US3415240A - Takedown archery bow - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1968 F. B. BEAR TAKEDOWN ARCHERY BOW Filed Oct. 14, 1965 INVENTOR fee 35w? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,415,240 TAKEDOWN ARCHERY BOW Fred B. Bear, Grayling, Micln, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Victor Comptometer Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,836 8 Claims. (Cl. 124-23) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An archery bow having a handle section and a pair of separate limbs including tapered socket members in the ends of the handle section which receive tapered butt portions of the limbs. The assembly includes displaceable block means within the sockets operable to tightly engage and release the butt portions disposed within the socket members.

This invention relates generally to archery bows and more particularly to a takedown bow including a rigid handle section and a pair of removable outer limbs.

Takedown bows as such have been known for some time, the principal recognized advantages of such construction being the case of shipping, transporting and storing the bow when in its disassembled position. In the past, however, several disadvantages have been inherent in the takedown bow construction. In those bows which were constructed with a ferrule for engaging a removable limb having parallel sides, it was practically impossible to provide a construction which would permit assembly and disassembly while at the same time providing a joint which did not squeak or rattle during use of the bow. The principal disadvantage of the prior known takedown bows employing a tapered socket arrangement was that when the two limbs were inserted into the sockets carried by the handle sections, and the how was subsequently strung and ultimately drawn, it was found that in view of the tapered joint, the two limbs were forced so tightly into an assembled relationship that it was extremely difiicult to disassemble the bow without the necessity of calling upon the use of tools to pry apart the limbs from the handle section.

The present invention provides for a bow construction which overcomes the difficulties encountered with the previous takedown bows by providing a tapered socket at either end of a handle section for the reception of the tapered ends of an upper and lower bow limb. Novel means are incorporated for releasing the wedge lock action of the socket upon the ends of the limb when it is desired to disassemble the take-apart bow. Also, means are provided for permitting alignment of each of the two removable limb sections of the bow with respect to each other and the handle section, it being a well-known disadvantage of the majority of the takedown bows that the ends of the two limbs often become misaligned with a resulting decided adverse effect upon the accuracy of the bow thereafter.

With the present bow construction it will be readily appreciated on a review of the following description that means are provided whereby should an archer accidently damage only one of the limbs of the bow, then it is not necessary for him to dis-card the entire how but he may merely purchase for replacement one of the limbs. Also, since most avid archers maintain several bows for use under varying conditions such as target shooting and different types of game hunting it will follow that by use of a takedown bow according to the present invention it will be possible to substitute only the two limbs when it is desired to change from a bow having a draw of say 40 pounds to one of say 70 pounds.

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Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an archery bow of an improved takedown construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a takedown archery bow including a handle section having tapered socket assemblies at either end thereof and cooperating with tapered end portions on an upper and lower detachable limb.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a takedown archery bow having socket means on the handle section for joining with tapered or wedge-shaped end portions on the limb section and having finger manipulatable release means for relieving the wedge locking of the limbs to the handle section.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a takedown bow including a handle section provided with wedge socket attaching means at the ends thereof for reception of tapered end portions of the archery bow limbs and including adjustable means for maintaining proper alignment between the upper and lower limbs of the bow.

With these and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an archery bow according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial side elevation, partly in section, showing in detail the wedge lock arrangement,

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 with the lower limb separated from the handle section, and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the handle section taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 with the limb removed for clarity.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the present invention provides an archery bow of takedown construction and includes a handle section 1 and a removable upper limb 2 and lower limb 3. The handle section 1 may be of any desirable configuration and will preferably include a contoured hand grip 4 and any other well-known features not forming a part of the present invention, such as how sights, arrow rests, etc. Fixedly mounted within the two ends of the handle section 1 is a tapered upper socket member 5 and lower socket member 6 having their enlarged open portions directed upwardly and downwardly, respectively. The sockets 5 and 6 are preferably permanently attached to the ends of the handle section at the time of manufacture of the how, it being readily appreciated, that when the bow is assembled and strung that a tremendous pressure is exerted by the flexed limbs 2 and 3 through the sockets into the handle section.

The present invention is not limited to any specific construction for the handle section and limbs, it being understood that any suitable material may be utilized in forming these components during construction of the present invention, such as the well-known archery woods, and the more recently developed plastic and glass fiber laminates. Regardless of the selection of material for constructing the present bow, one of the primary objectives is to insure an even distribution of stress particularly throughout the handle section during use of the assembled bow. In many of the prior known takedown bows, lack of an even distribution of stress in this area was a prime fault of the bow. In order to overcome this disadvantage,

it is proposed to provide the present sockets 5 and 6 with reinforcing means in the form of one or more tangs rigidly attached to the sockets and arranged to be enclosed or embedded within the body of the handle section 1. As will be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, a front tang 7 projects longitudinally from each socket towards the center of the handle section and is spaced inwardly within the handle section immediately adjacent the belly or front 8 of the bow handle. Additionally, similar reinforcing means in the form of a rear tang 9 may project longitudinally towards the center of the handle section from each of the sockets 5 and 6 with its free end spaced inwardly within the handle section from the back 10 of the bow as shown in FIGURE 1.

Upon reviewing FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the tangs 7 are likewise spaced inwardly from the two sides of the bow handle thus illustrating that the projecting ends of all of the tangs are completely enclosed by or embedded within the material of the handle section 1. To further insure the rigidity of the thus disposed sockets and their tangs within the handle section, the periphery of the tangs may be provided with an irregular contour such as the notches 7a and likewise, a plurality of openings 7b may be provided through the center portions of the tangs. In this manner it will be understood that during the assembly of the socket members within the handle section, wherein the handle is made up of a plurality of laminations, it will follow that the adhesive material utilized in the formation of the assembled handle sections will enter into these notches and openings to further connect the adjacent laminations surrounding the tangs 7.

Depending upon the draw of the completed bow and the particular configuration of the handle section under consideration, it may be desired to provide positive rigid means for interconnecting the two socket assemblies ineluding their related tangs. As illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein a pair of tangs are provided on each socket, a tie rod 11 is connected at either end to the free projecting ends of the two rear tangs 9 by any suitable means. Quite obviously for the sake of appearance and also to obtain the maximum strength from such interconnecting means, the tie rod 11 is embedded within the confines of the four sides of the handle section 1. Thus, it will be observed that as the bow is assembled and strung and subsequently drawn, the stresses delivered through the flexed limbs to the socket assemblies and ultimately the projecting ends of the tangs will result in a tendency for the ends of the tangs to be urged in a direction toward the back 10 of the bow handle. However, in view of the tie rod 11, which may be of metal or any other material having substantial longitudinal rigidity, the two opposed rear tangs 9 will be prevented from moving in this direction.

Considering now the specific construction of the upper and lower sockets 5 and 6, it will first be understood that each of these two sockets is constructed similarly and comprises a planar front wall 12 and rear wall 13 which are inclined inwardly from the open end of the socket to provide a tapered socket opening terminating at the curved bottom wall 15 joining the front and rear walls. The front and rear walls preferably extend the width or lateral thickness of the bow handle at its ends and are joined together by means of a pair of oppositely disposed side walls 16 and 17. As will be seen in FIGURE 3 these side walls 16, 17 are parallel to one another.

In the embodiment including the single tank 7 projecting from each socket, means are provided for attaching the tie rod 11 directly to the sockets. The rear wall 13 is formed with a central tie rod cavity 1311 the bottom wall 13b of which is preferably disposed flush with the back 10 of the bow. The end wall 130 of the cavity 13a contains an opening for the reception of the free end of the tie rod 11 which is fastened in place by means of a suitable nut 11a.

The novel connection between the limbs and sockets of the present invention is achieved due to the relative construction of the butt end portions 18 of the limbs 2 and 3 and the respective above described socket openings. As will be seen in FIGURE 3, the butt portions 18 of the limbs are of a reduced lateral dimension adjacent the free ends thereof which would be contiguous to the bottom Wall 15 of the socket when the limb is fully assembled. This arrangement provides a lateral dimension adjacent the free end of the butt 18 which, as will be seen, is substantially less than the corresponding internal lateral dimension of the socket member. Preferably, the side walls of the limbs adjacent the free end thereof are disposed in a parallel relationship for a substantial distance from the end of the limb whereupon it will be seen that the side walls are then disposed in an inclined direction until the normal width of the limb is reached. The purpose of this construction will become apparent hereinafter.

As will be seen in FIGURE 2, the front 3a and rear 317 of the butt end portion 18 are inclined relative to one another at a steeper or greater angle than the opposed front wall 12 and rear wall 13 of the socket 6. In this manner, when the limb 3 is in its fully seated or assembled position as shown in FIGURE 2, it will be apparent that with the limb thus positioned, a substantial tapered space will be provided between the juxtaposed front face 3a of the limb and front wall 12 of the socket due to the aforedescribed differences in included angles. The respective tapers of the front and rear walls of the limb and the corresponding walls of the socket are such that when in the assembled position, both of these walls of the limb will form a tight fit with the front and rear walls of the socket at the immediate open end of the socket member, thus it will be understood that the aforesaid space adjacent the front wall 301 of the limb will begin at a point inwardly of the opening of the socket and progressively increase towards the curved bottom wall 15 of the socket.

In order to provide a positive tight-fitting action between the butt end 18 of the limb and the socket, a wedge actuating assembly, generally designated 19, is supported by the mounting face 6a disposed on the front 8 of the bow handle and connected to the socket 6 at its outer end as most clearly shown in FIGURE 2. This wedge actuating assembly 19 controls a wedge block 20, of generally triangular configuration in side elevation, and which is adjustably mounted to provide movement to and from the opposed front face 3a of the limb. The front wall 12 of the socket includes a wedge block opening 21 within which the wedge block 20 is disposed, the wedge block being mounted therein by means of a leaf spring 22 connected at one end to the outermost end of the wedge block 20 and having its other end suitably attached to the undersurface of the socket mounting face 6a. The leaf spring 22 is pre-tensioned so that the wedge block 20 will be constantly urged away from the socket opening and toward the socket mounting face 6a. A rotary member comprising a lock screw 23 passes through a tapped lock screw housing 24 and is adapted to have its inner end in constant engagement with one side of the wedge block 20 whereby rotation of this lock screw 23 will cause axial displacement therof, which displacement will correspondingly displace the Wedge block 20 either to or from the rear wall of the socket according to the particular direction the lock screw is turned.

Suitable actuating means for manipulating the lock screw 23 are provided in the form of an actuating lever 25 connected to the lock screw adjacent the head thereof. The actuating lever includes an outwardly projecting finger arm 26 at one end and a base 27 which is loosely attached to the lock screw 23 and includes suitable locking means such as the set screw 28 for rigidly connecting the actuating lever 25 to the lock screw 23 to prevent relative angular displacement therewith. Stop means comprising a saddle catch 29 for engaging and retaining the actuating lever 25 in its locked position are mounted through the socket mounting face 6a. From a review of FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be observed that the saddle catch 29 comprises an integral member including a guide ramp 30 inclined upwardly from the outer edge thereof, and intermediate notch 31 and an adjacent vertical stop wall 32. The saddle catch 29 is normally spring urged by means of a catch spring 33 suitably mounted beneath the mounting face 6a and provides ready means whereby the actuating lever 25 may be placed in its locked operative position by merely moving the finger arm 26 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3 until it engages the guide ramp 30 whereupon the entire saddle catch 29 will be forced inwardly of the socket against the force of the catch spring 33 until the intermediate portion of the finger arm 26 snaps into the notch 31 of the saddle catch whereupon the catch spring 33 will force the catch outwardly to retain the actuating lever 25 in this position between the raised adjacent vertical walls of the guide ramp 30 and stop wall 32. It will be apparent that the catch 29 thus serves as an indicating means to announce to the archer whether or not the wedge block is fully locked since this will only be true if the actuating lever is seated within the notch 31 thereof.

The sequence of assembling and disassembling the takedown bow will now be described. With the handle section 1 separate from the upper and lower ends 2 and 3, the actuating levers 25 provided on both the upper and lower socket assemblies 5 and 6 are turned clockwise until disposed in the locked position as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2, whereupon it will be seen that the respective wedge blocks 20 will be displaced inwardly towards the rear walls 13 of the sockets by reason of the axial displacement of the lock screws 23, which displacement of the wedge blocks will be against the resiliency of the leaf springs 22. With the wedge blocks thus positioned, the butt ends 18 of the limbs are inserted into the respective socket openings and driven to their limits therewithin by the application of normal manual pressure. In view of the aforedescribed relative inclinations of the tapers of the butt ends of the limbs and the front and rear walls of the sockets and the projection of the wedge blocks 20 into the space formed therebetween, it will be seen that the front face 3a of each limb will strike the juxtaposed surface of the wedge block 20 prior to the complete insertion of the limb into the socket, thereby producing a wedging action which, as the limb is further driven into the socket, increases to a considerable degree to provide an extremely tight fit between the limbs and the handle section 1.

The precise degree of the wedge locking action produced during the above assembly of the limbs may be readily adjusted by altering the relative angular displacement between the lock screw 23 and actuating lever 25. This is achieved by releasing the set screw 28 thereby permitting the actuating lever 25 to be moved counterclockwise without actually displacing the lock screw 23 and thereafter the set screw 28 may be retightened so that subsequent clockwise movement of the actuating lever will rotate the lock screw through a greater angle to increase the inward axial displacement of the screw and the wedge block 20 before the finger arm 26 of the actuating lever is locked into the notch 31 of the saddle catch 29. It will follow that alternatively the set screw 28 may be loosened and the lever 25 held fast while the lock screw 23 is rotated to alter the relationship therebetween.

To disassemble the limbs from the handle section, the saddle catch 29 is depressed against the force of the catch spring 33 such as by pushing downwardly on the stop wall 32 with one finger which in turn will depress the integral inclined guide ramp so that it will be positioned beneath the undersurface of the lever 25, thereby permitting counterclockwise movement of the actuating lever to axially displace the lock screw 23 outwardly from the mounting face 19 and thereby cause the leaf spring 22 to move the wedge block 20 away from the opposed front face 3a of the limb. Once this has been done, the forceful wedging action will be released and the limb may be readily removed from the socket by pulling it away from the handle section. Quite often, it may be necessary prior to removing the limb from the socket to break the pressure of the tapered limb in the socket by sharply pressing the limb down away from the actuating handle side whereafter the limb can be readily removed from the handle section. To facilitate this action it will be noted that the free end of the butt portions 18 are well spaced from the bottom wall 15 of the sockets when locked therein to provide clearance adjacent the end portions permitting pivoting of the limbs about the outermost free edge of the socket openings.

The aforedescribed reduced lateral dimension of the free end of the butt 18 of each limb is for the purpose of providing means for aligning the two limbs of the bow. When the limbs are fully seated in their locked position within their respective sockets, it will be understood that the sides of the limbs immediately adjacent the free ends of the butt portions will be spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 17 of the sockets. Mounted within these side walls are a pair of oppositely disposed limb adjustment screws 34, 34 which are adapted to be axially displaced through tapped openings provided through the side Walls adjacent the bottom wall 15 of the socket. When the limbs are fully seated within the sockets, it will be seen (FIGURE 2) that the inner ends of the screws 34 will be disposed opposite the reduced lateral portion of the limb butts 18.

It will thus follow that by manipulating the two screws 34 in each socket that the axial displacement of the respective limb may be altered by moving one screw inwardly and the opposite screw outwardly whereby the limb will axially pivot about the outermost edge surrounding the opening to the socket member.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown but that the means of construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of the several modes of putting the invention into effect and the invention will there-fore be understood in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate valid scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A takedown archery bow comprising, a handle section and at least one detachable limb, a rigid socket member mounted in the end of said handle section adjacent said detachable limb, said member having inclined front and rear interior walls extending substantially to the bottom thereof and defining a V-shaped socket cavity therein, said lim'b including a butt end having inclined front and rear faces tapering toward the free end of said butt, said butt when inserted in said socket member presenting a fit therein sufficiently loose to permit easy removal of said butt from said socket cavity, displaceable block means in said socket member adapted to be moved into engagement with one of said butt faces to tightly retain said limb within said handle section, and means for moving said block means transversely of said socket member and into said engagement with said limb.

2. A takedown archery bow according to claim 1, wherein said butt front and rear faces are tapered to provide an included angle greater than the included angle defined by said socket front and rear walls, whereby a clearance exists between said butt faces and said socket walls to provide said loose fit, and said block means is disposed within said clearance.

3. In a takedown archery bow having a handle section and a detachable limb, a tapered socket fixedly mounted in one end of said handle section for receiving the butt end portion of said limb, wedge means in said socket for retaining said limb therein, actuating means for displacing said wedge means to and from its retaining position within said socket, and spring means supporting said wedge means within said socket and in constant engagement with said actuating means, and said spring means having one end secured to said wedge means and its other end secured to said socket.

4. 'In a takedown archery bow having a handle section and a detachable limb, a tapered socket fixedly mounted in one end of said handle section for receiving the butt end portion of said limb, wedge means in said socket for retaining said limb therein, actuating means for displacing said wedge means to and from its retaining position within said socket, said actuating means including a rotary member axially displaceable and engaging one side of said wedge means to move said wedge means to and from engagement with said butt end portion of said limb, a lever attached to said rotary member, and catch means engaging said lever to retain said wedge means in contact with said butt end portion of said limb.

S. A takedown archery bow according to claim 1, wherein said socket member includes a pair of oppositely disposed side walls, the Width of said limb butt adjacent the free end thereof is less than the space between said side 20 wherein said socket member is provided with an elongated reinforcing member embedded within said handle section and extending toward the center of said handle section.

7. A takedown archery bow according to claim 1, including a pair of detachable limbs and one of said socket members is provided at both ends of said handle section.

8. A takedown archery bow according to claim 7, wherein each of said socket members is provided with an elongated reinforcing member embedded within said handle section and extending toward the center of said handle section, and a tie rod embedded within said handle section and joining said two reinforcing means.

References Cited Grable 124-24 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

25 W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

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