US2788601A - Trigger mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 16, 1957 E. HARDGRAVE 2,788,601

' I TRIGGER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1955 I 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 wig Y m INVENTOR EarZL.HZzrd9ra1/"e ATTORNEY E. L. HARDGRAVE 2,788,601

TRIGGER MECHANISM April 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1955 0 0 555 k 62 Z & ,z a ,u a w INVENTOR Ea rZ 1 22 rdyrc zv'e BY% K, 1. 3/

ATTORNEY TRIGGER MECHANISM Earl L. Hardgrave, Austin, Tex.

Application December 12, 1955, Serial No. 552,452

Claims. (Cl. 42-69) This invention relates to a novel trigger mechanism for bolt action firearms, especially rifles, and has for a primary object to provide a trigger mechanism including .novel means whereby the trigger may be operated with a full single stage setting where maximum contact will be had between the parts functioning for retaining the firing pin in a cocked position but wherein said parts are releasable to effect a release of the firing pin either after a relatively long pull has been exerted on the trigger or after the trigger has only been pulled slightly, at the will of the user.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a trigger mechanism having means which may be readily set to efiect release of the firing pin after only a very short pull and a light pressure has been applied thereto so that a hair trigger operation of the trigger mechanism will result, or whereby the trigger mechanism may be utilized with greater safety and so that a longer pull against greater resistance will be required to effect release of the firing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism of extremely simple construction which may be readily adjusted to vary the movement of the trigger required to effect release of the firing mechanism, when said trigger mechanism is set to release upon a short pull under light pressure of the trigger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism which may be readily adjusted to vary the pressure required to effect release of the firing mechanism when the trigger mechanism is set for normal release by a long pull exerted on the trigger.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism which will automatically resume a full single stage position, requiring a long pull of the trigger against full resistance to efiect release of the firing mechanism, each time that the firing mechanism is cocked, to thus provide a safety feature preventing inadvertent firing of the piece from a hair trigger setting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism of the aforedescribed character of extremely simple construction which may be very economically manufactured and sold, which will be extremely eflicient and durable in use, and which may be readily adjusted by the user. v

Various other objects and advantagesof the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in side elevation, showing the trigger mechanism mounted on a portion of the receiver of a bolt action rifle and with the trigger mechanism in a full single stage position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the parts of the trigger mechanism disposed as said parts will appear immediately after release of the firing mechanism;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the trigger'mechanism with the 2 parts disposed in a set position to be released by a slight trigger pull;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the trigger mechanism, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper portions of the trigger and trigger actuated member looking toward the sides thereof opposite to the sides of said parts as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 3, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along a plane as indicated by the lines ?--9 of Figures 1 and 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, for the purpose of illustrating a preferred application and use of the trigger mechanism, designated generally 10 and comprising the invention, a portion of the receiver 11 of a bolt action rifle is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, including a portion of the rifle bolt 12 having a conventional depending sear notch 13.

The trigger mechanism 10 includes a frame 14 having spaced substantially parallel side walls 15 and 16 which are connected by an elongated web portion or block 17 which extends from near the forward end of the walls 15 and 16 rear-wardly to a point spaced a substantial distance from the rear ends of said walls, The walls 15 and 16 near to but spaced from the forward ends thereof are provided with integral upstanding portions forming transversely aligned ears 15a and 16a, respectively, having aligned apertures for turnably engaging the ends of a pivot pin 18, the intermediate portion of which extends through a depending ear portion 11a of the receiver 11, which ear portion 11a loosely fits in a recessed upper edge portion 17a of the block or web 17. The block 17 and the inner sides of the walls 15 and 16 are recessed, forwardly of the pivot 18 and the ear portion 11a, to define a socket 19, the bottom portion of which extends to below the block 17 so as to be formed solely by the recesses of the walls 15 and 16 and to be slotted, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. An expansion coiled spring 26 is disposed in the socket 19 and has its lower end seating against the socket bottom and its upper end bearing against the underside of the receiver 11, forwardly of the pivot 13, for urging the frame 14 to rock clockwise about the pivot 13, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, so that the rear end of the frame will be urged upwardly and against the underside of the receiver 11.

A lever 21 is disposed longitudinally in the frame 14 beneath the block 17 and is loosely disposed between the walls 15 and 16. The lever 21 has an upturned forward end 21a which is pivotally connected to and disposed between the forward ends of the walls 15 and 16, forwardly of the block 17, by a pivot pin 22 which extends through the lever end 21a and through the forward portions of said walls 15 and 16.

A sear 23 is turnably mounted in the upper rear part of the frame 14 loosely between the walls 15 and 16, on a pivot pin 24 which is supported by said walls. The sear 23 is shown in its normal position in Figures 1 and 3, and when thus disposed has an upwardly extending sear nose 25 which faces rearwardly to engage the forward face 13a of the se ar notch 13, to retain the firing der 26 at the rear thereof which engages againsta fastening element 27, which extends between and is secured to the walls 15 and 16, to prevent the sear from turning clockwise beyond its position of Figures-l and 3. Forwardly of the pivot 24, the sear 23 is provided with a con- ,cavely mounted downwardly and rearwardly opening notch 28 and a downwardly facing shoulder or surface 29, which is disposed forwardly of the notch 28 and which extends to the forwardmost extremity of the sear 23.

A trigger, designated generally 30, has an upper portion which extends upwardly into the frame 14, loosely between the walls 15 and 16. Said upper portion of the trigger 30 is defined by laterally spaced arms 31 and 32. The trigger 30 is swingably connected to the frame 14 by a pivot pin 33 which extends through said arms 31 and 32 and which is supported by the walls 15 and 16. The pivot 33 is disposed near the bottom edge of the frame 14, almost directly beneath the forward end of the sear shoulder 29, as best seen in Figure 3. The lower end 34 of the trigger 30 forms a curved finger engaging portion of conventional configuration, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The trigger 30 also includes a rearwardly extending portion 35 which is disposed above the finger engaging portion 34 and beneath and adjacent an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear bottom edge portion 14a of the frame 14. Said trigger portion 35 is provided with an upwardly opening socket 36, as best seen in Figure 3.

A screw 37 extends threadedly through the bottom portion of the trigger part 35 into the lower end of the socket 36 and has a head 37a loosely disposed in the bottom part of said socket for movement lengthwise thereof when the screw 37 is turned. A jamb nut 37b threadedly engages the lower portion of the screw 37 and abuts the underside of the trigger portion 35 to retain the screw 37 in different adjusted positions. The screw head 3711 provldes an adjustable seat or perch for the lower end of an expansion coiled spring 38 which constitutes a main spring and which extends upwardly from the socket 36' and has an upper end seating in a downwardly and rearwardly opening cup member 39 which is retained by said spring 38 in recessed portions 39a of the walls 15 and 16.

The lower portion of a spring 40, which is smaller and weaker than spring 38, is disposed within said spring and has its lower end bearing on the seat 37a. The spring 40 extends upwardly through a central opening 3% of the cup member 39. A rod 41 is loosely disposed in the upper portion of the spring 40 and extends downwardly through the opening 39b. The rod 41 has a crosshead 41a at its upper end against which the upper end of the spring 40 bears and which is retained thereby seated in the sear notch 28.

A trigger actuated member, designated generally 42, has a rear portion which extends upwardly into the frame 14 loosely between the trigger arms 31 and 32 and through which the trigger pivot 33 loosely extends for swingably mounting said member 42. The upper portion of the member 42, which extends upwardly from the pivot 33 constitutes a pawl 43 the upper end of which, designated 43a, is widened to form an upwardly facing sear shoulder engaging face or surface which engages under the sear shoulder 29. The trigger arm 31 terminates substantially below the level of said upper pawl portion 43a and has an upper edge 31:: which is inclined downwardly and forwardly. Said trigger arm 31 is disposed between a portion of the trigger actuated member 42 and the frame wall 16, and said pawl 43, above the trigger 'cludes a portion 44, forming an extension of the lower "end of the pawl 43, which extends downwardly'from the -pivot 33 and outwardly from the bottom of the frame 14. "The member 42am includes an arm 45, constituting the lower part thereof, which extends forwardly from the lower end of the portion 44 and which is disposed below a portion of the open bottom of the frame 14. Said arm 45 terminates at its forward end in an upturned terminal portion 45a which is normally disposed adjacent the level of a portion of the bottom of the frame 14, as seen in Figure 3, and in alignment with the slot or space formed by the gap between the walls 15 and 16, as seen in Figure 4.

A latching dog 46 fits loosely in the frame 14 between the block or web 17 and the trigger arms 31 and 32 and the pawl 43. Said latching dog 46 is disposed in substantially an upright position and is swingably mounted on a pivot pin 47 which extends through the intermediate portion thereof and which is supported by the walls 15 and 16. The forward edge of the latching dog 46 is recessed to provide a forwardly extending upwardly facing shoulder 4601, which is disposed below the level of the pivot 47, and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface 46b which extends downwardly and rearwardly from the outer, forward end of said shoulder 46a. The upper portion of latch dog 46 is provided with a threaded bore 460 which extends forwardly and rearwardly therethrough to receive a setscrew 48 which is adjustably mounted therein and the rear end of which is adapted to engage a transversely enlarged upper end portion 32a of the trigger arm 32 Which is disposed for wardly of and extends to above the upper end 43a of the pawl 43. The latch dog 46 is slotted above its bore 460, as seen at 46d, and the setscrew 48 is sized so that the .bore 460 is expanded slightly by said setscrew and thus has a sufficient clamping engagement therewith to retain the setscrew in different adjusted positions. The block .or web 17 has a rearwardly opening socket 17b in which is seated one end of an expansion coiled spring 49. The other end of the spring 49 bears against the forward edge of the latch dog 46, above the pivot 47, to urge said latch dog to swing clockwise, as seen in Figures 1 to 3.

The trigger portion 35 is provided with a forwardly opening socket 35a to receive and seat the rear end of an expansion coiled spring 50, forming an abutment means, the forward end of which bears against the rear edge of part 44, below the pivot 33, for urging said trigger actuated member 42 to swing clockwise on the pivot 33 and relative to the trigger 30.

A lever actuator 51 is suspended below the frame 14 and forwardly of the trigger 30 by a pair of laterally spaced hanger arms 52 thereof, upper portions of which are swingably mounted against the inner sides of the walls 15 and 16 on a pivot pin 53 which extends loosely therethrough and is supported by said walls. The lower end of the latch dog 46 is swingably disposed between the upper portions of said hangers 52, above the pivot 53, as best seen in Figure 3. The body portion 54 of the lever actuator 51, to which the lower ends of the hangers 52 are fixed, has a depending portion 54a at the rear end thereof terminating at its lower end in an enlargement having a knurled under surface and forming a thumb engaging button 54b. Said actuator 51 includes an arm 55 which extends from the forward end of the body portion 54 and which is curved upwardly so as to normally terminate beneath and adjacent a portion of the. bottom edge of the frame 14 and which is disposed in the same vertical plane as the lever 21. A second arm 56 extendsupwardly from the forward part of the body portion 54 and is laterally offset outwardly with respect to one side thereof, as best seen in Figure 4, so that theupper portion of the arm 56 is correctly positioned to extend into the lower end of a downwardly opening socket 57 in which is seated an expansion coiled spring 58, the lower end of which bears on the upper end of said arm 56, for urging the actuator 51 to swing counterclockwise or rearwardly about 'its pivot 53, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The actuator body 54 is also provided with an extension 59 which extends upwardly from the rear portion thereof and from the same side thereof as the arm 56 and which has an out-turned upper end 59a which is disposed beneath a portion of the bottom edge of the wall 15 and which is adapted to engage said bottom edge of the wall to limit swinging movement of the actuator 51counterclockwise under the biasing action of the spring 58.

A spring strip 60 has a forward end secured by a fastening 60a to a portion of the bottom edge of the wall 16, as best seen in Figures 5 and 6. Said spring strip 60 is bent so that the rear portion thereof is spaced from a contiguous part of the bottom edge of the wall 16. Said rear portion 61 is apertured to turnably receive an adjusting screw 62 and is flanged to rigidify the end 61 of the spring strip 60. The screw 62 threadedly engages a bore 62a which opens downwardly from the bottom edge of the wall 16. Said end 61 is provided with a laterallyextending lip 63, as best seen in Figure 5, which extends inwardly so as to be in the path of forward swinging movement of a portion of the trigger 30, to limit the extent that the lower portion of the trigger 30 can swing forwardly. It will be apparent that the screw 62 may be adjusted in the bore 62a for moving the lip 63 upwardly and downwardly, thus adjusting the limit of forward swinging movement of the lower portion of the trigger 30, since the forward edge portion 64 of said trigger, which engages the lip or stop 63, is inclined downwardly and rearwardly, as seen in Figures 3 and 6.

Figure 1 shows the trigger mechanism in a full stage operative position with the sear 23 held in a raised position by engagement of its shoulder 29 on the pawl end 43a and so that the rearwardly facing surface of the sear nose 25 is disposed against the forward face 13a of the sear notch 13 to retain the piece in a cooked position. As seen in Figure 1, the pawl surface 43a has a full contact with the'sear shoulder 29. By exerting a rearward pull on the finger portion 34 of the trigger 30, said trigger will be rocked counterclockwise as seen in Figure 1 about its pivot 33 against the resistance of. the spring 38. This will cause the portions of the trigger arms 31 and 32 which are located above the pivot 33' to swing from right to left or forwardly. Forward movement of the upper portion of the trigger arm 31 will cause the face 31a thereof to swing forwardly toward and into engagement with the shoulder 43b, whereafter the pawl 43 will move forwardly with the surface 31a to displace the upper surface 43a of the pawl out of engagement beneath the shoulder 29 so that the sear 23 will be turned clockwise by the forward thrust on the sear notch 13 which is provided by the firing mechanism of which said sear notch forms a part, to swing the sear from its position of Figure l to its position of Figure 2. The parts 31a and 43b thus form coacting portions. Release of the firing mechanism is thus effected. It will be apparent that a substantial rearward movement effected by a long pull of the finger piece 34 will be required to thus efiect release of the sear 23. It will also be understood that the screw 37 can be ad justed for adjusting the tension on the spring 33 to vary the weight of the trigger pull. After the sear has moved to its position of Figure 2, the spring 40 will return the sear to its position of Figure l and upon re-cocking of the firing mechanism the sear notch 13 by contact with the rounded forward side of the sear nose 25 will cause the frame 14, carrying the trigger mechanism, to rock clockwise about its pivot 18 so that the sear nose 13 can resume its position of Figure 1, after which the spring 20 will return the trigger mechanism to its position of Figures 1, 2 and 3. It will also be understood that when the sear 23 is initially returned to its position of Figure 1 by the spring 40, that the spring 50 will then cause the 6 the sear-'23. To accomplish this, the button 54b is as gaged to swing the lever actuator 51 forwardly or clock wise about its pivot 53 from its position of Figure 1 .to' its position of Figure 3. In so moving, the upper end of the arm 55 will contact the underside of the lever 21 to swing said lever upwardly about its pivot 22. The free end of the lever 21 in swinging upwardly will strike the cam surface 46b to swing the latch dog 46 counterclockwise on its pivot 47 until the lever 21 clears the cam surface 46b and moves to above the shoulder 46a, whereupon the spring 49 will rock the latch dog 46 clockwise to its position of Figure 3 with the shoulder-46a engaging under the free end of the lever 21 to retain said lever in a raised, latched position. When the lever is thus disposed, a portion thereof is located in the lower portion of the socket 19 so that the lower end of. the spring 20 then seats against said lever portion rather than against the socket bottom. Pressure is then released from the button 54b and expansion of the spring 58 acting on the arm 56 will swing the actuator 51 rearwardly or counterclockwise back to its position of Figure 1 with. the part 59a thereof abutting the bottom edge of the wall 15. A slight rearward pull on the finger piece 34 will cause the trigger arm portion 32a which is in engagement with the screw 48 or in close proximity thereto, to exert a forward thrust on said screw to rock the latching dog 46 counterclockwise about its pivot 47, as seen in Figure 3, to swing the shoulder 46a out of engagement with the free end of the lever 21. When this occurs, the lever 21 will be forcibly swung downwardly by expansion of the spring 26 so that a part of the bottom edge thereof will strike the end 45a of the member 42 to rock said member counterclockwise for disengaging the upper end 43a thereof from the sear shoulder 29, whereupon the sear will be released to swing counterclockwise, as previonsly described.

It will be apparent that the weight of the trigg r pull may be accurately adjusted as previously described by adjustment of the screw 37. The length of the trigger pull for releasing the sear through engagement of the surfaces 31a and 43b may be varied by adjusting the screw 52, as previously described, and the extent of travel of the trigger to efiect release of the sear by ac tuating the latch dog 46 may be varied by adjusting the setscrew 48 in the bore 466.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that a trigger mechanism of extremely simple construction has been provided which may be readily adjusted by the user for operation from a full stage or from a hair trigger setting. It will also be apparent that after each release of the sear the trigger mechanism will be returned to a full stage position as illustrated in Figure 1 automatically, thus requiring a separate manual operation to again effect a hair trigger setting.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A trigger mechanism comprising a frame, a seat pivoted to said frame and having a shoulder spaced from the sear pivot, a trigger pivoted to the frame, a trigger actuated member pivoted to the frame and having a sear engaging portion spaced from the pivot thereof and engaging the sear shoulder for holding the sear in an operative firing mechanism cocking position, abutment means interposed between portions of the trigger actuated member and trigger and on the side of the pivot of said trigger actuated member which is disposed remote from the sear, a main spring engaging against the trigger and frame and urging the trigger to swing in a direction to exert a pressure against said trigger actuated member through said abutment means for moving said sear engaging portion of the trigger actuated member into full engagement with the sear shoulder, and said trigger and trigger 'actuated member'having coacting portions disposed between the pivots thereof and said sear, said lastmentioned portion of the trigger being movable into engagement with the last mentioned portion of the triggcr actuated member when said trigger is swung about th'epivot thereof in the opposite direction against the action of said main spring for rocking the trigger actuated member with the trigger for swinging said sear engaging portion out of engagement with the sear shoulder.

: 2. A trigger mechanism as in claim 1, said abutment means comprising an expansion spring for urging said trigger actuated member to swing about the pivot thereof in a direction to swing said sear engaging portion toward the scar and into a position to engage the sear shoulder.

'3. A trigger mechanism'as in claim 1, said trigger and trigger actuated member pivoting about a common axis constituting the pivots thereof.

4. A trigger mechanism as in claim 1, said trigger having a slotted portion in which a part of said trigger actuated member including the part engaged by the pivot thereof is swingably disposed.

-S. A trigger mechanism as in claim 1, a lever piv- 'otally connected at one end thereofto said frame and extending from the pivot thereof toward said trigger actuated member, a latching dog pivotally mounted in the frame and having a portion engaging under said lever in a set position of the lever, spring means engaging the latching dog and a part of the frame for retaining said latching dog portion in engagement with said lever, said trigger having a latching dog actuating part, means carried by said latching dog and engaged by said latching dog actuating part, when the trigger is swung in a direction to move said sear engaging part out of engagement with the sear, for rocking said latching dog to release said lever before said coacting portions of the trigger and trigger actuated member make contact with one another, said trigger actuated member having a portion disposed in the path of swinging movement of said lever when released by the latching dog, and spring means disposed in said frame and engaging the lever 8 for forcibly swinging the lever into "engagement with said last mentioned part of the trigger actuated member for disengaging the sear engaging portion thereof from the sear.

6. A trigger mechanism as in claim 5, a firearm receiver portion, means pivotally mounting said frame on the firearm receiver portion, a bolt slidably mounted in the receiver and having a defending sear notch, said last mentioned spring means bearing against the receiver portion for rocking the frame in a direction to swing said sear upwardly into a sear notch engaging position, said sear being engaged by the sear notch for rocking the frame about the pivot thereof against the action of said last mentioned spring means to permit movement of the sear notch past the scar and toward a cocked position.

7, A trigger mechanism as in claim 6, a manually operated lever actuator swingably connected to and depending from said frame and having a portion disposed to engage and swing the lever to a set position in engagement with the latching dog when said lever actuator is swung in one direction.

8. A trigger mechanism as in claim 7, spring means mounted in said frame and engaging another portion of the lever actuator for swinging said lever actuator away from the lever.

9. A trigger mechanism as in claim 8, said means carried by the latching dog being adjustable relative to the latching dog in directions toward and away from said latching dog actuating part of the trigger for varying the extent of swinging movement of the trigger required to swing the latching dog to a released position.

10. A trigger mechanism as in claim 1, and manually adjustable means connected to said frame and engaged by the trigger 'to' vary the extent of swinging movement of the trigger under the biasing action of said main spring and the distance of swinging movement of the trigger required to effect release of the sear.

No references cited.

Images