Abstract:
A bracket for on a bow used in archery is provided. The bracket includes a cradle that can support an apparatus such as a light at a location such that the light can be operated by a finger of the hand holding the bow. The cradle can be adjusted in a horizontal and vertical plane such that apparatus on the cradle is pointed in the direction that an arrow is to be shot and at the same time be easily activated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to archery. More particularly, a bracket having multiple adjustments for attaching a light or other apparatus that is pointed in the direction of the arrow and in a location for manual activation is disclosed. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    There are a variety of designs of bows and equipment to use with the bow in the field of archery equipment. For example, improved sights for use in archery have been developed recently, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,515, which is hereby incorporated by reference. For use in hunting certain wild animals, such as hogs, lights on the bow may be used in some areas, since the animals are very destructive of the environment in those areas. Lights now available include the “Hawglite,” described at www.hawglite.com. That light is mounted on a bow and electrically connected to batteries by an electrical cord, and may be activated by a pressure-sensitive switch mounted on the grip of the bow 
         [0005]    There is a need for a simpler apparatus that can be attached to bows to allow use of a separate portable light or other apparatus that is to be pointed in the direction that the bow is aimed. Such apparatus should allow use of different portable lights that are readily available and that can be readily interchanged on a bow. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A bracket is provided for attaching to bows using the stabilizer hole normally present on a bow or a similar threaded hole. The bracket allows fixing a portable light that is directed in the direction of an arrow shot from the bow and is adjustable in vertical and horizontal planes and in position and distance with respect to the bow. A camera or other apparatus may be used in place of the portable light. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  depicts a hunter using a bow and arrow and aiming at a wild hog. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates one form of bow that may be used with the bracket disclosed herein. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein after adjustment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein after adjustment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a bow, held by a bow hand with a light held by the bracket disclosed herein being positioned for activation by a finger of the bow hand. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a prospective view of bow  10  with arrow  14  being used by a hunter at night to shoot wild animal  12 . The bow contains sight  16 , which is an accessory often used on bows, and bracket  18 , disclosed herein, shown attached to the bow. Bracket  18  will have a light attached thereto when hunting at night, but may have a camera when hunting by day. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , bow  20  is shown. One embodiment of bow  20  has body  21 , grip  22 , eccentrics  23  and stabilizer hole  25 . Stabilizer hole  25  may be used for a variety of accessories such as a reel, for example, when the bow is used for bow fishing. Most commonly it is used for a stabilizer, which is used to stabilize the bow when shooting. For some bows, such as a long bow, a bracket may be attached to the bow to supply support for a bracket of this invention. The bracket would be attached normally to the limb bolts. If a bow is factory made recurve, it normally has a stabilizer hole. If the bow is custom-made, a stabilizer hole will often be requested. Bracket  18 , attached in stabilizer hole  25 , is disclosed herein. Other forms of fasteners, such as clamps, may be used to attach bracket  18  to a bow. Bracket  18 , as will be fully described below, was designed to be adjustable in a horizontal and a vertical plane. Also, the location of apparatus supported by bracket  18  from and along the bow is adjustable. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3  a top view of bracket  18  holding light or other apparatus  37  is shown. Bow thumb screw  30  is used for adjusting bolt threads  32  into the stabilizer hole of a bow. The size of these threads is standard in most bows, but the threads may be adapted for any particular bow. Although threads  32  are illustrated for fastening bracket  18  to a bow, other fasteners may be used. Bolts  34 , which may be Allen head bolts, are used to adjust the position of a device that is attached to the bow through threads  32 . Vertical plane adjustment thumb screws  35 , threaded on a shaft, may be used to move cradle  36  in a vertical plane by rotation around the shaft. Cradle  36  may have pin light or other light  37  fastened to the cradle by bands or retainers  38 , which may be rubber, plastic or metal bands. Alternatively, a threaded fastener may be used. Although penlight  37  is illustrated, other apparatus such as a movie or still camera may be used in cradle  36 . Preferably the diameter of light or apparatus  37  is less than about 2 inches, or more preferably less than about 1 inch, and an activation switch, described below, is preferably on the rear of the apparatus. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a front view of bracket  18  is shown. Cradle  36  holds light or apparatus  37 . If device  37  is a light, it may have lens  37   a  which may be of various colors such as red, green, or blue, for hunting of various types of game. For example, a red lens is found to be particularly effective for wild hogs, since it does not attract the attention of hogs as much as white light. Vertical plane adjustment thumb screw  35 , attached to a horizontal shaft, may be used to aim light  37  in the preferred angle in a vertical plane. Slotted flat bar  41  may be used to hold Allen head bolts  34 , used for adjusting the vertical position of cradle  36  and the distance of cradle  36  from a bow. Alternatively, other members adjustable in length or distance from the fastener attached to a bow, such as a telescoping member, may be used. The angle of slotted flat bar  41  with respect to vertical may be selected to allow optimal placement of cradle  36 . In one embodiment, slotted flat bar  41  may be curved. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the parts described above and below are shown in an elevation view. Slotted flat bar  41  is shown as straight. In this view, horizontal plane adjustment thumb screw  51 , which is on a vertical shaft that passes through slotted bar  41  and is threaded into the support for cradle  36 , may be loosened and tightened to allow adjustment of the direction of cradle  36  in a horizontal plane. Activation switch  37   b  is shown at the back of device  37 . Device  37  may be one of the widely available LED lights, such as a Streamlight “Stylist,” or a “SunLight Jr.” Activation switch  37   b  is preferably a tail cap switch or pressure switch. 
         [0020]      FIG. 6  shows the parts described above with cradle  36  adjusted in a horizontal plane.  FIG. 7  shows the parts as described above with cradle  36  adjusted in the vertical plane. The adjustment in the horizontal plane is made with thumbscrew  51  and the adjustment in the vertical plane is made with thumbscrew  35 , preferably by loosening and retightening the thumbscrews. In another embodiment, cradle  36  is moved and held in a selected direction by a friction mechanism (not shown) that is formed by friction between the shaft and the shaft holder. The friction may be controlled by application of a spring force. The position of cradle  36  with respect to the bow may be adjusted by moving the flat bar, as explained above. With the multiple adjustments, it is possible to place activation switch  37   b  ( FIG. 5 ) at the optimum location for manual activation, with light  37  aimed in the direction that an arrow will be shot. 
         [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of sight  16  on bow  21 , bow  21  being held by bow hand  80 . The position along slotted flat bar  41  has been adjusted using bolts  34  such that activation finger  82  and light  37  having switch  37   b  is positioned such that switch  37   b  can be activated by activation finger  82 . This may be achieved by adjusting the position of bracket  36  using bolts  34 . Light or apparatus  37  is aimed in the direction of an arrow being shot using adjustment thumb screws  35  and  51 . The position of the light on cradle  36  can be adjusted, using bands  38  such that finger  82  will be a selected distance from switch  37   b.  When hunting hogs at night, switch  37   b  is normally not activated until the bow hunter is ready to shoot. When the light is turned on, the hunter can shoot very quickly. 
         [0022]    Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims.