Crossbow structure

Claim 2

A crossbow structure for projecting a feathered arrow comprising: a. a crossbow stock having an elongate barrel, said barrel having a longitudinal bore extending beTween a muzzle end and a breech portion of said barrel, said barrel having a loading opening therein communicating with said bore for receiving a feathered arrow therein; b. a resiliently mounted arrow positioning means within said barrel adjacent the muzzle end of said bore for biasing an arrow upwardly in the bore and for supporting only the nocked portion of an arrow in a position to be discharged; c. a resiliently mounted arrow positioning means within said barrel adjacent the breech portion of said bore for biasing an arrow upwardly in the bore and for supporting only the nocked portion of an arrow in a position to be discharged; d. longitudinal slots formed at each side of said barrel and communicating with said bore, said slots extending between the muzzle end and the breech portion of said barrel; e. a bow secured to said barrel adjacent the muzzle end thereof; f. a bow string connected to opposite ends of said bow and extending through said slots for traveling therealong; g. sear means within said barrel for selectively retaining and releasing said bow string; and h. trigger means operatively engaging said sear means for effecting release of said bow string.

Claim 3

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sear means includes: a. a sear guideway extending in a line transversely of the breech portion of the longitudinal slots and adjacent a rear end of the bore; b. an elongate rod having a bevelled upper end movable within said sear guideway; c. a flange adjacent a lower end of said sear rod, said flange being engaged by said trigger means for moving said rod; and d. resilient means within said stock engaging said flange for urging said sear rod into a nonfiring position.

Claim 4

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 2 including: a. an elongate safety pin engageable with said sear flange for holding said sear rod in the nonfiring position; b. a notch in said safety pin sized to permit said sear flange to move therethrough; and c. keeper means engageable with said safety pin for selectively holding same in engagement with said sear flange and for holding said safety pin in position having said notch therein positioned to permit said sear flange to move therethrough.

Claim 5

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said safety pin has a pair of longitudinally spaced recesses therein to receive said keeper means; and b. said keeper means is a resilient member sized to be selectively received within said recesses in said safety pin.

Claim 6

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said trigger means includes: a. a trigger guideway within said stock communicating with said sear guideway; b. a trigger member pivotally mounted within said trigger guideway, said trigger member having a lug portion extending therefrom; and c. an elongate lever within said trigger guideway, said lever being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and having one end engaging said lug portion of said trigger member and the other end engaging said sear flange for moving said sear out of engagement with said bow string.

Claim 7

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 5 including: a. a notch in an edge of said trigger member; and b. a rotatably mounted cam safety positioned to be selectively moved into said notch whereby said cam safety engages and positions said trigger member in a nonfiring position.

Claim 8

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 6 including: a. resilient means engaging said trigger member and said trigger guideway for positioning said notch in said trigger member to receive said cam safety; b. friction means associated with said cam safety for retaining same in an adjusted position; and c. a recess in one side of said stock for said cam safety, said recess being sized to permit said cam safety to move between a safe position in said notch and a firing position out of said notch.

Claim 9

The crossbow structuRe as set forth in claim 7 wherein: a. said trigger member is a planar member having a forward edge and a rear edge; b. said notch is in said forward edge of said trigger member; c. said lug portion of said trigger member extends rearwardly from said rear edge of said trigger member; and d. said sear rod is positioned rearwardly of said trigger member.

Claim 10

A crossbow structure for projecting a feathered arrow comprising: a. a crossbow stock having an elongate barrel, said barrel having a longitudinal bore extending between a muzzle end and a breech portion of said barrel, said barrel having a loading opening therein communicating with said bore for receiving a feathered arrow therein; b. arrow positioning members within said barrel, a plurality of resilient means associated with said arrow positioning members whereby said arrow positioning members are biased upwardly to force different diameter arrows into engagement with the bore of the barrel; c. guide means associated with said arrow positioning members for confining movement thereof to a path extending transversely of said bore; d. longitudinal slots formed at each side of said barrel and communicating with said bore, said slots extending between the muzzle end and the breech portion of said barrel; e. a bow secured to said barrel adjacent the muzzle end thereof; f. a bow string connected to opposite ends of said bow and extending through said slots for traveling therealong; g. a sear guideway extending in a line transversely of the breech portion of the longitudinal slots and adjacent a rear end of the bore; h. a sear slidably mounted in said sear guideway and extendible across the breech portion of said slots to engage and retain said bow string when said bow is in bow-cocking position; and i. trigger and linkage means operatively engaging said sear for linear retracting movement of said sear to release said bow string.

Claim 11

A crossbow structure for projecting a feathered arrow comprising: a. a crossbow stock having an elongate barrel, said barrel having a longitudinal bore extending between a muzzle end and a breech portion of said barrel, said barrel having a loading opening therein communicating with said bore for receiving a feathered arrow therein; b. arrow positioning members within said barrel, a plurality of resilient means associated with said arrow positioning members whereby said arrow positioning members are biased upwardly to force different diameter arrows into engagement with the bore of the barrel; c. guide means associated with said arrow positioning members for confining movement thereof to a path extending transversely of said bore; d. longitudinal slots formed at each side of said barrel and communicating with said bore, said slots extending between the muzzle end and the breech portion of said barrel; e. a bow secured to said barrel adjacent the muzzle end thereof; f. a bow string connected to opposite ends of said bow and extending through said slots for traveling therealong; g. a sear guideway extending in a line transversely of the breech portion of the longitudinal slots and adjacent a rear end of the bore; h. a sear slidably mounted in said sear guideway and extendible across the breech portion of said slots to engage and retain said bow string when said bow is in bow-cocking position; and i. trigger and linkage means operatively engaging said sear for linear retracting movement of said sear to release said bow string.

Claim 12

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 9 including: a. an aperture through said stock adjacent said breech portion, said aperture being sized to permit entry of at least a portion of one hand of a person using the crossbow structure; and b. a gripping portion in said stock adjacent said trigger means, said gripping portion forming a portion of the surfaces defining said aperture.

Claim 13

The crossbow structure as set forth in claim 10 wherein said trigger and linkage means include: a. a trigger linkage guideway within said gripping portion of said stock, said trigger linkage guideway communicating with said gear guideway; b. a trigger member pivotally mounted within said trigger guideway, said trigger member having a lug portion extending therefrom; and c. an elongate lever within said trigger linkage guideway, said lever being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and having one end engaging said lug portion of said trigger member and the other end engaging said sear whereby movement of said trigger member is operative to move said sear out of engagement with said bow string.