Muzzle loaded firearm safety device

A muzzle loaded firearm safety device for relieving the tension in a hammer spring of a weapon prior to storage without dry-firing the weapon and causing damage to the weapon's firing pin. The device comprises a jacket having an enclosed jacket top with an outward-extending threaded cylinder, and a partially enclosed jacket bottom having an aperture. An impact piston is slidably secured within the jacket, biased against the jacket bottom by a coil spring. A standard gun cleaning rod is secured to the threaded cylinder, and the entire jacket assembly is secured to the threaded cylinder, the entire jacket assembly is inserted into the muzzle and down the barrel of a shotgun, until abutting the weapon's firing chamber wall. By depressing the trigger of the weapon, the hammer spring extends, forcing the hammer into the firing pin which in turn contacts the impact piston, moving the impact piston forward against the biasing coil spring without causing damage to the firing pin. The jacket may then be withdrawn from the barrel, and the shotgun stored with the hammer spring in a relaxed state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a firearm safety device. More particularly, the 
invention relates to a muzzle-loaded device which prevents the dry firing 
of a firearm by absorbing the tension which is stored in the hammer spring 
of the weapon. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Owners of shotguns, rifles pistols and associated firearms are often 
presented with a potential problem known as "dry-firing" when storing 
their weapons. 
Typically, a firearm such as a shotgun which is stored subsequent to use is 
left in a "ready-to-fire" mode in that the hammer spring of the hammer is 
tensioned, poised to cause the hammer to strike the firing pin of the 
weapon. To simply store the weapon in this fashion can prove detrimental 
in that the tensioned hammer spring may weaken over time. It is, 
therefore, desirable to alleviate the tension upon said hammer spring by 
pulling the trigger of the weapon and allowing the hammer spring to 
distend, thus dissipating any pressure exerted thereupon. However, such 
action results in what is known as "dry-firing", where the firing pin is 
caused to enter an empty firing chamber of the weapon, thus possibly 
causing damage to said firing pin. 
In avoidance of this dry firing problem and to safely store weapons without 
tensioned hammer springs, many firearm owners employ what are known as 
"snap caps". Generally shaped like a shotgun shell or rifle cartridge, 
these devices are readily slipped into the breach of the weapon, and 
provide an energy absorbing surface for the firing pin to contact upon 
relieving the tension in the hammer spring, thus avoiding detrimental 
dry-firing. Unfortunately, however, these devices must remain within the 
weapon during storage, since the act of ejecting the device from the 
weapon would then place the weapon in a ready-to-fire (i.e. tensioned 
hammer spring) state. 
The act of leaving these devices within the weapon presents several 
distinct problems. In the first place, a weapon having the device 
contained therein is several steps away from being readied for live 
ammunition firing. The snap cap must first be ejected from the breach of 
the weapon, and then a round of live ammunition inserted therein. For a 
homeowner or businessperson who employs snap caps in the storage of his 
weapons, the several crucial seconds needed to perform this operation may 
jeopardize the safety of such person in defensive situations. 
A second problem encountered through the use of snap caps is that for 
individuals or organizations owning and storing large numbers of weapons, 
a multitude of snap caps must be purchased-one for each weapon. A device 
is needed which relieves the tension in the hammer spring of a weapon 
while avoiding dry firing, yet does not need to remain contained within 
the weapon during storage as do traditional devices. 
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,746 to E. E. McConnell issued Feb. 
23, 1972, discloses a device for releasing the tension of the main spring 
of a firearm having a relatively long barrel such as a shotgun or rifle, 
said device including a rod-shaped member defining a hollow chamber 
adjacent one end thereof, said member being free from any radially outward 
projection at the preponderant portion of the length thereof adjacent said 
hollow chamber to allow insertion of the hollow chamber-defining end of 
said member into the barrel of a firearm from the muzzle end thereof and 
movement of said hollow-chamber-defining end to the breech region thereof; 
and said hollow chamber housing a spring-biased plunger having an axially 
outer end surface accessible from the outside of said member. In march, 
the lower end of this device is spherical for rendering the application of 
forces unequal. in addition, his coil spring is of an extended diameter 
for creating undesirable drag forces during use. 
And, U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,179 issued to Marsh on Jul. 7, 1992, discloses a 
plurality of extension rods securable relative to one another in a 
coaxially aligned relationship mounted within a "U" shaped framework 
arranged for selective securement relative to one another, with the "U" 
shaped framework mounting a plurality of cleaning tips thereon for ease of 
usage. A modification of the invention includes an optical viewing device 
in association with the kit to enhance ease of viewing of various 
components within an associated firearm. There is no teaching of use with 
an improved safety device as disclosed herein. 
While these traditional units may be suitable for the particular purpose 
employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the 
purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a firearm safety device. More 
particularly, the invention relates to a muzzle-loaded device which 
prevents the dry firing of a firearm by absorbing the tension which is 
stored in the hammer spring of the weapon. 
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a muzzle-loaded safety 
device which removes the tension from a hammer spring of a weapon, thus 
enabling a weapon owner to readily and safely store his weapon. 
In accordance with the invention, there is also provided a muzzle-loaded 
safety device which, upon removing the tension from a hammer spring of a 
weapon, may be removed from said weapon, without re-tensioning the hammer 
spring. 
Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a muzzle-loaded 
safety device which may be employed consecutively on a plurality of 
weapons, so that only one such safety device be needed to properly store 
an entire collection of weapons. 
Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a muzzle-loaded 
safety device which after relieving the tension in the hammer spring of 
their weapon, leaves said weapon in a state where it may be readily loaded 
with live ammunition and fired. 
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be 
embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention 
is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. 
Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only 
by the scope of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience 
only and is not limiting. The words "right," "left," "lower" and "upper" 
designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words 
"inwardly" and "outwardly" refer to directions toward and away from, 
respectively, the geometric center of a muzzle loaded firearm safety 
device 10. The words "proximal end" and "distal end" refer, respectively, 
to ends of an object nearer to and further from the operator of the object 
when the object is used in a normal fashion or as is described in the 
specification. 
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical shotgun 100, the assembly and operation of 
which will be referred to throughout the ensuing detailed description of 
the muzzle loaded firearm safety device 10 for a clearer understanding 
thereof. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the shotgun 100 comprises a barrel 110, 
cylindrical and hollow in composition which extends throughout the 
interior of the shotgun 100. The barrel 110 has a barrel proximal end 110P 
and barrel distal end 110D located opposite therefrom. The distal end 110D 
of the barrel 100 terminates at an opening, typically referred to as a 
muzzle 120. An area typically referred to as a firing chamber 130 is 
located at the proximal end 110P of the barrel. The proximal end 110P of 
the barrel terminates at, and the firing chamber 130 is defined by, a 
firing chamber wall 140. A firing pin 150 is shown extending through said 
firing chamber wall 140. 
Reference to FIG. 2 further details the mechanics of the shotgun 100. Shown 
is the barrel 110 and, more particularly, the barrel proximal end 110P. 
Also shown is the firing pin 150 and firing pin passageway 160 which 
extends through the firing chamber wall 140. The firing pin 150 is 
slidably secured within the firing pin passageway 160. Under normal 
circumstances, use of the shotgun 100 entails loading a live cartridge 
(not shown) into the firing chamber 130 via a breech (also not shown). 
Once contained within the firing chamber 130, the live cartridge rests 
flush against the firing chamber wall 140. 
Upon a user of the shotgun 100 depressing a trigger 170, a tensioned hammer 
spring 180 forces a hammer 190 of the shotgun into the firing pin 150. 
Subsequently, the firing pin 150 is propelled through the firing pin 
passageway 160 and into the firing chamber 130 where it contacts the live 
cartridge which is positioned flush against the firing chamber wall 140. 
As the firing pin 150 contacts the live cartridge, a detonation occurs 
which propels a segment of the cartridge through the barrel 110 and out of 
the muzzle 120. Subsequent to this occurrence, the hammer spring 180 is 
temporarily in a relaxed and un-tensioned state, as seen in FIG. 3. 
However, in most weapons, the hammer spring 180 is then quickly retracted 
and re-tensioned (either automatically or as a result of the user manually 
ejecting the spent cartridge), again left in a ready-to-fire mode. Since 
it is unwise and detrimental to the weapon to leave the hammer spring 180 
in this tensioned stage for prolonged periods (i.e. while storing the 
shotgun 100), user's often desire to relieve the built-up tension in the 
hammer spring 180. To simply depress the trigger 170 and allow the hammer 
190 to strike the firing pin 150 when there is no cartridge present in the 
firing chamber 130 (a practice known as "dry firing") can also cause 
damage to the weapon and is hence inadvisable. 
As mentioned earlier, devices known as snap caps are often placed in the 
firing chamber 130 of the weapon to provide a surface for the firing pin 
150 to strike, and thus allow the tension in the hammer spring 180 to be 
released without dry-firing. However, as also mentioned earlier, these 
devices must remain within the firing chamber 130 of the weapon during the 
entire pendency of storage. The muzzle loaded firearm safety device 10 of 
the instant invention, however, dispenses with that problem. 
The muzzle loaded firearm safety device 10 of the instant invention is best 
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and comprises a hollow, 
cylindrical jacket 20 having a jacket inner wall 20I, a jacket outer wall 
20W which is parallel to the jacket inner wall 20I, jacket top 20T and 
jacket bottom 20B. It is contemplated in the preferred embodiment of the 
instant invention that the jacket 20 be produced in sizes which correspond 
to typical shotgun cartridge diameter gauges (i.e. 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 
etc.). 
The jacket 20 is completely sealed at the jacket top 20T, but only 
partially sealed at the jacket bottom 20B. The jacket has a side wall with 
an internal diameter and an external diameter. It also has an aperture 22 
located thereat. The aperture 22 is located in the center of the jacket 
bottom 20B, concentric to both the inner jacket wall 20I and outer jacket 
wall 20W, such that it would be adjacent to and aligned with the firing 
pin passageway 160 if the jacket 20 were contained within the firing 
chamber 130. The aperture has a cylindrical diameter less than the 
internal diameter of the side wall. 
An impact piston 24 is slidably secured within the hollow cylindrical 
jacket 20 at the jacket bottom 20B. While the impact piston 24 may consist 
of any suitable material, it is contemplated in the preferred embodiment 
of the instant invention that said impact piston 24 consist of a 
deformable material such as brass. The impact piston is situated within 
the jacket 20 such that it abuts the aperture 22. The impact piston is 
formed to have a cylindrical recess extending downwardly from the top 
thereof with an interior diameter essentially equal to the diameter of the 
cylindrical extension. Note FIG. 2. The impact piston has a downwardly 
extending cylindrical extension slidably received within the aperture of 
the jacket. The bottom of the of the impact piston and the bottom of the 
jacket are positionable in a common lower plane. 
Biasing means, such as a coil spring 26, resiliently bias the impact piston 
24 against the jacket bottom 22. The coil spring 26 contemplated by the 
instant invention extends between the impact piston 24 and a spring 
abutment 28 located at the jacket top 20T. The coil spring has an upper 
end and a lower end located within the cylindrical recess of the impact 
piston. 
Also located at the jacket top 20T are securing means, such as a threaded 
cylinder 30 which is capable of engaging a correspondingly threaded 
cleaning rod 32. The securing means also includes a downwardly extending 
cylindrical portion located within the top of the coil spring. By engaging 
a standard weapon cleaning rod 32 to the thereaded cylinder 30 of the 
jacket 20, the entire jacket 20 may be inserted into the muzzle 120 of the 
shotgun 100, as seen clearly in FIG. 1. The jacket 20 may then be forced 
down the barrel 110 until reaching the firing chamber 130, where the 
jacket bottom 20B is caused to rest against the firing chamber wall 140, 
as seen in FIG. 2. 
By forcing the jacket 20 squarely against the firing chamber wall 140, the 
aperture 22 is adjacent to and aligned with the firing pin passageway 160. 
Since the impact piston 24 is contained within the jacket 20 and abuts the 
aperture 22, it too is aligned with the firing pin passageway 160 and 
hence the firing pin 150. By depressing the trigger 170 of the shotgun 100 
and allowing the tensioned hammer spring 180 to cause the hammer 190 to 
strike the firing pin 150, the firing pin 150 will travel through the 
firing pin passageway 160, and contact the impact piston 24, thus avoiding 
dry firing. As seen in FIG. 3, as the firing pin 150 contacts the impact 
piston 24, the impact piston moves upward and absorbs the energy applied 
thereto by collapsing the coil spring 26. The jacket 20 may then be 
withdrawn from the barrel 110, with the hammer spring 180 left in an 
un-tensioned state for storage. Accordingly, the shotgun 100 may be stored 
without a tensioned hammer spring 180, and also without a device such as 
the traditional "snap cap" contained within the firing chamber 130. For 
collectors having large numbers of shotguns 100, the jacket 20 may simply 
be inserted down the barrel of each weapon, the weapon's trigger 170 
pulled to relieve the tension in the hammer spring 180, and the jacket 20 
then removed and inserted down the barrel 110 of the next weapon to be 
stored.