1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to release mechanisms for archery bowstrings.
2. Prior Art Description
Archery has been in existence for many thousands of years. In that vast period of time, there have been many variations to bows, arrows, bowstrings and other associated archery accessories. However, it has only been recently that the use of mechanical bowstring releases have been accepted into the sport of archery.
Traditionally, when a person shoots an arrow from a bow, the end of the arrow and the bowstring are engaged by the finger tips. Once the arrow is drawn to its full length, the arrow is released by letting go of the bowstring. As archery bows became more powerful and harder to draw, it became difficult to hold the arrow steady while smoothly holding and then releasing the bowstring with your fingers. It is for this reason that mechanical bowstring releases were developed.
Mechanical bowstring releases are mechanisms that engage the bowstring so that a person need not touch the bowstring with his/her fingers as an arrow is drawn. The mechanical bowstring release typically has some form of triggering mechanism so that a person can cause the mechanical bowstring release to release the bowstring when desired.
A common trigger mechanism for a mechanical bowstring device is a finger trigger. The finger trigger is positioned on the mechanical bowstring release so that it can be engaged with the index finger or middle finger. Such prior art release mechanisms are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,968 to Garvison, entitled Bowstring Release Device; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,213 to Linsmeyer, entitled Bowstring Release With Trigger Having Multiple Bowstring Securing Positions. A problem associated with such release mechanisms is that many people find it difficult or awkward to draw a bowstring without using their index finger or middle finger. As such, many people use these fingers to draw the bow and then change their grip to engage the trigger. The need to change the grip is awkward and often results in unsteady releases and inaccurate shots.
Another popular type of mechanical release mechanism utilizes a thumb trigger. Prior art bowstring releases that use such mechanisms are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,472 to Vogel, entitled Bowstring Release; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,974 to Keck, entitled Archery Bowstring Release. Although these release mechanisms do not require a person to change their grip, they do have other disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that an archer must draw an arrow, pause the arrow when fully drawn and engage the release mechanism with their thumb in order to shoot the arrow. It is undesirable to pause an arrow for any significant amount of time, once the arrow is fully drawn. With powerful modern bows it is difficult to pause a fully drawn arrow without the contracted muscles in the arm causing some unsteadiness in the arrow. The longer the arrow is paused, the greater the unsteadiness typically becomes.
A need therefore exists for a new type of bowstring release mechanism that does not cause an archer to change his/her grip or pause just prior to shooting an arrow. This need is met by the present invention as it is described and claimed below.
The present invention is a bowstring release device for drawing and releasing the bowstring on an archery bow. The bowstring release device includes a main body that is grasped and pulled by an archer. The main body defines a notch that is sized to receive a segment of a bowstring. The notch has an open end through which the segment of the bowstring can enter and exit. A release arm is coupled to the main body with a pivot. The release arm is selectively positionable between a closed position, where the release arm extends over the open end of the notch, and an open position, where the release arm does not obstruct the open end of the notch.
A first locking mechanism is provided that engages the release arm when it is in its closed position. The first locking mechanism prevents the release arm from moving into its open position until a predetermined threshold force is applied to the release arm by the bowstring. Once the force applied to the release arm exceeds the threshold force, the release arm automatically moves to its open position and releases the bowstring. A second safety locking mechanism is provided to prevent the release arm from accidentally opening while the arrow is first being drawn.