INACTIVATING SELECTOR ARRANGEMENT FOR BOLT FIREARMS

Abstract: A multiple positionable selector arrangement for a bolt action firearm positioned adjacent the bolt handle (14) which selector (26) carries a cam (46) and a selector handle. As­ sociated with the selector (26) are trigger restraining means and a bolt handle blocking plunger means (15). The selector arrangement (26) is movable to a first active position to cause the trigger restraining means (15) to restrain the trigger (22) and sear (32) so the firearm cannot be discharged and the selector arrangement (26) is movable to a second active po­ sition to cause the plunger (52) means to restrain the bolt handle (14). In the second position, the selector handle (26) also serves to prevent substantial forward movement of the cocking piece (17).

Description: This invention relates to bolt action rifles, and in particular to an inactivating selector arrangement for selectively restraining movement of the sear, trigger or cocking piece or all three. The major components of a conventional bolt action firearm comprise the barrel, a receiver secured to the rear of the barrel, a cylindrical breech bolt mounted in the receiver in axial alignment with the barrel, a firing mechanism including the trigger mounted on the receiver below the bolt, and the stock. The cylindrical breech bolt is rotatable about its longitudinal axis from its locked firing position to its unlocked extracting and loading position, the bolt being longitudinally slidable within the receiver when it is in its unlocked position. When the bolt is rotated from its locked to its unlocked position and then is moved rearwardly, the spent cartridge is extracted from the chamber of the barrel and is ejected. When the bolt is moved forwardly from its rearwardmost position a fresh cartridge is inserted into the chamber of the barrel. When the bolt reaches its forewardmost position it is rotated about its longitudinal axis to lock the bolt and cock the firing mechanism. Associated with the breech bolt is a spring powered cocking piece which is held by a sear in the ready-to-fire position. Operation of the trigger moves the sear to release the cocking piece. Many arrangements for preventing movement of the cocking piece, the sear or trigger, to in turn, prevent or restrain movement of the cocking piece toward the cartridge have been proposed but none have provided the features and advantages of the present invention. In DE-C-78449 there is described a firearm according to the preamble of claim 1 and which has a rotatable selector device which may be rotated to selected positions to prevent or allow rotation of a trigger in a direction to release a sear. The selector device includes a body portion having a configured foot portion and a hand engageable projection portion and a notch in the cocking piece which allows the selector device to be rotated into the selected positions. In GB-A-12 619 (A.D.1913) there is disclosed a small arms safety attachment which has a hand engageable portion and a locking member mounted on the receiver for engaging a firing mechanism. The hand engageable portion allows a second locking member to be actuated between a position where the safety attachment prevents movement of the cocking piece and the bolt handle and a position where the safety attachment does not prevent such movement. There is no disclosure of a trigger and sear blocking means in this reference. In US-A-21 749 71 there is disclosed a firearm safety mechanism which is movable between a position where the safety mechanism prevents movement of the sear, trigger and bolt and a position where the safety mechanism allows movement of these components of the firearm. When the safety mechanism is in the 'on' position, the firearm cannot be fired and the bolt cannot be moved within the receiver passage. In US-A-28 692 69 there is disclosed a firearm safety mechanism which is movable between three positions. The first position of the safety mechanism locks the bolt and the trigger and sear, the second position of the safety mechansim locks the trigger and sear only and the third position of the safety mechanism allows the firearm to be fired. This safety mechanism comprises an arm having a tip which is received in a corresponding notch in the bolt to prevent movement of the bolt when the safety mechanism is in the first position. Similarly the mechanism comprises a stop member which is received in a corresponding notch in the trigger when the mechanism is in the first and second positions to prevent movement of the trigger. According to the present invention there is provided a bolt action firearm characterised by a) actuation means for actuating said trigger and sear blocking means when said selector means is turned to a first position and deactuating the trigger blocking means when the selector means is turned to a second position said actuation means including a foot portion of the selector means ; (b) a bolt handle having a recess therein, and (c) a blocking plunger means positioned to be moved into said recess to lock said bolt handle as said selector means is moved to said first position and said hand engageable projection portion is moved into said notch, whereby as the selector means is rotated, (1) the configured foot portion engages and disengages from the trigger extension to block and unblock trigger rotation and (2) said hand engageable portion moves into and out of said notch to engage, hold or release said cocking piece Broadly, the present invention comprises a selector arrangement for restraining movement of the trigger or bolt handle or both. The arrangement includes a rotatable selector carrying in fixed relation to a selector body portion and a selector handle projection, a trigger and sear blocker associated with the selector body portion, and a bolt handle plunger movable by the selector projection whereby rotatable movement of the selector to first postion causes trigger and sear blocker to block movement of the trigger and sear and movement of the selector to a second position causes the selector to continue to hold the trigger and sear in its blocking mode while the selector in addition moves a bolt plunger to restrain movement of the bolt handle. In a third position the selector arrangement is passive. It is a feature of the inactivating selector arrangement that selector projection is moved to a position in a recess in the cocking piece as the selector is placed in the second position. In this position, the selector projection will prevent any substantial forward movement of the cocking piece. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a bolt action rifle including a selector arrangement of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the rifle of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line 11-11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the selector arrangement and trigger unit with the selector arrangement in the fire position; Fig. 5 is a partial side elevational view of the selector arrangement in a lock position; Fig. 6 is a partial elevational view showing the selector arm in the forward fire position; Fig. 7 is a sectional view along line 15-15 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the receiver, selector unit, trigger, and associated parts; Fig. 9 is a partial elevational view showing the alternative selector unit in the bolt handle restraining position; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the selector unit; and Fig. 11 is a fragmented plan view showing the selector unit in the bolt handle restraining position and further showing a plunger blocking the bolt handle. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, rifle 10 includes barrel 11, a receiver 12 secured to the rear of the barrel, a cyclindrical breech bolt assembly 13 mounted in receiver 12 to the rear of and in axial alignment with barrel 11, a bolt handle 14 secured to the rearward end of the bolt assembly 13, a bolt head sleeve 16, a cocking piece 17, a receiver tang 18 and a stock 21. Rifle 10 also includes trigger 82 trigger guard 23, and a rotatable inactivating selector unit 26a. Unit 26a is mounted in the receiver and rotates about a vertical axis. With reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 - 10 and, in particular, with reference first to Figs. 8 and 10, it is seen that selector unit 26a is rotatably mounted to be turned to and held in three discrete positions determined by detent 70 mounted in a detent hole 71 in receiver 12. Detent spring 72 urges detent 70 into recesses 73, 74 and 75 in selector unit 26a. Selector unit 26a includes thumb piece 77, cylindrical body portion 78 including configured foot portion 79. Foot portion 79 carries notch 81 providing a configuration for engagement and disengagement with the trigger which will be explained. Trigger 82, pivotable about pivot axis 83, includes finger piece 84, sear-engaging upper trigger arm 86 and trigger extension 87 including extension block 88. Also shown in Figs. 8 and 10 are trigger side pieces 89, 91, sear 92, sear spring 93, sear pin 94, selector cover plate 95, and rifle sight 96. Turning to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it is seen that when selector unit 26a is in position A (Figs. 4 and 6), configured foot portion 79 of selector 26a is positioned to accommodate extension block 88 thus permitting clockwide pivoting of trigger 82, the release of sear 92 and firing of the rifle (Fig. 4). As the selector thumb piece 77 is moved back from position A to points where rectangular block 88 is no longer able to be accommodated in notch 81 (such as position B in Fig. 6), a portion of foot portion 79 moves adjacent block 88 (with minimal clearance) to prevent, in these positions, any significant rotation of trigger 82. Trigger 82 cannot in these positions be rotated clockwise to release sear 92 to fire the rifle. Turning now to Fig. 9 and 11, the selector has been moved further rearward to place it in cocking piece notch 60, i.e. to position C. As thumb piece 77 is moved to position C, the thumb piece 77 bears against bevelled surface 63 causing blocking plunger 52 to move to the right into recess 61 to block rotational movement of the handle 14. Spring 64 is compressed during this movement. Upon the selector 26a reaching position C, thumb piece 77 is in blocking notch 60 of cocking piece 17 to limit forward movement of cocking piece 17.

Claims: A bolt action firearm having a barrel (11), a receiver (12), a bolt sleeve (16), a cocking piece (17), a notch (60) in the cocking piece (17), a trigger (82) and a sear (92), including a multi-positional rotatable selector means (26a) capable of restraining movement of the trigger (82) and associated sear (92), trigger and sear blocking means for preventing rotation of the trigger (82) in a direction to release the sear (92), said blocking means including an extension (88) of the trigger (82), said selector means (26a) being positioned in the receiver (12) for rotating about a vertical axis, between two selected positions, having a body portion (78) including a configured foot portion (79) and a hand engageable projection portion (77) characterised by a) actuation means (70) for actuating said trigger and sear blocking means when said selector means (26a) is turned to a first position (C) and deactuating the trigger blocking means (79) when the selector means (26a) is turned to a second position (A), said actuation means (70) including said foot portion (79) of the selector means (26a); (b) a bolt handle (14) having a recess (61) therein, and (c) a blocking plunger means (52) positioned to be moved into said recess (61) to lock said bolt handle (14) as said selector means (26a) is moved to said first position (C) and said hand engageable projection portion is moved into said notch (60), whereby as the selector means (26a) is rotated, (1) the configured foot portion (79) engages and disengages from the trigger extension (88) to block and unblock trigger rotation and (2) said hand engageable portion (77) moves into and out of said notch (60) to engage, hold or release said cocking piece (17). A bolt action firearm as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said selector means is movable to a third position (B) in which the trigger (82) is blocked and the bolt handle (14) is not blocked.

Inventors: MELCHER, ROY LOUIS, RUGER, WILLIAM BATTERMAN
Applicants: STURM, RUGER & COMPANY, INC.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: F41A17
IPC codes: F41A17, F41A3, F41A19, F41C7