Device for launching a projectile or a launch object in general

Abstract

A device ( 1 ) for launching a projectile, comprising: a stock ( 2 ); at least two bending members ( 10 ) associated to said stock ( 2 ) on opposite sides thereof; tensioning means ( 323 ) of said bending members ( 10 ), comprising at least two cams ( 323 ) arranged on opposite sides of the stock ( 2 ), each of which is pivoted at a respective first axis of rotation ( 33 ) and is associated to at least one corresponding bending member ( 10 ); pushing means ( 30 ) of said projectile apt to cooperate with said bending members ( 10 ) comprising at least two pushing arms ( 32 ) arranged on opposite sides of the stock ( 2 ) and connected to each other through a flexible pushing member ( 31 ) wherein each of said pushing arms ( 32 ) is pivoted at a respective axis of rotation ( 33 ) and is apt to support a portion of said flexible pushing member ( 31 ), each of said pushing arms ( 32 ) being operatively connected to a respective cam ( 323 ), wherein said device ( 1 ) further comprises a flexible force member ( 37 ) for commanding a rotation of a pushing arm ( 32 ), and two pairs of pulleys ( 145, 146 ) arranged on opposite sides of the stock ( 2 ), wherein each pair comprises a first pulley ( 145 ) interposed between a respective pushing arm ( 32 ).

1 . A device for launching a projectile or a launch object in general, comprising:
 a stock having a longitudinal development direction between a rear or proximal end and a front or distal end,   at least two bending members associated to said stock on opposite sides of it and having a preferential development direction, said bending members being apt to be subjected to flexing in order to accumulate and supply energy usable to launch said projectile, and released in a rest condition,   tensioning means of said bending members,   pushing means of said projectile apt to cooperate with said bending members,   wherein said tensioning means comprise at least two cams arranged on opposite sides of the stock, each of which is pivoted at a respective first axis of rotation and is associated to at least one corresponding bending member, so that an angular displacement of a cam around said first axis of rotation determines a flexing action on said at least one corresponding bending member, and said pushing means comprise at least two pushing arms arranged on opposite sides of the stock and connected to each other through a flexible pushing member for pushing said projectile,   wherein each of said pushing arms is pivoted at a respective axis of rotation and is apt to support a portion of said flexible pushing member, each of said pushing arms being operatively connected to a respective cam, so that a rotation of each pushing arm in a first rotation direction determines a flexing of said bending members by means of the respective cam during a loading phase of the device and that, during a launch phase of said projectile, a return of the bending members towards said rest condition determines, by means of the cam, a rotation in the opposite direction of each pushing arm,   wherein said device further comprises a flexible force member for commanding a rotation of a pushing arm during said loading phase, and two pairs of pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the stock, wherein each pair comprises a first pulley interposed between a respective pushing arm and said flexible pushing member, and a second pulley interposed between the respective pushing arm and said flexible force member, said first pulley being rotatably connected to said second pulley for a coordinated rotation thereof around respective axes of rotation, so that in said rest condition the flexible pushing member is partially wound on the first pulley, and that during said loading phase the flexible pushing member gets unwound from the first pulley and the flexible force member gets wound on the second pulley, and that during said launch phase the flexible pushing member gets wound on the first pulley and the flexible force member gets unwound from the second pulley.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said pushing arms are rotatable between a first maximum loading position, corresponding to a maximum flexing of the bending members, and a second maximum discharge position, between said first maximum loading position and said second maximum discharge position there being a neutral position at which said bending members are in said rest condition not presenting accumulated elastic energy. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein in said first maximum loading position the pushing arms are rotated towards said rear or proximal end of the stock, and in said second maximum discharge position the pushing arms are rotated in the direction of said front end of the stock. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of each of said bending members is associated idle to a portion of a respective cam, so as to allow said portion of bending member to make a translation movement together with said portion of cam, said translation movement taking place along a direction substantially orthogonal to said preferential development direction of said bending member. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein said portion of a respective cam is a slot in said respective cam at the respective first axis of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , comprising a connection element positioned idle in said slot, said connection element comprising a connection member apt to move said portion of said at least one bending member. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein said connection element comprises two of said connection members, positioned symmetrically and connected to each other by a collar which is engaged in said slot of a respective cam, each of said connection members being apt to move said portion of a respective bending member. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising retaining members for retaining said bending members, arranged on opposite side of the stock, each retaining member being pivoted to said stock and associated to at least one bending members. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 6 , further comprising retaining members for retaining said bending members, arranged on opposite sides of the stock, each retaining member being pivoted to said stock and associated to at least one bending members, wherein each retaining member is associated to a respective connection member. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pushing arms forms a single part with a respective cam and the axis of rotation of said pushing arm is coincident with said first axis of rotation of said respective cam. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pushing arms is connected to a respective cam by at least one connecting rod pivoted to said pushing arm and to said cam. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot body of determined axis associated to the stock and positioned between the opposing cams, wherein a first of said cams and a second of said cams are hinged on said pivot body at a second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a slide associated to the stock and positioned between the opposing cams, said slide comprising said pivot body and being apt to slide in said stock substantially parallel to said longitudinal development direction. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pulley and/or said second pulley has/have an eccentric profile with respect to a respective axis of rotation. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pulley and said second pulley supported by a same pushing arm are apt to rotate jointly around a same axis of rotation, said first pulley and second pulley being jointly associated to a common pivot. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pulley and said second pulley supported by a same pushing arm are apt to rotate around distinct axis of rotation, said first pulley being jointly associated to a respective first pivot and said second pulley being jointly associated to a respective second pivot, wherein said coordinated rotation between said first pulley and said second pulley is obtained by means of a wheel jointly rotating with one of said first pivot and second pivot, and mating the other of said first pivot and second pivot. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein said mating is obtained by means of toothing or by means of friction coupling. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a first length of said flexible force member is associated to a respective second pulley and a second length of said flexible force member is associated to a tightener element secured to the stock. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein said tightener element is a frame. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising retaining members for retaining said bending members, arranged on opposite side of the stock, each retaining member being pivoted to said stock and associated to at least one bending members, and further comprising two flexible force members arranged on opposite sides of said stock, wherein a flexible force member has a first length associated to a respective second pulley and a second length associated to a side appendix of a respective retaining member. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising retaining members for retaining said bending members, arranged on opposite sides of the stock, each retaining member being pivoted to said stock and associated to at least one bending members, and further comprising two flexible force members arranged on opposite sides of said stock and a return pulley pivoted to a side appendix of a respective retaining member, wherein a flexible force member has a first length associated to a respective second pulley, a second length associated to a respective pushing arm, and a intermediate length interposed between said first length and second length and going around said return pulley, said return pulley acting as a tightener element of said flexible force member. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising two flexible force members arranged on opposite sides of said stock and further comprising a return pulley pivoted to said stock, wherein a flexible force member has a first length associated to a respective second pulley, a second length associated to a respective pushing arm, and a intermediate length interposed between said first length and second length and going around said return pulley, said return pulley acting as a tightener element of said flexible force member. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said bending members are arranged so that said preferential development direction is substantially parallel to said longitudinal development direction of said stock. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said bending members are positioned substantially adjacent to said stock. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least two bending members, said at least two cams and said at least two pushing arms are arranged in a manner substantially symmetrical with respect to said stock. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising, on each side of said stock, at least two bending members opposite to each other with respect to a plane on which said cams lie, forming, overall, a group of at least four bending members symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal development direction of the stock. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising contrast means associated to said stock, and operatively connected to said cams. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 2 , further comprising contrast means associated to said stock and operatively connected to said cams, wherein said contrast means are loaded so as to exert a force on said cams only when said pushing arms are beyond said neutral position towards said second maximum discharge position. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 27 , further comprising elastic means apt to bring back said pushing arms towards said neutral position. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising contrast means associated to said stock, and operatively connected to said cams, wherein said contrast means and/or said elastic means are operatively connected to said slide. 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising auxiliary pushing means including at least one elastic member apt to accumulate energy during said loading phase of the device and apt to supply said energy to said pushing means during said launch phase of said projectile. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising associating means of at least one of said bending members to said stock, wherein said associating means are apt to prevent a translation of a tract of said at least one bending member in a direction orthogonal to said preferential development direction, and to allow said tract a flexing movement, and/or an angular displacement with respect to said stock, and/or a translation in said preferential development direction of said at least one bending member. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 32 , wherein said associating means are apt to prevent said translation in said orthogonal direction to a first tract and to a second tract of said at least one bending member, wherein said first tract and second tract correspond to end tracts thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 1 , comprising associating means of at least one of said bending members to said stock, wherein said associating means are apt to join a tract of said at least one bending member to the stock in such a way as to prevent said tract both a translation with respect to the stock in said preferential development direction and in a direction orthogonal to said preferential development direction, and an angular displacement with respect to the stock. 
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is a crossbow.