Patent Publication Number: US-8113974-B1

Title: Hunting arrow point

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to archery and hunting and arrow points. More particularly, this invention relates to arrow points adapted for killing turkey and other game birds. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Where bow hunters engage in hunting of birds such as turkeys, a light duty bow is often selected and utilized by the hunter, such bow typically throwing a light arrow shaft. In keeping with the desirable light weight of game bird bow hunting equipment, the points attached to arrow shafts used in such hunting are similarly light weight. 
     A problem associated with bow hunting of game birds arises from the fact that the bodies of game birds typically present small killing zones to be targeted by an archer. For example, the preferred killing zone at a turkey&#39;s head often is as small as 2″ in diameter. In order to compensate for the small targetable killing zones presented by game birds, game fowl arrow points are known to include a radially extending array of cantilevered blades. Such arrangement of blades advantageously increases the effective target size of the arrow point with respect to a particular game bird. For example, where a turkey head presents a 2″ diameter target and where the blades of the game bird arrow point extend 2″ radially outwardly from the arrow&#39;s longitudinal axis, the effective target size is increased to approximately 4″ in diameter. 
     The above described need for game bird arrow points to be light in weight and the above described need for such arrow points to increase the effective target size, give rise to further problems and deficiencies. Light weight cantilevering arrow point blades are easily damaged and, upon damage, are desirably replaced. Known assemblies for facilitating interchangeable attachment and replacement of such blades often insecurely attach the blades, allowing the blades to fall off and be lost. Such assemblies also often require mechanically complex or difficult assembly and disassembly steps. 
     Another problem associated with such known cantilevering blade game bird killing arrow points relates to the an arrow spinning function of an arrow&#39;s fletching. The fletching or vanes, which are typically attached to an arrow&#39;s shaft immediately forward of the arrow&#39;s knock, are commonly arranged in a slightly helically twisting pattern. Helically twisting fletching installations advantageously spin the arrow about its longitudinal axis during flight, helping the arrow stay true to an aimed trajectory. Such known cantilevering blade game bird killing arrow points undesirably introduce air drag which opposes or interrupts the arrow&#39;s desired spin about its longitudinal axis. Such drag against axial spin tends to destabilize the arrow during flight. 
     The instant inventive game bird killing arrow point solves or ameliorates problems and deficiencies discussed above by configuring the point to include a unique and useful combination of screw and eye fasteners, ferrule mounting structures, blade mounting structures, and pivot stops. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first structural component of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point comprises a ferrule having a forward nose, a rearward shank, and a body portion situated between the forward nose and the rearward shank. The nose, body, and shank portions are preferably formed wholly together in a milling or molding fabrication process. Preferably, the body portion of the ferrule is configured to include or present a plurality of radially outwardly opening helically threaded screw receiving apertures. 
     Further components of the instant inventive arrow point preferably comprise a plurality of thin light weight blades, each blade having a proximal end, a distal end, a forwardly oriented and sharpened flesh cutting end, and a rearward end. Each blade&#39;s proximal end or haft is preferably configured to present a screw receiving eye which extends therethrough in the radial direction. In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, each of the blades, upon attachment to the ferrule component, is positioned with respect to the ferrule so that the eye at the blade&#39;s proximal end overlies and aligns with one of the ferrule&#39;s radially outwardly opening helically threaded apertures. A plurality of helically threaded screws are provided, such screws being utilized to removably and interchangeably attach the blades to the ferrule at the sites of the helically threaded apertures. 
     A further structural component of the instant inventive small game killing arrow point comprises a plurality of pivot stops, each pivot stop being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the ferrule. The pivot stops are preferably operatively positioned upon the ferrule so that, upon screw attachments of the blades to the ferrule, and upon cutting impingement of the sharpened edge of one of the blades against a game animal, the applicable pivot stops will impinge against and apply counter-torque to said one blade, stopping pivoting movement of such blade about the screw in the rearward direction. 
     A further component of the instant inventive hunting arrow point comprises blade rotating pitch means connected to or formed wholly as a part of the ferrule. Where the blades are installed upon the ferrule so that they are canted at an angle of 0° with respect to the ferrule&#39;s longitudinal axis, such blades undesirably tend to act as air brakes, resisting rotation of the arrow about its longitudinal axis. Such rotation is desirably impelled by a slightly helical installation of an arrow&#39;s fletchings, and it is desirable that other structures associated with the arrow (such as the cantilevering blades of the instant invention) not interfere with such rotation. Accordingly, the blade pitch means angularly cants the blades so that they function as ferrule and arrow shaft turning vanes, complimenting rather than hindering the desirable rotation impelled by the fletchings. In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the blade pitch means comprises either a forward or a rearward (and preferably forward) angular tilt, or cant of blade mounting lands about the body of the ferrule. Other means for creating a blade rotating pitch, such as providing a step within blade receiving channels, are considered to fall within the scope of the invention. 
     In order to facilitate secure mounts of the blades upon the ferrule, the body portion of the ferrule preferably is milled or molded to present a plurality of substantially flat or stepped blade mounting lands, such lands preferably being forwardly angularly canted or stepped as described above. Where such mounting lands are provided, each of the ferrule&#39;s radially outwardly opening helically threaded apertures is preferably further positioned so that it opens at the site of one of the lands. 
     Also in the preferred embodiment of the instant inventive small game killing arrow point, each pivot stop comprises at least a first wall that either faces forwardly from the rear of the blade or faces rearwardly from a front surface of the blade. Preferably, such rearwardly or forwardly facing walls are paired and are oppositely oriented so that they, in combination with the flat or stepped mounting lands, form fitted blade haft receiving channels. In the preferred embodiment, and where such blade haft receiving pivot stopping channels are provided, the ferrule is milled or molded so that the depths of such channels are approximately equal to the radial thicknesses of the proximal ends or hafts of the blades. Such fitting of channel depths to blade thicknesses advantageously minimizes both the weight of the point and wind resistance or drag experienced by the point. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point, the ferrule&#39;s radially outwardly opening helically threaded screw receiving apertures and the blades are arranged in a radially symmetric fashion. Where three blades are provided, a triangular radial symmetry is preferred. Where four blades are provided, a quadrilateral radial symmetry is preferred. Where five blades are provided, a pentagonal radial symmetry is preferred, and where six blades are provided, a hexagonal radial symmetry is preferred. The scope of the instant invention is not considered to be restricted to any particular number of blades. However, a three bladed and triangularly radially symmetric point, as is drawn in the appended drawings, is preferred. 
     Also in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the forward nose of the ferrule is conical and is pointed, and the rearward shank is preferably helically threaded for convenient “screw-on/screw-off” arrow shaft mounting. In order to further reduce the weight of the inventive arrow point, a series of voids may be milled or molded into the forward nose portion of the ferrule or may be milled or molded axially into the rearward shank of the ferrule. Preferably, the ferrule comprises aluminum, and the blade and blade mounting screws comprise tempered steel. Suitably, the ferrule component may alternatively comprises titanium. 
     In use of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point, a bow hunter may initially be supplied with a series of blades configured as described above, along with a supply of blade attachment screws. Suitably, the blades from which the bow hunter selects may be of varying lengths. Where the ferrule includes the preferred triangular radial symmetry, the bow hunter may select three blades of identical length and may utilize three attachment screws for attachment of such three blades to the ferrule. Where the ferrule presents the preferred pivot stopping blade haft receiving channels, as described above, the hafts or proximal ends of the blades may be placed within such channels so that their cutting edges are oriented forwardly, and so that the radially extending eyes of such blades align with and overlie the ferrule&#39;s screw receiving apertures. Upon such alignments, the attachment screws may be threadedly installed and tightened. 
     During the flight of an arrow armed with the inventive game bird killing arrow point toward, for example, the head of turkey, the blade rotating pitch means advantageously compliments the arrow shaft rotation provided by the arrow&#39;s fletching, upon reaching the turkey, one of the cantilevered blades may forcefully impinge against the head of the turkey, such contact tending to pivot the blade rearwardly. Upon such contact, the pivot stopping wall of the channel into which said one blade is installed advantageously applies counter-torque to the blade, stopping such rearward pivoting motion and causing the blade to drive through the turkey&#39;s head, killing the turkey. 
     In the event that one or more of such installed blades are damaged as the result of being so launched, the blade attachment screws are easily withdrawn and replacement blades are easily substituted and re-installed. 
     Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of a game bird killing arrow point that incorporates structures and features as described above, such structures and features are functionally arranged as described above. 
     Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the instant invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the arrow point of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an alternative sectional view as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  re-depicts  FIG. 4 , the view of  FIG. 5  showing blade pitch means, such means canting the blades angularly with respect to the point&#39;s longitudinal axis. 
         FIG. 6  redepicts  FIG. 5 , the view of  FIG. 6  alternatively shows a stepped land as blade canting means. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point is referred to generally by Reference Arrow  1 . A major structural component of the arrow point  1  comprises a ferrule that, referring further simultaneously to  FIG. 2 , is identified generally by Reference Arrow  2 . The ferrule  2  preferably comprises a rearward extending shank  7 , a forward nose  4 , and an intermediate or medially positioned body portion  8 . 
     Referring further simultaneously to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the body portion  8  of the ferrule  2  is preferably molded or milled to include both a forwardly facing slide stopping wall  10  and a rearwardly facing slide stopping wall  12 , said slide stopping walls  10  and  12  advantageously forming and defining a blade receiving and pivot stopping channel. The floor of such channel is advantageously configured as a substantially flat blade mounting land  14 . Preferably, a radially outwardly opening helically threaded screw receiving aperture  16  is positioned within and opens at the flat blade mounting land  14 . 
     Referring simultaneously to  FIGS. 1-3 , it can be seen that the body portion  8  of the ferrule  2  is further molded or milled to present a triangular radial symmetry, such symmetry being representative of other possible symmetries, such as square, pentagonal, or hexagonal. In the triangular radial symmetry configuration depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , each of the three radial sides of the body portion  8  of the ferrule  2  is substantially identically configured to include forwardly facing and rearwardly facing walls  10  and  12 , a channel floor/attachment land  14  and a helically threaded screw receiving aperture  16 . Referring further simultaneously to  FIG. 4 , weight saving voids  18  and  20  may be molded into or milled into a nose  4  or the shank  7  of the ferrule  2 . Preferably, the shank  7  includes helical threads for convenient interchangeable attachment to an arrow shaft (not depicted). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a plurality of blades are identified generally by Reference Arrows  22 . Each blade  22  is preferably configured substantially identically with each other blade  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the blades  22  are representative of variably dimensioned triples of blades that may be selected by the bow hunter for use in various small game hunting applications. Each blade  22  has a proximal or haft end  26 , each proximal or haft end  26  having a preferably substantially flat radially inner surface  40 . Also, each proximal or haft end  26  has a screw receiving eye  28  extending radially therethrough. As is depicted in  FIG. 2 , each screw receiving eye preferably has an annular wall and is circular. However, the scope of the invention is considered to include differently configured eyes such as oblong apertures, square or rectangular apertures, or apertures in the nature of a slot that further opens at a blade edge. Each blade  22  preferably further has a sharpened forwardly oriented cutting edge  24 . Helically threaded screws  23  are preferably provided, such screws being fitted for inward extension through the eyes  28  of the blades  22 , and for helically threaded engagement with the helical threaded apertures  16  within the body portion  8  of the ferrule  2 . 
       FIG. 1  represents an assembled configuration of the instant inventive game bird killing arrow point, and  FIG. 2  represents its disassembled configuration. In assembling the arrow point, a bow hunter may initially place the proximal or haft end  26  of one of the blades  22  within one of the channels defined by paired pivoting stopping walls  10  and  12  and mounting land  14 . Upon so inserting such proximal blade end, the bow hunter may align the blade&#39;s eye  28  over helically threaded aperture  16 . Thereafter, the bow hunter may manually inwardly insert screw  23  through eye  28  to initially enter helically threaded aperture  16 . Thereafter, the bow hunter may utilize a common screwdriver to further engage the screw  23  with the helically threaded aperture  16 , tightening the head of screw  23  against the proximal or haft end of the blade  22  as is depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Thereafter, such bow hunter may repeat such blade installation steps in sequence upon the other two blades  22  depicted in  FIG. 2 , completing the assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , structures identified by reference numerals having the suffix “A” and “B” are substantially identical to similarly numbered structures appearing in  FIGS. 1-4 .  FIG. 5  alternatively shows the substantially flat blade mounting lands  14  (see  FIG. 2 ) angularly canted forwardly an angle α with respect to the point&#39;s longitudinal axis  42 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 6 , step  44  provides such cant and angle α. Such angle α is preferably positive, tilting the angled or stepped lands forwardly, such angle preferably having a magnitude between 2° and 8°. The depicted angular canting or stepping of the lands and the blades  22 A or  22 B mounted thereon constitutes preferred blade pitch means which are intended to compliment the typical helical installation of an arrow&#39;s fletchings. 
     Upon achieving the assembly depicted in  FIG. 1  (or  FIG. 5  or  6 , as the case may be), the bow hunter may install the arrow point  1  upon the forward end of an arrow shaft (not depicted) utilizing the helical threads  6  of the shank  7  of the ferrule  2 . Thereafter, the inventive arrow point  1  is suitably configured for targeting upon and launching toward a game bird, such as a turkey. 
     During flight, the blade pitch means depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6  may advantageously compliment the arrow spinning effect of the arrow&#39;s fletchings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , upon impingement at high velocity of the cutting edge  24  of one of the blades  22  of the arrow point  1  against, for example, the head of a turkey, such blade may cut and drive through the head, killing the turkey in a quick and humane fashion. As the blade  22  drives against the turkey&#39;s head, impact forces tend to drive and pivot the blade  22  rearwardly about screw  23 . Such pivoting motion is, referring further simultaneously to  FIG. 2 , advantageously stopped by counter-torque imposed by pivot stopping walls  10  and  12 . Preferably, the height of the pivot stopping walls  10  and  12  is closely fitted to the radial thickness of the proximal or haft ends  26  of the blades  22 , such fitting minimizing both weight and wind resistance. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 1 , upon any launching of the game bird killing arrow point  1 , one or more of the blades  22  may strike a hard surface, such as a rock or tree root, undesirably bending or breaking the blade  22 . Upon the occurrence of such blade damage, a bow hunter may easily utilize a screwdriver to extract the applicable screw  23  and may easily and conveniently replace the damaged blade with a new undamaged blade that exactly matches the remaining undamaged blades. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the ferrule portion  2  of the small game killing arrow point  1  comprises aluminum and the blades  22  and screws  23  preferably comprise tempered steel. 
     While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications in the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.