Patent ID: 8567381

Claim:
A bowstring sound dampener, the sound dampener comprising: a sleeve, the sleeve comprising a first sleeve end, a second sleeve end, and a central sleeve portion disposed between the first sleeve end and the second sleeve end, the second sleeve end having a pair of arms, the arms flared outwardly from one another; and a piston, the piston comprising a first piston end, a central piston portion, and a second piston end, the first piston end matingly received inside the central sleeve portion, the second piston end having a pair of outwardly biased grippers extending therefrom, the grippers flared outwardly from one another; wherein, in response to interaction by a bowstring, the grippers move inwardly towards one another when the piston moves in a first direction into the sleeve and outwardly away from one another when the piston moves in a second direction out of the sleeve, and wherein the grippers at least partially surround the bowstring when the piston moves in the first direction into the sleeve.