IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,592,258

Granted Patent B2

US 11,592,258 · App. 17/656,716 · Granted Feb 28, 2023

De-cock mechanism for a crossbow

Inventors: Michael Shaffer (Hartville, OH); Richard Bednar (Akron, OH); Steven Bednar (Copley, OH); Phillip Bednar (Copley, OH); Eric Vankeulen (North Canton, OH); Gary Smith, Jr. (East Canton, OH); Robert Seymour (Ravenna, OH); Keith Bartels (Akron, OH)

Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.

F41B5/1469 F41B5/123

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,592,258
App. No.: 17/656,716
Granted: Feb 28, 2023
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A crossbow de-cock mechanism may include a de-cock activator that is selectively movable from a first de-cock activator position that prevents de-cocking of a crossbow into a second de-cock activator position that permits de-cocking of the crossbow.

Claims (60)

1. A crossbow comprising:

a longitudinally extending main beam;

a bow mechanism including: (1) a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam; and (2) a bowstring operatively engaged to the outwardly extending bow limbs and movable from: (a) an un-cocked position; to (b) a cocked position;

a trigger mechanism including:

a string latch having a surface and movable between: (1) a first string latch position that holds the bowstring in the cocked position; and (2) a second string latch position that does not hold the bowstring in the cocked position; and

a trigger link movable between: (1) a first trigger link position that retains the string latch in the first string latch position; and (2) a second trigger link position that does not retain the string latch in the first string latch position;

a de-cock mechanism including:

a de-cock link having a surface and movable between: (1) a first de-cock link position that retains the trigger link in the second trigger link position; and (2) a second de-cock link position that does not retain the trigger link in the second trigger link position;

a de-cock activator selectively movable from: (1) a first de-cock activator position that prevents de-cocking of the bowstring; into (2) a second de-cock activator position that permits de-cocking of the bowstring; and

wherein when the bowstring is in the cocked position and the de-cock activator is in the second de-cock activator position: the string latch is selectively movable to operatively engage the surface of the de-cock link to cause the de-cock link to move from the second de-cock link position into the first de-cock link position permitting the string latch to move into the second string latch position permitting the bowstring to be selectively movable from the cocked position to the un-cocked position.

2. The crossbow of claim 1 further comprising:

a claw that is selectively movable along the main beam: (1) to move the bowstring from the un-cocked position to the cocked position; and (2) to move the bowstring from the cocked position to the un-cocked position.

3. The crossbow of claim 1 wherein the de-cock mechanism further comprises:

a de-cock lock movable between: (1) a first de-cock lock position that retains the de-cock activator in the second de-cock activator position; and (2) a second de-cock lock position that permits the de-cock activator to move into the first de-cock activator position.

4. The crossbow of claim 1 wherein:

as the bowstring is moved from the cocked position to the un-cocked position the bowstring causes the de-cock link to move from: (1) the first de-cock link position; to (2) the second de-cock link position.

5. The crossbow of claim 1 further comprising:

a dry-fire inhibitor mechanism including a dry-fire link movable between: (1) a first dry-fire link position that prevents the bowstring from moving from the cocked position to the un-cocked position; and (2) a second dry-fire link position that permits the bowstring to move from the cocked position to the un-cocked position; and

wherein movement of the de-cock link from the first de-cock link position to the second de-cock link position simultaneously moves the dry-fire link from the second dry-fire link position to the first dry-fire link position.

6. The crossbow of claim 5 wherein:

movement of the de-cock link from the second de-cock link position to first the de-cock link position simultaneously moves the dry-fire link from the first dry-fire link position to the second dry-fire link position.

7. The crossbow of claim 1 further comprising:

a safety mechanism including a safety activator selectively movable from: (1) a first safety activator position that prevents the string latch from being moved into the second string latch position; into (2) a second safety activator position that permits the string latch to be moved into the second string latch position; and

wherein when the safety activator is in the first safety activator position and the de-cock activator is in the first de-cock activator position: selectively moving the de-cock activator into the second de-cock activator position simultaneously moves the safety activator into the second safety activator position.

8. The crossbow of claim 1 further comprising:

a reset activator selectively movable from a first reset activator position into a second reset activator position to simultaneously move: (1) the safety activator from the second safety activator position to the first safety activator position; and (2) the de-cock activator from the second de-cock activator position to the first de-cock activator position.

9. A de-cock mechanism for use with an associated crossbow including: a longitudinally extending main beam; a bow mechanism including: (1) a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam; and (2) a bowstring operatively engaged to the outwardly extending bow limbs and movable from: (a) an un-cocked position; to (b) a cocked position; and a trigger mechanism including: a string latch having a surface and movable between: (1) a first string latch position that holds the bowstring in the cocked position; and (2) a second string latch position that does not hold the bowstring in the cocked position; and a trigger link movable between: (1) a first trigger link position that retains the string latch in the first string latch position; and (2) a second trigger link position that does not retain the string latch in the first string latch position;

the de-cock mechanism comprising:

10. The de-cock mechanism of claim 9 further comprising:

11. The de-cock mechanism of claim 9 wherein:

12. The de-cock mechanism of claim 9 wherein:

the associated crossbow includes a dry-fire inhibitor mechanism including a dry-fire link movable between: (1) a first dry-fire link position that prevents the bowstring from moving from the cocked position to the un-cocked position; and (2) a second dry-fire link position that permits the bowstring to move from the cocked position to the un-cocked position; and

13. The de-cock mechanism of claim 12 wherein:

14. The de-cock mechanism of claim 9 wherein:

the associated crossbow includes a safety mechanism including a safety activator selectively movable from: (1) a first safety activator position that prevents the string latch from being moved into the second string latch position; into (2) a second safety activator position that permits the string latch to be moved into the second string latch position; and

15. A de-cock mechanism for use with an associated crossbow including: a longitudinally extending main beam; and a bow mechanism including: (1) a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam; and (2) a bowstring operatively engaged to the outwardly extending bow limbs and movable from: (a) an un-cocked position; to (b) a cocked position; a string latch movable into: (1) a first string latch position that holds the bowstring in the cocked position; (2) a second string latch position that does not hold the bowstring in the cocked position; and (3) a third string latch position, distinct from the first and second string latch positions; a safety mechanism including a safety activator selectively movable from: (1) a first safety activator position that prevents the string latch from being moved into the second string latch position; into (2) a second safety activator position that permits the string latch to be moved into the second string latch position;

the de-cock mechanism comprising:

a de-cock activator selectively movable from: (1) a first de-cock activator position that prevents the string latch from being moved into the third string latch position; into (2) a second de-cock activator position that permits the string latch to be moved into the third string latch position; and

16. The de-cock mechanism of claim 15 wherein:

when the safety activator is in the first safety activator position and the de-cock activator is in the first de-cock activator position: moving the safety activator into the second safety activator position does not move the de-cock activator into the second de-cock activator position.

17. The de-cock mechanism of claim 15 wherein:

the associated crossbow includes a trigger link movable between: (1) a first trigger link position that retains the string latch in the first string latch position; and (2) a second trigger link position that does not retain the string latch in the first string latch position;

the de-cock mechanism includes a de-cock link that is movable between: (1) a first de-cock link position that retains the trigger link in the second trigger link position; and (2) a second de-cock link position that does not retain the trigger link in the second trigger link position; and

when the string latch is moved from the first string latch position to the third string latch position: the string latch engages the de-cock link causing the de-cock link to move from the second de-cock link position into the first de-cock link position.

18. The de-cock mechanism of claim 15 further comprising:

a reset activator selectively movable from (1) a first reset activator position; into (2) a second reset activator position to simultaneously move: (a) the safety activator from the second safety activator position to the first safety activator position; and (b) the de-cock activator from the second de-cock activator position to the first de-cock activator position.

19. The de-cock mechanism of claim 15 further comprising:

20. The de-cock mechanism of claim 15 wherein:

Assignments (2)

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2023

From: HUNTER'S MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.

To: PEOPLES BANK

Reel/Frame 064238/0306 →

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2022

From: SHAFFER, MICHAEL; BEDNAR, RICHARD; BEDNAR, STEVEN; BEDNAR, PHIL; VANKEULEN, ERIC; SEYMOUR, ROBERT; SMITH, GARY, JR.; BARTELS, KEITH

To: HUNTER'S MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. D/B/A TENPOINT CROSSBOW TECHNOLOGIES

Reel/Frame 059516/0684 →

Cited By (6)

US 12,460,892 US 12,460,893 US 12,460,894 US 12,487,049 US 12,546,555 US 12,571,607