A. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses related to crossbows and more specifically to methods and apparatuses related to dampening the vibrations between a crossbow's stock and barrel.
B. Description of Related Art
Crossbows have been used for many years as a weapon for hunting, fishing, and for target shooting. Significant development of the crossbow has occurred to increase the force with which an arrow is shot, increase shooting accuracy, and to make the crossbow safer. In general, a crossbow includes a bow assembly and a trigger mechanism both mounted to a main beam. The main beam generally includes a stock, which the user holds when carrying and shooting the crossbow, and a barrel that is supported to the stock. A trigger mechanism, also supported to the main beam, holds the bowstring of the bow assembly in a drawn or cocked condition and can thereafter be operated to release the bowstring out of the uncocked condition to shoot or fire the arrow.
One problem with crossbows is that while firing them some users have inadvertently placed a thumb or finger on or near the barrel in the path of the moving bowstring, causing injury. To reduce this problem, it is known to provide crossbows with grip guards that extend outwardly from the stock and thus prevent users from inadvertently placing a thumb or finger into a dangerous position on or near the barrel. It is known to attach such grip guards as separate pieces to the stock. It is also known to form grip guards as one piece with the stock, such as by molding the grip guard with the stock. An example of a crossbow grip guard is provided in Pub. No.: US 2007/0028907.
Another problem with crossbows, especially given the larger forces they generate, is the corresponding large vibrations. These vibrations result in unwanted noise that is both too loud (as measured in decibels) and too long in duration. While some elements of the vibration problem have been addressed, such as vibration dampening arrow retention springs provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,061,339 and 7,455,059 and barrel cable suppressors, provided in Pub. No.: US 20012/0006311, additional improvement is desirable. One aspect of vibrations currently under addressed is the vibration that occurs between the barrel and the stock. Often the barrel is made of metal, typically aluminum or aluminum alloy, while the stock is made of another material.
What is needed, is a grip guard that both prevents inadvertent contact of the user's fingers with the barrel and reduces vibration between the barrel and the stock.
According to one embodiment of this invention, a crossbow, may comprise: (A) a main beam having first and second sides and comprising: (1) a stock that comprises a handle that is suitable to be gripped by an associated user to hold the crossbow when firing the crossbow; (2) a barrel that: (a) is suitable to support an associated projectile for firing by the crossbow; and, (b) is supported to the stock; (B) first and second limbs that: (1) are supported to the main beam; and, (2) extend outwardly from proximal ends to distal ends on opposite sides of the main beam; (C) a bowstring that: (1) is strung between the distal ends of the first and second limbs; and, (2) is adjustable from an uncocked position to a cocked position; (D) a trigger mechanism that: (1) is supported to the main beam; (2) is operable to hold the bowstring in the cocked position; and, (3) is operable to release the bowstring to fire the associated projectile; (E) a first grip guard comprising: (1) a first wall that: (a) is positioned between the stock and the barrel on the first side of the main beam; (b) has a first side that contacts the stock on the first side of the main beam; and, (c) has a second side that contacts the barrel on the first side of the main beam; and, (2) a second wall that: (a) extends outwardly from the first side of the main beam; (b) is positioned at least partially between the handle and the barrel on the first side of the main beam; and, (c) when the associated user's hand having fingers is properly holding the handle to tire the crossbow, prevents the fingers from extending beyond the second wall of the first grip guard toward the barrel on the first side of the main beam; and, (F) a second grip guard comprising: (1) a first wall that: (a) is positioned between the stock and the barrel on the second side of the main beam; (b) has a first side that contacts the stock on the second side of the main beam; and, (c) has a second side that contacts the barrel on the second side of the main beam; and, (2) a second wall that: (a) extends outwardly from the second side of the main beam; (b) is positioned at least partially between the handle and the barrel on the second side of the main beam; and, (c) when the associated user's hand is properly holding the handle to fire the crossbow, prevents the fingers from extending beyond the second wall of the second grip guard toward the barrel on the second side of the main beam.
According to another embodiment of this invention, a grip guard may be used with an associated crossbow. The associated crossbow may comprise: (A) a main beam comprising: (1) a stock that comprises a handle that is suitable to be gripped by an associated user to hold the crossbow when firing the crossbow; (2) a barrel that: (a) is suitable to support an associated projectile for firing by the crossbow; and, (b) is supported to the stock; (B) first and second limbs that: (1) are supported to the main beam; and, (2) extend outwardly from proximal ends to distal ends on opposite sides of the main beam; (C) a bowstring that: (1) is strung between the distal ends of the first and second limbs; and, (2) is adjustable from an uncocked position to a cocked position; and, (D) a trigger mechanism that: (1) is supported to the main beam; (2) is operable to hold the bowstring in the cocked position; and, (3) is operable to release the bowstring to fire the associated projectile. The grip guard may comprise: (A) a first wall that: (1) is positioned between the stock and the barrel; (2) has a first side that contacts the stock; and, (3) has a second side that contacts the barrel; and, (B) a second wall that: (1) extends outwardly from the main beam; (2) is positioned at least partially between the handle and the barrel; and, (3) when the associated user's hand having fingers is properly holding the handle to tire the crossbow, prevents the fingers from extending beyond the second wall toward the barrel.
According to yet another embodiment of this invention, a method may include the steps of: I. providing a crossbow, comprising: (A) a main beam comprising: (1) a stock that comprises a handle that is suitable to be gripped by an associated user to hold the crossbow when firing the crossbow; (2) a barrel that: (a) is suitable to support an associated projectile for firing by the crossbow; and, (b) is supported to the stock; (B) first and second limbs that: (1) are supported to the main beam; and, (2) extend outwardly from proximal ends to distal ends on opposite sides of the main beam; (C) a bowstring that: (1) is strung between the distal ends of the first and second limbs; and, (2) is adjustable from an uncocked position to a cocked position; (D) a trigger mechanism that: (1) is supported to the main beam; (2) is operable to hold the bowstring in the cocked position: and, (3) is operable to release the bowstring to fire the associated projectile; II. providing a first grip guard comprising: (1) a first wall; and, (2) a second wall; III. positioning the first wall of the first grip guard between the stock and the barrel so that the second wall of the first grip guard: (a) extends outwardly from the main beam; (b) is positioned at least partially between the handle and the barrel; and, (c) when the associated user's hand having fingers is properly holding the handle to fire the crossbow, prevents the fingers from extending beyond the second wall of the firstgrip guard toward the barrel; and, IV. firing the crossbow, wherein the first wall of the firstgrip guard operates as a dampener that attenuates sounds and vibrations caused by firing the crossbow
One advantage of this invention according to some embodiments is that injury caused by inadvertent placement of a user's thumb or finger on or near the barrel can be reduced.
Another advantage of this invention according so some embodiments is that vibrations between the barrel and stock of crossbows can be attenuated.
Yet another advantage of this invention according to some embodiments is that the same component used to reduce injury on a crossbow can also be used to attenuate vibrations.
The following definitions are applicable to the present invention:
“Barrel” means the portion of the main beam that is used to support a projectile, such as an arrow, to be shot, fired or propelled by the crossbow. The barrel may include a pathway, such as a groove, track or elongated slot, which is suitable to hold and guide the projectile.
“Bow” means a bent, curved or arched object having a pair of limbs. A bow may be a single piece or may have separate limbs that together form the bow.
“Bow Assembly” means a weapon comprising a bow and a bowstring that shoots, fires or propels projectiles powered by the elasticity of the limbs and/or the drawn bowstring.
“Bowstring” means a string or cable attached to the limbs of a bow.
“Compound Bow” means a crossbow that has wheels, pulleys or cams at each end of the limbs through which the bowstring passes.
“Crossbow” means a weapon comprising a bow assembly and a trigger mechanism both mounted to a main beam.
“Main Beam” means the elongated structural member of a crossbow that is used to support the bow assembly, the trigger mechanism and often other components as well. The main beam often includes a stock and a barrel.
“Pathway” means the portion of the barrel which guides the projectile while the projectile is being loaded in the crossbow or being shot, fired or propelled from the crossbow.
“Stock” means the portion of the main beam which the user holds when carrying and shooting the crossbow. Typically the stock supports the barrel and the trigger mechanism.
“Trigger Mechanism” means any device that holds the bowstring of a crossbow in the drawn or cocked condition and which can thereafter be operated to release the bowstring out of the drawn or cocked condition to shoot, fire or propel the projectile.
“Weapon” means any device that can be used in fighting or hunting that shoots, tires or propels a projectile including bow assemblies and crossbows.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, and wherein like reference numerals are understood to refer to like components,
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With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 6-7, the stock 34 may have a proximal end with a butt portion 48 that is normally positioned against the user's shoulder when the crossbow 10 is being aimed and/or fired. It should be noted, however, that this invention may be useful with crossbow stocks that don't have a butt portion, such as so called “pistol” crossbows. The stock 34 may have a distal end with a barrel receiving portion 50 that receives the barrel 32. For the embodiment shown, the barrel receiving portion 50 comprises a channel 52. Other components, such as a sight (not shown) may be supported to the stock 34 and/or barrel 32 such as at location 54. The stock 34 may have one or more handles 56 that are suitable to be gripped by the user to hold the crossbow 10 when transporting the crossbow 10 and/or when firing the crossbow 10. The proximal handle 56 may be used to support the user's “shooting” hand while the distal handle 56 may be used to support the user's “support” hand when firing the crossbow 10.
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 8-11, at least one grip guard 100 may be positioned between the barrel 32 and the stock 34. For the embodiment shown, one grip guard 100 is positioned between the barrel 32 and the stock 34 on the first side 44 of the main beam 12 and another grip guard 100 is positioned between the barrel 32 and the stock 34 on the second side 46 of the main beam 12. In one embodiment, the grip guard used on the first side 44 of the main beam 12 is substantially identical in size and shape to the grip guard used on the second side 46. This has the advantage of reducing required parts when more than one grip guard is required. The grip guard 100 may have first and second walls 102, 104 each having first sides 106, 110 and second sides 108, 112. The first wall 102 may be positioned between the stock 34 and the barrel 32 with the first side 106 contacting the stock 34 and the second side 108 contacting the barrel 32. With this arrangement, the second wall 104 extends outwardly from the main beam 12 and is positioned at least partially between the handle 56 and the barrel 31. Thus, when the user's hand 60 is properly holding the handle 56 to fire the crossbow 10, such as is shown in
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Numerous embodiments have been described herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. Further, the “invention” as that term is used in this document is what is claimed in the claims of this document. The right claim elements and/or sub-combinations that are disclosed herein as other inventions in other patent documents is hereby unconditionally reserved.