Arrow Holder

Briefly, the invention relates to archery equipment in general and to those archery devices known as arrow holders in particular.

Continuous arrow emplacement from the time an arrow is first strung until it is shot is extremely important to certain and of some importance to virtually all archery activities. For purposes of this description, "emplacement" means a position of an arrow in which the arrow nock properly engages the bow string and the arrow shaft rests upon the arrow rest (or archer's knuckles or finger if the bow doesn't include an arrow rest). Continuous emplacement is perhaps most important for certain forms of target shooting known as shooting "rounds", and for game hunting. One form of "round" target shooting consists of a plurality of targets which may be placed along a course on terrain including heavy brush, woods, hills, creeks and all manner of natural obstacles. Targets may also be placed to surprise a contestant to provide a test of reflex action shooting skill. According to one version of scoring such round target shooting, a contestant is timed for the length of time required to traverse the course from start to finish and shoot at each target in sequence. In addition to this time, a contestant's total score is also based on his shooting accuracy. Having an arrow continuously in emplacement after racing along difficult terrain, particularly upon suddenly being confronted with a target, is obviously important to either or both reducing a contestant's time or increasing the accuracy of a shot. Game hunting can also include the elements of reflex action shooting and rough terrain which makes it difficult if not impossible for a hunter to continuously have an arrow ready to be drawn and shot without the aid of an arrow holder. For inexperienced archers, means which provide continuous arrow emplacement is important even for passive activities such as archery range target shooting. To illustrate, an inexperienced archer will sometimes cause an arrow shaft to move sideways while drawing the arrow to a fully-drawn position, causing the arrow to drop downwards or otherwise frustrate completion of the shot.

An object of the present invention is an arrow holder for providing correct arrow emplacement.

Another object of the present invention is an arrow holder which continuously provides correct arrow emplacement while a bow and strung arrow are being carried about in a non-shooting position, while an arrow is being drawn to a fully-drawn position, and while an arrow is being held in a fully-drawn position.

A further object of the present invention is an arrow holder which releases an arrow for free flight in response to forward movement of an arrow shaft.

An additional object of the present invention is an arrow holder substantially free of interference to free flight of an arrow.

Still another object of the present invention is an arrow holder which after an arrow is strung is responsive to an initial forward movement of the arrow to increase the holding force applied to the arrow and oppose unstringing of an arrow.

Briefly, the invention comprises a holding means including a bifurcated end adapted for holding an arrow shaft and pivot means for providing pivotal movement of the holding means between positions providing engagement and disengagement of the bifurcated end with and from an arrow shaft. The bifurcated end holds an arrow shaft in cooperation with a bow member, either an arrow rest or a side of the bow. Upon shooting an arrow, the holding means pivots to break the cooperation between the bifurcated end and the bow member and release an arrow into free flight.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding means comprises an elongate strip of urethane of generally rectangular cross-section pivotally secured to a V-shaped appendage of a mounting bracket. The strip includes an arcuate notch as the holding means bifurcated end. The arcuate notch is aligned with an arrow rest to form a containment the cross-section of which is sufficiently smaller than the diameter of an arrow shaft to bow the urethane strip when an arrow shaft is inserted into the containment. The bow in the strip exerts a spring-like holding force on the arrow shaft. The initial forward movement of an arrow shaft pivots the holding means to disengage the bifurcated end from the arrow shaft.

An alternative embodiment for a bow without an arrow rest includes a holding means in which the bifurcated end is oriented towards the bow side for holding an arrow against the bow side. Release of an arrow for free flight is in response to an initial forward movement of the arrow which provides a corresponding forward movement followed by lateral pivotal movement of the holding means to completely release the arrow for free flight.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an arrow holder according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are fragmentary side plan views of the arrow holder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the arrow holder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the arrow holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is another fragmentary side view of the arrow holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a holding arm of the arrow holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an edge plan view of the holding arm of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a prefabrication layout plan view of the mounting bracket of FIG. 7 prior to forming the bracket;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a mounting bracket of the arrow holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an arrow holder according to FIG. 1 illustrated with reference to a bow having a removable arrow rest; and,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an arrow holder according to the present invention.

In the drawings, FIGS. 5 through 11 are to scale.

With reference to FIG. 1, an arrow holder is shown generally as 10. Arrow holder 10 comprises holding arm 12 secured by pivot pin 14 to mounting bracket 16. Holding arm 12 includes an arcuate notch 18 which cooperates with an arrow rest shown generally as 20 of bow 22 to hold an arrow shaft 24 to provide correct emplacement of an arrow. Arrow holder 10 also includes a stop lug 26 which performs the dual functions of restraining holding arm 12 in a holding position on arrow shaft 24 whenever an arrow is drawn from a strung position, which position is a virtually linear conformation of bow string 30, and of limiting the pivotal movement of holding arm 12. In a strung position, the bow string 30 is fully into the nock 32 of the arrow and holding arm 12 is positioned in a start position. In a start position, holding arm 12 for the embodiment of FIG. 1 is bowed to provide a spring-like holding force to arrow shaft 24. For active archery activities such as the aforementioned game hunting and round target shooting, a certain amount of forward and rearward movement of the arrow shaft 24 is inevitable when the bow and arrow in strung position are jostled about as the archer runs or otherwise moves about. Stop lug 26 restrains holding arm 12 in the initial start position for any such rearward movement of an arrow shaft 24. A holding arm 12 not so restrained, could possibly follow an arrow shaft 24 to an extreme rearward position at which the arm applied no spring-like holding force which in turn might result in the holding arm remaining in the extreme rearward position as the arrow shaft moved forward with the result that an arrow could become unstrung as the arrow shaft 24 moved forwardly far enough for nock 32 and bowstring 30 to disengage. It has also been found that unlimited pivotal movement of a holding arm 12 can result in damage to the arrow vanes 34 in a manner more fully described hereinafter.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side plan view of an arrow holder 10 with the holding arm 12 in a start position. In the start position, arm 12 is slightly bowed and arcuate notch 18 contacts shaft 24 with sufficient friction to follow the shaft 24 forward. For an initial forward movement arm 12 becomes increasingly bowed to correspondingly increase the holding force applied to shaft 24.

FIG. 3, also a fragmentary side plan view, illustrates holding arm 12 in the approximate position at which it is bowed maximum to apply a maximum holding force to shaft 24. FIG. 3, together with FIG. 2, graphically illustrate the variables relevant to specifying the critical parameters of the characterisitcs of holding arm 12. Holding arm 12 is selected of a hardness, thickness, length, and width to provide a holding force in the start position of FIG. 2 which is small enough that the drag on an arrow shaft is not likely to unstring an arrow for an archer who grips the nock 32 of an arrow very lightly between his fingers and also provides a maximum holding force at and near the position of FIG. 3 which does not interfere with proper release of an arrow, such as might particularly be the case with a finely adjusted bow of the class of bows known as compound bows and characterized in that the force applied by the bow string to the arrow is less at the fully drawn position than at an intermediate drawn position.

FIG. 4 is a further fragmentary side plan view and illustrates a holding arm 12 in its position of maximum forward pivotal movement. It has been found that if pivotal movement is allowed to approach three hundred sixty degrees, arcuate notch 18 may be struck by the leading edge of, and damage, a vane 34 of an arrow, to say nothing of deflecting the flight of the arrow.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of an arrow holder 10 of FIG. 1, but without an arrow in emplacement. The arrow has been omitted to illustrate the relationship between arcuate notch 18 and arrow rest 20, the latter of which comprises surfaces 40 and 42. From FIG. 5 it can be seen that a center-line bisecting the major surface of holding arm 12 would approximately pass through the juncture of surfaces 40 and 42 and would also bisect the arc of arcuate notch 18. Such an orientation of arm 12 to arrow rest 20 provides an optimum holding force from arm 12 to an arrow shaft 24.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear view of an arrow holder 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 illustrates the position differential for a basic position of arm 12 as illustrated in FIG. 3, for arcuate notch 18 with and without an arrow shaft held against arrow rest 20. The dashed line position and solid line positions of notch 18 respectively correspond to with and without an arrow shaft held in arrow rest 20. The full circle dashed line 45 in FIG. 6 corresponds to the circumference of an arrow shaft 24.

FIG. 7 is another fragmentary rear view of an arrow holder 10 of FIG. 1 which illustrates clearance of vanes 34 of an arrow under mounting bracket 16. For the preferred embodiment illustrated, bracket 16 comprises an elongate section 46 having a generally V-shaped appendage shown generally as 48. Sides 50 and 52 form appendage 50 and are nominally at right angles to each other. Side 50 extends at an angle of about 45 degrees from elongate section 46. As discussed above with reference to FIG. 5, the angles of sides 50 and 52 orient notch 18 relative to arrow rest 20 to provide an optimum holding force to an arrow shaft. Such angles also are nominally the optimum angles for providing substantially interference free flight of an arrow, and for minimizing the amount of material for bracket 22 and arm 12, although it can be seen from FIG. 7 that under ideal conditions perhaps further material minimization can be achieved as there is about a 15 degree differential between side 50 and the uppermost arrow vane 34. The illustration of FIG. 7 is not exact as the uppermost and lowermost vanes 34 tend to spread and increase their included angle as they strike surfaces 40 and 42 thus the exact angular differential between uppermost vane 34 and side 40 as an arrow shoots by side 40 varies according to factors including the flexibility of the vanes 34.

FIG. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are plan views of the principal components of the preferred embodiment arrow holder 10 of FIG. 1, drawn to scale. In FIG. 8, arm 12 is shown to have a major surface 44 which is generally rectangular except for the end which includes arcuate notch 18. FIG. 9 is an edge plan view of arm 12 illustrating a minor surface 54 and a minor length 56. FIG. 10 is a prefabrication layout drawing of a bracket 16, and, includes an illustration of mounting apertures 58 which are elongate for ease of mounting bracket 16 with arm 12 at the optimum attitude illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 10 also illustrates a pair of apertures 60 for insertion of a stop lug 26 (not shown).

Apertures 60 are symmetrically positioned with respect to aperture 62, an aperture for mounting pivot pin 14 (also not shown). Apertures 60 provide a bracket 16 which is universal for both left and right hand archers. FIG. 11 is a post fabrication side plan view of a bracket 22.

The best mode known for carrying out the invention is illustrated in the foregoing FIGS. 1 through 11 and has been assembled using the following components:

arm 12: 85 durometer urethane having the following dimensions:

diameter of arcuate notch 18, nominally 0.275 inch (7 mm); it is expected that the diameter of notch 18 can vary from about 0.250 inch (6.4 mm) to 0.300 inch (7.6 mm) for a 0.340 inch (8.7 mm) diameter arrow shaft;

pivot pin 14: 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) long by 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) diameter with a 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) head;

mounting bracket 16: 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) thick by 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) wide cold rolled steel;

stop lug 26: 1/2 inch (12.5 mm) long by 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) diameter.

To the extent there is any difference between the English and Metric units in the above table, the English units are to govern. The foregoing components are either readily available off the shelf components or may be easily and routinely manufactured from commonly available materials. The arcuate notch is, however, preferably machined as opposed to punched, for example, into the urethane strip.

An arm holder is assembled by inserting pivot pin 14 through arm 12 and press fitting the pin into bracket 16. Stop lug 26 is press fit into an aperture 60 according to whether the holder is for a right or left handed archer, of mounting bracket 16 and the bracket attached to a bow by wood screws, tape, or an adhesive. To use the arrow holder, an arrow is strung in the normal manner and arm 12 placed in the start position of FIG. 2. With arm 12 so positioned, and an arrow so emplaced, a holding force of at least a predetermined magnitude is applied to an arrow shaft to normally continously provide correct arrow emplacment while the bow and strung arrow are carried about in a non-shooting position, while an arrow is drawn to a fully-drawn position, and while an arrow is held in a fully-drawn position.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an arrow holder 10 used in combination with a removable arrow rest 64. These latter devices are reported to improve an archer's accuracy and may take a form such as the arrow rest in United States Pat. No. 3,499,414 which issued Mar. 10, 1970 to A. J. Frydenlund in which the arrow rest is illustrated generally as 6.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an arrow holder 10 comprising a holding arm 70 pivotally secured by pivot pin 72 and including a catch 74. Arm 70 includes an arcuate notch 76 which together with side 78 of bow 80 hold arrow shaft 24 in emplacement. Notch 76 is selected to make sufficient contact with an arrow shaft and arm 70 is sufficiently flexible that upon shooting an arrow initial movement of arm 70 is by flexing of the arm as the arm follows the shaft forward until arm 70 clears catch 74 whereupon arm 70 pivots downwardly to release an arrow for free flight and clear the path of the arrow vanes. Bias means 82, a coil spring for the examplary embodiment of FIG. 13, may be provided which accelerates pivoting of arm 70 to the fully open position shwon generally as 84. The examplary embodiment of FIG. 13 is for a left handed archer.

The foregoing is given by way of illustration and not limitation and it is to be understood that various modifications and variations of the foregoing described embodiments are within the scope of the invention. For example, the arms 12 and 70 may be of a material other than urethane and pivot means such as a ball and socket could be substituted for the apertured arm 12 and pivot pin 14. Also, urethane of a hardness other than 85 durometers may be used, particularly if an offsetting change is made in another variable. For example, the holding force on an arrow generally varies directly with both hardness and length, consequently, an increase in hardness could be offset by an appropriate reduction of the arm major length (from pivot pin 14 to the notch 18 contact point with an arrow shaft).

Having described the invention and the manner and process of making and using the invention by means of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, the true scope of the invention shall be defined by the following claims.