Firearm Safety Mechanisms and Methods

Abstract

A firearm safety mechanism of the present disclosure has a cylindrical body adapted for insertion into a barrel of a firearm. Further, the safety mechanism has a threaded bore on a first end of the cylindrical body for receiving an insertion tool and a second end for engaging at least a portion of a chamber of a firearm thereby prohibiting rotation of a cylinder of the firearm.

Description

BACKGROUND

In the United States there are hundreds of unintentional firearm injuries that lead to death each year. Sometimes the unintentional firearm injuries are caused by a child finding a loaded firearm and using the loaded firearm as a toy. In some situations, an adult unintentionally fires a firearm, and the result is often a firearm injury resulting in the death of the person struck by the bullet from the firearm.

Many firearms come with built-in safety mechanisms. The safety mechanisms typically are used to prevent unintentional discharge of the firearm during handling. Often the safety mechanism is an external safety, which allows the user to toggle a switch from “on” to “off” in order to fire the firearm or from “off” to “on” in order to store or handle the firearm when not being used for firing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Furthermore, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary firearm in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a chamber of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary safety lock for use on the firearm depicted in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4A is cross-sectional view of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1 having the safety lock depicted in FIG. 3 installed therein.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of the firearm of FIG. 4A with the safety lock of FIG. 3 inserted therein.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an exemplary insertion device adapted for inserting the safety lock depicted in FIG. 3 into a chamber of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the insertion device of FIG. 5 coupled to the safety lock of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cut-away view of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1 and the insertion device of FIG. 5 being used to insert the safety lock of FIG. 3 into the firearm.

FIG. 8 is a cut-away view of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1 and the insertion device of FIG. 5 being removed from a barrel of the firearm after the safety lock of FIG. 3 is inserted therein and the chamber in which the safety lock is situated does not contain a bullet.

FIG. 9 is cut-away view of the firearm depicted in FIG. 1 after the safety lock of FIG. 3 is inserted therein and the chamber in which the safety lock is situated does contains a bullet.

SUMMARY

A firearm safety mechanism of the present disclosure has a cylindrical body adapted for insertion into a barrel of a firearm. Further, the safety mechanism has a threaded bore on a first end of the cylindrical body for receiving an insertion tool and a second end for engaging at least a portion of a chamber of a firearm thereby prohibiting rotation of a cylinder of the firearm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes a safety lock for a firearm. In particular, the safety lock of the present disclosure is cylindrical in shape and is adapted and arranged for insertion into a barrel of the firearm. The safety lock fits within a chamber in a cylinder of the firearm in order to prohibit rotation of the cylinder, which prohibits a bullet cartridge from being loaded.

Each end of the safety lock comprises a threaded bore for receiving a threaded insertion tool. The insertion tool is coupled to the safety lock, the safety lock is inserted into the barrel of the firearm, the insertion tool is uncoupled from the safety lock, and the insertion tool is removed from the firearm through the barrel. Once the insertion tool is removed, the safety lock remains at least partially within one of the chambers of the cylinder of the firearm to prohibit the firearm from loading a bullet cartridge in the chamber. In this regard, the safety lock prohibits the cylinder from rotating.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary firearm 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The firearm shown in FIG. 1 is a revolver; however the present disclosure is not limited to revolvers. In this regard, other types of firearms are possible in other embodiments of the present disclosure.

The firearm 100 comprises a barrel 102, a frame 104, and a grip 106. Additionally, the firearm 100 comprises a hammer 103, a cylinder 101, and a trigger 105. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder 101 showing a plurality of chambers 200 in which bullet cartridges are inserted.

With reference to FIG. 1, during ordinary operation, a marksman loads bullet cartridges (not shown) in the chambers 200 (FIG. 2) of the cylinder 101. To fire a bullet (not shown) contained within one of the cartridges, a marksman swings the cylinder 101 out and loads the chambers 200 with individual bullet cartridges.

The marksman then closes the cylinder 101 so that it is coupled with the frame 104 and is stationary. The marksman cocks the hammer 103 back to line up a bullet cartridge between the hammer 103 and the barrel 102. The marksman pulls the trigger 105 while grasping the grip 106.

Upon pulling the trigger, hammer 103 is released, and via a spring mechanism (not shown), the hammer is thrown forward thereby striking the bullet cartridge contained within the chamber 200. Propellant (not shown) within the bullet cartridge is ignited, and the bullet is propelled through the barrel, thereby sending the bullet to a target (not shown).

An exemplary safety lock 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 3. The safety lock 300 comprises a cylindrical body 306. Fitted over the cylindrical body 306 is an O-ring 305. The O-ring 305 may be made of any type of flexible material that when force is applied to the O-ring 305. In one embodiment, the O-ring 305 is made of neoprene; however, the O-ring 305 may be composed of other types of material that are flexible over a wide temperature range.

On each end of the safety lock 300 is a threaded bore 301, 303. In one embodiment, the threaded bores 301, 303 are produced using a countersink. Thus, there are conical openings 302, 304, respectively in the safety lock 300 depicted in FIG. 3. Note that the conical openings 302, 304 are merely exemplary formations in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. The threaded bores 301, 303 may be created differently in other embodiments of the safety lock 300 and not exhibit the conical openings 302, 304.

In one embodiment, the safety lock 300 is made out of a light weight material so that the safety lock 300 is retained in the revolver 100 (FIG. 1) when the revolver 100 is not being used. Notably, the safety lock 300 may be comprised of a nylon material or aluminum, for example.

FIG. 4A is a cut-away view of the revolver 100 as shown in FIG. 1 having the safety lock 300 inserted therein to prohibit movement of the cylinder 101. Note that if the cylinder is prohibited from rotating, a bullet cartridge is not loaded in the chamber 200 for firing.

The barrel 102 comprises a cylindrical passage 401 through which a bullet may travel for projection from the chamber 200 during ordinary operation. However, in accordance with the present disclosure, a safety lock 300 is inserted within the cylindrical passage 401 until a portion of the safety lock 300 is situated within the chamber 200 and a portion remains extended into the cylindrical passage 401 of the barrel 102.

Note that a diameter of the safety lock 300 is slightly less than a diameter of the cylindrical passage 401 of the barrel 102. The slight difference in diameters allows the safety lock 300 to be inserted into the cylindrical passage 401. The O-ring 305 deforms as the safety lock 300 is inserted into the cylindrical passage 401. Deformation of the flexible O-ring 305 provides a retaining force against the wall of the cylindrical passage 401. The force exerted by the flexible O-ring 305 retains the safety lock 300 within the cylindrical passage 401.

In one embodiment, the safety lock 300 is longer than the length of the chamber 200. When the safety lock 300 is longer than the length of the chamber 200, an end portion of the safety lock 300 fits into a portion of the chamber 200, and the opposite end portion of the safety lock 300 extends into the barrel. Thus, the cylinder 101 is prohibited from rotating and loading a bullet cartridge into the chamber.

Note that the safety lock 300 is shown as inserted into a revolver. In particular, the revolver 100 depicted is a .38 Special revolver. Note that the safety lock 300 may be used with other similar weapons. For example, the safety lock 300 may be used with a .357 Magnum revolver.

This is further shown with reference to FIG. 4B. FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the cylindrical passage 401. The safety lock 300 is inserted into the cylindrical passage 401. The safety lock 300 has a diameter d₁, which is slightly less than a diameter d₂ of the cylindrical passage 401 thereby allowing the safety lock 300 to be inserted into the cylindrical passage 401. When the safety lock 300 is inserted into the cylindrical passage 401, the deformable O-ring 305 is flexible enough to allow insertion but further exerts a force outwardly on a wall 408 of the cylindrical passage 401 as shown by reference arrows 420 and 421. The outward force exerted by the O-ring 305 retains the safety lock 300 within the cylindrical passage 401.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary insertion tool 500 for inserting the safety lock 300 (FIG. 3) into the cylindrical passage 401. The insertion tool 500 comprises a rod body 503. One end of the insertion tool 500 comprises threads 501. At the other end of the insertion tool 500 is a cap 502, which ensures that the marksman can easily grasp the insertion tool 500.

FIG. 6 shows the insertion tool 500 coupled to the safety lock 300. In this regard, the threads 501 of the insertion tool threadedly couple to the threaded bore 301. Note that the insertion tool 500 may also be threadedly coupled to the threaded bore 303. When the insertion tool 500 is coupled to the safety lock 300, the safety lock 300 may be inserted into the cylindrical passage 401 (FIG. 4A) of the barrel 102 (FIG. 4A).

FIG. 7 shows the safety lock 300 threadedly coupled to the insertion tool 500. The safety lock 300 is inserted into the cylindrical passage 401 a pushed through the cylindrical passage 401 in a direction indicated by reference arrow 700 by pushing the insertion tool 500 in the direction indicated by reference arrow 700. The safety lock 300 is pushed through the cylindrical passage 401 until it is partially within the chamber 200, as shown with reference to FIG. 8.

In FIG. 8, the safety lock 300 is inserted through the cylindrical passage 401 until at least a portion of the safety lock 300 is within the chamber 200. As described hereinabove, the O-ring 305 retains the safety lock 300 within the cylindrical passage 401 once it is inserted.

When the safety lock 300 is fully or partially (as shown in FIG. 8) within the camber 200, a marksman will be unable to pull the hammer 103 back to load a bullet cartridge within the chamber 200. In this regard, the safety lock 300 prohibits the cylinder 101 from rotating to load another bullet cartridge.

Once the safety lock 300 is within the chamber 200, the marksman may unscrew and therefore decouple the insertion tool 500 from the safety lock 300. Once the insertion tool 500 is decoupled from the safety lock 300, the marksman may pull the insertion tool 500 from the cylindrical passage 401 in a direction indicated by reference arrow 801 leaving the safety lock 300 within the chamber 200.

Notably, when the marksman is ready to use the revolver 100, the marksman may remove the safety lock 300 from the chamber 200. In this regard, the marksman inserts the insertion tool 500 into the cylindrical passage 401. The marksman screws the threads 501 into the threaded bore 301 to couple the insertion tool 500 to the safety lock 300. Once the insertion tool 500 is coupled to the safety lock 300, the marksman pulls the insertion tool 500 from the cylindrical passage 401 in the direction indicated by reference arrow 801.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the safety lock 300 as used in conjunction with a revolver 100 having a bullet cartridge 900 contained with the chamber 200. In this regard, the safety lock 300 is inserted into the cylindrical passage 401 of the barrel 402 as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the bullet cartridge 900 is in the chamber 200. When the bullet cartridge 900 is within the chamber 200, a smaller portion of the safety lock 300 may fit into the chamber 200 as opposed to when there is no bullet cartridge 900 in the chamber 200. However, the safety lock 300 behaves in essentially the same manner.

Notably, when the safety lock 300 is inserted within the chamber 200 when there is a bullet cartridge 900 also in the chamber 200, the safety lock 300 also prohibits the marksman from actuating the hammer 103. If the hammer 103 is not actuated, the marksman cannot pull the trigger 105. Thus, the safety lock 300 prohibits the firearm 100 from being fired.

Claims

1. A firearm safety mechanism, comprising: a cylindrical body adapted for insertion into a barrel of a firearm;a first threaded bore on at least a first end of the cylindrical body for receiving an insertion tool; anda second end for engaging at least a portion of a chamber of a firearm thereby prohibiting rotation of a cylinder of the firearm.

2. The firearm safety mechanism of claim 1, wherein s second end of the safety mechanism further comprises a second threaded bore for receiving an insertion tool.

3. The firearm safety mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an insertion tool, the insertion tool comprising: a rod-shaped body;a threaded first end of the rod-shaped body; anda cap coupled to a second end of the rod-shaped body.

4. The firearm safety mechanism of claim 3, wherein the threaded first end of the rod-shaped body is adapted for coupling to the first threaded bore.

5. The firearm safety mechanism of claim 4, wherein the insertion tool is adapted to push the cylindrical body through the barrel and insert a second end of the cylindrical body into the chamber of the firearm.

6. The firearm safety mechanism of claim 5, wherein the insertion tool threadedly decouples from the cylindrical body such that when the insertion tool is removed from the barrel, the cylindrical body remains at least partially in the chamber.