Archery bowstring release

The bowstring release includes a rigid handle having opposed rounded edges, one of which, at a first end of the handle, is provided with a projecting shoulder and a recess defined inwardly thereof. A string engaging loop of nylon rope or the like has the free ends thereof fixed to the second edge of the handle adjacent the first end of the handle with the bight portion of the loope selectively engageable about the handle end and inward of the shoulder for a thumb-pressure retention thereof. A finger encircling gripping strap is provided along the second edge of the handle with a single fastening element mounting both the strap and the loop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention herein is principally concerned with the provision of means 
for facilitating the drawing and release of a bowstring. Historically, 
this has been effected by a curling of the three middle fingers of the 
hand about the string, normally both above and below the nock end of the 
arrow, rearwardly drawing the spring, and slowly uncurling the fingers so 
as to allow the string to slide therefrom. 
The use of the fingers in this manner can cause difficulties both in 
achieving a proper release of the arrow, the string being engaged by three 
separate fingers, and by abrasion to the fingers themselves. 
Much effort has been directed to providing mechanical means for assisting 
in the drawing and release of bowstrings. The following patents are known 
to applicant and considered representative of efforts directed toward 
achieving an effective means for drawing and releasing bowstrings other 
than by a direct finger engagement with the string. 
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3,072,115 Johnson 3,929,120 Barner 
3,604,407 Wilson et al 
3,952,720 Wilson 
3,800,774 Troncoso, Jr. 
4,004,564 Castonguay 
3,845,752 Barner 4,022,181 Fletcher 
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In many instances, as represented by the majority of the above patents, 
some form of complex trigger release or mechanism is used. U.S. Pat. No. 
3,604,407, to Wilson et al, provides a hand-received handle, a finger 
encircling strap, and a flat string encircling combined strap and 
reinforcing piece which is engaged against and held to one side of the 
handle by thumb pressure until a release of the string is desired. In use, 
the thumb must exert a substantial inward and rearward pressure on the 
combination strap to prevent a premature forward release thereof. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The bowstring release of the present invention, incorporating a 
hand-received handle, gripping strap and string engaging rope loop, 
constitutes a significant improvement over the devices heretofore 
proposed, and in particular the above detailed Wilson et al release, in 
allowing for a direct thumb control over the holding and release of the 
string without requiring the awkward and inexact retention of the string 
encircling member solely by the reacting force developed by the thumb. 
Basically, the handle of the present invention includes a shoulder at the 
forward end thereof with a recess defined immediately therebehind to 
receive the end of the string engaging member or loop, this end generally 
encircling the end of the handle itself. By engagement of the looped end 
or bight portion of the loop behind the smoothly rounded and tapered 
shoulder, a retention thereof only requires sufficient thumb pressure to 
maintain the bight portion behind the shoulder with the shoulder itself 
accommodating the major forward force component developed by the tensioned 
string. Upon release of the thumb pressure, the string engaged loop, which 
incidentally is preferably of a smooth braided nylon, easily slides over 
the rounded and smoothly tapered shoulder so as to effect the string 
release. The release is instantaneous with the string moving smoothly from 
the flexible loop.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 
designates the archery bowstring release comprising the present invention. 
This release 10 includes three major components, a handle 12, a 
string-engaging loop 14, and a finger encircling strap 16. 
The handle 12, preferably formed of wood or molded plastic, is provided 
with smoothly rounded edges and ends so as to be comfortably received 
within and conform to the hand of a user. The opposed longitudinal edges 
of the handle 12, which consist of an inner edge 18 adapted to seat in the 
palm of the user, and a second outer edge 20 adapted to have the user's 
fingers wrapped thereover, converge from a relatively wide rounded inner 
or butt end portion 22 to a relatively narrow leading rounded outer end 
portion 24. The handle is completed by the provision of a smoothly rounded 
rearwardly directed shoulder portion 26 on the inner palm seating edge 18 
of the handle 12 at the leading end portion 24 of the handle. This 
shoulder 26 defines, or is defined by, an arcuate recess 28 formed 
immediately inward thereof. 
The string engaging loop 14 is formed preferably of highly flexible smooth 
braised nylon rope. The opposed ends of the rope, generally designated at 
30, are positioned in parallel contacting relation with each other and 
received through a mounting and retaining collar 32. The slightly 
projecting ends of the rope loop, immediately beyond the collar 32, are 
preferably slightly enlarged, by a fusing thereof or the application of an 
adhesive coating, to enhance the fixing of the rope within the collar. 
The loop 14 is fixed to the outer finger receiving edge 20 of the handle by 
an appropriate fastener, such as a screw 34, extending through the rope 
end receiving collar 32 and into the handle itself. This screw 32 will 
normally be in general alignment with or slightly rearward of the recess 
28 in the opposed edge of the handle 12. 
The final component of the bowstring release is the strap 16. This strap 16 
is adapted to encircle the handle-gripping fingers, which engage over the 
outer edge 20 of the handle 12, to provide for a more secure grasping of 
the release 10 particularly during the drawing of the bow. The strap 16 
includes an inner end portion 36 which underlies the collar 32, and an 
outer end portion 38 having a series of apertures 40 spaced therealong for 
selective reception of the mounting screw 34 therethrough to provide for a 
degree of adjustability in the strap 16. The strap 16, between the ends 
thereof which mount by means of the single loop mounting screw 34, folds 
or loops rearward along the outer edge 20 of the handle 12, extending 
normally to approximately the inner end portion 22 of the handle. However, 
this can vary by selective use of the apertures 40 to accommodate the 
hand, or more particularly the fingers, of the individual user. 
In use, the release 10 is grasped in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 
4. Basically, the three rear fingers, the middle finger, the ring finger 
and the little finger, are positioned through the strap 16 with the handle 
slid inward toward the base of the fingers and the fingers wrapped over 
the handle so as to firmly seat the handle within the palm. The index 
finger is positioned over the head of the screw 34, generally over the 
collar received inner ends of the loop 14 and opposed to the recess 28. 
The thumb is then in a position to apply direct pressure in the vicinity 
of the recess 28, directly opposed to the pressure which can be applied by 
the overlying index finger. 
After a grasping of the release 10 in the hand of a user, the flexible loop 
14 is passed over the bowstring 42 and looped over the end portion 24 of 
the handle 12 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 5, with the bowstring 42 
positioned between the loop 14 and the handle end portion 24. 
With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, it will be appreciated that the 
loop 14 is of a length so as to be completely received over the end 
portion 24 with the bight portion 44 of the loop seated behind the 
shoulder 26, within the recess 28. The two side portions of the loop will 
normally lie adjacent the opposed sides of the handle end portion 24, 
providing in effect an encircling of this end portion and a transverse 
positioning of the bight portion 44 across the full width of the inner 
edge 18 of the handle 12 within the recess 28. When so positioned, the 
user's thumb is engaged with the recess-received bight portion 44 and an 
inward pressure exerted, such an action being greatly facilitated by the 
overlying index finger acting generally in a direction opposed from the 
direction of action of the thumb. 
By firmly seating the bight portion 44 within the recess 28, behind the 
shoulder 26, the shoulder itself accommodates substantially the entire 
resistance required against forward movement of the loop 14 during the 
drawing and rearward maintaining of the bowstring 42. The major force 
component, and in fact substantially the entire force developed by the 
thumb, is directed generally perpendicular to the recess with there being 
little if any necessity for the development by the thumb of any 
appreciable force component resisting the forward sliding of the bight 
portion 44 in that the forward shoulder, notwithstanding the smoothly 
rounded nature thereof, functions as an effective means for retaining the 
recess-seated loop. 
When release of the arrow is desired, the user's thumb is merely shifted 
outward. This in turn releases the loop or bight portion 44 with the 
bowstring 42 simultaneously releasing. The flexible nature of the loop 14, 
in addition to the smoothly rounded configuration of the shoulder 26, 
allows for an immediate retraction of the loop 14 to allow the string to 
travel freely therebeyond. The surface smoothness and highly flexible 
nature of the loop insures an instantaneous release of the string in a 
manner which provides for a true forward discharge of the arrow. In this 
regard, as the shoulder constitutes the major means retaining the loop 
against the tension of the string, the release of the string is 
instantaneous and without slippage or the like which might occur were the 
loop retained against a flat surface, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,407, 
solely by the frictional resistance developed by the thumb. 
FIG. 7 is a view of a modified form of release, differing from the 
aforedescribed release only in that the handle, herein designated by 
reference numeral 12', is of a relatively thinner configuration, including 
a generally constant cross-section throughout the length thereof from the 
inner palm received end 22' to the outer end 24' incorporating the 
retaining shoulder 26' and the bight-receiving recess 28' immediately 
therebehind. The remaining structure, as well as the manner of use, of the 
embodiment of FIG. 7 is as described above. 
The foregoing is considered illustrative of the principles of the 
invention. Since modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in 
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact 
construction and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable 
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope 
of the invention as claimed.