Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to archery devices and more particularly pertains to a new archery arrow rest and guide having a hinged arrow support member for facilitating the positioning of the arrow within the arrow rest and guide. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of archery devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, archery devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art archery devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,383; U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,303; U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,601; U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,596; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,937; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 346,845. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new archery arrow rest and guide. The inventive device is attachable to a bow having a conventional arrow window and includes a mounting member having top and bottom side portions and an inside portion, the inside portion being abuttingly attachable to a side portion of the bow opposite the arrow window; a base member having a first end and a second end, the base member being integrally formed at the base member second end to the mounting member bottom side portion and extending perpendicularly therefrom; a first roller support member integrally formed at the base member first end and extending therefrom at a first acute angle relative to a base member top surface, the first roller support member having a longitudinal axis which lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member, the first roller support member having rotatably mounted thereto a first roller; a second roller support member integrally formed at the base member second end intermediate the first roller support member and the mounting member bottom side portion, the second roller support member extending therefrom at a second acute angle relative to the base member top surface, the second roller support member having a longitudinally axis which lies in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member and which intersects the longitudinal axis of the first roller support member, the second roller support member having rotatably mounted thereto a second roller; a hinged support member having first and second ends, the hinged support member first end being hingedly attached to the mounting member top side portion and extending perpendicularly therefrom, the hinged support member further comprising a third roller support member integrally formed at the hinged support member second end and extending perpendicularly therefrom, the third roller support member having a longitudinal axis which lies in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member and which intersects the longitudinal axes of the first and second roller support members, the third roller support member having rotatably mounted thereto a third roller; and wherein the first, second, and third rollers form therebetween a space for closely receiving an arrow shaft. The hinged support member is biased by a spring which biases the hinged support member in a position in which the third roller bounds the space for closely receiving the arrow shaft, thereby facilitating the positioning of the arrow within the arrow rest and guide. 
     In these respects, the archery arrow rest and guide according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating the positioning of the arrow within the arrow rest and guide. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of archery devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new archery arrow rest and guide construction wherein the same can be utilized for facilitating the positioning of the arrow within the arrow rest and guide. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the archery devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new archery arrow rest and guide which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art archery devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a pair of spaced and angled roller support means integrally formed on a base member. The base member is integrally formed on a mounting member bottom side portion. A hinged support member is hingedly attached to a mounting member top side portion and further includes a third roller support means. The roller support means are positioned in such manner that rollers rotatably mounted thereto are positioned in spaced relationship to one another such that a space is formed therebetween for closely receiving an arrow shaft. The hinged support member is biased by a spring in a position such that the third roller bounds the spaced for closely receiving the arrow shaft. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the archery devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new archery arrow rest and guide which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art archery devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such archery arrow rest and guide economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide having a hinged arrow support member for facilitating the positioning of the arrow within the arrow rest and guide. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new archery arrow rest and guide which includes a pair of spaced and angled roller support means integrally formed on a base member. The base member is integrally formed on a mounting member bottom side portion. A hinged support member is hingedly attached to a mounting member top side portion and further includes a third roller support means. The roller support means are positioned in such manner that rollers rotatably mounted thereto are positioned in spaced relationship to one another such that a space is formed therebetween for closely receiving an arrow shaft. The hinged support member is biased by a spring in a position such that the third roller bounds the spaced for closely receiving the arrow shaft. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a left side elevation view of a new archery arrow rest and guide according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front side elevation view thereof. 
     FIG. 3 is cross sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new archery arrow rest and guide embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     More specifically, it will be noted that the archery arrow rest and guide  10  comprises a mounting member  17  abuttingly attachable to a bow side portion  49 , a base member  14  integrally formed to the mounting member  17  and having roller support members  12  and  13  integrally formed thereon, and a hinged support member  20  hingedly attached to the mounting member  17  and having a third roller support member  21  integrally formed thereon. 
     With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a conventional bow having an arrow window  45  including an arrow shelf  46  and a vertical wall  47 . As shown, the arrow rest and guide  10  is mounted in such manner that the roller support members  12 ,  13 , and  21  are positioned to the outside of the arrow window  45 , opposite the bow inner portion  48 . 
     The mounting member  17  is shown abuttingly attached to the bow side portion  49  in such manner that the roller support members  12 ,  13  and  21  are positioned within the arrow window  45  above the arrow shelf  46 . An arrow shaft  60  is shown closely received within a space formed between the rollers  22 ,  23 , and  24 . The space between the rollers  22 ,  23 , and  24  provides a means for the arrow to rest in preparation for flight while the rollers  22 ,  23 , and  24  provide a means for guiding and stabilizing the arrow. 
     With reference to FIG. 3, the mounting member  17  is shown including a top side portion  19 , a bottom side portion  18 , and an inside portion  35 , the inside portion  35  being designed for abutting attachment to the side portion  49  of the bow. A base member  14  having a first end  15  and a second end  16  is shown integrally formed at the base member second end  16  to the mounting member bottom side portion  18  and extending perpendicularly therefrom. 
     The base member further includes a first roller support member  12  integrally formed at the base member first end  15 . The first roller support member  12  is shown extending from the base member first end  15  at a first acute angle relative to a base member top surface  37 . The first roller support member  12  has a longitudinal axis which lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member. Also shown rotatably mounted to the first roller support member  12  is a first roller  22 , the first roller preferably being formed of rubber or being coated with Teflon or a similar material for reducing noise as the arrow travels upon the first roller  22 . 
     With continued reference to FIG. 3, a second roller support member  13  is shown integrally formed at the base member second end  16  intermediate the first roller support member  12  and the mounting member bottom side portion  18 . The second roller support member  13  is shown extending from the base member second end  16  at a second acute angle relative to the base member top surface  37 . The second roller support member  13  further has a longitudinal axis which lies in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member  17 , the second roller support member  13  longitudinal axis intersection the first roller support member  12  longitudinal axis. A second roller  23  formed of a similar material as the first roller  22  is shown rotatably mounted to the second roller support member  13 . 
     A hinged support member  20  is shown having a first end  28  and a second end  29 . The hinged support member first end  28  is shown hingedly attached to the mounting member top side portion  19 . The hinged support member  20  is shown biased by a spring  30  in a first position perpendicular to the mounting member top side portion  19 . A third roller support member  21  is shown integrally formed at the hinged support member second end  29  and extending perpendicularly therefrom. The third roller support member  20  has a longitudinal axis which lies in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member  17  and which further intersects the longitudinal axes of the first and second roller support members  12  and  13  when the hinged support member  20  is in the first position. A third roller  24  formed of a similar as the first roller  22  is shown rotatably mounted to the third roller support member  21 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3  a space is formed between the first, second and third rollers  22 ,  23 , and  24  for closely receiving the arrow shaft  60 . In the preferred embodiment, the first acute angle is 30 degrees and the second acute angle is 30 degrees and the longitudinal axes of the first, second and third roller support members  12 ,  13 , and  21  intersect at a point when the hinged support member  20  is in the first position. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the first roller  22  is rotatably mounted to the first roller support member  12  by means of a first pin  25  which is shown extending through a first roller  22  axis of rotation and secured by conventional means to the first roller support member  12 . The first roller  22  axis of rotation is disposed perpendicularly to the first roller support member  12  longitudinal axis and in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member  17 . In similar fashion the second roller  23  is rotatably mounted to the second roller support member  13  by means of a second pin  26  which extends through a second roller  23  axis of rotation and secured by conventional means to the second roller support member  13 . The second roller  23  axis of rotation is disposed perpendicularly to the second roller support member  13  longitudinal axis and in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member  17 . The third roller  24  is rotatably mounted to the third roller support member  21  by means of a third pin  27  which extends through a third roller  24  axis of rotation and secured by conventional means to the third roller support member  21 . The third roller  24  axis of rotation is disposed perpendicularly to the third roller support member  21  longitudinal axis and in the plane perpendicular to the plane of the mounting member  17 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first roller  22  preferably includes a first roller concave outer surface  32 , the second roller  23  preferably includes a second roller concave outer surface  33  and the third roller  24  preferably includes a third roller concave outer surface  34 . The concave surface  32 ,  33 , and  34  further facilitate the positioning and guiding of the arrow upon flight. 
     With reference to FIG. 3, the hinged support member  20  is shown hingedly attached to the mounting member top side portion  19  by means of the spring  30 . The spring  30  is fixedly attached to the mounting member top side portion  19  at one end thereof and to the hinged support member second end  28  at the other end thereof. In the first position, the spring  30  biases the hinged support member  20  in such manner that the third roller  24  bounds the space for closely receiving the arrow shaft  60 . 
     With reference to FIG. 4 an alternative embodiment  50  of the present invention is shown including a base portion  51  integrally formed to a lateral portion  52  and extending perpendicularly therefrom. The base portion  51  includes support members  56  and  57 . A hinged support member  53  is shown hingedly attached to the lateral portion  52  and includes a bearing support member  55 . In this embodiment conventional bearing type rollers  54  are mounted in the support member  55 ,  56 , and  57  by means of bearings. 
     In use, the archery arrow rest and guide  10  is attached to the arrow window  45  by means of fasteners such as bolt  41  and nut  42  (FIG.  2 ). By retracting the hinged support member  20  from the first position an arrow is easily positioned upon the first and second rollers  22  and  23 . The hinged support member  20  is then returned to the first position to retain the arrow within the space for closely receiving the arrow shaft  60 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 2