Not applicable.
The disclosure relates to crossbows. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a cocking mechanism for a crossbow.
The use of crossbows for hunting has increased in recent years, especially for those who are elderly, disabled or young, where using a traditional bow or a compound bow may be too physically strenuous. Indeed, crossbows offer these individuals an opportunity to hunt or shoot a bow much more easily. For others, shooting with crossbows may offer variety over using only a traditional bow, or they may simply enjoy using a crossbow.
However, crossbows in general have a very large drawing force, making them difficult to cock without the use of force-multiplying tools. This difficulty is especially true for elderly, disable and young users that may not have the necessary strength and dexterity to cock the crossbow. Further, when on an active hunt, it is desirable to be as quiet as possible when cocking the crossbow, so as not to scare any prey.
While there are known crossbow cocking devices, there exists a need for a quiet or “silent” crossbow cocking that allows for ease of use.
A cocking mechanism is disclosed. The cocking mechanism comprises an actuator assembly, a hand crank assembly, and a bow string hook assembly. The actuator assembly further comprises clutch assembly having a bearing housing, a bearing cage, a support axle and bearing elements. The bearing elements operatively cooperate with the bearing housing to prevent rotation of the support axle in a first direction, but allow for rotation of the support axle in a second direction when the actuator assembly is in a locked configuration. This provides for immediate braking action against any unforeseen forward motion of the bow string of a crossbow such as when inadvertently or accidently releasing the removable hand crank assembly during the cocking operation.
In another exemplary arrangement, a crossbow having a cocking mechanism is disclosed. The crossbow has a frame, a bow string assembly, first and second limbs and a riser. The bow string assembly is disposed between the first and second limbs and the first and second limbs are attached to the riser. The cocking mechanism for cocking the bow string assembly connected to the crossbow frame, includes an actuator assembly, a hand crank assembly, and a bow string hook assembly. The actuator assembly further comprises clutch assembly having a bearing housing, a bearing cage, a support axle and bearing elements, the bearing element being operatively mounted within the bearing housing to prevent rotation of the support axle in a first direction, but allow for rotation of the support axle in a second direction when the actuator assembly is in a locked configuration.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to
In exemplary arrangement, the cocking mechanism 10 comprises an actuator assembly 14, a selectively removable hand crank assembly 16, and a bow string hook assembly 20. In one exemplary arrangement, an optional alignment member 18 may be provided. An actuator lock member 22 is operatively mounted to the actuator assembly 14. Tension cables 24 are part of the string hook assembly 20 and are operatively connected to the actuator assembly 14, as will be discussed in further detail below.
Referring to
Once the cocking mechanism 10 is mounted to the end 26 of the crossbow 12, the hand crank assembly 16 may be mounted to the actuator assembly 14. Referring to
Referring to
The actuator assembly 14 comprises a main support body 50, through which the support axle 40 is mounted, the actuator lock member 22, a pair of take-up spools 52, cable guide and take-up spool housings 54a, 54b, a pair of pulleys 56, and a pair of pulley axles 58. A cable eyelet mount 60 is secured to the main support body 50. The cable eyelet mount 60 includes eyelet openings 62 through which the tension cable 24 extends. Extending from the cable eyelet mount 60 is the alignment member 18. A pulley mount 57 is positioned between the cable eyelet mount 60 and the alignment member 18. The pulleys are positioned within the mount 57 and the pulley axle 58 secures the pulleys 56 thereto.
Referring to
The clutch assembly 64 further comprises a bearing housing 80 into which a bearing cage 82 is positioned. As shown in
Ends 99 of tension cables 24 are secured to take up spools 52. The take up spools 52 are mounted onto the support axle 40 on either side of the main support body 50. The cable guide and take-up spool housings 54a, 54b are disposed over the take up spools 52.
As show in
Referring to
Once the cocking mechanism 10 is secured to the crossbow 12, a user pushes the actuator lock member 22 in a first direction (i.e., forward) to an unlock position, which results in a first rotation direction (i.e., clockwise) of the bearing cage 82. The roller bearings 83 will now allow the support axle 40 to rotate in either annular direction. With the actuator lock member 22 in the unlock position, the user then pulls the hook members 44 of the bow string hook assembly 20 toward the bow string 106 of the crossbow 12. After positioning the hook members 44 on the bow string 106, the user releases the actuator lock member 22 and the spring 78 biases the actuator lock member 22 to a second position. The user may then attach the selectively removable hand crank assembly 16 to the cocking mechanism 10.
Once the hand crank assembly 16 is attached to the cocking mechanism 10, the user then rotates the hand crank assembly 16 in the first direction, this results in winding the tension cable 24 onto the take-up spools 52 in a manner of equal force imparted by each hook members 44 onto the bow string 106. Equal force during the cocking operation is important to the consistency and accuracy of the crossbow shot.
One feature of the present disclosure is that the spring 78 always acts to push the actuator lock member 22 in the second direction (backward) to a lock position, which results in a second rotational direction (i.e., counterclockwise). If the user releases his/her grip on the hand crank assembly 16 at anytime during the cocking operation, the bearings 83 will immediately rotate back into a most counterclockwise position and will apply an immediate braking action to any forward return movement of the bow string 106 to its uncocked position.
Once the bow string 106 is pulled into the fully cocked position via use of the hand crank assembly 16, the user then pushes the actuator lock member 22 forward once again to release tension on the bow string 106 by rotating the hand crank assembly 16 in the counterclockwise direction. Once the tension is released, the hook members 44 can be removed from the bow string 106.
The mechanics of the clutch operation are explained below in connection with
Conversely, clockwise rotation of the support axle 40 results in moving the roller bearings 83 down the annular ramps 104 of the bearing housing 80 which then reduce or ultimately eliminate the radial force of the roller bearings 83 against the support axle 40 to a point that both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the support axle are both allowed.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
This application is for a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 10,295,299 B2 issued May 21, 2019, which is a National Stage application under 35 U.S.C. 371 (“371 Application”) of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2017/013091 filed Jan. 12, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/277,744 filed Jan. 12, 2016, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2017/013091 | 1/12/2017 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2017/123687 | 7/20/2017 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6616129 | Lee | Sep 2003 | B1 |
7100590 | Chang | Sep 2006 | B2 |
8443790 | Pestrue | May 2013 | B2 |
8453631 | Kronengold | Jun 2013 | B1 |
8578917 | Bednar | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8689774 | Ritz | Apr 2014 | B1 |
8950385 | Khoshnood | Feb 2015 | B1 |
9341434 | McPherson | May 2016 | B2 |
9404706 | Khoshnood | Aug 2016 | B2 |
9752844 | Huang | Sep 2017 | B1 |
10421637 | Huang | Sep 2019 | B1 |
10948257 | Huang | Mar 2021 | B1 |
11067357 | Chu | Jul 2021 | B1 |
20060169258 | Chang | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20090277435 | Pestrue | Nov 2009 | A1 |
20100170487 | Kronengold | Jul 2010 | A1 |
20150040883 | McPherson | Feb 2015 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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WO-2017123687 | Jul 2017 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62277744 | Jan 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16068503 | Jan 2017 | US |
Child | 16804911 | US |