Sear Lock Patents (Class 42/70.05)
  • Patent number: 7096618
    Abstract: A pistol with a magazine disconnect mechanism that disables the pistol's discharge capability when the magazine is removed. The pistol may generally include a frame that holds a magazine, a hammer pivotally mounted to the frame, and a sear engageable with the hammer. The sear is operable to hold the hammer in a cocked position and further to release the hammer from the cocked position to discharge the pistol. A locking member may be provided that is movable into and out of engagement with the sear in response to removing the magazine from and inserting the magazine into the pistol. The locking member engages the sear when the magazine is removed to prevent the sear from moving and releasing the hammer while held in the cocked position by the sear. A trigger interlock is also provided in which the trigger prevents the magazine from being removed when the trigger has been partially pulled by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
    Inventor: James McGarry
  • Patent number: 7030729
    Abstract: An electromechanical safety for weapons (1), provided with a mechanical safety device, includes a base electronic unit, actuating an electromechanical transducer (2) acting on the safety mechanical device, and a transponder (5), the base unit providing a central control and processing unit, connected with a transceiver unit (4), continuously transmitting an enquiry signal, able to talk with the transponder (5), when the latter is within the transmission range of the transceiver unit (4), the transponder (5) having no power supply and receiving the power necessary to its operation from the signal transmitted by the transceiver unit (4), said at least one transponder (5) transmits, an identification code and the base unit actuates the electromechanical transducer (2) in such a way to release the safety mechanical device when receives an identification code corresponding to a code stored in the base unit and actuating the electromechanical transducer (2) in such a way to insert the safety mechanical device as so
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Inventors: Luciano Albanesi, Benedetto Ottavi
  • Patent number: 6817131
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device for firearms with a firing pin lock to prevent the unintended unlocking of the firearm. The safety device comprises a rotatable safety shaft connected to the firing pin lock with locking surfaces. The safety shaft is adjustable in at least two positions for locking at least the firing pin. The safety shaft, while securing the weapon, is fixed in such a way that any force applied to the safety wing cannot result in movement of either the safety wing or the safety shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Inventor: Gottfried Prechtl
  • Patent number: 6640478
    Abstract: A firing mechanism for firearms, in particular a firing mechanism for automatic firearms, without preadjustmnent with regard to the choice of firing single rounds or bursts of fire, whereby a firing link provided with firing edge and arranged around a rotational axis, a lever arm being able to become influenced by the firing edge, which lever arm is present in a spring joint with a lever link, whereby said lever link is present in a spring joint in relation to a sear which carries one or more holding teeth for a bolt, whereby the lever arm/lever link are arranged around a further rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Bertil Johansson
  • Patent number: 6612063
    Abstract: In a weapon, in particular a self-loading pistol, having a barrel (1) and a breech block (4), it being possible for a cartridge (2) to be fired in the barrel (1) by being acted upon by means of a firing pin (7), to identify a fired cartridge (2) and/or to increase the precision during the shot, a contact region (10) of the breech block (4) with the cartridge (2) has at least one prominence (11) and/or recess (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Sigg
  • Patent number: 6588136
    Abstract: A fire control system with a decocking lever that operates to decock the hammer and also as a safety. The fire control system also has a magazine safety to complement the decocking lever's dual functions. The magazine safety is in the “safety on” position when a magazine is not fully seated in the magazine well and in the “safety off” position when the magazine is fully seated. In one embodiment, rotating the decocking lever by lifting one of the thumb tabs applies the safety if the hammer is cocked and rotating the decocking lever in the other direction causes the sear to release the hammer but catch it before it reaches the firing pin. In an alternate embodiment, the decocking lever can be used as a safety regardless of whether the hammer is cocked or not. Further rotation lower a cocked hammer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Inventors: Richard L Baker, Eric T Myers
  • Patent number: 6560909
    Abstract: A manual safety system for reducing the chances of inadvertent discharge of a linear striker fired semi-automatic or automatic pistol equipped with the system. An otherwise conventional pistol is modified by structural changes in the trigger mechanism housing and by the addition of a trigger bar guide, a manually movable safety lever, a pressure plate and a spring. The trigger bar guide and safety lever are mounted to the trigger mechanism housing for linear and pivotal movement, respectively. A portion of the conventional trigger bar, which must be moved in order to effect firing movement of the trigger, is engaged with and blocked by the trigger bar guide which in turn is engaged and blocked by a portion of the safety lever. In order to unblock and enable the firing system, the safety lever is moved by applying pressure to a tab serving as a thumb rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Inventor: Joseph Cominolli
  • Patent number: 6550176
    Abstract: This invention concerns a perfected mechanical safety device for firearms such as automatic shotguns equipped with a safety device in the under-barrel grip where the safety device includes at least one safety pin or rod (11) that is axially moveable between an active position of disabling use of the firearm and an inactive position of enabling use of the firearm and, in association with his safety pin, at least one spring-loaded selector element (13, 14) that defines the said active and inactive positions of the safety pin, alternately, characterized by a safety body turning around an axis intersecting the moving direction of the safety pin between a position of locking the safety pin, thus inhibiting its movement from the active to inactive position, and unlocking it to permit movement from the active to the inactive position, the said safety body being enabled by a specific control key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A.
    Inventor: Ugo Gussalli Beretta
  • Patent number: 6415542
    Abstract: A firearm, program product and method collectively utilize an on-board location sensor (e.g., a GPS receiver) and stored location information to selectively inhibit discharge of a firearm based on the current location of the firearm. Location information identifying one or more prohibited locations is stored in the firearm (typically in an on-board memory). A controller on-board the firearm then accesses the location sensor to determine a current location for the firearm, and selectively inhibits the discharge of the firearm if the current location is proximate any prohibited location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Lee Bates, Eric John Nelson, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 6343429
    Abstract: An inertia-resistant preventer mechanism is provided for use in a firearm safety enhancement system to reliably and selectably prevent or to unblock a firing mechanism of a firearm. The inertia-resistant preventer mechanism includes a first solenoid having a moveable blocking rod with a first actuation response speed. The blocking rod is normally interposed in the firearm to prevent activation of the firing mechanism and is selectably activated to unblock the firing mechanism. A second solenoid is also included, having a second blocking rod with a second actuation response speed equal to or faster than the response speed of the first solenoid. The second blocking rod of the second solenoid is normally interposed at an angle to the first solenoid to block the first blocking rod of the first solenoid against accidental unblocking caused by inertia and relative movement of the firearm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mossberg Group, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Mossberg, George E. Kluwe, Kevin F. Kinion, Robert Safford
  • Publication number: 20010032405
    Abstract: A module having a housing, a battery, control circuitry and electrical conductors. The battery and control circuitry are contained in the housing. The housing is adapted to be removably connected to the frame of a firearm. The electrical conductors are located on the housing and allow the battery and control circuit to be electrically connected to other components of the firearm. The housing can be connected at a hand grip section of the firearm and forms a substantial portion of at least one exterior side of the firearm at the hand grip section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventor: Kevin A. Kaminski
  • Patent number: 6305113
    Abstract: The barrel (2) and the breech (8) are coaxially screw mounted within a tubular casing (9), and therefore said casing (9) not only stands as an interconnection between these elements, but reinforces the same substantially, allowing the use of more tilan one gunpowder pellet (16), a throttling (13) being established between the two casing (9) are at which the nipple assembly (15) is located on said casing, being thus laterally arranged. The rifle may thus, with the classic lateral nipple assembly, be easily taken down to be cleaned. lt is moreover fitted with an additional safety (36) which allows the cocked position with safety to be fall silently changed to the cocked position without safety, which is particularly appropriate when the rifle is used as a hunting weapon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Ardesa, S.A.
    Inventor: Angel Calvete
  • Patent number: 6301815
    Abstract: A gun and a base unit such that the gun cannot be fired unless the gun comes in close contact with the base unit and the base unit determines that an authorized person is holding the gun and interfacing with the base unit. The base unit pre-records and stores characteristics of authorized persons and unauthorized person and compares these data with the person interfacing with the base unit. The gun must be gripped to be activated by the base unit and if it is put down, the gun is no longer capable of being fired. The base unit can use multiple means of identifying an individual and a process is described for combining the results from the multiple sources to determine if a person is an authorized person above a selectable threshold of probability. The base unit can also develop a probability that the person attempting to use the gun is a specified unauthorized person. Thresholds of being an authorized person or not being an unauthorized person can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven M. Sliwa
  • Patent number: 6266909
    Abstract: A pistol includes a frame; a slide mounted on the frame for forward and rearward motions relative to the frame to assume a forward, basic position and a rearward, pulled-back position; a firing pin mounted in the slide for forward and rearward motions relative to the slide; a firing pin catch affixed to the firing pin and movable therewith as a rigid unit; a firing pin spring mounted in the slide and urging the firing pin in a forward direction; a trigger movably supported in the frame; a trigger rail coupled to the trigger for executing a triggering motion when the trigger is pulled; and a sear for operatively connecting the trigger rail with the firing pin catch such that during forward motion of the slide the sear arrests and holds the firing pin catch whereby the firing pin spring is armed and that upon pulling the trigger, the sear is moved away from the firing pin catch by the trigger rail for allowing the firing pin to accelerate forwardly as urged by the firing pin spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: SIG Arms International AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Fuchs, Michael Osterrath
  • Patent number: 6237271
    Abstract: A module having a housing, a battery, control circuitry and electrical conductors. The battery and control circuitry are contained in the housing. The housing is adapted to be removably connected to the frame of a firearm. The electrical conductors are located on the housing and allow the battery and control circuit to be electrically connected to other components of the firearm. The housing can be connected at a hand grip section of the firearm and forms a substantial portion of at least one exterior side of the firearm at the hand grip section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin A. Kaminski
  • Patent number: 6219952
    Abstract: A firearm safety enhancement system is provided for enabling use of a firearm only by an authorized individual. At least one electrically activated preventer is provided having a first position for preventing use of firearm and having a second position for enabling use of the firearm. An electrical activation circuit is operatively connected to the preventer to move the preventer between the first and second positions. A portable power supply is carried in said firearm and is coupled to the activation circuit for providing power. A power signal transmitter is operatively connected to the power supply for transmitting an electromagnetic power signal at a regular frequency. A passive identification tag is mounted to a personal adornment to be carried or worn by an individual and is preprogrammed with an authorized identification code preselected from a large number of available identification codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Mossberg, George E. Kluwe, Kevin F. Kinion