Bow launcher and arrow system

• US 5,311,855 A
• Filed: 08/03/1992
• Issued: 05/17/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald Basik
• Original Assignee: Ronald Basik
• Inventors: Basik, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/924,132
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 124/44.5, 124/41.1, 124/24.1, 124/26, 124/88, 124/86, 273/416, 273/420, 273/423
• US Class Current: 124/44.5
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/0031 Handle or riser units
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/12 using fins longitudinally-slidable with respect to the projectile or missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/04 Archery arrows F42B6/08, F41B5/06, F42B12/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching

Abstract

In order to provide enhanced performance from fletching, a stabilizer is operatively associated with an arrow shaft to be moveable from a launch position near the tip of an arrow at one end thereof to a flight position near the nock of the arrow at the other end thereof. The stabilizer includes a slide collar disposed on the shaft for sliding movement therealong and having a plurality of radial vanes each with a leading edge and a trailing edge as well as a reinforcing extension forwardly of the leading edges of the vanes and extending rearwardly at least to the trailing edges thereof. By limiting the stabilizer to sliding movement along the shaft from the launch position to the flight position, a bow having a riser may be provided with a launcher mounted on the riser to resiliently grip the stabilizer with the vanes forward of the riser during launch.

Claims

1. In an arrow having a shaft with a tip at one end thereof and a nock at the other end thereof, the improvement comprising:

stabilizer means movable from a launch position near said tip to a flight position near said nock, said stabilizer means including a slide collar disposed on said shaft for sliding movement therealong, said slide collar having a plurality of radial vanes each having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

said slide collar extending forwardly of said leading edges of said vanes, said forward extension of said slide collar providing reinforcement for withstanding forces encountered in use of said stabilizer means with said arrow, said slide collar also extending rearwardly at least to said trailing edges of said vanes; and

means near said tip and said nock for engaging said slide collar to limit said stabilizer means to movement along said shaft from said launch position to said flight position.

2. The arrow of claim 1 wherein said slide collar has an inner diameter substantially the same as an outer diameter of said shaft from said forward reinforcing extension to at least said trailing edges of said vanes.

3. The arrow of claim 2 wherein said slide collar has an inner diameter larger than said outer diameter of said shaft remote from said forward reinforcing extension facing rearwardly of said trailing edges of said vanes.

4. The arrow of claim 1 wherein said slide collar has a substantially uniform outer diameter from said forward reinforcing extension to at least a point forwardly of but near said trailing edges of said vanes.

5. The arrow of claim 4 wherein said slide collar tapers conically outward from said point to a rearward extension of substantially uniform diameter rearwardly of but near said trailing edges of said vanes.

6. The arrow of claim 1 wherein said limit means near said tip includes a retainer between said tip and said shaft and having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said forward reinforcing extension.

7. The arrow of claim 1 wherein said limit means near said nock includes at least one retainer on said shaft forwardly of said nock and having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said forward reinforcing extension.

8. In an arrow having a shaft with a tip at one end thereof and a nock at the other end thereof, the improvement comprising:

stabilizer means movable from a launch position near said tip to a flight position near said nock, said stabilizer means including a slide collar disposed on said shaft for sliding movement therealong, said slide collar having a plurality of radial vanes each having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

said slide collar extending forwardly of said leading edges of said vanes, said forward extension of said slide collar providing reinforcement for withstanding forces encountered in use of said stabilizer means with said arrow, said slide collar also extending rearwardly at least to said trailing edges of said vanes;

said slide collar having an inner diameter substantially the same as an outer diameter of said shaft from said forward reinforcing extension to at least said trailing edges of said vanes and having an inner diameter larger than said outer diameter of said shaft remote from said forward reinforcing extension and facing rearwardly of said railing edges of said vanes, said slide collar having a substantially uniform outer diameter from said forward reinforcing extension to at least a point forwardly of but near said trailing edges of said vanes and tapering conically outward from said point to a rearward extension of substantially uniform diameter rearwardly of but near said trailing edges of said vanes; and

means near said tip and said nock for engaging said slide collar to limit said stabilizer means to movement along said shaft from said launch position to said flight position.

9. The arrow of claim 8 wherein said radial vanes extend generally axially relative to said shaft and said slide collar and are circumferentially indexed in equally spaced relation about said slide collar.

10. The arrow of claim 8 wherein said limit means near said tip includes a forward retainer between said tip and said shaft and having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said forward reinforcing extension.

11. The arrow of claim 8 wherein said limit means near said nock includes at least one rearward retainer on said shaft forwardly of said nock and having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said forward reinforcing extension.

12. The arrow of claim 11 wherein said rearward retainer comprises a resilient band having an outer diameter substantially the same as said inner diameter of said slide collar facing rearwardly of said trailing edges of said vanes.

13. The arrow of claim 12 including indicia on said shaft for selecting a position of adjustment for said resilient band prior to launching said arrow to cause said stabilizer means to move from said launch position to said flight position.

14. The arrow of claim 13 wherein said resilient band is dimensioned for gripping said shaft at any selected position of adjustment with sufficient force to stop said stabilizer means during movement from said launch position to said flight position.

15. The arrow of claim 11 wherein said rearward retainer comprises a plurality of axially spaced resilient rings dimensioned for gripping said shaft with sufficient force to stop said stabilizer means during movement from said launch position to said flight position.

16. The arrow of claim 12 wherein said rearward retainer further comprises a plurality of axially spaced resilient rings positioned forwardly of said resilient band and also having substantially the same inner and outer diameters as said resilient band.

17. In combination a bow having a riser and an arrow having a shaft with a tip at one end thereof and a nock at the other end thereof, the combination comprising:

launching means mounted on said riser of said bow and having resilient gripping means associated therewith;

stabilizer means mounted on said arrow and movable from a launch position near said tip to a flight position near said nock, said stabilizer means including a slide collar disposed on said shaft for sliding movement therealong, said slide collar having a plurality of radial vanes each having a leading edge and a trailing edge;

said slide collar having a reinforcing extension forwardly of said leading edges of said vanes and extending rearwardly to a point beyond said trailing edges of said vanes, said resilient gripping means gripping said rearwardly extending portion of said slide collar when said arrow is placed in said launching means for launching said arrow from said bow; and

means near said tip and said nock for engaging said slide collar to limit said stabilizer means to movement along said shaft from said launch position to said flight position.

18. The bow and arrow of claim 17 wherein said slide collar has an inner diameter substantially the same as an outer diameter of said shaft from said reinforcing extension to at least said trailing edges of said vanes, said slide collar having an inner diameter larger than said outer diameter of said shaft remote from said reinforcing extension in said rearwardly extending portion facing rearwardly of said trailing edges of said vanes.

19. The bow and arrow of claim 17 wherein said slide collar has a substantially uniform outer diameter from said reinforcing extension to at least a point forwardly of but near said trailing edges of said vanes, said slide collar tapering conically outward to said rearwardly extending portion comprising a substantially uniform but larger diameter than the remainder of said slide collar forwardly thereof.

20. The bow and arrow of claim 18 wherein said limit means near said nock includes a rearward retainer on said shaft forwardly of said nock having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said reinforcing extension, said rearward retainer comprising a resilient band having an outer diameter substantially the same as said inner diameter of said slide collar facing rearwardly of said trailing edges of said vanes.

21. The bow and arrow of claim 20 including indicia on said shaft for selecting a position of adjustment for said resilient band prior to launching said arrow to cause said stabilizer means to move from said launch position to said flight position, said resilient band being dimensioned for gripping said shaft at any selected position of adjustment with sufficient force to stop said stabilizer means during movement from said launch position to said flight position.

22. The bow and arrow of claim 18 wherein said limit means near said nock includes a plurality of rearward retainers on said shaft forwardly of said nock each having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of said reinforcing extension, said rearward retainers comprising three axially spaced resilient rings each having an outer diameter substantially the same as said inner diameter of said slide collar facing rearwardly of said trailing edges of said vanes.

23. The bow and arrow of claim 22 wherein said rearward retainers further include a resilient band axially spaced rearwardly of said resilient rings and having an inner and outer diameter substantially the same as said resilient rings.

24. The bow and arrow of claim 17 wherein said radial vanes extend generally axially relative to said shaft and said slide collar and are circumferentially indexed in equally spaced relation about said slide collar.

25. The bow and arrow of claim 17 wherein said launching means includes a base mounted on said riser and a stand-off supporting said resilient gripping means in spaced relation to said base and said riser, said base extending rearwardly of said bow to position said resilient gripping means rearwardly of said riser for gripping said rearwardly extending portion of said slide collar so as to isolate said vanes from contact with said base or said riser.

26. The bow and arrow of claim 25 wherein said base includes means for adjusting the mounting position of said launching means relative to said riser and said resilient gripping means includes a shaft receiving channel dimensioned larger than the diameter of said shaft and having a pair of inwardly tapering forwardly extending resilient fingers for gripping said rearward extension of said slide collar.

27. A kit for use with an arrow having a shaft with a tip at one end thereof and a nock at the other end thereof, comprising:

stabilizer means positionable on said shaft for movement from a launch position near said tip to a flight near said nock, said stabilizer means including a slide collar positionable on said shaft for sliding movement therealong, said slide collar having a plurality of integral radial vanes each having a leading edge and a trailing edge when said stabilizer means is positioned on said shaft;

said slide collar extending forwardly of said leading edges of said vanes, said forward extension of said slide collar providing reinforcement for withstanding forces encountered in use of said stabilizer means with said arrow, said slide collar also extending rearwardly at least to said trailing edges of said vanes; and

means for positioning near said tip and near said nock for engaging said slide collar to limit said stabilizer means to movement along said shaft from said launch position to said flight position.

28. A launcher for an arrow, comprising:

a base adapted to be mounted on a riser of a bow and resilient gripping means supported by a stand-off in spaced relation to said base, said base being adapted to extend rearwardly of said bow to position said resilient gripping means rearwardly of a riser of said bow, said resilient gripping means being adapted to grip said arrow so as to isolate said arrow from contact with said base or said riser.

29. The bow and arrow of claim 28 wherein said base includes means for adjusting the mounting position of said launcher relative to said riser, said resilient gripping means including an arrow shaft receiving channel dimensioned larger than the diameter of a shaft of said arrow, said resilient gripping means having a pair of inwardly tapering forwardly extending resilient fingers for gripping said arrow.