Abstract:
Disclosed is a lockable safety device for use with a firearm. The device comprises an elongated body with opposing large and small ends. The small end is inserted through the firearm receiver and secured external to the firearm receiver. The large end is sized to prevent movement through the firearm receiver. The small end is configured to accommodate a locking device. When the device is engaged with a firearm, access to, and use of, the firearm is restricted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to safety devices that are removable from, but selectively securable to, a firearm to prevent discharge of the firearm by unauthorized users. 
     The use of locking mechanisms, including electronic devices, to prevent discharge of a firearm by unauthorized persons is commonplace and a wide variety of devices and techniques have been advanced. The majority of such devices either interfere with the trigger or firing mechanism to prevent discharge of the firearm by an unauthorized user. These devices generally are not directed to preventing loading or unloading of ammunition in the firearm on which they are used. 
     Cable type firearm locking devices are also known. Such devices have a cable with one free end and an opposing end permanently attached to a locking head. These devices require a user to thread the cable free end into a first aperture in the firearm receiver, through the receiver to a connected second aperture and double the cable free end back to the locking head to render the firearm incapable of discharge. It can be difficult to double the cable and secure the cable free end in the locking head. The use of a permanently attached locking head is also disadvantageous in that it limits locking options available to a user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form comprises an elongated body having a small end and an opposing large end. The small end and body are configured to allow insertion into a firearm receiver port, movement through the receiver and exit from another firearm receiver port. The small end defines a locking aperture therein. The large end is configured to prevent movement through the firearm port or receiver. In one variation of the invention, the large end comprises arms radially projecting from the body edges. In another variation of the invention the safety device comprises a one piece, rigid, elongated body curved along a longitudinal axis. 
     The inventive device is robust in construction, yet owing to simplicity of design it can be produced economically. The inventive device can be easily and rapidly installed and removed by a user without tools. The safety device includes provisions for use with known locking devices to releasably secure the safety device to the firearm. 
     The inventive safety device when disposed in a firearm can provide a tactile confirmation that the firearm is incapable of firing. In some variations the inventive safety device when installed in a firearm can also provide visual confirmation that the firearm is incapable of firing even at a distance from the firearm. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved separable lockable safety device for a firearm. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved firearm safety device for use with existing locking devices that has an efficient construction and which can be readily installed to, and removed from, a firearm without tools. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a firearm safety device. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view, partly in phantom, of the firearm safety device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an end view, partly in phantom, of the firearm safety device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the firearm safety device of FIG. 1, partly in phantom, disposed in a firearm, shown broken away, and secured thereto with a conventional locking device. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the firearm safety device of FIG. 1 disposed in a firearm and secured thereto with a conventional locking device. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of a firearm safety device. 
     FIG. 7 is a top view, partly in phantom, of the firearm safety device of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is an end view, partly in phantom, of the firearm safety device of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the firearm safety device of FIG. 6, partly in phantom, disposed in a firearm, shown broken away, and secured thereto with a conventional locking device. 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of the firearm safety device of FIG. 6 disposed in a firearm and secured thereto with a conventional locking device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     It should be understood that while the inventive firearm safety device is shown and described in some of the figures with relation to a rifle having a self-loading or bolt type action for clarity, the invention has application with many types of firearms, including rifles and shotguns, and many types of firearm actions, including self-loading, pump and bolt types. With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, as shown in FIG. 4, a firearm  10  typically comprises a receiver or frame  12  to which a barrel  14  is mounted. The receiver  12  includes an action or mechanism  16  that must be completely cycled for the firearm to be discharged. Typically, the action cycle comprises loading an unfired cartridge from an integral or separable magazine into a chamber, securing the unfired cartridge within the chamber, as with a breech block  18 , firing the loaded cartridge, extracting the fired cartridge from the chamber and ejecting the fired cartridge from the firearm. As used herein, a breech block  18  encompasses any part of a firearm mechanism for closing the rear of a chamber against the force of a discharging cartridge and includes breech bolts. 
     The receiver  12  defines a firearm longitudinal axis that is generally parallel to the barrel  14 . A trigger guard assembly  22  includes a trigger guard  24  housing a trigger  26 . The trigger guard assembly  22  is mounted to the underside of the receiver  12  in line with the firearm longitudinal axis. The trigger  26  is pivotally mounted to the receiver  12  or trigger guard  24  and substantially disposed within the trigger guard  24  when the firearm  10  is in condition to be discharged. The trigger  26  is pulled rearward in a conventional fashion to actuate a firing mechanism and discharge the firearm  10 . 
     The firing mechanism may employ a pivoting hammer that cooperates with a firing pin, a striker assembly, or other well-known firing mechanisms. Actuation of the trigger  26  functions to release the mechanism to propel the firing pin into contact with the primer of a cartridge housed within the chamber. Contact of the firing pin with the primer generates sufficient energy to explode a primer mixture and ignite a propellant mixture within the cartridge. Combustion of the propellant mixture generates sufficient pressure to discharge a bullet from the barrel. 
     The receiver  12  defines an ejection port  32  for ejection of a fired cartridge and a loading port  34  for loading ammunition into the firearm. As is known in the art, the ejection  32  and loading  34  ports may be defined in different positions in the receiver  12 . For example, the ejection  32  and loading  34  ports may each be located at any of the top, bottom and/or sides of the receiver. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the ejection port  32  is located in the receiver side and the loading port  34  is located in a magazine well defined in the receiver bottom and shown in FIG.  5 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 the ejection port  32  is located in the receiver top and the loading port  34  is located in a magazine well defined in the receiver bottom and shown in FIG.  10 . 
     With reference to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the inventive firearm safety device  40  comprises an elongated body  42  defining a longitudinal axis  44  and having longitudinally spaced ends  46 ,  48 . One of the ends  46  is larger and the other end is smaller  48 . The body  42  may be curved along the longitudinal axis  44  as shown best in FIGS. 3 and 8 to allow movement through an interior cavity of the firearm receiver  12 . As used herein, the term curved encompasses a smooth radius curve as shown best in FIG. 3 as well as a bend as shown best in FIG.  7 . 
     The small end  48  is configured to allow insertion through firearm ports  32 ,  34  and the interior cavity of a firearm receiver  12 . The small end  48  defines a locking aperture  50  therein. The locking aperture  50  is configured to retain a conventional locking device  54  such as a combination or keyed padlock (as shown in FIGS.  4  and  5 ). 
     The large end  46  is configured to prevent movement through the firearm port  32  or the interior cavity of a firearm receiver  12 . This configuration can be accomplished by, for example, bending or twisting the large end  46 . The large end  46  is advantageously comprised of projecting, radially opposed arms  56 ,  58 . In one advantageous embodiment for a rifle shown in FIG. 2 each arm  56 ,  58  projects orthogonally to the longitudinal axis  44  and from an opposing body edge  60 ,  62  to form a T shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The width of the large end  46  in this preferred embodiment is approximately two times the width of the body small end  48 . Advantageously the body  42  and arms  56 ,  58  are formed as a rigid, one piece structure. 
     Typically, the inventive safety device  40  is comprised of metal and may be hardened to further increase rigidity and strength. Surface hardened low carbon steel is believed to be suitable for this application. Other materials such as, for example, polymers or polymer composites can be used if the strength of a metal safety device is not needed or desired. 
     The inventive safety device  40  can be covered with a protective coating such as, for example, plastic or elastomer to lessen or prevent scratching of the firearm finish. If the coating is a readily visible color such as yellow or orange, then installation of the inventive safety device within the firearm can be readily confirmed visually and at a distance. 
     The use of hardened metal provides a safety device that is advantageously rigid and resistant to bending under use. As used herein, a rigid safety device is not capable of folding or appreciably bending under the normal manipulation of a user. 
     In a less preferred embodiment of the invention the body is a flexible member. As used herein, a flexible member has the ability to be readily rolled or folded by a user under normal manipulation. The safety device of this embodiment also comprises a small end defining a locking aperture and a longitudinally opposed large end. 
     In use, the firearm magazine is removed and the breech bolt  18  is displaced from the fire position toward the open position shown best in FIG. 4 or  9  to remove any loaded ammunition. The safety device small end  48  is inserted through a receiver port  32 , through a receiver internal cavity and out of the receiver magazine well  34 . At this time the safety device large end  46  is external to the receiver first port  32  and the locking device small end aperture  50  is external to the receiver magazine well  34 . A shackle  64  from a separate locking device  54  is secured to the small end locking aperture  50 . In this condition the safety device large end  46  prevents movement of the safety device  40  through the first port  32  and the locking device  54  prevents movement of the safety device  40  out of the receiver  12  in the opposite direction. The safety device small end  48  can also be inserted through the magazine well  34 , through the receiver internal cavity and out of receiver port  32 . With the inventive safety device  40  locked to the firearm it is not possible to place a magazine in a magazine well, or load ammunition into the chamber or displace the breach block to the fire position. Since ammunition must be loaded into the chamber and the breach block displaced to the fire position for firearm use, the secured safety device prevents unauthorized users from loading and discharging the firearm. 
     To remove the safety device  40  and ready the firearm  10  for use, the locking device  54  is removed from the small end locking aperture  50  and the small end  48  is retracted through the magazine well  34 , receiver cavity and out the first port  32 . At this point the safety device  40  is completely removed from the firearm  10  which can now be loaded, cycled and fired. 
     The use of a conventional locking device  54  with the inventive safety device  40  is advantageous in that it permits a user to secure firearms  10  with existing locks, thereby lowering the cost of the safety device. Additionally, the use of a conventional locking device  54  with the inventive safety device  40  allows a user the choice of securing the firearm with mechanical key locks, mechanical combination locks, magnetic or electronic key locks, electronic combination locks, etc. Further, the locking device can easily be changed. A plurality of inventive safety devices can also easily be secured with a respective plurality of locking devices, each locking device responsive to the same key or combination. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the foregoing invention has been set forth for purposes of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.