US3921598A

US3921598A - Takedown bow limb-handle assembly

Info

Publication number: US3921598A
Application number: US406244A
Authority: US
Inventors: James C Helmick
Original assignee: Victor Comptometer Corp
Current assignee: WK 55 Inc; Kidde Inc
Priority date: 1973-10-15
Filing date: 1973-10-15
Publication date: 1975-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-25
Also published as: CA1006775A; FR2247694A1; GB1478718A; JPS5066099A; FR2247694B3; DE2445458A1; JPS5422039B2

Abstract

A takedown bow-type bow having a socket and a rib to receive a notched limb end with a restraining band located beyond the socket having a resilient tang to releasably engage a groove in the limb end.

Description

United States Patent 1191 He lmick 1 Nov. 25, 1975 TAKEDOWN BOW LlMB-HANDLE ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: James C. Helmick, Grayling, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Victor Comptometer Corporation,

Chicago, 111. e

221 Filed: Oct. 15,1973

211 Appl. No.: 406,244

52 U.S. c1. 124/24 R; 124/30 R [51] 1111. cm F41B 5/00 [58] Field of Search 124/24 R, 23 R, 30 R, 41;

273/DIG. 7. 82.5; 24/230 SL [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,041,693 7/1962 Simon et a1. 24/230 51.

3,415,240 12/1968 Bear 124/23 R 3,502,063 3/1970 Bear..... 124/23 R 3,566,853 3/1971 Larm 124/24 R 3,628,519 11/1971 Hofmeister 124/24 R 3,814,075 6/1974 Hoyt 124/24 R Primary Exam iner -Richard J. Apley Assistant ExaminerWilliam R. Browne Attorney, Agent, or FirmBruce G. Klaas [57] ABSTRACT A takedown bow-type bow having a socket and a rib to receive a notched limb end with a restraining band located beyond: the socket having a resilient tang to releasably engage a groove in the limb end.

l2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures TAKEDOWN BOW LIME-HANDLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION restraining band to enclose an intermediate portion of BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a takedown type archery bow of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bow of FIG. 1 with one limb in disassembled position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the limb-handle assembly portion of the bow in a disassembled position; FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial view, partly in section, of the limb-handle assembly portion of the bow, in an assembled position;

- FIG. 5 is across sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 77 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line 88 in FIG. 4; and,

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken along line 99 in FIG. 4. i

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, a takedown-type bow 10 is illustrated in assembled position and comprises a bow handle number 12, a pair of

bow limbs

14, 16 removably connected to the ends of the handle member by identical assembly components at 18, 20, and a bow string 22. In FIG. 2, the limb 14 is shown in a disassembled position relative to the handle member with limb end assembly portion 24 completely disassociated from handle member assembly portion 26. The limbs may be made of a suitablefiberglass plastic material. The handle member may be made of one-piece cast metallic material having relatively thin end portions 28, which terminate in enlarged outwardly flared

socket portions

32, 34 generally T-shaped cross sectional configuration. 1

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the identical parts of the assembly apparatus of the opposite limbs l4, 16 are hereafter referred to by common reference numerals, the handle member isprovided with socket means in the form of an elongated fla'tlimb abutment side surface 40 facing forwardly (i.e., toward the back side of the handle) relative to the bow while extending between spaced parallel flat

transverse edge surfaces

42, 44 and beneath flange means in the form of an integral flange portion 46 overlying the innerend portion of surface 40 to provide a limb end cavity with a relatively short limb abutment side surface 48 facing surface 40 and facing rearwardly (i.e., toward the belly side ofthe handle) relative to the bow. It is to be understood that terms forwardly and rearwardly as used herein refer, respectively, to the side of'the bow facing the direction in which an arrow is propelled, and to the side of the bow facing the drawstring 22. An integral holding rib 50 is centrally located in the cavity and extends. away from the central portion of the handle member with a rounded transverse end surface 52 facing the cavity opening.

A clamping means in the form ofa relatively thin spring steel sheet metal band member 60 having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, FIGS. 5-7, is fixedly mounted on the outer end of surface 40 by inwardly extending integral rib portions 61, 62 on sidewall portions 64, 66 which are slidably received in integral guideway slots 68, 70. The width of the outer end of surface 40 is slightly reduced so that outer surfaces of sidewall portions 64, 66 are substantially flush with the

outer surfaces

42, 44. The clamping means is fixed on end of the handle member by threaded

fastening elements

72, 74. An integral resilient tang means 76 is centrally formed in the upper wall portion. 78 of band member 60 with a detent portion 80 located within the limb cavity provided by the band member and the surface 40.

Limb-retaining means are provided on the ends of the limbs for cooperable retaining association with the socket means and theclamping means comprising a generally rectangular pad member 90, which may be of suitable plastic material such as fiberglass, fixedly adhesively secured on the limb end portion 92 which is of generally similar rectangular configuration. A centrally located notch 94 is provided at the inner ends of the limbs for cooperative engagement with ribs 50 and a transverse groove 96 extends across-the pad member for cooperative engagement with the resilient tang. As shown best in FIG. 4, the tang 80 has a generally V- shaped cross sectional configuration and the groove 96 is of generally similar, though somewhat more rounded, cross sectional configuration.

In order to assemble a limb with the handle member, the inner end of the limb is inserted into the cavity provided by band member 60 and slid therewithin toward the limb end cavity and rib S0. The resilient tang 76 is resiliently outwardly deflected by engagement with the adjacent surface of pad member 90 and, when the rib 50 is received in the limb end notch 94, partially springs back into groove 96 which has a depth less than the normal position of the tang to provide resilient spring-like engagement therebetween which holds the limb in place during use of the bow while permitting removal by pulling outwardly on the limb to disassemble the bow.

I claim:

1. A take-down type archery bow comprising:

a handle member and a pair of limb members removably mounted thereon to hold a bowstring in an assembled position,

each limb member having an inner mounting section of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration throughout and having a first flat generally forwardly facing load. bearing abutment surface extending longitudinally the entire length of said mounting section in a first single plane and a second flat generally rearwardly facing load. bearing abutment surface extending longitudinally the en- 3 tire length of said mounting section in a second single plane generally parallel to said first plane, said handle member having a central portion and a pair of opposite end portions, each end portion having limb mounting means for at tachment of the limb members to said handle member,

each limb mounting means comprising a flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface extending generally longitudinally of said handle member and located in a single plane and facing forwardly relative to said handle member and said limb abutment surface being of generally rectangular peripheral configuration and including a longitudinally innermost surface portion and a longitudinally outermost surface portion, load bearing flange means for supporting each of said limb members rigidly fixed on said handle member adjacent the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface in generally parallel spaced relationship to the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface, a generally rearwardly facing limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means located in a single plane in spaced relationship to and extending generally parallel to said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface and being located in overlying relationship to the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface, said limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means being spaced from said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface a distance approximately equal to the distance between said first flat forwardlyfacing load bearing abutment surface and said second flat rearwardly facing load bearing abutment surface on said limb member, a limb receiving socket 'means for receiving said inner mounting section of said limb member defined by said flange means and said flat forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface on said handle member,

said innermost portion of said inner mounting section of said limb member being located in said socket means between said limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means and said innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surfaceon said handle member in slidable load bearing abutting engagement therewith,

limb abutment and restraining means on said handle member adjacent said socket means for abutting restraining engagement with said inner mounting section of said limb member to prevent lateral displacement of said limb member relative to said handle member,

limb retaining bandmeans for retaining said limb member on said flat elongated limb load bearing surface and mounted on said handle member adjacent the longitudinally outermost surface portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing surface and located in longitudinally outwardly spaced relationship to said flange means and having rigid parallel side wall portions extending transversely relative to said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface on opposite sides thereof and fixedly attached to said handle member and having a rigid connecting wall portion fixedly connected to said side wall portions and extending across and in spaced relationship to said flat elongated limb load 1 bearing abutment surface,

said limb retaining band means and said outermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface defining a limb restraining longitudinally extending slot having a rectangular crosssectional configuration generally corresponding to i i the rectangular cross-sectional configuration of said mounting section of said limb member, and releasable detent means for releasably engaging said limb member and associated with said band means on said handle member to engage said mounting section of said limb member to releasably hold said mounting section of said limb member in assembled position with said second flat rearwardly facing load bearing abutment surface in load bearing abutting engagement with said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface on said handle member and with said first flat forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface in load bearing abutting engagement with said rearwardly facing elongated limb load bearing abutment surface and said rearwardly facing limb restraining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and wherein: said handle member being constructed of one piece g c of material with said flange means and said limb abutment and restraining means being integral and contiguous therewith.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 and wherein:

said band means being constructed of one piece of material with said detent means being integral and contiguous therewith. 4. A takedown type archery bow comprising:

a handle member and limb members removably' mountable thereon in an assembled position, an inner end mounting section of each of said limb members terminating in a transverse end wall por-,

tion and having spaced side surfaces of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, a first one of said side surfaces facing generally forwardly relative to said bow and a second one of said side surfaces facing generally rearwardly rela-,

tive to said bow, l a centrally located notch in the end wall portion of said limb members, groove means for releasably holding said limb members on said handle member on said second one of said side surfaces and being longitudinally spaced from'the end wall portion and having a generally rearwardly facing opening,

socket means on said handle member and being I spaced longitudinally inwardly of said groove means for releasably abuttingly retaining each of said limb members thereon, said socket means comprising a pair of flat parallel oppositely facing overlying spaced limb abutment surfaces defining a socket cavity for the inner ends of the limbs. a first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces providing a limb load bearing surface and facing generally forwardly relative to said bow and extendinglongitudinally a substantial distance equalin length to the length of said mounting section and a second one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces providing a limb load bearing surface and facing generally rearwardly relative to said bow and extending longitudinally a substantial lesser distance than said first one of'said spaced limb abutment surfaces-and terminating in longitudinally spaced relationship to said groove means, said spaced limb abutment surfaces being spaced apart a distance'approximately equal to the distance between the first and second ones of said spaced side surfaces of the inner end sections of the limbs and abuttingly slidably receiving therebetween an innermost portion of said inner end sections next adjacent said notch, abutment rib means for retaining said limb members and mounted on said handle member and being located within said socket cavity and abuttingly retainingly received in said notch in the assembled position,

band means for retaining said limb members being fixedly mounted on said handle member in longitudinally outwardly spaced relationship to the socket cavities and providing a pair of spaced parallel side wall portions rigidly fixed to said handle portion and extending generally transversely to said spaced limb abutment surfaces and a connecting side wall portion rigidly fixed to said spaced parallel side wall portions and spaced from and extending generally parallel to said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces.

a limb retaining slot of generally rectangular fixed cross-sectional configuration approximately equal to the cross-sectional configuration of the inner end mounting sections of the limb members and longitudinally outwardly spaced from said second one of said limb abutment surfaces and defined by said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces and the wall portions of the band members and closely slidably receiving the inner end mounting sections of said limb members, and

movable detent means for releasably engaging said limb members and being mounted on said band members and releasably cooperably received in said groove means on said inner end mounting sections of said limb members in the assembled position and releasably retainingly holding the inner end mounting sections of said limb members on said handle member with the said abutment rib means located in abutting engagement with said notch and with said second one of said side surfaces abuttingly engaging said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces in load bearing relationship therewith.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and wherein said detent means comprising:

a resilient spring-like tang mounted on each of the band members and extending into the limb slot and being resiliently outwardly deflected by the inner end mounting sections in the assembled position.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said band members comprising:

one piece of spring steel sheet material of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, said tang being integrally formed in said sheet material.

7, The invention as defined in'claim 6, further comprising: I 1* a pair ofreversely bent spaced parallel attachment flange portions on the spaced parallel side portions of said band members extending toward one another, and v guideways on said handle member slidably receiving said flange portions. I 8. The invention as defined in claim 7, further comprising: I,

fastening means fixedly securing eachof said band members on said handle member.

9. A takedown-type archery bow comprising: a handle member and limb members removably mounted thereon to hold a bowstring in an assembled position, of said limb having members: I

a flat elongated limb support and load bearing abutment surface on the end of said handle member facing forwardly awayfr'om the bowstring and in- -clined relative thereto and having a forwardly facing outer end surface portion and a forwardly facing inner end surface portion, 1 flange means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and being fixedly mounted on said handle member in spaced overlying relationship to the forwardly facing inner end surface portion and providing a rearwardly facing limb support and abutment surface spaced from and extending generally parallel to and overlying the forwardly facing inner end surface portion and defining a limb receiving socket therebetween of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration and confiningly slidably abuttingly receiving the innermost portion of said limb member in the assembled position, limb abutment means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and protruding into said limb receiving socket between said flange means and the inner end surface portion and being centrally located therewithin,

band means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and being fixedly mounted on said handle member and spaced longitudinally outwardly from said flange means in juxtaposition to the outer end surface portion and having a first fixedly mounted wall portion providing a flat abutment surface spaced from and generally parallel to and overlying the outer end surface portion and having a pair of spaced parallel transverse connecting wall portions fixedly fastened to said handle member,

said band means and the outer end surface portion defining a limb receiving slot of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to the limb receiving socket and slidably confiningly receiving said limb member in the assembled position,

each of said limb members having inner end mounting portions of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to the limb receiving socket and to the limb receiving slot and providing a first generally flat rearwardly facing abutment surface and a second generally flat forwardly facing abutment surface corresponding in size and shape to the flat elongated limb support and abutment surface on said handle member,

notch means for retaining the limb members on said handle member and being located on the inner end portions of each of said limb members and'generally corresponding in size and shape to said limb abutment means and abuttingly received thereabout in the assembled position with said first generally flat forwardly facing surface on said handle member slidably abuttingly received on said first generally flat rearwardly facing abutment surface on said limb member in load bearing relationship therewith and with said second generally flat forwardly facing abutment surface on said limb member slidably abuttingly received on said rearwardly facing limb support surface on said flange means in load bearing relationship therewith and being confined by said first fixedly mounted wall portion of said band means, and

releasable detent means for retaining said limb members on said handle members and being located on said band means and on said inner end portion of said limb members and being cooperably engaged in the assembled position to releasably hold said limb members in load bearing relationship. with I said handle member in the. assembled position.

10. The "invention as defined in claim 9 wherein the inner end portion of said limb members comprises: a hard rigid abutment pad member of generally rectconfiguration fixedly angular cross sectional mounted on the limb member and providing one of the first and second generally flat abutment surfaces.

11.The invention as defined in claim 9 and wherein said detent means comprising:

a resilient deflectable tang on said band means extending into said slot for resilient retaining engagement with said inner end portion of said limb member. 12. The invention as defined in claim 11 and wherein said detent means further comprising:

abutment surface with said notch means in abutting v engagement with said limb abutment means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,921,598 DATED November 25, 1975 INVENTOR(S) James C. Helmick It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 4, Column 5, line 40, after "said", insert spaced Claim 9, Column 6, line 16, before "of", insert each and delete "having members" and insert therefor members having Signed and grcalcd this Fourth Day of April1978 rsmu A m'sr:

Ll'TRELLE F. PARKER Rl'TH MASON Arresting Officer deniarks

Claims

1. A take-down type archery bow comprising: a handle member and a pair of limb members removably mounted thereon to hold a bowstring in an assembled position, each limb member having an inner mounting section of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration throughout and having a first flat generally forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface extending longitudinally the entire length of said mounting section in a first single plane and a second flat generally rearwardly facing load bearing abutment surface extending longitudinally the entire length of said mounting section in a second single plane generally parallel to said first plane, said handle member having a central portion and a pair of opposite end portions, each end portion having limb mounting means for attachment of the limb members to said handle member, each limb mounting means comprising a flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface extending generally longitudinally of said handle member and located in a single plane and facing forwardly relative to said handle member and said limb abutment surface being of generally rectangular peripheral configuration and including a longitudinally innermost surface portion and a longitudinally outermost surface portion, load bearing flange means for supporting each of said limb members rigidly fixed on saiD handle member adjacent the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface in generally parallel spaced relationship to the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface, a generally rearwardly facing limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means located in a single plane in spaced relationship to and extending generally parallel to said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface and being located in overlying relationship to the longitudinally innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface, said limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means being spaced from said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface a distance approximately equal to the distance between said first flat forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface and said second flat rearwardly facing load bearing abutment surface on said limb member, a limb receiving socket means for receiving said inner mounting section of said limb member defined by said flange means and said flat forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface on said handle member, said innermost portion of said inner mounting section of said limb member being located in said socket means between said limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means and said innermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface on said handle member in slidable load bearing abutting engagement therewith, limb abutment and restraining means on said handle member adjacent said socket means for abutting restraining engagement with said inner mounting section of said limb member to prevent lateral displacement of said limb member relative to said handle member, limb retaining band means for retaining said limb member on said flat elongated limb load bearing surface and mounted on said handle member adjacent the longitudinally outermost surface portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing surface and located in longitudinally outwardly spaced relationship to said flange means and having rigid parallel side wall portions extending transversely relative to said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface on opposite sides thereof and fixedly attached to said handle member and having a rigid connecting wall portion fixedly connected to said side wall portions and extending across and in spaced relationship to said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface, said limb retaining band means and said outermost portion of said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface defining a limb restraining longitudinally extending slot having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding to the rectangular cross-sectional configuration of said mounting section of said limb member, and releasable detent means for releasably engaging said limb member and associated with said band means on said handle member to engage said mounting section of said limb member to releasably hold said mounting section of said limb member in assembled position with said second flat rearwardly facing load bearing abutment surface in load bearing abutting engagement with said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface on said handle member and with said first flat forwardly facing load bearing abutment surface in load bearing abutting engagement with said rearwardly facing limb retaining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means and with said limb abutment and restraining means on said handle member in abutting and restraining engagement with said inner mounting section of said limb member whereby, as the limb members are drawn rearwardly, the load is transferred from the limb members to said handle member only through said flat elongated limb load bearing abutment surface and said rearwardly facing limb restraining and load bearing abutment surface on said flange means.

2. The invention as defIned in claim 1 and wherein: said handle member being constructed of one piece of material with said flange means and said limb abutment and restraining means being integral and contiguous therewith.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 and wherein: said band means being constructed of one piece of material with said detent means being integral and contiguous therewith.

4. A takedown type archery bow comprising: a handle member and limb members removably mountable thereon in an assembled position, an inner end mounting section of each of said limb members terminating in a transverse end wall portion and having spaced side surfaces of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, a first one of said side surfaces facing generally forwardly relative to said bow and a second one of said side surfaces facing generally rearwardly relative to said bow, a centrally located notch in the end wall portion of said limb members, groove means for releasably holding said limb members on said handle member on said second one of said side surfaces and being longitudinally spaced from the end wall portion and having a generally rearwardly facing opening, socket means on said handle member and being spaced longitudinally inwardly of said groove means for releasably abuttingly retaining each of said limb members thereon, said socket means comprising a pair of flat parallel oppositely facing overlying spaced limb abutment surfaces defining a socket cavity for the inner ends of the limbs, a first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces providing a limb load bearing surface and facing generally forwardly relative to said bow and extending longitudinally a substantial distance equal in length to the length of said mounting section and a second one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces providing a limb load bearing surface and facing generally rearwardly relative to said bow and extending longitudinally a substantial lesser distance than said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces and terminating in longitudinally spaced relationship to said groove means, said spaced limb abutment surfaces being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the distance between the first and second ones of said spaced side surfaces of the inner end sections of the limbs and abuttingly slidably receiving therebetween an innermost portion of said inner end sections next adjacent said notch, abutment rib means for retaining said limb members and mounted on said handle member and being located within said socket cavity and abuttingly retainingly received in said notch in the assembled position, band means for retaining said limb members being fixedly mounted on said handle member in longitudinally outwardly spaced relationship to the socket cavities and providing a pair of spaced parallel side wall portions rigidly fixed to said handle portion and extending generally transversely to said spaced limb abutment surfaces and a connecting side wall portion rigidly fixed to said spaced parallel side wall portions and spaced from and extending generally parallel to said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces. a limb retaining slot of generally rectangular fixed cross-sectional configuration approximately equal to the cross-sectional configuration of the inner end mounting sections of the limb members and longitudinally outwardly spaced from said second one of said limb abutment surfaces and defined by said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces and the wall portions of the band members and closely slidably receiving the inner end mounting sections of said limb members, and movable detent means for releasably engaging said limb members and being mounted on said band members and releasably cooperably received in said groove means on said inner end mounting sections of said limb members in the assembled position and releasably retainingly holding the inner end mounting sections of said limb members on said handle member with the sAid abutment rib means located in abutting engagement with said notch and with said second one of said side surfaces abuttingly engaging said first one of said spaced limb abutment surfaces in load bearing relationship therewith.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and wherein said detent means comprising: a resilient spring-like tang mounted on each of the band members and extending into the limb slot and being resiliently outwardly deflected by the inner end mounting sections in the assembled position.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said band members comprising: one piece of spring steel sheet material of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration, said tang being integrally formed in said sheet material.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, further comprising: a pair of reversely bent spaced parallel attachment flange portions on the spaced parallel side portions of said band members extending toward one another, and guideways on said handle member slidably receiving said flange portions.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7, further comprising: fastening means fixedly securing each of said band members on said handle member.

9. A takedown-type archery bow comprising: a handle member and limb members removably mounted thereon to hold a bowstring in an assembled position, of said limb having members: a flat elongated limb support and load bearing abutment surface on the end of said handle member facing forwardly away from the bowstring and inclined relative thereto and having a forwardly facing outer end surface portion and a forwardly facing inner end surface portion, flange means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and being fixedly mounted on said handle member in spaced overlying relationship to the forwardly facing inner end surface portion and providing a rearwardly facing limb support and abutment surface spaced from and extending generally parallel to and overlying the forwardly facing inner end surface portion and defining a limb receiving socket therebetween of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration and confiningly slidably abuttingly receiving the innermost portion of said limb member in the assembled position, limb abutment means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and protruding into said limb receiving socket between said flange means and the inner end surface portion and being centrally located therewithin, band means for retaining said limb member on said handle member and being fixedly mounted on said handle member and spaced longitudinally outwardly from said flange means in juxtaposition to the outer end surface portion and having a first fixedly mounted wall portion providing a flat abutment surface spaced from and generally parallel to and overlying the outer end surface portion and having a pair of spaced parallel transverse connecting wall portions fixedly fastened to said handle member, said band means and the outer end surface portion defining a limb receiving slot of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to the limb receiving socket and slidably confiningly receiving said limb member in the assembled position, each of said limb members having inner end mounting portions of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to the limb receiving socket and to the limb receiving slot and providing a first generally flat rearwardly facing abutment surface and a second generally flat forwardly facing abutment surface corresponding in size and shape to the flat elongated limb support and abutment surface on said handle member, notch means for retaining the limb members on said handle member and being located on the inner end portions of each of said limb members and generally corresponding in size and shape to said limb abutment means and abuttingly received Thereabout in the assembled position with said first generally flat forwardly facing surface on said handle member slidably abuttingly received on said first generally flat rearwardly facing abutment surface on said limb member in load bearing relationship therewith and with said second generally flat forwardly facing abutment surface on said limb member slidably abuttingly received on said rearwardly facing limb support surface on said flange means in load bearing relationship therewith and being confined by said first fixedly mounted wall portion of said band means, and releasable detent means for retaining said limb members on said handle members and being located on said band means and on said inner end portion of said limb members and being cooperably engaged in the assembled position to releasably hold said limb members in load bearing relationship with said handle member in the assembled position.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein the inner end portion of said limb members comprises: a hard rigid abutment pad member of generally rectangular cross sectional configuration fixedly mounted on the limb member and providing one of the first and second generally flat abutment surfaces.

11. The invention as defined in claim 9 and wherein said detent means comprising: a resilient deflectable tang on said band means extending into said slot for resilient retaining engagement with said inner end portion of said limb member.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 and wherein said detent means further comprising: a groove on said inner end portion of said limb member receiving said tang in the assembled position and locating the inner end portion of said limb member on said flat elongated limb support and abutment surface with said notch means in abutting engagement with said limb abutment means.