Abstract:
A bow and arrow support which allows a disabled individual to use the bow and arrow with some help from an assistant. Disclosed is a vertical support for the bow wherein the primary vertical support is elevated on an upright member which is supported by a base member. Also disclosed is a primary horizontal support member to which a trigger mechanism is attached so that the assistant can pull the string of the bow backwardly to a point where the trigger mechanism can grasp the string firmly. Thereafter, the assistant can step away and the disabled user can approach the bow and arrow and then fire the bow and arrow by actuating the trigger mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to bow and arrows and, more particularly, is concerned with a method and apparatus for supporting a bow and arrow for use by a disabled person. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Bow and arrow supports have been described in the related art, however, none of the related art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,097 dated Dec. 25, 2007, Callis disclosed a bow construction including a telescoping bow riser and ground support. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,643 dated Feb. 29, 2000, Golfieri disclosed a bow sighting unit and stand. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,211 dated Aug. 31, 1993, Anderson disclosed a bow support apparatus. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,765 dated Jul. 30, 2002, Irwin, III, disclosed a training device for archers. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,773 dated Oct. 14, 2008, Minjares disclosed an adjustable support for archery bows and the like. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,981 dated Apr. 15, 1997, Breedlove disclosed an archery bow stabilizer and prop. While these bow and arrow supports may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for supporting a bow and arrow in such a way that a disabled individual, particularly one confined to a wheelchair, can use the bow and arrow with some help from an assistant. Disclosed therein is a primary vertical support to which the bow is attached wherein the primary vertical support is elevated on an upright post-like member which post-like member is supported by a ground contacting base member. The primary vertical support, to which the bow is attached, has a primary horizontal support member to which a trigger mechanism is attached so that the assistant can pull the string of the bow backwardly to a point where the trigger mechanism can grasp the string firmly. Thereafter, the assistant can step away and the disabled user can approach the bow and arrow and then fire the bow and arrow by actuating the trigger mechanism. The stand to which the bow and arrow is attached allows the bow and arrow to be aimed both in a vertical plane and a horizontal plane. 
     An object of the present invention is to allow a disabled person to use a bow and arrow. A further object of the present invention is to allow a bow and arrow to be mounted on a support so that the bow and arrow can be aimed as it is being fired by a disabled person. A further object of the present invention is to provide a bow and arrow which requires minimal aid from an assistant for use so that the bow and arrow can be used by the disabled person. A further object of the present invention is to provide a bow and arrow which can be easily used by a disabled person. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for a bow and arrow which can be relatively easily and inexpensively manufactured. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective of the present invention in operative connection. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention in operative connection. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the trigger mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
           10  present invention     12  user     14  assistant     16  hand of assistant     18  hand of user     20  bow and arrow     22  bow     24  string     26  arrow     27  arrow rest     28  trigger mechanism     29  nock of arrow     30  primary vertical support for bow     31  clamp means     32  primary horizontal support for trigger mechanism     34  horizontal member     35  handle     36  upright member     38  base     40  peg/stake     42  wheelchair     44  arrow     46  arrow     48  body     50  jaws     52  trigger     54  clamp means     56  bracket     58  fastener     60  apertures     62  ground     64  bottom member     66  fastener     68  lower limb     70  upper limb     72  connection       

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail at least one embodiment of the present invention. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the present invention to the particular embodiments described herein since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appended claims.  FIGS. 1 through 4  illustrate the present invention wherein a method and apparatus for supporting and using a bow and arrow is disclosed. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , therein is shown the present invention generally at  10  showing a user or archer  12  disposed in a wheelchair  42  along with an assistant  14 . Also shown are the hands  16  of the assistant  14  and the hand  18  of the user  12  placed generally on the trigger mechanism  28  (not shown, see  FIG. 3A ). Also shown generally at  20  are the bow and arrow disposed in a conventional manner showing the bow portion  22  along with the string  24  and an arrow  26  and arrow rest  27  disposed on the bow in a conventional manner. A compound bow  22  is shown for illustration purposes, however, any type of bow could be used. Also shown is the first primary vertical support  30  for the bow along with a second primary horizontal support  32  for the trigger mechanism  28 , a horizontal member  34  to which the primary vertical support  30  is attached, an upright post-like member  36 , a ground contacting base member  38  along with a plurality of pegs or stakes  40  for insertion into the ground  62  for stabilizing post-like member  36  and base  38 . It can be seen that the bow and arrow  20  can be aimed in a vertical plane as indicated by arrow  44  and in a horizontal plane as indicated by arrow  46 . In operation, the assistant  14  uses his hand  16  in order to pull the string  24  from a first, relaxed position rearwardly toward the user  12  to a second, tightly drawn or taut position so that the string can be placed within the jaws of the trigger mechanism  28  (not shown, see  FIG. 3A ) and the arrow  26  is nocked. After the string  24  is placed within the jaws of the trigger mechanism  28  (not shown, see  FIG. 3A ), the assistant  14  can then step aside and allow the user  12  to independently aim and fire the bow and arrow  20 . Also shown are U-bolt style clamps  31  or the like for securely attaching bow  22  to primary vertical support  30 . One skilled in the art would understand that there are numerous devices to substitute for clamp  31 , such as, metallic or fabric bands, straps, strings, tape or the like. One skilled in the art would understand that the individual members of the present invention  10  could be constructed in a unitary fashion, e.g., the bow  22  and first support  30  could be constructed as a unit as could other members. Also shown is the ground  62 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , therein is shown the present invention  10  as it is about to be fired by the user  12  who has his hand  18  on the trigger mechanism  28 . After the string  24  is moved rearwardly to the second, taut position, the user or archer  12  is then able to independently release the arrow  26  using the trigger mechanism (not shown, see  FIG. 3A ) without any further help from the assistant. Also shown is the nock  29  of arrow  26  along with arrow rest  27  with the arrow being nocked onto the string  24 . 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , therein is shown the present invention generally at  10 . Also shown generally at  20  are the bow and arrow disposed in a conventional manner showing the bow portion  22  along with the string  24  and an arrow  26  disposed on the bow in a conventional manner along with the upper limb  70  and lower limb  68 . Also shown is the primary vertical support  30  for the bow along with a first primary horizontal support  32  for the trigger mechanism  28 , a second horizontal member  34 , having a handle  35  thereon, to which the primary vertical support  30  is attached at connection  72 , an upright post-like member  36  and a ground contacting base member  38 , wherein the first and second supports have the shape of a “T” when viewed from the side. It can be seen that the bow and arrow  20  can be aimed in a vertical plane as indicated by arrow  44  and in a horizontal plane as indicated by arrow  46 . Also shown are U-bolt style clamps  31  or the like for securely attaching bow  22  to primary vertical support  30 . Also shown in conjunction with clamp  31  are bracket  56 , fasteners  58  for attachment to clamp  31  and apertures  60  for passing clamp  31  through the primary vertical support  30 . One skilled in the art would understand that there are numerous devices to substitute for clamp  31 , such as, metallic or fabric bands, straps, strings, tape or the like. Also shown is an enlarged bottom member  64  which can be attached underneath base  38  using conventional fasteners  66 , e.g., nut and bolt, wood screw or the like, for converting and using the present invention  10  indoors. 
     Turning to  FIG. 3A , therein is shown the trigger mechanism  28  which is a conventional release aid for a bow and arrow. For illustration purposes only, the trigger mechanism  28  is shown herein; however, one skilled on the art would understand that there are many styles and designs of bow and arrow releases aids, e.g., single or double calipers or with or without wrist straps. Any type of release aid  28 , could be used so long as it has a body  48  which can be mounted onto the primary horizontal support  32 , jaws or calipers  50  for grasping string  24  thereinbetween, trigger  52  and a means  54  for mounting to primary horizontal support  32 . The jaws  50  are spring-loaded and are biased toward a normally closed first position simultaneously to the trigger  52  being in a first position; the trigger can then be moved rearwardly by the hand of the user  12  or assistant  14  to a second position while at the same time the jaws  50  would be moved by the trigger to an open second position as shown in phantom line. The jaws  50  and trigger  52  are spring loaded and operate together so that the jaws move when the trigger is moved. The body  48  is disposed onto the primary horizontal support  32  by a clamp means  54 , or the like, similarly as the bow  22  is disposed onto the primary vertical support  30 . 
     In summary, and by reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the method for supporting a bow and arrow, the bow having a string thereon, comprises the steps of: a) providing a first support  30 , wherein the bow  22  is disposed on the first support in an upright position ready to be drawn; b) providing a second support  32 ; c) providing a trigger mechanism  28  on the second support in a position to receive a nock  29  of the arrow  26  when the bow and arrow is drawn, the trigger mechanism comprising at least one movable jaw  50  and a trigger  52 , wherein the jaw and the trigger cooperate with each other so that the jaw moves in response to movement of the trigger between a first position, when the jaw is closed, to a second position when the jaw is open, wherein the string of the bow can be captured in the jaw when the jaw is in the first position and the bow and arrow is drawn and ready to be released; d) providing an upright member  36  for supporting the first support, the upright member having upper and lower end portions, wherein the upper end portion is connected to the first support at  72 ; and, e) providing a base  38  for supporting the apparatus  10 , wherein the base is connected to the lower end portion of the upright member. Furthermore, wherein the first support can be rotated in a vertical plane to permit the bow and arrow to be turned from side to side; wherein the first support can be rotated in a horizontal plane to permit the bow and arrow to be aimed upwardly or downwardly; wherein the first support is substantially vertically disposed; wherein the second support is substantially horizontally disposed; further comprising the step of providing a handle  35  for rotating the first support; further comprising the step of providing a stake  40  for securing the base into a ground surface  62 ; further comprising the step of providing a bottom support  64  disposed underneath the base to permit the apparatus to be used indoors; and, wherein the first and second support are jointed together, wherein the first and second support have the shape of a “T” when viewed from the side (e.g., See  FIG. 4 ).