US-20260126260-A1 - CROSSBOW

US20260126260A1US 20260126260 A1US20260126260 A1US 20260126260A1US-20260126260-A1

Abstract

A crossbow for firing projectiles includes a stock and a guide rail arranged thereon for accelerating a projectile; limbs between which a tensionable string is arranged; a retaining groove for retaining the string in a tensioned state in a holding position; and a trigger for moving the tensioned string out of the retaining groove in order to fire the crossbow and to accelerate the projectile along the guide rail. A safety lever is provided for holding the tensioned string in the retaining groove, which safety lever is coupled with the trigger so that, when the trigger is moved from the holding position to fire the crossbow, the safety lever and thus the string can be moved out of the retaining groove.

Inventors

Thomas Illedits
Gerald MISSBACH

Assignees

STEAMBOW GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20240619
Priority Date: 20230621

Claims (11)

1 - 10 . (canceled)
11 . Crossbow for firing projectiles, with a stock and a guide rail arranged thereon for accelerating a projectile, and with limbs, between which a tensionable string is arranged, a retention groove for retaining the string in the tensioned state in a holding position, and with a trigger for moving the tensioned string out of the retention groove for triggering and for accelerating a projectile along the guide rail, wherein a safety lever is provided for holding the tensioned string in the retention groove, which safety lever is coupled to the trigger, so that when the trigger is moved from the holding position to the triggering position, the safety lever and thus the string can be moved out of the retention groove.
12 . Crossbow according to claim 11 , wherein the safety lever comprises a hook-shaped end which closes the opening of the retention groove in the holding position of the string.
13 . Crossbow according to claim 11 , wherein the safety lever is arranged to swivel against a firing direction of the projectile.
14 . Crossbow according to claim 11 , wherein the safety lever is connected to a compression spring.
15 . Crossbow according to claim 11 , wherein the trigger is formed by a trigger lever with a trigger gear arranged thereon and a toothed rack which is form-fittingly connected to the trigger gear of the trigger lever, so that the toothed rack can be moved when the trigger lever is actuated and the string can be moved out of the retention groove for triggering.
16 . Crossbow according to claim 15 , wherein the safety lever is slidably mounted on the toothed rack.
17 . Crossbow according to claim 15 , wherein the trigger lever is arranged to swivel around a rotational axis.
18 . Crossbow according to claim 15 , wherein a compression spring is arranged to hold the trigger lever in the holding position.
19 . Crossbow according to claim 11 , wherein a spring-mounted trigger safety lever is provided for blocking the trigger in the holding position.
20 . Crossbow according to claim 19 , wherein a compression spring is arranged between the trigger lever and the trigger safety lever.

Description

The invention relates to a crossbow for firing projectiles, with a stock and a guide rail arranged thereon for accelerating a projectile, and with limbs between which a tensionable string is arranged, a retention groove for retaining the string in the tensioned state in a holding position, and with a trigger for moving the tensioned string out of the retention groove for triggering and for accelerating the projectile along the guide rail. Crossbows are well known from the state of the art and are used both for sport and hunting. In a crossbow, the limbs are first tensioned by pulling back the string connected to them and then the projectile, for example an arrow, a bolt or a bullet, is brought into engagement with the string. By pulling a trigger, the tensioned string can be brought out of the retention groove, which accelerates the projectile along the guide rail and fires it. More complex crossbow designs comprise a trigger mechanism and parts that hold the tension forces. The parts holding the tension forces are blocked by the trigger mechanism and folded away or swivelled up to release the shot (so-called “crossbows with a lock”). In simpler crossbow designs, the string is held in a retention groove or a crease or a recess and lifted up by the trigger mechanism and thus released. The present invention relates to this simpler construction of crossbows, which are referred to as “edge lifters”. Such constructions have become known from CA 1 188 583 A or WO 2013/138918 A1. For example, WO 01/94870 A1 describes a crossbow with adjustable limbs. With many simpler crossbows, especially the “edge lifters” mentioned above, the trigger is not secured, which can lead to unintentional triggering. Such crossbows comprise the inherent systemic disadvantage that any lifting of the string and not just an actuation of the trigger can trigger a shot. Other designs are very complex and elaborate. In many cases, only the trigger of the crossbow is secured against unintentional actuation, whereby mechanical impacts or shocks to the tensioned crossbow can cause the string to jump out of the retention groove and an unintentional triggering can still occur. If the projectile is already placed in front of the tensioned string, this can lead to dangerous situations. Such a crossbow is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 9,766,032 B1, for example. Other crossbows on the market use a safety device that is automatically activated immediately after the tensioning process and must be deactivated by the shooter using a switch before each triggering. Such safety devices are regularly removed or by-passed by shooters, which in turn jeopardises safety. The object of the present invention is to create an above-mentioned crossbow which is better secured against unintentional triggering. In particular, an automatic and always available safety device is to be realised without the shooter having to take additional steps to manually deactivate the safety device immediately before triggering and thus being burdened. In contrast to known constructions, the design for securing the tensioned crossbow should be as simple and cost-effective as possible, so that it can also be widely used with less expensive crossbows, in particular the above-mentioned “edge lifters”. The object according to the invention is solved by a crossbow as mentioned above, in which a safety lever is provided for holding the tensioned string in the retention groove, which safety lever is coupled to the trigger, so that when the trigger is moved from the holding position to the triggering position, the safety lever and thus the string can be moved out of the retention groove. According to the invention, the tensioned string is held in the retention groove by a suitably shaped safety lever, so that the string can be prevented from jumping out of the retention groove in the holding position without actuating the trigger. Only when the trigger is pulled the safety lever is moved in a suitable manner so that the opening of the retention groove is released and the string can come out of the retention groove to accelerate the projectile. The shooter does not need to take any additional steps to manually deactivate the safety immediately before triggering. The safety lever and the components required to couple it to the trigger are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Metals or plastics can be used as materials for the necessary components. It is also possible to retrofit existing crossbows with the safety lever. Advantageously, the safety lever comprises a hook-shaped end which closes the opening of the retention groove in the holding position of the string. This represents a simple and effective design option. Depending on the material, the safety lever can be manufactured by stamping, casting or injection moulding. If the safety lever is arranged to swivel against the firing direction of the projectile, it can be moved away when the crossbow is tensioned so that the tensioned stri