Abstract:
A safety mechanism for rifles and shot guns in which hammer movement to strike the firing pin is prevented unless the trigger is pulled, thereby precluding inadvertent discharge. The safety mechanism is retrofittable into the population of rifles and shotguns utilizing the Remington Common Fire Control System (RCFCS) and with suitable dimensional adaptation into others, and includes an interceptor designed to engage the hammer and prevent movement thereof if the sear and hammer should become disengaged for any reason other than manipulation of the trigger.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to firearms, and more specifically to a safety mechanism that prevents an inadvertent discharge of a firearm in the absence of actuation of the trigger. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Inadvertent discharge of firearms of the long arm variety (rifles and shotguns) in the absence of a trigger pull has been the source of numerous accidental deaths, injuries, and property damage. Malfunction of the normal means of restraint of the hammer or striker by the searing mechanism has long been recognized as the leading factor permitting these accidents to occur. 
     While numerous prior art patents disclose safety devices to prevent accidental discharge of firearms, none is believed to show a fully passive automatic safety system for long arms which will perform its safety function in the absence of any active involvement by the firearm&#39;s user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,508 (Elkas), U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,811 (Wilkinson), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,437 (Anderson) disclose firearm safety devices which must be positively activated by the user. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,266 (Findlay) discloses a lever action rifle including a safety device which requires a trigger latching mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,757 (Deeb) discloses a hammerless firearm safety arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,178 (Haskell) discloses a linkage with a safety button for blocking a trigger, sear, and hammer. Patent 660,046 (Great Britain) shows a safety catch for a firing pin. Patent 2,144,525 (Great Britain) shows a safety device wherein an enclosed hammer is locked in an intermediate position. 
     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to disclose a passive automatic safety mechanism as described and claimed in the instant invention. Thus, a trigger safety mechanism for long arms solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention describes a safety mechanism for firearms and especially for rifles and shotguns that use the Remington Common Fire Control System (RCFCS). The safety mechanism ensures that the firearm&#39;s hammer will not be released unless the trigger is moved far enough (effective rearward manipulation) to release the safety mechanism. Thus, accidental jarring or striking of the firearm will not cause inadvertent discharge. The safety mechanism requires five small parts which are easily retrofitted into longarms of the RCFCS type. The five parts include an interceptor device made of sheet metal, a torsion spring, a flat-topped wear button, and two common washers. The invention also requires that a second hook is formed in the firearm&#39;s hammer and that a shelf is milled in the trigger housing. The interceptor is mounted alongside the firearm&#39;s sear, trigger, and hammer and is spring loaded to automatically engage the aforementioned second hook formed in the hammer. This automatic engagement prevents the hammer from being released if the sear becomes accidently disconnected from the hammer. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a safety mechanism for a firearm of the long arm type that is effective in preventing inadvertent discharge. 
     It is a another object of the invention to provide a safety mechanism for a firearm of the long arm type that blocks firing movement unless the trigger is pulled. 
     It is a further object of the -invention to provide a safety mechanism for a firearm of the long arm type wherein the hammer is automatically engaged to prevent inadvertent discharge. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a safety mechanism for a firearm of the long arm type that is easily and economically retrofittable to a large population of existing firearms with separate sear and hammer mounted on a common trigger mounting plate. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial right side elevational view of a typical trigger assembly utilized in a RCFCS (prior art). 
     FIG. 2 is a partial left side elevational view of a typical trigger assembly utilized in a RCFCS (prior art). 
     FIG. 3 is a partial left side elevational view of a typical trigger assembly utilized in a RCFCS incorporating the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the safety mechanism of the present invention. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 and 2, of the drawing, illustrate a trigger assembly 10 utilized in long firearms such as rifles and shotguns and mounted in housing 10a. The art designation for assembly 10 is the Remington Common Fire Control System (RCFCS). The RCFCS requires a sear 12 separate and independent from trigger 14. Sear 12 is mounted for rotation around pivot pin 12a and incorporates a notch 12b for engaging a hook portion 20a formed on a hammer 20 which hammer is rotatably mounted on pivot pin 20c. As shown in FIG. 1, sear 12 holds hammer 20 in a cocked position against the force of a hammer spring 22. Trigger-sear spring 24 biases sear 12 into engagement with hammer 20. Trigger 14 is mounted for rotation about pivot pin 14a. A cross bolt safety is indicated at 15. The function of a cross bolt safety device is well known in the art and such device forms no part of the present invention. A connector assembly, comprising a right connector arm 14d and a left connector arm 14e, is pivotably attached to trigger 14 at 14c. Right connector arm 14d engages sear 12 and functions to cause the sear to rotate and disengage from hammer 20 when the trigger 14 is pulled. As shown in FIG. 2, a disconnector 30 is positioned to abut left connector arm 14e and to push left connector arm upwardly when the trigger is pulled and hammer 20 moves to strike a firing pin (not shown) as known in the art. 
     The present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a safety mechanism retrofitted to the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The safety mechanism includes a sheet metal interceptor 16 slidably mounted in the left center of the trigger housing 10a. Interceptor 16 is held in position by a trigger plate casting on the left (not shown) and sear 12 and hammer 20 on the right. A slotted hole 16a, formed in interceptor 16, receives sear pivot pin 12a. To reduce wear and friction, a washer 12c is positioned on pivot pin 12a between interceptor 16 and sear 12. Interceptor 16 has an opening 16b formed adjacent a front end 16f to receive a head 20d of hammer 20. A second hook portion 20b is formed on hammer 20 and is adapted to engage a hook 16c fashioned on interceptor 16. A rear end 16r of interceptor 16 is bent at 16d to receive and hold a leg 18a of a torsion spring 18. Torsion spring 18 is positioned on pivot pin 14a. Torsion spring 18 and trigger 14 are interposed by a spacer washer 18b. A flat topped button 25, pressed into trigger assembly housing 10, is positioned for sliding engagement with interceptor 16 to reduce wear. Button 25 should be of a proper hardness to prevent galling under impact and friction. A heel 16e is formed on interceptor 16 at a lower portion of rear end 16r. Heel 16e is adapted to engage a shelf 10b milled into trigger housing 10a as will be later explained. As most clearly shown in FIG. 4, interceptor 16 is designed to have a (curved portion 16fg adjacent rear end 16r. Interceptor 16 is installed in housing 10 such that an elbow 14g of connector arm 14e will abut curved portion 16f when the firearm is in a cocked position. 
     In operation, interceptor 16 is urged to the rear by torsion spring 18. When the gun is cocked, the head 20d of hammer 20 enters opening 16b and cams interceptor 16 forward (away from the trigger) against the action of torsion spring 18. Hammer 20 is forced downward past the point of engagement with sear 12 and interceptor 16. As spring 22 attempts to move the hammer forward, sear notch 12b and interceptor hook 16c are in position to engage hammer hook portions 20a and 20b respectively to prevent forward movement. In normal operation the sear will make the initial engagement with the hammer and hold the hammer in cocked position. With safety 15 disengaged, manual pulling of trigger 14 moves connectors 14d,14e and consequently elbow 14g forwardly. Since elbow 14g abuts curved portion 16f, interceptor 16 will be forced forwardly against the action of spring 18. Thus, possible engagement of interceptor hook 16c and hammer hook 20b is eliminated. Simultaneously, normal rotation of the sear by action of the right connector 14d will occur and the hammer is allowed to move forwardly. As noted above, in normal operation disconnector 30 will push left connector arm 14e upwardly such that elbow 14g will be out of engagement with interceptor 16 thus, allowing the interceptor to return to a position to reengage the hammer in the next cocking cycle. 
     If for any reason the sear becomes dislodged from the hammer without the trigger being pulled, the interceptor is in position to catch the hammer via engagement of hooks 16c and 20b. Upon such engagement, action of hammer spring 22 will tend to rotate the interceptor&#39;s rear portion downward and out of contact with elbow 14g. Downward rotation of the rear portion will also cause heel 16e to engage shelf 10b, thus preventing any further motion of interceptor 16. Upon recocking, the cycle will start again. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.