Cocking Winch Apparatus For A Crossbow, Crossbow System Including The Cocking Winch Apparatus, And Method Of Using Same

• US 20090277435A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FeraDyne Outdoors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eastman Outdoors Incorporated (FeraDyne Outdoors, LLC)
• Inventors: Pestrue, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 124/25
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/12 Crossbows
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/1469 Bow-string drawing or releasing devices F41B5/1473 takes precedence

Abstract

A crossbow having a bowstring cocking winch apparatus, a cocking winch apparatus usable with a crossbow, and a method of operating the apparatus are described. The cocking winch apparatus includes a projecting alignment member having a non-round cross-sectional shape, where the alignment member is removably securable to a butt portion of a crossbow stock by inserting the alignment member into a correspondingly-shaped hole formed in the stock. The cocking winch apparatus provides a straight and balanced draw to the crossbow bowstring, enabling a user to easily cock the bowstring by rotating a handle to draw the bowstring back, and to place it in cocked position in the crossbow trigger mechanism.

Claims

1. A cocking winch apparatus for attaching to a crossbow and for use in cocking the crossbow, said apparatus comprising:

a winch body having an upper portion, a lower portion and a central portion interconnecting the top and lower portions, the upper portion of the winch body having a front end, a rear end and two opposed side portions and having a hollow chamber formed therein and a cylindrical passage formed laterally therethrough between the side portions,

the lower portion of the winch body comprising an alignment member projecting forwardly below the upper portion and having a non-round cross-sectional shape, wherein the winch body is removably securable to a crossbow stock by aligning the winch body with the stock and inserting the alignment member into a correspondingly-shaped hole formed in the stock;

a cylindrical support shaft extending through the cylindrical passage of the winch body;

a first take-up spool and a second take-up spool mounted on opposed end portions of the support shaft outside of the winch body;

a ratchet wheel mounted on the support shaft between the first and second take-up spools, the ratchet wheel disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and having a plurality of teeth formed therearound;

a pawl having a first end disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and pivotally attached to the winch body, and a second end opposite the first end, the pawl having a tooth formed thereon for selective engagement between adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheel;

a spring for biasing the pawl towards the ratchet wheel;

a handle member operatively attachable to one of the take-up spools,

a tensioning cable having a first end attached to the first take-up spool, a second end attached to the second take-up spool, and a central portion between the first and second ends; and

a bowstring hook member having a slot formed in a lower portion thereof to receive the bowstring, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the bowstring hook member.

2. The cocking winch apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bowstring hook member comprises a bowstring guide assembly comprising a frame, a pair of front pulleys and a pair of rear pulleys, the respective front and rear pulleys being rotatably attached to the frame, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the frame proximate the rear pulleys of the bowstring guide assembly.

3. The cocking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment member has a substantially positive symbol (+)-shaped cross-sectional shape.

4. The cocking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment member has an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the cocking winch apparatus is the apparatus of claim 1.

5. A cocking winch apparatus for attaching to a crossbow and for use in cocking the crossbow, said apparatus comprising:

a winch body having an upper portion, a lower portion and a connecting portion interconnecting the top and lower portions, the upper portion of the winch body having a front end, a rear end and two opposed side portions and having a hollow chamber formed therein and a cylindrical passage formed laterally therethrough between the side portions, the lower portion of the winch body comprising a projecting alignment member having a non-round cross-sectional shape, wherein the alignment member is removably securable to a crossbow stock by inserting the alignment member into a correspondingly-shaped hole formed in the stock;

a cylindrical support shaft extending through the cylindrical passage of the winch body,

a first take-up spool and a second take-up spool mounted on opposed end portions of the support shaft outside of the winch body,

a ratchet wheel mounted on the support shaft and disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body,

a pawl having a first end disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and pivotally attached to the winch body, and a second end extending outside of the winch body, the pawl having a medial tooth formed thereon for selectively engaging between teeth of the ratchet wheel,

a handle member operatively attachable to one of the take-up spools,

a tensioning cable having a first end attached to the first take-up spool, a second end attached to the second take-up spool, and a central portion between the first and second ends; and

a bowstring guide assembly comprising a frame, a plurality of front pulleys and a plurality of rear pulleys, the pulleys being rotatably attached to the frame, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes around the rear pulleys of the bowstring guide assembly.

6. A crossbow system comprising in combination, a crossbow and a cocking winch apparatus operatively attachable to the crossbow,

said crossbow comprising:

a stock having a front end and a rear end with a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, wherein the front end defines a shooting direction, the front end comprising a main beam having a horizontal slot formed therein, and the rear end having a non-round shaped hole formed therein and a channel extending from the shaped hole inwardly into the stock;

a bow comprising a first limb and a second limb, wherein the first limb and the second limb are operatively attached to the front end of the stock in a manner in which the first limb and the second limb extend outwardly away from one another in substantially opposite directions, a main bowstring extending between the outer ends of the limbs;

and wherein said cocking apparatus comprises;

a winch body having an upper portion, a lower portion and a connecting portion interconnecting the top and lower portions,

the upper portion of the winch body having a front end, a rear end and two opposed side portions and having a hollow chamber formed therein and a cylindrical passage formed laterally therethrough between the side portions,

the lower portion of the winch body comprising a projecting alignment member having a non-round cross-sectional shape, wherein the alignment member is removably securable to a crossbow stock by inserting the alignment member into said non-round shaped hole in the stock;

a cylindrical support shaft extending through the cylindrical passage of the winch body,

a first take-up spool and a second take-up spool mounted on opposed end portions of the support shaft outside of the winch body,

a ratchet wheel mounted on the support shaft and disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body,

a pawl having a first end disposed in the hollow chamber of the winch body and pivotally attached to the winch body, and a second end extending outside of the winch body, the pawl having a medial tooth formed thereon for selectively engaging between teeth of the ratchet wheel,

a handle member operatively attachable to one of the take-up spools,

a tensioning cable having a first end attached to the first take-up spool, a second end attached to the second take-up spool, and a central portion between the first and second ends; and

a bowstring hook member having a slot formed in a lower portion thereof to receive the bowstring, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the bowstring hook member.

7. The crossbow system of claim 6, wherein the alignment member has a substantially positive symbol (+)-shaped cross-sectional shape.

8. The crossbow system of claim 6, wherein the alignment member has an asymmetrical cross-section.

9. The crossbow system of claim 6, wherein the bowstring hook member comprises a bowstring guide assembly comprising a frame, a pair of front pulleys and a pair of rear pulleys, the respective front and rear pulleys being rotatably attached to the frame, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the frame proximate the rear pulleys of the bowstring guide assembly.

10. A method of cocking a crossbow, comprising the steps of:

a) engaging a cocking winch apparatus with a crossbow stock by aligning a winch body with the crossbow stock and inserting an alignment member of the winch body into a shaped opening formed in the crossbow stock configured to accept the alignment member therein;

b) engaging a bowstring hook member with a bowstring of the crossbow, with the bowstring in a released position thereof;

c) operating the cocking winch apparatus to draw the bowstring hook member and the engaged bowstring rearwardly towards a bowstring latch mechanism; and

d) engaging said bowstring with the bowstring latch mechanism.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of operating the winch assembly includes:

operatively attaching a handle to a take-up spool of the winch assembly and turning the handle to retract the bowstring hook member and the bowstring.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of removing the winch assembly and the bowstring hook member from the crossbow after the bowstring has engaged with the latch mechanism.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the winch assembly includes a cocking cable which contacts the rear pulleys of the bowstring hook member,

wherein the step of engaging the bowstring hook member with the bowstring comprises a step of operatively connecting a pair of front pulleys of the bowstring hook member with the bowstring,

and wherein the method further comprises a step of routing a central portion of the cocking cable behind a latch mechanism of the bowstring between steps b) and c).

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the bowstring hook member comprises a bowstring guide assembly comprising a frame, a pair of front pulleys and a pair of rear pulleys, the respective front and rear pulleys being rotatably attached to the frame, wherein the central portion of the tensioning cable passes through a portion of the frame proximate the rear pulleys of the bowstring guide assembly.