7 in on the handle.

While thehandle member 20 isheld in a fixed horizontal position on the blocks 41, each limb 21 is flexed through an are from its free position to its full drawn position. I This flexing action is shown in phantom line in FIG- URE 11. A height gauge 44 is utilized to determine whether or-not the tip of the limb remains in the horizontal plane of the handle center, line 42 throughout the entire course of the flexure of the limb 21. If, during the test flexing, the tip of the limb varies from thehorizontal plane established by the center line 42, the butt end of the limb 21 is shimmed to insure that the limb 21 will bend only in the plane-of the center line 42. This corrective shimming'auto'matically provides a limb which is zeroed After the limbs 21 have been .thus aligned in their use position on the handle 20, the recesses or

sockets

25 and 26 are filled with an epoxy resin which flows around the butt end 32 of the limb 21 so as to form the encapsulating layer 34. As shownv schematically in FIGURE 12, the encapsulating resin layer'34 solidifies around the shim members 45, thus making them an integral part of the butt end 32. Due to the effect of the aforementioned release agent, each limb is then easily removed from its respective socket.

or recess with. percent area contact thereby imparting a solid feel to this invention which is not usually found lfl'the take-apart devices found in the prior art. The retainer cap plate engaging surface of'the encapsulated butt end 32 is then milled down to provide an even surface for the retainer cap plates, 22 or .23, to bear against in the manner shown in FIGURE 7. The thickness of the finished butt end is such that the retainer cap plate engages the butt end but does not bear against the handle member.

Thus, in its assembled use position, the'retainer cap plate bears against the butt end of: the limb and flexes with the limb when the bow is drawn. f r

' The take-apart bow is assembled by mouhting the butt ends of the fmatched limbs into their respective recesses; The retainer cap plates are drawn thereagainst by use-of the retainer screwsin the manner previously described.

a The assembly of the take-apart bow is completed by mounting of the detchable grip thereon. After the spacer members 39 and'contour strip 38 have been attached, the

bow is ready for stringing and. subsequent use.

Atake-apartbow is provided having great versatility in use due to the interchangeability vof the various components of the bow. For instance, several sets of matched limbs may. be provided for use on a single .handle. Thus,1 an archer could utilize the same handle but change thelimbs as required for hunting, target shootmg and the like; a I

The use oftheflexible retainer cap plates, the cast-inplace matchedf limbs, and the detachable, grip member. providesa take-apart bow which has. performance-char acteristics usually found only in one-piece custom built bows.

Various other modifications of the invention may be madewithout departing from theprinciple thereof. Each .of the modifications is to be consideredias included in the hereinafter appended claims unless theseclaims'by their language expressly provide otherwise.

Having thus'setforth the mature .of rthe invention, I claim the following:

limb retainerhandle member defining apair of oppositely positioned limb receiving rearwardly open channel openings,said oppnin'gs so .-defin ,being' elongate in .said retainer handle; limbs having cast-in place resin -encapsu-.

lated butt ends which are selectively insertable and removable from said openings and nestable therein; and elongate retainer cap plate elements flexibly provided in said openings, said retainer cap plate elements bearing against the exposed surface of said resin encapsulated butt ends in said nest position; and means provided through said butt ends to lockably engage said retainer cap plate elements to said handle member, said retainer cap plate elements flexibly bearing solely against said resin encapsulated butt ends.

2. In a take-apart bow wherein a limb retainer central handle member utilizes flexible retainer cap elements to lockably and flexibly retain the butt ends of limbs in elongate limb receiving rearwardly open channel openings provided therein, the combination comprising: limb members consisting of molded laminated layer elements and being configured for use in a take-apart bow having a central handle member; and a resin encapsulated butt end References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 705,689 7/02 Magee 30626 2,001,470 5/35 Nyvall 124-24 2,426,233 8/47 Pearson 124-423 2,642,661 6/53 Fredrickson 124/23 2,684,564 7/54 Sell 18-59 2,813,818 11/57 Pearson.

2,814,835 12/57 Faulkner Iii-59 2,900,973 8/59 Diehr 124-24 2,966,903 1/61 Vencko 12423 LQUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner

Claims

2. IN A TAKE-APART BOW WHEREIN A LIMB RETAINER CENTRAL HANDLE MEMBER UTILIZES FLEXIBLE RETAINER CAP ELEMENTS TO LOCKABLY AND FLEXIBLY RETAIN THE BUTT ENDS OF LIMBS IN ELONGATE LIMB RECEIVING REWARDLY OPEN CHANNEL OPENINGS PROVIDED THEREIN, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: LIMB MEMBERS CONSISTING OF MOLDED LAMINATED LAYER ELEMENTS AND BEING CONFIGURED FOR USE IN A TAKE-APART BOW HAVING A CENTRAL HANDLE MEMBER; AND A RESIN ENCAPSULATED BUTT END PORTION PROVIDED ON EACH OF SAID LIMB MEMBERS, SAID BUTT