Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, a firing assembly, and a sighting device. The frame has a forward end and a rear end. The firing assembly is operatively associated with the frame. The firing assembly has a string latch which is positioned between the forward and rear ends of the frame. The sighting device has an eyepiece and is connected to the crossbow in a manner which provides that the eyepiece is positioned in alignment with, or forward of, the string latch.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has an elongated frame and a foot stirrup. The elongated frame has a forward end portion. The foot stirrup is secured to the forward end portion of the elongated frame. The foot stirrup has first and second portions. The first portion of the foot stirrup is configured to extend forward of the elongated frame to the second portion. The second portion of the foot stirrup is configured to extend downwardly from the first portion. The downwardly extending second portion of the foot stirrup provides increased surface area to stabilize the crossbow during a cocking operation. The downwardly extending second portion of the foot stirrup is further configured to act as a bipod when the crossbow is aimed and fired.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, first and second limbs, a bowstring, and a bolt retainer. The first and second limbs are secured to the frame. The bowstring extends between the first and second limbs and is configured to move between a forward rest position and a rearward cocked position. The bolt retainer downwardly biases a bolt forward of the forward rest position of the bowstring.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame and a firing assembly. The frame has a forward end and a rearward end. The firing assembly has a finger-pull mechanism. The finger-pull mechanism is positioned at, or forward of, a midway point of the frame between the forward end and the rearward end.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has forward and rearward ends, a firing assembly having a finger-pull mechanism, and a butt member having a rear end. The crossbow has a length of pull that is positioned forward of the rearward end of the crossbow, where the length of pull is defined as a distance between the finger-pull mechanism and the rear end of the butt member.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, a firing assembly, and a mounting rail. The frame has a lower surface. The firing assembly is associated with the frame and has a finger-pull mechanism. The mounting rail is associated with the lower surface of the frame rearward of the finger-pull mechanism, and the mounting rail is configured to allow one or more accessories to be mounted thereto. One accessory which can be mounted to the mounting rail is a butt member which has a rear end which is configured to abut a front of a user. The butt member can be adjustably mounted to the mounting rail to provide that the butt member is movable along the mounting rail between a forward position and a rearward position.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has forward and rearward ends, a firing assembly having a finger-pull mechanism, and a butt member having a rear end. The crossbow has a length of pull that is positioned forward of the rearward end of the crossbow, where the length of pull is defined as a distance between the finger-pull mechanism and the rear end of the butt member.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has one or more of the following improvements: a bolt retainer which downwardly biases a bolt in position forward of a forward rest position of a bowstring; a mounting rail associated with a lower surface of a frame rearward of a finger-pull mechanism, where the mounting rail is configured to allow one or more accessories to be mounted thereto; a finger-pull mechanism positioned at, or forward of, a midway point of the frame; a string latch positioned more than six inches rearward of the finger-pull mechanism; a sighting device having an eyepiece, where the eyepiece is positioned in alignment with, or forward of, the string latch; a ratio of length of pull distance of the crossbow to bull-pup distance of the crossbow being two-to-one or less; and a foot stirrup configured to stabilize the crossbow during cocking, and to provide a bipod during aiming/shooting.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, a firing assembly, and a sighting device. The frame has a forward end and a rear end. The firing assembly is operatively associated with the frame. The firing assembly has a string latch which is positioned between the forward and rear ends of the frame. The sighting device has an eyepiece and is connected to the crossbow in a manner which provides that the eyepiece is positioned in alignment with, or forward of, the string latch.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, first and second limbs, a bowstring, and a bolt retainer. The first and second limbs are secured to the frame. The bowstring extends between the first and second limbs and is configured to move between a forward rest position and a rearward cocked position. The bolt retainer downwardly biases a bolt forward of the forward rest position of the bowstring.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame and a firing assembly. The frame has a forward end and a rearward end. The firing assembly has a finger-pull mechanism. The finger-pull mechanism is positioned at, or forward of, a midway point of the frame between the forward end and the rearward end.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has an elongated frame and a foot stirrup. The elongated frame has a forward end portion. The foot stirrup is secured to the forward end portion of the elongated frame. The foot stirrup has first and second portions. The first portion of the foot stirrup is configured to extend forward of the elongated frame to the second portion. The second portion of the foot stirrup is configured to extend downwardly from the first portion. The downwardly extending second portion of the foot stirrup provides increased surface area to stabilize the crossbow during a cocking operation. The downwardly extending second portion of the foot stirrup is further configured to act as a bipod when the crossbow is aimed and fired.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has forward and rearward ends, a firing assembly having a finger-pull mechanism, and a butt member having a rear end. The crossbow has a length of pull that is positioned forward of the rearward end of the crossbow, where the length of pull is defined as a distance between the finger-pull mechanism and the rear end of the butt member.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has a frame, a firing assembly, and a mounting rail. The frame has a lower surface. The firing assembly is associated with the frame and has a finger-pull mechanism. The mounting rail is associated with the lower surface of the frame rearward of the finger-pull mechanism, and the mounting rail is configured to allow one or more accessories to be mounted thereto. One accessory which can be mounted to the mounting rail is a butt member which has a rear end which is configured to abut a front of a user. The butt member can be adjustably mounted to the mounting rail to provide that the butt member is movable along the mounting rail between a forward position and a rearward position.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which has forward and rearward ends, a firing assembly having a finger-pull mechanism, and a butt member having a rear end. The crossbow has a length of pull that is positioned forward of the rearward end of the crossbow, where the length of pull is defined as a distance between the finger-pull mechanism and the rear end of the butt member.

Abstract: A crossbow is provided which, in a first preferred embodiment, has a frame having a rear end, and a firing assembly and a butt member, each of which are associated with the frame. The firing assembly also has a finger-pull mechanism. The butt member has a rear end which is configured to abut a front of a shoulder of a user, and the butt member is positioned between the finger-pull mechanism and the rear end of the frame. In a second preferred embodiment, the crossbow has a frame having a rear end and first and second limbs secured to the frame. A bowstring extends between the first and second limbs and is configured to move between a forward rest position and a rearward cocked position. The rear end of the frame is configured to be positioned rearward of a front of a shoulder of a user.

Abstract: A folding chair, which is foldably collapsible in a scissors-like folding operation, forms a long narrow bundle when collapsed, which fits into a tubular bag. The folding chair includes a pivotally jointed backrest support member which can be placed in various configurations to allow reclining movement thereof. The folding chair includes a frame assembly and a flexible hammock-type of fabric seat member which is mounted on, and supported by, the frame assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the frame assembly includes a plurality of interconnected X-members. The X-members cooperate to define a cage member when the chair is in an open configuration thereof. The frame assembly further includes a position fixing mechanism for temporarily and disengagably fixing the position of the seat back, to allow the frame assembly to be temporarily locked in a particular orientation thereof.

Abstract: A filtering pump assembly for pumping and filtering a fluid includes a pump subassembly and a filter subassembly. The pump subassembly has an inlet portion with a first cross-sectional shape. The preferred cross-sectional shape of the inlet portion is circular. The filter subassembly includes a foraminous cage member, having an opening formed therein of a shape corresponding to the first cross-sectional shape of the inlet portion and being configured to fit engagably thereon. The filter subassembly also includes a filter element formed of a porous material for placement in covering relation to the cage member. The preferred filter element is either bag-shaped or formed as a cylindrical sleeve. Preferably, the filter assembly includes a retainer for retaining the filter element in covering relation to the cage member. The retainer may be an annular spring clip having two ends which overlap one another, and having a finger grip formed at each end thereof.