Arrow rest

Abstract

An improved arrow rest for use in combination with an archery bow is disclosed. The present arrow rest provides complete radial support to an arrow disposed in a ready-to-draw position even if the bow is tilted or rotated radially relative to an axis of the arrow. Such radial support is provided by an inverted coil brush comprising a disc-shaped structure having a plurality of radially disposed, inwardly projecting bristles of a predetermined length attached therein forming a central opening in the arrow rest wherein the arrow shaft is radially supported. The bristles are arranged within the coil brush so as to impart no significant hindrance to the passage of an arrow therethrough. Thus, no angular orientation of the arrow vanes to the arrow nock is required which permits the use of the arrow rest with any configuration of arrow fletching or number of vanes. In addition, the present arrow rest can be used with any diameter of arrow shaft while maintaining both vertical and horizontal position without adjusting the rest position. Further, the present arrow rest improves the stability of an arrow in flight by dampening arrow vibration in all directions as it is released from the bowstring.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An arrow rest for use with an archery bow of the type including a curved bow member having opposite ends, said bow member having a bow string extending between said opposite ends and being attached thereto under tension to permit an arrow having vanes to be projected therefrom, said arrow rest comprising: 
       means for radially supporting said arrow in a ready-to-draw position relative to said bow member, said supporting means including a generally disc-shaped, inverted coil brush having a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly and defining a central opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready-to-draw position; and  
       means for removably attaching said radially supporting means to said bow member such that said bow is functional in a conventional manner with said arrow rest removed.  
     
     
       2. The arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein said bristles are disposed within said coil brush such that said arrow may be projected therethrough without regard to the angular orientation of said vanes to said arrow rest. 
     
     
       3. The arrow rest of  claim 2  wherein said bristles within said coil brush are of the same length. 
     
     
       4. The arrow rest of  claim 2  wherein said bristles are radially disposed within said coil brush in a plurality of layers, said bristles within each respective layer being of different lengths thereby defining a central opening within each layer having a different diameter whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said coil brush is reduced. 
     
     
       5. The arrow rest of  claim 2  wherein said coil brush is capable of increased diameter deflection thereby changing the diameter of said central opening to accommodate arrows of various diameters whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said coil brush is reduced. 
     
     
       6. The arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein said arrow rest is usable with an arrow having any number of said vanes and any angular orientation of said vanes. 
     
     
       7. The arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein said attaching means includes a mounting bracket adapted to position said coil brush in a plane generally perpendicular to that plane defined by said bow and said bow string. 
     
     
       8. The arrow rest of  claim 7  wherein said attaching means includes a linkage arm assembly that is mechanically coupled to said mounting bracket such that said coil brush is adjustable in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said arrow enabling the inclination of said arrow relative to said bow to be adjusted. 
     
     
       9. The arrow rest of  claim 1  wherein said attaching said  means can be installed on said bow without permanent modification thereof. 
     
     
       10. An arrow rest for use with an archery bow of the type including a curved bow member having opposite ends, said bow member having a bow string extending between said opposite ends and being attached thereto under tension to permit an arrow having vanes to be projected therefrom, said arrow rest comprising: 
         means for radially supporting said arrow in a ready - to - draw position relative to said bow member, said supporting means including an inverted brush having a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly into a flight path of said vanes and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position.   
     
     
       11. The arrow rest of  claim 10  wherein said bristles are disposed within said inverted brush such that said arrow may be projected therethrough without regard to the angular orientation of said vanes to said arrow rest. 
     
     
       12. The arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein said bristles within said inverted brush are of the same length. 
     
     
       13. The arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein said bristles are radially disposed within said inverted brush in a plurality of layers, said bristles within each respective layer being of different lengths thereby defining a central opening within each layer having a different diameter whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said inverted brush is reduced. 
     
     
       14. The arrow rest of  claim 11  wherein said inverted brush is capable of increased diameter deflection thereby changing the diameter of said central opening to accommodate arrows of various diameters whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said inverted brush is reduced. 
     
     
       15. The arrow rest of  claim 10  wherein said arrow rest is usable with an arrow having any number of said vanes and any angular orientation of said vanes. 
     
     
       16. The arrow rest of  claim 10 , wherein said arrow rest further comprises a means for removably attaching said radially supporting means to said bow member such that said bow is functional in a conventional manner with said arrow rest removed. 
     
     
       17. The arrow rest of  claim 16  wherein said attaching means includes a mounting bracket adapted to position said inverted brush in a plane generally perpendicular to that plane defined by said bow and said bow string. 
     
     
       18. The arrow rest of  claim 17  wherein said attaching means includes a linkage arm assembly that is mechanically coupled to said mounting bracket such that said inverted brush is adjustable in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said arrow enabling the inclination of said arrow relative to said bow to be adjusted. 
     
     
       19. The arrow rest of  claim 16  wherein said attaching means can be installed on said bow without permanent modification thereof. 
     
     
       20. An arrow rest comprising a support for holding an arrow having fletching in a ready- to - draw position relative to a bow member, said support comprising a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly into a flight path of said fletching and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position.   
     
     
       21. The arrow rest of  claim 20 , wherein said arrow rest further comprises a mounting bracket adapted to position said support in a plane generally perpendicular to that plane defined by said bow member and a bow string. 
     
     
       22. The arrow rest of  claim 21  wherein said mounting bracket further comprises a linkage arm assembly that is mechanically coupled to said mounting bracket such that said support is adjustable in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said arrow enabling the inclination of said arrow relative to said bow member to be adjusted. 
     
     
       23. The arrow rest of  claim 22  wherein said mounting bracket can be installed on said bow member without permanent modification thereof. 
     
     
       24. An arrow rest comprising a support for holding an arrow having fletching in a ready- to - draw position relative to a bow member, said support comprising a plurality of extending projections in a flight path of said fletching and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position.   
     
     
       25. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said extending projections comprise bristles. 
     
     
       26. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said opening comprises a circular opening defined by the extending projections. 
     
     
       27. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said extending projections extend radially inwardly. 
     
     
       28. The arrow rest of  claim 27  wherein said extending projections contact said arrow. 
     
     
       29. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said extending projections extend towards a single point. 
     
     
       30. The arrow rest of  claim 29  wherein said single point is within said opening. 
     
     
       31. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said arrow is radially supported by the extending projections for  360  degrees about the longitudinal axis of said arrow. 
     
     
       32. The arrow rest of  claim 24  wherein said extending projections hold the arrow such that the arrow remains within the opening upon perpendicular force relative to the longitudinal axis of said arrow. 
     
     
       33. An arrow rest comprising a support for holding an arrow having fletching in a ready- to - draw position relative to a bow member, said support comprising a plurality of extending projections in a flight path of said fletching, wherein said arrow is radially supported by the extending projections for  360  degrees about the longitudinal axis of said arrow when said arrow is in said ready - to - draw position.   
     
     
       34. The arrow rest of  claim 33  wherein said extending projections hold the arrow such that said arrow is radially supported by the extending projections for  360  degrees upon perpendicular force relative to the longitudinal axis of said arrow. 
     
     
       35. An arrow rest comprising a support for holding an arrow having fletching in a ready- to - draw position relative to a bow member, said support comprising a plurality of extending projections in a flight path of said fletching, wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position, and wherein said extending projections hold the arrow such that the arrow remains within the opening upon perpendicular force relative to the longitudinal axis of said arrow.   
     
     
       36. The arrow rest of  claim 35  wherein said arrow is radially supported by the extending projections for  360  degrees about the longitudinal axis of said arrow. 
     
     
       37. An arrow rest for use with an archery bow of the type including a curved bow member having opposite ends, said bow member having a bow string extending between said opposite ends and being attached thereto under tension to permit an arrow having vanes to be projected therefrom, said arrow rest comprising: 
         means for radially supporting said arrow in a ready - to - draw position relative to said bow member, said supporting means including an inverted brush having a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position, wherein said bristles are disposed within said inverted brush such that said arrow may be projected therethrough without regard to the angular orientation of said vanes to said arrow rest.   
     
     
       38. The arrow rest of  claim 37  wherein said bristles within said inverted brush are of the same length. 
     
     
       39. The arrow rest of  claim 37  wherein said bristles are radially disposed within said inverted brush in a plurality of layers, said bristles within each respective layer being of different lengths thereby defining a central opening within each layer having a different diameter whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said inverted brush is reduced. 
     
     
       40. The arrow rest of  claim 27  wherein said inverted brush is capable of increased diameter deflection thereby changing the diameter of said central opening to accommodate arrows of various diameters whereby the frictional resistance imparted to said arrow passing through said inverted brush is reduced. 
     
     
       41. An arrow rest for use with an archery bow of the type including a curved bow member having opposite ends, said bow member having a bow string extending between said opposite ends and being attached thereto under tension to permit an arrow having vanes to be projected therefrom, said arrow rest comprising: 
         means for radially supporting said arrow in a ready - to - draw position relative to said bow member, said supporting means including an inverted brush having a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position, wherein said arrow rest further comprises a means for removably attaching said radially supporting means to said bow member such that said bow is functional in a conventional manner with said arrow rest removed, said attaching means includes a mounting bracket adapted to position said inverted brush in a plane generally perpendicular to that plane defined by said bow and said box string, and said attaching means includes a linkage arm assembly that is mechanically coupled to said mounting bracket such that said inverted brush is adjustable in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said arrow enabling the inclination of said arrow relative to said bow to be adjusted.   
     
     
       42. An arrow rest comprising a support for holding an arrow in a ready- to - draw position relative to a bow member, said support comprising a plurality of bristles extending radially inwardly and defining an opening wherein said arrow is radially supported in said ready - to - draw position, wherein said arrow rest further comprises a mounting bracket adapted to position said support in a plane generally perpendicular to that plane defined by said bow member and a bow string, and wherein said mounting bracket further comprises a linkage arm assembly that is mechanically coupled to said mounting bracket such that said support is adjustable in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said arrow enabling the inclination of said arrow relative to said bow member to be adjusted.   
     
     
       43. The arrow rest of  claim 42  wherein said mounting bracket can be installed on said bow member without permanent modification thereof.