Archery arrow tuning method and apparatus

• US 5,902,199 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles C. Adams Jr
• Original Assignee: Charles C. Adams Jr
• Inventors: Adams, Charles C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/006,590
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 124/23.1, 473/578, 473/582, 473/583, 473/585, 473/FOR 216, 473/FOR 219, 473/FOR 220, 473/FOR 221
• US Class Current: 473/578
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/04 Archery arrows F42B6/08, F41B5/06, F42B12/362 take precedence

Abstract

An archery bow is tuned by making a tuning arrow that either has a tuning point rather than a broadhead, wherein the tuning point compensates for the weight and balance of the broadhead, weight at the rearward portion of the arrow instead of fletching and which compensates for the weight and balance of the fletching, or both. This produces a tuning arrow having substantially the same weight and balance point as the arrows to be shot from the bow during normal shooting. The tuning arrow is used to tune the bow and because the weight and balance point are substantially equal to the weight and balance point of the arrows normally shot from the bow, the tune obtained using the tuning arrow is the correct tune for the normal arrows also.

Claims

1. A method of tuning an archery bow to be tuned for use with a particular combination of an arrow shaft having particular shaft characteristics, a selected arrow point, and arrow fletching, the arrow point and arrow fletching being items extending from the arrow shaft, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an arrow shaft having the particular shaft characteristics, but without at least one of the items extending from the arrow shaft;

weight and balance compensating the obtained arrow shaft for the at least one of the items not extending from the arrow shaft to form a tuning arrow whereby the tuning arrow has substantially the same weight and substantially the same balance point as the arrow shaft with the selected arrow point and arrow fletching; and

shooting the tuning arrow from the archery bow to be tuned and tuning the archery bow to provide desired flight results of the tuning arrow.

2. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 1, wherein the selected arrow point is a selected broadhead having a weight and broadhead balance point, wherein the at least one item not extending from the tuning arrow is the selected broadhead, and wherein the step of weight and balance compensating the obtained arrow shaft includes securing a tuning point which has a weight substantially the same as the weight of the selected broadhead and a balance point substantially the same as the selected broadhead balance point to the forward end of the arrow shaft to form the tuning arrow.

3. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 2, wherein the weight is approximately equal if within about 21/2 grains.

4. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 2, wherein the balance point of the tuning arrow is approximately equal if the location of the balance point of the tuning point ahead of the front of the arrow shaft when the point is secured to the forward end of the arrow shaft is approximately the same as the location of the balance point of the given broadhead when attached to the forward end of an arrow shaft.

5. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 4, wherein the balance point is approximately equal if the locations are within about one-quarter inch.

6. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 2, wherein the at least one item not extending from the tuning arrow is also the fletching, and wherein the step of weight and balance compensating the obtained arrow shaft includes securing weight substantially equal to the weight of the fletching to the obtained arrow shaft in the area where the fletching usually extends from the arrow shaft to form the tuning arrow.

7. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 6, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes obtaining a weight strip of desired weight and securing the weight strip to the arrow shaft.

8. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 7, wherein the archery bow includes an arrow rest, and wherein the weight strip is secured to the arrow shaft in a location so it does not contact the arrow rest when the arrow is shot from the bow.

9. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 6, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes securing multiple weight strips of desired total weight to the arrow shaft.

10. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 6, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes securing tape of a desired weight to the arrow shaft.

11. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 1, wherein the selected arrow point is a selected point other than a broadhead, wherein the at least one item not extending from the tuning arrow is the fletching, and wherein the step of weight and balance compensating the obtained arrow shaft includes securing weight substantially equal to the weight of the fletching to the obtained arrow shaft in the area where the fletching usually extends from the arrow shaft to form the tuning arrow.

12. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 11, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes obtaining a weight strip of desired weight and securing the weight strip to the arrow shaft.

13. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 12, wherein the archery bow includes an arrow rest, and wherein the weight strip is secured to the arrow shaft in a location so it does not contact the arrow rest when the arrow is shot from the bow.

14. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 11, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes securing multiple weight strips of desired total weight to the arrow shaft.

15. A method of tuning an archery bow according to claim 11, wherein the step of securing weight to the obtained arrow shaft includes securing tape to the arrow shaft.

16. A method of tuning an archery bow to be tuned for use with a particular combination of an arrow shaft having particular selected shaft characteristics and a broadhead having broadhead blades and particular selected broadhead characteristics, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an arrow shaft having the particular selected shaft characteristics;

obtaining an arrow point having the particular selected broadhead characteristics, but not having broadhead blades;

mounting the obtained arrow point to the obtained arrow shaft to provide a tuning arrow;

shooting the tuning arrow from the archery bow to be tuned and tuning the archery bow to provide desired flight results of the tuning arrow.

17. A method of tuning an archery bow to be tuned according to claim 16, wherein the selected broadhead characteristics are the weight and the broadhead balance point.

18. A method of tuning an archery bow to be tuned according to claim 17, wherein the obtained arrow shaft has fletching thereon, and comprising the additional steps prior to shooting the tuning arrow of removing the fletching from the arrow shaft, and securing weight along the arrow shaft in place of the fletching, the weight being substantially equal to the weight of the removed fletching.

19. A method of fine tuning an archery bow to be tuned according to claim 18, wherein the fletching is removed from a fletching area of the shaft and the weight is secured to the arrow shaft along a side of the shaft which does not contact an arrow rest when the arrow is shot and in approximately the center of the fletching area.

20. A tuning arrow for use by an archer in tuning an archery bow for an arrow having a selected arrow point and arrow fletching normally used by the archer in shooting the bow, said arrow fletching normally used providing steerage for the arrow, comprising an arrow shaft, an arrow point of weight and balance substantially the same as the weight and balance of the selected point normally used by the archer, and non-steering weight compensation material on the rearward portion of the arrow in place of the fletching normally used by the archer and of weight substantially the same as the weight of the fletching replaced and located so that the tuning arrow will fly similarly to the arrow being toned for when shot from the bow.

21. A tuning arrow according to claim 20, wherein the selected arrow point is not a broadhead, and the arrow point of weight and balance substantially the same as the weight and balance of the selected point normally used is the selected point normally used.

22. A tuning arrow according to claim 20, wherein the selected arrow point is a broadhead having blades, and the arrow point of weight and balance substantially the same as the weight and balance of the selected point normally used does not have blades.

23. A kit of parts for use by an archer in tuning an archery bow for an arrow having a selected arrow point and bow, said arrow fletching normally used providing steerage for the arrow, comprising at least one arrow point of selected weight and having a balance point substantially equal to balance points of broadheads of substantially equal weight, and non-steering weight compensation material which can be selected in a variety of weights to be selected by normally used to be secured in a substantially non-steering manner to an arrow shaft, in place of the normal fletching, to weight and balance compensate the arrow for the fletching, in place of the fletching.

24. A kit of parts for use by an archer in tuning an archery bow according to claim 23, additionally including weight adjustment means to be used in cooperation with the at least one arrow point to adjust the weight of the at least one arrow point.