The present disclosure generally relates to trigger locks for firearms.
Trigger locks are used to secure or obstruct access to triggers of weapons to prevent firing of the weapons. Various trigger lock designs exist, with varying effectiveness and convenience.
In one aspect, a trigger lock for a trigger of a firearm is disclosed. The trigger lock comprises a first guard including a bolt having a catch and a second guard comprising a bolt receiver configured to receive the bolt to connect the first and second guards with the trigger between the first and second guards for obstructing access to the trigger. The bolt receiver further includes a keeper arranged to engage the catch of the bolt when the bolt is in the bolt receiver. This maintains the first and second guards in connection with each other. The second guard also includes a shield which overlies the bolt receiver. The shield is configured to obstruct cutting of the bolt receiver to resist tampering with the trigger lock.
Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein.
Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
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In the embodiment shown in
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The first guard 104 includes a bolt 108 having a plurality of bolt teeth 110 (broadly, catches). The second guard 106 includes a bolt receiver 112 having a recess arranged to receive the bolt 108 to connect the first and second guards 104, 106 to each other. The bolt receiver 112 includes a keeper 114 arranged to engage the teeth of the bolt 108 to retain the bolt in the recess. The keeper 114 includes a retainer 116 and a spring 118. The retainer includes a plurality of retainer teeth 120 arranged to engage the bolt teeth 110 to prevent withdrawal of the bolt 108 from the recess. The spring 118 biases the retainer 116 toward a retaining position for engagement of the retainer teeth 120 with the bolt teeth 110. As the guards 104, 106 are moved closer together, the bolt 108 moves farther into the recess, and the retainer 116 rides on the bolt teeth 110, temporarily deflecting against the spring 118 bias to permit bolt teeth to move past the retainer. The arrangement is such that the retainer 116 ratchets on the bolt teeth 110, and when the guards 104, 106 are moved sufficiently together to sandwich the trigger guard, the retainer engages the bolt teeth in locking engagement to prevent withdrawal of the bolt 108 from the bolt receiver 112 and thus preventing removal of the trigger lock 100 from the firearm.
To remove the trigger lock 100 from the firearm, the user enters the correct numeric code into the combination lock 102, which permits the user to rotate the bolt 108 about a longitudinal axis of the bolt via a bolt actuator 122. Rotating the bolt 108 rotates the bolt teeth 110 out of registration with respect to the retainer teeth 120 and brings a smooth surface of the bolt into engagement with the retainer 116. The guards 104, 106 can then be separated by sliding the bolt 108 out of the bolt receiver 112 as the retainer 116 rides on the smooth surface of the bolt.
The first guard 104 includes a housing 124 and a cover 126. The first guard housing 124 houses the wheels of the combination lock 102. The first guard cover 126 covers a rear side of the first guard housing 124 and is arranged to face the firearm when the trigger lock 100 is installed. The first guard cover 126 partially defines a jaw for engaging the firearm. The jaw includes a first plurality of protrusions 128 extending rearward to facilitate forming a connection with the firearm and/or for obstructing access to the trigger. The bolt 108 extends rearward from the jaw for engagement with the second guard 106.
The second guard 106 includes a housing 130 and a cover 132. The second guard housing 130 houses the keeper 114 and partially defines the recess for receiving the bolt 108. The second guard cover 132 covers a front side of the second guard housing 130 and is arranged to face the firearm when the trigger lock is installed. The cover partially defines a jaw for engaging the firearm. The jaw includes a second plurality of protrusions 134 extending forward to facilitate forming a connection with the firearm and/or for obstructing access to the trigger. The recess for receiving the bolt 108 extends rearward from the jaw into the second guard housing 130.
The second guard housing 130 can be made of any suitable material, such as steel, aluminum, or other metal. In one embodiment, the guard housings 124, 130 are made of cast aluminum. The second guard housing 130 includes a main body 136 having a rearward facing outer surface that defines a portion of the outer surface of the second guard 106. Projecting rearward from the main body 136 is a protrusion 138. The protrusion includes a first segment 140 and a second segment 142 extending rearward from the first segment. The first segment 140 (broadly, keeper housing) is wider than the second segment 142 and houses the spring 118 and part of the retainer 116. The second segment 142 is generally cylindrical and has a bore partially defining the bolt-receiving recess 144. The bolt 108 is receivable in the recess 144 along a bolt-receiving axis A to engage the bolt teeth 110 with the keeper 114. The bolt receiver 112 comprises the protrusion 138 and the keeper 114. The protrusion 138 extends rearward from the main body 136 along the bolt-receiving axis A. The first segment 140 of the protrusion 138 extends laterally with respect to the bolt receiving axis A and with respect to the cylindrical second segment 142 of the protrusion 138. It will be appreciated that the protrusion 138 can have other configurations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
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In the illustrated embodiment, the shield 146 is configured to overlie the bolt receiver 112 such that the shield at least partially covers the protrusion 138. In particular, the shield 146 overlies a portion of the main body 136 and overlies sides of the keeper housing 140. The shield 146 includes a collar 152 defining a band extending around the keeper housing 140. In some embodiments, the collar 152 may not extend all the way around the protrusion 138. The collar 152 has an open end out of which the protrusion 138 extends. In the illustrated embodiment, the cylindrical second portion 142 of the protrusion 138 is entirely out of the open end of the collar. Other arrangements can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the shield 146 can have a closed end and entirely house the protrusion.
The shield 146 has an inner surface facing and in engagement with the bolt receiver 112. The shield 146 is sized and shaped to closely conform to the main body 136 of the second guard housing 130 and the protrusion 138. The shield 146 is seated against the main body 136 and extends from a juncture of the main body and protrusion 138 away from the main body portion rearward along the protrusion. In the illustrated embodiment, portions of the main body 136 are exposed outboard of the shield 146. The shield includes two flanges 148 extending laterally from the collar 152 for connecting the shield to the second guard housing 130. The flanges 148 extend transversely with respect to the protrusion 138 (and the bolt-receiving axis A) and abut the main body portion 136.
In the illustrated embodiment, the flanges 148 include respective bosses that extend into openings in the main body 136. The bosses have threaded openings, and screws 150 (broadly, fasteners) are threaded into the openings from a front side of the housing to secure the shield 146 to the second guard housing 130. Heads of the screws 150 engage a front side of the second guard housing 130 to prevent the collar from being removed rearward off the protrusion. For example, in manufacture, the screws 150 can be installed to secure the shield 146 to the second guard housing 130, and then the second guard cover 132 can be installed, which covers the screw heads. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the bosses can have a male thread, and nuts can be threaded onto the bosses to secure the shield 146 on the second guard housing 130. It will be appreciated that the bosses can be secured in place in other suitable ways.
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It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/010,168, filed on Apr. 15, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63010168 | Apr 2020 | US |