Patent Grant
8286953
An arrow fletching, generally, is a vane-like appendage commonly found affixed, in multiples, to the aft end of an arrow shaft. The purpose of fletching is to stabilize the flight path of the arrow when shot, thereby drastically increasing an archer's accuracy and consistency over that of using an arrow without fletching. While fletching technology has certainly evolved alongside advancements in materials, arrow shaft designs, bow technologies, and so forth, the underlying concept of using a series of fletching to improve arrow flight is nothing new.
Thousands of years before Christ, archers were fashioning bird feathers onto wooden arrow shafts in order to gain consistent arrow flight paths. To facilitate the fashioning, they made use of materials such as sinew, catgut, and strips of hide in order to literally tie the fletching material to the arrow shaft. While today's arrows still exhibit the same time-proven form comprising a shaft with a point on one end and a nock and fletching on the other, modern day archers, of course, don't have to rely on the rudimentary arrow construction techniques employed by their ancestors.
Today's fletching materials of choice vary from real feather to synthetic feather to rubber to plastic. Regardless of the fletching material, however, most arrow fletching or vane designs in use today are simply glued onto an arrow shaft that is made of either aluminum or a carbon composite. In short, beyond materials and construction techniques, the overall design of a fletched arrow has changed very little in tens of thousands of years. So, what's needed in the art? A better technique of construction, that's what.
Arrows, and the fletching in particular, take a beating during use. Each time an arrow is released from a bow, chances are that the fletching will sustain damage from contact with previously shot arrows, targets, tree limbs, or the like. The predictable result of fletching damage is an ongoing expense for the archer. Some archers prefer to buy their arrows from an archery supplier already assembled and ready to be flung. Other archers, perhaps more particular in their preferences or, at least, more fortunate to have abundant time at their disposal, prefer to custom build their arrows. It is these archery enthusiasts, the ones that choose to build their own arrows and/or arrows for other archers, who possess myriad devices and supplies useful for fletching, and re-fletching, arrows.
When constructing an arrow, the positioning of fletching relative to the shaft of an arrow is critical. One simply doesn't squirt some glue down the shaft, stick some fletching on it, and then see how she flies. Rather, a fletching must be precisely positioned and then held in place while the glue dries before the arrow is repositioned for application of the next, precisely positioned fletching.
There are numerous devices known in the art that are useful when fitting an arrow with fletching. Generally, Bitzenburger describes in U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,551, as does Finlay in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,382, a jig fitted with a spring loaded butterfly style clip that is operable to clamp a fletching and firmly position it relative to an arrow shaft while the fletching glue sets.
Variations of the butterfly clip style fletching jigs taught by Bitzenburger and Finlay are numerous in the market, but all share common shortcomings. For instance, with repeated use, the spring constant associated with the clip portion of jigs known in the art are prone to weakening such that they become unable to consistently grip fletching. Also, when placing a fletching into the spring-loaded clamp, in advance of setting the fletching to the arrow shaft, painstaking care must be taken that the fletching is positioned at the proper depth, angle and index mark within the clamp. Further, the force applied to fletching by way of the clamping force of the clip can damage the fletching as some fletching materials are fragile. Even further, the use of a clamp is generally cumbersome and inconvenient for the user. Moreover, clamp lengths may be specific to fletching lengths and fletching applications and, therefore, expensive clamps often must be swapped out each time a user changes fletching designs.
For all the reasons set forth above, as well as other reasons, prior art in the field of arrow fletching jigs are inadequate. Thus, there is a need in the art for a device operable to consistently and conveniently set arrow fletching without the use of a spring loaded clamp mechanism.
An arrow fletching device with a plate clamp, generally, is a jig apparatus operable to precisely position an arrow shaft relative to an arrow fletching. More particularly, an arrow fletching device such as that disclosed herein employs a plate component, in lieu of a spring-loaded clamp, for receiving, positioning and retaining a fletching against the shaft of an arrow. Advantageously, the use of a plate component with a specifically profiled slot operable to receive and position a specific fletching reduces the steps required to adhere a fletching to an arrow shaft as well as mitigates the probability of improper installation of the fletching.
Modern day fletching applications vary substantially. Common fletching lengths available on the market, for instance, range from one inch to five inches with each length available in myriad combinations of profiles, grain weights, and material choices. Each combination is ideally suited for a specific application such as target shooting with a low energy bow, hunting with a broadhead arrow, competing in an indoor target competition, hunting small game with a blunt tip arrow, etc. The archer's choice of equipment ranging from the bow to the arrow shaft to the arrow tip hardware will necessarily dictate a fletching design for optimum performance.
Consequently, those skilled in the art of arrow building need to be proficient in the application of numerous fletching designs. As has been described, it is common for arrow builders to employ a jig apparatus with a clamp mechanism when seeking to fix a fletching to an arrow shaft. Often, the jig base receives the spring clamp via a magnet feature such that the user may place the fletching into the clamp, taking great care to position the fletching in the proper place within the clamp, and subsequently communicate the clamp with the jig base via the magnetic feature. Assuming that the user is deft at placing the fletching into the spring clamp and communicating the spring clamp to the base jig in just the right position, the fletching will be properly juxtaposed to the waiting arrow shaft.
Various embodiments of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp seek to minimize the requisite skill a user must possess in order to properly position, align and fix a fletching to an arrow shaft. One exemplary embodiment of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp comprises a jig base having a means to position an arrow shaft along a plane substantially parallel to, and beneath, a plane defined by its uppermost surface. Further, the base of the exemplary embodiment also comprises a mechanism by which the arrow shaft may be rotated in increments relative to its nock position without causing the arrow shaft to deviate from the aforementioned plane position. Advantageously, the rotational mechanism provides a means by which the arrow may be rotated for subsequent installations of fletching at predetermined increments along the circumference of the arrow shaft.
Importantly, the exemplary embodiment does not require a spring clip component for receiving and positioning fletching, an inadequate aspect of other fletching devices well known in the art. Rather, the exemplary embodiment is operable to securely receive a plate component that communicates in a parallel fashion with the top plane of the uppermost surface of the base jig. Notably, the plate component comprises a slot that is substantially in the center of the plate such that the slot may be positioned over an arrow shaft that has been received by the base jig per the above described functionality. The slot in the plate component is operable to receive a vertically stationed fletching and, when the plate is properly juxtaposed to the uppermost surface of the base jig, repeatedly position the fletching at a predetermined distance from the arrow nock and at a predetermined angle or helical dimension relative to the center line of the arrow shaft.
In the present embodiment, alternative plate components are required for the installation of various fletching designs. The inclusion, or exclusion, of any specific plate design, however, should not be considered a limiting factor for the scope of the invention. Moreover, plate designs may vary according to such factors as the specific fletching being installed, the arrow shaft dimensions, or the desired fletch position and, therefore, plate designs may be novel in and of themselves without limiting the scope of the claims for a fletching apparatus that uses such plates. In fact, it is anticipated that some embodiments of the plate component may be operable to accommodate multiple fletching styles.
A user of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp, such as the exemplary embodiment being presently described, can apply glue, or some other adhesive, to the base of the fletching such that when the fletching is inserted into the plate component's slot and the plate component is communicated with a base jig that has received an arrow, the fletching is firmly and accurately held in place against the arrow shaft until it is fixed thereto. Once the fletching is secured to the arrow shaft, a user of the embodiment may decouple the plate component from the base jig, thereby simultaneously relieving the fletching from its installed position within the slot. The arrow shaft may then be rotated per the rotational mechanism described above and a new fletching installed in the same manner as the first.
The presently disclosed embodiments, as well as features and aspects thereof, are directed towards providing a device that can accurately and repeatedly position fletching against the shaft of an arrow, without a spring loaded butterfly clamp component, and securely hold the fletching thereto until a bond is attained between the fletching and arrow shaft via an adhesive.
An arrow fletching device with plate clamp, as well as features and aspects thereof, enables an arrow builder to accurately and repeatedly position fletching against the shaft of an arrow, without a spring loaded butterfly clamp component, and securely hold the fletching thereto until a bond is attained between the fletching and arrow shaft via an adhesive. Exemplary embodiments of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp are, generally, jig apparatuses operable to precisely position an arrow shaft relative to an arrow fletching. More particularly, exemplary embodiments comprise a plate component, in lieu of a spring-loaded butterfly clamp, useful for receiving, positioning and retaining fletching against the shaft of an arrow. Advantageously, the use of a plate component with a specifically profiled slot operable to receive and position a fletching reduces the steps required to adhere a fletching to an arrow shaft as well as mitigates the probability of improper installation of the fletching.
Those skilled in the art of arrow building need to be proficient in the application of numerous fletching designs. As has been described, it is common for arrow builders to employ a jig apparatus with a clamp mechanism when seeking to fix a fletching to an arrow shaft. Often, the jig base receives the spring clamp via a magnet feature such that the user may place the fletching into the clamp, taking great care to position the fletching in the proper place within the clamp, and subsequently communicate the clamp with the jig base via the mechanical coupling feature. Assuming that the user is deft at placing the fletching into the spring clamp and communicating the spring clamp to the base jig in just the right position, the fletching will be properly juxtaposed to the waiting arrow shaft.
Other arrow fletching devices known in the art comprise multiple butterfly clip components sequentially positioned around the shaft of an arrow that has been installed in the device. Advantageously, such prior art provides a means for a user to install multiple fletching simultaneously. Even so, devices comprising multiple butterfly clips for fletching retention still possess the shortfalls of the basic design outlined above. Notably, the exemplary embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamps are offered herein as non-limiting examples and, even though the exemplary embodiments do not explicitly illustrate multiple plate clamps being received by a single jig base, it should be appreciated that such functionality is anticipated.
Various embodiments of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp seek to minimize the requisite skill a user must possess in order to properly position, align and fix a fletching to an arrow shaft. One exemplary embodiment of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp comprises a jig base having a means to position an arrow shaft along a plane substantially parallel to, and beneath, a plane defined by its uppermost surface. Further, the base of the exemplary embodiment also comprises a mechanism by which the arrow shaft may be rotated in increments relative to its nock position without causing the arrow shaft to deviate from the aforementioned plane position. Advantageously, the rotational mechanism provides a means by which the arrow may be rotated for subsequent installations of fletching at predetermined increments along the circumference of the arrow shaft.
Importantly, the exemplary embodiment may not require a spring loaded clip component for receiving and positioning fletching, an inadequate aspect of other fletching devices well known in the art. Further, the embodiment may not require the use of magnets, screws, bolting, clips, banding or other means for applying a force to a fletching directed at an arrow shaft. Rather, the exemplary embodiment is operable to securely receive a plate component that communicates in a parallel fashion with the top plane of the uppermost surface of the base jig and is consistently positioned such that a force is applied.
Notably, the plate component comprises a slot that is substantially in the center of the plate such that the slot may be positioned over an arrow shaft that has been received by the base jig per the above described functionality. The slot in the plate component is operable to receive a vertically stationed fletching and, when the plate is properly juxtaposed to the uppermost surface of the base jig, repeatedly position the fletching at a predetermined distance from the arrow nock and at a predetermined angle or helical dimension relative to the center line of the arrow shaft. Further, by virtue of the plate's installed position on the base jig, interference between the base of a stationed fletching and the shaft of an arrow secured within the base jig generates a force useful for encouraging the adhesive properties of any applied glue.
In the present embodiment, alternative plate components are required for the installation of various fletching designs. The inclusion, or exclusion, of any specific plate design, however, should not be considered a limiting factor for the scope of the invention. Moreover, plate designs may vary according to such factors as the specific fletching being installed, the arrow shaft dimensions, or the desired fletch position and, therefore, plate designs may be novel in and of themselves without limiting the scope of the claims for a fletching apparatus that uses such plates.
A user of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp, such as the exemplary embodiment being presently described, can apply glue, or some other adhesive, to the base of the fletching such that when the fletching is inserted into the plate component's slot and the plate component is communicated with a base jig that has received an arrow, the fletching is firmly and accurately held in place against the arrow shaft until it is fixed thereto. Once the fletching is secured to the arrow shaft, a user of the embodiment may decouple the plate component from the base jig, thereby simultaneously separating the fletching from its installed position within the slot. The arrow shaft may then be rotated per the rotational mechanism described above and a new fletching installed in the same manner as the first.
Turning now to the figures, where like labels represent like elements throughout the drawings, various aspects, features and embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp will be presented in more detail. The examples as set forth in the drawings and detailed description are provided by way of explanation and are not meant as limitations on the scope of an arrow fletching device with plate clamps. An arrow fletching device with plate clamps thus includes any modifications and variations of the following examples as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
To receive and position the shaft of an arrow 115 in a specific plane, the jig base 130 comprises a lower receptacle, holder, clamp, clip or other receiving device collectively referred to as a receptacle 145 for receipt of the arrow 115 by the nock 125 as well as an upper receptacle 135 for receipt of the arrow 115 at a point along the shaft. Further, in some embodiments the receptacles that receive the arrow may be adjustable such that the desired plane for arrow shaft positioning may be altered. For instance, the upper and or lower receptacles may be adjusted to change the plane or event the offset of the shaft.
An arrow that has been received by the jig base 130 via its nock 125 is communicatively coupled to a rotational adjustment device 140 such that the arrow shaft 115 may be rotated without deviating from the fixed plane defined by the two receptacles 135, 145. Other features and aspects of the present system will be more specifically described in subsequent drawings.
Also depicted in
In the exemplary embodiment, the plane in which the arrow shaft 115 is positioned is adjusted by loosening adjustment nut 300 which is threaded onto a set bolt 310. When the adjustment nut 300 is retracted from a set position, the shaft positioning means 135 may be raised or lowered within a slot 155 in the jig base 130 in a substantially vertical manner such that the shaft of the received arrow 115 is repositioned in a new plane. Advantageously, an arrow 115 may be received while in a plane substantially lower than that defined by surface 200 and then raised and secured via the method previously described to a parallel plane in closer proximity to that defined by surface 200. Once in a parallel plane close to the proximity of that defined by surface 200, the shaft of a received arrow 115 may be communicatively juxtaposed to a fletching 120 that has been received by a plate clamp 110 such that by virtue of the plate's 110 installed position on the jig base 130, interference between the base of the received fletching 120 and the shaft of the arrow 115 generates a force useful for maintaining the position of the fletching 120, relative to the arrow shaft 115, while any applied glue sets.
Notably, the arrow shaft plane adjustment mechanism described herein is offered for exemplary purposes only and should not be considered as a limiting factor for the scope of an arrow fletching device with a plate clamp. It is anticipated that other techniques or mechanisms for adjusting the plane position of a received arrow, novel or otherwise, will be incorporated into various embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp. For instance, the set bolt 310 depicted in
Moving to
Generally, the plate clamp component 110 is comprised of a substantially flat surface 540 having a fletching slot 210 substantially at its center, although the slot can be in a variety of locations relative to the clamp component 110 and the shape and size thereof. As has been described, the fletching slot 210 is operable to receive a fletching and, in some embodiments, may be operable to receive fletching of various designs or constructions. Further, as has been described, the plate clamp component 110, in its various embodiments, is operable to be communicated with a surface, such as surface 200, of a fletching apparatus base jig, such as base jig 130.
Extending downward from the edge of the main surface 540 is a plurality of tabs 500. Advantageously, the tabs 500 operate to create a lateral force against the jig base 130, or may be used to prevent movement, or may be used to secure or connect the clamp component 110 to the jig base 130 when the plate clamp component 110 is in communication with a surface 200 of a jig base 130 such that inadvertent shifting of the communicated plate clamp component 110 is minimized. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, different techniques may be used to secure the plate clamp component to the jig. For instance, magnets may be used to hold the components in position, as well as clamps, Velcro, or any of a variety of other connection techniques.
Additional features of the exemplary plate clamp component depicted in
To clarify, the exemplary plate clamp component 110 depicted in
It should be appreciated that although the plate clamp component is shown as being a separate component from the base, in some embodiments the plate clamp component may actually be integral to the base. Further, in other embodiments the plate clamp component may further include removable slits so that various slit settings can be installed into the plate clamp component.
It can also be seen in
It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, a single plate clamp component may include multiple slits of different configurations. In such embodiments, the base may be adapted to receive the plate clamp in a variety of positions with each position corresponding with one of the multiple slits. In addition, in other embodiments the base may be adapted to receive and hold multiple shafts. In such an embodiment, the plate clamp component may again have multiple slits; however, in this embodiment each slit may correspond with a particular shaft being held in the base. Advantageously, this embodiment would facilitate the build-out of multiple arrows. Even further, some embodiments may utilize a base that holds multiple shafts and a plate clamp component that includes a plurality of slit configurations and that can be installed in the base in a variety of settings. Each such setting would allow a set of the slits to be used for attaching the fletching. In yet another embodiment, the base may hold multiple shafts and the slits in the plate clamp components may be configured in different manners. Thus, a user would use the receptacles in the base that would correspond to the desired fletching characteristics. It should also be appreciated that the various embodiments illustrated may be adapted to automation such that the components can be used in a robotic type machine to install fletching onto shafts.
The present arrow fletching device with plate clamp has been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the device. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp. Some embodiments of the arrow fletching device with plate clamp utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp that are described and embodiments of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occur to persons of the art.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that an arrow fletching device with plate clamp is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Rather, the scope of an arrow fletching device with plate clamp is defined by the claims that follow.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2918097 | Thompson | Dec 1959 | A |
| 3108792 | Martin | Oct 1963 | A |
| 3330551 | Bitzenburger | Jul 1967 | A |
| 3333842 | Bitzenburger | Aug 1967 | A |
| 3338772 | McWherter | Aug 1967 | A |
| 4609187 | Fairbanks | Sep 1986 | A |
| 4749175 | Grabits | Jun 1988 | A |
| 4867426 | Mellick | Sep 1989 | A |
| 4919405 | York | Apr 1990 | A |
| 5061008 | Saunders | Oct 1991 | A |
| 5137472 | Hillbish et al. | Aug 1992 | A |
| 5211382 | Finlay | May 1993 | A |
| 5987724 | Kleman | Nov 1999 | A |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20100320665 A1 | Dec 2010 | US |
