1. A method comprising the steps of:
providing a crossbow comprising: (1) a main beam; (2) a bow assembly adapted to propel an arrow, comprising (a) a bow; and, (b) a bowstring attached to the bow; and, (3) a trigger mechanism mounted to the main beam;
mounting the bow assembly at a first location on the main beam to provide a first draw weight;
drawing the bowstring;
releasing the bowstring to propel the arrow from the crossbow;
moving the bow assembly from the first location to a second location on the main beam; and,
mounting the bow assembly at the second location on the main beam to provide a second draw weight that is substantially different from the first draw weight.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, moving the bow assembly from the first location to a second location on the main beam, comprises the step of:
moving the bow assembly axially along the main beam from the first location on the main beam to the second location on the main beam.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the step of, mounting the bow assembly at a first location on the main beam to provide a first draw weight, comprises the step of mounting the bow assembly to a first predetermined location on the main beam; and,
the step of, mounting the bow assembly at the second location on the main beam to provide a second draw weight that is substantially different from the first draw weight, comprises the step of mounting the bow assembly at a second predetermined location on the main beam.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of mounting the bow assembly at the second location on the main beam to provide a second draw weight that is substantially different from the first draw weight further comprises the steps of:
drawing the bowstring;
releasing the bowstring to propel the arrow from the crossbow;
moving the bow assembly from the second predetermined location to a third predetermined location on the main beam; and,
mounting the bow assembly at the third predetermined location on the main beam to provide a third draw weight that is substantially different from the first and second draw weights.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
providing the main beam with first and second portions;
wherein the step of, moving the bow assembly from the first location to a second location on the main beam, comprises the step of moving the bow assembly between the first and second portions of the main beam.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:
providing the bow with a block and a pair of limbs extending from the block, the bowstring being attached to the pair of limbs; and,
wherein the step of, moving the bow assembly between the first and second portions of the main beam, comprises the step of moving the block between the first and second portions of the main beam.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
providing the block with a channel that receives at least a part of the main beam; and,
wherein the step of, moving the block between the first and second portions of the main beam, comprises the step of sliding the block along the main beam.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
providing the bow with a block and a pair of limbs extending from the block, the bowstring being attached to the pair of limbs; and,
wherein the step of, mounting the bow assembly at a first location on the main beam to provide a first draw weight, comprises the step of mounting the block at the first location on the main beam.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:
providing the main beam with first and second portions;
wherein the step of, mounting the block at the first location on the main beam, comprises the step of mounting the block to the first and second portions of the main beam.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
providing the crossbow with a handgrip mounted on the main beam at a third location; and,
moving the handgrip from the third location on the main beam to a fourth location on the main beam.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, mounting the bow assembly at a first location on the main beam to provide a first draw weight, comprises the step of:
attaching a connection member to the bow assembly to hold it to the main beam at the first location.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein:
prior to the step of, moving the bow assembly from the first location to a second location on the main beam, the method comprises the step of removing the connection member; and,
the step of, mounting the bow assembly at the second location on the main beam to provide a second draw weight that is substantially different from the first draw weight, comprises the step of attaching the connection member to the bow assembly to hold it to the main beam at the second location.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A display monitor mounting apparatus for operably securing one or more display monitors thereto, said mounting apparatus comprising:
(a) a support bar being configured for operable attachment to a support structure and having a first length along a central longitudinal axis thereof and an outer surface, said outer surface having a channel and an elongated detent portion disposed therein, said channel and said elongated detent portion being spaced apart about said surface and extending substantially parallelly along at least a portion of said first length of said support bar; and
(b) a latch element that is removably securable to said support bar, said latch element having a first bar coupling portion and a second monitor mounting portion, said bar coupling portion having a protrusion configured for mating engagement with said elongated detent portion of said support bar, and a spring-biased retractable plunger for biasably extending into said channel under bias force when said latch element is properly coupled to said support bar, said second monitor mounting portion including a mounting plate that is sized and configured to operably mount a display monitor thereto.
2. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said elongated detent portion has a wedge-shaped cross-section forming first and second detent surfaces in angular facing relationship with one another, the angle formed between said first and second detent surfaces being between about 10\xb0 and about 60\xb0.
3. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said protrusion of said bar coupling portion operably bears against said first detent surface when said latch means is operably coupled to said support bar.
4. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said outer surface of said support bar is radially disposed about said central longitudinal axis.
5. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 4 wherein at least a section of an inner surface of said bar coupling portion that is in contact engagement with said outer radial surface of said support bar during operable engagement of said latch element to said support bar has a first curvature radius substantially equal to a second curvature radius of said outer surface of said support bar.
6. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate is pivotally coupled to said first bar coupling portion of said latch element.
7. A display monitor mounting apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said retractable plunger is manually retractable against its spring bias from a position within said channel.
8. A display monitor mounting apparatus for operably securing one or more display monitors thereto, said mounting apparatus comprising:
(a) a support bar being configured for operable attachment to a support structure and having a first length along a central longitudinal axis thereof, an outer surface of said support bar having an elongated detent portion disposed therein and extending along at least a portion of said first length of said support bar, said elongated detent portion having a wedge-shaped cross-section forming first and second detent surfaces extending in angular relationship with one another from an apex, with a fictitious line drawn along said first detent surface from said apex toward said outer surface extending generally away from the one or more display monitors when such one or more display monitors are operably secured to said display monitor mounting apparatus;
(b) a latch element that is removably securable to said support bar, said latch element having a first bar coupling portion and a second monitor mounting portion, said bar coupling portion having a protrusion configured for mating engagement with said elongated detent portion of said support bar by operably bearing against said first detent surface, said second monitor mounting portion including a mounting plate that is sized and configured to operably mount a display monitor thereto.
9. A display monitor mounting apparatus for operably securing one or more display monitors thereto, said mounting apparatus comprising:
(a) a support bar being configured for operable attachment to a support structure and having a first length along a central longitudinal axis thereof, an outer surface of said support bar having a channel and an elongated detent portion disposed therein, said channel and elongated detent portion being spaced apart about said surface and extending substantially parallelly along at least a portion of said first length of said support bar; and
(b) a latch element that is removably securable to said support bar, said latch element having a first bar coupling portion and a second monitor mounting portion, said bar coupling portion having an arm section extending away from said monitor mounting portion and terminating in a protrusion that is configured for mating engagement with said elongated detent portion of said support bar, said arm section further including an aperture that is arcuately spaced from said protrusion by between about 20\xb0 and about 90\xb0, said bar coupling portion further including a retractable plunger for operably extending into said channel through said aperture when said latch element is properly coupled to said support bar, said second monitor mounting portion including a mounting plate that is sized and configured to operably mount a display monitor thereto.