GB2137324A - Firing lock with safety system for self-loading firearms - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety catch for a self-loading pistol type firearm is provided with a safety catch comprising an arbor (HH) rotatable in the firearm frame (A) by means of manual levers (HH2 and JJ2) mounted outside the frame on either side. From a rest or off position, in which the firearm can be fired, the arbor can be rotated upwardly to an end position in which means on the arbor engage the hammer (J) when it is in either the cocked or uncocked position, to lock it against rotation and thus prevent the firearm being fired. Additionally, when the hammer is cocked, the arbor can be rotated in the opposite direction, in which case it causes rotation of a detent member (LL) which lifts the ejector (L) to engage and hold the firing pin (S) and to retract the striking end (S2) of the firing pin within the slide (B) and thereafter to trip the sear (K) to release the hammer (J) safely from the cocked to the uncocked position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Firing lock with safety system for self loading fire arms This invention relates to fire arms ofthe self loading pistol type, having a reciprocating slide carrying an inertia-operated firing pin, the firing lock comprising a hammer, sear, trigger, trigger bar, ejector and main spring and a safety catch.

It is an object ofthe present invention to provide such a fire arm with a safety catch which renders the firing lock operable and inoperable when desired by the user, and also allows the user to release the hammer from a cocked position to an uncocked position, with a cartridge chambered, with no danger of discharging the cartridge.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for self loading pistols or otherfire arms a firing lock with a safety system not requiring specialised tools to disassemble.

It is another object ofthe invention to provide for self loading pistols or fire arms a firing lock with safety system of simple construction and cheap to manufacture.

It is another object of the invention to provide for self loading pistols or fire arms a magazine safety system of simple construction that is easily removed or fitted.

According to the invention, there is provided a fire arm of the self loading pistol type having a reciprocating slide carrying an inertia-operated firing pin, a firing lock comprising a hammer, sear, trigger,trigger bar, ejector and main spring, and a safety catch comprising an arbor rotatably mounted in the frame ofthe fire arm, and manual lever means located on the outside of the frame for rotating said arbor in either direction from a rest or off position in which the fire arm can be operated, said arbor being rotatable in one direction to an end position in which the hammer in either the cocked or uncocked position is locked against rotation by respective engagement means on the arbor, and said arbor also being rotatable in the other direction to move a detent member pivotally mounted in said frame to move the ejector upwardly and forwardly to engage said firing pin and to withdraw its striking end, against which the hammer strikes in operation of the fire arm, completely into the slide, and thereafter to release the hammerfrom cocking engagement with said sear, whereby said hammer is returned to the uncocked position without danger of discharging a live cartridge in the breach ofthefire arm.

Preferably, during movement of the arborto the end position in which the hammer is locked against rotation, the detent is rotated by the arbor to depress and hold the trigger bar in a position in which movement of the triggerwill not move the searto realeasethe hammer.

The arbor may beformed in two parts, each having a respective manual lever at one end thereof, said parts being connected together at their ends remote from said levers by at least one projection on one said part engaging at least one corresponding recess in the other said part and spring loaded towards one another. The spring loading may be provided by a spring located in a recess in the frame below said arbor and having upstanding ends engaging in respective peripheral grooves in said two parts of the arbor. The spring preferably has a centralp rotu rber- ance adapted to resiliently engage in a respective longitudinal groove in said arborwhen said safety catch is in the rest or said one end position.

The main spring of the firing lock may be formed as a single unit from spring wire having a central coiled portion for mounting on a pivot pin in theframe, any upper limb portion bearing againstthe hammer and urging it to rotate towards said firing pin, and a lower limb portion bearing against the searto urgethe sear nose to bearagainstthe hammer.

Embodiments ofthe invention are shown in the drawings and will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

Figure 1 ofthe accompanying drawings represents, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, a self loading semi-automatic pistol provided with means constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention for a firing lockwith single action and double action functions, with a safety system provided partly by a sear notch in the hammer, a hammer block and trigger bar disconnector provided by dual levers atthe rear of the frame, a firing pin retraction and locking system provided by movement of the ejector in conjunction with the operation of the safety catch, and an easily detachable safety system which renders the firing lock inoperable when the magazine is removed partly orwhollyfrom the pistol;; this view shows the pistol with loaded chamber, loaded magazine inserted, and firing lock at rest, hammer uncocked, safety not applied Figure 2 is a partial view ofthe pistol, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, showing the hammer cocked and gun ready to fire; Figure 3 is a partial view of the pistol, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, showingthesearnose pulled clearofthe hammer bent by the trigger bar drawn forward by means of the trigger, the hammer having pivoted to strike the firing pin, thereby discharging the cartridge in the barrel chamber;; Figure 4is a partial view of the pistol, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, showing the slide and barrel unlocked after discharge, the slide partially recoiled, the empty cartridge case held by the extractor striking the ejector, the hammer cocked bytheslide,thetriggerbardepressed; Figure is a partial view of the pistol, partly in elevation, partly in longitudinal vertical section, showing the slide returned to battery position after recoil, the hammer cocked, pressure on the trigger keeping the trigger bar pulled forward and depressed out of engagement with the sear nose;; Figure 6 is a series offourviews ofthe firing lock rear section showing the sequence during manual cocking ofthehammer,this method used forsingle action firing; Figure 7is a series offourviews ofthefiring lock rear section showing the operation during the double action sequence, trigger operation drawing the trigger barforward, thereby pivoting the hammer; Figure Sis a series of three views of the firing lock rear section showing the action ofthe slide afterfiring, rotating the hammer, and the disconnection sequence ofthe trigger bar, and reengagement ofthe searto hammer; Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view ofthe main firing lock items, with hammer, sear, trigger bar, trigger, and main spring, sear, hammer and trigger pivot pins;; Figure 10is a partial left side elevation ofthe pistol, with a loaded chamber indicated, loaded magazine indicated by the hold open catch, and the safety catch in the disengaged position; Figure Ii is a left side elevation ofthe pistol rear upper section, showing the safety catch engaged with the hammer cocked; Figure 12is a partial left side elevation ofthe pistol showing the hold open catch indicating an empty magazine in the pistol and the safety catch levers depressed fully thereby dropping the hammer to the uncocked position safely; Figure 13 is a partial left side elevation of the pistol with the slide held locked to the rear bythe holdopen catch; Figure 14 is a left side elevation ofthe rear upper frame;; Figure 15is a right side elevation of the rear upper frame with dotted lines to show the interior structure to coincide with Figure 16; Figure 16is a longitudinal vertical section along the centre line ofthe rear upper frame; Figure 17is a perspective view of hoidopen catch assembly in relation to its accommodation in the frame; Figure iSis a perspective view ofthe right safety lever unit viewed from above; Figure 19 is a perspective view ofthe right safety lever unit viewed from below; Figure 20 is a perspective view ofthe left safety lever unit viewed from above; Figure 21 is a right side elevation of the left safety lever unit; Figure 22 is a perspective view of the safety catch spring; Figure 23 is a transverse section of the centre section of the safety catch spring;; Figure 24 is a perspective view ofthe combination hammer and sear main spring; Figure 25 is a perspective view of the ejector unit and ejector spring; Figure 26 is a perspective view of the safety detent piece; Figure 27is a transverse vertical section of the whole safety catch lever units assembled in the frame along line 5in Figure 1; Figure 28is a front elevation of right and left safety lever units; Figure 29 is a perspective view of the trigger guard unit and trigger axis pin; Figure 30 is a partial view of the pistol, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, showing forward depression of the trigger guard and locking block, to permit removal of the barrel and slide;; Figure 31 is a partial view ofthe pistol, in longitudinal cutaway section, showing a magazine safety system, with magazine inserted, and trigger bar able to engage hammer bent or sear nose; Figure 32 is a partial view ofthe pistol, in longitudinal cutaway section, with the magazine partially removed and the freed magazine safety spring depressing the trigger bar; Figure 33 is a perspective view showing the trigger, trigger axis pin and magazine safety spring; Figure 34 is a perspective view ofthe pistol frame viewed from the rear; Figure 35is a view of thegrip unit, partly in left side elevation and partly in longitudinatvertical section; Figure 36 is a perspective view ofthe grip retaining screw; Figure 37is a transverse longitudinal section of the grip along line 1 to 2 in Figure 35;; Figure 38 is a partial viewofthe pistol, partly in left side elevation, partly in longitudinal vertical section, withthe hammerat rest,the manual safety not applied, as shown in Figure 10; Figure 39 is a partial view ofthe pistol, partly in left side elevation, partly in longitudinal vertical section, with the manual safety applied as in Figure 11, with hammer at rest; Figure 40 is a partial view ofthe pistol, partly in left side elevation, partly in longitudinal vertical section, with the manual safety applied as in Figure 11, with hammer cocked; Figure 41 is a partial view of the rear lockwork, right side, showing the position ofthe ejector unit, in bold outline, with the safety levers as in Figure 41 a;; Figure 42 is a partial view of the rear lockwork, leftside, with the safety levers being depressed a in Figure 42a, the ejector unit in bold outline, being raised by the safety detent piece; Figure 43 is a partial viewofthe rear lockwork, right side, with the safety levers fully depressed as in Figure 43a, the ejector unit fully raised and forced forward, the hammer released and pivoting to the uncocked position; Figure 44 is a right side elevation ofthe pistol rear upper portion showing an alternative magazine safety system to that shown in Figures 31,32, and 33.The pistol is shown with magazine inserted,the grip area being shown in bold outline; Figure 45is a rightside elevation of the pistol rear upper portion, in a partial schematic view, showing operation of the alternative magazine safety system, the grip area being in dotted outline; Figure 46is a perspective view of the magazine safety system spring from Figure 44, showing the frame cutoutto accommodate same spring,the grip removed; Figure 47 is a transverse vertical section and schematic view of the magazine safety as in Figure 44; Figure48is a longitudinal transverse section and schematic view of the magazine safety as in Figure 44; Figure 49 is a transverse vertical section of the frame and grip without otherfittings along line 1 in Figure; ; Figure 50 is a transverse vertical section of the frame with all relevantfittings but without grip, along line 1 in Figure 1; Figure 51 is a transverse vertical section ofthe frame with all relevantfittings but without grip, along line 2 in Figure 1; Figure 52 is a partial transverse vertical section of the framewith all relevant fittings but without grip along line3 in Figure 1; and Figures a partial transverse vertical section of frame and trigger guard with relevant fittings, without magazine, along Fine 4 in Figure 1.

In the self loading pistol represented, the slide B is mounted on frameAby means offrame guide railsA9 (Figure 49) engaging with slide grooves B8 (Figure 13) and frame wings A2 (Figure49) act upon and compress recoil springs carried longitudinally in the slide. The rear ofthe slide holds a breech insert F which is retained by rearsightN.The breech insert holdsthefiring Pin S and firing pin spring MM,the firing pin and firing pin spring being prevented from escaping to the rear by a firing pin boss S1 seating against a solid surface B3 within the rear section ofthe slide.The forward frame accommodates a trigger guard Dwhich is normally kept forced to the rear by trigger guard spring AA and the trigger guard locates againstframe pin Al 0, in cut outs D7. The trigger guard has a cutout section D9 which carries in each side panel, a hole D10 into which the trigger pin DD passestransverselyfrom either side.

Carried on the trigger pin is the trigger G which has a transverse pin G1 which protrudes from either side of the trigger upper section, onto which are sprung the twoforward wings H1 ofthetrigger bar H.Two limbs H2 and H3 ofthe trigger bar pass longitudinally to the rear inside the frame sides and pass across the magazine well A1. The magazineThas its upper portion narrow enough to allowthetriggerbarlimbs to traverse backwards and forwards and perform all theirfunctionsduring normal doubleorsingleaction firing cycles, and to allowthewholetrigger barto be depressed for disconnection. The trigger bar limbs pass rearwardly into rear frame recessA18wherethe limbs are connected transversely by means oftrigger bar rear limb H4.

As shown in Figures 14,15 and 16, the rear upper frame is perforated transversely by the hammer axis pin holeAl l,the searaxis pin holeA12,the main spring axis pin hole A? 3, and the manual safety unit axis hole Al 4. The manual safety unit axis hole has a slotAl 5 cut parallel to the axis at the lowest point of the circumference. The frame at either end of holes A12 and A13 is reduced in width from that of the regularframe and steps SS6formed on either side insidethe grip SS fit adjacentto the ends ofthe sear axis pin and main spring axis pin, and retain those pins when the grip is fitted to the frame. The whole lockwork is assembled before the grip is fitted.The right safety lever unit HH is inserted into the safety axis hole from the right side of the frame with the safety catch spring KKengaging eithertongue KK1 ortongue KK2 in right safety lever unit arbor peripheral groove HH1, and the safety catch spring lying intheslotAl 5.

When the right safety lever unit with safety catch spring are fully inserted in holeA14the lever HH2 is put vertical ly down, slightly angled to the rear, and the leftsafety leverunitJJ is inserted into holeAl4from the left with the lever 552 vertically down and angled slightly to the rear. TheflatJJ3 will pass over tongue KK1 ortongue KK2,whicheverisatthe left end of slot Al 5. The key 554 on the unitJJ will engage in slot HH3 cut across the end of the arbor HH4.The whole manual safety can be rotated to have the levers forward, and the safety catch spring left tongue will locate in the left safety lever unit arbor peripheral groove JJ5. When the levers are in the forward horizontal position the detent KK3 on the safety catch spring will engage in the longitudinal hemispherical groove HH3. The safety levers are slightly depressed to allow the insertion ofthe hammer axis pin EE from either side, into hole All. On the pin EE are located the hammer, and a safety detent piece LL on the left. There is clearance on the right ofthe hammerfor an ejector L and a disconnector bar H5, which is an upward extension with a right angled dog leg at the rear of the trigger bar limb H3, as shown in Figure 9.The sear K is shown in Figure 9, and is mounted on sear axis pin FF, with the ejector Land ejector spring AB to the right thereof, the ejector spring hookAB1 engaging on ejector hook L2. the sear point K5 rests against the hammerforward surface, engaged in hammer notch J1 with the hammer uncocked. Aslot LL1 in a safety detent piece LL engages with a small pin HH6 which protrudes parallel with the axis ofthe right safety lever unitarborintothewell HH7.

The main spring BB is mounted on main spring pin GG,the upper limbs ofthe main spring join transverselyatthetopthrough a hollow roller BB6, which will bearagainstthefrontofsurfacesofthehammer tail J2 under spring torsion from coils BB4, and compel the hammerto rotate around its axis pin. The main spring lower limb BB1 coils at its lower extremity andthelimbBB2underspringtorsion bears against sear tail K3, forcing the sear nose to bear againstthe hammer.With the assembly ofthe rearfiring lock complete the grip can be fitted to the frame gripAl8, and secured by screwing grip screwTTthrough hole SS1 into threaded hole A19 in the lower portion A21, of the backstrap A20, which is dished out rearwardly in orderto strengthen the backstrap and allow the grip screw to be tightened in hole Al 9 without obstructing or binding the magazine. A clearance cut SS4 in the grip serves to accommodate the dished out section A21 and the main spring lower limbs. The large radii SSSatthe lower front of the inside panels ofthe grip are to allowthe grip to be tilted when installing or detaching,thesafety levers preventing a straight forward or rearward movement underthose circumstances.

With the whole firing lock assembled and the pistol complete, it is as shown in Figure 1 with thefiring lock at rest. The trigger and trigger bar are kept forced to the rear by the action ofthe spring tail Z1 of a hold open spring Z. The whole hold open assembly is shown in Figure 17. The hold open leverX is held in the frame by axis pin X3 locating in frame holeA4and pin X1 passing through frame hole A5. The inner hold open memberYfits onto the hold open pins on the inside oftheframe, theflange Y1 to the front of the frame. The hold open spring coiled section is fitted over the rebate X2 on pin X3, acting to retain both hold open units together; the rightangledtail Z2 is seated underneath the forward section ofthe inner hold open member, as in Figure 1, with the spring tail Z1 bearing against the bottom forward edge H5 ofthe leftforward transverse arm H6 ofthetrigger bar. The pressure ofthe spring tail Z1 against point H5 will tend to pivotthe trigger bar around the axis oftrigger pin Gl ,thereby forcing the rear ofthe trigger bar upwards, bearing the disconnector bartip H8 up against the undersurface of the rear slide, and acting as a trigger bar and trigger return spring.

With the hammer resting againstthe rear surface B1 3 ofthe slide, the sear point K5 is resting in hammer notch J 1, and the discon nector bar seats against the hammer axis pin, locating the trigger bar transverse limb H4 behind hammer bent 54. This situation is shown in Figure31, and Figure 6a.

The sequence of drawings constituting the whole Figure 6, a to d, represents the firing lock action during manual cocking ofthe hammer, the single action mode offiring. During manual cocking, the hammer spurJ6 is forced back and down to pivot the hammer on its axis pin The hammer surface J2 will force the main spring upper limbs forward through the main spring roller, torsioning the main spring coiis, andthe rebated tail J5 will pass between the main spring upper limbs, the width of these now exceeding the maximum width ofthe hammer The surface J2 will then impinge on the transverse rear limb of thetrigger bar, as in Figure 6d, and position it close to the sear nose K1 rear surface.If the hammer is only rotated to the position shown in Figure 6b the sear point will engage in the hammer half cock notch 53, thugs being in a safe position, since the hammer is notableto contactthefiring pin. On full rotation ofthe hammer the hammer bentJ4 will lift above the sear nose, allowing the same to move rearwards under the hammer bent until the sear point K5 contacts the hammer surface 57. The hammer is then released to allowthe bentto sit on the uppersurface ofthe sear nose, where it will seat under spring pressure.

Pressure on the triggerwill draw the trigger bar forward two connect with the sear nose, will pull the sear nose awayfrom underthe hammer bent and allow the hammerto rotate to hit the firing pin base S2.

The contact ofthe sear point with hammer surface J7 is intended to limit the protrusion ofthe sear nose underthe hammer bent and thespace K4is intended to act as a dirttrap if necessary.

Figure 3 shows the firing pin having been thrown forwardbythehammer,theinertia6fthefiring pin acting against pressure of the firing pin spring to hit the primer of the cartridge XX in the barrel C and fire the cartridge, discharging the bulletXX1 through the barrel bore C1.

Figures 7ato 7dshow the sequence ofdouble action firing, whereby with the hammer at rest as in 7a, pressure on the trigger will drawthetrigger bar forward and impinge the front surface ofthe trigger bar reartransverse limb against the rear surface of the hammer bent. Furthertrigger pressure will draw the trigger barforward, pivoting the hammer as shown in Figures7band7c.Whenthehammerreachesthe position as shown in Figure 7dthe trigger bar rear transverse limb upper forward pointwill slip from underthe harnmer bent tip.The rearsurface ofthe hammer bent being angled rearwards towards the tip until the hammer is rotated fully back will keep the trigger bar rear limb from sliding off the bent tip until the rear bent surface passesthevertical position and the benttip rotates above the transit line ofthetrigger bar rear limb upper point. At the point of release the rear limb will be aboutto contact the sear nose, thereby preventing the sear dropping into the half cock notch as the hammer clears and pivots under spring pressure. The central part ofthe upper rear of the trigger bar rear transverse limb is cut away at an angle rearwards and downwards as shown in Figure9, the cut away being to allow clear passage forthe hammer bent when the hammer pivots.In Figure 8a the cartridge is fired and in Figure 8b the slide is recoiling, the slide rear bottom corner B10 forcing against hammer surface J8 and pivoting the hammer around until the hammer bent pivots above sear surface K6. It will be seen in Figure 3thatwhen the slide is forward and locked by locking block Etothe barrel, the wing E1 engages in barrel cut C11 and corresponding cuts in the front lower slide wings.

When the slide recoilstheforward cam surface B1 2 of the slide recess Bl 1 depresses the disconnector; therebythetrigger bar pivots around trigger pin G1, against the pressure of spring tail Z1, and the trigger bar rear limb is depressed out oflinewith the sear nose, as in Figure 8b and 8c. Figures 49,50,51, 52 and 53 showtheframewith the relative positions ofthe firing lock units. Figure 52 shows the disconnector bar adjacentto the ejector, with the disconnector not depressed. Figure 30 shows the slidefullyto the rear with the hammer bent lifted overthe sear nose and the trigger bar depressed.It will be seen in Figure 8cthat when the trigger bar rear limb is depressed the sear can be pivoted by the main spring limb BB2to putthe sear nose back in the position to hold the hammer bent when the slide returns forward under spring pressure to its battery position as in Figure 5. When the slide is forward recess Bl 1 is abovethe disconnector bar but the underside of the sear nose prevents the trigger bar rear limb from rising. Releasing pressure on the trigger will allowthe trigger bartotravel rearwards under pressurefrom spring Zi, and when the trigger bar rear limb clears from under the sear nose under surface, the disconnector can rise into the slide recess B1 1 with the trigger bar pivoting around trigger pin G1 under spring pressure.Complete release ofthetrigger will allowthetriggerbarto move rearwards until the rear limb contacts hammer surface J2 resulting in the position as shown in Figure 2. The pistol is now ready to fire again.

When the last cartridge in the magazine has been used the magazine cartridgefollower U will rise and impinge its forward platform U1 on the hold open pin X1, raising the hold open unit, and on the recoil of the slide to ejectthe lastfired cartridge case, oron manual retraction ofthe slide with an empty magazine in the pistol, the hold open will rise underthe magazine spring pressure and the hold open catch lug X4will engage in slide recess B20 when the slide is fully rearwards. Figure 39 shows the magazinefollower contacting the hold open pin Xl ,the pin and frame access hole AS shown in dotted lines. Figure 10 shows the hold open catch fully down, indicating a loaded magazine in the pistol, Figure 12 shows the hold open catch forced up by the magazinefollower, as in Figure 39, this position indicating to the user that an empty magazine is in the pistol, and Figure 13 shows the hold open catch engaged with the retracted slide. Only in the position as in Figure 13will the hold open inner flange Yl be pivoted down from being engaged before the trigger guard pin D8, and allow the whole trigger guardDto be movedforward and down tothe position shown in Figure 30. The trigger axis pin can be pushed outfrom either side with the trigger guard down, and the trigger and trigger bar lifted upwards.

The manual safety catch can be applied with the hammeratrestoratfullcock.The rightorleftsafety iever is pushed upwards from the rest position shown in Figure 1 Oto the position as in Figure 1 1. The detent pimple KK3 on the safety catch spring seats in groove HH9 with the safety catch raised, to prevent the return ofthe safety unit to the rest position without definite pressure on one or both of the safety catch levers.

The centre portion ofthe right safety arbor is cut awayto produce well He7 with a flat HH10 and another cut away at an angle to produce a flat edge HH11 to thefrontofflat HH10 and the surface HH12 at the right end of the well HH7. Figure 38 shows the safety catch unit at rest, with the flat HH 10 parallel to the barrel axis and the flat HH11 clear of the rear surface ofthe hammer J9. When the safety catch arbor is rotated by an upward motion ofthe safety levers the frontoftheflatHHl0will moveunderthe lower section ofsurface J2 on the hammer, thereby blocking rotation ofthe hammer.The pin HH6will rotate with the arbor and being engaged in the notch LL1 ofthe safety detent piece will tend to rotate the piece around the axis ofthe hammer pin passing through hole LL2, and the detentarm LL4will impinge on trigger bar limb H2 and depress the rear of the trigger bar, as shown in Figure 39. The detent piece bar LL3 will move down before the front upper sear face K7 thereby blocking forward motion of the upper sear, and locking sear point K5 into hammer notch J1. In the safety state as herein before described the hammer cannot be cocked manually, or by trigger pressure through the trigger bar, which will pass belowthe hammer bent if moved forward. The blocked hammer will preventthe slide from being drawn rearwards.

When the hammer is cocked as in Figure 40 and Figure 11, application ofthe manual safety, moving the safety levers upwards will rotate the arbor, and the lower peripheral surface HH12 will move over hammer ledge J8, thereby blocking rotation of the hammer. The safety detent piece will rotate, with the pin HH6 engaged in safety detent piece notch LL1, and thedetentarm LL4will depressthe rearofthetrigger bar, preventing it contacting the sear nose if the trigger is pulled.The transverse detent bar LL3 will depress and blockthe sear nose from moving out of contact with the hammer bent. Figure 40 shows this safety position, and while it will be observed the hammer is positively prevented from being released to impinge on the firing pin, the slide can be cycled if so wished. While the manual safety is being released when the hammer is cocked, the trigger bar rear limb being depressed bythe safety detent piece will have placed the limb below the position of contacting the sear nose, so pressure on the trigger during release of the manual safety cannot cause the searto be pivot forward, and releasethe hammer.This is a safety aspect of the manual safety system.

A magazine safety system, in which the partial or complete removal of the magazine from the magazine well ofthe pistol renders the firing lock inoperable, has advantages and disadvantages, so it is proposed to have a magazine safety unit that is easily and quickly removed from the pistol, or replaced. Two types of magazine safety units are herewithin described, that could be fitted to a pistol orotherfire arm.

Figure31,32 and 33 showsonetype of magazine safety as fitted to the pistol hereinbefore described.

The trigger is shown in Figure 33 with a vertical longitudinal slot cut from the upper part of the trigger and having a concave lower surface passing below the trigger pin hole, allowing clearance when the coils ZAl of the spring ZA are accommodated on the trigger axis pin. With the magazine fully home the magazine lips3 will impinge on and force upwards limbZA2 of spring ZA. The forwa rd limb ZA3 impinges on the forward surface D9 of the triggerwell D8 oftrigger guard D.The partial orcompletewithdrawal ofthe magazine will allow spring arm ZA2to rotate rearwardly and downwards and impinge a transverse spring limb ZA4 against the upper surface oftrigger bar limb H3.Thetorsional strength of spring ZAwill overcome the resistance of trigger bar spring Z1,and depress the trigger bar, placing the rear trigger bar limb belowthe level ofthe hammer bent and sear nose, as in Figure 32. Figure 31 shows the position of the magazine safety spring ZA, and limb ZA2tending to exert a downwards thrustto the magazine, thus being an aid to the expulsion ofthe magazine when the magazine catch is activated.

An alternative magazine safety system is shown in Figures 44to 48 inclusive. A circular hole A25 penetrates transversely the right side oftheframe ahead ofthe right safety lever. To the rear of the hole the frame wall is rebatedto halftheframewall thickness, orto a depth to accommodate the thickness ofthe appropriate spring. The rebate is the height of hole A25 and the rebate terminates in a circularform to the frame rear, as in Figure 46. The right side ofthe grip is shaped to coverthe complete rebate A26 and the holeA25; the bold line SS7 in Figures 44 and 46 shows the extremity of the grip edges. In Figure 45, the dotted line shows the extremity of the grip.A spring ZZ, as shown in Figure 46, is fitted into the recess A26 with its upper limb ZZ2 seated against the upper edge ofthe recess The right angled arm ZZ1 protrudes through the hole A25 into the frame interior. When the magazine is installed in the pistol with the nose VV1 of the magazine catch VV engaged in notch T1 ofthe magazineT, as shown in Figure l,theend ofarm ZZl engages with and is lifed bythe magazine lipT3, thereby being lifted above the level of the upper surface oftrigger bar limb A3, and allowing clear passage of the trigger bar during the firing cycle.

When the magazine is displaced downwards by the release ofthe magazine catch pl u nger U U, the a rm ZZ1 will move downwards under torsion from the spring section ZZ3. The spring arm ZZ1 will impinge immediatelyon the uppersurface oftrigger bar limb H3 and the pressure ofthe spring ZZ will overcome the pressure of the trigger bar spring Z1 thereby forcing the trigger barto rotate downwards around the axis of trigger pin G1. Figure 45 shows the position of the trigger barwith the magazine partially withdrawn and the magazine safety spring forcing the trigger bar rear limb belowthe level ofthe sear nose and hammer bent.

In certain conditions it can be hazardous to ease the hammer down manually from the cocked position to the rest position; ifthe hammerspurwereto slip from underthethumb during the early part of the operation the impact of the hammeronthefiring pin could discharge a cartridge in the barrel chamber, without the user intending such, and the recoiling slide could injurethe user's hand, or other part of the anatomy, and the accidentally discharged bullet could cause injury to the user, other parties, or property. The safety catch ofthe present invention allows safe decocking ofthe hammer under such conditions, as will now be described.

Figure 41 shows the pistol rear section with the hammer cocked and the safety catch in the rest position as shown in Figure 41 a. The ejector L has an elongated hole L3 through which passes the sear axis pin, and also the coil ofthe ejector spring AB on the sear axis pin, the hookAB1 at one end ofthe spring AB, engaging with ejector hook L2, forcing the ejector down and rearwardly. The surface L4 bears against the hammer axis pin and will act as a stop when the extracted cartridge case is pulled by the extractor M rearwardlyto hit the ejector nose L1 tto pivot the cartridge case and eject itfrom the pistol, as in Figure 4. The sear pin K7 sits in the recess L6 in the ejector.

When the safety levers are forced down as in Figures 42 and 42a,the arbor rotates anticlockwise viewed from the left, the arbor pin HH6, engaged in detent piece slot LL1 will rotate the detent piece, and the detent bar LL3 will raise and impinge on the under surface of the right-angled part L8 of the ejector. This will force the ejector upwardly against the tension of the ejector spring, and engage cutout L5 of the ejector with the base of the firing pin boss S1.When the cutout L5 is engaged with boss S1 the arbor pin will tend notto pivot the detent piece as quickly, tending to rotate out of the slot LL1. At this point surface HH12 of the rotating arborwill contact the rear surface L7 ofthe ejector leg L9 and tend to force the ejectorto rotate around the axis of sear axis pin FF, as in Figure 43.The rotating lifted ejector, with the cut out L5 engaged with the firing pin boss, will push the firing pin forward against the tension of firing pin spring and the ejector spring. When the firing pin is safely withdrawn into the slide with the firing pin end S2 below the surface B13 ofthe slide, the ejector cutout L6 rear surface bearing against sear pin K7 will exert a forward motion to the seartop andthusthesear nose. The sear nosewill move from underthe hammer bent and allow the hammer to rotate under main spring BB,to hit the slide surface B13. As the firing pin is atthis moment withdrawn inside the slide bythe ejectorthe hammer impact cannot discharge a chambered cartridge.The final position ofthe decocking procedure is shown in Figure 43a, with the safety levers fully depressed.

Return ofthe safety levers to the rest position as in Figure 10 will rotate the detent piece, allow the ejector to move downwards and rearwards under spring pressurefrom spring AB, and the firing pin will be released and return to its position as in Figure 1, with clear passage rearwards and forwards. If necessary, additional means such as spring pressure could be applied to the safety lever unit to prevent the safety levers being depressed too easily, and thus decocking thefirearm unintentionally.

If it is found necessary to have a stop to prevent furtherforward movement ofthe trigger bar after disconnection, a stop can be fitted to the forward upper or lower rearfaces of thetrigger, orstop could be fitted to the forward vertical surface ofthetrigger guard well, orastop could befittedtothetrigger guard unit behind the lower portion ofthetrigger.

Alternatively, another suitable manner could be used to prevent further rearward motion of the lower trigger afterfull release ofthe sea from the hammer.

The application of the invention to other small arms differs in no essential respectfrom its application to pistols ofthe type hereinbefore described.

The terms "horizontal" and "vertical" as used herein refertothe pistol orotherfire arm when held in the normal firing pisition.

Claims (11)

1. Afire arm ofthe self loading pistol type having a reciprocating slide carrying an inertia-operated firing pin, a firing lock comprising a hammer, sear, trigger, trigger bar, ejector and main spring, and a safety catch comprising an arbor rotatably mounted in the frame ofthefire arm, and manual lever means located on the outside of the frame for rotating said arbor in either direction from a rest or off position in which the fire arm can be operated, said arbor being rotatable in one direction to an end position in which the hammer in eitherthe cocked or uncocked position is locked against rotation by respective engagement means on the arbor, and said arbor also being rotatable in the other direction to move a detent member pivotally mounted in said frame to move the ejector upwardly and forwardly to engage said firing pin and to withdraw its striking end, againstwhich the hammer strikes in operation ofthefire arm, completely into the slide, and thereafterto release the hammerfrom cocking engagement with said sear, whereby said hammer is returned to the uncocked position without danger of discharging a live cartridge in the breech of the fire arm.

2. Afirearm as claimed in Claim 1,wherein, during movement of the arborto said end position in which said hammer is locked against rotation, said detent is rotated by said arborto depress and hold said trigger bar in a position in which movement ofthe trigger will not move the sear to release the hammer.

3. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 1 orClaim2, wherein said detent is coupled to said arbor by means of a recess in the detent engaging a pin on said arbor.

4. Afire arm as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said ejector has a recess in the upper surface thereofwhich engages a downwardly projecting part of a rear boss on said firing pin to hold said firing pin on upward movement of said ejector underthe action of said detent.

5. Afire arm as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein said arbor is formed in two parts, each having a respective manual lever at one end thereof, said parts being connected together at their ends remote from said levers by at least one projection on one said part engaging at least one corresponding recess in the other said part and spring loaded towards one another.

6. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 5,wherein said spring loading is provided by a spring located in a recess in the frame below said arbor and having upstanding ends engaging in respective peripheral grooves in said two parts ofthe arbor.

7. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said spring has a central proturberance adapted to resiliently engage in a respective longitudinal groove in said arborwhen said safety catch is in the rest or said one end position.

8. Afire arm as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein said main spring is formed as a single unit from spring wire having a central coiled portion for mounting on a pivot pin in the frame, any upper limb portion bearing against the hammer and urging itto rotate towards said firing pin, and a lower limb portion bearing against the searto urge the sear nose to bearagainstthehammer.

9. Afire arm as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said trigger bar is attached to the trigger by means oftwo arms located at the front thereof having apertures therein which are sprung over the protruding ends of a transverse pin on the upper part of said trigger above the trigger pivot point.

10. Afire arm asclaimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein a magazine safety system acting to renderthe firing lock inoperable on removal ofthe magazine from the magazine well of the fire arm.

11. Afirearm oftheselfloading pistoltype substantially as hereinbefore described with referenceto and as shown in the drawings.