Patent Application
20130074391
The present invention generally relates to a safety for a firearm and, more specifically, to drop safety for blocking the forward axial reciprocation of a firing pin of a firearm.
Firing mechanisms of a firearm often utilize hammer-initiated firing pins. In firearms that employ this design, the trigger is connected to a hammer-cocking and hammer-releasing mechanism, whereby movement of the trigger causes the hammer to cock and, once cocked, release in a forward rotation about a pivot. Upon rotation, the hammer strikes a rear end of the firing pin, which drives the firing pin axially forward, toward a chambered round of ammunition.
Various devices have been used to prevent the firing pin from moving as a result of agitation or impact, such as a dropping of the firearm, that is not related to an intentional discharging of the firearm. Such devices include firing pin safeties that incapacitate axial movement of the firing pin.
Firing pin safeties typically consist of a mating element that is pivotally or reciprocally mounted adjacent to the respective firing pin such that, when the trigger is not actuated, the firing pin safety rests against the firing pin, thereby blocking the forward motion of the firing pin.
For example, a safety device is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0170131, which is assigned to Smith and Wesson Corporation and is incorporated herein by reference. The safety device includes a flange that is spring biased into contact with a lobe of the firing pin, thereby blocking the firing pin from reciprocating axially forward and into contact with a primer of a chambered round of ammunition. The flange is reciprocally actuated out of engagement with the lobe by a pivot lock arm, which is pivotally mounted to a hammer pin of a hammer-type firing mechanism. When the trigger is actuated, the hammer-type firing mechanism is drawn rearward, which causes the pivot lock arm to rotate and, thereby, actuate the flange out of engagement with the lobe of the firing pin. Accordingly, the firing pin is blocked from forward reciprocation to discharge a chambered round of ammunition unless and until the trigger is actuated.
However, firing pin safeties known in the prior art oftentimes involve complex mechanisms and are difficult to install within the frame of the firearm.
The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a safety device for a firearm, which, among other desirable attributes, significantly reduces or overcomes the above-mentioned deficiencies of safety devices.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a drop safety for blocking the forward axial reciprocation of a firing pin of a firearm.
In an aspect of the present invention, a firearm is provided that includes a trigger that is in mechanical communication with a hammer-type firing mechanism including a hammer, a firing pin that is actuated by the hammer and a drop safety that blocks the forward reciprocation of the firing pin unless and until the trigger is actuated.
In an aspect of the present invention, the drop safety has a roller portion with an outer circumferential surface that is releasably engaged by a rearward surface of an axial carveout of a firing pin. In another object of the present invention, the drop safety is provided with a spring, whereby the spring rotationally biases the drop safety so that the outer circumferential surface of the roller portion of the drop safety blocks the firing pin from reciprocating axially forward unless and until the trigger is actuated.
In another aspect of the present invention, the drop safety has a roller portion with an inner limiting wall that creates a fixed stop for the firing pin in the forward axial reciprocation thereof, the drop safety rotating in response to the actuation of the trigger so that the inner limiting wall faces the firing pin.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drop safety that is installed independent of (i.e., not in an integral or interconnected manner with) a firing mechanism of a firearm.
These and other features of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments of a drop safety. The illustrated embodiments of the drop safety of the present invention are intended to illustrate, but not limit, the invention.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, and together with a general description of the disclosure given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principals of the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals identify identical or substantially similar parts throughout the several views,
The frame 18 is generally comprised of two halves, an upper frame portion 24 and a lower frame portion 26. The lower frame portion 26 contains a back strap, a main spring housing and a grip 28, as well as space for a portion of the firing mechanism, such as a sear (not shown for clarity).
The upper frame portion 24 contains the barrel 22 and the sight 30, as well as space for another portion of the firing mechanism (not shown for clarity). The upper frame portion 24 also contains: a rectangular aperture 32 into which the cylinder 20 is mounted, a locking bolt recess 34 that slidably receives a locking bolt 36, a yoke stud recess 38 into which a yoke stud 40 is secured and a yoke carve out 42 that is fitted to the yoke 44.
A forward end 46 of the lower frame portion 26 is shaped so as to accept a corresponding rearward end 48 of the upper frame portion 24. These upper and lower frame portions 24, 26 are joined together via pins (not shown for clarity)to create a structurally rigid frame. The frame portions 24, 26 are comprised of metal stampings or inserts having a polymer over-molding on top of the inserts.
The firearm 10 also includes a trigger 50 that is pivotally attached to the upper frame portion 24 and a separate trigger guard 52 that is releasably attached to both the upper and lower frame portions 24, 26. The trigger 50 is in mechanical communication with the firing mechanism (not shown for clarity) of the firearm 10.
The cylinder 20 is rotatably mounted on a cylindrical portion of the yoke 44. The cylinder 20 may be pivoted into and out of the rectangular aperture 32 in the upper frame portion 24 along the pivot path defined by the yoke 44. For instance, the cylinder 20 is rotated out of the page of
A cylinder release lever 54 is mounted to an upper rear surface of the upper frame portion 24. Actuation of the cylinder release lever 54 enables the cylinder 20 to be pivoted out of the rectangular aperture 32.
Referring to
The firearm 60 also includes a housing 70 that substantially encases and frames the firing mechanism 68 and is connected to the upper frame portion 24 by, at least, a pin 72 located near the trigger 66. The housing 70 includes two substantially flat members, with one member being located on each side of the firing mechanism 68 of the firearm 60. The housing 70 extends into the grip of the firearm 60 and a sear 74 is located in the grip-portion of the housing 70. A first (i.e., remote) end 76 of the sear 74 is mounted to the grip.
Referring to
Referring now to
The hammer 80 is pivotally mounted within the housing 70 by a hammer pin 82. A top, striking portion 84 of the hammer 80 abuts a rear end of an inertia firing pin 86, which is axially aligned with a chamber of the cylinder 64.
Toward the front of the firing pin 86 from the hammer 80, a drop safety 88 is positioned to abut a bottom surface 90 of the firing pin 86. The drop safety 88 has a roller portion 92 that is rotatably retained by a pair of recesses formed at corresponding positions in each member of the housing 70.
A coil spring 94 is mounted to one side of the drop safety 88 to spring bias the drop safety 88 into a blocking position, as shown in
Further toward the front of the firing pin 86, a striking tip 96 extends from the front end of the firing pin 86. The striking tip 96 is received by a bushing 98, which generally retains the firing pin 86 within the housing 70 and out of the chamber of the cylinder 64.
A ratchet hub drive mechanism 100 is positioned axially rearward of an extractor (not shown for clarity) that is disposed at the center of the cylinder 64, when the cylinder 64 is in the closed-position. A hand 102 of the firing mechanism 68 is reciprocally mounted near the front of the ratchet hub drive mechanism 100. The hand 102 is in mechanical communication with the trigger 66.
Referring to
In addition, as the trigger 66 is actuated, the hand 102 reciprocates upward to engage the ratchet hub drive mechanism 100.
Referring to
In addition, the hand 102 engages and rotates the ratchet hub drive mechanism 100, thereby causing the cylinder 64 to rotate about the yoke 44, which aligns the next chamber of the cylinder 64 with the barrel of the firearm 60. The ratchet hub drive mechanism 100 is described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,861,453 and 7,886,469, which were previously incorporated herein by reference.
As the trigger 66 is further actuated, the hand 102 engages and rotates the drop safety 88 out of the blocking position as shown in
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
The axial carveout 108 extends substantially half of the way through the firing pin 86, for instance, such that the flat axial surface 114 abuts a radial center of the firing pin 86. The axial carveout 108 is generally positioned substantially frontward in the firing pin 86, toward the striking tip 96.
Preferably, the front wall 110 and the rear wall 112 are slightly angled in the radial direction relative to the firing pin 86. For instance, the front wall 110 and the rear wall 112 are angled at between about a forty-five and about ninety degree (45° to 90°) angle relative to the axial direction of reciprocation of the firing pin 86.
The bushing 98 is mushroom shaped and has a cylindrical body portion 116 that defines a hole 118 through which the striking tip 96 is received. The cylindrical body portion 116 of the bushing 98 is fitted to mount to a circular aperture formed in a breech wall of the rectangular aperture 32 of the cylinder block portion 62 of the frame of the firearm 60. The bushing 98 also includes a flange portion 120 that is fitted to lie flush with the surface of the breech wall, facing the cylinder 64.
Referring to
The sectional carveout 128 has an opposing wall 130 that, when the trigger is actuated, faces and releasably contacts the rear wall 112 of the firing pin 86 as the firing pin 86 reciprocates into the axially forward position, as shown in
The sectional carveout 128 also has a limiting wall 132 that faces and releasably contacts the bottom surface 90 of the firing pin 86 when the drop safety 88 is rotated fully by the actuation of the trigger 66 and the firing pin 86 is reciprocated fully forward by the release of the hammer 80 (i.e., when in the position shown in
The roller portion 92 also includes a retaining protrusion 134 that extends laterally therefrom for receiving a coil portion of the coil spring 94. The retaining protrusion 134 abuts and is received by a mounting recess (not shown for clarity) formed in the housing 70.
The wing portion 124 extends perpendicularly from the roller portion 92 and has a mounting block 136 formed at a distal tip thereof. The mounting block 136 includes a hole 138 that receives a first arm 140 of the coil spring 94. In the assembled firearm 60, as shown in
The coil spring 94 also includes a second arm 142 that extends from the opposing end of the coil spring 94. The second arm 142 engages an anchoring surface of the housing 70.
It should be appreciated that the installation of the drop safety 88 does not impact the installation of the trigger 66, the hammer 80, the sear 74 or the other components of the firing mechanism 68. Instead, the drop safety 88 is installed independently of the trigger 66, the hammer 80 and the sear 74, and, at most, acts as a resting surface against which the firing pin 86 is installed. It should be appreciated that, if anything, the drop safety 88 facilitates installation of the firing mechanism 68, rather than impedes or increases the complexity of the installation thereof.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention.
For instance, it should be appreciated that the drop safety can be used with other types of firearms, not just revolvers.
In addition, it should be appreciated that the firearm can utilize a hammer-type firing mechanism, as discussed above, or a striker-type firing mechanism.
Further, it should be appreciated that the drop safety of the present invention is particularly suited for use with firearms having non-metallic components, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/648,902 entitled “FIREARM HAVING NONMETALLIC COMPONENTS”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,038 entitled “AN AUTOMATIC FIRING PIN BLOCK SAFETY FOR A FIREARM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,124 entitled “A MANUAL SLIDE AND HAMMER LOCK SAFETY FOR A FIREARM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/650,217 entitled “A CONFIGURABLE SIGHT FOR A FIREARM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/074,734 entitled, “INTEGRAL, FRAME-MOUNTED LASER AIMING DEVICE”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/074,824 entitled “TWO-PIECE TRIGGER AND SPRING RETENTION SYSTEM”; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/220,958 entitled, “FRAME MOUNTED LASER AIMING DEVICE”, which are owned by the assignee of the present invention and are incorporated by reference herein.
