BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sight devices such as those used in archery must be adjustable to fit the user precisely to provide maximum accuracy, particularly where the sight is used in tournaments or other competition. Sights are normally adjustable in three dimensions, with the most important adjustment being in elevation. The present invention relates to an improved mounting system which allows quick and efficient adjustment of the sight relative to an archery bow while minimizing internal vibrations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Many archers attempt to mount their sight approximately thirty inches from their anchor point. A sight bracket is mounted on the bow and an extension bar is connected with the mounting bracket. The extension bar generally extends horizontally when the bow is in use. An elevation bar is connected with the extension bar and is generally perpendicular relative to the elevation bar so that it extends vertically when the bow is in use. An elevation carriage is mounted on the elevation bar and a windage carriage is arranged on the elevation carriage. A sight aperture is connected with the windage carriage. The elevation carriage is displaced by the user along the elevation bar and the windage carriage is displaced along the elevation carriage to precisely position the sight at the optimum position. Displacement of the carriages is usually done incrementally.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,097,491 discloses an elevation adjustment mechanism for an archery sight of the type described above. In particular, the elevation adjustment mechanism is capable of quick coarse adjustment of the elevation carriage and sight via a unique drive system for the elevation carriage, tension adjustment between the elevation carriage and the elevation bar, and smooth travel of the carriage relative to the elevation bar. When the drive mechanism is released from the screw, the carriage may be manually displaced along the elevation bar.
While the prior archery sight adjustment devices operate satisfactorily, they have inherent drawbacks in that uncontrolled vibrations arise between the windage and elevation carriages and between the elevation carriage and the elevation bar.
The present invention was developed in order to overcome these and other drawbacks of conventional adjustable archery sight mounting systems by providing an archery mounting system which minimizes internal vibrations and additionally affords protection to the internal mating surfaces of the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an archery sight mounting system including an elevation bar having a longitudinal axis connected with a bow and a sight mounting assembly arranged on and displaceable relative to the elevation bar. The sight mounting assembly includes at least one support surface for supporting a gib which forms part of a tension system between the sight mounting assembly and the extension bar and a cam shaft which displaces the sight mounting assembly relative to the extension bar in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis. According to the invention, a freedom of movement of the sight mounting assembly along the elevation bar is provided.
The sight mounting system includes an elevation carriage, a windage carriage, or both, with the windage carriage mounted on the elevation carriage according to a preferred embodiment.
According to the preferred embodiment, an adjustable first tension system is provided between the elevation carriage and the elevation bar so that the user can adjust the tension and thus the freedom of movement of the elevation carriage. The elevation carriage includes a pair of spaced support surfaces in which first gibs are arranged. The elevation carriage support surfaces and the first gibs preferably extend generally parallel to the extension bar. The first tension system further includes a yoke adjustably connected with the elevation carriage. The yoke also includes a pair of spaced support surfaces that support a pair of second gibs between the elevation yoke and extension bar. The first and second gibs extend in parallel on opposite sides of the elevation bar. When the yoke is drawn to the elevation carriage, tension between the elevation carriage and the yoke is increased. The first and second gibs, which are arranged internally of the elevation bar, protect the internal mating surfaces between the elevation carriage, the yoke, and the elevation bar. In addition, the first tension system includes a pair of spaced springs between the elevation carriage and yoke. These springs exert a constant internal pressure on the first and second gibs to accommodate the small amount of slop or play between the elevation carriage the elevation bar and deaden any internal vibrations.
The windage carriage connects a sight with the elevation carriage to provide further adjustment of the sight in another dimension. A second tension system is also provided to control the freedom of movement of the windage carriage relative to the elevation carriage. More particularly, the second tension system also includes a yoke for connecting the windage carriage with the elevation carriage. The windage carriage and windage yoke each include spaced parallel support surfaces to support third and fourth pairs of gibs which protect the internal mating surfaces between the windage carriage, the windage yoke and the elevation carriage. Springs are also provided between the windage carriage and windage yoke to further exert a constant internal pressure on the third and fourth gibs.
The first, second, third, and fourth gibs are preferably formed of a synthetic plastic material having a tensile strength displacement which provides the necessary tension between the elevation carriage and the elevation bar and between the windage carriage and the elevation carriage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting system for an archery sight according to the invention connected with an extension bar for mounting on a bow;
FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of an elevation carriage and yoke for mounting on an elevation bar;
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are exploded rear perspective views of the elevation carriage and yoke mounted on an extension bar;
FIGS. 6, and 7 are top and bottom exploded perspective views, respectively, of elevation carriage and link of a displacement mechanism for the elevation carriage;
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a spring-biased button of the elevation carriage for longitudinal displacement of the elevation carriage relative to the elevation bar;
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the elevation carriage and yoke according to the invention;
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a windage carriage and yoke according to the invention;
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the assembled windage carriage and yoke;
FIG. 12 is an exploded front perspective view of the elevation carriage mounted on an elevation bar and a windage carriage and yoke for mounting on the elevation carriage;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the assembled windage and elevation carriages mounded on an elevation bar, with gibs arranged between the carriages;
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the windage carriage displacement mechanism;
FIG. 15 is a partial sectional view of the assembled elevation carriage mounted on the elevation bar;
FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view of the assembled windage and elevation carriages mounted on the elevation bar;
FIG. 17 is a partial sectional view of the assembled elevation carriage and yoke;
FIGS. 18 and 19 are partial sectional end views of the first tension assembly for the elevation carriage showing a locking lever in positions of greater and lesser, respectively;
FIGS. 20a and 20b are plan views showing a pivot nut of the drive mechanism for the elevation carriage in the release and drive positions, respectively;
FIG. 21 is a detailed perspective view of the button, link, and pivot nut of the drive mechanism for the elevation carriage;
FIGS. 22a and 22b are top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of the cam shaft of the first tension system;
FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a locking lever for the first tension system shown in FIGS. 18 and 19;
FIGS. 24a and 24b are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the elevation carriage according to the invention;
FIGS. 25a and 25b are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the yoke for the elevation carriage;
FIGS. 26a and 26b are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the windage carriage according to the invention; and
FIGS. 27a and 27b are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of the yoke for the windage carriage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the archery sight apparatus 2 that mounts on a bow according to the invention. The apparatus 2 is connected with an extension bar 4 via screws 6 or other suitable fasteners. The extension bar is connected with a mounting plate 8 attached to a bow (not shown) via screws or other suitable fasteners. In use, the extension bar generally extends horizontally and the archery sight apparatus extends vertically, with the sight being adjusted for elevation along an elevation bar 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the elevation bar 10 includes an elongated screw 12 rotatably connected therewith. Knobs 14 and 16 are mounted on the ends of the screw 12 to rotate the screw relative to the extension bar. The elevation bar contains a plurality of openings through which wind passes so that the sight adjustment mechanism does not unduly shift the bow when in use, particularly in use outdoors.
A sight mounting assembly is arranged on and displaceable longitudinally relative to the elevation bar upon operation of the screw 12. The sight mounting assembly may include an elevation carriage, a windage carriage, or both. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing, both an elevation carriage 18 and a windage carriage 20 are provided, with an archery sight aperture (not shown) being connected with the windage carriage. The elevation and windage carriages are adjustable by the user to adjust the position of the sight for optimum performance.
A drive mechanism releasably connects the elevation carriage 18 with the screw 12. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bottom of the elevation carriage 18 contains an opening which receives a nut 22. Referring also to FIGS. 20a and 20b, the nut is pivotally connected with the elevation carriage and is characterized by an axial throughbore 24 defined by an inner surface of the nut. The throughbore extends from a first or top end of the nut to a second or bottom end of the nut. Adjacent the first end, one side of the inner surface contains first threads 26. At the second end, the opposite side of the inner surface contains second threads 28. The nut is threadably connected with the screw 12 as shown in FIG. 20b in which the elevation carriage has been removed for clarity. Rotation of the screw 12 by either of the knobs 14, 16 displaces the nut along the length of the screw. When the nut is connected with the elevation carriage, rotation of the screw serves to displace the carriage along the elevation bar. Preferably, the movement is incremental owing to the manner in which one of the knobs is connected with the elevation bar. As is known in the art, a ball bearing (not shown) is arranged in a recess in an end surface of the elevation bar, and the surface of the knob which faces the end surface of the elevation bar contains a plurality of spaced openings adjacent to the outer edge of the knob, opposite the opening in the bar end surface. The knob openings are adapted to receive the ball bearing as the knob is rotated, so that the ball bearing acts as an incremental stop for the knob as it is rotated.
In the drive mechanism for the elevation carriage according to the invention, the nut 22 is pivotally connected with the elevation carriage 18 via projections 30 on opposite sides of the nut which are seated in recesses in the carriage. A link 32 is connected between the carriage and the nut as shown in FIGS. 20a, 20b, and 21. The link includes a slot 34 which receives a projection 36 on the nut 22. The link is operated by a thumb button 38 connected with the elevation carriage as shown in FIGS. 8, 20a, 20b, and 21. The thumb button is connected with the carriage via springs 40 which bias the button to a normal position shown in FIG. 20b. However, when the button is depressed against the force of the springs, the posts 38a engage tabs 32a on the link to displace the link and thus tilt or pivot the nut 22 relative to the elevation carriage to a release position as shown in FIG. 20a. When pivoted to the release position, the first 26 and second 28 threads on the nut are free of the threads on the screw 12 so that the nut and carriage are free to slide along the screw. Thus, depression of the thumb button by the user enables the user to quickly change the elevation of the carriage relative to the elevation bar. This coarse adjustment is much quicker than manual rotation of the knobs 14, 16 to incrementally move the carriage relative to the elevation bar. When the thumb button is released, the link pivots the nut 22 to a drive position shown in FIG. 20b wherein the first and second threads 26, 28 engage the threads of the screw 12.
The elevation carriage 18 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 24a and 24b. An elevation yoke 42, which is connected with the elevation carriage, is shown in more detail in FIGS. 25a and 25b. The yoke includes a pair of spaced legs 42a, 42b containing lower aligned openings 44 which receive the screw 12 of the elevation bar and upper aligned openings 46 which are used to connect the yoke with the elevation carriage via a cam shaft 48 as shown in FIG. 9. The cam shaft is shown in detail in FIGS. 22a and 22b. The top surfaces of the elevation yoke legs contain openings 50 each of which is configured to receive an end of a spring 52 as shown in FIG. 9. The upper end of the springs are arranged in corresponding openings (not shown) in a lower surface of the elevation carriage. The assembled elevation carriage and yoke is shown in FIGS. 2-5. The
As shown in FIGS. 24a and 24b, the elevation carriage 18 contains a pair of spaced parallel support surfaces 54, 56 which are configured to receive first gibs 58 as will be discussed below. Similarly, the elevation yoke 42 contains a pair of spaced parallel support surfaces 60, 62 which are configured to receive second gibs 64.
FIGS. 3-5, 15, and 17 show the assembled elevation carriage 18 and elevation yoke 42 mounted on the elevation bar 10. The elevation screw 12 passes through the elevation yoke 42 with the elevation rail, and the cam shaft 48 connects the elevation carriage 18 with the elevation yoke. The first gibs 58 are arranged on the elevation carriage support surfaces 54, 56 and abut against an interior surface of the elevation rail as shown in FIG. 17. The second gibs 64 are arranged on the elevation yoke support surfaces 60, 62 and abut against the interior surface of the elevation rail. Preferably, the interior surface of the elevation rail is contoured with surfaces which match the configuration of the first and second gibs.
The first tension system for the elevation carriage will now be described. It includes the first and second gibs and the cam shaft. More particularly, the cam shaft 48 passes through the aligned upper openings 46 of the elevation yoke 42 and through a bore 66 in the lower portion of the elevation carriage as shown in FIG. 9.
The cam shaft 48 has a generally cylindrical cam surface 48a. When the cam shaft is rotated in opposite directions, the cam surface abuts against the elevation yoke to displace the yoke toward and away from the elevation carriage depending on the position of the cam surface. When the yoke is moved away from the elevation carriage by rotation of the cam shaft as shown in FIG. 19, the tension between the carriage and the yoke and the elevation bar is released. When the yoke is toward the elevation carriage, the carriage presses against the first and second gibs to increase the tension between the carriage and yoke and the elevation bar as shown in FIG. 18. The springs 52 between the elevation carriage and elevation yoke exert a constant internal pressure on the first and second gibs to deaden vibrations within the elevation carriage and elevation yoke.
A locking mechanism for the cam shaft is shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The cam shaft 48 includes an external head portion 48b which includes a plurality of ribs 48c around its external surface. These are shown in detail in FIGS. 22a and 22b. A tension lever 68, which is shown in detail in FIG. 23, has an opening which fits over the cam shaft head portion 48b and includes recesses 68a in the inner surface of the opening which mate with the ribs 48c on the head. Referring once again to FIG. 4, a screw 70 and washer 72 are connected with a threaded opening 74 in the elevation carriage 18. The screw passes through a slot 68b in the tension lever. With the screw loosened, the tension lever can be rotated to rotate the cam shaft to the desired tension. The screw 70 is tightened to lock the tension lever in place and the tension is thus fixed. With the tension lever fixed, the compression applied by the yoke to the first and second gibs is also fixed.
As set forth above and as shown in FIG. 1, a windage carriage 20 is connected with the elevation carriage 18. The windage carriage is adjustable with respect to the elevation carriage in a direction perpendicular to the elevation adjustment of the carriage relative to the elevation bar 10.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the windage carriage 20 is connected with a windage yoke 76. The windage carriage is shown in detail in FIGS. 26a and 26b and the windage yoke 76 is shown in detail in FIGS. 27a and 27b. Similar to the elevation yoke 42, the windage yoke includes a spaced pair of legs 76a, 76b which contain aligned upper openings 78 and aligned lower openings 80. The windage carriage contains upper 82 and lower 84 openings as well. A pair of spaced springs 86 are arranged between the upper portions of the legs of the windage yoke and the bottom surface of the windage carriage. More particularly, the windage yoke leg upper surfaces each contain a recess 88 for receiving a lower edge of a spring 86 and the lower surface of the windage carriage contains corresponding recesses which receive an upper end of a spring 86. With the springs in place and the lower part of the windage carriage 20 arranged between the legs 76a, 76b of the windage yoke, the upper openings of the yoke and carriage are aligned to receive a dowel pin 90 as shown in FIG. 11. A retaining screw 92 is threaded into a further opening 94 in the leg 76a of the yoke to retain the dowel pin in place.
As shown in FIGS. 26a and 26b, the windage carriage 20 contains a pair of spaced parallel support surfaces 96, 98 which are configured to receive third gibs 100 which are shown in FIGS. 13 and 16. Similarly, the windage yoke 76 contains a pair of spaced parallel support surfaces 102, 104 which are configured to receive fourth gibs 106 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 16. The fourth gibs are arranged between the windage yoke and the elevation carriage as shown in FIG. 16. Preferably, the elevation carriage includes further spaced parallel support surfaces 108, 110 in an upper portion of a cavity of the elevation carriage as shown in FIGS. 24a and 24b. The further support surfaces 108 extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the support surfaces 54, 56 for the first gibs 58.
Referring now to FIG. 14, A windage adjustment screw 112 passes through aligned upper openings 114 of the elevation carriage 18 and through aligned lower openings 80 in the windage yoke 76 and lower opening 84 windage carriage 20. The lower opening 84 in the windage carriage is threaded mate with the threads of the windage adjustment screw 112. A knob 116 is connected with the remote end of the windage adjustment screw. Accordingly, rotation of the windage adjustment screw in opposite directions displaces the windage carriage in opposite directions relative to the elevation carriage perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elevation bar 10.
A second tension system is provided for the windage carriage to adjust the tension between windage carriage and the elevation carriage. The second tension system includes the third 100 and fourth gibs 106 and a windage tension screw 118 threadably connected with the windage carriage. The bottom end of the windage tension screw 118 engages the dowel pin 90 as shown in FIG. 16. Rotation of the screw 118 in a clockwise direction pushes downward on the dowel pin in the windage yoke to tighten the third and fourth gibs 100, 106 to increase tension between the windage carriage, the windage yoke and the elevation carriage. Rotation of the screw in a counterclockwise direction reduces tension. The springs 86 between the windage carriage and windage yoke exert a constant internal pressure on the third and fourth gibs to deaden vibrations within the windage carriage and windage yoke.
A sight connected with the windage carriage via a sight mount as known in the art. The sight is adjustable in three dimensions: vertically by adjusting the elevation carriage relative to the elevation bar; laterally by adjusting the windage carriage relative to the elevation carriage; and rotationally by adjusting the sight aperture relative to the windage carriage.
The first, second, third, and fourth gibs are preferably formed of a synthetic plastic material having a tensile strength displacement which provides the necessary tension between the elevation carriage and the elevation bar and between the windage carriage and the elevation carriage. Because all of the gibs are arranged internally of the sight mounting apparatus, they are protected. Moreover, the specific placement of the gibs between the adjustable elevation and windage carriages and relative to the elevation bar, scratching or other damage to the bar, carriages and associated yokes, which are formed of a lightweight metal, is avoided. Thus, the life and accuracy of the mounting apparatus is extended. Internal vibrations within the mounting apparatus are diminished because of the constant pressure exerted by the springs between the carriages and their associated yokes.
While the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the inventive concepts set forth above.
Patent Application
20250180330
