The present disclosure pertains generally to trigger assemblies for firearms. In particular, the present disclosure is applicable to trigger assemblies, including drop-in trigger modules, containing a trigger and hammer. In certain aspects, the present disclosure provides trigger assemblies for AR style firearms including but not limited to M16/AR15 and AR10 style rifles and pistols.
To protect against an unintentional discharge of a firearm, firearm and trigger to manufacturers have designed and implemented various safety mechanisms. There remains, however, a desire for new and improved safety mechanisms.
Trigger assemblies can include a trigger having a trigger sear surface that engages with a hammer sear surface of a hammer when the hammer is retained in a cocked position. To release the hammer, the trigger is moved rearward to disengage the trigger sear surface from the hammer sear surface. When the trigger sear surface is disengaged from the hammer sear surface, the hammer is free to rotate forward, under force of a biasing spring, and subsequently into contact with a firing pin.
In single stage triggers, the trigger sear surface disengages from the hammer sear surface when a sufficient force has been applied to the trigger to overcome the friction between the trigger sear surface and hammer sear surface and, in many instances, slightly rotate the hammer rearward. In many two-stage triggers, the “first stage” functions similar to that of a single stage trigger, with the operator having to overcome the friction between the trigger sear surface and the hammer sear surface. In the “second stage”, the “trigger pull” by the operator presses a disconnector against the hammer to compress a disconnector spring before the trigger sear is surface is disengaged from the hammer sear surface, thus releasing the hammer for rotation towards the firing pin.
To decrease the amount of force necessary to disengage the trigger sear surface from the hammer sear surface, it has been taught to polish the trigger sear surface and hammer sear surface to reduce the friction between the two. However, decreasing the amount of force required to pull the trigger can increase the possibility for an unintentional discharge of the firearm.
To protect against an unintentional discharge of the firearm, firearm and trigger manufacturers have designed and implemented various safety mechanisms. One such safety mechanism is the “half-cock” trigger found on many 1911 pistols. The “half-cock” is a notch in the hammer that engages the trigger sear surface, after the trigger sear surface has disengaged the hammer sear surface, to stop the hammer from further forward rotation towards the firing pin.
Applicant believes that if a trigger sear surface engages a “half-cock” surface of a hammer one or more times, the trigger sear surface may become rougher or smoother, which would impact the force or feeling of the trigger (i.e., the “trigger pull”) when it is being operated to discharge the firearm. To address this concern, Applicant has developed new and improved trigger assemblies.
The present disclosure provides trigger assemblies that preserve the integrity of the trigger sear surface when the trigger assembly enters a “half-cocked”, safety configuration. For instance, the present disclosure provides trigger assemblies for striking a firing pin of a firearm, the trigger assemblies comprising: a trigger having a trigger sear surface and a hammer having a hammer sear surface; wherein the hammer is rotatable a first angular distance from a stable cocked position to a stable safety position; wherein the hammer is rotatable a second angular distance from the stable cocked position to a stable uncocked position in contact with the firing pin; wherein in the stable cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface; wherein in the stable safety position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer; and wherein the first angular distance is at least half of the second angular distance.
The present disclosure also provides assemblies for a firearm having a firing pin, the assemblies comprising: a trigger having a trigger sear surface and a hammer having a hammer sear surface; wherein the hammer is rotatable from a cocked position to a partially-cocked position and from the cocked position to an uncocked position in contact with the firing pin; is wherein in the cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface and resists the hammer from rotating until the trigger sear surface is moved out of engagement with the hammer sear surface; wherein in the partially-cocked position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer; and wherein in the partially-cocked position a trigger release barrier surface is arranged to engage a hammer release barrier surface to prevent movement of the trigger from releasing the hammer.
Further, the present disclosure teaches products comprising: a single-stage trigger and hammer assembly having a trigger with a trigger sear surface and a hammer with a hammer sear surface; wherein the hammer is rotatable from a static cocked position to a static safety position; wherein when the hammer is in the static cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface; and wherein when the hammer is in the static safety position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer.
As will be described in more detail below, the angular distance between the stable/static cocked position and the stable/static safety position can be at least half, preferably at least 60%, or more preferably at least 70% of the angular distance between the stable/static cocked position and the stable/static uncocked position wherein the hammer is engaged with the firing pin. In some instances, the angular distance between the stable/static cocked position and the stable/static safety position is at least 30° or preferably at least 40°.
In any of the disclosed embodiments, a trigger safety engagement surface can engage a hammer safety engagement surface, each engagement surface being different from the sear surfaces, in the stable/static safety position. In some instances, both the trigger safety engagement surface and the trigger sear surface are positioned on a forward end of the trigger.
Applicant also discloses that in any of the embodiments, a trigger release barrier surface can be arranged to engage a hammer release barrier surface to prevent movement of the trigger from releasing the hammer, when the assembly is in the stable/static safety position, and allowing the hammer to rotate into contact with the firing pin. In some arrangements, the hammer/trigger release barrier surface is transverse to the hammer/trigger safety engagement surface. In some instances, the trigger safety engagement surface is transverse to the trigger sear surface. It is also provided that the hammer release barrier surface can be tangential to an imaginary circle concentric with a hammer axis of rotation about which the hammer rotates.
In any of the arrangements, the hammer can define a recess arranged to receive the trigger sear surface in the stable safety position. Similarly, in any of the arrangements, the trigger assembly and/or components thereof may be of a single stage trigger assembly.
Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from a detailed description and drawings provided herewith.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. One embodiment of the invention is shown in great detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not relevant to the present invention may not be shown for the sake of clarity.
With respect to the specification and claims, it should be noted that the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, and the like include plural referents unless expressly discussed otherwise. As an illustration, references to “a device” or “the device” include one or more of such devices and equivalents thereof. It also should be noted that directional terms, such as “upper”, “lower”, is “bottom”, “forward”, “rearward” and the like, are used herein solely for the convenience of the reader in order to aid in the reader's understanding of the illustrated embodiments, and it is not the intent that the use of these directional terms in any manner limit the described, illustrated, and/or claimed features to a specific direction and/or orientation.
As shown in
The hammer, illustrated in
The connecting member, illustrated in
When the trigger sear surface is disengaged from the hammer sear surface, the hammer is free to rotate forward under force from a hammer spring (not shown). As the hammer rotates forward in a counter-clockwise direction around a hammer pin 204, illustrated in
If a rearward force is exerted on the lower portion of the trigger when the trigger assembly is in the stable safety position, the trigger release barrier surface 124 engages the hammer release barrier surface 144 and prevents the trigger from disengaging from the hammer which would allow the hammer to rotate further forward. In some embodiments, the hammer/trigger release barrier surface is transverse to the hammer/trigger safety engagement surface. For example, the hammer release barrier surface may be transverse to the hammer safety engagement surface and/or the trigger release barrier surface may be transverse to the trigger safety engagement surface. In some instances, the hammer/trigger release barrier surface is tangential to an imaginary circle that is concentric with a hammer axis of rotation about which the hammer rotates (e.g., the hammer pin).
As illustrated in
A top surface 402 of the trigger in
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions defined by following claims are desired to be protected.
The following numbered clauses set out specific embodiments that may be useful in understanding the present invention:
1. A trigger assembly for striking a firing pin of a firearm, the trigger assembly comprising:
a trigger having a trigger sear surface and a hammer having a hammer sear surface;
wherein the hammer is rotatable a first angular distance from a stable cocked position to a stable safety position;
wherein the hammer is rotatable a second angular distance from the stable cocked position to a stable uncocked position in contact with the firing pin;
wherein in the stable cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface;
wherein in the stable safety position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer; and
wherein the first angular distance is at least half of the second angular distance.
2. The trigger assembly of clause 1, wherein the first angular distance is at least 60% of the second angular distance.
3. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the first angular distance is at least 70% of the second angular distance.
4. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the first angular distance is at least 30°.
5. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the first angular distance is at least 40°.
6. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein in the stable safety position a trigger safety engagement surface engages a hammer safety engagement surface;
wherein the trigger safety engagement surface is different from the trigger sear surface; and
wherein the hammer safety engagement surface is different from the hammer sear surface.
7. The trigger assembly of clause 6, wherein both the trigger safety engagement surface and the trigger sear surface are positioned on a forward end of the trigger.
8. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein in the stable safety position a trigger release barrier surface of the trigger is arranged to engage a hammer release barrier surface of the hammer to prevent movement of the trigger from releasing the hammer and allowing the hammer to rotate into contact with the firing pin.
9. The trigger assembly of clause 8 as dependent from clause 6 or 7, wherein the hammer release barrier surface is transverse to the hammer safety engagement surface.
10. The trigger assembly of clause 8, wherein the hammer rotates around a hammer axis of rotation and the hammer release barrier surface is tangential to an imaginary circle concentric with the hammer axis of rotation.
11. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the hammer defines a recess arranged to receive the trigger sear surface in the stable safety position.
12. The trigger assembly of any preceding clause, wherein the trigger assembly is a single stage trigger assembly.
13. An assembly for a firearm having a firing pin, the assembly comprising:
a trigger having a trigger sear surface and a hammer having a hammer sear surface;
wherein the hammer is rotatable from a cocked position to a partially-cocked position and from the cocked position to a uncocked position in contact with the firing pin;
wherein in the cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface and resists the hammer from rotating until the trigger sear surface is moved out of engagement with the hammer sear surface;
wherein in the partially-cocked position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer; and
wherein in the partially-cocked position a trigger release barrier surface of the trigger is arranged to engage a hammer release barrier surface of the hammer to initially prevent further movement of the trigger from releasing the hammer.
14. The assembly of clause 13, wherein the trigger sear surface is positioned on a forward end of the trigger.
15. The assembly of any one of clauses 13-14, wherein the trigger release barrier surface is transverse to the trigger sear surface.
16. The assembly of any one of clauses 13-15, wherein the hammer rotates around a hammer axis of rotation and the hammer release barrier surface is tangential to an imaginary circle concentric with the hammer axis of rotation.
17. The assembly of any one of clauses 13-16, wherein the hammer defines a recess arranged to receive the trigger sear surface in the partially-cocked position.
18. The assembly of any one of clauses 13-17, wherein the trigger and hammer are a single stage trigger and a single stage hammer.
19. A product, comprising:
a single-stage trigger and hammer assembly having a trigger with a trigger sear surface and a hammer with a hammer sear surface;
wherein the hammer is rotatable from a static cocked position to a static safety position;
wherein when the hammer is in the static cocked position the trigger sear surface engages the hammer sear surface; and
wherein when the hammer is in the static safety position the trigger sear surface is free of engagement with the hammer.
20. The product of clause 19, wherein in the static safety position a trigger safety engagement surface engages a hammer safety engagement surface.
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