Method and apparatus for holding bows and arrows

Abstract

A bow and arrow bolder (10) having a base (12); an upright (14); and a bow bracket (16) capable of holding at least one bow on each side of the upright (14). A preferred holder (10) is fabricated from PVC pipe and fittings, with the base (12) including end caps (26) that can be removed to add ballast (e.g., sand) to increase stability. Upright (14) is preferably removably attached to the base (12), and preferably forms or carries at least two “sleeves” for holding at least two sets of arrows. Each bow bracket (16) preferably includes two pairs of cantilevered “keepers” (47) that extend laterally outwardly from the upright (14), and the keepers (47) are tilted in such a way that the bow(s) can be held in a substantially vertical, ready position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of archery devices, and in particular holders for bows and arrows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Archery is a well-known and increasingly popular sport. While many people participate in archery at a hobby or recreational level, some people participate more intensively. Whatever the level of participation, it's often necessary for the archer to set his or her bow down so that, for example, the arrows can be retrieved from the target area. While recreational participants might accept laying their bow on the ground, that's not the case for avid archers, especially those involved in competition with more expensive, high precision bows. The reasons for this are many, including protecting the equipment from damage; safety (i.e., preventing tripping over the bow); and convenience (i.e., preventing the archer from having to bend down to retrieve his or her bow). Damage to the bow could include bending or breaking the sight pins and arrow rests, and fraying or breaking the bow string or limbs. Also, laying the bow on the ground could cause debris to get into the bow's mechanism (particularly compound bows with moving parts).

[0003] Similarly, avid archers do not like to lay their arrows on the ground, due to the fact that the arrows can be stepped on, tripped over, or contaminated with debris (e.g., mud in the feathering), not to mention the inconvenience of having to bend over to pick up the arrows.

[0004] Attempts have been made in the past to address this problem (i.e., having to lay bows and arrows on the ground). For example, a company named Wildwood Innovations offers a bow and arrow holder called the “Archery Stand-By.” This holder consists of a relatively small (approx. 8″ by 10″ when viewed from the top) rectangular base; a relatively short (approx. 12″) tubular upright attached to the base; and a bow bracket attached to the upper end of the upright. The upright is open at the top, creating a sleeve for holding several arrows.

[0005] The Archery Stand-By holder meets some of the desirable criteria for a bow holder. For example, it is relatively inexpensive and portable. And it can hold a bow as well as a supply of arrows. However, Applicant perceives some disadvantages to this device as well. One major problem with the Archery Stand-By is that it is insufficiently stable. That is, it is “tippy,” especially when used on uneven ground (as is often present at archery ranges). The base doesn't have a very large footprint, nor does the base hold much in the way of ballast (e.g., sand). Also, the Archery Stand-By only holds one bow, and one set of arrows. While it possesses additional shortcomings as well, those identified above are the most important.

[0006] In view of the above, Applicant has developed a bow and arrow holder that meets all of the criteria listed above, and more. That is, it is stable, portable and can conveniently hold multiple bows and accompanying arrows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for holding two bows and two sets of arrows, the apparatus including a base; an upright having a lower end attached to the base and an upper end; a pair of sleeves operatively coupled to the upright, each sleeve adapted to receive one set of arrows; and a bow bracket attached to the upper end of the upright, wherein the bow bracket holds one bow on one side of the upright and the other bow on the other side of the upright.

[0008] Preferably, though not necessarily, the bow holder of the present invention is fabricated from PVC pipe and fittings.

[0009] The base can be “H” shaped, and include a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails; and a base spanner connected to and spanning between the rails, wherein the upright is operatively connected to the base spanner.

[0010] Each base rail can include a tubular front rail piece having inner and outer ends; and a tubular rear rail piece having inner and outer ends, wherein the inner ends of the rail pieces are attached to the base spanner.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the base further includes a plurality of end caps attached to and closing off the outer ends of the rail pieces, wherein at least one of the end caps is removable, whereby ballast (e.g., sand) may be added to the base to enhance the stability of the bow holder.

[0012] The base spanner preferably includes a pair of side base tees and a middle base tee, “tees” being T-shaped fittings commonly used for PVC projects. Two of the legs of each side base tee are preferably connected to the inner ends of corresponding rail pieces; the remaining leg of each side base tee is preferably connected to one of the legs of the middle base tee; and the upright is preferably operatively connected to the remaining leg of the middle base tee. The preferred “operative connection” between the upright and the base is one that can be selectively engaged and disengaged. For example, a portion of the upright can be inserted into a mating part in the base, and then the two can be secured together by means of a threaded fastener. That way, the connection between the upright and the base can be selectively disengaged to render the bow and arrow holder reasonably compact, thus increasing its portability and making it easier to ship.

[0013] The upright (which connects to the base of the bow and arrow holder) can include front and rear spaced, substantially parallel upright elements operatively connected together, wherein the front upright element is operatively connected to the base. The upright elements can be tubular (e.g. fabricated from PVC pipe and fittings) so as to form arrow-receiving sleeves.

[0014] The upright can include an upright “spanner” connected to and spanning between the upper ends of the upright elements. The upright spanner can be constructed from a pair of upright tees and a stub extending therebetween. The upright tees, in a preferred embodiment, would be open, to receive the arrows. The lower ends of the upright elements can contain a soft material for receiving the arrow tips, to reduce noise and tip damage. The tip receiving material can be sand, the same material preferably used as ballast. The upright is preferably set at an angle to the vertical, primarily so that the bow bracket(s) is/are optimally tipped. The bow bracket preferably includes two pairs of keepers, one on each side of the upright and extending laterally outwardly therefrom. The keepers can be covered with a soft material, e.g. rubber tubing. By tilting the keepers, the bow(s) can be held nearly perfectly in the ready position, so that the archer only has to grasp the bow, tip it slightly to disengage it from the bow bracket, and pull it laterally away from the upright and out of the keepers. The bow is ready to use at that point, nearly in the ideal ready position.

[0015] The invention also includes a method for holding two bows and two sets of arrows, the method including selecting a base; selecting an upright having upper and lower ends; attaching the lower end of the upright to the base; selecting a pair of sleeves operatively coupled to the upright, each sleeve adapted to receive one set of arrows; and selecting a bow bracket attached to the upper end of the upright, wherein the bow bracket holds one bow on one side of the upright and the other bow on the other side of the upright.

[0016] In preferred embodiments, multiple bow brackets can be used, thus enabling the holding of more than 2 bows.

[0017] The Drawings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention can now be briefly described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the bow and arrow holder of the present invention, in use;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bow and arrow holder of FIG. 1, holding two bows and accompanying sets of arrows;

[0020] FIG. 3 shows an elevational view of the holder of FIG. 1, with (i) a cutaway showing ballast in the base, and (ii) additional or alternative bow bracket(s), shown in phantom;

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of the holder of FIG. 1; and

[0022] FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the holder of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] Referring to the Drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and assemblies throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred bow and arrow holder 10 according to the invention. Holder 10 includes a base 12; an upright 14 attached to base 12; and a bow bracket 16 attached to the upper end of upright 14. Each of these major components of holder 10 is described in some detail below.

[0024] 1. Base 12

[0025] Base 12, as its name suggests, is the base or foundation of bow and arrow holder 10. The main purpose of base 12 is to adequately support upright 14, so that holder 10 doesn't tip over when unbalanced (e.g., when it is holding only one bow) or when it is being used in windy conditions or on uneven ground. That being the case, base 12 could be made from a variety of materials and take a variety of forms, including the plastic H-shape shown in the Drawings (e.g., FIG. 4) but also potentially including an I-shape or for that matter a simple rectangle, constructed from wood, metal or plastic. For that matter, base 12 could even include a pointed stake that is driven into the ground to provide the requisite stability to holder 10.

[0026] While base 12 could have a wide variety of configurations, the H-shape configuration shown in the Drawing is the most preferred. It provides an adequate “footprint,” while at the same time being easy to construct from PVC pipe and fittings. Specifically, base 12 preferably includes a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails 18a and 18b; and a base spanner 20 connected to and spanning between rails 18. A top view, FIG. 4 for example, shows that preferred base 12 has an H shape.

[0027] Rails 18 and base spanner 20 are preferably made of PVC pipe, although other materials are contemplated, e.g., metal or wood. PVC pipe is preferred because it is inexpensive, easy to assemble, strong and light. What's more, PVC pipe, while normally being available only in black or white, can if desired be painted blaze orange to create a firing line for use in competition.

[0028] Two-inch (I.D.) Schedule 40 PVC pipe is preferred, but other pipe sizes could be used depending on various design criteria. Schedule 40 pipe is a pressure pipe and thus has relatively thick walls, making for an extremely sturdy construction material. Normal PVC pipe-welding solvent is preferred, though Applicant understands and contemplates that alternative construction techniques could be employed.

[0029] Each rail 18 preferably includes a tubular front rail piece 22 having inner and outer ends; and a tubular rear rail piece 24 having inner and outer ends, wherein the inner ends of the rail pieces are attached to base spanner 20.

[0030] Base 12 also preferably includes a plurality of end caps 26 attached to and closing off the outer ends of rail pieces 22 and 24. At least one of the end caps 26 can be removable, whereby ballast may be added to base 12 to enhance the stability of the bow holder. Sand is the preferred ballast material. Preferably, one set (e.g., the front set) of adjacent end caps is firmly attached to its rail pieces; with the opposing set (e.g., the rear set) being readily removable. That allows the user to tip base 12 on the secured end caps, remove the removable end caps, and fill base 12 with ballast material.

[0031] Base spanner 20 preferably includes a pair of side base tees 28 and a middle base tee 30, each of the base tees having three legs. Two of the legs of each side base tee 28 are connected to the inner ends of corresponding rail pieces 22 and 24; and the remaining leg of each side base tee 28 is connected to one of the legs of the middle base tee 30. Upright 14 is operatively connected to the remaining leg of the middle base tee 30. Short nipples (not shown), about 2 to 2.25 inches long, are used to interconnect side base tees 28 to middle base tee 30.

[0032] Referring in particular to the top plan view of FIG. 4, rail pieces 22 are preferably about 12 inches long, and rail pieces 24 are preferably about 7 inches long, making base 12 about 13 inches wide (i.e., from the outer edge of one of the base tees 28 to the outer edge of the other base tee 28) by about 22.5 inches long (i.e., from the outer tip of one of the end caps 26 to the outer tip of the opposing end cap 26 on the same rail 18). These dimensions, in 2 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe, guarantee considerable stability, even without ballast; but to further enhance stability the base may be filled with sand or some other ballast, simply by removing one or more end caps and pouring the sand into rail(s) 18. Applicant has determined that enough sand to fill a 3-lb. coffee can, when poured into base 12, greatly enhances the stability of bow and arrow holder 10.

[0033] Front rail pieces 22 are preferably longer than rear rail pieces 24 due to the fact that the bow(s) lean(s) out over the front of base 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Given enough ballast and assuming the environment (wind, unlevel ground, etc.) is not too severe, the relative lengths of rail pieces 22 versus rail pieces 24 is not overly important; but to optimize base 12 Applicant has elected to make it asymmetrical, fore-and-aft, as shown and described herein.

[0034] 2. Upright 14

[0035] Attached to and extending upwardly from base 12 is upright 14. As its name suggests, the main purpose of upright 14 is to stand upright and hold bow bracket 16 a convenient height above the ground. A secondary purpose of upright 14 is to carry or create “sleeves” for holding at least two sets of arrows, as further discussed below. Many structures having a wide variety of constructions could meet these criteria. For example, upright 14 could be made of wood or metal. But particularly in order to achieve portability and a relatively light weight, Applicant believes that the plastic pipe construction disclosed herein is preferred.

[0036] Preferred upright 14 has an inverted “U” shape, and includes front and rear spaced, substantially parallel upright elements 32a and 32b, respectively. The front upright element is operatively connected at its lower end to base 12, and the upright elements 32 are interconnected toward their upper ends by means of a relatively short spanner 34.

[0037] Preferred dimensions for the pipe components of upright 14 are as follows: front upright element 32a, 15 inches; rear upright element 32b, 12 inches; and stub 38, 6 inches.

[0038] As in the case of base 12, upright 14 is preferably fabricated from 2 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings. Upright elements 32 are simple PVC pipe. Spanner 34 includes front and rear tees 36a and 36b respectively, and a relatively short stub 38 extending therebetween. Each of the tees 36 has an upper leg, a lower leg, and a middle leg, wherein the lower leg of each tee 36a or 36b is connected to the upper end of the corresponding element 32a or 32b; and the middle leg of each tee 36a or 36b is connected to stub 38.

[0039] Upright elements 32 and tees 36 combine to form hollow, tubular “sleeves” for receiving two sets of arrows. The upper leg of each tee 36a or 36b is open to receive the arrows, and the arrow shafts reside within hollow upright elements 32. It is also contemplated that separate arrow-holding sleeves could be attached to the upright, but the advantage of using hollow pipe and fittings to construct upright 14 is that the very components that form the structure of upright 14 also serve the dual purpose of holding the arrows. Regardless of exactly how the arrow “sleeves” are formed (i.e., whether integral to the structure of upright 14 as depicted in the Drawings, or separately fabricated and then attached to upright 14), they are in some fashion “coupled” to upright 14 in the sense that they are connected to, carried by or integrally formed with the other components of upright 14.

[0040] Referring in particular to FIG. 5, the lower end of front upright element is removably received by the middle leg of base tee 30. That is, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, these two components are not solvent welded together; rather, element 32 removably inserts within the middle leg of base tee 30. A ¼ inch threaded bolt 40 extends through fore-and-aft holes in tee 30 and front element 32; and a hex nut 42 completes the assembly. Notably, this assembly technique permits upright 14 and base 12 to be easily assembled and disassembled in the field or at an archery event, thus permitting holder 10 to be conveniently assembled, disassembled and transported.

[0041] Of course, in an alternative embodiment upright element 32a could be solvent welded or otherwise fixed to base 12.

[0042] An end cap 44, solvent welded to the lower end of rear upright element 32b, completes upright 14.

[0043] The lower ends of the upright elements can contain a soft material for receiving the arrow tips.

[0044] More specifically, the tip-receiving material would be contained within end cap 44, for rear upright element 32b; and within base tee 30, for front upright element 32a. The material could be anything that receives the arrow tips in such as way as to minimize noise and arrow tip damage, both caused by (i) rattling of the arrows and arrow tips together, and (ii) the arrows being dropped into the arrow sleeves. Possible materials include sand, paper or a fabric, sand being the most preferred since it can also be used as a ballast within base 12 to stabilize holder 10.

[0045] With reference in particular to FIG. 3, upright elements 32 could be at any convenient angle, but are preferably raked back at an angle 46 of between about 12 and 15 degrees, relative to the vertical. The most preferred angle 46 is 14 degrees. A simple wooden jig, preset at 14 degrees (preferably), can be used to tilt the middle leg of base tee 30 after solvent has been applied but before the joint cures or stiffens, so that the preferred angle 46 is always achieved. The significance of angle 46 relates to bow bracket 16, discussed below.

[0046] 3. Bow Bracket 16

[0047] Attached to the upper end of front upright element 32a is bow bracket 16. The main purpose of this component is to hold at least two bows, at least one on each side of upright 14, in a secure but readily detachable manner, without damaging the limbs of the bow(s). Preferably, the bows are held in an upright, ready position, so that an archer can quickly and easily remove his or her bow from the bracket 16 and prepare to shoot. The bow bracket could thus conceivably include a wide variety of slots, clamps and mechanisms, some including moving parts and some not.

[0048] Although there is a variety of possibilities for this component, Applicant has discovered that in its most preferred form bracket 16 includes two pairs of rod-like “keepers” 47 that are clamped to and extend laterally outwardly from upright 14. Each operative pair of keepers includes a front keeper 47a and a rear keeper 47b that conveniently, safely and securely engage the limbs of a bow. Thus, a single bow bracket, having two pairs of “keepers” 47, can typically hold two bows, as shown in FIG. 2. Longer keepers 47 could conceivably hold more bows, but one bow per keeper pair is believed to be optimum.

[0049] Referring in particular to FIG. 5, bracket 16 includes front and rear threaded rods 48a and 48b, respectively, rods 48 forming the underlying structure of keepers 47. Located centrally along treaded rods 48a and 48b are hex nuts 50a and 50b, respectively. Opposing C-shaped straps 52a and 52b are situated on either side of upright element 32a, each C-strap having a curved portion and a pair of tabs located at either end thereof. The curved portions of C-straps 52 conform to the curvature of upright element 32. The tabs form thru holes that accept threaded rods 48. Engaging the outer surfaces of the C-strap tabs are washers 54 and hex nuts 56; and the outer ends of rods 48 are preferably covered with rubber or some other soft, friction-creating material 58, preferably rubber tubing used for automotive fuel lines. Such tubing is both pliable and frictional, so the limbs of the bow(s) aren't damaged, but yet are adequately gripped.

[0050] Preferably, keepers 47 in a given pair are about 4 inches apart, centerline to centerline, and the keepers, or rather the friction-creating material 58, are about {fraction (5/8)} inch in outside diameter. This results in a gap between the keepers of about 3.4 inches. This distance could be varied, depending on the type/size of the bow(s) to be accommodated.

[0051] Assembling bracket 16 is simply a matter of positioning the C-straps so they are spaced apart (per FIG. 5) and face one another, with their tab holes aligned; positioning rods 48 so that they align with the tab holes (per FIG. 5); inserting rods 48 into the tab holes; clamping the assembly to upright element 32a by means of washers 54 and hex nuts 56; and covering rods 48 with tubing 58.

[0052] The useful portion of each keeper 47, i.e., the portion that extends outwardly from the corresponding hex nut 56, is preferably between about 3 and 3.5 inches long. This is the effective length of the keeper. The most preferred keeper length is about 3 inches. In this case, threaded rods 48 are about 8 inches long. The rods 48 are preferably {fraction (3/8)} inch in diameter and have a fine 24 thread.

[0053] Preferred C-straps 52 are simply formed mild steel. Such straps can be easily fabricated, or purchased from a variety of outlets that sell clamps and the like for tubing and piping. Since bows are relatively light weight, it is not necessary that C-straps 52 be particularly sturdy or that they be clamped to upright element 32a particularly tightly.

[0054] The angle of the keepers 47 is important. While it might be possible to hold a bow using level keepers, Applicant has determined that tilting the keepers makes them hold the bow limbs much more securely, and enables the bow(s) to be held by the keepers in a substantially vertical, ready-to-shoot position. See FIG. 2. Thus, in operation, a bow being held in bow bracket 16 is oriented nearly perfectly, and all the archer has to do is grasp the bow with one hand, tilt it slightly to release it from the keepers, and pull it laterally away from the upright 14 and out of the keepers.

[0055] In view of the above, tilting the keepers slightly is the optimum design. One way to tilt the keepers would be to design a bracket that would create a given tilt when mounted on a vertical upright. This would work, and indeed would fall within the confines of the present invention, but Applicant has discovered that it is simpler and less costly to use the depicted threaded rod-and-clamp technique to assemble the keepers to the upright, and then simply tilt the entire upright/bow bracket assembly toward the rear by just the right amount to create the optimum “keeper angle”. That is, by virtue of the upright being tilted back from the vertical, each front keeper and its corresponding rear keeper are offset from one another, vertically and horizontally. The tilt of the keepers, or stated another way the vertical and horizontal offsets between corresponding pairs of keepers, establish a geometry that is perfectly suited for holding bow limbs having different shapes and sizes, gently gripping and securely holding the limbs without damaging them, while at the same time permitting archers to quickly and easily engage their bows with the keepers, and disengage them as well.

[0056] The preferred “keeper angle,” i.e. the tilt of the keepers from the horizontal, is between about 12 and 15 degrees, with the most preferred angle being about 14 degrees, and of course this corresponds to the preferred upright tilt angle 46 described above.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2, bow bracket 16 can hold two bows. In an alternative embodiment, a second bow bracket could be attached to upright 14, in particular upright element 32b. If two bow brackets are used, up to four bows can be accommodated.

[0058] 4. Operation

[0059] In operation, one or more end caps 26 are removed to introduce ballast, e.g. sand, into base 12. Enough ballast is added to stabilize base 12 and also provide an arrow tip-receiving medium in base tee 30, so that upright element 32a will be ready to receive arrows. Upright 14 is then attached to base 12. More specifically, upright element 32a is inserted into the middle, upwardly extending leg of base tee 30; and bolt 40 and nut 42 complete the assembly. Unless already in place, a relatively small amount of ballast, or some other soft, noise-inhibiting material, is dropped into upright element 32b, so that it too is ready to receive arrows.

[0060] If bow bracket 16 isn't already assembled onto upright element 32a and/or 32b, this would be the next step. As noted above, either one or two, or possibly even more, bow brackets 16 could be utilized, depending on the number of bows to be accommodated. Bow brackets 16 are easily assembled onto upright element(s) 32, as described in detail above. Of course, it may be easier to actually attach bow bracket(s) 16 to upright element(s) 32 prior to attaching upright 14 to base 12.

[0061] Holder 12 is then set up at or near the firing line. In fact, a plurality of holders 10, especially if painted a conspicuous color like blaze orange, could actually help mark the firing line. Holder 10 is set up such that upright 14 tilts slightly away from the target. Stated another way, holder 10 is set up as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, such that the bows are held in the ready, or ready-to-shoot, position when being held by the bow brackets.

[0062] Next, arrows are inserted into the sleeves formed, preferably, by the upright tees 36 and the open upper ends of upright elements 32.

[0063] Finally, one or more bows are engaged with the keepers 47, such that the rubber-coated keepers safely and securely grip the limbs of the bow(s). To disengage a bow from its keepers 47, it is simply necessary to grasp the bow, twist it slightly in the direction that acts against the moment created by its weight to reduce the frictional contact between the keepers 47 and the bow limbs, and laterally outwardly remove the bow from the keepers 47.

[0064] Given the fact that preferred bow bracket 16 is so simple and flexible, bow and arrow holder 10 can handle many if not all bow styles, including compound, recurve and longbow.

[0065] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described above. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. Variations and modifications of the various parts and assemblies can certainly be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is limited only to the apparatus and method recited in the following claims, and equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding two bows and two sets of arrows, the apparatus comprising:

(a) abase;

(b) an upright having a lower end attached to the base and an upper end;

(c) a pair of sleeves operatively coupled to the upright, each sleeve adapted to receive one set of arrows; and

(d) a bow bracket attached to the upper end of the upright, wherein the bow bracket holds one bow on one side of the upright and the other bow on the other side of the upright.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises (i) a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rails; and (ii) a base spanner connected to and spanning between the rails, wherein the upright is operatively connected to the base spanner.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rails and the base spanner are made of PVC pipe.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each rail comprises (i) a tubular front rail piece having inner and outer ends; and (ii) a tubular rear rail piece having inner and outer ends, wherein the inner ends of the rail pieces are attached to the base spanner.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the base further comprises a plurality of end caps attached to and closing off the outer ends of the rail pieces.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the end caps is removable, whereby ballast may be added to the base to enhance the stability of the bow holder.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein (i) the base spanner comprises a pair of side base tees and a middle base tee, each of the base tees having three legs; (ii) two of the legs of each side base tee are connected to the inner ends of corresponding rail pieces and the remaining leg of each side base tee is connected to one of the legs of the middle base tee; and (iii) the upright is operatively connected to the remaining leg of the middle base tee.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upright comprises front and rear spaced, substantially parallel upright elements operatively connected together, wherein (i) the front upright element is operatively connected to the base; and (ii) each of the upright elements is tubular and forms one of the arrow-receiving sleeves.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the upright comprises an upright spanner connected to and spanning between the upper ends of the upright elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein (i) the upright spanner comprises a pair of upright tees and a stub extending therebetween, each of the upright tees having an upper leg, a lower leg, and a middle leg; (ii) the lower leg of each upright tee is connected to the upper end of the corresponding upright element; (iii) the upper leg of each upright tee is open, to receive the arrows; and (iv) the middle leg of each upright tee is connected to the stub.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the lower ends of the upright elements contain a soft material for receiving the arrow tips.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the soft material comprises sand.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the upright elements are at an angle with the vertical between 12 and 15 degrees.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein preferably the upright angle is approximately 14 degrees.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bow bracket comprises two pairs of keepers, one proximate each side of the upright and extending laterally outwardly therefrom.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the keepers are spaced apart between about 3 and 5 inches, centerline to centerline.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the keepers are spaced apart about 4 inches, centerline to centerline.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the keepers are about {fraction (5/8)} inch in diameter, resulting in a gap between the keepers of about 3.4 inches.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gap between the keepers is about 3.4 inches.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the keepers are covered with a soft material.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the keepers are covered with an elastomer.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the keepers are covered with automotive fuel line tubing.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein ballast can be added to the base to enhance its stability.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upright is removably attached to the base.

25. A method for holding two bows and two sets of arrows, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) selecting a base;

(b) selecting an upright having upper and lower ends;

(c) attaching the lower end of the upright to the base;

(d) selecting a pair of sleeves operatively coupled to the upright, each sleeve adapted to receive one set of arrows; and

(e) selecting a bow bracket attached to the upper end of the upright, wherein the bow bracket holds one bow on one side of the upright and the other bow on the other side of the upright.