Compound bow with draw string release arrow clamp

Abstract

A compound archery bow having an arrow holder that holds an arrow ready to be drawn and fired, the holder including an arrow gripper to engage and hold an inserted arrow shaft; an arrow gripper actuator biased out of driving engagement with the arrow grippers and actuated by release of a drawn pull length of the arrow string to engage the arrow shaft grippers of the arrow gripper upon firing of an arrow by release of the arrow and the pull length of the bow string and a cam secured to the vertical length of the bow string and movable upon drawing of the pull length of the bow string to be positioned from the arrow gripper; and to be rapidly moved upwardly following release of the pulled pull length of the bow string and to engage and raise the actuator arm to allow the biasing springs of the arrow gripper to move the arrow grippers to return to the arrow gripping position, and with the actuator arm raised by the cam until the arrow has passed through the arrow shaft grippers and then releasing from the upwardly traveling cam to move the cam back to a position located beneath the actuator arm.

1 . An archery compound bow having
 a draw string having a vertical length and a pull length;   an arrow holder fixed centrally of said bow and including an arrow gripper having arrow shaft grippers spaced to encircle an arrow shaft;   means biasing said arrow shaft grippers to engage an arrow shaft inserted therebetween;   an arrow shaft holder actuator;   means biasing said arrow shaft holder actuator out of driving engagement with said arrow shaft gripper, said means including an actuator arm projecting from said arrow shaft holder actuator; and   cam means fixed to said vertical length of said draw string and positioned below said actuator arm to raise said actuator arm upon release of said pulled pull length of said draw string to release an arrow nocked to said pull length and to return to position beneath said actuator arm when said pull length returns to a relaxed position.   
     
     
         2 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 1 , wherein
 each arrow shaft gripper includes a rubber tip to engage the arrow shaft.   
     
     
         3 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 2 , wherein each arrow shaft gripper includes a rigid holder; and wherein
 each rigid holder is pivotally mounted to allow engagement of each rubber tip to engage an arrow shaft in a holding position and to position each end rubber tip to an out of engagement position with the arrow shaft and the arrow as the arrow flies from the bow.   
     
     
         4 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 3 , further including
 means mounting the arrow shaft gripper actuator to impact the arrow shaft grippers to pivot said arrow shaft grippers out of their holding positions and to their out of engagement positions following release of the pulled pull length of the draw string.   
     
     
         5 . An archer compound bow as in  claim 4 , further including
 means pivotally connecting the arrow shaft gripper actuator to the arrow shaft gripper; and   projection means extending from said arrow gripper actuator to engage and pivot the arrow shaft grippers out of their arrow shaft holding positions upon raising of the actuator arm by the travel of the cam fixed to the vertical length of the draw string.   
     
     
         6 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 5 , wherein
 the cam has an abrupt upper shoulder surface to engage and raise the actuator arm to pivot said arrow grippers from their arrow shaft gripping positions to their out of engagement positions upon release of the pulled pull length of the draw string and upward movement of the cam and the actuator arm and a gradually tapered lower surface to be engaged by said actuator arm as it moves off the abrupt upper shoulder upon release of said vertical length of the draw string as the cam returns to position beneath said actuator arm and return of the shaft grippers to their holding position.   
     
     
         7 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 6 , further including
 a coil formed in the actuator arm as a spring to absorb shock and prevent damage to the actuator arm when said arm is engaged and raised by the cam.   
     
     
         8 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 7 , further including
 sound reducing means surrounding the portion of the actuator arm engaged by the cam.   
     
     
         9 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 8 , wherein
 the actuator arm is cantilevered from a rear of the arrow shaft gripper actuator and the weight thereof biases each arrow shaft gripper actuator to pivot the projections of said gripper actuator to their out of drawing engagement position spaced from the arrow grippers.   
     
     
         10 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 9 , wherein
 the means biasing the arrow shaft gripper comprises a spring and wherein said springs further biases the projections of the arrow shaft gripper actuator out of driving engagement with the arrow shaft grippers.   
     
     
         11 . An arrow holder for use with an archery compound bow having a draw string with a vertical length and a pull length, said arrow holder comprising a bracket;
 means for securing said bracket to a central portion of a compound bow;   an arrow support fixed to said bracket, said arrow support comprising an arrow gripper having arrow shaft grippers spaced to encircle an arrow shaft;   means biasing said arrow shaft grippers to engage an arrow'shaft inserted therebetween;   an arrow shaft gripper actuator;   means biasing said arrow shaft gripper actuator out of driving engagement with said arrow shaft gripper, said means including an actuator arm cantilevered from said arrow shaft gripper actuator; and   cam means fixed to said vertical length of said draw string and positioned below said actuator arm to raise said actuator arm upon release of said pulled pull length of said draw string to release an arrow nocked to said pull length and to return to position beneath said actuator arm when said pull length returns to a relaxed position.   
     
     
         12 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 11 , wherein
 each arrow shaft gripper includes a rubber tip to engage the arrow shaft.   
     
     
         13 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 12 , wherein each arrow shaft gripper includes a rigid holder each for rubber tip; and wherein
 each rigid holder is pivotally mounted to allow engagement of each rubber tip with an arrow shaft in a holding position and to position each end rubber tip to an out of engagement position spaced from the arrow shaft and said arrow as said arrow flies from the bow.   
     
     
         14 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 13 , further including
 means mounting the arrow shaft gripper actuator to impact the arrow shaft grippers to pivot each said arrow shaft gripper out of holding position and to the out of engagement position following release of said pulled pull length of said draw string.   
     
     
         15 . An archer compound as in  claim 14 , further including
 means pivotally connecting the arrow shaft gripper actuator to the arrow shaft gripper; and   projection means extending from said arrow or gripper actuator to engage and pivot the arrow shaft grippers out of their arrow shaft holding positions upon raising of the actuator arm by the cam fixed to the vertical length of the draw string.   
     
     
         16 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 15 , wherein
 the cam has an abrupt upper shoulder surface to engage and raise the actuator arm to pivot said arrow grippers from their arrow shaft gripping positions to their out of engagement positions upon release of the pulled pull length of the draw string and upward movement of the cam and said actuator arm and a gradually tapered lower surface to be engaged by the actuator arm as it moves off the abrupt shoulder upon release of the said vertical length of the draw string as said cam returns to position beneath the actuator arm and return of the shaft grippers to their holding position.   
     
     
         17 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 16 , further including
 a coil formed in the actuator arm as a spring to absorb shock and prevent damage to the actuator arm when said arm is subjected to and raised by the cam.   
     
     
         18 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 17 , further including
 sound reducing means surrounding the portion of the actuator arm engaged by the cam.   
     
     
         19 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 18 , wherein
 the actuator arm is fixed to and cantilevered from a rear of the arrow shaft gripper actuator and the weight thereof biases said arrow shaft gripper actuator to pivot the projections of said gripper actuator to their out of driving engagement position spaced from the arrow grippers.   
     
     
         20 . An archery compound bow having
 a bow string with a vertical length and a pull length;   an arrow support fixed centrally of said bow; and including an arrow gripper to engage and hold an arrow shaft;   means biasing said arrow gripper into engagement with a shaft of an arrow nocked into said bow string;   an arrow shaft gripper actuator including an actuator arm projecting rearwardly therefrom;   pivot means for said arrow shaft gripper actuator to position said actuator arm to be engaged by travel of said cam;   a cam fixed to said vertical length of said draw string and positioned to be movable downwardly upon drawing of said pull length of said bow string and upwardly to engage and raise said actuator arm upon release of the pulled draw length of said draw string.   
     
     
         21 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 20 , further including
 a coil formed in the actuator arm as a spring to absorb shock and prevent damage to the actuator arm when said arm is engaged and raised by the cam.   
     
     
         22 . An archery compound bow as in  claim 21 , further including
 sound reducing means surrounding the portion of the actuator arm engaged by the cam.