Underwater Hunting Crossbow

Abstract

Underwater hunting crossbow with an elastic arming mechanism. This type of crossbow comprises an elongate body the rear end of which is provided with a stock fitted with a trigger, and the front end of which is provided with a head to channel and propel an arrow using lateral elastic ties for propulsion the front ends of which are attached or held to said head, and the rear ends of the elastic ties are connected to an arming device configured to catch on a peg or a nock situated at the rear of the arrow. The greatest disadvantage with this type of crossbow is that it can be armed only on the pegs or the nocks. The tension in the elastic ties is therefore constant because it is dictated by the distance separating the pegs or the nocks from the head. The solution proposed by the invention is an underwater hunting crossbow characterized in that the arming device incorporates clamping elements, which elements are able to move between an active position in which they clamp the body of the arrow and a passive position in which they release the body of said arrow, said clamping elements being in an active position as soon as the elastic ties are tensioned to arm the crossbow. Thus, when arming the crossbow by stretching the elastic ties, the arming device is positioned by clamping at any point on the arrow. Not only is it possible for the arrow no longer to have either pegs or nocks, but the hunter can adjust the tension in the elastic ties.

1 . An underwater hunting crossbow with an elastic arming mechanism, said crossbow including an elongate body the rear end of which includes a stock including a trigger and the front end of which includes a head for channeling and propelling a bolt using propulsion lateral elastic ties the front ends of which are hooked onto or retained on said head, and the rear ends of said elastic ties being connected to an arming device configured to nock onto said bolt during arming, characterized in that the arming device incorporates clamping elements mobile between an active position in which they clamp the body of the bolt and a passive position in which they release the body of said bolt, said clamping elements being in the active position as soon as the elastic ties are tensioned to arm the crossbow. 
     
     
         2 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each clamping element includes:
 vertical axis articulation means for changing from the active position to the passive position,   a portion in contact with the body of the bolt, said contact portion being in the vicinity of the articulation means,   a portion forming a lever arm the end of which is remote from the articulation means and connected to a rear end of one of the elastic ties.   
     
     
         3 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the arming device includes a portion forming a support configured so that the portions of the clamping elements in contact with the body of the bolt always remain at the level of the horizontal median axis (A) of said bolt even if said arming device is inclined relative to said median plane of the bolt when arming the crossbow. 
     
     
         4 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clamping elements are symmetrically articulated to rotate on a guide part including two vertical axis articulation means cooperating with articulation means on said clamping elements. 
     
     
         5 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the guide part includes portions situated on either side of an imprint, the whole being configured to channel the body of the bolt and to position the horizontal median plane of the clamping elements in the horizontal median plane (A) of said bolt. 
     
     
         6 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the portion of each clamping element in contact with the body of the bolt has a V-shape configured to have two points of contact with said bolt, which points of contact are positioned symmetrically to the horizontal median plane (A) of said bolt. 
     
     
         7 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the portion of each clamping element in contact with the body of the bolt has a shape configured to have one point of contact with said bolt positioned below the horizontal median plane (A) of said bolt. 
     
     
         8 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, because of the method of manufacture, the articulation means are incorporated in each clamping element. 
     
     
         9 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clamping elements are connected by a central articulation. 
     
     
         10 . The crossbow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clamping elements form a single component including at least one thinner central portion forming a spring allowing said clamping elements to go from the active position to the passive position.