Patent ID: 11913752
Assignee: HUNTER'S MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A crossbow de-cocking mechanism for use with an associated crossbow including: a longitudinally extending main beam; and a bow mechanism including: 1) a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam; and 2) a bowstring operatively engaged to the outwardly extending bow limbs and movable between: (a) an un-cocked position; and (b) a cocked position; the crossbow de-cocking mechanism comprising:
a trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
2) a trigger surface supported to the trigger housing; and
3) a string catch supported to the trigger housing;

a trigger latch mechanism:
1) selectively supportable to the main beam; and
2) including a trigger latch;

a winch assembly including:
1) a winch housing selectively supportable to the main beam;
2) a spool selectively rotatable with respect to the winch housing;
3) a tensile member having a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
4) a drive gear:
(a) selectively rotatable with respect to the winch housing; and
(b) operatively engaged to the spool; and

5) a clutch gear assembly that is selectively operatively engageable to the drive gear;

wherein when the de-cocking mechanism is properly attached to the associated crossbow:
1) the trigger housing is selectively movable along the main beam;
2) the string catch is 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;

3) the trigger latch is selectively movable between:
(a) a first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface; and
(b) a second trigger latch position that engages the trigger surface to hold the trigger mechanism to the main beam at a longitudinal position;

4) the tensile member has a second end operatively engaged with the trigger housing;
5) when the clutch gear assembly is operatively engaged to the drive gear it is adapted to enable the drive gear to rotate:
(a) freely in a spool in direction; and
(b) subject to a damping load in a spool out direction;

6) when the clutch gear assembly is operatively disengaged from the drive gear it is adapted to enable the drive gear to rotate freely in both the spool in direction and the spool out direction;
7) when the bowstring is in the cocked position, the trigger latch is in the second trigger latch position holding the trigger mechanism to the main beam at the longitudinal position, and the string catch is in the second string catch position holding the bowstring; the winch assembly is selectively operable:
(a) to receive a first rotational input to rotate the drive gear in the spool in direction; to
(b) rotate the spool; to
(c) apply tension to the tensile member; to
(d) move the trigger latch into the first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface; and

8) when the bowstring is in the cocked position, the trigger latch is in the first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface, and the string catch is in the second string catch position holding the bowstring, the winch assembly is selectively operable:
(a) to receive a second rotational input to rotate the drive gear in the spool out direction; to
(b) rotate the spool; to
(c) move the trigger mechanism away from the trigger latch mechanism; to
(d) move the bowstring from the cocked position to the un-cocked position.