Shock-absorbing bolt for a crossbow

摘要

A shock-absorbing bolt for a crossbow comprises a shaft, a forward flange, and a shock-absorbing mechanism coupled to the shaft or the forward flange. The forward flange is coupled to a forward end of the shaft and has a forward surface with a transverse area that is greater than about three times larger than a transverse area of the shaft. A tapered tip can be attached to and protrude from the forward surface of the forward flange. The shock-absorbing mechanism is arranged so that, upon acceleration or deceleration of the bolt, kinetic energy of the bolt is dissipated by viscoelastic, viscous, or frictional forces within the bolt.

主权项

1. An article comprising a shock-absorbing bolt for a crossbow, wherein the bolt comprises:
(a) a rearward, outer shaft; (b) a forward, inner shaft slidably received in a forward end of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft or the outer shaft is arranged to limit forward movement of the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft and to retain a rearward portion of the inner shaft within the forward end of the outer shaft; (c) a forward flange attached to a forward end of the inner shaft, which forward flange has a forward surface with a transverse area that is greater than about three times larger than a transverse area of the outer shaft; (d) a rearward washer slidable along the inner shaft with the inner shaft passing through a hole in the rearward washer, wherein the outer shaft limits rearward movement of the rearward washer along the inner shaft; (e) a forward washer positioned between the forward flange and the rearward washer with the inner shaft passing through a hole in the forward washer; and (f) a viscoelastic shock absorber slidable along the inner shaft between the forward and rearward washers with the inner shaft passing through a hole in the shock absorber.