US2225583A - Safety device for the firing mechanisms of firearms - Google Patents

Description

,jphehha 'Deh 17; 1940 fn'ienigsz',inzsafety. devices, and Emore particularly ltosafety devices whereby ftheiring inechanismisf` of'rearmsH-mayfbe lockedor renderedjineffective 5 to thusguardjagainst: the accidentall or unintentional disharge-,of thellirearm of which :fthe

- f devicein'aL/f formafeature,L f-; u x Y Itv very fte happens that ajuser VVof a `firearnr,

pecially" whenengaged in i a .shOQng .match *10' requiring the firing at a suddenly-appearingand feav that 1 thegsafety v`device v ofythe rearm being used'has'fbeen shifted into its non-firingpr .safe

position-,jeither" 'gunintentionally by the seror V915 'bythe niischievous'o malicious jac'tio'nfof .a com ,fp etitcir'l Many shooters have; therefore, rentirelyrernved"th'e safety devicf'e"v fromjtheir 'iirearms infrder to guardagainst having their firearms 5 fizieffective'fwhen Athe `vsl'i'ooter is called upon to p'ariig 1 @ind jfa'sirmovig fr'orngthe following considered'- in`conjl11nction with'theaccompanyin'g drawings; is directed at ai. constructionan'd arrangement'of parts Whereischarge offthei-'rearmh One I -vofitlieiv objectsz: of -tlie present `r'invention tov provide l-fayisuperior ysafety device for .the ring mechanism oia. Vrearm whichmayv Vbe rapidlyfan'd.convenientlyilocked in -its so-called -ffnring positiqn`,-.whereinit does not in .anyway interferefgwith Ithe normal functioning -of the 155:, ming mechanisme: the firermiih which ,a isv embodied.

""A vfurther of invention is t0 andxeffective initsction. v provide'asuperiorjsafety deviceffr the ring *mechanismy 'of v"aifrearm in which, the 'movement a required-'to lock 4the safety deviceis. o'ffa. differ-5 1 45 chti naturel-than that; required to'inqrmany shift v it fo'rniandintofeither it-sso-calledffsafe'posimimmizethegpossibilhy of confusion.;

sfto'provide asliperiort safety deviceffv the chiar-A acter treferr'ed" to; wherein the-manipulation of iii-'ingf'mechanismof the rearni' against-l normal operation; effect4 the release of such ringl mechcorresponding safety-suse is`- shown moved-intens flocked;

interferericewith the 'iring mechanism'.

' with the above and Qpherobjects ihgviev'v; will appear. to those skilled. in'th e` art. fr o,1 n the 'cure'lv lockt-the safetvgde/vicein a nosit'ionofglQr j f features Iin thesaiti`disciosiJre ;'whichkare novel over the prior art v'aridwliich are not claimedin anyseparateapplication.

Infthe accomlanyin'g,, drawings,` whichcer 4 tainmodesfofcari" are shown` for illustrative'pur'poses: Fig.' ;1 @isv ,View parnyihiside elevatiohgjahd. c

the triggerlp'late unit of a rearn'i inlwhich'is f..

i incorporated a/ fir' g `mechanism` and asafetyjlli l device" embodying thepresent invention; i,

'Fig. 2j'is a' Abroken'.transverse' sectionalfvieviI 1 1 'taken on the line` 2-`Z of Fig. l'buton `a larger rear. portion of thelparts shownfin Figari, withf` 1y 1h section, midiA within; thesaid safety-slide correspondmr ,to rh.y 2 but showing It.

position";

Maker with@ nurd i Fi`gm9 is a bersbctiveview o `Athesafetyslide d theream and w v Fig. l0 isfa siinil' r view but viewing the safetyslide mainlyirom the front. I

In the (accompanying-drawings a'safety-fdevig y constructed in accordance with fthe present" in;.r5

integral loop-like trigger-guard 2| and with a central-longitudinal mechanism-receiving channel 22 opening upwardly through the upper surface of the trigger-plate substantially throughout the major portion of the length thereof and at its rear end intersecting the space circumscribed by the loop-like trigger-guard 2|. The forward portion of the said mechanism-receiving channel 22 is closed at its lower end by a bottom-wall 23 formed integral with the triggerplate 20.

Extending transversely across the forward Aportion of the mechanism-receiving channel 22 and the trigger-plate 20, is a pivot-pin 24 upon which is pivoted a hammer 25, the upper portion of the forward face of which is adapted to strike a firing-plunger or other suitable firing-member which is indicated by the broken lines 26 in Fig. 1.

Pivotally connected by means of a pivot-pin 21 to the rear portion of the hammer 25 is the forward d'or head-end 28 of a rocking and reciprocating hammer-actuating plunger generally designated by the reference character 29. The said plunger 29 also includes va rearwardly-extending cylindrically-contoured shank 30 freely movable in a passage 3| formed in a bridge portion 32 extending across the mechanism-receiving channel 22 in the trigger-plate 20 about midway the length thereof and forming a rigid feature of the said trigger-plate. I'hrusting Vforwardly against a rearwardly-facing thrust-shoulder 33 formed on theplunger 29 at the junction of the head-end 28 and the shank 3U thereof, is the forward end of a helicalhammer-spring 34 encircling the said shank 30 and pressing at its rear end against the front face of the bridge portion 32 of the trigger-plate 20. As thus arranged, the hammer-spring 34 exerts a constant effort to swing the hammer 25 in a; clockwise direction to cause the same to strike the firing-plunger 26 (Fig. 1). l

In its lower portion the hammer 25 is formed with a cocking-,abutment 35 which is releasably engageable by the forward face of a Sear-nose 36 constituting theforwardly-extendin'g arm of a pivotal sear 31. The said sear 31 is located in the mechanism-receiving channel 22 of the trigger-plate 20 and is pivotally mounted therein about midway of its length upon a pivot-pin 38 extending transversely across the said channel 22. Pressing upwardly uponthe scar-nose 36 of the sear 31 so as to yieldinglyvhold the said searnose in position for engagement with the cocking-abutment 35 oi' the hammer 25, is a helical Sear-spring 39 seated at itslower endin an upwardly-opening spring-pocket 40 formed in the upper surface ofthe bottom-wall 23 of the trigger-plate 20, as is shown in Fig. 1.

In addition to its ,forwardly-extending searnose 36, the sear 31 is formed with a rearwardlyprojecting am 4| having its rear portion normally resting upon an upwardly-facing actuatingabutment `formed at the forward end of a. pivotal transmitting-member 43. tion of the transmitting-member 43. just referred to is mounted for pivotal movement upon a pivotpin 44 extending transversely across the upper rear portion of the mechanism-receiving channel 22 in the trigger-plate 20.

vThe main portion of the transmitting-member -43 extends in and Athrough, a longitudinal channel 45 formed in a trigger 46 and opening through v the under face lof the said trigger adjacent the forward end thereof. The said trigger is mounted The upper rearporat its forward end for pivotal movement in the mechanism-receiving channel 22 in the triggerplate 20, by means of a transverse pivot-pin 41 as is4 shown in Fig. 1. The bottom wall of the channel 45 in the trigger 46 is adapted to engage with a transmitting-lug 48 depending from the transmitting-member 43 about midway the length thereof.

The trigger 46 is provided at its rear with a rearwardly-and-downwardly-curved finger-piece 49 projecting into position for engagement by the nger of a marksman inserted through the trigger-guard 2|. The saidv trigger 46 is also formed with a rearwardly-extending integral stop-finger 50 which is adapted to cooperate with a safetyslide 5|, in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

The safety-slide 5| above referred to is of cylindrical form generally, and is mounted for both reciprocation and oscillation in a cylindricallycontoured guideway 52 extending transversely across the trigger-plate 20 adjacent the rear portion of the trigger-guard 2| and adjacent the stop-finger 50 of the trigger 46. The forward portion ofthe transverse guideway 52 intersects or breaks through," so to speak, a continuation 22a of the mechanism-receiving channel 22 and which opens into the space enclosed by the trigger-guard and the adjacent portions of the trigger-plate 20 proper, as is especially well apparent in Fig. 8. l

Each of the respective opposite ends of the safety-slide 5| is preferably knurled or otherwise roughened to provide an anti-slip surface for the finger of the user of the firearm in which the present invention is incorporated, and one of the said ends is formed with a diametrical slot or kerf 53 designed for the reception of a coin orscrewdriver in a manner and for the purpose as will hereinafter appear. y About midway ,between its respective opposite ends, the safety-slide 5| is formed with a clearance-notch 54 which is slightly wider than the width of the stop-finger 50 of the trigger 46, and which is adapted to freely receive the said stop-finger when the safety-slide 5| is in all save one of its three different positions, as will hereinafter appear. l

The safety-slide 5| is adapted to assume three different positions as will more fully appear from the following, one normal position (Figs. 2 and `3) in which the safety-slide permits the free unhindered operation of the trigger 46 to effect the release of the hammer 25 and which position, for convenience ci' description, will be referred to herein'as the normal firing position." and from which position the safety-slide is readily shiftable by an axial movement thereof.

Another position which the safety-slide 5| may assume, is a positiongin which it permits the free movement of the trigger but from which it cannot vbe readily shifted save by a Special unlocking movement of the said safety-slide. This latter position will, for convenience of description. be designated as the "locked nring position and itis the position in which the said safety-slide is shown in Figs. 6, 7 ands.

I'he third position into which the safety-slide 5| is adapted to be moved, is one in which its clearance-notch 54 is moved out'of full registration with the stop-finger 50 of the trigger 46, and in which position the said safety-slide prevents the normal full releasing movement of the trigger 46, as is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The position of the safety-slide 5| as just referred to, will,

safety-sllde 5 i is formedwith ant-shaped groove 'generallyl designated by thereference character The said l.`-'s haped gr'ooveiricludes one arm the'lon'gitudinal airis off-the. safety-slide anda.

.second arm 51 extending'in a circumferential di- ;rection', as is especially well shown in'Figf 9. I 'Adjacentthe'outerend of the arm. 56'of the'slot "5 5,"-the bottom wall thereof is formed'with a coni- I "caldete'nt-pocket "58. Thevv bottom wall ,at the @outer endfof'the arm 51\of the L- shaped slot 55is,

f f intrri," formed with`a conical'detent-pocket y5i).

fAtthejunction of therespective arms 56 and'51, the-bottom` wall of the i.-shaped'slot155 is formed with'a conical deten't lili;V 5 f' :Q -@Each of the detent-pockets v58,' y59A and601isvvtoured inner endofj a detent-"nose 6| having substantially-cylindrical'` side-'walls and extending f downwardly from the underside of a Y detent- S'pung'er v62.v The said'detnt-,plung'er is adapted to 'reciprocate ina passage' 63 v which at its lower Y"fend intersects the transverse guidewayv 52 of vthe safety-'slidev 5I 'and 'whichextends upwardly ata 'slightly-rearwardly-inclined Vv angle through the the uppererid'of the passage;63 is aretaining'-rv ysci "ew'*'64* againstjthe under; face of which presses Athe uppe'ljendof a helical'detentspring 55.' The l'ow'er end of theA detentspring J65,jjust referred to, j presses against 'the'up'per 'face' of the detent plunger-52 andv servesto yieldingly 'seat vthe .y vspherical 7-contoured lower" end of the detent- .n'ose 6|'v into whichever one ofthe three detentfpockets ,58; 59for jhappe'ns at the time tov be in registration with the said detentfnose.

"feo 'i 'Whernas'is Ihownv in'Figs. 2 and I vof theA datent-plunger v6 2 isseatedv :in the 'detent-poeiet en ofthe safety-sudesmhe Vtrans''rnitting-member 43 `willjbe"'swung in a coun'- yite'if-'fclockwise directlon'iligf. 1)=about its pivot- ;'pi 44 and will' thereby rook the sear 31 in a clockwise' 'direction' to disengage the Searnose @36' from fthe cockingabutmentfitof the'hammer'." When these'ar-nclse 3& isdi'sengaged as i A described `theeiha!niez?spring 3 4] willeassertl,

y itself andcause the. said ,hammer 25to swing rapidly jin" a' clockwise ,directionfabout its pivoti .pint 24 tostrike the firing-plunger .2'6 in a man;

i neit common in firearms, toeffect the discharge.

ofthe .irearm ofwhich'it forms 'a feature. i f' f Should it be desired to render the firearm safev` 1G "bybiockingfthe'normal free action of the trigger i 45or"ot her member o fy the yfiring mechanism, the ',safetyislideA M'imay'bepressed?vv axially from left v to'rig'ht to :cause th detentL-nose 6 Il of the detentl plunger 62 to ride out vof the detent-pocket 60 in` the' Saldsafetyfslideandfinto the detent- 'stntiaily opposite the clearance-notch 54, the

5`ij'vvhiclir extends in substantial parallelism with` f 'sions ofthe full diamet er ify the said safety-slide f so that but avery slight movement of the trigger 46 (insufiicient vto release. the hammer- 25)""may 'take place before the said trigger-.is brought to adapted to receive in turnv thespherieallycons.

upper face of the trigger-plate 2 0.' I Ihreaded into 51 'is 10 in its'normal firing-pesitrans'mittingfmeniber 43.' When the 'tremsmitj-l lugfjls lifted asfjnstv described, the entire pocket 58 thereofk'as is shown inFigs. 4-and 5. Y

' 'I'hisjaxil shifting of the safety-'slide 5 l will'also shiftithe clearance-notch 54 of the safety-slide out of full registration with ythe stop-finger 50"` ofy the A,trigger 46 andwillinterposea portion 66 .of the. said safety-slide intothe'path of movetmentfof thes'aid'stop-linger 50. i The portion 65" ofthe safety-slide partakes in external `dimen- .When the safetyfslide 5I -is in vitsnormal ring-positionr as indicated in'Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it is ypossible for' the saidsafetyslide to become inadvertently shifted into its safe sition as' indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. \Such vinad. v'ertentv shifting of the safety-slide would renderv porated and the marksman, when expecting gto fire at a fast' moving target, would ilndthat the firearm is useless at such time. To guard against such a happeningas has just been referred to,

a.positive halt by the engagement of the stopinoperative vthe firearm in which -it is incorn the marksman may, by inserting a coin or thelike. in the Akerf 53 ofthe safety-slide5i, yrotate the said safety-slide in a clockwise,direction'= Y 80 2'vand 3 into the position in which itis shown inv Figs. 6,. '1 andy 8. .This turningmovement of the vsafety-slide 5 I will bring the detent-po'cket 59y adjacent the outer, end ofthe peripherallyexfrom theposition in whichit is shown in Figs.

tending varm 51 'of theflL-shaped-groovejS, into lregistration with the detenta-'nose 6I of the de# tent-plungeri'ij Whenthe `slide is .inthe posiy y vtion now being discussed. it may be readily ref versely turned buty is prevented from being shift'- ed from leftto right into itssafeposition shown in'Figs. vland 5 lowing to theA depth vof the left vertently intoits s aferposition. Fromlthepforegoing it llA be seen that by means of f t'he present. inventiony the safetyfslide when desired a turningmovementina-clockf "wise directionv of the said zsafety-slidegwill efvside-vvallof the armv 5'| .v Thus,` the safety-slide cked againstv being reciprocated. inadj y fectively-'lock thesafetyslide vagainst being *in-e advetently reciproated .into its safe position. The unlocking ofthegsafety-slide 5I may,h o,w,

ever, be effected convenientlybythe deliberate act ,of turning /thesaid safety-slide in a coun- `terclockwise directiontorestore'it to its normal. u position in ,whch it maybe reciprocatedback andforth into andout of itsusafe positionand its normal firing-position.

Thefinvention maybecarriedout in Iother speteristics of `the inventiomfand. the, `present em-Ivr bodiments are', therefore, `to be consideredv in all respects asfillustrative and not restrictivasand" 1 within the meaning.VV and A firearm structure including .in' combina.7

cicways than those herein vs etforthfawithout f j departing from the spirit andessential characf mechanism to prevent the normal operation thereof; detent-means constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the said safety-member against both longitudinal and transverse movement; and locking-means for holding the said safety-member in a given one of its positions.

2. A firearm structure including in combination: a ring mechanism; a safety-member mounted for reciprocation and oscillation and having a portion movable into and out of position to be engaged by a portion of the said ring mechanism to prevent the normal operation thereof; detent-means constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the said safety-member against both turning movement and reciprocating movement; and locking-means having a portion movable by the oscillating movement of the said safety-member into and out of position and to look the said safety-member in a given one of its positions.

3. A firearm structure including in combination: a ring mechanism; a cylindrically-contoured safety-slide mounted for reciprocation v and oscillation into and out of position to be enl mounted in the rearm structure with gaged by a portion of the said tiring mechanism to prevent the normal operation thereof; detentmeans constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the said cylindrically-contoured safety-slide against both turning movement and reciprocating movement; and locking-means having a portion movable by the oscillating movement of the said cylindrically-contoured safety-slide into and out of position to lock the said cylindrically-contoured safety-slide in a given one of its positions.

4. A rearm structure including in combination: Va firing mechanism; a safety-member mounted in the rearm structure with capacity for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse turning movement and provided with a clearance-notch movable into and out of registration with a portion of the said firing mechanism to respectively free the said ring mechanism for normal operation and to lock the same against normal operation; detent-means constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the said safety-member against both turning movement and reciprocating movement; and locking-means having a portion movable by the oscillating movement of the said safety-member into and out of position to lock the said safety-member in a given one of its positions. y

5. A firearm structure including in combination: a firing mechanism; a safety-member mounted in the firearm structure with capacity for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse turning movement and provided with a clearance-notch movable into and out of registration with a portion of the said firing mechanism to respectively free the said ring mechanism for normal operation and to lock the same against normal operation; detent-means constructed and arranged to yieldingly hold the said safety-member against both turning movement and reciprocating movement; and locking-means having a portion facing crosswise of the longitudinal axis of the said safety-member and movable by the oscillating movement of the said safety-member into and out of position to lock the said safetymember against longitudinal reciprocation.

6. A ii'rearm structure including in combination: a ring mechanism; a safety-member capacity .'for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse oscillation andlhaving a portion movable into and out of position to be engaged by a portion Vof the said firing mechanism to prevent the normal operation thereof, the said safety-member being formed with a substantially-L-shaped slot one arm of which extends in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the safety-member and the other arm ot which slot extends substantially transversely thereof; and a member carried by the firearm structure and projecting into the L-shaped slot thereof to restrict the reciprocating and oscillating movements of the said safetyinember.

7. A firearm structure including in combination: a ring mechanism; a safety-member mounted in the firearm structure with capacity for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse turning movement and provided with a clearancenotch movable into and out of registration with a portion of the said ring mechanism to respectively free the said ring mechanism for normal operation and to lock the same against normal operation, the said safety-member being formed with a substantially-L-shaped slot having one arm extending in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the safety-member and having the other arm of the said slot extending transversely thereof; and a member carried by the firearm structure and projecting into the substantially- L-shaped slot thereof to restrict the reciprocating and oscillating movements of the said safety-member.

8. A firearm structure including in combination: a firing mechanism; a safety-member mounted in the firearm structure with capacity for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse oscillation and having a portion movable into and out of position to be engaged by a portion of the said ring mechanism to prevent the normal operation thereof, the said safety-member being formed with a substantially-L-shaped slot, one arm of which extends in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the safety-member and the other arm of which slot extends transversely thereof, the said safety-member also being formed in the bottom of the substantially-L- shaped slot therein with three detent-pockets, one of which is located at the junction point of the two arms of the said slot and the other two detent-pockets being respectively located adjacent the outer ends of each of the respective arms thereof; and a spring-pressed detent projecting into the substantially-L-shaped slot in the said safety-member into position to be sequentially engaged with the three detent-pockets therein as the said safety-member is moved.

9. A firearm structure including in combination: a` firing mechanism; a safety-member mounted in the rearm structure with capacity for longitudinal reciprocation and transverse turning movement and provided with a clearancenotch movable into and out of registration with a portion of the said ring mechanism to respectively free the said firing mechanism for normal operation and to lock the same against normal operation, the said safety-member being formed with a substantially-L-shaped slot having one arm extending in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the safety-member and having the other arm of the said slot extending transversely thereof, the said substantially-L- shaped slot being formed in its bottom wall with three detent-pockets, one of which is located at the junction point of the two arms of the said slot and the other two detent-pockets being respectively located adjacent the outer ends of each of the respective arms thereof; and a springwith',:thefspaice withinthey trigger-'guard of the ereiri and havingf'qid portion movable'ilto fand cylindrically-contoured safetyfslide into' and out one of its positions;

. vpressed detentlprojectir'i'g' into the;ksuiostamtilly'- In Li-.shalped'vslot in thesaidsafetyiriember into pof d y v fsitionto vbe;sequeritialiyvVenggiged.with the. threeA fly-contoured guideway 1conu'nunic':iting laterally *detenta-:pockets therein as' thef'said safety-member. d

y l 1 i said-trigger-plate;altrigger carried bytin-'lsagy 'Hljearm structure' including 'in combinar-'V'- ioi: a, triggerplate provided' withA a vloop-like d V' l ly-contoured safety-slide mountedin(the;trams 1verse}gfuidewa'y' vin the Y said!` tri'gg''erf-platte; with ,"ca'pacity; for :b oth reciproc'ft'ition jand-of$ci11ati g fll'therein and 'hvingwportion movable' into-end 'out;fofzposition ,to Ibe 'engaged' byv ai;v portion of 1 the said trigger. torespectivelylprevent andpereV mit the normal operation thereof, theisaidsafety- -slide beingformed with a. substantiallyLfs'h'ped lslot havingfon'e arm yextending'in sbstantiaifpar' allelsmfwththe longitudinall axis of `the'saifet slide-andthe 'othery arm ofl which extends `s1ib`-- `stantially. transverse thereof; vand av member cir-V )i riedfby thesaidtrigger-,plate and projecting into` y the L-shaped slot inthe said safetyfslide tao-'limit -both the oscillating and reciprocating movements'l l' of the s aid Safety-Slide; f f J ntoured guideway 'communicat'i'ng laterally" rigger-plate; fai, t'rigge'r carried? bythe said, ge'plat and ,having arportionjextended irito-vv a 'gforff.both reciproca'tion fand oscillationv v.

utfofpdsmn to be engagedby a portion ofthe' isaid trigger to `prevent the" normal'A operation 0"t hereo ff;` and locking-means having va portionv shiftablelby the oscillatingfmovement oftheisaid;

of position toy lock the said safety-*slide in `afgiven non@ faA triggerpi'av: provided with aL lmpiikyel trigger-guard `and `'With-a transverse .ylindricalf with'y the .space .within the trigger-'guard o' trigger-plate and having a portion.y extended into the:loopFlikeftrigger-guard thereof l 'a cylindricail CHARLES E. BLIZARDLff 2'5"A

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