Patent Publication Number: US-2016231078-A1

Title: Underwater Hunting Crossbow

Description:
The subject matter of the invention is an underwater hunting crossbow and an arming device for this type of crossbow. 
     The invention concerns the technical field of crossbow type underwater hunting guns with an elastic arming mechanism, i.e. including lateral elastic ties that propel the bolt. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the most widely used underwater hunting crossbows with an elastic arming mechanism include an elongate body ( 1 ) the rear end of which includes a stock ( 2 ) including a trigger ( 3 ) and the front end of which includes a head ( 4 ) for channeling and propelling a bolt ( 6 ) using propulsion lateral elastic ties ( 5 ) the front ends of which are hooked onto or retained on said head, and the rear ends of the elastic ties ( 5 ) are connected to an arming device ( 7 ) configured to nock onto the bolt ( 6 ) during arming. The arming device is generally notched onto a peg or a nock situated at the rear of the body of the bolt ( 6 ). 
     This type of arming device has a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the crossbow is armed exclusively on the pegs or the nocks produced on the body of the bolt: the tension of the elastic ties is therefore constant and is imposed by the distance separating the pegs or the nocks from the head situated at the front end of the body of the crossbow. This tension may be too high for a child or a young adult or too low for the type of hunting being carried out. It also happens that, during arming, the arming device is not hooked on properly and strikes the hunter&#39;s fingers. Moreover, the pegs that project from the body of the bolt are a nuisance, can be dangerous and are costly to produce, likewise the nocks, which moreover weaken the bolt. 
     Faced with this state of affairs, an objective of the invention is to eliminate all these drawbacks by proposing an arming device that allows the hunter to adjust the tension of the elastic ties at will. Another objective of the invention is to propose an arming device of simple and low-cost design that is easy and very reliable to use. 
     The solution proposed by the invention is an underwater hunting crossbow with elastic arming mechanism, said crossbow including an elongate body the rear end of which includes a stock including a trigger and the front end of which includes a head for channeling and propelling a bolt using propulsion lateral elastic ties the front ends of which are hooked onto or retained on said head, and the rear ends of the elastic ties are connected to an arming device configured to nock onto said bolt during arming. 
     This crossbow is remarkable in that the arming device incorporates clamping elements mobile between an active position in which they clamp the body of the bolt and a passive position in which they release the body of said bolt, said clamping elements being in the active position as soon as the elastic ties are tensioned to arm the crossbow. 
     When the hunter arms the crossbow by tensioning the elastic ties, the arming device is therefore positioned by clamping it anywhere on the bolt, whatever the design of the latter. Not only need the bolt no longer include either pegs or nocks, the hunter can also adjust the tension of the elastic ties to suit themselves. Moreover, during arming, the hunter, because the arming device is channeled on the bolt, there is no longer any risk of it jumping off. All this allows the hunter to keep their eye on the fish whilst very easily arming their crossbow to the required firing power. 
     The patent document FR2778529 (Miceli Joseph) describes an underwater hunting crossbow in which the rear ends of the elastic ties ( 14 ) are connected to a re-arming tensioner ( 8 ) that allows the elastic ties ( 14 ) to be stretched as far as the rear end of the bolt, after which the elastic ties are tensioned (in the armed position). Moreover, in that patent document, the trigger ( 5 ) is not an arming device allowing the elastic ties to be maintained under tension (in the armed position) but a trigger that is comparable to the trigger of a conventional stock. 
     Other remarkable features of the crossbow in accordance with the invention are listed below, each of these features able to be considered separately or in combination, independently of the remarkable features defined above:
         each clamping element includes:
           vertical axis articulation means for changing from the active position to the passive position,   a portion in contact with the body of the bolt, said contact portion being in the vicinity of the articulation means,   a portion forming a lever arm the end of which is remote from the articulation means and connected to a rear end of one of the elastic ties;   
           the arming device includes a portion forming a support configured so that the portions of the clamping elements in contact with the body of the bolt always remain at the level of the median axis of said bolt even if said arming device is inclined relative to said median plane of the bolt when arming the crossbow;   the clamping elements are symmetrically articulated to rotate on a guide part including two vertical axis articulation means cooperating with articulation means on said clamping elements;   the guide part includes portions situated on either side of an imprint, the whole being configured to channel the body of the bolt and to position the horizontal median plane of the clamping elements in the horizontal median plane of the bolt;   the portion of each clamping element in contact with the body of the bolt has a V-shape configured to have two points of contact with said bolt, which points of contact are positioned symmetrically to said median plane of the bolt;   in a different version, the portion of each clamping element in contact with the body of the bolt has a shape configured to have one point of contact with said bolt positioned below the horizontal median plane of the bolt;   because of the method of manufacture, a vertical axis of rotation is incorporated in each clamping element.       

    
    
     
       Other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment given with reference to the appended drawings, which are provided by way of nonlimiting indication and in which: 
       the aforementioned  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an underwater hunting crossbow with elastic arming mechanism, 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the arming device in the active position, 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the arming device in the active position, 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the arming device in the passive position, 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the guide part, 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of the guide part, 
         FIG. 7  is a part-sectional side view of the arming device in a position inclined relative to the horizontal median plane (A) of the bolt, 
         FIG. 8  shows the developed clamping element, 
         FIG. 9  is a section of the clamping element from  FIG. 8 , 
         FIG. 10  shows the developed clamping element in another embodiment, 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the arming device corresponding to the  FIG. 10  embodiment. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  represents an underwater hunting crossbow in its entirety. It includes an elongate body ( 1 ) the rear end of which includes a stock ( 2 ) including a trigger ( 3 ) and the front end of which includes a head ( 4 ) for channeling and propelling a bolt ( 6 ) with the aid of propulsion elastic ties ( 5 ) hooked onto or retained on said head. These elastic ties ( 5 ) are connected to an arming device ( 7 ) configured to be fixed to the bolt ( 6 ) during arming. 
       FIGS. 2, 3, 4  concern the arming device ( 7 ). In this embodiment the arming device ( 7 ) is preferably made of stainless steel sheet and is formed to shape by cutting, bending and pressing. The arming device ( 7 ) consists of a part ( 9 ) for guiding two clamping elements ( 10 ), attachment means ( 8 ) connecting the ends of the clamping elements ( 10 ) to the elastic ties ( 5 ). 
     In  FIG. 3  the arming device ( 7 ) is seen in the active position, i.e. the clamping elements ( 10 ) are clamping the body of the bolt ( 6 ) by virtue of the force generated by the tension in the elastic ties ( 5 ). The operation of the arming device ( 7 ) may be compared to that of a clamp. The clamping elements ( 10 ) are articulated on a guide part ( 9 ) by vertical axis articulation means ( 17 ), each clamping element ( 10 ) includes a portion in contact with the body of the bolt, said contact portion being very close to the articulation means ( 17 ). Said contact portions may therefore be compared with the upper portions of a clamp that serve to clamp. Each clamping element ( 10 ) then includes a portion ( 14 ) forming a lever arm allowing a substantial clamping force to be generated. 
     Said lever arms ( 14 ) may also be compared to the arms of a clamp. 
     In  FIG. 4  the arming device ( 7 ) is seen in the passive position, i.e. there is no longer any tension applied to the clamping elements ( 10 ) and there is therefore no longer any clamping of the body of the bolt. 
     In  FIG. 2  the arming device ( 7 ) is in the active position and there can be seen the portions of the clamping elements ( 10 ) in contact with the body of the bolt ( 6 ). In actual fact, said contact portions are configured in a V-shape in order for each clamping element to have only two points ( 13 ) of contact with the body of the bolt ( 6 ). Clearly the V-shape configuration of each contact portion of the clamping elements ( 10 ) allows the arming device ( 7 ) to function with a bolt ( 6 ) of any diameter. 
     In  FIG. 5  the guide part ( 9 ) is seen from the front. 
     This guide part ( 9 ) is configured to have in its central portion an imprint intended to channel said guide part ( 9 ) on the bolt ( 6 ). This imprint ( 15 ) may be of semi-cylindrical shape or any other shape enabling said guide part to be channeled on the bolt ( 6 ). The guide part ( 9 ) is extended on either side of the imprint ( 15 ) by horizontal portions ( 16 ) serving as supports for the clamping elements ( 10 ) and therefore making it possible to position the horizontal median plane of said clamping elements in the horizontal median plane (A) of said bolt. The shape of the guide part ( 9 ) is produced by cutting and pressing a sheet of stainless steel, for example. 
       FIG. 6  shows the guide part ( 9 ) in plan view. There are seen the vertical axis articulation means ( 17 ) that are provided by holes in said guide part. These holes are open so that it is possible to insert the articulation means ( 19 ), which are pins on the clamping elements ( 10 ). During assembly in the factory, after assembling each clamping element ( 10 ) with the guide part ( 9 ), the open holes are closed up so that the three components are fastened together, but the clamping elements ( 10 ) must remain mobile in rotation on the guide part ( 9 ). 
     In  FIGS. 6 and 7  there is seen the portion ( 18 ) of the guide part ( 9 ) that serves always to position the contact portions of the clamping elements ( 10 ) at the level of the bolt ( 6 ). It very often happens that the arming device ( 7 ) is inclined relative to the horizontal median plane (A) of the bolt ( 6 ) when the hunter arms the crossbow. In  FIG. 7  one of the clamping elements ( 10 ) is drawn in section in order to be able to see the contact points ( 13 ) and clearly the portion ( 18 ) of the guide part ( 9 ) allows positioning of said points ( 13 ) of contact always centered relative to the horizontal median plane (A) of the bolt ( 6 ). In actual fact, if this portion is incorrectly configured the arming device ( 7 ) could derail or to the contrary pass under the bolt ( 6 ) and be damaged or damage the crossbow. 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show a developed clamping element ( 10 ). There can be seen the contact points ( 13 ), the vertical axis articulation means ( 19 ) and the lever arm portion ( 14 ). Because of the manufacturing process, which is by pressing, the articulation means ( 19 ) clearly consist in a vertical pin produced in the steel sheet of the clamping element ( 10 ) and that said pin has rounded vertical edges to limit wear. It is also seen that the lever arm portion ( 14 ) tapers toward the end ( 140 ) that is connected to the rear end of one of the elastic ties ( 5 ) by means known to a person skilled in the art. This tapered lever arm ( 14 ) imparts flexibility to the arming device ( 7 ) which makes it comfortable for the hunter to de-arm their crossbow. 
       FIG. 10  shows the developed clamping element ( 10 ) in another embodiment. It is seen that the portion of the clamping element ( 10 ) in contact with the bolt ( 6 ) is configured so as to have a single point ( 20 ) of contact with the latter. In actual fact, in  FIG. 11  it is seen that each clamping element ( 10 ) has only one point ( 20 ) of contact with the bolt ( 6 ) below the horizontal median plane (A) of the bolt ( 6 ). This embodiment allows clamping of the bolt ( 6 ) at three points, the third point ( 21 ) of contact is found on the guide part ( 9 ), which optimizes the clamping of the bolt ( 6 ). 
     These embodiments optimize the cost of the arming device ( 7 ) but any other type of production or manufacture may be envisaged. For example, if the clamping elements ( 10 ) are connected with a single central rotation axis. Also, having the clamping elements ( 10 ) form a single component including a thinner portion at its center may be envisaged. Said thinner portion provides flexibility like a spring, which makes it possible to install the arming device on the bolt ( 6 ), but said thinner portion also provides the articulation allowing the arming device to go from the active position in which it clamps the bolt ( 6 ) to the passive position in which it releases the body of said bolt.