Demountable Archery Bow

Abstract

An archery bow wherein the limbs are detachable from the handle; the handle having a recess extending endwise to receive the end of the limb and to rigidify the bow when flexed for stringing the bow and when the bow is drawn and released for casting an arrow; the limbs and handle having a spring-pressed insert and socket-latching device retaining the limbs to the handle when the limbs are relaxed.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Demountable archery bows in the past have had complicated latching arrangements which have been cumbersome and have had various protuberances and mechanical devices which made such release devices quite undesirable for reasons of difficult operation and because such mechanisms would get caught on branches and leaves when hunting and would also be damaged and rendered inoperative. The present invention provides for the simple and efficient demounting of the limbs of a bow from the handle by providing a simple socket into which the end of the limb is extended and a latching device comprising a socket on the limb and an insert or projection on the handle which restrains the limb against endwise retraction from the handle. A leaf spring urges the insert and socket together under normal circumstances, but the limb can be tilted against the spring for ready and easy removal from the handle. When the bow is strung up for shooting and when the bow is subsequently drawn for casting an arrow, the limb and handle are secured very tightly together without regard to the latching mechanism so that the limbs are essentially rigid with the handle and the demountable aspect of the bow has no undesirable shooting features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail elevation view with portions of the rigid bracket broken away for clarity of detail.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section view taken approximately at 3--3 in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One form of the invention is shown in the drawings and is described herein.

The demountable archery bow is indicated in general by numeral 10 and has a handle 11 and limbs 12, both of which are demountable from the handle 11. The coupling construction 13 at the joint between each of the limbs 12 and the handle are identical for each of the limbs and only one of these will be described.

In FIG. 1, the bow is illustrated in strung condition so that an arrow may be applied to the string 14 and laid on the arrow rest of the handle so that the bow may be drawn and then released to cast the arrow toward the target. It will be recognized that the front sides 12a of the limbs 12 and the front side 11a of the handle face the target; and the string 14 lies against or confronts the rear sides 12b of the limbs 12 and confronts the rear side 11b of the handle.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the end of the handle 11 has an elongate recess 15 extending endwise or longitudinally and also opening forwardly for receiving the inner end 16 of the limb 12. A rigid steel bracket 17 is affixed as by screws 17a to the wood base 11.1 of the handle, and the bracket 17 has opposite side panels 17.1 and 17.2 which define the opposite sides of the recess 15. The bracket 17 has a front strap portion 17.3 which extends across the front of the wood base 11.1 of the handle and defines the front side of the recess 15, extending a short distance upwardly from the bottom of the recess 15. The strap 17.3 which defines the front wall of the recess retains the front side of the lower end 16 of the limb 12 while the rear side of the limb bears against the rear abutment surface 11.2 which defines the rear side of the recess 15.

Above the strap 17.3, the front side of recess 15 is substantially open to permit the limb 12 to tip forwaRdly in the direction of arrow A when the limb is relaxed and the bow is unstrung or let down. However, forward tipping of the limb 12 in the direction of arrow A is restrained by an elongate leaf spring 18 which is affixed as by welding or brazing at its lower end to the rigid cross strap 17.3.

The handle 11 is provided with a rigid cross pin 19 which is affixed as by welding to the opposite sideplates 17.1 and 17.2 of the bracket 17 at a position opposite the upper end of the leaf spring 18. At this same location, the limb 12 is shaped to define a pin-receiving socket 20 so as to prevent the limb 12 from separating endwise from the handle 11.

The pin or insert 19 is normally retained in the socket 20 by the leaf spring 18 which restrains forward tipping of the limb 12 with respect to the handle.

The tapered shape of the lower end 16 of the limb prevents any binding of the limb in the recess 15 when the limb is tipped forwardly for removal from the handle.

In the normal operation of the bow, the spring 18 maintains the pin or insert 19 and socket 20 in coupled relationship so as to prevent any accidental or undesired separation of the limb 12 from the handle 11 while the limb is in relaxed condition.

When the bow is strung so as to adjust the string 14 in a position to facilitate shooting, the limbs 12 are both flexed in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 2, and are retained in this state of flection until the bow is again let down. While the bow is strung as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower end 16 of the limb bears forwardly against the strap 17 and rearwardly against the rear side of the recess, particularly adjacent the upper portion of the recess 15 so as to establish a very rigid relationship between the limbs and the handle.

When an arrow is applied to the string and laid across the arrow rest on the handle, the bow may be drawn so as to additionally flex the limbs 12 in the direction of arrow F, and this flexing has no undesirable effect at all on the joint between the limbs and the handle. The pressure applied against the strap 17.3 and against the rear side 11.2 of the recess, is somewhat increased and the rigidity between the limbs and the handle is therefore increased. As the string and arrow are released so as to cast the arrow forwardly, the limbs 12 return to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein the lower end 16 of the limb continues to apply substantial pressure against the rear side 11.2 of the recess and against the strap 17.3 defining the front side of the recess 15. It can be said that this bow operates like a conventional bow and has no adverse effect upon the casting of an arrow.

When shooting has been completed, the bow may be let down so that the tension on the string 14 is relieved and the limbs 12 return to relaxed position. When this condition exists, the limbs may be swung or tilted forwardly in the direction of arrow A so as to tip the lower end 16 of the limb against the spring 18 and separate the socket 20 from the insert or pin 19. After this tipping occurs, the limb 12 may be withdrawn endwise from the socket 15, and the bow may thereby be taken down for storage within a small space.

When the bow is to be again prepared for shooting, the inner end 16 of the limb may merely be inserted into the space between the pin 19 and the spring 18 and then inserted downwardly into the recess 15 until the socket 20 seats against the pin 19 under influence of the spring 18. The bow may be strung up to the position of FIG. 1, whereupon the bow is ready for shooting.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and improved demountable bow wherein the limbs are demountable from the handle by means of a connection involving a recess in the handle into which the inner end of the limb is extended. The limb is removed by simply tilting it forwardly so as to uncouple the pin and socket which normally restrains the limb from endwise separation from the handle. Normally, while the bow is unstrung and in relaxed condition, the leaf spring retains the insert or pin and socket in coupled condition. When the bow is strung up and shot, it operates like any other bow.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A demountable archery bow to be fitted with a bow string,

comprising a handle and limbs having rear sides along which the string extends and having front sides facing the target, one of the limbs being separate from the end of said handle,

said end of the handle having a recess opening forwardly and endwise and removably receiving the end of the limb therein, the handle having front and rear abutment surfaces at the front and rear sides of the recess against which the front and rear sides of the limb bear, the limb bearing against said abutment surfaces with substantial pressure as the limbs are flexed rearwardly for stringing the bow and as the bow is drawn and released for casting an arrow to maintain a rigid relationship between the handle and limbs, the front abutment surface extending along and confronting only the inner end of the recess to permit the limb to tilt forwardly out of the recess for removal, and

latching means on the limb and handle and including a cooperating insert and socket spring pressed together transversely of the limb and restraining the limb and handle against endwise separation, the insert and socket being separable upon manually tilting the limb forwardly to permit the limb to be withdrawn from the handle, the insert and socket being located beyond the outer end of the abutment surfaces of the handle and being spaced along the limb from the end thereof to permit the limb and handle to fully and firmly bear against each other at said abutment surfaces.

2. The demountable archery bow according to claim 1 and including a leaf spring on the handle and lying along the front side of the limb adjacent the recess, the leaf spring having a free end adjacent the insert and socket and bearing against the limb to restrain said limb against forward tilting.

3. A demountable archery bow to be fitted with a bowstring,

comprising a handle and limbs having rear sides along which the string extends and also having front sides facing the target, one of the limbs being separate from the handle,

one end of the handle having a rigid bracket affixed thereto, the bracket having sideplates lying flush against the sides of the handle and having a rigid strap extending across the front of the handle, said sideplates extending beyond the end of the handle and having a rigid pin extending therebetween and spaced rearwardly from the front of the handle.