US2887319A - Arrow fletchings - Google Patents

Description

Ma 19, 1959 N. B. LAY 2,887,319

ARROW FLETCHINGS r Filed Sept. so, 1953 JNVENTOR. A/ATflAN/EL B. LAX

A TTORNE Y ARROW FLETCHINGS Nathaniel B. Lay, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Nat Lay, Inc., Noblesville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 30, 1953, Serial No. 383,250

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-1065) This invention relates to fletching devices for free flying missiles and more particularly to arrow fletchings.

It is known that when arrows or similar free flying missiles which are intended to be steadied in flight by the action of vanes at the rearward end thereof are released from their initial propelling force, they have a tendency to yaw or weave until the guiding vanes have become effective. This initial wobble or yaw, although of short duration, has a marked effect upon the accuracy and penetration of the arrow, particularly where the flight from point of release to the target is short.

It has also been previously discovered that flexibility of arrow fletchings is very desirable. However, it has been found that when the commonly used fletchings which are made of plastic and the like are made thin enough or soft enough to be flexible, they develop flutter during the flight of the arrow to which they are attached. The flutter of the vanes causes increased air resistance and shorter flight, as well as misdirection of the arrow.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrow fletching which provides maximum guiding effect so as to bring about steady flight in the minimum period of time.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arrow fletching which eliminates flutter of the vanes while permitting maximum flexibility thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrow fletching which combines all of the fletching elements or guiding vanes to be used on an arrow in a unitary construction and which embodies the novel features hereinafter more fully described.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure.

In accordance with the above and other objects of the invention, I have discovered that guiding vanes or fletchings which are perforated, as by holes, slots and the like, have superior properties in causing the arrows to which they are attached to assume a steady attitude of flight within the minimum possible time after release from their aiming and/or propelling devices. I have further discovered that by incorporating stiffening ribs on the fletching parallel to the line of flight of the arrow, the fletchings can be made very flexible without being subject to flutter during flight.

The following description will be directed to the use of the novel guiding vanes as arrow fletchings, but it will be obvious that their use is not limited thereto, but is of equal utility for darts, crossbow bolts and the like.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a fletching ele- United States Patent 2,887,319 Patented May 19, 1959 "ice Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fletching element of Fig. 5 on line 6--6.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a unitary construction having three fletching units, each of which is perforated and has a longitudinally extending stiffening rib.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the unitary fletching construction of Fig. 7 along the line 8-8,. showing the taper of the fletching elements from base to edge thereof.

Referring to the drawings, fletching element 15, having base 16 for convenient attachment to an arrow, is pierced by holes 18. In another embodiment of the invention, slots 20, Fig. 2, may be used. The effect of the openings or perforations is to cause the arrow to assume a straight path in the minimum distance after leaving the bow or propelling force. An increase in accuracy and penetration is the result, particularly where the arrow is to be used at short range, as in hunting. The variation in the size, number and shape of the openings allows the fletching element to be adapted to the particular mass, length or spine of the arrow. The openings also permit the flexibility of the element to be increased over that of the unperforated material.

The fletching elements 15 can be combined into a unitary construction, Fig. 3, wherein vanes 15 are formed integrally with or joined to tube 22, projecting radially therefrom at intervals around the circumference, Fig. 4. Tube 22 can be placed in position on the rearward end of an arrow, thereby the fletching operation is completed in a single step. By fixing one end of tube 22 when in position on an arrow, and rotating the other end relative thereto, a uniform spiral twist can be imparted to vanes 15 whereby the arrow will be caused to spin in flight.

When an arrow is released from the bow, it must pass the archers hand and the bow. When the fletching is made of stiff material, as heretofore was common practice, the fletching in passing the hand scratched or even cut the skin. Similarly, because of the stilfness of the vanes, the arrow was commonly deflected somewhat from its course when the vanes of the fletching brushed the bow in passing, particularly when a novice or inexperienced archer was concerned. While a high degree of flexibility of the guiding vanes or fletching elements is desirable, it has been found that vanes of high flexibility have a tendency to flutter in use, whereby there is much higher wind resistance as well as interference with trueflight. Ribs 24, Figs. 5, 6, which stiffen the vane in a. longitudinal direction, prevent flutter while permitting maximum flexibility in a transverse direction. In another embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the fletching element 15 may have one rib 24 and a tapered cross-section, whereby the base of the vanes is less. flexible and assists in preventing flutter. This feature of the invention makes it possible to employ for fletching materials substances hitherto regarded as too soft or flexible to be successful, as well as those which, when perforated, would flutter due to the action of the air pressure when in flight.

Among the materials which can be used for the fabrication of the novel fletching elements, as well as the unitary fletching, are elastic substances such as natural and synthetic rubbers, chlorinated rubber, polyethylene, polyvinyl plastic and the like. Nonelastic materials such as polystyrene, cellulose acetate, methyl methacrylate and their equivalents can also be used.

It will be apparent that the description given hereinabove is purely illustrative, and that many modifications thereof can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A fletching device for arrows and the like, comprising a guiding vane of a material normally flexible and adapted for mounting upon the rearward end of an arrow shaft, and having a mounting edge and a free margin,

said vane being pierced by multiple spaced-apart openings over substantially the entire area of the vane, while maintaining an unbroken free margin, and having a straight longitudinal stiffening rib situated upon said vane on the side of the said openings remote from the said mounting edge and extending longitudinally thereon and substantially parallel to the mounting edge for substantially the entire length of the vane at the line of attachment of the said rib and uninterrupter bythe said openings, whereby the said vane has maximum stiffness in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof while retaining flexibility in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and whereby when in use the said guiding vane causes the arrow to assume a straight flight path within the minimum distance and without flutter of the said guiding vane.

2. A fietching device for arrows and the like, consisting of a tubular vane support adapted for mounting upon the rearward end of an arrow shaft, and multiple guiding vanes of a material normally flexible extending radially outward from the circumference of the said support and parallel to the long axis thereof, the said vanes having straight stiffening ribs situated thereupon at a point remote from the said mounting means and extending thereon uninterruptedly for substantially the length of the said vane at the line of attachment of the said ribs and substantially parallel to the said vane support, whereby the said vanes have maximum stiffness in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof while retaining flexibility in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, and whereby in use the said guiding vanes do not flutter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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