Arrow having an insert head assembly and fletching design

Abstract

An arrow assembly having an elongated tubular arrow shaft, with a plurality of slits extending forwardly from the rearward end of the shaft, an expandable locking insert mounted at the forward end of the arrow shaft, a arrow head having a ball-shaped tip mounted on the locking insert, a fletching mechanism having a central spine mountable inside the shaft and a plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from the spine and through the slits in the shaft, and a nock mountable at the rearward end of the shaft. The assembly can be assembled, disassembled and repaired in the field.

1 . An arrow assembly comprising:
 a generally tubular arrow shaft having forward and rearward ends and inner and outer surfaces;   a locking insert mountable in the forward end of the shaft and having at least one segment that is expandable radially outwardly to engage the inner surface of the shaft to anchor the locking insert in the forward end of the shaft;   an arrow head connectable to the locking insert;   a nock mountable to the rearward end of the shaft; and   a fletching mountable to the shaft at a location along the length of the shaft forward of the nock.   
   
   
       2 . The arrow assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the arrow head comprises an forward portion and a rearward portion and wherein the forward portion comprises a bulbous tip. 
   
   
       3 . The arrow assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking insert comprises an annular flange at its forward end and a body portion extending rearwardly from the annular flange, the annular flange having an outer diameter about the same diameter as the diameter of the arrow shaft and the body portion having an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the arrow shaft. 
   
   
       4 . The arrow assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body of the locking insert is tubular and comprises a rearward portion having interior threads and at least one slit extending forwardly from the rearward end of the rearward portion to thereby form at least one segment that can be expanded radially outwardly. 
   
   
       5 . The arrow assembly of  claim 4  wherein the interior surface of the threaded rearward portion of the insert body tapers rearwardly and radially inwardly. 
   
   
       6 . The arrow assembly of  claim 5  further comprises a locking set screw for threading into the threaded rearward portion of the insert body, said locking set screw having a diameter that, when threaded into the threaded rearward portion of the inside body, expands the at least one expandable segment radially outwardly. 
   
   
       7 . The arrow assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the arrow head comprises a rearward portion threadable into the threaded rearward portion of the insert body, said rearward portion of the arrow head having a diameter that, when threaded into the threaded rearward portion of the inside body, expands the at least one expandable segment radially outwardly. 
   
   
       8 . An arrow assembly comprising:
 an arrow shaft having forward and rearward ends and a plurality of slits extending forwardly from its rearward end;   a fletching mechanism mounted on the shaft having a central spine and a number of symmetrically spaced apart equal to the number of slits in the shaft, each vane extending radially outwardly from the spine and extending through a slit in the arrow shaft; and   a nock mounted at the rearward end of the shaft.   
   
   
       9 . The arrow assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the nock comprises a tubular forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extends into the interior of rearward end of the shaft and comprises at least one slit at its forward end for receiving the rearward edge of a vane of the fletching mechanism, and wherein the rearward portion comprises a slot for receiving a bow string. 
   
   
       10 . The arrow assembly of  claim 8  further comprising an annular retaining sleeve outer circumference of the arrow shaft at the rearward end of the shaft to secure the nock to the arrow shaft. 
   
   
       11 . The arrow assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the shaft has a side of greater stiffness and comprising a mark on the exterior of the shaft indicating the side of greater stiffness. 
   
   
       12 . The arrow assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the slits in the arrow shaft are straight and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
   
   
       13 . The arrow assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the slits extend helixially about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
   
   
       14 . The arrow assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the slits extend helixially about the longitudinal axis of the shaft at an angle of from about 0° to about 10° to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
   
   
       15 . An arrow assembly comprising:
 a hollow arrow shaft having a forward end and a rearward end and a plurality of slits extending forwardly from the rearward end;   a tubular expandable locking insert mounted in the interior of the forward end of the arrow shaft, said locking insert having at least one expandable segment engaging the inner surface of the arrow shaft to releasably secure the insert to the shaft;   an arrow head having a bulbous tip portion mounted on the locking insert;   a fletching mechanism having a central spine and plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from the spine, said fletching mechanism mounted in a rearward portion of the arrow shaft wherein the spine is within the interior of the shaft and the vanes extend through the slits in the shaft; and   a nock mountable to the rearward end of the arrow shaft.   
   
   
       16 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the nock comprises a tubular forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extends into the interior of rearward end of the shaft and comprises at least one slit at its forward end for receiving the rearward edge of a vane of the fletching mechanism, and wherein the rearward portion comprises a slot for receiving a bow string. 
   
   
       17 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15  further comprising an annular retaining sleeve outer circumference of the arrow shaft at the rearward end of the shaft to secure the nock to the arrow shaft. 
   
   
       18 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the shaft has a side of greater stiffness and comprising a mark on the exterior of the shaft indicating the side of greater stiffness. 
   
   
       19 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the slits in the arrow shaft are straight and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
   
   
       20 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the slits in the arrow shaft are straight and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
   
   
       21 . The arrow assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the slits extend helixially about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.