|
United States Patent |
4,726,136 |
|
Dornaus , et al. |
February 23, 1988 |
Firearm
safety devices
Abstract
A firearm is provided having a firing pin block which pulls the firing pin away
from the hammer independently of the hammer actuator mechanism. A loaded
chamber indicator includes a pivoting indicator lever resistant to breakage and
jamming. The firearm also has a reversible thumb safety which is readily
inserted, releasably retained and fully operational in either side of the
firearm. An ambidextrous thumb safety includes two shaft portions each having
integral levers and adapted to mate together to form a single shaft. A
selective magazine catch is also provided which allows the shooter to select
between a magazine catch mode and a magazine free fall mode.
|
Inventors: |
Dornaus; Thomas F. (Bellflower, CA); Dixon;
Michael F. (Huntington Beach, CA) |
|
Assignee: |
Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises (Huntington Beach,
CA) |
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Appl. No.: |
643254 |
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Filed: |
August 22, 1984 |
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Current U.S. Class: |
42/70.08;
42/7; 42/70.01 |
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Intern'l Class: |
F41C 011/02 |
|
Field of Search: |
42/70.01,70.08 |
References Cited [Referenced
By]
U.S. Patent
Documents
|
Apr., 1897 |
Browning |
42/70. |
|
|
Apr., 1897 |
Browning |
42/70. |
|
|
Sep., 1902 |
Browning |
89/145. |
|
|
Dec., 1903 |
Browning |
42/70. |
|
|
Dec., 1905 |
Browning |
42/70. |
|
|
Apr., 1910 |
Krag |
89/138. |
|
|
Jun., 1910 |
Gates |
89/196. |
|
|
Feb., 1911 |
Browning |
89/145. |
|
|
Apr., 1911 |
Schmeisser |
89/163. |
|
|
May., 1912 |
Krag |
89/145. |
|
|
Jul., 1914 |
Loiselet |
89/196. |
|
|
May., 1916 |
Wesson |
89/145. |
|
|
Feb., 1927 |
Browning |
89/163. |
|
|
Aug., 1958 |
Norman |
89/145. |
|
|
Nov., 1963 |
Schlappich |
89/196. |
|
|
May., 1977 |
Curtis |
42/70. |
|
|
Jun., 1978 |
Raville |
89/163. |
|
|
Feb., 1979 |
Schultz |
42/70. |
|
|
Foreign Patent
Documents |
|||
|
146359 |
Jun., 1985 |
EP |
42/70. |
|
3323501 |
Jan., 1985 |
DE |
42/70. |
Primary Examiner: Nelson; Peter A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fischer; Morland C.
Claims
We claim:
1. A firing pin block for a gun having a body and a firing pin for striking a
cartridge in the gun, comprising:
a bolt adapted to slide transversely through said body between a
"fire" position and a "safety" position, said bolt having a
non-circular opening through which the firing pin travels;
wherein the firing pin has a first collar and the bolt opening is constricted
at one side so that the outer diameter of the pin collar exceeds the inner
diameter of the opening at the constricted side, said collar being located on
the pin so that when the bolt is in the safety position, the constricted side
of the bolt opening prevents the firing pin collar from passing through the
bolt opening and thereby preventing said firing pin from reaching the
cartridge.
2. The firing pin block of claim 1 wherein the gun has a hammer for striking
the firing pin at one end of the pin and the firing pin further has a second
collar spaced from the first collar and the bolt has a camming surface shaped
and positioned to engage the second firing pin collar and move the firing pin
away from the hammer as the bolt is moved from the fire position to the safety
position.
3. The firing pin block of claim 2 wherein the gun has a hammer striking
surface which defines a hole through which said one end of the firing pin
protrudes to be struck by the hammer, said second collar and camming surface
being shaped so as to withdraw said one end of the firing pin below the surface
of the gun hammer striking surface to prevent the hammer from reaching said one
end of the firing pin.
4. The firing pin block of claim 1 further comprising a detent wherein the bolt
defines a pair of depressions spaced on the bolt so that the detent releasably
engages the first and second depressions to releasably hold the bolt in the
fire and safety positions, respectively.
5. In a gun having a spring-loaded hammer, a trigger and a sear cooperating
with the trigger to releasably support the hammer until the trigger is pulled,
the improvement comprising:
a safety having a shaft extending transversely through the gun, said shaft
comprising two axially aligned shaft portions, each shaft portion having an end
shaped substantially as a half cylinder and adapted to mate with the other half
cylindrically shaped shaft portion when assembled to form a complete cylinder,
each shaft portion having an integral manually actuable lever at the other end
of the shaft portion for pivoting the safety shaft when assembled between a
"fire" position and a "safety" position, and at least one
of said shaft portions having means for engaging the sear to prevent release of
the support of the hammer when the safety shaft is in the safety position.
6. The gun of claim 5 wherein each half cylindrically shaped end of the shaft
portions defines a notch positioned to align with the notch of the other shaft
portion when assembled, the gun further comprising retainer means for
simultaneously engaging both shaft portion notches to retain the shaft portions
together.
7. The gun of claim 6 further comprising a sear housing for pivotally
supporting the sear and the safety shaft, and a spring having a leg for biasing
the sear in the hammer support position,
wherein the retainer means comprises a slot defined by the sear housing
adjacent the safety shaft portion notches and further comprises the spring leg
being carried in the sear housing slot and the shaft portion notches.
8. The gun of claim 5 wherein the shaft is pivotal between a second
"fire" position and a second "safety" position by the shaft
levers when the transverse position of the shaft is reversed, and the gun
further comprises a second means on at least one of the shaft portions for
engaging the sear to prevent release of the support of the hammer when the
safety shaft is in the second safety position.
9. In a gun having a spring-loaded hammer, a trigger, and a sear cooperating
with the trigger to releasably support the hammer until the trigger is pulled,
the improvement comprising:
a reversible safety comprising a shaft having a manually actuable lever at one
end and a free end adapted to be inserted transversely through the gun
selectively from either side of the gun, said shaft defining a first transverse
position when the free end is inserted from one side and defining a second
transverse position when the shaft free end is inserted from the other side of
the gun, said lever for pivoting the shaft between a first "fire"
position and a first "safety" position when the shaft is in the first
transverse position, said lever further for pivoting the shaft between a second
"fire" position and a second "safety" position when the
shaft is in the second transverse position, said shaft having means for
engaging the sear to prevent release of the hammer when the shaft is in either
of said first or second safety positions associated with said first and second
transverse positions, respectively.
10. The gun of claim 9 wherein the shaft engagement means comprises a pair of
projecting members extending in substantially opposite directions, each shaft
projecting member for engaging the sear when the shaft is in one of said safety
positions associated with said first and second transverse positions.
11. The gun of claim 10 wherein the sear also has a pair of projecting members,
each sear projecting member being positioned to be engaged by one of said shaft
projecting members when the shaft is in a safety position associated with that
shaft projecting member.
12. The gun of claim 9 further comprising means for releasably retaining the
shaft when the shaft is in either of the first or second transverse positions.
13. The gun of claim 12 wherein the gun has a sear housing for pivotally
supporting the sear and the shaft and a spring having a leg for biasing the
sear in the hammer support position, wherein the retaining means comprises a
pair of notches defined by the shaft and a slot defined by the sear housing,
said notches being positioned on the shaft so that the housing slot is aligned
with one shaft notch when the shaft is in the first transverse position and is
aligned with other shaft notch when the shaft is in the second transverse
position, said retaining means further comprising said leg of the spring
carried within the sear housing slot and one of said shaft notches wherein the
shaft may be released by lifting the spring leg out of the associated shaft
notch.
14. In a gun having a firing pin which has one end protruding beyond a hammer
striking surface and adapted to be struck at said one end causing the other end
of the pin to strike a cartridge within the gun, the improvement comprising:
means for withdrawing and releasably holding the firing pin below the hammer
striking surface to prevent the hammer from reaching the firing pin.
15. The gun of claim 14 wherein the withdrawing and holding means comprises a
movable member and a camming surface carried on one of said member or firing
pin and adapted to engage the other of said member or pin to withdraw the pin.
16. The gun of claim 14, said improvement further comprising a firing pin block
bolt having relatively large and small diameter openings formed therein, said
bolt being movable to either a free position for bringing said relatively large
diameter opening into alignment with the longitudinal axis of said firing pin
or to a safety position for bringing said relatively small diameter opening
into alignment with the longitudinal axis of said firing pin, said relatively
large and small diameter openings being particularly sized relative to said
firing pin, so that when said bolt is moved to the fire position, said firing
pin may pass through the relatively large diameter opening therein to strike
said cartridge, and when said bolt is in the safety position, said firing pin
cannot pass through the relatively small diameter opening therein, whereby to
prevent said firing pin from reaching said cartridge.
17. The gun of claim 16, wherein said firing pin has a collar formed
therearound and said relatively small diameter opening has a peripheral ledge,
said collar being engaged by and seated against said ledge to block the passage
of said firing pin through said small diameter opening and toward said
cartridge when said firing pin block bolt is moved to the safety position and
said firing pin is aligned with said small diameter opening.
18. In a gun having a spring-loaded hammer, a trigger and a sear cooperating
with the trigger to releasably support the hammer until the trigger is pulled,
the improvement comprising:
safety means including a shaft having a manually actuable lever at one end and
an opposite free end adapted to be inserted transversely through the gun from a
side thereof, said lever rotating the shaft between fire and safety positions;
and
said shaft having means to engage the sear and thereby prevent a release of the
hammer and a discharge of the gun when said lever rotates said shaft to the
safety position.
19. The gun of claim 18, wherein said shaft engagement means comprises at least
one member projecting outwardly from said shaft, said outwardly projecting
member being rotated with said shaft to engage said sear and thereby prevent a
release of the hammer and a discharge of the gun when said lever rotates said
shaft to the safety position, and the outwardly projecting member being rotated
out of engagement with said sear to release the hammer and permit a discharge of
the gun when said lever rotates said shaft to the fire position.
20. The gun of claim 19, wherein said sear also has at least one outwardly
projecting member, said sear projecting member positioned so as to be engaged
by said shaft projecting member when said lever rotates said shaft to the
safety position.
21. The gun of claim 18, further comprising a sear housing to pivotally receive
said sear therewithin and means to releasably retain said shaft within said
sear housing, said retaining means comprising a sear spring having first and
second projecting ends, a first projecting end of said sear spring engaging a
notch in said shaft and an aligned slot in said sear housing, and the second
projecting end of said spring engaging said sear to bias said sear in a hammer
supporting position.
22. The gun of claim 21, wherein said sear spring is a coil spring, the coil of
said spring being carried by a pin which pivotally supports the sear within
said sear housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly, to devices
for facilitating the safe handling of firearms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic and semiautomatic firearms or guns such as magazine loaded rifles and
handguns typically have a firing pin which when struck by the hammer of the
firearm, is driven forward striking and discharging the cartridge held within
the firing chamber of the firearm. Several devices have been proposed to
selectively block the firing pin to prevent the firearm from being accidentally
fired. For example, in a semiautomatic handgun, these devices (often referred
to as "firing pin blocks") are typically mounted within the frame of
the gun and have mechanical linkages to the firing pin itself which is usually
carried in the slide of the gun. These previous firing pin blocks have tended
to be relatively complicated and, because of their location adjacent the
handgrip of the frame, are susceptible to being accidentally disengaged by the
shooter. Moreover, many such firing pin block devices do not constantly block
the firing pin when activated, but instead cooperate with other mechanisms such
as the hammer actuator mechanism to only block the firing pin in certain hammer
positions.
Other safety devices include loaded chamber indicators which indicate to the
shooter whether a cartridge is seated in the firing chamber in position for
firing. Many previous loaded chamber indicators have included a spring-loaded
pin which has one end positioned relative to the firing chamber such that a
cartridge loaded in the chamber engages and pushes the indicator pin outward.
This outward movement of the pin usually causes a portion of the pin to
protrude beyond the exterior of the gun providing an indication that a
cartridge is loaded in the chamber. These pins are often relatively small in
diameter and can be susceptible to breakage. Moreover, dirt lodged against the
pin can immobilize the pin causing the gun to jam.
Still another safety device is the thumb safety so called because it is
typically actuated by the shooter's thumb. The thumb safety usually locks the
gun so that the hammer is prevented from falling even though the trigger is
pulled. To activate the safety, most thumb safeties have an exterior lever on
the left-hand side of the gun positioned adjacent the thumb of a right-handed
user. Pivoting the lever causes the safety to engage and "lock" the
hammer actuator.
To accommodate left-handed users, some thumb safeties allow a second lever to
be placed on the right-hand side of the gun to form an "ambidextrous"
thumb safety. This second lever is often attached to a shaft extending
transversely through the gun. One problem experienced with ambidextrous thumb
safeties of this type is that the second thumb lever can sometimes work loose
from the shaft of the safety so that positive engagement of the safety is not
always assured.
Many left-handed shooters prefer to have only the single thumb safety lever on
the right-hand side of the gun so that the lever on the left-hand side of the
gun is eliminated. However, many guns require such a thumb safety for
"lefties" to be custom crafted by a skilled gunsmith.
Other devices for safe handling of firearms relate to the loading and unloading
of ammunition. In one type of gun, the cartridges to be fired by the gun are
carried in a removable magazine which is inserted into a portion of the frame
of the gun often referred to as the "magazine well." In many
magazine-type guns, the magazine falls freely from the magazine well under the
influence of gravity once released. The released magazine will fall to the
ground unless caught by the shooter placing his hand beneath the gun. This is a
desirable feature under certain circumstances but requires additional care on
the part of the shooter. Other magazine-type guns have a catch mechanism which
only allows the magazine to partially drop from the magazine well once
released. The shooter may then manually withdraw the magazine the rest of the
way from the well. However, it is not believed that there is presently
available a magazine-type gun in which the user may select between allowing the
magazine to drop freely and allowing the magazine to only partially drop from
the well to prevent complete release of the magazine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gun or firearm having
safety devices obviating for practical purposes, the above-mentioned
limitations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a firing pin block
which is located on the firearm in such a position so as to minimize accidental
release of the firing pin block.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple
yet effective firing pin block.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a firing pin block
which is independent of the trigger mechanism of the gun.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a loaded chamber
indicator which is less susceptible to breakage and to jamming the gun.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a more reliable
ambidextrous thumb safety which is easily disassembled from the gun.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reversible thumb
safety which is easily installed on either side of the gun without the aid of a
gunsmith.
In one aspect of the present invention, a firing pin block is provided which
pulls the firing pin towards the muzzle and below the hammer striking surface
of the gun to prevent the hammer from being able to reach the firing pin. In
the illustrated embodiment, the firing pin block includes a bolt mounted
transversely through the slide and adapted to engage and disengage the firing
pin as the bolt is moved between "safety" and "fire"
positions, respectively.
In another aspect of the present invention, a loaded chamber indicator includes
a lever pivoted at one end to the firearm with the free end of the lever
positioned adjacent the opening of the firing chamber. A cartridge loaded in
the chamber causes the indicator lever to pivot outward providing an indication
of the chamber being loaded.
In still another aspect of the present invention, an ambidextrous thumb safety
includes a shaft comprising two shaft portions. Each shaft portion has an
integral thumb lever at one end and is shaped substantially as a half cylinder
at the other end. The two shaft portions are adapted to mate together to form a
single shaft.
In an additional aspect of the present invention, a fully reversible thumb
safety is provided. In the illustrated embodiment, the thumb safety has a shaft
and an integral thumb lever wherein the shaft is readily insertable into either
side of the firearm. The shaft has projecting members on either side of the shaft
to allow the thumb safety to engage the hammer actuator mechanism regardless of
which side of the firearm the thumb safety is installed.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a selective magazine catch is
provided in which the magazine may either fall freely or catch in the magazine
well after falling a predetermined distance, as desired by the shooter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a semiautomatic handgun in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the slide assembly of the handgun of
FIG. 1 illustrating a loaded chamber indicator and a firing pin block in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the slide assembly of FIG. 2
showing the firing pin block in the fire position and the loaded chamber
indicator with a cartridge loaded into the chamber;
FIG. 4 is a front view of the bolt of the firing pin block viewed along the line
4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the slide assembly of FIG. 1
showing the fire pin block in the safety position and the loaded chamber
indicator without a cartridge in the chamber;
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the bolt of FIG. 1 viewed along the line 6--6 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the assembled loaded chamber indicator
of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the frame of the handgun of FIG. 1
illustrating a reversible thumb safety and selective magazine catch in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the selective magazine catch of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the selective magazine catch of FIG. 9
viewed along the line 10--10;
FIG. 11 is a side view of the selected magazine catch of FIG. 9 in the catch
position showing a magazine partially dropped out;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the selective magazine catch of FIG. 11
viewed along the line 11--11;
FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the reversible thumb safety of FIG.
8;
FIG. 14 is a top view of the assembled frame of FIG. 8 showing the safety in
the fire position with the lever on the left side of the gun;
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the safety of FIG. 14 viewed along the
line 15--15;
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the safety of FIG. 14 viewed along the
line 16--16;
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the safety of FIG. 14 showing the safety
in the safety position;
FIG. 18 is a top view of the assembled frame of FIG. 8 showing the safety in
the fire position with the lever on the right side of the frame;
FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of an ambidextrous thumb safety lever
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the assembled ambidextrous thumb safety lever
of FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a semiautomatic handgun 10 (hereinafter "gun 10") which
incorporates the safety features of the present invention. Although the
illustrated embodiments of the present invention are described in connection
with such a handgun, it is recognized that these safety features may also be
utilized in other types of firearms.
The gun 10 has in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a firing
pin block mechanism 12 which may be seen more clearly in FIG. 2 which is an
exploded view of the slide assembly 14 of the gun 10. In a manner well
understood in the art, the slide assembly 14 moves sharply rearward (as
indicated by the arrow 16) after a shot has been fired, to eject the spent
cartridge and recock the hammer 18 (FIG. 1). Housed within the slide body 20 of
the slide assembly 14 is the firing pin 22 as shown in FIG. 3. The firing pin
22 is carried in a generally cylindrical bore 24 which longitudinally extends
from a firing pin retainer plate 26 to the breech face 28 adjacent the end of
the barrel 30.
A spring 32 engaging a collar 34 of the firing pin 22 urges the firing pin
rearward towards the retainer plate 26. The retainer plate 26 has an aperture
36 which allows the end 38 of the firing pin 22 to protrude beyond the hammer
striking surface 40 of the retainer plate 26 until a collar 42 of the firing
pin 22 engages the other side 44 of the retainer plate 26. The hammer 18 when
released, is driven forward by a spring (not shown) causing the hammer 18 to
strike the end 38 of the firing pin 22. This in turn drives the firing pin 22
forward causing the other end 46 of the firing pin to strike the primer of the
cartridge 48 loaded within the chamber 50 of the gun 10.
In accordance with the present invention, the firing pin block 12 when engaged,
pulls the end 38 of the firing pin 22 below the hammer striking surface 40 of
the retainer plate 26 so that the hammer 18 cannot reach the end 38 of the
firing pin 22. In addition, as will be more fully described below, the firing
pin block 12 also blocks the firing pin 22 from reaching the cartridge 48.
Referring to both FIGS. 2 and 3, the firing pin block 12 includes a bolt 52
which is carried in a generally cylindrical bore 54 extending transversely
across the slide body 20 and intersecting the firing pin bore 24. The bolt 52
has a noncircular opening 56 through which the firing pin 22 moves to strike
the cartridge 48 if the bolt 52 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 and
hereinafter referred to as the "fire" position.
The noncircular opening 56 of the bolt 52 may be seen more clearly in FIG. 4
which shows a front view of the bolt 52. As shown therein, the opening 56 is
generally "keyhole" in shape and includes a first opening 58 which
has an inner diameter exceeding that of a collar 60 (FIG. 3) on the firing pin
22. When the bolt 52 is in the fire position as illustrated in FIG. 3, the
opening 58 of the bolt 52 is centered relative to the center axis of the firing
pin 22 so that the collar 60 of the firing pin 22 can freely travel through the
bolt 52 to strike the cartridge 48.
However, overlapping the opening 58 is a second smaller opening 62 of the bolt.
The diameter of the opening 62 is slightly larger than the main shaft 63 of the
firing pin 22 but is significantly smaller than the outer diameter of the pin
collar 60. When the head 64 of the bolt 52 is pressed inward to the position
illustrated in FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as the "safety"
position), the opening 62 is centered with respect to the center axis of the
firing pin 22 so that the collar 60 of the firing pin 22 is prevented from
passing through the opening 56 of the bolt 52. The constricted opening 62 has a
flat ledge 66 at its periphery to securely seat the collar 60 if the firing pin
22 should move toward the cartridge to effectively block the pin 22.
In addition, the bolt 52 has a camming surface 68 on its rear side adjacent the
opening 56, which engages another collar 70 of the firing pin 22 as the bolt 52
is pushed to the safety position of FIG. 5. As best seen in FIG. 6, the camming
surface 68 rises from a lower shelf 72 at the periphery of the larger opening
58 to an upper shelf 74 at the periphery of the smaller opening 62. The camming
surface 68 is generally cylindrical in shape and is formed by boring the bolt
52 at an angle relative to the central axes of the openings 58 and 62.
Because the upper shelf 74 is closer (FIG. 5) to the muzzle than the lower
shelf 72, engagement of the firing pin collar 70 by the camming surface 68 as
the bolt 52 is pushed towards the safety position of FIG. 5, pushes the firing
pin 22 towards the muzzle and away from the hammer. The displacement between
the lower shelf 72 and upper shelf 74 is sufficiently large to move the end 38
of the firing pin 22 completely below the hammer striking surface 40 of the
retainer plate 26. Consequently, the hammer cannot reach the firing pin when
the bolt 52 is fully in the safety position illustrated in FIG. 5. Furthermore,
the ledge 66 (FIG. 4) on the front of the bolt 52 prevents the firing pin 22
from being able to reach the primer of the cartridge within the gun chamber as
previously described.
To releasably hold the bolt 52 in the respective fire and safety positions, the
bolt 52 has a pair of indentations 83 and 84 on its upper surface 77 and
positioned to engage a detent 78 (FIG. 2) biased downward from the top of the slide
body 20 by a spring 80. The detent 78 engages the indentation 84 (FIG. 4) when
the firing pin block bolt 52 is in the fire position. Depressing the head 64 of
the bolt 52 causes the detent 78 to ride up out of the indentation 84 and fall
into the other indentation 83 when the bolt 52 is pressed into the safety
position. Pressing the opposite head 82 of the bolt 52 returns the bolt to the
fire position. The bolt heads 64 and 82 may be marked with suitable indices
such as "S" and "F", respectively.
It is seen from the above that the firing pin block 12 provides a simple yet
effective mechanism for preventing accidental discharge of the firearm. The
firing pin block 12 is independent of all other trigger and safety mechanisms
and accordingly is always in action when actuated. Furthermore, because the
firing pin block is located completely in the slide assembly 14 and away from
the hand grip 156 (FIG. 1), the likelihood of accidental disengagement of the
firing pin block is correspondingly reduced.
FIG. 2 also shows a loaded chamber indicator 100 in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The loaded chamber indicator 100, as its
name suggests, indicates to the shooter whether a cartridge is loaded in the
firing chamber of the pistol when the slide assembly 14 is in the fully forward
position illustrated in FIG. 1.
In accordance with the present invention, the loaded chamber indicator 100
includes an indicator lever 102 which is pivotally coupled to the slide body 20
of the slide assembly 14. When assembled, the lever 102 is carried in a flat
depression 104 of the cartridge extractor lever 106. The extractor lever 106
and indicator lever 102 pivot around a common pivot pin 112 within an extractor
slot 114 (FIG. 7). As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, the extractor slot is
provided on the right side of the slide body 20 and extends rearward from the
breech face 28.
The extractor lever 106 has a small hooked portion 108 which engages the base
(FIG. 3) of the cartridge loaded in the firing chamber. As the slide assembly
14 retracts after the cartridge has been fired, the extractor lever 106 hooked
to the base of the cartridge pulls the expended casing from the firing chamber,
to be ejected out through ejection port 110 (FIG. 2) of the slide body 20.
In the illustrated embodiment, the extractor lever 106 has an aperture 116 in
the exterior face portion 118, which communicates with the flat depression 104.
The extractor lever 106 further has a cylindrical depression 120 which carries
a spring 122 biasing the indicator lever 102 in a counterclockwise direction as
viewed in FIG. 3. One end of the spring 122 seats in a notch 124 of the
indicator lever 102 and the other end seats within a depression 123 on the
inner side of the exterior face portion 118 of the extractor lever 106. A
second spring 126 also biases the extractor lever 106 in a counterclockwise
direction.
When a cartridge is loaded in the firing chamber 50, the exterior of the
cartridge casing engages an engagement surface 128 on the inner side of the
indicator lever 102, thereby pushing the indicator lever 102 outward in a
clockwise direction to the "chamber loaded" position of FIGS. 3 and
7. Thus, when seated, the cartridge 48 causes protrusion portion 130 on the
other side of the indicator lever 102 to protrude approximately 1/16th of an
inch beyond the exterior of the extractor face portion 118 through the aperture
116 of the extractor lever 106. The protrusion portion 130 provides a visual
and tactile indication that a cartridge is loaded in the firing chamber. The
tip of the protrusion portion 130 may be painted a bright color such as red to
further enhance the visibility of that portion of the lever.
On the other hand, if there is no cartridge in the firing chamber, the indicator
lever 102 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 122 towards
the interior of the firing chamber to the "chamber empty" position of
FIG. 5. Consequently, the tip of the protruding portion 130 of the indicator
lever 102 is moved inward (FIG. 5) so that it is flush with (or somewhat
interior of) the exterior face portion 118 of the extractor lever 106. This
indicates to the shooter that the firing chamber is empty.
Because the indicator lever 102 is carried in a depression of the extractor
lever 106, a separate slot or aperture need not be machined into the slide body
20 for the indicator lever 102. Instead, the indicator lever 102 utilizes the
slot 114 already provided for the extractor lever 106. This saves an additional
machining step and reduces the number of access points for dirt to enter the
interior of the gun. Furthermore, the extractor lever 106 and the upper surface
of the slot 114 protect the lever 102. Thus, the lever arrangement of the
indicator 100 has been found to be less susceptible to jamming and breakage
than many previous loaded chamber indicators.
FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of a selective magazine catch assembly 150 in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The magazine
151 (FIG. 9) for housing the cartridges is inserted through an aperture 152 in
the frame 158 to the magazine well 154 defined by the handgrip 156 of the
handgun frame 158. The magazine when fully inserted into the magazine well 154,
is releasably retained within the well by a suitable magazine retainer
mechanism 160. The retainer mechanism 160 includes a release button 162 which
when depressed, causes the mechanism 160 to release the magazine from the
magazine well 154.
In accordance with the present invention, the selective magazine catch 150
allows the shooter to select either of two magazine removal modes. In one mode,
the magazine 151 is allowed to fall freely from the magazine well 154 when the
release button 162 is depressed. Alternatively, in the second mode, the magazine
catch 150 catches the magazine after it has fallen a predetermined distance.
The shooter may then manually extract the magazine the rest of the way from the
magazine well 154.
Referring to FIGS. 8-10, the selective magazine catch 150 includes an
engagement member 164 having a rounded engagement surface 166 at one end. The
engagement member 164 further has a generally cylindrical bore 168 adapted to
receive one end of a generally U-shaped spring 170 having legs 171 and 180. As
best seen in FIG. 10, the engagement member 164 is carried in a cylindrical
bore 172 at one side 190 of the base 174 of the frame hand grip 156. The spring
170 is mounted on the base 174 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the cross
portion 176 between the spring legs 171 and 180 seated in a notch 178 in the
handgrip 156. The other leg 180 of the spring 170 has a hooked end 182 which is
seated in a bore 184 on the opposite side 185 of the base 174. The spring 170
urges the engagement member inward toward the magazine well.
The magazine catch 150 further includes a cam lever 188 which is placed between
the spring leg 171 and the base side portion 190. The cam lever 188 is adapted
to pivot about a round protrusion 192 (FIG. 8) which is inserted into a bore
194 in the base side portion 190.
In order to move the engagement member 164 between a "withdrawn"
position (FIGS. 9 and 10) and an "engagement" position (FIGS. 11 and
12 respectively), the cam lever 188 has a camming surface 198 on its exterior
side for engaging the spring leg 171. The withdrawn and engagement positions of
the member 164 correspond to the free fall and catch modes, respectively.
The camming surface 198 includes a pair of generally trough-shaped depressions
200 and 202 positioned on the cam lever 188 to alternately receive the spring
leg 171 when the cam lever 188 is in the positions of FIGS. 11 and 9,
respectively. The cam lever 188 further has a second protruding member 204
axially aligned with the protruding member 192 on the other side of the level
188. The member 204 defines a slot 206 to provide a manually actuable control
member for pivoting the cam lever 188 between the positions illustrated in
FIGS. 9 and 11. A screw driver is recommended to actuate the control member
204.
The depression 202 is machined to space the spring leg 171 from the base side
portion 190 so as to position the engagement member 164 in the
"withdrawn" position illustrated in FIG. 10. As shown therein, the
engagement member 164 does not protrude beyond the inner face 206 of the base
side portion 190. Consequently, the engagement member 164 does not interfere
with the free fall of the magazine 151 from the magazine well 154 when released
by the mechanism 160.
Alternatively, when the cam lever 188 is pivoted so that the spring leg 171
falls into the other depression 200 as shown in FIG. 11, because the depression
200 is deeper than the depression 202, the spring leg 171 is spaced closer to
the base side portion 190. As a result, the engagement member 164 protrudes
beyond the inner face 206 under the urging of the spring 170. As shown in FIG.
9, the magazine 151 has an indentation 210 which extends a predetermined
distance from the base of the magazine. When the magazine is released, the
engagement member 164 engages the end 211 of the indentation 210 after the
magazine has fallen the predetermined distance thereby catching the magazine.
The shooter may then manually extract the magazine the rest of the way from the
magazine well 154 causing the engagement member 164 to be pushed back into the
bore 172 against the spring 170.
It is evident from the above that the magazine catch 150 allows the shooter to
select between either the magazine freefall mode (FIGS. 9 and 10) or the
magazine catch mode (FIGS. 11 and 12). To facilitate the movement of the cam
lever 188 between the two positions of FIGS. 9 and 11, the camming surface 198
between the troughs 200 and 202 may be rounded. The magazine catch 150 is
disposed in depressions 179 and 181 at the frame base 174 to allow the
handgrips stocks 380 and 382 to be placed over the magazine catch 150 with the
control member 204 accessible through an aperture in the stock 380 as shown in
FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 also shows a thumb safety 250 which, in accordance with the present
invention, is fully reversible so that the shaft 252 of the thumb safety 250
may be inserted into either side of the firearm frame 158. In this manner, the
thumb safety 250 is conveniently usable by either right or left-handed
shooters.
The shaft 252 of the safety 250 has an integral lever 258 at one end, by which
the shaft 252 may be manually pivoted between a "fire" position and a
"safety" position discussed below. The free end 259 of the shaft 252
is inserted transversely across the frame 158 through one of the apertures 254
or 256 of the frame 158. When the shaft 252 is inserted through the left-hand
aperture 254 so that the lever 258 is also on the left side of the frame 158,
the shaft 252 defines a "left-handed" transverse position, for a
right handed shooter. Alternatively, when the shaft 252 is inserted through the
right-hand aperture 256 so that the lever 258 is also on the right side of the
frame 158, the shaft 252 defines a "right-handed" transverse
position, for a left handed shooter.
Each shaft transverse position has associated therewith a "fire"
position and a "safety" position in which, in the illustrated
embodiment, the fire positions correspond to the lever being oriented generally
horizontal while the safety positions correspond to the lever being pivoted
upward a predetermined angular distance. In either transverse position of the
shaft 252, the lever 258 is pointed generally forward so that the shaft 252 is
generally upside down in one transverse position relative to the other
transverse position. A suitable detent mechanism 159 cooperates with
depressions 261 on both sides of the frame to releasably hold the lever 258 in
the fire and safety positions.
The handgun 10 of the illustrated embodiment is of a type in which the hammer
actuator mechanism 260 includes a sear 262 which has a rearward pointing ledge
264 which releasably supports the spring-loaded hammer 18 in the cocked
position. When the trigger 266 is pulled, a trigger bar 268 coupled to the
trigger 266 by a pivot pin 270, is pushed rearward. The end 272 of the trigger
bar 268 engages a pair of downward extending levers 274 of the sear 262 causing
the sear 262 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 8)
within the sear housing 276. This pivotal movement of the sear 262 moves the
sear ledge 264 out of the way of the hammer 18 allowing the hammer to fall and
strike the firing pin 22 (FIG. 2). However, as explained below, when the safety
shaft 252 is in either of the safety positions, the sear 262 is prevented from
pivoting out of the way of the hammer 18 thereby preventing discharge of the
gun.
As shown in FIG. 13, the safety shaft 252 has a pair of vertical projecting
members 280 and 282 extending in opposite directions. When assembled in the
sear housing 276, the shaft 252 is pivotally carried within a cylindrical bore
284 (FIG. 14) extending transversely through the sear housing 276. The sear
housing 276 has a left-hand slot 286 adjacent the bore 284 which allows the
projecting members 280 and 282 to pivot within the sear housing 276.
In the fire positions, the projecting members 280 and 282 are oriented
vertically so that the sear 262 can pivot unhindered by the shaft projecting
member. Thus, as shown in FIG. 16, with the shaft 252 inserted through the
frame lefthand aperture 254 so that the safety lever 258 is on the left-hand
side of the gun, the projecting member 280 is clear of the sear 262 when the
lever 258 is oriented horizontally corresponding to the fire position. However,
should the safety lever 258 be pivoted in a clockwise direction (as viewed in
FIG. 17), approximately 20 degrees to the safety position, the shaft projecting
member 280 will be pivoted rearward towards the sear 262. In this position, if
the trigger 266 is pulled, the shaft projecting member 280 will engage an opposing
projecting member 288 of the sear 262, thereby preventing the sear 262 from
pivoting and the gun from being discharged.
FIG. 18 shows the safety shaft 252 inserted through the right-hand frame
aperture 256. The sear housing 276 has a second (right-hand) slot 290 similar
to the left-hand slot 286 on the other side of the sear housing to accommodate
the pivoting of the projecting members 280 and 282. With the safety shaft 252
in the right-hand transverse position shown in FIG. 18, the other shaft projecting
member 282 is now projecting upward from the shaft. When the safety lever 258
is pivoted to the safety position, the projecting member 282 is moved below an
opposing projecting member 292 (FIG. 13) similar to the projecting member 288
on the other side of the sear 262. Should the trigger be pulled with the shaft
252 in the safety position, the projecting member 282 will engage the opposing
projecting member 292 of the sear preventing the sear from releasing the
hammer. Thus, it is seen that the projecting members 280 and 282 allow the
thumb safety 250 to be fully operational whether installed on the left-hand or
the right-hand side of the frame.
The sear housing 276 has longitudinal apertures 300 on either side of the sear
housing 276 to accommodate the shaft projecting members 280 and 282 as they are
inserted into the slots 286 or 290. To releasably retain the shaft 252 in the
left-hand transverse position within the sear housing 276, the shaft 252 has a
first notch 302 (FIG. 13) positioned on the shaft so that it is aligned with a
slot 304 (FIGS. 14 and 15) in the sear housing adjacent the bore 284 when the
shaft 252 is inserted into the sear housing 276 in the left-hand transverse
position. Engaging both the shaft notch 302 and the housing slot 304 is the leg
306 of a sear spring 308 which biases the sear 262 in a counterclockwise
direction as viewed in FIG. 15. The coil of the sear spring 308 is carried on a
pin 310 which pivotally supports the sear 262 within the sear housing 276. The
other end 312 of the sear spring 308 engages the sear 262 to bias it in the
hammer support position.
With the sear spring leg 306 disposed on the aligned shaft notch 302 and
housing slot 304, the shaft 252 is locked against substantial transverse motion
but the sear spring leg 306 does not prevent the pivotal movement between the
safety and fire positions previously described. To release the shaft 252 to
allow the shaft to be inserted into the other side of the gun frame, one merely
pries the spring leg 306 upward out of the shaft notch 302 freeing the shaft
252 to be pulled out. The shaft 252 has a second notch 320 (FIG. 13) positioned
to align with the housing slot 304 when the shaft 252 is inserted from the
other side as illustrated in FIG. 18.
Since the spring leg 306 is biased downward, the end of the shaft 252 has a
camming surface 322 (FIG. 13) which pries the spring leg 306 upward as the
shaft is inserted through the sear housing bore 284 with the lever 258 oriented
vertically. Once the spring leg 306 is pried upward, the safety lever 258 may
be pivoted forward which further pries the spring leg 306 upward to allow the
shaft 252 to be inserted the rest of the way into the sear housing 276. When
the shaft notch 302 (or 320) reaches the housing slot 304, the sear spring leg
306 snaps down into the notch retaining the shaft 252 within the sear housing.
Concentric with the shaft 252 is a circular shoulder 324 (FIG. 13) on the lever
258, which is adapted to slidingly mate with the walls of the particular
aperture 254 or 256 through which the shaft 252 is inserted. The safety 250
further includes a bushing 330 which is inserted into either of the apertures
254 or 256. The free end of the shaft 252 is inserted into an axially, aligned
bore 338 of the bushing 330. The bushing 330 has a shelf member 332 which
engages opposing flange members 334 and 336 to support the sear housing.
Thus, to reverse the thumb safety, the safety shaft 252 is released by prying
up the spring by 306 and removing the shaft 252. This allows the sear housing
to be removed and reinstalled with the bushing 330 on the other side of the
frame. The safety shaft is then reinserted from the other side until the spring
retainer again locks the shaft into place. It is seen from the above that the
thumb safety 250 is capable of being easily installed on the either side of the
gun by the typical user without the aid of a gunsmith.
FIG. 19 shows an exploded view of alternative embodiment of the safety shaft of
FIGS. 13-17. The safety shaft 340 of FIG. 18 is part of an ambidextrous thumb
safety and includes two shaft portions 342 and 344. The shaft portion 342 has
one end 346 which is shaped substantially as a half cylinder and is adapted to
mate with a similarly shaped end 348 of the other shaft portion 344. When
mated, the shaft portions 342 and 344 form a complete shaft 349 as shown in
FIG. 19. Each shaft portion has an integrally formed lever 350 similar to the
shaft lever 248 of FIG. 12.
As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the shaft portion 342 has a notch 352 which is
positioned to align with a notch 354 of the other shaft portion 344 when the
shaft portions 342 and 344 are mated together. The notches 352 and 354 of the
two shaft portions form a single notch 355 similar to the notch 302 of the
previous embodiment so that the sear spring leg 306 cooperates with both of the
notches 352 and 354 and the sear housing notch 304 to releasably retain both
shaft portions 342 and 344 in the sear housing 276. A second pair of notches
356 and 358 on the other sides of the shaft portions 342 and 344, respectively,
form a second complete notch 360 similar to the notch 320 of FIG. 12 to allow
the shaft portions to be reversed so that it doesn't matter which shaft portion
is inserted through which frame aperture.
It has been found that the split shaft safety 340 with integral shaft levers
350 provides a stronger and more reliable ambidextrous thumb safety mechanism
than many previous ambidextrous safeties. Furthermore, the above described
spring and notch arrangement allows for the rapid release and reinstallation of
the shaft portions.
It will, of course, be understood that modifications of the present invention,
in its various aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, some being
apparent only after study and others being merely matters of routine mechanical
design. For example, the above-described safety devices can be utilized on
other types of firearms. Other embodiments are possible with the specific
designs dependent on the particular application. As such, the scope of the
invention should not be limited by the particular embodiments herein described
which should be defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *