Patent attributes
An anti-dry-fire mechanism for a crossbow includes a slotted mainframe and a movable trigger subassembly engaged with the slot for bidirectional movement between brace and drawn positions. The movable subassembly includes a bowstring latch forward of a bowstring catch and biased toward a bolt-absent position in which the bowstring latch obstructs forward movement of the bowstring past the bowstring latch; in its bolt-present position the bowstring latch permits such movement. With the movable subassembly in the drawn position, a bolt loaded onto the mainframe holds the bowstring latch in its bolt-present position against its bias; with the movable subassembly in the drawn position and no bolt loaded, the bowstring latch is held in its bolt-absent position by its bias. With the movable subassembly in the brace position, engagement of the mainframe and bowstring latch holds the bowstring latch in its bolt-present position against its bias.
