Cocking mechanism for a crossbow

• US 10,260,835 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ravin Crossbows LLC (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ravin Crossbows LLC (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pulkrabek, Larry, Engstrom, Jay, Yehle, Craig Thomas, Pellett, Aaron, Haas, Matthew P., Hunt, Fred H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarner, Melba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klayman, Amir A
• Application Number:
  US15/171,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20160273870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/06 Mechanical firing mechanisms, e.g. counterrecoil firing, recoil actuated firing mechanismsF41A19/01 - F41A19/05, F41A19/59 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/123 Compound crossbows
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/1469 Bow-string drawing or releasing devices F41B5/1473 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for cocking mechanism for a crossbow that uses an elongated handle pivotally attached to the center support to move a traveler engaged with the draw string from a release configuration to a drawing configuration and into engagement with a trigger assembly. A ratcheting mechanism prevents the elongated handle from moving toward the open configuration as the crossbow is being cocked.

Claims

1. A cocking mechanism for a crossbow comprising:

a center support including longitudinal axis;

an energy storage assembly coupled to the center support with a draw string that extends across the center support coupled to the energy storage assembly;

an elongated handle pivotally attached to the center support at location near a distal end of the center support;

a traveler that slides along the center support back and forth along the longitudinal axis in a channel formed in the center support;

an arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the elongated handle and a second end pivotally coupled to the traveler, wherein the portion of the arm pivotally coupled to the traveler moves in the channel with the traveler as the elongated handle is moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration, and wherein as the elongated handle is moved by a user to the open configuration the arm advances the traveler in the channel to the distal end of the center support and into engagement with the draw string in a release configuration, and as the elongated handle is moved by a user to the closed configuration the arm pulls the draw string and the traveler from the released configuration to a drawn configuration, and the draw string into engagement with a trigger assembly located near a proximal end of the center support;

a latch that retains the elongated handle in the closed configuration;

a ratcheting mechanism that prevents the elongated handle from moving to the open configuration as the elongated handle is being moved toward the closed configuration; and

a thumb trigger located near a proximal end of the elongated handle coupled to the latch and the ratcheting mechanism, wherein actuating the thumb trigger releases the latch and the ratcheting mechanism.

2. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 comprising an opening in the center support that receives a portion of the cocking mechanism.

3. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 an accessory rail suitable for attaching crossbow accessories to the crossbow is attached to the elongated handle.

4. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the traveler including a finger that captures the draw string and pulls it into engagement with the trigger assembly.

5. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 comprising a latch that retains the elongated handle in the closed configuration.

6. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 comprising a ratcheting mechanism that prevents the elongated handle from moving toward the open configuration as it is being moved toward the closed configuration.

7. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 comprising a ratcheting mechanism located at the pivotal intersection of the arm with the elongated handle.

8. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 comprising:

a toothed member mounted to the elongated handle; and

a pawl pivotally attached to the arm and biased into engagement with teeth on the toothed member so the pawls slide sequentially into and out of engagement with the teeth as the elongated handle is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration, the pawl preventing movement of the elongated handle toward the open configuration.

9. The cocking mechanism of claim 8 comprising an thumb trigger located near a proximal end of the elongated handle coupled to the pawl, wherein actuating the thumb trigger disengages the pawl from the teeth.

10. The cocking mechanism of claim 1 wherein the traveler is constrained within the channel as it moves back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the center support.

11. A cocking mechanism for a crossbow comprising:

a center support including a longitudinal axis;

at least first and second limbs attached to the center support;

first and second power cables extending between the first and second limbs and the center support, respectively, wherein the first and second power cables do not cross over the center support;

an elongated handle pivotally attached to the center support at location near a distal end;

a traveler that slides support back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the center support in a channel formed in the center support;

an arm having a first end pivotally coupling the elongated handle and a second end pivotally coupled to the traveler, wherein the portion of the arm pivotally coupled to the traveler moves in the channel with the traveler as the elongated handle is moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration and wherein as the elongated handle is moved by a user to the open configuration the arm advances the traveler in the channel to the distal end of the center support and into engagement with the draw string, and as the elongated handle is moved by a user to the closed configuration the arm pulls the draw string from a released configuration to a drawn configuration, and into engagement with a trigger assembly located near a proximal end of the center support;

a latch that retains the elongated handle in the closed configuration;

a ratcheting mechanism that prevents the elongated handle from moving to the open configuration as the elongated handle is being moved toward the closed configuration; and

a thumb trigger located near a proximal end of the elongated handle coupled to the latch and the ratcheting mechanism, wherein actuating the thumb trigger releases the latch and the ratcheting mechanism.

12. A method of operating a cocking mechanism for a crossbow, the crossbow including a center support with a longitudinal axis and an energy storage assembly engaged with the center support with a draw string that extends across the center support coupled to the energy storage assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

manually moving an elongated handle pivotally attached near a distal end of the center support toward an open configuration, the elongated handle is pivotally coupled to a traveler by an arm, the arm having a first end pivotally coupled to the elongated handle and a second end pivotally coupled to the traveler;

sliding the traveler along the longitudinal axis in a channel formed in the center support to the distal end of the center support in response to moving the elongated handle to the open configuration, wherein a portion of the arm pivotally coupled to the traveler moves in the channel formed in the center support with the traveler;

coupling the traveler to the draw string in a released configuration;

manually moving the elongated handle to a closed configuration to pull the traveler and the draw string toward a drawn configuration;

engaging a latch to retain the elongated handle in the closed configuration;

activating a ratcheting mechanism to prevent the elongated handle from moving to the open configuration while cocking the crossbow;

actuating a thumb trigger located near a proximal end of the elongated handle coupled to the latch that disengages the latch and the ratcheting mechanism during the step of moving the elongated handled toward the open configuration; and

engage the draw string with a trigger assembly located near a proximal end of the center support.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising locating a portion of the cocking mechanism in an opening in the center support when in the closed configuration.

14. The method of claim 12 comprising engaging a ratcheting mechanism during the step of moving the elongated handle to a closed configuration to prevent the elongated handle from moving toward the open configuration.

15. The method of claim 12 comprising the steps of engaging a pawl attached to the arm with teeth on the toothed member attached to the elongated handle so the pawls slide sequentially into and out of engagement with the teeth as the elongated handle is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration, while preventing movement of the elongated handle toward the open configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising actuating an thumb trigger located near a proximal end of the elongated handle coupled to the pawl that disengages the pawl from the teeth during the step of moving an elongated handle toward the open configuration.