Abstract:
Handgun safety devices may prevent the loading of ammunition into a handgun. The safety devices may be inserted into a barrel of a handgun. The safety devices may extend into a firing chamber of the handgun to prevent a bullet from entering the chamber, or to prevent cylinder from rotating in a revolver. An end of the safety device may be configured to resemble the end of the barrel of the handgun. The safety devices may prevent a child, or someone unfamiliar with a handgun, from accidentally loading and discharging a gun. The safety devices may also allow a user of the gun who is familiar with the safety devices the ability to quickly remove the safety device and use the gun.

Description:
Priority is claimed with regard to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/105,270, filed on Oct. 22, 1998, and now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to the field of firearms and firearm safety devices, particularly handgun safety devices. 
     2. Description of the Relevant Art 
     The most widely used gun locks are designed as two piece devices that snap together over a trigger guard and prevent access to the trigger. These devices typically use a pin and tumbler mechanism and are opened by a key. A drawback to this type of lock is the time required to find a key, unlock the guard and then possibly load the gun. In an emergency situation there may not be enough time to perform all these steps. 
     Another type of lock is exemplified by the SPEED RELEASE GUN LOCK™, which is a trigger guard lock that does not require a key. This device utilizes an electronic lock, and an activation button that lights a touchpad for a digital security code that unlocks the device. Again, in an emergency situation, it may not be desirable to have to turn on a lighted keypad and remember a security code. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problems outlined above may in large part be solved by a safety device that resides within a barrel of a handgun during use. The safety devices described herein are inexpensive and simple to operate. The safety devices may be removed quietly and instantly in total darkness and without a key. The safety devices described herein are able to prevent a child or someone unfamiliar with a handgun from accidentally firing the gun, but allow the owner of the gun to quickly remove the safety device, if needed. 
     A safety device may be designed to slide into a barrel of a handgun and into a chamber. During use, the device projects into the chamber aligned with the barrel and either prevents the cylinder from rotating in a revolver, or the device prevents a bullet from entering the chamber in a semi-automatic handgun. In certain embodiments, the device may be designed so that a rod may slide directly into a chamber of a revolver and prevent the cylinder from rotating. For example, a casing for the device may be attached to the face of a gun so that the interior of the casing aligns with a chamber in the cylinder. A rod in the casing may then be projected into that cylinder, either when the chamber is empty or when the chamber contains a bullet, as long as the rod projects far enough into the chamber to inhibit rotation of the cylinder. As described below, the rod may be configured to conform to the nose of a bullet so that the rod may more easily project into a chamber that contains a bullet during use. 
     Alternative embodiments of safety devices may be designed with two pieces and a force applying member (spring) positioned between the two members. During use, the device is placed in the barrel of a pistol and a smaller diameter piece is held at least partially inside a larger diameter piece. When used in a revolver, the smaller diameter piece is pushed into the chamber and prevents rotation of the cylinder. This type of device is effective when the chamber is empty, and is also effective when a bullet is present in the chamber. In either case, as long as the rod or tube projects into the chamber, rotation of the cylinder is prevented and the gun is disarmed. In certain embodiments, an end of the rod may be spring loaded to allow the device to fit within the barrel of a gun when a round of ammunition is loaded in the gun. A spring-loaded device is also effective for use in a semi-automatic handgun. When the semi-automatic is cocked by moving the extractor out of the chamber in order to move a bullet into the chamber, the spring pushes the smaller piece of the safety device into the chamber as the extractor is withdrawn, thus preventing a bullet from entering the chamber. 
     To disarm a gun, a user may place a safety device within the barrel of the gun. The safety device may be secured to the barrel of the gun by a mechanism which may be, but is not limited to, a spring clip, a cap, and an expansion gasket which forms a friction fit with the barrel. To return the gun to a usable condition, the user may remove the safety device from the gun barrel. After removal of the safety device from the barrel of the gun, the gun may be cocked and/or fired. 
     In an embodiment, the end of the safety device may be configured to resemble the end of a barrel of a gun. The end of the safety device that resembles the end of the barrel may include a structure that resembles the sight of the handgun. Also, the end of the safety device that resembles the end of the barrel may include a bore that resembles the barrel of the gun. When a safety device which resembles the end of a barrel of a gun is installed in the barrel of the gun, a person who is unaware of the nature of the safety device may believe that the gun is in a usable condition, even though the gun is actually disarmed. This may be advantageous if an unauthorized person has possession of the gun. The person who disarmed the gun will know that the gun remains disarmed. Also, having a gun that appears to be in a usable condition even though the gun is disarmed may be advantageous because a child who picks up the gun will not know that the gun is disarmed, and the child will not know to remove the safety device. Having a gun that appears to be in a usable condition even though the gun is disarmed may be advantageous where the authorized user of the gun does not have sufficient time in an emergency situation to remove the safety device. The gun would still have the appearance of a gun that could be fired. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein. 
     FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment with a single rod or tube. 
     FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment comprising two pieces and a spring load. 
     FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment with a single rod or tube. 
     FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment for sliding directly into a chamber of a revolver. 
     FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment securable by a nut. 
     FIG. 6 depicts an embodiment wherein an end of the safety device resembles the end of a barrel of a gun. 
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a gun safety device  10  that may be used with a revolver  20 . The device may include rod  12  and clip  14 . The rod  12  may have a hollow center, or the rod may be solid. Alternately, the rod  12  may be a combination of solid portions and hollow portions. The rod  12 , or the casings and rods described below may be made of rubber, a plastic, a polymer, a ceramic, wood, a metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, etc. or any other suitable material, or combination of materials. The devices may be supplied with a twelve inch tube or rod  12 , which may then be cut to fit a particular gun, or the devices may be supplied in a range of lengths, from about two inches up to about fourteen inches or more as necessary. The tubes  12  may also be provided in a variety of calibers, such as 20 caliber, 30 caliber, 40 caliber, 50 caliber and increments between those that would include, but is not limited to 22 caliber, 38 caliber, 44 caliber, etc. In certain embodiments, the devices may be manufactured to be compatible with a particular brand and caliber of firearm, and in other embodiments they may be more generically designed. Any of the devices described herein may be colored to match the finish of a handgun, either blued steel or stainless, for example. The tubes or rods  12  may also be provided in a variety of shapes in order to be compatible with particular gun barrels. For example, they may be provided as round, rifled, flat, octagonal, square, fluted or other configurations as appropriate. 
     A spring clip  14  is also shown in FIG.  1 . Any of the devices described herein may have one or more spring clips  14  as described herein. The spring clip  14  is a spring that is biased toward the tube  12  so that when the device is inserted into a barrel, the spring clip  14  presses against the barrel and holds the device in place. Spring clips may be made of plastic or metal, such as aluminum, brass, etc and may be of the same color as the tube  12  or they may be of a different color. 
     A device  10  is shown in place in a revolver  20 . The device is inserted in the barrel  22  of the revolver  20  and extends into a chamber  16  of the cylinder  24 . When the device  10  is in this position, the cylinder  24  is prevented from rotating to move a bullet in position to be struck by the firing pin  26 , and the gun is thus disarmed. When this embodiment is used with a semi-automatic handgun, the rod is configured to project into the chamber, and when an attempt is made to cock the handgun, the bullet jams against the rod and does not properly enter the chamber. 
     An embodiment of a safety clip is shown in use with a semi-automatic handgun in FIG.  2 . The safety device  30  may include an outer casing  32 , and a smaller tube  34  that is configured to fit at least partially inside the outer casing  32  during use. The device  30  may also include a spring  36 , held inside the outer casing  32  and configured to push the smaller tube  34  out of the outer casing  32  during use. The smaller tube  34  may also include a connector  38  configured to engage the spring  36 . The connector  38  may include a pin  42  configured to be hooked to the end of the spring  36 . A spring clip  14  is shown that may be of the same construction as the previously described spring clip. 
     When this embodiment of the invention is in place as shown in FIG. 2, the smaller tube  34  may be almost completely contained inside the outer casing  32 , with the spring  36  compressed. In this position, the smaller tube  34  may press against the extractor  52  of the semi-automatic handgun  50 . Because the spring  36  is pushing the smaller tube  34  against the extractor  52 , as the extractor  52  is withdrawn upon cocking the gun, the smaller tube  34  follows the extractor  52  into the chamber  56 , thus preventing a bullet  54  from entering the chamber  56 . Even repeated cocking will not allow a bullet to enter the chamber  56  and the gun is disarmed. It is also understood that the embodiment described in this paragraph as being designed for use with a semi-automatic may also be used with a revolver type handgun. 
     An embodiment of a device  60  is shown in FIG.  3 . This device works like the device shown in FIG. 1, except that the clip  62  may include two or more springs  64  that press against the outside of a barrel  22  to hold the device  60  in place. For example, the device may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or even 8 or more springs. In certain embodiments, the device may include a continuous deformable ring that snaps onto the barrel to hold the device in place during use. In certain embodiments the device  60  may also include an end  66  that fits over the end of a barrel  22 . The end  66  may mimic the end of the barrel  22 , including possibly providing an opening into the barrel  22  so that the presence of the device  62  is not immediately obvious to an observer. Although the embodiment shown is designed to fit on a substantially round barrel  22 , a clip  62  may be configured to cover any type of barrel known in the art, including barrels of semi-automatic weapons. As such, the clip  62  shown in FIG. 3 may also be used a device such as device  30  shown in FIG.  2 . 
     An embodiment of a device  70  is shown in FIG.  4 . The device  70  is configured to be inserted directly into a chamber  16  of a revolver. Insertion of device  70  prevents the cylinder  24  from rotating when an attempt is made to pull the trigger. The device  70 , includes an end  72  that may rest against a bullet  54  held in a chamber  16 , or the end  72  may enter the chamber  16  and not reach as far as the nose of a bullet  54  if present. In this embodiment, the device  70  may include an outer casing  80  built into or permanently attached to the face  78  of the gun and an inner tube or rod  82  that slides within the outer casing  80 . The inner rod  82  may also include a nut  84  and a deformable washer  86  disposed between two metal washers  88 . The device may also include a threaded projection (not shown) attached to inner rod  82  and configured to pass through washers  86  and  88  to mate with nut  84 . When the nut  84  is tightened onto the projection, the deformable washer  86  is squeezed out against the inside of the casing  80  to hold the device in place. 
     A device  100 , shown in FIG. 5 may be used in a revolver  20 , or it may be adapted to be used in a device for a semi-automatic handgun. The device  100  includes a tube or rod  102  to be inserted in a barrel. Although the device  100  is described as used in a revolver, it is understood that the device  100  is easily adapted to semi-automatic, in which the tube  102  would be replaced with an outer casing to hold a smaller diameter tube and spring. The device  100  may include a threaded projection  104  attached to the tube  102 . The device may also include a deformable member, such as a rubber washer  108  disposed between two non-deformable washers  106  that are preferably constructed of metal. The device  100  may also include a nut  110  threadable on the projection  104 . The washers  106  and  108  provide openings therein to be slidable onto the projection  104 . During use, when the device is inserted into a barrel, the nut may be tightened until the deformable washer  108  becomes squeezed between the non-deformable washers  106  and is thus squeezed out against the inside of the barrel, thus holding the device  100  in place. In certain embodiments, the threaded nut may also be disposed directly against the deformable washer  108  in lieu of a second washer. 
     FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a device  10  wherein end  200  of the device is configured to resemble the end of a barrel  22  of a gun. The end  200  of the device  10  may include a sight  202  and a bore  204 . The sight  202  and the bore  204  of the end  200  give the device the appearance of a gun barrel when the device is installed in a gun and a viewer looks at the gun straight into the barrel. The gun may appear to be functional when the device  10  is installed in the gun, even though the gun is actually disarmed. 
     Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.