Patent Application
20150184975
In order to increase the accuracy of an archery shot, a release is often used to release the string on a bow. A release provides a smoother release of the string than is available by manually pulling the string back with the fingers and then releasing the string from the fingers.
Releases are often connected with a wrist strap worn by the archer. A rope is used to tie the release to the strap. It is often necessary to change the distance of the release relative to the strap, thus requiring untying the rope and retying it with the release at the proper position. The tying and untying of the release is both time consuming and cumbersome.
The present invention was developed in order to provide a device for quickly and efficiently locking and releasing the rope used to connect a release to a wrist strap for adjustment to suit the needs of an archer.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a rope locking device that has a generally cylindrical body portion with a longitudinal axis and a contoured outer surface. The device further includes a head portion arranged at one end of the body portion. The head portion has a greater diameter than the body portion and contains first and second through openings on opposite sides of the body portion for receiving a length of rope. When the cylindrical body portion of the locking device is inserted into a yoke, the rope is pressed by the contoured body portion against the yoke to lock the rope in place. The rope is released by tugging on the free end of the rope to pull the locking device out of the yoke.
The contoured outer surface of the cylindrical body portion preferably includes a pair of concave surfaces arranged on opposite sides of the body portion in alignment with the first and second openings. A preferred contoured surface is defined by a plurality of steps of different depths.
The end of the cylindrical body portion opposite the head end is tapered and includes concave surfaces aligned with the contoured surfaces of the body portion.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be become apparent from a study of the following description when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Referring first to
Turning now to
The contoured portions 18 and 20 each have a concave configuration and the contours are defined by a plurality of steps 22 which are arranged longitudinally of the cylindrical body portion and extend laterally within each concavity as shown in 2. In a preferred embodiment as best shown in
The tapered end portion 10c of the locking device also contains concave portions 24 and 26 which are aligned with the first 12 and second 14 openings of the head portion and with the contoured portions 18 and 20 of the cylindrical body portion.
In operation, the rope 6 is passed through the first opening 12 in the head portion of the locking device 10, through the opening in the yoke 8, through an opening in the release 4, back through the opening in the yoke, and through the second opening 14 in the head portion of the locking device. The rope extends along the contoured portions 18, 20 of the cylindrical body portion of the locking device. The length of the rope protruding from the yoke, and thus the distance of the release from the yoke is adjusted. When the length has been set, a quick pull or tug on the release or on the rope portions between the release and the yoke draws the locking device cylindrical body portion into the yoke opening to wedge the device in the yoke and cinch the rope between the contoured portions and the inner wall surface of the yoke. In order to release the locking device, a quick pull or tug on the free ends of the rope will disengage the locking device from the yoke so that the locking device may be removed, thus allowing the rope move freely through the yoke for adjustment.
The device will operate satisfactorily without the contoured surfaces in the concave portions of the cylindrical body portion of the locking device. However, the contoured surface helps to grip the rope when the locking device is wedged into the yoke opening. The rope preferably has a diameter so that the rope outer surface fits within the contoured portions 18 and 20 of the locking device.
The yoke and locking device are preferably formed of a relative rigid material with a limited degree of flexure such as synthetic plastic. Such a material enables the locking device cylindrical portion to be wedged into the opening of the yoke so that it cannot be removed without exerting a certain degree of force which can be applied by a quick tug on the free end of the rope. Similarly, the locking device is wedged into yoke by a quick tug on the release.
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.
