Patents by Inventor Richard L. Bednar

Richard L. Bednar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8944038
    Abstract: Provided is a crossbow riser that may comprise a plurality of cells defined by walls. The walls may consist essentially of a material wherein the yield tensile strength at 0.2% strain is greater than 780 MPa, and either the specific strength is greater than 200 kN·m/kg, or the density is less than 6.0 g/cc. The cells may collectively define a first volume. The walls may collectively define a second volume. The ratio of the first volume to the second volume may be greater than 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Richard W. Gardner, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20150013654
    Abstract: A manually assisted bowstring drawing mechanism may be used with a crossbow. The drawing mechanism may include a pair of handles attached to opposite ends of a rope and an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism may have two pieces that may receive the rope and may be selectively separated and connected together. When separated, the pieces may be extended up opposite sides of the crossbow from a trigger mechanism to a bowstring. The pieces may then be connected together and engaged to the bowstring. Next, the handles may be pulled by a user to move the bowstring from an uncocked position to a cocked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Publication number: 20150018140
    Abstract: An alignment tool may be used to align a nock with respect to an arrow having vanes. The alignment tool may include a body, a connection member extending from the body, and indicating surfaces that are spaced around the outer surface of the alignment tool body at a relative angular orientation that matches the angular orientation of the arrow vanes. The connection member may be attached to the nock and then both the tool and the nock may be rotated with respect to the arrow to align the nock with respect to the arrow by aligning the indicating surfaces with respect to the vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc., d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout, Dean Mook
  • Publication number: 20140318519
    Abstract: A crossbow may include a crossbow barrel having reduced weight and increased strength and shock resistance to the crossbow. This invention may also aid in improving torsional resistance, improving specific stiffness, and increasing compresses strength. The invention may also reduce friction between a barrel and a bow string to increase bow string life. The invention may also reduce the friction between a barrel and a bow to allow added arrow distance. Additionally, the crossbow may decrease both vibration and sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Derrick J. Miller, Jacob A. Hout, Dennis A. Schramm
  • Publication number: 20140283806
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a crossbow may include a main beam; a compound bow assembly mounted to the main beam; and, a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam for use in holding a bowstring in a cocked position. The crossbow may include wheels at opposite ends of the bow that operatively receive the bowstring. The wheels may be separated by a wheel distance (WD) when the crossbow is in an un-cocked position. The crossbow may also have a power stroke distance (PD) and the ratio WD/PD may be less than 2.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8794225
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a crossbow may include a main beam; a compound bow assembly mounted to the main beam; and, a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam for use in holding a bowstring in a cocked position. The crossbow may include wheels at opposite ends of the bow that operatively receive the bowstring. The wheels may be separated by a wheel distance (WD) when the crossbow is in an un-cocked position. The crossbow may also have a power stroke distance (PD) and the ratio WD/PD may be less than 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8794224
    Abstract: A crossbow may include a crossbow barrel having reduced weight and increased strength and shock resistance to the crossbow. This invention may also aid in improving torsional resistance, improving specific stiffness, and increasing compresses strength. The invention may also reduce friction between a barrel and a bow string to increase bow string life. The invention may also reduce the friction between a barrel and a bow to allow added arrow distance. Additionally, the crossbow may decrease both vibration and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Derrick J. Miller, Jacob A. Hout, Dennis A. Schramm
  • Publication number: 20140190463
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a cable saver device that can be selectively engaged with one or more cables of a crossbow, which may mitigate premature cable wear, and/or provide smoother cable movement during bowstring draw and/or release. A device for mitigating premature cable wear can comprise a selectively removable crossbow cable saver, which can install on one or more cables of a crossbow. The crossbow cable saver can comprise a selectively closable top configured to enclose a top portion of one or more cable saver guides disposed in a bottom portion of said cable saver, when the top portion is closed over the bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventor: Richard L. Bednar
  • Patent number: 8763595
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a crossbow may include a main beam; a compound bow assembly mounted to the main beam; and, a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam for use in holding a bowstring in a cocked position. The crossbow may include wheels at opposite ends of the bow that operatively receive the bowstring. The wheels may be separated by a wheel distance (WD) when the crossbow is in an un-cocked position. The crossbow may also have a power stroke distance (PD) and the ratio WD/PD may be less than 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20140165982
    Abstract: A grip guard may be used with a crossbow that has a main beam including a stock and a barrel. The grip guard may have a first wall that is positioned between the stock and the barrel and a second wall that extends outwardly from the main beam. The first wall may have dampening properties to attenuate sounds and vibrations caused by firing the crossbow and the second wall may prevent a user's fingers from inadvertently extending from the handle toward the barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Jacob A. Hout
  • Publication number: 20140083406
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a nock device that may be used on an arrow. A top portion a nock device can comprise one or more pairs of string guide impression on its top surface, where the respective one or more pairs of string guide impressions may be symmetrically arranged on the top surface, with respect to each other. A first pair of string guide impression can be disposed along a first bisecting line on the top surface, and, if present, a second pair of string guide impressions can be disposed along a second bisecting line on the top surface. The respective one or more pairs of string guide impression can be configured to receive a bowstring, where the first pair may receive the bowstring in a first orientation, and the second pair, if present, may receive the bowstring in a second orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Patent number: 8656899
    Abstract: A crossbow may comprise a main beam, a trigger mechanism, a bow assembly, and a barrel cable suppressor. First and second cables may pass through a cable slot formed in a barrel member. The first and second cables may be received by first and second cams respectively such that the rotation of the first and second cams in a first direction causes the first and second limbs to be pulled generally inward towards the main beam. The barrel cable suppressor may be positioned at least partially within the cable slot and may at least partially suppresses vibrations and noise caused by the first and second cables when the bowstring is released from the trigger mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Jacob A. Hout
  • Publication number: 20140034035
    Abstract: A portable device for drawing the bowstring of a crossbow. The cocking device may be designed to prevent the uneven drawing of the crossbow and may eliminate the complex installation process typically required to retro-fit an existing crossbow with known cocking devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc. d/b/a/TenPoint Crossbow Technologies
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Patent number: 8622855
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a nock device that may be used on an arrow. A top portion a nock device can comprise one or more pairs of string guide impression on its top surface, where the respective one or more pairs of string guide impressions may be symmetrically arranged on the top surface, with respect to each other. A first pair of string guide impression can be disposed along a first bisecting line on the top surface, and, if present, a second pair of string guide impressions can be disposed along a second bisecting line on the top surface. The respective one or more pairs of string guide impression can be configured to receive a bowstring, where the first pair may receive the bowstring in a first orientation, and the second pair, if present, may receive the bowstring in a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Patent number: 8602013
    Abstract: A crossbow may comprise a safety device that provides the user a visual means other than the mechanical positioning of the various components of the crossbow to quickly and accurately determine the firing condition of the crossbow. The safety device may comprise an illuminated marker that emits a specific color of light to denote the firing condition of the crossbow. In another embodiment, the safety device may comprise a mechanical assembly that is raised and lowered to denote the firing condition of the crossbow. In yet another embodiment, the safety device may comprise an electric switch that causes an illuminated marker to emit a light or a mechanical assembly to raise or lower in order to denote the firing condition of the crossbow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Richard L. Bednar
  • Publication number: 20130298890
    Abstract: A cocking device for drawing the bowstring of a crossbow that can be selectively installed on an existing crossbow. The cocking device comprises a shape designed to prevent the cocking device from being improperly installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Patent number: 8578917
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a bowstring drawing mechanism for drawing and controllably releasing a crossbow bowstring comprises a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism protects the bowstring drawing mechanism from damage caused by over-cranking and allows the user to controllably release the bowstring from the drawn position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8573192
    Abstract: A portable device for drawing the bowstring of a crossbow. The cocking device may be designed to prevent the uneven drawing of the crossbow and may eliminate the complex installation process typically required to retro-fit an existing crossbow with known cocking devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout
  • Publication number: 20130213374
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a crossbow may include a main beam; a compound bow assembly mounted to the main beam; and, a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam for use in holding a bowstring in a cocked position. The crossbow may include wheels at opposite ends of the bow that operatively receive the bowstring. The wheels may be separated by a wheel distance (WD) when the crossbow is in an un-cocked position. The crossbow may also have a power stroke distance (PD) and the ratio WD/PD may be less than 2.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8499753
    Abstract: A cocking device for drawing the bowstring of a crossbow that can be selectively installed on an existing crossbow. The cocking device comprises a shape designed to prevent the cocking device from being improperly installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Hunter's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bednar, Michael J. Shaffer, Jacob A. Hout