Abstract: A sear safety for a firearm is provided that includes a mode selection mechanism having a detent pin movable from an unlocked position to a locked position by a user. The sear includes a body having a first leg and a second leg. The body is pivotable about a pivot point between the first leg and the second leg. The sear has a first end surface on the first leg for contacting the firing element and a second end surface on the second leg for contacting a hard stop on the frame and for contacting the trigger bar. A pocket is on the second leg for receiving the detent pin when the detent pin is in the locked position to secure the sear against the hard stop. When the detent pin of is in the locked position, the sear is prevented from to rotating about its pivot point.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a barrel, a frame and a slide. The slide is adapted for linear motion along the frame during a firing sequence and has a forward end and a block end. The forward end has an upper cam follower surface and a lower cam follower surface on the inside surface adjacent to the barrel. The barrel has a ramp cam surface adjacent to the chamber end of the barrel to effect locking and unlocking of the barrel relative to the slide during the firing sequence, a bottom cam surface and a top cam surface. The bottom cam surface and the top cam surface extend from the front end toward the chamber end of the barrel and each have undulating surfaces that moves against the lower cam follower surfaces of the slide to cause oscillation of the barrel while the slide moves during the firing sequence.

Abstract: A firearm having cartridges in a magazine is provided including a cartridge feed ramp disposed on the frame between the magazine chamber and the chamber end of the barrel. The cartridge feed ramp includes a base that is rigidly secured to the frame and a flexible tongue extending upwardly from the base, where the tongue acts as a spring and can deflect relative to the base. During a firing sequence, a top cartridge moves from the magazine in an upward direction toward the chamber end of the barrel, a front of the top cartridge contacts the flexible tongue of the cartridge feed ramp prior to entry by the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel, causing the flexible tongue to deflect outwardly in the direction of the front end of the barrel to assist the feeding of the top cartridge into the chamber end of the barrel.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a barrel, a frame and a slide. The slide is adapted for linear motion along the frame during a firing sequence and has a forward end and a block end. The forward end has an upper cam follower surface and a lower cam follower surface on the inside surface adjacent to the barrel. The barrel has a ramp cam surface adjacent to the chamber end of the barrel to effect locking and unlocking of the barrel relative to the slide during the firing sequence, a bottom cam surface and a top cam surface. The bottom cam surface and the top cam surface extend from the front end toward the chamber end of the barrel and each have undulating surfaces that moves against the lower cam follower surfaces of the slide to cause oscillation of the barrel while the slide moves during the firing sequence.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a frame, a slide and an arced cam surface extending longitudinally on an inner surface of the slide. The pistol has a barrel mounted between the frame and the slide, and a firing pin mechanism mounted in the slide. A trigger is mounted on the frame. A trigger bar and a sear are also provided. The trigger bar includes a generally planar surface extending between the ends of the trigger bar. The first end is connected to the trigger and the second end has a sear disconnect surface to engage and disengage a sear rotatably disposed in the frame that engages an end of the firing pin. A tab is disposed at an angle to the generally planar surface, where the tab has a top curved surface to slide along the arced cam surface of the slide as the slide moves.

Abstract: A semi-automatic pistol is provided having a barrel, a frame and a slide. The slide is adapted for linear motion along the frame during a firing sequence and has a forward end and a block end. The forward end has an upper cam follower surface and a lower cam follower surface on the inside surface adjacent to the barrel. The barrel has a ramp cam surface adjacent to the chamber end of the barrel to effect locking and unlocking of the barrel relative to the slide during the firing sequence, a bottom cam surface and a top cam surface. The bottom cam surface and the top cam surface extend from the front end toward the chamber end of the barrel and each have undulating surfaces that moves against the lower cam follower surfaces of the slide to cause oscillation of the barrel while the slide moves during the firing sequence.

Abstract: A firing pin stop disengagement mechanism is provided to aid in removal of the firing pin stop for a pistol. The mechanism includes a firing pin mechanism having a plunger having a groove and a rear end, and a pivoting lever having a first end having a pawl to engage the radial groove and rear end and a second end. The second end has an exposed surface to receive a force to raise the pawl from away from the plunger. When the disengagement mechanism is in a locked position, the pawl is engaged in the radial groove and the plunger is seated in an aperture in the stop. When the disengagement mechanism is in an unlocked position, the pawl is engaged on the rear end of the plunger, and the plunger is displaced toward the firing pin such that the plunger is disengaged from the aperture in the stop.

Abstract: A slide for a semi-automatic pistol is provided where the pistol has a frame, a slide mounted on the frame, a barrel mounted between the slide and the frame, and a magazine for feeding cartridges into the chamber of the barrel. The slide includes a front portion for receiving the barrel where the front portion has a breech face end, a block having an elongate passage for receiving a firing pin mechanism, and a cam surface extending from a lower surface of the block adjacent to the breech face end which functions as a feed ramp for feeding cartridges from the magazine to the chamber. The cam surface is a truncated hemispherical protuberance having a flat surface where the flat surface extends at an angle from the breech face. Positive contact between the breech face and the topmost cartridge is ensured during forward movement of the slide.

Abstract: A mode selection mechanism for a firearm is provided including a lever having an exposed surface and an inner surface and a pivot pin and a detent pin depending from the inner surface, the pivot pin extending through a orifice in the frame, the detent pin extending generally parallel to the pivot pin. The lever is pivotable from a first position to a second position about the pivot pin, wherein the detent pin moves in an arc-shaped aperture in the frame. A flexible stop includes an open ring of spring metal and is disposed in a ring orifice in the frame. The detent pin is disposed against the flexible stop wherein, as the lever is moved from the first position to the second position, the flexible stop compresses and then uncompresses thereby creating a detent.

Abstract: An ambidextrous magazine catch mechanism for a pistol includes a button in the pistol frame. The button has a W-shaped camming surface. A magazine has a catch aperture. A catch includes two upwardly disposed legs connected to one another. A first leg has a tooth to mate with the catch aperture. The first and second legs form a spring having an equilibrium position. When the first leg is pressed toward the second leg, an outward force on the first leg biases the catch toward the equilibrium position. The first leg has a W-shaped camming surface to mate with the camming surface of the button. The button has a neutral position, and a first and second depressed position. In the neutral position, the camming surface of the button mates with the camming surface of the first leg and the tooth is engaged in the aperture to secure the magazine.

Abstract: A friction hinge system for a laptop computer is provided. The system allows the computer display to move easily from a closed condition toward various operating angular positions while providing a greater torque for maintaining selected angular orientation. The system includes two or more bands wrapped in the same direction about a common shaft as well as a stop features for limiting the angle of rotation of each band relative to the shaft.

Abstract: A friction hinge system for a laptop computer is provided. The system allows the computer display to move easily from a closed condition toward various operating angular positions while providing a greater torque for maintaining selected angular orientation. The system includes two or more bands wrapped in the same direction about a common shaft as well as a stop features for limiting the angle of rotation of each band relative to the shaft.

Abstract: A friction hinge comprising a shaft and a band including a spring portion which is rotatable relative to the shaft and wrapped tightly about the shaft for providing frictional torque between the shaft and spring portion is provided. The shaft includes a contact member for engaging the spring portion when the spring portion is rotated in one of two rotational directions and reaches a selected rotational position with respect to the shaft. Further rotation of the shaft in that direction causes the spring portion to loosen about the shaft.

Abstract: Our invention achieves the pop-up action by the innovative modification of hardware elements that are already present in devices having rotatable displays that require accurate positioning for good viewing. Friction hinges are ordinarily used both to attach the display to the base and to maintain the position of the display during use. Our invention uses the same springs both to produce the friction and the force needed for the pop-up action. An additional benefit of our invention is that, as the pop-up action takes place, the frictional torque is greatly reduced, thereby facilitating the pop-up motion.

Abstract: A friction hinge is provided, comprising a shaft and a band frictionally wrapped about the shaft, wherein the band is formed with a pair of annular slits for defining a pair of outside annular members and an inside annular finger disposed between the slits, the finger being circularly wrapped about the shaft such that the finger is matingly received within an annular undercut formed along the shaft.