Crossbow crank and related method of use

A crossbow crank comprising:

• a one-way bearing;
• a sleeve disposed in the one-way bearing;
• a drive shaft extending through the sleeve;
• a drive nut threaded to a terminal end of the drive shaft;
• a brake mounted along the drive shaft, the brake being axially compressible along the drive shaft to fixedly join the drive shaft with the sleeve in a fixed disposition when the drive nut is tightened on the drive shaft, so that the drive shaft and sleeve rotate in unison in a first direction;
• and
• a crank joined with the drive nut on the drive shaft,
• wherein the one-way bearing engages the sleeve to impair the drive shaft and sleeve from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction,
• wherein when the drive nut is loosened on the drive shaft, the brake is axially slidable laterally along the drive shaft to release the drive shaft from the sleeve in a free disposition, so that the drive shaft freely rotates in the second direction,
• wherein the sleeve and drive shaft automatically lock to one another upon manual actuation of the crank to rotate the drive shaft in the first direction, so that the sleeve and drive shaft rotate in unison,
• wherein the sleeve and drive shaft automatically unlock from one another upon manual actuation of the crank to rotate the drive shaft in the second direction, so that the drive shaft rotates freely relative to the sleeve.

A crossbow crank comprising:

• a one-way bearing defining an opening;
• a sleeve disposed in the opening;
• a drive shaft disposed in the opening with the sleeve disposed between the one-way bearing and the drive shaft;
• a spool configured to engage a cord, the spool disposed along the drive shaft;
• and
• a brake disposed along the drive shaft, the brake being axially compressible along the drive shaft to fixedly join the drive shaft with the sleeve in a fixed disposition, so that the drive shaft and sleeve rotate in unison in a first direction,
• wherein the one-way bearing is operable to engage the sleeve and impair the drive shaft and sleeve from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction,
• wherein relative axial movement occurs between the spool and the drive shaft when the brake is axially compressed to fixedly join the drive shaft with the sleeve in the fixed disposition.