Patent Grant
10775122
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but not limited to copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to improvements in triggers and firing mechanisms for firearms. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements particularly suited for lightweight handguns. In one preferred embodiment, the present invention relates specifically to a force absorbing elastomer placed between the finger operated trigger mechanism and the frame assembly of the handgun to absorb the energy of the finger pull, especially after the trigger is releases the firing mechanism such as a sear.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, firearms are known in various forms. Patents disclosing information relevant to firearms include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,002, issued to Troncoso on Dec. 26, 2000 entitled Gun having a rapid fire trigger assembly and the assembly therefor; U.S. Pat. No. 9,644,913, issued to Dextraze\ on May 9, 2017 entitled Multi-stage trigger mechanism for rifle; U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,686, issued to Zimmermann on May 23, 2006, entitled Versatile M1911-style handgun and improved magazine for rifles and handguns; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,555, issued to Sater, et al. on Oct. 29, 1991 entitled Slide decelerator for a firearm; U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,461, issued to Behlert on Sep. 8, 1987 entitled Adjustable gun trigger mechanism; U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,155, issued to Jones on Sep. 11, 1990 entitled Pivoting trigger group assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,845, issued to Hochstrate, et al. on Apr. 20, 2010 entitled Double action model 1911 pistol; U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,861, issued to Khoury on Dec. 3, 1985 entitled Firing pin locking device; U.S. Pat. No. 984,519, issued to Browning on Feb. 14, 1911 entitled Firearm; U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,301, issued to Aigner, et al. on Jul. 17, 2001 entitled Pistol, whose housing is composed of plastic; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,555, issued to Sater, et al. on Oct. 29, 1991, entitled Slide decelerator for a firearm; U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,937, issued to Seehase on Nov. 12, 1985, entitled Recoil pad utilizing struts disposed at a compound angle and having adjustable energy-absorbing characteristics; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,889, issued to Glock on Sep. 10, 1985 entitled Automatic pistol with counteracting spring control mechanism. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
From these prior references it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved trigger energy absorption apparatus and method is needed to overcome these limitations.
The present invention is directed to an improved trigger energy absorption apparatus and method using a dampening energy absorbing element. In the process of firing a modern firearm, the trigger is typically designed to release a sear which is under spring tension. The users finger pressure against the trigger builds to the point at which the sear is released, which then releases the hammer or firing pin striker to fire the weapon. When a firearm trigger releases the sear, the constant pull of the user's finger on the trigger accelerates the trigger until it bluntly stops against the frame assembly causing a jarring impact load onto the frame assembly that changes the aim of the weapon before the bullet is fired/exits the barrel. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a trigger energy absorption device is provided using a dampening elastomer to absorb trigger pull force and dampen trigger shock force transfer to the frame assembly. In its simplest form, the trigger energy absorption device uses a dampening energy absorbing element that fits between the back side of the firearm trigger and the trigger guard. The trigger energy absorption device can be adhesively mounted to a moving part of the trigger assembly or to an element of the frame assembly so that it absorbs the energy from the trigger moving element. In one embodiment, the trigger energy absorption device is precision cut so that it does not engage until after the movement required for the sear release. In this embodiment, the trigger energy absorption device is simply affixed to the trigger guard with a non-marring adhesive to form an inexpensive removable and easily replaceable device. In operation, the trigger is pulled and the rear of the trigger contacts the media and begins compressing it. The device can be sized so that compression can also be used before firing to slightly increase the trigger pull. In both the after firing release contact design and the before firing release contact designs, the after firing release trigger motion is absorbed by the media which prevents the shock load transfer of the destabilizing energy to the firearm frame assembly. The end result is a much more accurate and repeatable firearm action.
One advantage of the present invention is that it increases firearm accuracy by absorbing the kinetic energy of the trigger release preventing abrupt transfer of this energy to the firearm frame assembly which causes shake or instability during firing. The traditional approach to improving firearm accuracy has primarily focused on the aspect of lightening the trigger pull force of a weapon. However, it may be shown that reducing the trigger pull force has the undesirable effect of also reducing safety and causing potential accidental firing of the weapon. Thus, safety is sacrificed by lightening the trigger pull force. It is accepted in the firearm industry that a 4 lb trigger pull weapon may be accidentally fired more often that a 10 lb trigger pull weapon, of the same model, for obvious reasons. It may also be shown that the use of the trigger energy absorbing device, in lieu of lightening the trigger pull, can achieve the same or better accuracy improvement by effectively reducing the velocity component of the Kinetic Energy affecting the firearm, thus inflicting no degradation in safety of the weapon. It may be shown that the use of the Trigger Energy Absorbing Device is a preferred method of increasing firearm accuracy over the traditional approach of lightening the trigger pull, as it relates to the safety of the weapon
A further advantage of the present invention is an increase in shot repeatability by providing consistent dampening for a more consistent and repeatable action.
A still further advantage is an increase in trigger reset speed. Due to the fact that the released free trigger movement is limited in the absorption process, the reset distance is essentially shortened, providing improved function.
The invention is adaptable to all standard firearms currently in production that use traditional trigger/sear mechanisms for firing pin or hammer release thereby covering both striker and hammer technology. Examples of the styles of weapons include all varieties of automatic weapons, semiautomatic weapons, revolvers, bolt action pistols, rifles, and shotguns. The invention can also be used in other trigger devices such as air rifles, crossbows, paintball guns.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent by reviewing the following detailed description of the invention.
In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views:
As shown in
Thus, forward and backward are defined by the movement to fire the weapon. The trigger assembly 20 may also include trigger arm 36 moved by the trigger body 25 to release the sear 80.
The movement connection 30 can be a simple trigger pivot 32 or trigger slide 34. The firearm 10 has a gun body 40 with a body frame 42. The body frame assembly 42 includes an upper frame assembly 43, trigger guard 44, and a grip handle 45. The grip handle 45 includes a front strap 46, back strap 48, and side panel 50.
The trigger energy absorption device 100 includes a main body 110 with a body shape 112. The body shape 112 can be a front to back increasing height body shape 113, front to back consistent height body shape 114, front to back decreasing height body shape 115 or front to back varying height body shape 118.
The body front 120 can have a body front concave shape 122; body front convex shape 124; body front pointed shape 126; or body front flat shape 128. The body back 130 can have a body back concave shape (not shown); body back convex shape 134; body back pointed shape (not shown); or body back flat shape 138.
The top to bottom height and whether or not a hollow is used in the body shape 112, the shape of the body front 120 and the shape of the body back 130 in relation to the frame 42 affect the amount of elastomer being compressed at any point during the trigger 20 travel. Each of the profiles presented have been proven to work to provide the necessary dampening with different characteristics preferred by the individual user's preferences. The external embodiment shown in
The dampening body material 150 is preferably an elastomer chosen to quickly return to the starting shape after being compressed by the pull of the trigger 20. This return time is preferably less than the time for firing another round from the firearm 10. The dampening body material 150 may be selected as a softer material for more travel or a harder material to limit the trigger 25 travel for a given force and shape. Embodiments have been successfully made from two part moldable silicon, and both cross-linked and non-crosslinked polyethylene foam. The preferred embodiment is a four pound crosslinked polyethylene with successful tests run with foam density between two and six pound density (lb/cubic ft). Another preferred product for the body material is TPE (thermo plastic elastomer) constructed in a solid, lattice or honeycomb pattern to provide absorption characteristics via compression of the structure. The embodiment of which may be injection molded or 3D printed. Yet another product is SORBOTHANE (trademark) which is the brand name of a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer used as a shock absorber and vibration damper. It is manufactured by Sorbothane, Incorporated, 2144 State Route 59, Kent, Ohio 44240. Appropriate absorbing bladder designs may also be used.
The dampening body material 150 should also be chosen based on the expected temperature range to be encountered in relation to the material properties, the depth of travel for the mounting location, the shock absorbing nature of the material including the material dampening characteristics, the light weight of the material, and the microfine air bubble properties of the material. Note that it is preferred that the material would have good oil resistance properties and also have a closed cell construction to minimize contaminants. For example, an open cell polyurethane that is subject to oil penetration can be used, but the service life is negatively impacted by the undesirable characteristics of collecting contamination in the open cell structure. Thus, one might choose a crescent shaped of material based on a summer day with a temperature range between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, for three eighths of an inch travel after the trigger release, with a ten pound absorption rate within 2 milliseconds of contact or through a 1-3 mm of compression, in an oil resistant closed cell foam.
The trigger energy absorption device 100 may be manufactured from various materials that exhibit shock absorbing characteristics, with the most common and available being medium density closed cell foam. Layered manufacture of the absorbing dampening body material 150 is possible with the most desirable construction using a high density base layer contacting the gun body 40, followed by medium density, and finally low density which will be in contact with the back 27 of the trigger 25. Precision cutting of the material is best performed by a three dimensional layout via computer aided drafting, then water-jet cut. Three dimensional printing is also an option for manufacture. Die cutting of 4# cross linked polyethylene sheet material of ⅜″ thickness is the expected manufacture for the external device, while TPE or silicon rubber injection molding is the expected manufacture of the internal device.
The trigger energy absorption device 100 can be held in place by being friction fit to the gun mechanism as shown in
Operation and Absorption
To understand operation of the invention, the following details are provided with a simplified example of handgun operation so that one may understand the invention. The invention originated from an observation during dry fire practice, aka non-live practice, with a lightweight handgun firearm 10 that the front sight 60 to rear sight 70 alignment of the firearm 10 tended to move a slight amount at what seemed to be the exact moment of firing pin release. Realizing that this movement is detrimental to firearm 10 accuracy and repeatability, efforts were taken to improve the user's grip skill. While improving the grip helped with both dry fire and live fire operation of the handgun firearm 10, there was still an annoying movement in the front sight 60 as noted above and the accuracy of the firearm 10 was still subpar. The next approach was to take the traditional route of improving the trigger assembly 20 release by installing a match competition grade trigger spring, with the supposed benefit of increasing accuracy via reducing the trigger pull required to fire the firearm 10. The effect did seem to slightly improve accuracy, but the reduced trigger assembly 20 force meant that the firearm 10 was easier to fire both intentionally and unintentionally. Also, the front sight still moved an excessive amount during live fire and dry fire practice. Again, the accuracy was less than satisfactory.
When considering where this front sight movement was originating, consideration went to a visualize of the action of the firearm at a sub-second timing level. It became clear that while trigger assembly 20 to sear 80 release tension is important, the energy in motion from the trigger assembly 20 after sear 80 release has a profound impact on the accuracy of the firearm 10. As the humorous adage goes, ‘it's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the end!’ This thought applies to firearm trigger assembly 20 release. It's not the trigger assembly 20 release that kills firearm 10 accuracy, ifs the sudden stop of the trigger assembly 20 against the rest of the frame assembly 42. Here, the trigger assembly 20 is defined as the mechanism moved by the user's finger in relation to the frame assembly 42. The potential energy built up on the trigger assembly 20 by the finger is suddenly released which causes an acceleration of the trigger assembly 20 all the way to the sudden stop in movement of the trigger assembly 20 where the energy of the trigger velocity is transferred to the frame assembly 42.
A greatly simplified trigger assembly 20 and release of an internal sear 80 in a frame assembly 42 is shown in
In final summary, it may be noted that the traditional approach to mitigate the shock of trigger release into the firearm has been to lighten the trigger pull. Standard trigger pull weights being anywhere from 6# up to 14#. While this positively affects the performance, this approach has focused on the “mass” parameter of the kinetic energy equation, which has a multiplier of 0.5. The velocity of trigger movement, after release, is of much more relevance because it has a squared component in the equation. Therefore, velocity dampening is the primary purpose and key feature of this device, although other positive attributes become realized with it's application. Absorption may be accomplished via internal or external embodiment.
Reference numerals used throughout the detailed description and the drawings correspond to the following elements:
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will also be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
When interpreting the claims of this application, method claims may be recognized by the explicit use of the word ‘method’ in the preamble of the claims and the use of the ‘ing’ tense of the active word. Method claims should not be interpreted to have particular steps in a particular order unless the claim element specifically refers to a previous element, a previous action, or the result of a previous action. Apparatus claims may be recognized by the use of the word ‘apparatus’ in the preamble of the claim and should not be interpreted to have ‘means plus function language’ unless the word ‘means’ is specifically used in the claim element. The words ‘defining,’ ‘having,’ or ‘including’ should be interpreted as open ended claim language that allows additional elements or structures. Finally, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element of the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 984519 | Browning | Feb 1911 | A |
| 1703464 | Wilshire | Feb 1929 | A |
| 1909425 | Reid | May 1933 | A |
| 2865127 | Finnegan | Dec 1958 | A |
| 3031786 | Swan | May 1962 | A |
| 4539889 | Glock | Sep 1985 | A |
| 4551937 | Seehase | Nov 1985 | A |
| 4555861 | Khoury | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4691461 | Behlert | Sep 1987 | A |
| 4955155 | Jones | Sep 1990 | A |
| 5060555 | Sater et al. | Oct 1991 | A |
| 6164002 | Troncoso | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6260301 | Aigner et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
| 6526683 | Crandall | Mar 2003 | B1 |
| 7047686 | Zimmermann | May 2006 | B2 |
| 7698845 | Hochstrate et al. | Apr 2010 | B2 |
| 9644913 | Dextraze | May 2017 | B2 |
