Archery bow bowstring release device

A body portion has a finger grip aperture therein and a slot on the forward edge arranged to receive a bowstring. A catch assembly pivotally supported on an upright axis extends into the slot and has a first position arranged to hold the bowstring in the release device and a second position arranged to release the bowstring. A trigger is mounted on the top of the body portion and operates an upright pin slidable in the body portion between a first position behind the catch assembly to hold the catch assembly in holding engagement on a bowstring and a second position disengaged from the catch assembly for allowing the latter to pivot and release the bowstring. The front of the body portion has a bore for receiving an arrow nock, such bore being of a size to also receive a bowstring nock stop. The slot which leads in from the front end of the body member is of less width than the bowstring nock stop whereby the release device will hang on the string nock stop for ready use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in archery bow 
bowstring release devices. 
Devices have heretofore been designed which provide a more convenient grip 
on the bowstring than an actual manual grip. Some of the devices, such as 
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,937,206 and 4,004,564 utilize a looped rope 
portion and rope release for drawing the bowstring. Other devices utilize 
mechanical engaging catches which draw the bowstring and release it for 
shooting the arrow. Examples of such mechanical engaging catches are shown 
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,819,707 and 3,757,763. Also, some devices have 
mechanism for drawing the bowstring and maintaining the bow in drawn 
condition. An example of this type of structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,041,925. Furthermore, a device has been conceived as shown in U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,086,904 which employs an anchor portion attachable to the bowstring 
and removably attached to the release device whereby when it is desired to 
draw the bowstring the release device is clipped onto the anchor device. 
A need exists for a simplified and economical release device which is 
efficient in its use and which also is attachable to the bowstring in an 
arrangement such that a fast and convenient draw of the bowstring can be 
accomplished. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention and forming a primary objective thereof, 
an archery bow bowstring release device is provided which accomplishes the 
above features, namely, such device is simplified in structure, economical 
to manufacture, and is capable of being hung on the bowstring for quick 
draw and release of the bowstring. 
In carrying out the above objectives, the device employs a body portion 
having a finger grip aperture therein and a front slot in the forward end 
for receiving a bowstring. Catch means are pivotally supported in the body 
member on an upright axis and extend into the slot means. The catch means 
has a hook end arranged to lock a bowstring in the device but also capable 
of allowing the bowstring to be readily released. An upright pin slidable 
in the body member has a first position engaged behind the latter in a 
latched position, and such pin is operatively connected to a trigger which 
upon being depressed pulls the pin from behind the catch means to release 
the bowstring. The forward end of the body member has a bore for receiving 
the arrow nock and the bowstring nock stop, and important to the 
invention, the front slot is of less width than the usual string nock 
stop, whereby with the bowstring locked behind the catch means and the 
bowstring nock stop disposed in the front bore and restricted from moving 
in the slot, the device is capable of being hung on the bowstring with an 
arrow in place for fast use. 
The invention will be better understood and additional objects and 
advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in 
connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With particular reference to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a 
conventional bow and the numeral 12 designates the bowstring. Although not 
necessary, a feature of the present invention is in combination with a 
bowstring of the type having a bowstring with a bowstring nock stop 14 
secured thereto in a selected location. 
The present release device comprises a body portion 16 formed of a pair of 
plate-like portions 16a and 16b, FIG. 4, clamped together by screws 18. 
The front edge 20 of the body portion has a slot 22 leading fully from top 
to bottom and of a width to freely receive the bowstring 12. The front 
edge 20 also has a round bore 24 leading inwardly and arranged to receive 
the nock portion of an arrow A. The bore 24 is large enough to receive 
such arrow nock and also simultaneously to receive the bowstring nock, 
FIG. 3, stop 14, but the slot 22 is of less width than the nock stop. Body 
portion 16 has a hand grip opening 26 at a rearward portion thereof, this 
opening preferably being of a size and shape for gripping by three 
fingers. 
A pair of catches 30 having a hook end 30a and a front rounded surface 30b 
are secured integrally to an upright shaft 32 journaled in the body 
portion rearwardly of the slot 22. The catches 30 are disposed in slots or 
recesses 34 leading inwardly from the front edge 20 and extending to the 
shaft 32. Slots 34 have sufficient dimension in their height and width to 
allow free movement of the catches 30 and also to allow lateral movement 
across the slot. As best seen in FIG. 4, one side of the slot 22 at the 
slots 34 has recesses 36 capable of receiving the hook end portion 30a of 
the catches 30. The hooks have movement between two positions, namely, a 
retracted position with the rear side thereof in engagement with a 
defining edge 34a of slots 34 and a catch position wherein the end 
portions thereof project into recesses 36. Catches 30 and integrated shaft 
32 are urged to a latched position by spring means 38, such as an arched 
leaf spring, confined in one of the slots 34 between the respective catch 
and wall of slot 34 on the side of the catch opposite from the hook end. 
While such spring means biases the hook assembly in such latched position, 
the force of the spring is not sufficient to prevent release of a 
bowstring when a trigger mechanism is actuated, as will now be described. 
Such trigger mechanism comprises a lever 44 having an intermediate pivot 
support 46 on the top of the body portion. This lever has a finger tab 48 
at one end engaged from underneath by a compression spring 49 which urges 
the lever in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. The 
opposite end of lever 44 from finger tab 48 has a yoke connection 50 with 
a trigger pin 52 slidably contained in an upright bore 54 in the body 
portion 10. Bore 52 is precisely located such that, with reference to FIG. 
4, the trigger pin 52 in a down position thereof extends closely adjacent 
wall portion 34a of the upper slot 34 and capable of being disposed behind 
the upper catch 30. This position of the trigger pin 52 positively holds 
the catch means 30 in a latching position as will be more apparent 
hereinafter. As stated above, the slot 22 is of sufficient width to freely 
receive the bowstring. However, this slot is of less width than the usual 
width of a bowstring nock stop 14 whereby the nock stop will be confined 
in the bore 24 for a reason to be apparent hereinafter. 
For installing the present release device on a bowstring, the trigger lever 
44 is depressed which raises the trigger pin 52 above the associated catch 
30. With the spring 38 lightly holding the catches 32 closed, the device 
is pushed onto the bowstring with the latter moving over the rounded ends 
30b of the catches. The bowstring thus moves behind the hook portions 30a 
of the catches. Thereupon, the trigger lever 44 is released and the spring 
49 causes the trigger pin 52 to move down behind the upper catch 30 
whereby the catch mechanism locks the release device on the bowstring. 
When it is desired to draw and release the bowstring, it is merely 
necessary to depress the trigger lever 44 to raise the pin 52 whereby the 
bowstring will force the spring pressed catch assembly open and be 
released therefrom. 
In attaching the present release device to the bowstring, the string nock 
stop 14 moves into the bore 24 along with the arrow nock, and since the 
slot 22 is of less width than the nock stop 14, the nock stop 14 will abut 
against the top of the bore 24 and thus the release device will not slide 
down the bowstring but instead will hang on the nock stop 14 and be 
conveniently available for drawing the bowstring. 
According to the invention, a release device is provided which is 
simplified in its construction and efficient in operation. It is easily 
attached to the bowstring, namely, the trigger lever 44 is depressed and 
the device is pushed onto the bowstring. Furthermore when the device is on 
the bowstring it is supported by the bowstring nock stop and locked in 
place. If desired, the release device can be readily disconnected and 
carried separately. 
It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein 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 my invention, or the 
scope of the subjoined claims.