Patent ID: 8443790
Filing Date: 2013-05-21
Classification: F41B

Abstract:
1. A cocking winch apparatus for attaching to a crossbow and for use in cocking the crossbow, said apparatus comprising: a winch body having an upper portion, a lower portion and a central portion interconnecting the upper and lower portions, the upper portion of the winch body having a front end, a rear end and two opposed side portions and having a hollow chamber formed therein and a cylindrical passage formed laterally therethrough between the side portions, the lower portion of the winch body comprising an alignment member projecting forwardly below the upper portion and having a non-round cross-sectional shape, wherein the winch body is removably securable to a crossbow stock by aligning the winch body with the stock and inserting the alignment member into a correspondingly-shaped hole formed in the stock; a cylindrical support shaft extending through the cylindrical passage of the winch body; a first take-up spool and a second take-up spool mounted on opposed end portions of the support shaft outside of the winch body; a ratchet wheel mounted on the support shaft between the first and second take-up spools, the ratchet wheel disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and having a plurality of teeth formed therearound; a pawl having a first end disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and pivotally attached to the winch body, and a second end opposite the first end, the pawl having a tooth formed thereon for selective engagement between adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheel; a spring for biasing the pawl towards the ratchet wheel; a handle member operatively attachable to one of the take-up spools, a tensioning cable having a first end attached to the first take-up spool, a second end attached to the second take-up spool, and a central portion between the first and second ends; and a bowstring hook member having a slot formed in a lower portion thereof to receive a bowstring of the crossbow, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the bowstring hook member.