Patent Publication Number: US-6901921-B1

Title: Crossbow with inset foot claw

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to a crossbow having a foot stirrup for use in cocking the crossbow, which foot stirrup is inset behind the bow prod. 
   Crossbows conventionally have included a foot stirrup for use in cocking. This is necessary so that the user can place his foot in the stirrup to hold the front of the crossbow against the ground while the user pulls the bow string back to a cocked position with his or her hands. Such prior art stirrups have conventionally extended out the front end of the stock of the crossbow, thus being positioned forward of the bow prods. For many users, particularly those who are tall, such an arrangement is satisfactory, in that they can bend over the crossbow stock and pull the string into the cocked position. However, some users of shorter stature have experienced difficulty in bending over the combined length of the crossbow stock and the forwardly projecting stirrup to grasp the string for cocking. For this reason, it has become desirable to develop a crossbow structure in which the combined length of the crossbow stock and the foot stirrup is shorter than the conventional arrangements. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a crossbow in which the overall length, including the foot stirrup, is reduced. To achieve this and other objects of the invention that will become apparent to those skilled in the art, this invention provides a crossbow having a stock with opposed longitudinal ends, including a forward end to which is mounted a bow and a rearward for engaging the shoulder of the user and a foot stirrup mounted to the stock forward end and being interposed between the stock forward end and the bow, such that a user&#39;s foot is insertable into the stirrup to support the crossbow for cocking. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention will be of this apparatus will be described in detail below in connection with the drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the manner in which a user cocks the string of the crossbow apparatus. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A preferred embodiment of the crossbow of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 .  FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of such a crossbow, in which reference numeral  2  refers generally to the stock of the crossbow, which stock includes a forward end  4  and a rearward end  6 . The stock may be fabricated of any suitable material, which may include, without limitation, wood and synthetic resins. To the forward end  4  of the stock  2  is affixed a riser or bracket  8 , suitably fabricated of a metal, such as aluminum of steel, or the like, or of a rigid synthetic resin. To this riser  8  is affixed the prods  10  and  12  that comprise the bow portion of the crossbow. These prods  10  and  12  may be affixed to the riser  8  by any suitable means, such as threaded fasteners or clamps, known to those skilled in the art. As shown more clearly in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a preferred embodiment of the bow portion of the apparatus may include, adjacent the outermost extremities of the prods  10  and  12 , conventional, compound-bow cam-shaped rollers  14  and  16 , which carry the bow string  18  in a conventional manner. 
   The riser, or mount,  8  is preferably of the general configuration of an open-centered polygon, suitably a triangular or tetragonal figure, having a central opening. The riser  8  of the preferred embodiment could be characterized as having a generally triangular shape, with the prods  10  and  12  mounted to the base of the triangle and the riser mounted to the stock at an apex generally opposite that base. Alternatively, it could also be characterized as a generally tetragonal shape, in plan view, with the prods  10  and  12  affixed to two adjacent sides of the tetragonal figure and the riser attached to the stock at an apex of the figure generally opposite those prod-mounting portions. 
   As shown most clearly in  FIG. 3 , the center of the riser or mount  8  is open and dimensioned to receive the foot of a user. The sole of the user&#39;s foot, or shoe, preferably engages a foot engaging portion  20  of the riser or mount  8 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the user, generally indicated by reference numeral  22 , while engaging the mount  8  with his or her foot  24 , can then use both hands  26  and  28  to pull the string  18  back toward a position in which the sting may be cocked in a conventional manner known for crossbows. In this manner, the user  22  can use his or her foot  24  to steady the crossbow against the ground or other surface, if desired, while pulling the string  18  back for cocking. By having the foot claw inset, rearwardly of the center portion of the bow formed by the prods  10  and  12 , the effective length of the overall crossbow experienced by the user, is shorter than if the foot stirrup were placed forward of the bow. This arrangement facilitates cocking of the apparatus, especially by persons of shorter stature. 
   While the foregoing describes a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of this invention, it is understood that such description is illustrative only of the principles of this invention and is not to be considered limitative thereof. Because numerous variations and modifications of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art, the scope of this invention is to be limited solely by the claims appended hereto.