Compound archery bow

• US 6,990,970 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Darton Archery Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rex Darlington
• Inventors: Darlington, Rex F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US10/927,764
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 124/25, 124/25.6, 124/900
• US Class Current: 124/25.6
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/10 Compound bows compound crossbows F41B5/123
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/105 Cams or pulleys for compound bows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 124/90 Limb tip rotatable element structure

Abstract

A compound archery bow includes a handle having projecting limbs. A first pulley is mounted for rotation around a first axis on a first of the limbs, and a second pulley is mounted for rotation around a second axis on a second of the limbs. A bow cable arrangement extends between the pulleys, and includes a bowstring cable extending from bowstring let-out grooves in the first and second pulleys so that, as the bowstring cable is drawn away from the handle, the bowstring cable lets out or unwraps from the bowstring grooves and rotates the pulleys around the respective axes. First and second cables extend from cable take-up grooves on the respective pulleys to first and second cable let-out means on the respective opposite pulleys. Thus, as the bowstring cable is drawn away from the handle, the first and second cables are each taken up or wound at one end onto one of the pulleys and let out or unwound at the other end from the other pulley.

Claims

1. A compound archery bow that includes:

a handle having projecting limbs,

a first pulley mounted on a first of said limbs for rotation around a first axis,

a second pulley mounted on a second of said limbs for rotation around a second axis, and

bow cable means including a bowstring cable extending from bowstring let-out grooves on said first and second pulleys,

a first cable extending from a cable take-up groove on said first pulley to second cable let-out means on said second pulley, and

a second cable extending from a cable take-up groove in said second pulley to first cable let-out means on said first pulley

such that draw of said bowstring cable away from said handle lets out bowstring cable from said let-out grooves on said first and second pulleys, rotates on said first and second pulleys around said axes, and lets out portions of said first and second cables from said first and second cable let-out means on said first and second pulleys,

wherein at least one of said bowstring let-out grooves and/or at least one of said cable take-up grooves is non-circular.

2. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second let-out means comprises at least one let-out groove.

3. The bow set forth in claim 2 wherein said at least one let-out groove is circular and concentric with the axis of said at least one pulley.

4. The bow set forth in claim 3 wherein said at least one let-out groove comprises a pair of circular let-out grooves disposed on opposite sides of the bowstring let-out groove on said pulley.

5. The bow set forth in claim 4 wherein at least one of said first and second pulleys includes a draw stop adjacent to the cable take-up groove in said pulley for engaging the cable taken up into said groove to arrest draw of said bow, and wherein said draw stop includes a concave abutment face for engaging said cable.

6. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second let-out means comprises at least one post mounted on one of said first and second pulleys offset from the associated axis.

7. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein, on at least one of said first and second pulleys, said take-up groove and said let-out means are on opposite ends of said bowstring let-out groove.

8. The bow set froth in claim 1 wherein, on at least one of said first and second pulleys, said take-up groove is non-circular.

9. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said pulleys includes a base having a periphery on which said bowstring let-out grooves are disposed, said bowstring let-out grooves on said pulleys being differently dimensioned with respect to the associated axes.

10. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said bowstring let-out grooves is non-circular.

11. The bow set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said cable take-up grooves is non-circular.