Assisted Short-Throw Safety Selector for Firearm
Provided is an assisted short-throw safety selector for switching the firearm between a FIRE position and a SAFE position. The selector is interchangeable with any standard short-through safety selector and differs from the conventional selectors of this type by having a profiled camming surface that guides the spring-loaded safety detent. This profiled surface is modified so that in switching between the SAFE and FIRE positions the detent automatically falls into the FIRE position after passing through an inflection point of the profiled surface. For this purpose the FIRE position dimple is located at a lower level than the SAFE position dimple. The rapid fall automatic fall of the detent into the FIRE position dimple occurs after rotation of the selector by 80° to 20°, preferably 50° to 30°.
The present invention relates to a firearm safety selector switch, and more particularly, to an assisted short-throw safety selector for firearm such as an AR15 rifle, M4-type firearm, or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn standard firearms of latest designs a safety selector switch can replace a conventional selector switch without need in modifications to the firearm receiver. A significant aspect of these rifles is the designed and specified interchangeability of the rifle's individual components, and each manufacturer of the firearm may produce its products to meet these interchangeability specifications.
A position of a typical interchangeable selector safety switch on a conventional firearm is shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The safety selector 26 is shown as a one-sided member of a unitary or assembled construction with one lever 102. There exist two-sided versions for the safety selectors where the handles of the selector are installed on both sides of the same selector core.
In addition to the lever 102 and the selector core 114, the safety selector 26 (
As seen in
In conventional firearms the aforementioned angular distance between the dimples 164 and 166 is normally about 90 degrees apart (see
Firearms use a safety selector to switch from SAFE to FIRE and from FIRE to full auto fire (not shown). Conventionally, If SAFE is at 0 degrees, FIRE would be at about 90 degrees and FULL AUTO is at about 180 degrees. The firearm will have written or visual indicators to show where the selector is currently positioned. However, practice showed that having to move the selector from 0 degrees to 90 degrees is not efficient for rapid engagement situations. To resolve this issue, companies have started producing what are called short throw selectors. These selectors disengage safety at a reduced degree, for example 45 degrees, 60 degrees, etc. These modified selectors resolve the issue of having to move the selector from 0 degrees all the way to 90 degrees, but create a safety issue because when such replacement selectors are inserted into the receiver of a standard firearm, the selectors no longer match the indicators on the firearm. For example, when a short throw 45 degree safety selector is engaged, in the existing firearm the indicator will point to a location between the SAFE or FIRE positions and even though the selector is not in the FIRE position, the firearm may discharge a round.
Keeping the above problem in mind, the inventor herein developed an assisted short-throw safety selector that allows the operator to move the safety selector from 0 degrees, e.g., to about 45 degrees, and the safety selector will continue to move the rest of the way to about 90 degrees automatically without the assistance of the operator. The invention solves several issues: it resolves the issue of having to move the safety selector from 0 degrees to about 90 degrees, and it utilizes existing markings on the firearm to ensure proper use of the safe and fire indicators.
The above object is achieved by modifying the path of safety selector so as to assist the spring-loaded selector detent to automatically complete the about 90 degree position.
More specifically, the path of the standard spring-loaded selector detent has dimples where the spring-loaded selector detent rests. When the lever is moved from the SAFE position to the FIRE position, the spring-loaded selector detent is pushed out of the dimple of the SAFE position, travels an even or uneven grade path and then sharply falls into a dimple of a FIRE position which is located deeper in the body of the safety selector than the dimple of the SAFE position.
The device of the invention has a path for the fire spring-loaded selector detent which is modified as compared to the path of the conventional spring-loaded selector detent. When the lever of the selector is moved from the SAFE position to the FIRE position, the spring-loaded selector detent is pushed out of the SAFE-position dimple, travels an even or semi even grade path about half of the way and then begins to fall at a steep angle towards the deeper FIRE-position dimple that is located at a level lower from the surface of the guiding portion than the dimple for the SAFE position. In other words, when the user starts switching the safety selector from the SAFE position to the FIRE position, the spring-loaded spring-loaded selector detent automatically snaps in the respective deeper dimple after rotation of the selector's lever from about 20 to 80 degrees.
The present invention relates to a firearm safety selector switch, and more particularly to an assisted short-throw safety selector for firearm such as an AR15 rifle, M4-type firearm, or the like.
Since the firearm safety'selector of the invention is interchangeable with the conventional safety selectors designed for the standard firearms of the same type, in general they are the same in sight and configuration as conventional devices of this type, except for depth of the dimples and the profile of the surface used for guiding spring-loaded selector detent between the FIRE and SAFE positions. Therefore there is no need to repeat the positions and functions of the safety selector of the invention since they are the same as has been described with reference to the prior-art device.
In the following description, the parts and components of the safety selector 100 of the present invention shown in
As mentioned above, the safety selector 100 of the invention is shown in
The profile of the guiding surface 168a (
When the handle 102a (102b) (
Thus, the safety selector 100 of the invention has a modified path for movement of the fire spring-loaded selector detent 72. In other words, when the user starts switching the safety selector 100 from the SAFE position to the FIRE position, the spring-loaded selector detent 72 (
It is understood that the safety selector 100 of the invention does not demand any changes in the shape or structure of the receiver 12, and positions of marks SAFE and FIRE remains the same as in
Although the invention was described with reference to specific example and illustrated in specific drawings, it is understood that these examples should not be construed as limitative and that any changes and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the attached patent claims. For example, the application of the safety switch selector of the invention is not limited by firearm such as an AR15 rifle, M4-type firearm and can be employed for fire arms of other types for which it may be appropriate. The selector may comprise an assembly rather than a monolithic part. Furthermore, although the description relates to switching of the safety selector from the SAFE position to the FIRE position, the same principle is applicable for switching of the safety selector from the FIRE position to FULL auto position shown in
Claims
1. An assisted short-throw safety selector for firearm having a receiver with at least a FIRE position and a SAFE position, a trigger for engagement with the short-throw safety selector, and a spring-loaded safety detent for fixing the assisted short-throw safety selector selectively at least in a first indexing position and in a second indexing position, the assisted short-throw safety selector comprising:
- an integral cylindrical body having one end with a first support portion, another end with a second support portion, and a selector core between the first support portion and the second supporting portion for engagement with the trigger;
- an indexing features on at least one of said support portions for engagement with the spring-loaded safety detent, the indexing features comprising: a guiding surface for engagement with the spring-loaded safety detent, the guide surface having at least a first dimple for fixing the spring-loaded safety detent in the SAFE position and the second dimple for fixing the spring-loaded safety detent in the FIRE position, wherein the first dimple is located deeper in the integral cylindrical body of the safety selector than the dimple of the SAFE position.
2. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 1, which is interchangeable with a standard assisted short-throw safety selector for firearm having a receiver with at least a FIRE position and a SAFE position, a trigger for engagement With the short-throw safety selector, and a spring-loaded safety detent for fixing the assisted short-throw safety selector selectively at least in a first indexing position and in a second indexing position.
3. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 2, wherein between the first dimple and the second dimple the guiding surface has a convex camming profiled portion that comprises an ascending portion, a descending portion, and an inflection portion between the ascending portion and descending portion.
4. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 3, wherein the safety detent has a longitudinal axis, the throw safety selector has a center of rotation, and an angle between the longitudinal axis of the selector detent, when the detent is snapped in the second dimple, and a radial line that extends from the center of rotation of the safety selector to the inflection point is in the range of 80° to 20°.
5. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 1, wherein the guiding surface comprises an ascending portion, an inflection portion, and a descending portion,
6. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 5, which is interchangeable with a standard assisted short-throw safety selector for firearm having a receiver with at least a FIRE position and a SAFE position, a trigger for engagement with the short-throw safety selector, and a spring-loaded safety detent for fixing the assisted short-throw safety selector selectively at least in a first indexing position and in a second indexing position.
7. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 6, wherein between the first dimple and the second dimple the guiding surface has a convex camming profiled portion that comprises an ascending portion, a descending portion, and an inflection portion between the ascending portion and descending portion.
8. The assisted short-throw safety selector of claim 7, wherein the safety detent has a longitudinal axis, the throw safety selector has a center of rotation, and an angle between the longitudinal axis of the selector detent, when the detent is snapped in the second dimple, and a radial line that extends from the center of rotation of the safety selector to the inflection point is in the range of 80° to 20°.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 8, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 13, 2017
Inventor: Alex Iosilevsky (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 14/878,402