GunClaims
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Nov 4, 2025

US12460891 - Bow cam having unique cable journals

A cam for an archery bow having flat segmented power cable tracks or journals. The cam preferably includes five stacked journals sharing a common axis. The middle journal receivable for a bowstring with opposing mirrored and segmented cable journals above and below the bowstring journal plane. Alternately, the cam having three stacked journals; a bowstring journal and two segmented cable journals. A bowstring and cable(s) interact with the cam(s) and other components to fire a projectile, such as an arrow.

The patent describes a crossbow featuring a cam system with multiple segmented cable journals that interact with a bowstring to facilitate the firing of projectiles. The design includes two flexible bow limbs, a riser, and a unique arrangement of journals that allows for efficient cable management during the draw and release phases.

Claim 1

1 . A crossbow comprising: first and second flexible bow limbs coupled to a riser; a first cam C 1 coupled to the first bow limb and rotatable around a first axis, the first cam C 1 comprising a center draw string journal C 1 -J 3 , a first upper C 1 -J 2 and a second upper C 1 -J 1 segmented cable journals and a first lower C 1 -J 4 and a second lower C 1 -J 5 segmented cable journals, a centerline of each of said C 1 -J 1 , C 1 -J 2 , C 1 -J 3 , C 1 -J 4 and C 1 -J 5 segmented cable journals are parallel to each other; a second cam C 2 coupled to the second bow limb and rotatable around a second axis, the second cam C 2 comprising a center draw string journal C 2 -J 3 , a first upper C 2 -J 2 and a second upper C 2 -J 1 segmented cable journals and a first lower C 2 -J 4 and a second lower C 2 -J 5 segmented cable journals, a centerline of each of said C 2 -J 1 , C 2 -J 2 , C 2 -J 3 , C 2 -J 4 and C 2 -J 5 segmented cable journals are parallel to each other, wherein C 1 and C 2 J 2 and C 1 and C 2 J 4 segmented cable journals and C 1 and C 2 J 1 and C 1 and C 2 J 5 segmented cable journals are non-continuous around a circumference of a first cam hub and a second cam hub; a bow harness including a bow string and a first power cable and a second power cable, the bow string received in the center draw string journals and bow string ends secured to the first and second cams C 1 , C 2 ; and the first and second power cables receivable in first and second cam cable journals, wherein as the bow string is being drawn from a released configuration to a drawn configuration, the bow string unwinds from C 1 -J 3 and C 2 -J 3 center draw string journals as simultaneously the first and second power cables wrap onto C 1 -J 2 /J 4 and C 2 -J 2 /J 4 segmented cable journals then exit said segmented cable journals the first and second power cables are received by and wrap onto C 1 -J 1 /J 5 and C 2 -J 1 /J 5 segmented cable journals. first and second flexible bow limbs coupled to a riser; a first cam C 1 coupled to the first bow limb and rotatable around a first axis, the first cam C 1 comprising a center draw string journal C 1 -J 3 , a first upper C 1 -J 2 and a second upper C 1 -J 1 segmented cable journals and a first lower C 1 -J 4 and a second lower C 1 -J 5 segmented cable journals, a centerline of each of said C 1 -J 1 , C 1 -J 2 , C 1 -J 3 , C 1 -J 4 and C 1 -J 5 segmented cable journals are parallel to each other; a second cam C 2 coupled to the second bow limb and rotatable around a second axis, the second cam C 2 comprising a center draw string journal C 2 -J 3 , a first upper C 2 -J 2 and a second upper C 2 -J 1 segmented cable journals and a first lower C 2 -J 4 and a second lower C 2 -J 5 segmented cable journals, a centerline of each of said C 2 -J 1 , C 2 -J 2 , C 2 -J 3 , C 2 -J 4 and C 2 -J 5 segmented cable journals are parallel to each other, wherein C 1 and C 2 J 2 and C 1 and C 2 J 4 segmented cable journals and C 1 and C 2 J 1 and C 1 and C 2 J 5 segmented cable journals are non-continuous around a circumference of a first cam hub and a second cam hub; a bow harness including a bow string and a first power cable and a second power cable, the bow string received in the center draw string journals and bow string ends secured to the first and second cams C 1 , C 2 ; and the first and second power cables receivable in first and second cam cable journals, wherein as the bow string is being drawn from a released configuration to a drawn configuration, the bow string unwinds from C 1 -J 3 and C 2 -J 3 center draw string journals as simultaneously the first and second power cables wrap onto C 1 -J 2 /J 4 and C 2 -J 2 /J 4 segmented cable journals then exit said segmented cable journals the first and second power cables are received by and wrap onto C 1 -J 1 /J 5 and C 2 -J 1 /J 5 segmented cable journals.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12460891

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12460891