Crossbow with draw string stop

Abstract

The crossbow includes a center rail, and a first flexible limb and a second flexible limb coupled with the center rail. The crossbow includes a first cam and a second cam rotatably coupled with the first flexible limb and the second flexible limb, respectively. The crossbow includes a draw string coupled with the first cam and the second cam. The crossbow includes a first cable anchor coupled to the first side of the center rail and a second cable anchor coupled the second side of the center rail. The crossbow includes a first power cable engaged with the first cam and the first cable anchor, and a second power cable engaged with the second cam and the second cable anchor. The crossbow includes a first draw string stop coupled to first cable anchor and a second draw string stop coupled to the second cable anchor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crossbow, comprising:
 a center rail defining a projectile axis, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a first flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a second flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a first cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the first flexible limb for rotation about a first axis, the first axis fixed relative to the first flexible limb, the first cam including a first power cable journal;   a second cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the second flexible limb for rotation about a second axis, the second axis fixed relative to the second flexible limb, the second cam including a second power cable journal;   a draw string coupled with the first cam and the second cam, the draw string configured to move between a released configuration and a drawn configuration;   a first cable anchor coupled to the center rail and positioned to the first side of the center rail,   a second cable anchor coupled the center rail and positioned to the second side of the center rail;   a first power cable engaged with the first power cable journal of the first cam and the first cable anchor;   a second power cable engaged with the second power cable journal of the second cam and the second cable anchor;   a first draw string stop coupled to first cable anchor and positioned vertically below the first cable anchor, the first draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration; and   a second draw string stop coupled to the second cable anchor and positioned vertically below the second cable anchor, the second draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The crossbow of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a riser coupled with the center rail;   wherein the first end of the first flexible limb is coupled to the riser and the first end of the second flexible limb is coupled to the riser;   wherein the first cable anchor is coupled to the riser and the second cable anchor is coupled to the riser.   
     
     
         3 . The crossbow of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 the first cam including:
 a first draw string journal defining a first draw string plane of rotation perpendicular to the first axis, and 
 the first power cable journal extends at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the first draw string plane of rotation; and 
   the second cam including:
 a second draw string journal defining a second draw string plane of rotation perpendicular to the second axis, and 
 the second power cable journal extends at least partially in the direction perpendicular to the first draw string plane of rotation; 
   wherein the first draw string stop and the second draw string stop are positioned at least partially within the first draw string plane of rotation and the second draw string plane of rotation.   
     
     
         4 . The crossbow of  claim 3 , wherein the first cable anchor is positioned vertically above the first draw string plane of rotation, wherein the second cable anchor is positioned vertically above the second draw string plane of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The crossbow of  claim 1 , further comprising a power cable bracket coupled to the center rail, the power cable bracket including the first cable anchor and the second cable anchor, wherein the first draw string stop and the second draw string stop are coupled to the power cable bracket. 
     
     
         6 . The crossbow of  claim 5 , wherein the power cable bracket extends from the first side of the center rail to the second side of the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         7 . The crossbow of  claim 5 , further comprising a riser coupled to the center rail, the riser defining a power cable bracket, the first cable anchor and the second cable anchor coupled to the power cable bracket, wherein the power cable bracket extends over the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         8 . The crossbow of  claim 1 , wherein the first cable anchor is a first upper cable anchor and the second cable anchor is a second upper cable anchor, the crossbow further comprising:
 a first lower cable anchor coupled to the center rail and positioned vertically beneath the first upper cable anchor; and   a second lower cable anchor coupled to the center rail and positioned vertically beneath the second upper cable anchor.   
     
     
         9 . The crossbow of  claim 8 , further comprising a power cable bracket coupled to the center rail, the power cable bracket including the first upper cable anchor, the first lower cable anchor, the second upper cable anchor, and the second lower cable anchor, wherein the first draw string stop and the second draw string stop are coupled to the power cable bracket. 
     
     
         10 . The crossbow of  claim 9 , wherein the power cable bracket extends over the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         11 . The crossbow of  claim 9 , wherein the power cable bracket is positioned forward of the first axis and the second axis along the projectile axis of the crossbow. 
     
     
         12 . The crossbow of  claim 8 , further comprising a riser coupled to the center rail, the riser including a power cable bracket, the first upper cable anchor, the first lower cable anchor, the second upper cable anchor, and the second lower cable anchor coupled to the power cable bracket, wherein the power cable bracket extends over the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         13 . The crossbow of  claim 8 , wherein the first draw string stop is positioned at least partially between the first upper cable anchor and the first lower cable anchor, wherein the second draw string stop is positioned at least partially between the second upper cable anchor and the second lower cable anchor. 
     
     
         14 . A crossbow, comprising:
 a center rail defining a projectile axis, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a first flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a second flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a first cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the first flexible limb for rotation about a first axis, the first axis fixed relative to the first flexible limb, the first cam including a first power cable journal;   a second cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the second flexible limb for rotation about a second axis, the second axis fixed relative to the second flexible limb, the second cam including a second power cable journal;   a draw string coupled with the first cam and the second cam, the draw string configured to move between a released configuration and a drawn configuration;   a first upper cable anchor and a first lower cable anchor coupled to the center rail and positioned to the first side of the center rail,   a second upper cable anchor and a second lower cable anchor coupled the center rail and positioned to the second side of the center rail;   a first draw string stop coupled to the first upper cable anchor and the first lower cable anchor and positioned at least partially between the first upper cable anchor and the first lower cable anchor, the first draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration; and   a second draw string stop coupled to the second upper cable anchor and the second lower cable anchor and positioned at least partially between the second upper cable anchor and the second lower cable anchor, the second draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The crossbow of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first axle mount fixedly attached to the first flexible limb, wherein the first cam is rotatably coupled to the first axle mount so that the first axis is offset from second end of the first flexible limb by a fixed offset; and   a second axle mount fixedly attached to the second flexible limb, wherein the second cam is rotatably coupled to the second axle mount so that the second axis is offset from second end of the second flexible limb by the fixed offset.   
     
     
         16 . The crossbow of  claim 14 , further comprising a power cable bracket coupled to the center rail, the power cable bracket including the first upper cable anchor, the first lower cable anchor, the second upper cable anchor, and the second lower cable anchor, wherein the first draw string stop and the second draw string stop are coupled to the power cable bracket. 
     
     
         17 . The crossbow of  claim 16 , wherein the power cable bracket extends over the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         18 . The crossbow of  claim 16 , further comprising a riser coupled to the center rail, the riser including a power cable bracket, the first upper cable anchor, the first lower cable anchor, the second upper cable anchor, and the second lower cable anchor coupled to the power cable bracket, wherein the power cable bracket extends over the center rail and straddles the projectile axis. 
     
     
         19 . The crossbow of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first cam including a first draw string journal defining a first draw string plane of rotation perpendicular to the first axis;   the second cam including a second draw string journal defining a second draw string plane of rotation perpendicular to the second axis; and   wherein the first draw string stop and the second draw string stop are positioned at least partially within the first draw string plane of rotation and the second draw string plane of rotation.   
     
     
         20 . A crossbow, comprising:
 a center rail defining a projectile axis, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side;   a first flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a second flexible limb including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the center rail;   a first cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the first flexible limb for rotation about a first axis, the first axis fixed relative to the first flexible limb, the first cam including a first power cable journal;   a second cam rotatably coupled with the second end of the second flexible limb for rotation about a second axis, the second axis fixed relative to the second flexible limb, the second cam including a second power cable journal;   a draw string coupled with the first cam and the second cam, the draw string configured to move between a released configuration and a drawn configuration;   a riser coupled with the center rail, the riser including a power cable bracket, the power cable bracket extending across the center rail and positioned over the projectile axis, the power cable bracket positioned forward of the first axis and the second axis, the power cable bracket comprising:
 a first upper cable anchor positioned proximate the first side of the center rail; 
 a first lower cable anchor positioned proximate the first side of the center rail and vertically below the first upper cable anchor such that a first gap exists between the first upper cable anchor and the first lower cable anchor; 
 a second upper cable anchor positioned proximate the second side of the center rail; and 
 a second lower cable anchor positioned proximate the second side of the center rail and vertically below the second upper cable anchor such that a second gap exists between the second upper cable anchor and the second lower cable anchor; 
   a first draw string stop coupled to the first upper cable anchor and the first lower cable anchor and positioned at least partially within the first gap, the first draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration; and   a second draw string stop coupled to the second upper cable anchor and the second lower cable anchor and positioned at least partially between within the second gap, the second draw string stop configured to contact the draw string with the draw string in the released configuration.