Sliding body expanding broadhead

[0002] Applicant has no and is aware of no applications for patent by others that should be considered with regard to the prosecution of this application.

[0003] Applicant has not been either Federally or Independently sponsored in affording this invention, all the invention being all his own effort.

[0004] This invention relates generally to what is commonly known as an expanding or expandable broadhead tip for arrows and more specifically to such a expanding or expandable broadhead including a blade carrying body slidably mounted on the tip body, having the blades thereof being rotatably carried thereon and held in closed position against the body during storage or flight by their contact with a restraining element which is overcome when the body slides rearwardly upon striking an object with the blades being subsequently cammed outwardly by a camming surface of a fixed positioning device which is positioned adjacent to the arrow shaft front portion.

[0005] An expandable broadhead arrow tip that includes a primary body positionable on the end of the arrow shaft with the primary body providing a penetration tip, a secondary body slidably positioned thereon and a combined stop and blade camming element. The secondary body carries a plurality of rotatably mounted blades which are normally restrained against rotation by a restraining element carried on an upper surface of the fixed, primary body element. As the secondary body is moved rearwardly on the primary body, the blades override the restraining element and are forced radially outwardly by the frontal camming surface of the fixed, primary element.

[0006] During normal flight, the blades are secured in folded position upon the carrying, sliding body by a restraining element. When the penetrating tip strikes a target, the target forces the sliding body rearwardly to cause the rotatable blades to be shifted outwardly as they abut with a fixed cam element and into a position in which they will provide an enlarged entrance into the target.

[0007] Expandable broadhead arrow tips are not new to the art. Many of these tips, however include a complex mechanical mounting for the rotatable blades of the tip. Applicant provides an expandable broadhead arrow tip that meets the standards of many states which require such tips to be of specified radial dimensions in both their folded and expanded conditions while providing an effective cutting or penetration opening for the swift dispatch of an animal.

[0008] Unlike other expandable broadheads that fold back into cutting position, applicant's design provides that the blades lie rearwardly and are cammed into cutting position. Such a design is stronger and more stable than previous broadheads and also eliminates arrow deflection on angled hits upon the target which is deflection is characteristic of complete foldback tips.

[0009] Applicant provides, at least in one form, a carrying body which includes a penetrating tip, and area of reduced diameter axially therebehind, a sliding body on such on such area of decreased diameter and a stationary stopping and camming member. The stopping and camming member includes a frontal camming surface which contacts the blades of the tip to move them outwardly into full cutting diameter. The blades, when in folded position rest upon an upper surface of such stop and are held in such position by a restraining member.

[0010] All of the elements of the Applicant's tip provide simply replaceable portions such that in the field replacement and repair may be easily accomplished. The Applicant's concept also provides for alignment of the cutting surfaces of the penetrating tip and the blades thereof.

[0011] Applicant's design also allows for ease of blade replacement by simply replacing the blade carrying body. The blade retaining element provided by applicant is reusable and by simply removing this element, the tip may be shot in an open position and meet the legal cutting diameters as set by various states.

[0012] With Applicant's device, the blade carrying member may be slid rearwardly and the tip fired as a fixed broadhead in jurisdictions where expandable broadheads are prohibited.

[0013] Applicant submits that, even in a well developed area of expertise, that his expandable broadhead arrow tip provides a unique and patentably distinct design from such art as will be better understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective, longitudinal view of an expandable, broadhead arrow tip embodying the concepts of the Applicant's invention and illustrating the same attached to the forward end of the shaft of an arrow with the blades thereof in folded or retracted position for flight or storage;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the blades of the tip in partially open position;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the blades of the tip in fully opened position;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a partial, longitudinal section of the tip illustrating the blades in folded position; and,

[0018] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the coaction of the blades as the carrying body therefor is shifted rearwardly to move past the retaining member and ultimately into fully expanded position.

[0019] In accordance with the accompanying drawings, Applicant's expandable broadhead arrow tip is generally designated 10 and is illustrated mounted on the forwardmost end of an arrow shaft S.

[0020] The tip 10 includes a longitudinally extending body portion 11 having a threaded end 11afor mounting to shaft S, a penetrating end 11band a stop 11cmay be slidable along said body 11 to normally rest against the frontal surface of shaft S or may be positively located along said body 11, a predetermined distance from penetrating end 11b.Body 11 may be of reduced diameter with respect to either the tip 11bor stop 11c.As illustrated, the penetrating tip 11bis machined to provide at least a pair of and preferably a plurality of surfaces 11dwith the meeting of adjacent pairs thereof providing a common edge 11e.Body 11 is provided with a set of grooves 11f,the number thereof being in agreement with the number of such tip edges 11esuch that alignment will be afforded between such grooves, 11f,tip edges 11dand blades 12acarried by a sliding body 12 arranged on said body 11 between said penetrating tip 11band said stop 11c.

[0021] The sliding body 12, includes a frontal end 12b,in the form shown stepped on the exterior thereof, which is step formation is a matter of choice, but which illustrates a body of increasing diameter such that as the tip enters a target entry opening, the sliding body 12 will be forced rearwardly, and has an inner diameter to permit sliding upon body 11. A plurality of lands, not shown, matching the number and position of grooves 11fof body 11 are provided on the inner diameter of body 12 and in this manner, the blades 12aare held in alignment with the aforementioned cutting edges 12dof penetrating tip 12b. Similarly the innermost sides or edges 12cof blades 12 will normally slide within such grooves 11fduring flight of the arrow or when the arrow is in storage or being transported.

[0022] Each of the blades 12ais rotatably captured in body 12 through a pin 12dand the body must essentially be cut as at 12e, which may extend forwardly along such body section, as will be further understood in the following operational statement, to permit the blade 12ato freely move between folded and open position. As illustrated, the rearmost end 12fof each of the blades 12 is formed to provide an area of abutment to act against a flexible or movable retaining element 15 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and 15ain FIG. 5.

[0023] Stop element 11cmay or may not be secured secured to body 11 and when not secured will normally abut with the front of the arrow shaft S but which, primarily, performs four functions. A first function is simply as a stop against further movement of sliding body 12, the second is to provide a locating surface 11gIf to receive the ends 12fof the blades 12aand support the same during folded operation, the third is to provide a camming surface 11hon the forwardmost end thereof and the fourth being a surface for placement of retaining element 15, 15a.

[0024] The aspects of the stop 11cand the blade rest functions should be obvious and the camming is accomplished by the rearward movement of body 12 and the resulting abutment of the lower surface 12cof blades 12 with such camming surface 11hwhich will force the blades 12aradially outwardly into the expanded or target penetrating position to enlarge the target entrance opening. Preferrably, frontal surface 11gis arranged angularly to the axis of body 11 to smoothly force the blades 12aoutwardly into such position.

[0025] The blade 12aholding and retaining structure is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4 the element 15 may take several forms and is illustrated with a smoothly curved top while in FIG. 5 element 15ais illustrated as an O-ring and stop 11cis provided with an O-ring receiving groove 15b. In either situation, the element 15, 15ais closely fitted to the outer diameter of stop 11cor lies within groove 15b. The action of such element is identical in either embodiment. The rearward movement of body 12 forces the end 12fof the blades 12aagainst the element 15, 15ato shift the same rearwardly upon shoulder 11gand in the case of FIG. 4 such shifting simply moves such element to allow rotation of blades 12awhile in the case of FIG. 5 the rearward movement of body 12 actually partially dislodges the O-ring 15afrom groove 15bto again allow the blades 12ato move therepast. In either instance, the elements 15, 15amay or may not be destroyed and it should be obvious that with the form of 15, if the element is not destroyed it is simply slid forward to engage the ends 12fof refolded blades 12awhile with the O-ring 15a, simple rearward hand displacement of the same is required to permit reestablishment of blade 12alocation to folded position is required. In either form then, such element 15, 15ais simply defined as a retaining element to hold the blades 12ain folded position.

[0026] The operation and use of such blade should be obvious from the above description. The tip 10 is secured on the arrow shaft S with the tip including the primary body 11 and the sliding body 12. The blades 12aof body 12 are folded into position against surface 11fand retaining element 15 or 15ais brought into holding abutment with the ends 12fthereof. Upon shooting the arrow, when it hits the target, the force and initial penetrated opening will bring the sides of the opening into contact with the sliding body 12 and force the same rearwardly. Upon such rearward movement, the ends 12fof the blades 12awill force the retaining element 15 rearwardly to allow the blades 12ato clear the same and continue their outward movement by obtaining contact with the camming surface 11hof stop 11c.Similarly if the form 15aof retaining element is being utilized, the rearward movement of the blades 12awill slightly dislodge the same from the groove and permit the blades 12ato again move outwardly as the V ride upon camming surface 11h.Removal of the arrow and tip from the target is enhanced by the length of body opening 15ewhich will permit the rearward retraction of the arrow, causing the blades to revolve more fully about their mounting pins 12d.

[0027] It should be obvious that Applicant has provided a new and unique expanding broadhead arrow tip.