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US 4,791,908 AGranted
Bowstring release mechanism
AssigneePro-Line, Inc.
InventorMario A. Pellis
Life of this patent
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AssigneePro-Line, Inc.
InventorMario A. Pellis
Estimating the term…
A bowstring release mechanism is disclosed which is operable in two alternative modes to draw and release an archery bowstring. In both modes the bowstring is held by means of a latch member which is moved to a cocked position, the latch member being held in the cocked position by a sear. The bowstring is then drawn, and the latch member is released from its cocked position to release the bowstring. In one such mode, manual pressure is applied to the sear to release the latch member from its cocked position. In the other mode, manual pressure is applied to the sear during the cocking operation and then released to release the latch member from its cocked position. Structure is disclosed which enable the mechanism to be operable in either of such modes at the election of the archer.
In a bowstring release mechanism comprising a body member, a latch member mounted on the body member for movement relative thereto to and from a cocked position, the latch member being formed to grasp and hold a cord by a portion thereof upon movement to the cocked position and to release a cord so held upon movement from the cocked position, and sear means carried by the body member for releasably maintaining the latch member in the cocked position, the sear means being manually operable to release the latch member for movement from the cocked position, the improvement wherein the sear means comprises a sear detent movable to and from a cocking position in which it engages the latch member to hold the latch member in its cocked position, a sear actuator movable in opposite directions between first and second sear positions and a neutral position intermediate the first and second sear positions, and biasing means urging the sear actuator in one of said opposite directions, the sear actuator being movable in the other of said opposite directions by application of manual pressure against the urging of the biasing means, the sear actuator being formed to urge the sear detent to its cocking position when the latch member is moved to its cocked position and the sear actuator is moved from its neutral position to one of its first and second sear positions, whereby to hold the latch member in its cocked position, and to permit the sear detent to move from its cocking position when the sear actuator is moved from one of its first and second sear positions to its neutral position, whereby to release the latch member from its cocked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Accessories for arc or bow shooting: bow-string drawing or releasing devices
Weapons for projecting missiles without use of explosive or combustible propellant charge
Term ended 17 Sep 2007 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to a mechanism for assisting an archer in drawing and releasing a bowstring to launch an arrow.
An archer traditionally has employed his fingers to grasp and draw a bowstring, and when he has judged that an arrow fitted to the bowstring has been aligned with the target, he has simply released the bowstring by allowing it to slip from his fingers. However, it is virtually impossible to release a bowstring in this manner without causing the string to slide off the fingers. The resulting friction between fingers and bowstring causes the string to rotate and the fingers, however inadvertently, apply a lateral torque, all of which causes the path of the arrow to be distorted; that is, the arrow is made to deviate from its intended trajectory.
The foregoing problem has long been recognized in the art of archery, and therefore various expedients have been devised to permit the bowstring to be released in the full forward direction with a minimum of vibration and lateral deviation, or preferably, without any deviation at all.
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bowstring release mechanism in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is similar perspective view of a bowstring release mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, but modified slightly from the construction shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating an alternative mode of operation;
Referring to the drawings, a bowstring release mechanism in accordance with the invention comprises principally a body member 10, a latch member 12, and sear means including a sear detent 14, a sear actuator or slide 16, and biasing means in the form of a sear spring 18, all preferably formed of suitable metals. A draw cord 20 may be included as shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3 to 7. If the archer prefers, it may be omitted or removed as it has been in the modification shown in FIG. 2.
A cover member 22, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is affixed to the body member 10 in well-known manner by means of fasteners such as machine screws 24. The cover member has been removed in the views represented in FIGS. 4 to 7, inclusive.
Latch member 12 is mounted on body member 10 for limited rotation relative thereto by means of a pin 26 received in aligned apertures in the body member, the latch member and cover member 22. The periphery of latch member 12 includes a forward stop surface 28 adapted to engage a corresponding stop surface 30 provided on the body member to limit rotation of the latch member in the clockwise direction as viewed in the drawings, an indented surface defining a cord-receiving notch 32, a second indented surface defining a sear notch 34, a convex cam surface 35 extending between sear notch 34 and a third indented surface defining a keeper notch 36, and a rear stop surface 38 adapted to engage a corresponding stop surface 40 provided on body member 10 to limit rotation of latch member 12 in the counterclockwise direction. The rear stop surface is provided on a rearward projection or protuberance of the latch member which forms a cocking lever 41.