Glueless joining devices for interlocking with hollow shafts

Abstract

A glueless shaft joining system, apparatus and method are disclosed. An expandable insert, half-out insert or outsert is disposable at least partially into the inside of the shaft of an arrow or other tubular member such as a golf club shaft. A set screw can be tightened to expand finger elements to lock the insert and arrowhead attached thereto in place. Alternatively, a screw can lengthwise contract base and wedge elements along contacting portions of respective ramp portions, thereby expanding the effective outside diameter of the device inside of the shaft to lock it into place. In either case, a component, such as a broad head, can be aligned, removed or indexed as desired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glueless interlocking mechanism for shafts having a hollow inside diameter, the mechanism comprising:
 a base portion, the base portion defining a first outside diameter, the base portion including a first tapered ramp portion adjacent a first end and a hollow channel therethrough from end to end;   a wedge portion, the wedge portion having an outside diameter no greater than the first outside diameter, the wedge portion including a second tapered ramp portion adjacent a first end and a hollow threaded recess defined inwards of the ramp portion; and   an adjustment screw insertable through the hollow portion of the base portion and threadable into the threaded portion of the wedge portion;   wherein turning the adjustment screw in a retraction direction causes base portion and wedge portions to move towards one another so that the second tapered ramp portion of the wedge portion slides along the first tapered ramp portion of the base portion to define an interlocking diameter that is greater than the first diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a weight disposed on an end of the wedge portion opposite the ramp portion. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a female receiving portion disposed on an end of the base portion opposite the first tapered ramp portion. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the female receiving portion defines a recess therein to receive a portion of the shaft, and a collar portion configured to extend over an outside diameter of the shaft when the portion of the shaft is disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the female receiving portion defines a hollow threaded portion extending outwardly opposite the base portion. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the threaded portion of the female receiving portion defines an inside diameter in the range of 0.165 inches to 0.204 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow inside diameter of the shaft is in the range of 0.165 inches to 0.204 inches. 
     
     
         8 . A method of removably interlocking an arrow component to an arrow shaft, the method comprising:
 inserting an adjustment screw through a base via a first end thereof so that the adjustment screw extends beyond a second end thereof;   inserting the adjustment screw into a first end of a wedge;   turning the adjustment screw to move the wedge towards the base, thereby sliding a portion of a tapered ramp portion of the wedge along a respective tapered ramp portion of the base, which causes the wedge and base portions to laterally separate with respect to one another.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 defining a threaded advancement depth within the base; and   preventing further turning of the adjustment screw to move the wedge towards the base when the advancement depth is reached.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising securing a broadhead to the base by threading a post portion of the broadhead into a female threaded receiving portion of the base. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the broadhead includes an electrical circuit and a battery. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising securing an arrow nock to the base by threading a post portion of the nock into a female threaded receiving portion of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 inserting the wedge and a portion of the base into a hollow portion of an arrow shaft; and   turning the adjustment screw until the base is secured to the arrow shaft.   
     
     
         14 . A glueless shaft interlocking mechanism for shafts having a hollow interior, comprising:
 a base insertable into the hollow interior of the shaft, the base including a threaded first end, a second end, and a plurality of flexible fingers separated by a slot defined between adjacent fingers and the slots extending inwards from the second end, the base having a hollow interior, the interior including a threaded portion; and   a set screw insertable into the hollow interior of the base, the set screw comprising a threaded portion and a tapered portion,   wherein the tapered portion of the set screw is configured to deflect the finger portions laterally outwardly as the set screw is advanced through at least a part of the threaded portion.   
     
     
         15 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the interior of the base includes a non-threaded portion disposed between the threaded portion and the second end, the non-threaded portion configured to prevent advancement of the set screw in a direction that deflects the finger portions laterally outwardly. 
     
     
         16 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , further comprising a receiving element securable to the base, the receiving element including a threaded shaft portion adjacent to a first end that is engageable with the threaded interior portion of the base, and an opposing adaptor end portion configured to receive a component to be interlocked with the hollow shaft. 
     
     
         17 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the set screw is integral with a first end portion of a receiving element, the receiving element comprising an opposing threaded adaptor second end portion. 
     
     
         18 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the base is configured as a half-out insert. 
     
     
         19 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the base is configured as an outsert. 
     
     
         20 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the base is configured as a male post insert.