US 12,320,613 B2
Crossbow de-cocking method
Richard Bednar, Akron, OH (US); Michael Shaffer, Hartville, OH (US); Gary Smith, Jr., East Canton, OH (US); and Eric Vankeulen, North Canton, OH (US)
Assigned to Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc., Mogadore, OH (US)
Filed by Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc., Suffield, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/585,680.
Application 18/585,680 is a continuation of application No. 17/575,866, filed on Jan. 14, 2022, granted, now 11,913,752.
Application 17/575,866 is a continuation of application No. 17/314,821, filed on May 7, 2021, granted, now 11,236,964, issued on Feb. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/021,930, filed on May 8, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0191965 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F41B 5/12 (2006.01); F41B 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC F41B 5/1469 (2013.01) [F41B 5/12 (2013.01); F41B 5/123 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A crossbow de-cocking method for use with an associated crossbow including: a longitudinally extending main beam; and a bow mechanism including: 1) a pair of outwardly extending bow limbs extending transversely from opposite lateral sides of the main beam; and 2) a bowstring operatively engaged to the outwardly extending bow limbs and movable between: (a) an un-cocked position; and (b) a cocked position; the crossbow de-cocking method comprising the steps of:
A) providing a trigger mechanism including:
1) a trigger housing;
2) a trigger surface supported to the trigger housing; and
3) a string catch supported to the trigger housing;
B) providing a trigger latch mechanism that:
1) is selectively supportable to the main beam; and
2) includes a trigger latch;
C) providing a winch assembly including:
1) a winch housing that is selectively supportable to the main beam;
2) a spool that is selectively rotatable with respect to the winch housing;
3) a tensile member having a first end operatively engaged with the spool;
4) a drive gear that is:
(a) selectively rotatable with respect to the winch housing; and
(b) operatively engaged to the spool; and
5) a clutch gear assembly that is selectively operatively engageable to the drive gear;
D) providing the trigger housing to be selectively movable along the main beam;
E) providing the string catch to be selectively movable between:
1) a first string catch position that does not hold the bowstring; and
2) a second string catch position that holds the bowstring;
F) providing the trigger latch to be selectively movable between:
1) a first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface; and
2) a second trigger latch position that engages the trigger surface to hold the trigger mechanism to the main beam at a longitudinal position;
G) providing the tensile member to have a second end operatively engageable with the trigger housing;
H) providing the clutch gear assembly, when it is operatively engaged to the drive gear, to be adapted to enable the drive gear to rotate:
1) freely in a spool in direction; and
2) subject to a damping load in a spool out direction;
I) providing the clutch gear assembly, when it is operatively disengaged from the drive gear, to be adapted to enable the drive gear to rotate freely in both the spool in direction and the spool out direction;
J) providing the winch assembly, when the bowstring is in the cocked position, the trigger latch is in the second trigger latch position holding the trigger mechanism to the main beam at the longitudinal position, and the string catch is in the second string catch position holding the bowstring, to be selectively operable:
1) to receive a first rotational input to rotate the drive gear in the spool in direction; to
2) rotate the spool; to
3) apply tension to the tensile member; to
4) move the trigger latch into the first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface; and
K) providing the winch assembly, when the bowstring is in the cocked position, the trigger latch is in the first trigger latch position that does not engage the trigger surface, and the string catch is in the second string catch position holding the bowstring, to be selectively operable:
1) to receive a second rotational input to rotate the drive gear in the spool out direction; to
2) rotate the spool; to
3) move the trigger mechanism away from the trigger latch mechanism; to
4) move the bowstring from the cocked position to the un-cocked position.