Arrows have existed since before the dawn of history. The accurate placement and alignment of feathers on a shaft has long been a problem. Accordingly, numerous devices have been utilized over the centuries to apply feathers to a shaft. Some of the very recent devices have been patented.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,896,563 to Belshaw relates to an arrow fletching machine in which horizontal movable bars operate in conjunction with an indexed wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,574 to Rohde relates to a fletching jig adapted to high speed production of accurately feathered arrows.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,992 to Lozon relates to a fletching fixture containing a supporting structure for rotatably supporting the shaft of an arrow so that the shaft can be turned in a plurality of selective positions to have feathers applied thereto in circumferentially arranged positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,064 to Quist relates to a fletching device for holding the shaft of an arrow in position for receiving feathers and to another device for applying a feather to the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,208 to Hoyt relates to a universally adapted jig to accurately position and hold a plurality of either right or left wing feathers for either straight or spiral style fletching.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,034 to Portinga relates to a fletching jig which is adjustable to accomodate the fletching of feathers upon arrows in various degrees of spiralling in either a clockwise or counterwise direction about a shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,097 to Thompson relates to a fletching jig for positioning the feathers on the shaft of arrows, either parallel with the shaft or an angle to the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,017 to Stanton relates to providing a rigid, nonadjustable fletching jig which permits the application of an adhesive directly to the arrow shaft through the use of a slim nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,015,483 to Martin relates to a fletching jig which allows fletches to be applied to the arrow shaft at desired angular locations.