Abstract:
A trigger locking safety device is disclosed having two side blocks, one of the side blocks having a locking pin affixed thereto. The locking pin is inserted into a hole in the other side block and the pin is held therein by a latch structure affixed to the end of a key lock tumbler rotatably located in that side block. Spacers inserted onto the pin take up the space between the side blocks and mate appropriately with a gun trigger guard and trigger to block the trigger from movement. Different spacers can be provided to conform with different trigger guard and trigger arrangements, allowing one side block and locking pin arrangement to be useable with a variety of gun types.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a firearm safety lock apparatus, and more particularly, to a trigger blocking structure for rendering a firearm inoperable by unauthorized persons such as adolescents and children. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Thousand of handguns, shotguns and rifles are purchased every year by citizens for use in sporting events, such as hunting or trap and skeet shooting, or for use in home protection. Typically, guns are stored at one&#39;s home or apartment in drawers, closets or even under the bed. While a minority of gun owners have gun safes to store their guns, most guns owners store their guns in unlocked areas of the home accessible to others dwelling there. As such, guns provide a danger to children or adolescents whose curiosity may lead them to find and play with a gun. While adults may believe that guns are safely put away, children and adolescents always seem to find them, and as a result, fatalities and injuries resulting from the accidental discharge of firearms, particularly by children, has become problematic. In response to this rise of this danger, the U.S. Congress and many state legislative bodies throughout the country are considering enacting legislation requiring that each new purchaser of a gun be accompanied by the purchase of a suitable lock. 
     Conventional gun locking devices typically clamp around the trigger guard of the gun to prevent access to the trigger, such as the devices shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,158 “Trigger Guard for a Firearm”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,681 “Security Device for Firearms”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,281 “Gun Trigger Lock” and U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,945 “Universal Self-Conforming Trigger Lock for Firearms”. Other conventional gun locking devices are designed to immobilize the trigger as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,360 “Gun Lock”. Some gun lock devices have been developed without key locking arrangements to allow quick access to the gun by adults but rendered safe against children who may gain access to the gun, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,221 “Gun Lock Using Manual Pressure” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,119 “Gun Trigger Blocking Structure” assigned to the assignee of the present invention. 
     Many of these prior art gun locking devices are constructed to fit only one type of gun, and therefore with the variety of guns available today, lack versatility needed to meet consumer demands. Other gun locking devices, while providing some versatility, have complex structural arrangements with a significant number of parts adding to complexity and cost of the gun lock. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,945 discloses a trigger lock with two complementary side elements which are compressed together around the gun trigger guard by a complex internal ratchet lever locking mechanism in the locking assemblage. The side elements carry a plurality of spaced-apart yieldable plungers in proximity to the trigger and guard to prevent shifting or movement of the lock assembly. Another rather complex arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,681 which discloses a fire arm security device with a pair of opposed trigger guard covers, one of the covers having an elongate protruding housing containing a latching portion of a latch member and the other cover formed with an opening in which is disposed a catch member adapted to engage and retain the latching portion when the covers are pressed together. The latch member may be moved out of engagement with the catch member to release the covers by means of a manual actuator which is controlled by a combination lock contained in the cover. 
     These described gun lock devices require a significant number of parts including complex key locking and latching arrangements. A reliable gun locking arrangement that has less parts and that is easy and cost effective to manufacture, yet provides simplicity and versatility would be an advancement in the gun locking art. It would further be an advantage in the art to provide a gun locking device that can be applied to a number of different types of guns and can be readily removed by an authorized user, but reliably prevents unauthorized use by children or adolescents. The present invention provides such a device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a gun trigger blocking device that prevents access to the trigger of a gun when the gun is not in use. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide such a gun trigger blocking device that is adaptable to a variety of handguns, rifles or shotguns. 
     A further object of is to provide a gun trigger blocking device with few parts that is simple to manufacture, and easy for the user to assemble to a gun. 
     Still another object is to provide a gun trigger blocking device that prevents tampering by children and adolescents, protecting them from injury to themselves or others. 
     The invention broadly provides a gun locking arrangement for preventing unauthorized use of a firearm, including two opposed side block halves, one of the side block halves having a latch pin, and the other side block half having a hole for receiving the end portion of the latch pin and further having a latching arrangement for clasping onto the end of the latch pin to hold the side block halves in fixed spaced apart relationship. Plastic or rubber spacers or gaskets placed on the inside of the side block halves take up any space between the side block halves and the trigger guard. At least one of the spacers may include one or more tabs or protrusions which extend inwardly about the trigger or trigger guard to inhibit the trigger from moving. One or more spacers can be used on each side of the trigger guard depending on the particular gun being locked. As an alternative to the use of the spacers to block movement of the trigger dowel, pins selectively positioned between the side blocks may be used to prevent trigger movement. 
     Additional features of the invention may include a key lock cylinder arrangement mounted in the side block halves for receiving the latch pin, which key lock cylinder arrangement has a pivotal post at one end thereof. The end portion of the latch pin has a post retaining means for receiving and holding the post when key lock cylinder arrangement is turned to its locked position thereby locking the latch pin in the hole of the side block. By rotating the key lock cylinder arrangement to its unlocked position, the post releases the end portion of the latch pin allowing the latch pin to be withdrawn from the hole and the side block halves to be removed from the firearm. 
     The device is simple to apply to and remove from a gun, but affords reliable security against use of the gun by unauthorized individuals. The plastic spacers also provide a versatile trigger lock that is adaptable to trigger guards and triggers of various shapes, sizes and arrangements providing applicability to a variety of gun types. 
     The construction and operation of preferred embodiments of a gun trigger blocking device of the present invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like components are designated by the same primed or double primed reference numbers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled gun trigger blocking device in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the gun trigger blocking device secured around the trigger of a revolver (shown in phantom) with a trigger movement blocking latch pin and tab for preventing forward and rearward movement of the trigger; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded (partially assembled) view of both body members (or side block halves) and four spacers elements of the gun trigger blocking device similar to FIG. 1, shown partially in section; 
     FIG. 3 a  is a view of the body member with latch pin in FIG. 2, rotated 90 degrees to show its latching portion; 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the gun trigger blocking device, similar to FIG. 3, in assembled condition with the key inserted in the cylinder lock and the cylinder in its unlocked position; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the gun trigger blocking device with the key turning the cylinder to engage the latching post over the latch portion of the latch pin thereby locking the device; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the end of the latch pin with the latching post rotated to release the latch pin; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the end of the latch pin with the latching post rotated to block withdrawal of the latch pin; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the spacer elements with a tab for blocking rearward movement of a trigger; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another spacer element with tabs for grasping a trigger guard of a gun; 
     FIG. 10 is diagrammatic view of the gun trigger blocking device secured around the trigger of a revolver (shown in phantom) with the spacer element tabs (shown in FIG. 9) grasping the trigger guard and latch pin preventing movement of the trigger; 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of the body members shown partially in section, illustrating another preferred embodiment of a latching arrangement; 
     FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of one of the body members taken along lines  12 — 12  of FIG. 11, showing the key and lock cylinder rotated in position to secure the latch pin in one of the body members; 
     FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view looking along lines  13 — 13  of FIG. 11, showing the cylinder lock latching tab engaging the latch pin securing the latch pin in the body member; 
     FIG. 14 shows the cylinder latching tab rotated 90 degrees thereby disengaging the latch pin for removal; 
     FIG. 15 is a partially broken away and sectional bottom view of a gun trigger blocking device secured around the trigger of a gun showing dowel pins positioned for securing the trigger and trigger guard in fixed position between the block halves; and 
     FIG. 16 is an exploded view of one of the block halves, showing its plastic side cover and two dowel pins for insertion into the block half. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularity to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the gun trigger blocking device  18  in accordance with the principles of the invention including first and second body members or side block halves  20  and  22 , respectively, in assembled condition. The side block halves are typically made of a metal material such as aluminum which is easily cast or machined yet strong and durable. The first body member  20  has a conventional key lock cylinder or tumbler  24  disposed therein. A locking latch pin  26  is mounted in the second body member  22  and received in a hole  28  (see FIG. 3) in the first body member  20 . Two spacers or gaskets  30  and  32  are seated on the inner surface  40  of first body member  20 , while a single spacer  38  is seated on the inner surface  42  of the second body member  22 . While three spacer are shown in this embodiment, any number of spacers from two spacers or more can be used, which will depend on the trigger guard and trigger arrangement of the particular gun. The spacers seat over the trigger guard and trigger of a gun to block access to the trigger and/or hold the trigger in place as shown in FIG.  2 . In FIG. 2, a tab  37  on the spacer  38  seats behind the trigger and on the trigger guard blocking rearward movement of the trigger. The locking latch pin  26  also inhibits access to the trigger. 
     The spacers are typically made of a plastic material, such as neoprene, which is sufficiently strong to prevent tampering with the trigger but will not mar the gun or its finish. The spacers are typically similarly sized in length and width to match the extent of the inner surface of the side block halves but may vary in thickness depending upon the particular geometry of the gun to be locked. Furthermore, additional spacers can be easily added to the pin to take up more space if needed. Advantageously, the one pair of side blocks and pin can accommodate a variety of different guns with the space between the side blocks being taken up by spacers of varying numbers and/or thickness. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the four spacers or gaskets  30 - 36  illustrated in this figure have holes  38  through which the locking latch pin  26  is inserted. Hole  38  are sized so that the plastic spacers seat snugly on the pin. In this particular embodiment, three spacers  30 - 34  are seated against the first body member  20  and one spacer  36  is seated against the second body member  22 . The locking latch pin  26  further extends through hole  28  in first body member  20 . The distal end of the pin is provided with a latch structure or latch means which in this particular embodiment takes the form of two latch wings  44  and  48 , also shown in FIG. 3 a , which wings have an elongated V-shaped opening or slot  50  therebetween. The latch pin  26  defines a longitudinal axis x—x as shown in FIG. 3. A lateral groove  47  is formed between the high points of the wings  47 ,  48  and the portion  49  of the pin adjacent the proximal end of the slot as shown. FIG. 4 shows the locking latch pin  26  fully inserted into the hole  28  of the first body member  20 . The latch wings are slidably inserted around post  52  which extends out of and along the longitudinal axis of the tumbler  24 . On the post  52  is a T-portion  54  which is shown in FIG. 4 as rotated to align with the elongated opening  50 . 
     In the locked position, the side blocks  20  and  22  are held in a fixed spaced apart relationship, i.e., a predetermined distance apart. The spacers such as  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  38  fill in any gaps between the blocking sides  20 ,  22  and the side of the trigger guard of the gun. 
     The key lock cylinder or tumbler  24  is mounted in a cylindrical stepped bore  56 . This bore  56  has a groove  58  which receives a spring biased tumbler pin  60  thereby holding the tumbler in the stepped bore  56 . A key, which withdraws the tumbler pin  60 , when inserted into the key lock, may be used during the manufacturing process to initially insert the key lock cylinder into the bore  56 . Once the key is withdrawn, the tumbler pin  60  moves outwardly into the groove  58  to maintain the key lock in place. The tumbler also carries a plurality of transverse tumbler pins  25  (FIG. 3) which actuate upon inserting the proper key to allow the cylinder lock to turn. The tumbler  24  may be turned within the bore  56 , from its unlocked position (first angular position) illustrated in FIG. 4, through an angle of 90 degrees to its locked position (second angular position) illustrated in FIG. 5, by means of key  62 . Once the tumbler is in its locked position, the key  62  may be removed from the tumbler. 
     As can readily be seen in FIG. 5, when the key is rotated to turn the tumbler, the post  52  on the end of the tumbler is rotated 90 degrees such that its T-portion  54  swivels to block the latch wings  44  and  48  and thus withdrawal of the locking latch pin  26 . The latching arrangement is shown with more particularity in FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIG. 6, the post  52  seats in the slotted opening  50  with the T-portion  54  aligned with the slotted opening. The post and its T-portion is sized and shaped to slide between the two latch wings  44  and  48  in this position. In FIG. 7, the tumbler  24  is rotated to turn the post and its T-portion perpendicular to the slotted opening and the longitudinal axis of the locking latch pin, thereby in front of the latch wings  44  and  48 , effectively blocking the T-portion. The locking latch pin is therefore blocked from movement and withdrawal. 
     A variety of spacers are possible to accommodate different trigger guard and trigger arrangements. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two such spacers. In FIG. 8, spacer  36  has a hole  38  for slidable inserting the spacer over a locking latch pin and against one of the side block halves. This spacer  36  is essentially flat with a tab protrusions or nub portion  37  at one end which is shaped and sized to sit behind a trigger within the trigger guard to keep the trigger from moving rearwardly. This spacer is shown assembled in the trigger lock of FIG.  1  and FIG.  2 . The spacer  35  in FIG. 9 has two opposed tabs or nubs  37  and  39  which in operation receive a trigger guard of a gun (shown in phantom) in FIG.  10 . The side block halves with the spacers along with the locking latch pin shown in FIG. 10 block access to the trigger of the gun. 
     FIGS. 11-14 illustrate another preferred embodiment of the latch pin and tumbler locking arrangement for the gun trigger blocking device. In FIG. 11, the first body member  20 ′ has the conventional key lock cylinder  24 ′ and the second body member  22 ′ carries the latch pin  26 ′. The locking latch pin  26 ′ extends into the first body member  20 ′ with the key  62 ′ and tumbler  24 ′ shown in the locked position (second angular position). In this locked position, offset tab or peg  70  on the end of the tumbler  24 ′ seats in transverse groove  72  located on the distal end of the locking latch pin  26 ′. When seated in the groove, the offset tab prevents movement of the locking latch pin as shown with more particularity in FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 14 illustrates the tumbler  24 ′ turned from its locked position (FIG. 13) through an angle of 90 degrees to its unlocked position (first angular position), which is accomplished by means of turning key  62 . This rotates offset tab  70  out of groove  72 , and accordingly, the locking latch pin  26 ′ can be removed from the first body member. 
     As an alternative to the spacers or gaskets described hereinabove, dowel pins  80 , made of steel, for example, may be selectively positioned in various pin holes  82  in one of the side block halves  22 ″ and seat up against the inner side  40 ″ of the other side block  20 ″. In order to accommodate different widths of trigger guards and to protect the gun from marring, plastic side pads or covers  84  and  86  are positioned over the inner sides  40 ″ and  42 ″ of the block halves  20 ″ and  22 ″, which side covers are held more securely in place by lips  88  which extend over the inner edges of the side block halves. Side covers  84  and  86  each have a plurality of pin holes  90 , matched to the pin holes in side block half  22 ″. It should be noted that additional pads or covers may be used to accommodate very wide trigger guards. The dowel pins  80  can be positioned about the gun trigger to prevent trigger movement and to aid in positioning of the gun trigger blocking device relative to the trigger and trigger finger guard. Sufficient pin holes  82  may be provided in the block half  22 ″ (and side covers  84  and  86 ) to provide an adequate range of placement of the dowel pins  80  to suit a variety of guns with different trigger guard and trigger arrangements. As an additional security device, a security chain or cable  98 , connected to one of the dowel pins  80 , extends to solid connection with a fixed in place fixture (detail not shown) to deter theft of the gun. 
     There has thus been described an improved gun trigger locking device that is simple yet versatile. The novel gun locking device requires few parts thus saving manufacturing costs. Various modifications to the gun trigger locking device will occur to persons skilled in the art without involving any departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.