Abstract:
An archery bow tensioning device for holding a bowstring in a fully drawn position wherein one end of a rod is freely received in and releasable from a blind bore provided in the bow handle, and the opposite end of the rod is provided with a trigger mechanism having a safety catch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The manual holding of a bowstring at a full draw readiness state with an arrow supported between the rest on the bow handle and its nock notched on the bowstring requires great strength on the part of the archer or bowman, particularly, if held in this state for any appreciable length of time resulting in the archer becoming weary, thereby affecting the accuracy of the arrow being shot. This is particularly true when the bow is a compound bow. 
     To overcome this problem, it has been proposed to fixedly mount one end of a stabilizing or tension bar to the bow handle and to provide the opposite end of the bar with a trigger mechanism for releasably holding the bowstring in the fully drawn position. This relieves the archer from manually holding the bowstring while aiming the arrow. 
     While these proposed stabilizing bars and associated triggers have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, they have been characterized by certain disadvantages in that the bars are permanently attached to the bow handles resulting in the bows being bulky and cumbersome, and therefore not readily storable. 
     After considerable research and experimentation, the tension device of the present invention has been devised which is freely mounted on the bow handle and releasable therefrom after the arrow has been shot; the conventional trigger mechanism has also been improved by providing a safety catch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The tensioning device of the present invention comprises, essentially, a rod having one end adapted to be freely received within a recessed blind bore provided in the bow handle. The opposite end of the rod is provided with a trigger mechanism having a safety latch to prevent the inadvertent shooting of an arrow. If the bow handle is made of metal, the recessed blind bore is provided by drilling a bore into the handle of the bow. If the bow is made of wood, a fitting having a recessed blind bore is threadably mounted in the handle. By this construction and arrangement, various types of bows can be retrofitted to accommodate the tensioning device of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a bow having a recessed blind bore in the handle; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion of the handle shown in FIG. 1 containing the recessed blind bore; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion of the handle of FIG. 2, showing in phantom, the end of a tensioning device inserted into the recessed blind bore; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the tensioning device of the present invention being placed on the bow of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the bow shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the tensioning device in the operative position; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the bow shown in FIG. 1 having a fitting provided with a recessed blind bore secured to a side of the bow handle; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fitting shown in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the fitting shown in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the handle shown in FIG. 6, showing in phantom, the end of the tensioning device inserted into the recessed blind bore provided in the fitting; 
     FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the bow shown in FIG. 6 illustrating the tensioning device in the operative position; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the tensioning device and its associated trigger mechanisms to be employed on the bow of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tensioning device and its associated trigger mechanism to be employed on the bow of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view illustrating the details of the trigger mechanism; and 
     FIG. 15 is a side elevational view illustrating the trigger mechanism in the locked position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings and, more particularly to FIG. 1, a conventional compound bow 1 is shown having a rigid handle 2 having an arrow rest 3 on one side thereof and a pair of spring-like metal arms 4 attached to the ends thereof. A pulley assembly 5 is mounted on the distal end of each arm 4, and a bowstring 6 is reeved between the pulley assemblies 5. 
     As will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 2 is provided with a recessed blind bore 7 positioned below the arrow rest 3. The recessed blind bore 7 comprises a recess 7a formed in the side of the handle 2 and a blind hole 7 drilled into the handle. One end of the recess 7a communicates with the entrance to the blind hole 7b as at 7c. The recessed blind bore 7 is adapted to receive the distal or free end of a rod, as shown in FIG. 3, having a trigger mechanism 9 at the opposite or proximate end of the rod 8, as shown in FIG. 4. 
     To mount the rod 8 on the handle 2, the bowstring 6 is latched to the trigger mechanism 9. The trigger mechanism 9 and associated bowstring 6 and rod are then pulled rearwardly, or in a direction away from the handle 2. During this rearward movement, the distal end of the rod 8 slides along the recess 7a until the end thereof reaches the entrance 7c to the blind bore 7, whereupon the end of the rod 8 is allowed to drop into the blind bore 7. The bow 1 is now cocked, as shown in FIG. 5, to allow the placement of an arrow 10 in the operative position thereon. By using the rod 8 trigger mechanism, there is no strain on the archer to maintain the bowstring 6 in the full draw readiness state. When the trigger mechanism 9 is activated, the bowstring 6 is released to propel the arrow 10, and the rod 8 is readily released from the blind bore 7. 
     While the recessed blind bore 7 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is drilled into the bow handle 2, there are some bow handles made from material, such as wood, which might split if recessed and drilled. That problem is overcome, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, by employing a fitting 11 threaded into the side of the handle 2. The fitting 11 comprises a head portion 11a having a recess 11b formed in a face thereof communicating with the entrance 11c of a blind bore 11d drilled into the head portion 11a and extending parallel to the recess 11b. The head portion 11a is provided with an integral threaded bolt 11e having a lock nut 11f. By this construction and arrangement, the fitting 11 can be threaded into a topped hole provided in the side of the bow handle 2. 
     As will be seen in FIGS. 6, 10, and 11, the rod 8 is attached to the bow 1 in the same manner as described hereinabove; namely, the bowstring 6 is latched to the trigger mechanism 9 which is pulled rearwardly. The distal end portion of the rod 8 slides along the fitting recess 11b until the end thereof reaches the entrance 11c, whereupon the end of the rod is allowed to drop into the blind bore 11d. 
     Referring to FIGS. 12 to 15, the straight rod 8, shown in FIG. 12, will be employed when the bow 1 is provided with the fitting 11; and the rod 8, shown in FIG. 13, having an offset portion 8a at the distal end thereof will be employed when the recessed blind hole 7 is drilled into the bow handle 2 to thereby prevent the rod from interfering with the arrow 10. The trigger mechanism 9 comprises a housing 9a threaded onto the proximate end of the rod 8 and contains a latch 9b pivotally connected to the housing 9a as at 9c. A trip lever 9d is also pivotally connected to the housing 9a as at 9e. A compression spring 9f is mounted between the housing 9a and trip lever 9d for biasing the trip lever in a clockwise direction. When cocking the trigger mechanism, the bowstring 6 is connected to the latch 9b as shown in FIG. 15. The trip lever 9d pivots in a clockwise direction so that the end thereof abuts the latch 9b. When the free end of the trip lever 9d is pushed downwardly causing the trip lever to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, the latch 9b as associated bowstring 6 are released. The trigger mechanism described thus far is a conventional trigger mechanism employed in bow stabilizing bars; however, the trigger mechanism 9 provided with the tension rod 8 of the present invention has been improved by providing the trigger mechanism 9 with a safety catch 12 comprising a bolt 12a threadably mounted in the trigger housing 9a and adapted to engage the end of the trip lever 9d while it engages the latch 9b. By this construction and arrangement, the trip lever 9a will be prevented from pivoting in a counterclockwise direction to thereby prevent release of the latch 9b. By turning the bolt 12a outwardly from the housing 9a, the trip lever will be released. 
     From the above description, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tensioning device of the present invention is an improvement over heretofore employed stabilizing bars fixedly mounted to the bow, since the tensioning device of the present invention is freely mounted on the bow and releasable therefrom for use on another bow or for storage. The safety catch on the trigger mechanism is also an improvement on the conventional trigger mechanisms employed in the fixed stabilizing bars. 
     It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from, the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.