Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to automatic pistols, and in particular to a manual safety device for a pistol affording dual protection to prevent improper firing of the weapon.
The term "pistol" denotes the smallest type of firearm, a type adapted to be fired from one hand. The sole concern of the present invention is with the semi-automatic or self-loading pistol, which is a pistol so arranged and constructed that when the chamber and magazine are loaded and the trigger is pressed, the following actions take place in sequence: First, the cartridge in the chamber is fired; second, the fired cartridge case is ejected; third, the firing mechanism is cocked in readiness for the next shot; and finally, a cartridge from the magazine is loaded into the chamber in position for firing, such that when the trigger is again pressed the cycle is repeated.
During rearward movement of the breech mechanism, which is effected by recoil, a disconnecting unit is automatically forced down to break the connection between the sear which holds the hammer or striker at full cock, and the trigger bar. This principle prevents the firing of more than one shot for each pull of the trigger, since the trigger must be released to permit springs to force the connecting trigger bar into position to release the sear for the next shot.
In semi-automatic pistols, such as those of the Browning type, a manual safety device is provided in the form of a thumbpiece-operated lever so mounted on the receiver that pushing the lever turns a cutaway pin to lock the hammer or striker, and sometimes the sear as well.
The problem with existing manual safeties is that the safety pin cannot be relied on to ensure a positive locking action, particularly if the pin is bent or otherwise distorted with continued use. This creates a hazardous condition which may result in accidental firing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is the main object of this invention to provide a dual-protection safety device for an automatic pistol, the device affording an additional measure of security should the standard safety mechanism fail.
Though the invention will be described in conjunction with a standard Browning automatic pistol, it is to be understood that it is also applicable to a Colt and other types of automatic pistols having thumbpiece-operated levers for actuating a safety mechanism by standard "Browning," "Colt" and other automatic pistols having thumbpiece-operated levers for activating a safety mechanism, is meant pistols of this type as described in reference works on pistols such as the "The Book of Pistols and Revolvers" by W.H.B. Smith, published by W. Mililang, Service Division, the Stackpole Company.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a dual-protection safety device which retains the existing safety mechanism of the automatic pistol and adds thereto a supplemental safety mechanism to prevent firing upon failure of the existing mechanism.
A significant feature of the invention as applied to a Browning or similar types of commercially available automatic pistols, is that it involves a relatively minor modification of the pistol design whereby the additional safety feature may be introduced without difficulty and at low cost.
Briefly stated, these objects are attained in an automatic pistol having a slide whose rear end houses a striker firing mechanism including a spring-biased striker which, when released, travels through a striker tunnel to impinge on the cap of a cartridge contained in the pistol chamber.
Also provided is a safety device including a pivoted lever which when manually pushed into its operative position, actuates a standard safety mechanism such as that constituted by a cutway pin adapted to lock the striker. To afford additional security, a supplement safety mechanism is provided in the form of a safety block assembly having a spring-biased block which is movable within a slide recess communicating with the striker tunnel in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel, the block having an actuating arm extending therefrom which is engageable by a projection formed on the lever, whereby in the retracted position of the lever, the block is urged by its associated spring to assume a position clearing said tunnel, and in the operative position of the lever, the block is disposed to obstruct the tunnel passage to prevent the striker from engaging the cartridge.
OUTLINE OF THE DRAWING
For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic pistol including a dual-protection manual safety device in accordance with the invention, the safety lever being shown in the raised or operative state;
FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1, but with the safety lever shown in the retracted state;
FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by line 3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is the same as FIG. 3, except that is shows the safety lever in the retracted state;
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken in the plane indicated by line 5--5 in FIG. 1, with the striker retracted;
FIG. 6 is the same as FIG. 5, but with the striker part way down the striker tunnel;
FIG. 7 is a perspective and exploded view showing the internal mechanism of the pistol and the safety device in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 8 is a separate perspective view of the safety block assembly in accordance with the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a self-loading or semi-automatic pistol of the Browning type, having a frame or receiver 10 provided with guides adapted to support a slide 11. A sight 12 is formed on the nose of the slide. A trigger 13 is pivotally mounted within a trigger guard 14.
A removable magazine containing cartridges is insertable in an internal magazine well 15 within the hollow handle 16. In the magazine, the cartridges are placed one on top of the other upon a follower, below which is a zig-zag spring resting on the magazine bottom.
The rear end of slide 11 forms the breech-block and houses the extractor and the striker firing mechanism. As best seen in FIG. 7, the firing mechanism includes a striker 17, from which a striker pin 18 projects axially, the striker being engaged by one end of a helical main spring 19 whose other end is secured to a spring guide 20 receivable in a socket 21.
When a loaded magazine is inserted in the handle of the pistol, drawing the slide back to the rear will force down the disconnector inside the receiver to positively disconnect the firing mechanism from the trigger. Spring 19 is compressed as the slide 11 is brought back and a projection or tail 17A is caught and held by the sear 22. When the safety device is retracted, pulling of the trigger effects disengagement of sear 22, releasing the striker which travels through the striker tunnel 23 in the slide until the striker pin 18 engages the cap of a cartridge 24 placed in the pistol chamber 25 (See FIG. 5).
The nature of the disconnector forms no part of the present invention. The function of the disconnector is to prevent firing more than one shot for each pull of the trigger. In the Browning disconnector design, a bar mounted with the sear rises so that when the slide is fully home, the top of the disconnector seats in a cut on the underside of the slide, and when so seated, the sear is in contact with the trigger bar. Any opening movement of the slide causes it to ride over the projecting head on the disconnector, thrusting it down against its spring pressure and breaking the connection between trigger bar and sear.
The safety device for the automatic pistol is constituted by a lever 26, one end of which is provided with a thumbpiece 27, the other end being pivoted by a pin 28 to the receiver. When the safety lever is pushed up to occupy a horizontal position along the receiver, as shown in FIG. 1, this action operates a standard safety mechanism such as a cutaway pin (not shown) adapted when actuated, to lock the striker to prevent it from travelling down the striker tunnel.
The nature of the standard locking mechanism operating in conjunction with the safety lever to lock the striker or the sear, is not the concern of the present invention, which is applicable to any existing manual safety device and serves to provide an added measure of protection.
As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the auxiliary safety mechanism in accordance with the invention, is constituted by a block assembly movable and disposd in a recess or cavity 29, which is cut in slide 11 and communicates with the striker tunnel 23 therein.
The block assembly is formed by a cylindrical block 30 having a pin 31 projecting upwardly therefrom. Surrounding the pin within a tubular cavity 33 is a spring 32. When spring 32 is compressed, the tip of pin 31 projects through the upper surface of slide 11 to provide an indication that the auxiliary safety is in its operative state, and when the pin is hidden within the slide this signifies that the safety mechanism is retracted and the pistol may be fired.
Safety block 30 is provided with an offset and downwardly extending actuator arm 34 whose lowermost end is engageable by a tab 35 projecting from the upper edge of safety lever 26 at a point adjacent thumbpiece 27 (See FIG. 7).
When lever 26 is in its retracted position and tab 35 is disengaged from actuator arm 34, spring 32 acts to urge safety block 30 to a position clearing striker tunnel 23 (See FIG. 4), in which event when the trigger is pulled, the striker is able to travel the full distance in the striker tunnel and to strike the cartridge in the chamber to fire the pistol.
But when lever 26 is raised to assume its operative state, tab 35 engages actuator arm 34 to press block 30 upwardly against the pressure of spring 32, until a point is reached where, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the edge of block 30 protrudes into striker tunnel 23.
In the event one then attempts to fire the pistol with the safety on, when the trigger is pulled, sear 22 will lower to release the tail 17A of striker 17 and should the main safety mechanism fail to hold striker 17, the striker will, as shown in FIG. 6, be released and travel down the striker tunnel until it is intercepted by safety block 30 acting to prevent striker pin 18 from engaging the cartridge in the chamber.
Thus the auxiliary safety mechanism affords an additional measure of security preventing accidental firing of the automatic pistol. Or
While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of safety device for semi-automatic pistols in accordance with the invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, departing from the essential spirit of the invention. For example, the invention is also applicable to a semi-automatic, hammer-fired pistol provided with an inertia-type firing pin that is driven down a firing tunnel when the fully cocked hammer is released. In a pistol of this hammer-fired type, a safety block in accordance with the invention is so arranged that when the safety is operative, the block is received within a notch in the firing pin to prevent movement thereof. Of the block may be so positioned in the firing tunnel as to prevent the pin from completing its forward motion therethrough. The safety is spring-biased and the pistol is so designed, so that when the hammer is half or fully cocked, the safety falls into its operative position, and when the trigger is pulled, the safety block is retracted concurrently with the release of the hammer.