Arrow

Abstract

An arrow comprising a shaft with forward and rearward ends. An integral plastic vane attached to one side of the arrow shaft to extend generally 45.degree. from vertical and away from a vertically held bow. The vane comprises a support leg attached to the shaft and extending radially therefrom to the axis of the vanes. Three flat vanes extend radially from the outward end of the support along the axis of the shaft. The vanes are disposed at 120.degree. apart and one of the vanes is disposed in the same plane as the support. A platform extends from the bottom of the support in an alternative embodiment for engaging the arrow shaft.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 67,365 filed Aug. 27, 1970, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improvement in archery arrows and more specifically to a stabilizing vane means attached to the rearward end of the arrow shaft.

When a missile such as an archery arrow is propelled, it has a tendency to yaw or weave. To correct this, fletching in the form of feathers have been attached to the rear end of archery arrows to stabilize the flight of the arrow. Nevertheless, such fletching or vanes at the rear end of the arrow do not overcome the initial wobble or yaw which occurs before the fletching or vanes become effective. This initial wobble or yaw has an effect upon the accuracy of the flight of the arrow.

Additionally, one of the advantages in using feathers is that the feathers flex upon striking the bow or the archer's hand to minimize the interference with the intended flight path of the arrow. These feathers, however, become frayed and worn and lose their effectiveness.

In order to overcome this objective, smooth surface rigid vanes have been substituted for the feather vanes; however, these vanes frequently do not produce the desired drag and adversely affect the flight path of the arrow by striking the bow or the archer's hand.

The major problem with these prior art devices is therefore that they do not stabilize the flight of the arrow immediately as the arrow is propelled by release of the bow string and frequently do not sufficiently stabilize the flight of the arrow after the arrow moves away from the bow.

Another prior art vane structure was developed in an attempt to overcome these deficiencies. This prior art vane structure comprises two vanes disposed at approximately 120.degree. apart on one side of the arrow shaft and spiral longitudinally along the arrow shaft. With both vanes on one side of the arrow shaft, the arrow theoretically can be released without the vane contacting the bow. The problem with this structure is, however, that the vanes extend immediately from the circumference of the arrow shaft and since there are only two vanes on one side of the arrow shaft, they must be spiralled to aerodynamically stabilize the flight of the arrow. In other words, if the vanes were not spiralled, the offset aerodynamic effect of the vanes would cause a completely unstable flight of the arrow. To compensate for this the vanes are spiralled so that once the arrow leaves the bow string it begins to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Such rotation, however, causes friction and tends to reduce the speed of the arrow and the flight of the arrow is not initially stabilized because the arrow does not begin to rotate until it leaves the bow string. Thus, even with their system, the initial flight of the arrow is not stabilized. Furthermore, such a structure is unstable when attached to an arrow having a flight path disposed in a cross wind.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide an arrow having a vane means with a longitudinal axis offset and spaced from the circumference of the arrow shaft and disposed on one side of the arrow shaft to provide aerodynamic stability the moment the arrow begins to move forward upon release of the bow string.

Description

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view from the rear of a bow and arrow showing the bow in the nocked position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing an alternative embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts, an arrow constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10.

The arrow includes a shaft 12 which has a circular periphery or is circular in cross section. The arrow 12 is shown as a hollow metal tubular member but may be solid and made of wood, plastic or other appropriate material. The arrow shaft 14 is pointed at the forward end 14. The rearward end of the arrow shaft 12 has a nocking attachment 16 secured thereto. The nocking attachment 16 has a slot 18 therein for engaging a bow string 20 of a bow 22.

A vane means 24 has a longitudinal axis 26 extending along the shaft 12 adjacent the rearward end of the shaft 12. The axis 26 is spaced from the circumference of the shaft 12.

The vane means 24 includes support means 28 which is secured to the circumference of the shaft at one end 30 thereof and has a second end 32 disposed in spaced relationship to the shaft 12. The support means 28 comprises at least one leg and as illustrated in the preferred embodiment, comprises a planar plate-like member extending radially from the axis of the shaft 12. It will be appreciated that one or more narrow legs may be utilized as a support means so that the individual support legs extend radially from the shaft 12 to the axis 26 of the vane means.

The vane means 24 includes three vanes 34, 36 and 38. The three vanes 34, 36 and 38 extend radially from the axis 26 of the vane means. The vane means 34, 36 and 38 are disposed at angles of 120.degree. apart about the axis 26. Preferably, the axis 26 is parallel to the axis of the shaft 12; however, the axis 26 may be non-parallel to the axis of the shaft 12 but in the same plane depending upon the size and weight of the arrow shaft, etc.

The first vane 34 is disposed in a plane passing through the axis 26 of the vane means and the central axis of the shaft 12. As illustrated in the preferred embodiment, the vane means is an integral plastic one-piece member wherein the vane 34 is actually an extension of the plate-like support leg 28. Thus, the first vane 34 extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis 26 in a direction opposite from the shaft 12.

Additionally, all of the vanes 34, 36 and 38 are flat and the aerodynamic affect of the vane means is balanced relative to the axis of the shaft 12 so that the fact that the vane means is offset to one side of the arrow shaft does not adversely affect the flight of the arrow but to the contrary, stabilizes the flight of the arrow.

The notch 18 in the rearward end of the arrow extends diametrically through or across the shaft of the arrow at an acute angle relative to the plane containing the first vane 34 and the support means 28. Preferably, that acute angle is approximately 45.degree. so that the plane containing the support means 28 and the first vane 34 will extend at an angle of 45.degree. relative to the approximately 90.degree. walls of an arrow support 40 in the bow 22.

The vane means of this invention is found to very effectively stabilize the flight of an arrow without requiring the rotation of the arrow yet allowing the arrow to be released from a bow without the stabilizing vanes thereof contacting the bow to adversely affect the flight of the arrow. It also will be appreciated that the prior art feathers and vanes disposed circumferentially about the axis of the shaft are frequently difficult to secure to the arrow shaft. For example, special devices have been employed for attaching feather vanes to the shaft of an arrow. The vane assembly of the instant invention, however, may be readily attached to an arrow shaft in the field by merely adhesively securing the support leg 28 along the arrow shaft 12.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 illustrates two additional features which may be used singularly or in combination with one another or in combination with the features of the already described embodiment.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the first vane 34' comprises a unitary or integral planar element. The other two vanes 36' and 38' each comprise a unitary integral element. Each of the other two vane elements includes a planar section 40 which engages the first vane 34' and a vane section integral therewith at the top thereof and extending laterally from the central first vane 34'.

Thus, the support means in the embodiment of FIG. 5 comprises the planar sections 40 laminated with the lower or central portion of the first vane 44'.

The lower end of the support means includes platform means extending about the shaft of the arrow. More specifically, the platform means includes two planar portions 42 which extend in opposite directions about the shaft and are disposed relative to one another to include an angle of less than 180.degree., preferably an angle of approximately 120.degree.. The planar portions 42 are preferably flat as distinguished from being arcuate, because if the portions 42 were arcuate they would only fit an arrow shaft of one diameter. It will be appreciated that the portions 42 may be arcuate, however, they are preferably flat so as to accomodate or engage arrow shafts of various diameters.

It will be appreciated that the laterally extending planar portions 42 may be utilized with the support means or section 28 of the first-described embodiment.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An arrow comprising: a shaft with a forward end and a rearward end, a plurality of vanes extending radially from a common axis, said vanes each being substantially planar, support means having an inward end secured to said shaft adjacent said rearward end and extending outwardly from said shaft to said common axis to support said vanes in a position where said common axis is spaced outwardly from said shaft at a second end of said support means, said vanes being the sole vanes and disposed on one side of said shaft.

2. An arrow as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means includes platform means extending about said shaft.

3. An arrow as set forth in claim 2 wherein said platform means includes two planar portions extending in opposite directions about said shaft and disposed relative to one another to include an angle of less than 180.degree..

4. An arrow as set forth in claim 1 including three vanes extending radially from said axis.

5. An arrow as set forth in claim 4 wherein said vanes are disposed 120.degree. apart about said axis.

6. An arrow as set forth in claim 5 wherein a first of said vanes is disposed in a plane passing through said axis and the central axis of said shaft.

7. An arrow as set forth in claim 5 wherein a first vane extends outwardly from said common axis in a direction opposite and away from said shaft.

8. An arrow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said arrow has a notch in said rearward end and said notch extends diametrically through said shaft at an acute angle relative to the plane of said first vane.

9. An arrow as set forth in claim 8 wherein said acute angle is approximately 45.degree..

10. An arrow as set forth in claim 8 wherein said vanes are all flat.

11. An arrow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said vane means is made of an integral piece of plastic.

12. An arrow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first vane comprises a unitary planar element and the other two vanes extend from opposite sides thereof, each of the other two vanes comprising a unitary element including a planar section engaging said first vane with a vane section integral therewith and extending laterally therefrom.

13. An arrow as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of said two vanes includes a planar portion integral with said planar sections thereof and extending laterally in a direction away from said vane section and engaging said shaft, said planar portions disposed relative to one another to include an angle of less than 180.degree..

14. An arrow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support means includes at least one leg extending radially from said shaft.

15. An arrow as set forth in claim 7 wherein said support means includes platform means extending about said shaft.

16. An arrow as set forth in claim 15 wherein said platform means includes two planar portions extending in opposite directions about said shaft and disposed relative to one another to include an angle of less than 180.degree..