The present invention, in general, relates to a device for firing multiple arrows onto a target without having to reload between the shots, and more particularly, relates to a double crossbow.
In many parts of the world, bowhunting is a popular way of hunting and controlling population of animals, for example, deer, duck, etc. In the United States of America, a special archery season is set aside for hunting animals. Typical bowhunting requires people to hunt the animals using a crossbow, or a bow and arrow. Typically, an archer can only shoot a single arrow at a time with the crossbow, or the bow and arrow. Oftentimes, people need to have more than one arrow in the crossbow, ready for shooting the second arrow in quick succession, without having to reload a fresh arrow into the crossbow after the first arrow is shot. Availability of multiple arrows in the crossbow, ready for shooting in quick succession, allows an archer to have a greater chance of killing the animal or not being detected by deer and other animals, which were called into a hunter's firing range or encountered in the normal parameters of hunting.
In general, people who are target shooting or bowhunting, often need to fire subsequent arrows after firing the first arrow, to hit the target or kill the animal or subsequent animals that need to be shot. Traditional crossbows require a second arrow to be selected, fixed in the crossbow and the string drawn. Each of these activities distract the focus of the archer or the hunter away from the target or animal, requiring him or her to do additional work by moving his or her limbs and other body parts. Furthermore, there is a high possibility that the archer or the hunter makes some noise while moving his or her limbs and other body parts, which could alert the animal. In some areas it is possible that one or more dangerous wild animals may arrive in response to a calling by a first animal, indicating the presence of a dead animal or animals, or just by virtue of being in the area. Hence, there is a long felt need for a device that can be loaded with two arrows that are configured to be fired in quick succession, when a safety catch is released and a trigger is pulled on a double cross-bow in a normal way.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A double crossbow with a single trigger mechanism disclosed herein addresses the above recited need for a device that can be loaded with two arrows and that is ready to fire both the arrows in quick succession, when a safety catch is released and a trigger is pulled in a normal way. The double crossbow with the single trigger mechanism disclosed herein comprises a barrel, an upper bow, a lower bow, and a single trigger mechanism. The double crossbow is manufactured using one or more of wood, metals, plastic, composite and fibreglass materials, with a variety of finishes applied to the manufactured double crossbow. The upper bow and the lower bow are disposed one on top of each other at a distal end of the barrel. The upper bow comprises a pair of split limbs with a first and a second end, a riser to receive the first end of the pair of split limbs, a cam affixed to the second end of each of the split limbs of the upper bow, a first cable affixed to the second end of each of the split limbs of the upper bow, and a first string extending from the cams of the upper bow to a top sear of the single trigger mechanism. The first cable works in tandem with the cams of the upper bow which is configured to adjust the shooting power of the upper bow.
The lower bow comprises a pair of split limbs with a first end and a second end, a riser to receive the first end of the pair of split limbs, a cam affixed to the second end of each of the split limbs of the lower bow, a second cable affixed to the second end of each of the split limbs of the lower bow, and a second string extending from the cams of the lower bow to a bottom sear of the single trigger mechanism. The second cable works in tandem with the cams of the lower bow to adjust the shooting power of the lower bow. The first arrow is loaded into the upper bow disposed on top of the barrel, and the second arrow is loaded into the lower bow disposed at the bottom of the barrel. The first arrow and the second arrow can be loaded individually in the double crossbow and one of the first arrow and the second arrow is shot in succession when the single trigger is squeezed in succession. The double crossbow further comprises a cocking rope configured to cock the first string of the upper bow and the second string of the lower bow to the top and bottom sears of the single trigger mechanism.
The single trigger mechanism is positioned at a proximal end of the barrel and is configured to shoot two arrows in succession without the need for reloading an arrow between the shooting of the two arrows. The top sear and bottom sear of the single trigger mechanism are configured to hold the first string and the second string before shooting. A first arrow is shot from the upper bow when a single trigger of the single trigger mechanism is squeezed completely a first time. Thereafter, a second arrow is shot from the lower bow when the single trigger of the single trigger mechanism is squeezed completely a second time. The single trigger mechanism is configured to not shoot the first arrow and the second arrow simultaneously. The double crossbow further comprises a safety catch to prevent the first arrow and the second arrow from being released accidentally.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and components disclosed herein.
The lower bow 103 comprises a pair of split limbs 110 and 111. The split limb 110 comprises a first end 110a and a second end 110b. The split limb 111 comprises a first end 111a and a second end 111b. The riser 106 receives the first ends 110a and 111a of the pair of split limbs 110 and 111. The lower bow 103 further comprise cams 112 and 113. The cams 112 and 113 are affixed to the second ends 110b and 111b, respectively, of each of the split limbs 110 and 111 of the lower bow 103. The lower bow 103 further comprises a second cable 127 affixed to the second ends 110b and 111b of each of the split limbs 110 and 111 of the lower bow 103, and a second string 114 extending from the cams 112 and 113 of the lower bow 103 to a bottom sear 802 of the single trigger mechanism 118, as exemplarily illustrated in
As illustrated in
The double crossbow 100 further comprises a cocking rope (not shown) configured to cock the first string 109 of the upper bow 102 and the second string 114 of the lower bow 103 to the top sear 801 and the bottom sear 802 of the single trigger mechanism 118. The cocking rope is held in position in a rope slot 124a provided on a stock 124 of the double crossbow 100. In an embodiment, to cock the first string 109 of the upper bow 102, the double crossbow 100 is placed vertically on a ground surface with the stirrup 120 resting on the ground surface. The archer places one of his foot on the stirrup 120 and puts his weight on the stirrup 120. A mid-section of the cocking rope is passed through the rope slot 124a. One end of the cocking rope is looped around a portion of the first string 109 proximal to the second end 105b of the split limb 105 and another end of the cocking rope is looped around a portion of the first string 109 proximal to the second end 104b of the split limb 104. Both the ends of the cocking rope are then simultaneously pulled towards the stock 124. The first string 109 is pulled over the top sear 801 and released to cock the first string 109 of the upper bow 102 to the top sear 801. The cocking rope is used to similarly cock the second string 114 of the lower bow 103 to the bottom sear 802. As illustrated in
The interference block 810 comprises an interference block pin 810d. The interference block pin 810d engages with the top release bar 808, via a cam surface 808c on the top release bar 808 and the top release bar 808 is pushed up to engage with the top sear 801. When the second string 114 is pulled into the trigger mechanism 118 using the cocking rope, the second string 114 string rides over the bottom sear 802, rotating the bottom sear 802 in an anticlockwise direction to allow the bottom release bar 809 to move into place under the force of a bottom release bar spring 809d. The bottom release bar spring 809d is secured to the bottom release bar 809 through a pin 809c that goes through the bottom release spring 809d and the bottom release bar 809. One end of the bottom release bar spring 809d pushes against a pin 118a, shown in
The single trigger mechanism 118 is positioned at a proximal end 101a of the barrel 101 and is configured to shoot two arrows 115 and 116 in succession without reloading an arrow between two shots. The top sear 801 and the bottom sear 802 of the trigger mechanism 118, exemplarily illustrated in
As illustrated in
When both bows 102 and 103 are cocked, the top sear 801 and the bottom sear 802 holds the first string 109 and the second string 114 in place respectively before shooting the first and second arrows 115 and 116. The safety catch block 803 is configured to prevent the first arrow 115 and the second arrow 116 from being released when the safety catch block 803 is activated by sliding the safety catch block 803 forward to block an upward movement of the trigger block 807. The safety catch block 803 is further configured to be deactivated by sliding the safety catch block 803 backwards to unblock or allow an upward movement of the trigger block 807. The safety catch block 803 slides forward when the archer pushes the safety catch lever extension 129 forward and the safety catch block 803 slides backwards when the archer pushes the safety catch lever extension 129 forward. The safety catch is further configured to allow release of the first arrow 115 when deactivated and when the single trigger 117 of the single trigger mechanism 118 is squeezed completely a first time. The safety catch is further configured to allow release of the second arrow 116 when deactivated and when the single trigger 117 of the single trigger mechanism 118 is released and squeezed completely a second time. The safety transfer plate 804 is configured to be pushed forward when the safety catch is deactivated by pushing it forward, through the action of safety catch lever 806.
The safety transfer plate 804 overcomes a locator spring 805 when pushed forward and causes the safety catch lever 806 to rotate about pin 806a and cause the safety catch block 803 to disengage from the trigger block 807, allowing the trigger block 807 to rise when the single trigger 117 of the single trigger mechanism 118 is pulled for the first time. The single trigger 117 rotates in an anticlockwise direction about a pivot pin 117a when the trigger 117 is pushed. The trigger block 807 is configured to rise and push up against a first end 808a of a top release bar 808 when the single trigger 117 of the trigger mechanism 118 is completely squeezed for the first time, causing a second end 808b of the top release bar 808 to move down and disengage from the top sear 801, enabling the top sear 801 to rotate freely, enabling the first string 109 to be pulled out over the top sear 801 and release the first arrow 115 out onto a target. The trigger block 807 is stopped from further rising up when it comes into contact with an interference block 810. The interference block 810 starts to rotate about the pin 810a, in a clockwise direction, but the interference block 810 is precluded from fully rotating when the sharp end 810b of the interference block 810 impinges on a side of the trigger block 807. When the single trigger 117 is released after shooting the first arrow 115, the trigger block 807 will move down and disengage from the interference block 810b, allowing the interference block 810 to rotate about the pin 810a, in a clockwise direction, under an internal spring pressure and creates space for further travel of the trigger block 807 on a second pull of the single trigger 117.
The single trigger 117 of the trigger mechanism 118 when completely squeezed for the second time, causes the interference block 810 to rise again. When the interference block 810 rises, the interference block 810 pushes up against a first end 809a of a bottom release bar 809. The bottom release bar 809 rotates in an anticlockwise direction about the pin 809c, and the second end 809b of the bottom release bar 809 disengages from the bottom sear 802 and slots into a slot 802b located proximal to a first end 802c of the bottom sear 802. The bottom sear 802 after disengaging from the bottom release bar 809 rotates in a clockwise direction about pin 802a. When the bottom sear 802 freely rotates in the clockwise direction about pin 802a after disengaging from the bottom release bar 809, the second string 114 is pulled out over the bottom sear 802 and the second arrow 116 is released onto the target. The trigger mechanism 118 is reset when the first string 109 and the second string 114 are re-cocked using a cocking rope. The safety catch is activated after resetting the trigger mechanism 118 by pulling back the safety catch from its pushed forward position. The single trigger mechanism 118 is configured to not shoot the first arrow 115 and the second arrow 116 simultaneously. The safety catch of the double crossbow 100 prevents the first arrow 115 and the second arrow 116 from being released accidentally.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention disclosed herein. While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.
This application is a continuation in part application of non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/602,754, titled “Double Crossbow”, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 3, 2019.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 16602754 | Dec 2019 | US |
Child | 17131513 | US |