US 12,188,741 B2Granted

Crossbow with traveling trigger and conventional bow

AssigneeHunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.

InventorsPhillip Bednar, Michael Shaffer

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A crossbow may include a main beam and a bow mechanism having a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs, a pair of bowstring wheels, a bowstring and at least one power cord that extends between the bow limbs. The crossbow may also include a traveling trigger mechanism and a drawing mechanism. The traveling trigger mechanism may hold the bowstring in the un-cocked condition. The drawing mechanism may then be operated to move the traveling trigger mechanism and thus the bow string from the un-cocked condition to a cocked condition.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A crossbow comprising:

a main beam:
1) extending longitudinally;
2) defining a longitudinal axis;
and
3) having an arrow receiving surface for receiving an associated arrow;
a bow mechanism including:
1) first and second outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
2) first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
3) a bowstring operatively engaged to the first and second bowstring wheels and movable between:
(a) an un-cocked position;
and
(b) a cocked position;
and
4) a first power cord having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with at least one of the first bow limb and the first bowstring wheel;
(b) a second end, opposite the first end, operatively engaged with at least one of the second bow limb and the second bowstring wheel;
and
(c) a mid-section between the first and second ends that extends across the longitudinal axis from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
a traveling trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
and
2) a string catch supported to the trigger housing and selectively movable between:
(a) a first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring;
and
(b) a second string catch position that holds the bowstring;
and
a drawing mechanism including:
1) a drawing housing supported to the main beam;
2) a spool that is selectively rotatable with respect to the drawing housing;
and
3) a tensile member having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
and
(b) a second end operatively engaged with the trigger housing;
wherein:
1) when the bowstring is in the un-cocked position and the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring, the drawing mechanism is selectively operable to move the traveling trigger mechanism longitudinally along the main beam to move the bowstring from:
(a) the un-cocked position;
to
(b) the cocked position;
and
2) when the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring and the bowstring is in the cocked position:
the string catch is selectively movable into the first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring and fires the crossbow.

39 more elements

A crossbow method comprising the steps of:

A) providing a crossbow having:
1) a main beam:
(a) extending longitudinally;
(b) defining a longitudinal axis;
and
(c) having an arrow receiving surface for receiving an associated arrow;
2) a bow mechanism including:
(a) first and second outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
(b) first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
(c) a bowstring operatively engaged to the first and second bowstring wheels;
and
(d) a first power cord having:
(i) a first end operatively engaged with at least one of the first bow limb and the first bowstring wheel;
(ii) a second end, opposite the first end, operatively engaged with at least one of the second bow limb and the second bowstring wheel;
and
(iii) a mid-section between the first and second ends that extends across the longitudinal axis from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
B) providing a traveling trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
and
2) a string catch supported to the trigger housing;
C) providing a drawing mechanism including:
1) a drawing housing supported to the main beam;
2) a spool that is selectively rotatable with respect to the drawing housing;
and
3) a tensile member having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
and
(b) a second end operatively engaged with the trigger housing;
D) providing the bowstring to be movable between:
1) an un-cocked position;
and
2) a cocked position;
E) providing the string catch to be selectively movable between:
1) a first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring;
and
2) a second string catch position that holds the bowstring;
F) when the bowstring is in the un-cocked position and the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring, providing the drawing mechanism to be selectively operable to move the traveling trigger mechanism longitudinally along the main beam to move the bowstring from:
1) the un-cocked position;
to
2) the cocked position;
and
G) when the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring and the bowstring is in the cocked position, providing the string catch to be selectively movable into the first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring and fires the crossbow.

39 more elements

A crossbow comprising:

a main beam:
1) extending longitudinally;
2) defining a longitudinal axis;
3) having an arrow receiving surface for receiving an associated arrow;
and
4) having a power cord receiving opening;
a cable receiving device that is positioned at least partially within the power cord receiving opening and is selectively movable with respect to the main beam;
a bow mechanism including:
1) first and second outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
2) first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
3) a bowstring operatively engaged to the first and second bowstring wheels and movable between:
(a) an un-cocked position;
and
(b) a cocked position;
4) a first power cord having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with at least one of the first bow limb and the first bowstring wheel;
(b) a second end, opposite the first end, operatively engaged with at least one of the second bow limb and the second bowstring wheel;
and
(c) a mid-section between the first and second ends that:
extends across the longitudinal axis from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
is received in the cable receiving device;
and extends through the power cord receiving opening;
and
5) a second power cord distinct from the first power cord and having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with the at least one of the first bow limb and the first bowstring wheel;
(b) a second end, opposite the first end, operatively engaged with the at least one of the second bow limb and the second bowstring wheel;
and
(c) a mid-section between the first and second ends that:
extends across the longitudinal axis from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
is received in the cable receiving device;
and extends through the power cord receiving opening;
a traveling trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
and
2) a string catch supported to the trigger housing and selectively movable between:
(a) a first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring;
and
(b) a second string catch position that holds the bowstring;
and
a drawing mechanism including:
1) a drawing housing supported to the main beam;
2) a spool that is selectively rotatable with respect to the drawing housing;
and
3) a tensile member having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
and
(b) a second end operatively engaged with the trigger housing;
wherein:
1) when the bowstring is in the un-cocked position and the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring:
the drawing mechanism is selectively operable to move the traveling trigger mechanism longitudinally along the main beam to move the bowstring from:
(a) the un-cocked position;
to
(b) the cocked position;
and
2) when the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring and the bowstring is in the cocked position:
the string catch is selectively movable into the first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring and fires the crossbow.

53 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/173,324Filed 23 Feb 2023 · us provisional application
Priority: 23 Feb 2022
Published: US 2023/0288168 A114 Sep 2023
Granted: 7 Jan 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

F41B 5/1469
Accessories for arc or bow shooting: bow-string drawing or releasing devices
F41B 5/0052
Take-down or foldable bows: limbs
F41B 5/12
Bows; Crossbows: crossbows
F41B 5/123
Crossbows: compound crossbows

Family

Application63/268,392Us provisional application · filed 23 Feb 2022
US 2023/0288168 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Sep 2023
US 12,188,741 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

A crossbow comprising:

a main beam:
1) extending longitudinally;
2) defining a longitudinal axis;
and
3) having an arrow receiving surface for receiving an associated arrow;
a bow mechanism including:
1) first and second outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
2) first and second bowstring wheels supported to the first and second bow limbs, respectively;
3) a bowstring operatively engaged to the first and second bowstring wheels and movable between:
(a) an un-cocked position;
and
(b) a cocked position;
and
4) a first power cord having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with at least one of the first bow limb and the first bowstring wheel;
(b) a second end, opposite the first end, operatively engaged with at least one of the second bow limb and the second bowstring wheel;
and
(c) a mid-section between the first and second ends that extends across the longitudinal axis from opposite lateral sides of the main beam;
a traveling trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
and
2) a string catch supported to the trigger housing and selectively movable between:
(a) a first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring;
and
(b) a second string catch position that holds the bowstring;
and
a drawing mechanism including:
1) a drawing housing supported to the main beam;
2) a spool that is selectively rotatable with respect to the drawing housing;
and
3) a tensile member having:
(a) a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
and
(b) a second end operatively engaged with the trigger housing;
wherein:
1) when the bowstring is in the un-cocked position and the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring, the drawing mechanism is selectively operable to move the traveling trigger mechanism longitudinally along the main beam to move the bowstring from:
(a) the un-cocked position;
to
(b) the cocked position;
and
2) when the string catch is in the second string catch position that holds the bowstring and the bowstring is in the cocked position:
the string catch is selectively movable into the first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring and fires the crossbow.

39 more elements

Facts

Application

18/173,324Filed 23 Feb 2023 · us provisional application

Priority

23 Feb 2022

Published

US 2023/0288168 A114 Sep 2023

Granted

7 Jan 2025

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

F41B 5/1469
Accessories for arc or bow shooting: bow-string drawing or releasing devices
F41B 5/0052
Take-down or foldable bows: limbs
F41B 5/12
Bows; Crossbows: crossbows
F41B 5/123
Crossbows: compound crossbows