Bow press with synchronously screw driven/pivoting outer bow limb support arms and mounted in free sliding fashion upon a support rail

Abstract

A bow press for quickly collapsing a compound bow includes a frame with a horizontally extending rail. First and second bow support arms are pivotally secured to rail supported subassemblies, of first of which is fixed and a second slidable along the rail. The support arms and associated subassemblies each grip first and second spaced apart and opposite surface locations of a selected bow limb. The support arms are simultaneously pivotally actuated by fluid cylinders incorporated into the subassemblies, in either of a bow limb compressing or bow limb relaxing direction.

1 . A press for bending a pair of limbs associated with a bow, comprising:
 a frame incorporating an elongate rail;   a first bow limb engaging subassembly supported at a first location of said rail;   a second bow limb engaging subassembly slidably supported upon said rail in repositionable fashion relative to said first subassembly, said subassemblies each further comprising a pivoting arm from which extend first and second limb engaging portions; and   an input force delivered to said first and second subassemblies, causing said arms to pivot and to compressively bend the limbs.   
   
   
       2 . The invention as described in  claim 1 , each of said subassemblies further comprising a generally “L” shaped configuration including an interiorly hollow and rail receiving member from which upwardly extending pedestal supports for said arms. 
   
   
       3 . The invention as described in  claim 2 , further comprising angled cross braces extending between said rail receiving members and said pedestal arm supporting members and each pivotally supporting a fluid actuated cylinder. 
   
   
       4 . The invention as described in  claim 3 , said arms each further comprising a seating portion pivotally supported at an upper end of each pedestal support and actuated by extending piston arms associated with said cylinders, said first limb engaging portion further comprising a first stationary pin extending from said pivotal connection between said seating portion and said pedestal support and engaging an inside surface of the bow limb proximate a central bow riser. 
   
   
       5 . The invention as described in  claim 4 , said arm further comprising a tubular portion which is telescopically seated within an open end of said seating portion, said second limb engaging portion further comprising at least one of a second pin or a roller support extending from a location associated with said tubular portion for engaging an outside surface of the bowl limb proximate an end mounted pulley. 
   
   
       6 . The invention as described in  claim 5 , further comprising a series of apertures extending in lineal spaced apart fashion along said tubular portion, a spring loaded pin extending in communication with an associated top surface of said seating portion and, upon inserting said tubular portion, seating within a selected aperture in order to establish an overall distance of said arm. 
   
   
       7 . The invention as described in  claim 5 , said tubular portion further comprising a cross wise extending support to which is secured a pair of rollers with associated supports comprising said second bow limb engaging portion. 
   
   
       8 . The invention as described in  claim 7 , further comprising said support being rotatably supported within said tubular portion, a flange extending from a location of said crosswise support proximate said tubular portion and exhibiting an arcuate outer edge, a plurality of location holes defined in said flange and permitting the rotatably supported crosswise support to be rotated to a position relative to said tubular portion, at which a further elongated spring loaded pin extending crosswise from said tubular portion is caused to seatingly engage through a selected flange perimeter aperture to pivotally pre-position said roller supports. 
   
   
       9 . The invention as described in  claim 3 , said input force further comprising a fluid pressurization system for actuating said fluid pressure cylinders and which includes a tank mounted to a location of said frame, a powered pressurizing unit in communication with said tank and a pair of outlet feed lines connecting to said fluid cylinders. 
   
   
       10 . The invention as described in  claim 9 , further comprising an outlet feed line extending from said pressurizing unit to said tank and communicating with a T valve for ensuring equal pressure delivery to said feed lines extending to said fluid cylinders. 
   
   
       11 . The invention as described in  claim 9 , further comprising a main control in communication with said powered pressurizing unit and including an on/off button, a quick limb pressure release button and an emergency stop button. 
   
   
       12 . The invention as described in  claim 11 , further comprising a second up/down fine adjustment control in communication with said pressurizing unit and providing fine adjustment of compressing forces applied to the bow limbs. 
   
   
       13 . The invention as described in  claim 2 , further comprising angled cross braces extending between said rail receiving members and said pedestal arm supporting members and each pivotally supporting an electric actuator for delivering said input force. 
   
   
       14 . The invention as described in  claim 1 , said frame further comprising a pair of drive screws incorporated into lower positioned tubular supports associated with each of said first and second bow limb engaging subassemblies and which are supported by a drive rod rotatably supported by said frame in parallel fashion to said rail. 
   
   
       15 . The invention as described in  claim 14 , said arms each further comprising a generally boomerang shape which is pivotally secured by linkage pins extending through slots formed in linear extending fashion at lower ends of said lower positioned tubular supports, said pins securing to interiorly threaded travel blocks for converting rotation of said drive screws to linear translation of said blocks and pivoting of said arms. 
   
   
       16 . The invention as described in  claim 15 , further comprising a first solid and exteriorly threaded screw drive associated with said first subassembly and which is rotatably supported within a first lower tubular support. 
   
   
       17 . The invention as described in  claim 16 , further comprising a hand crank connected to said first rotatable drive screw. 
   
   
       18 . The invention as described in  claim 16 , an extending end of said first drive screw being key secured to a first end of said drive rod via a coupling element, a second interiorly hollowed drive screw associated with a second lower tubular support incorporated into said second slidable subassembly and through which said drive rod extends in a combined slidably permissive and rotatably slaved fashion. 
   
   
       19 . The invention as described in  claim 15 , upper ends of each of said boomerang shaped arms further comprising a fixedly supported seating portion, said first limb engaging portions each further comprising a first stationary pin extending from a midpoint of said arms. 
   
   
       20 . The invention as described in  claim 19 , further comprising a tubular portion which is telescopically seated within an open end of said seating portion, said second limb engaging portion further comprising a pin extending from a generally end location associated with said tubular portion for engaging an outside surface of the bowl limb proximate an end mounted pulley.