Multiple-shot crossbow

A crossbow comprising:

• (a) a mainframe including substantially parallel upper and lower longitudinal rails and at least one additional longitudinal rail above the upper rail, each rail being arranged so as to support a corresponding bolt positioned thereon and to guide the corresponding bolt as the corresponding bolt is launched from the crossbow;
• (b) a riser attached to a front end of the mainframe, the riser including:
• a longitudinal riser passage therethrough arranged so as to enable a bolt to be inserted through the riser passage, positioned on the lower rail, and subsequently launched from the crossbow;
• and
• at least one additional longitudinal upper riser passage therethrough arranged so as to enable a bolt to be inserted through the additional riser passage, positioned on the upper or additional rail, and subsequently launched from the crossbow;
• (c) upper and lower pairs of bow limbs attached to the riser, and corresponding upper and lower bowstrings attached to the upper and lower bow limbs, respectively, the bow limbs and bowstrings being arranged so that each bowstring can independently (i) be drawn from a corresponding brace position to a corresponding drawn position while deforming the corresponding bow limbs, and (ii) return to the corresponding brace position and thereby launch a bolt positioned on the corresponding rail, the lower bowstring being movable between the corresponding brace and drawn positions within a longitudinal slot passing through the mainframe between the upper and lower rails;
• and
• (d) at least one additional pair of bow limbs attached to the riser above the upper bow limbs and at least one additional bowstring attached to the corresponding additional pair of bow limbs and arranged to (i) be drawn from a corresponding brace position to a corresponding drawn position while deforming the corresponding additional pair of bow limbs, and (ii) return to the corresponding brace position and thereby launch a bolt positioned on the corresponding additional rail, the upper bowstring being movable within a longitudinal slot between the additional and upper rails;
• and
• (e) a trigger mechanism attached to a rear end of the mainframe and including (i) an upper trigger portion arranged so as to retain the upper bowstring in the corresponding drawn position and release, upon actuation by a user, the upper bowstring to return to the corresponding brace position, and (ii) a lower trigger portion arranged so as to retain the lower bowstring in the corresponding drawn position and release, upon actuation by the user, the lower bowstring to return to the corresponding brace position;
• wherein the trigger mechanism is further arranged so as to retain the additional bowstring in the corresponding drawn position and release, upon actuation by a user, the additional bowstring to return to the corresponding brace position.