Patent Publication Number: US-10767949-B2

Title: Two-stage safety selectors for firearms

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a non-provisional application of, and claims priority to, U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/671,892, titled “TWO-STAGE SAFETY SELECTOR FOR FIREARM” and filed on May 15, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In a typical rifle, the safety selector is positioned within the frame of the rifle and interacts directly with the trigger/firing mechanism. A lever on the outside of the firearm casing is used to adjust the safety selector from the “safe” position to the “fire” position. While in “safe” position, the safety selector prohibits the trigger from being pulled by the operator. When the lever is rotated and the safety selector is switched to “fire” position, the safety selector portion within the frame allows the trigger to move, which in turn allows the hammer of the firearm to be released and rotate forward causing a round to be discharged. 
     Current safety selectors may only require a single input involving rotating a lever axially in a single plane, which provides a minimal safeguard to inadvertent activation. Moreover, because of the lever&#39;s position on the external casing of the rifle, it is highly susceptible to being inadvertently activated by an operator&#39;s hands or other external sources, all of which may result in the safety selector inadvertently being defeated and switched to the “fire” position. Such mistakes can prove to be fatal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed on clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first example of a safety selector assembly according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a body for the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pivoting arm for the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  installed in a frame, with the safety selector assembly in a safe position. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  installed in a frame, with the pivoting arm of the safety selector assembly disengaged from a safety selector stop tab extending from the frame. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  installed in a frame, with the safety selector assembly in a fire position. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the first example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 1  installed in a frame, with the safety selector assembly being returned to the safe position. 
         FIG. 9A  is a top view of a second example of a safety selector assembly according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9B  is a perspective view of the second example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 9  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the second example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 9  installed in a frame according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the second example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 9  installed in a frame, with the safety selector assembly in a safe position. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the second example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 9  installed in a frame, with the first pivoting arm of the safety selector assembly disengaged from a safety selector stop tab extending from the frame. 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the second example of the safety selector assembly of  FIG. 9  installed in a frame, with the first and second pivoting arms of the safety selector assembly disengaged from a safety selector stop tab extending from the frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to two-level safety selectors for firearms that may require the firearm operator to input two independent and multi-directional movements to move the safety selector from the “safe” position to the “fire” position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , shown is an example of a first example of a safety selector assembly  100  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular,  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  100 . The safety selector assembly  100  can comprise a pivoting arm  103  and a body  106 . The body  106  can include a cylindrical portion  109  that is inserted into, and is retained within, the frame of the frame of the firearm. The body  106  can also include a head  113  that extends outside of the frame. 
     The pivoting arm  103  can include a first end  116  and a second end  119 . The safety selector assembly  100  can also include a pin  123  that extends through the head  113  of the body  106  and the pivoting arm  103 . The pin  123  can define a pivot axis about which the pivoting arm  103  can rotate. The first end  116  of the pivoting arm  103  can be configured to contact and thereby engage a safety selector stop tab that extends from the frame of the firearm. The second end  119  of the pivoting arm  103  can be pressed by the firearm operator to disengage the pivoting arm  103  and the first end  116  from the safety selector stop tab. 
     Safety selector stop tabs can extend from the side of a frame of a firearm, such as the lower receiver of a United States defense standard (“MIL-SPEC”) AR-15-style rifle. When a conventional safety selector is installed in the frame, the safety selector stop tabs can prevent the safety selector from over-rotating beyond the safe position and fire position, respectively. In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, a safety selector stop tab is utilized as a mechanism that restricts the safety selector assembly  100  from being unintentionally switched from the safe position to the fire position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , shown is a perspective view of the body  106  of the safety selector assembly  100 . The cylindrical portion  109  of the body  106  can include a curved surface  203  and a flat surface  206 . When the safety selector assembly  100  is installed in the frame and in the safe position, the curved surface  203  of the body  106  can engage with the trigger of the firearm and prevent the trigger from moving. In this way, the safety selector assembly can prevent the trigger from being pulled and causing a round to be fired. 
     When the safety selector assembly  100  is rotated to the fire position, the body  106  rotates accordingly, and a recessed area  211  of the cylindrical portion  109  formed by the flat surface  206  allows the trigger to move. In this way, the safety selector assembly  100  can allow the trigger to be pulled and cause a round to be fired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the head  113  of the body  106  can include a channel  209 . The pivoting arm  103  of the safety selector assembly  100  can be positioned within the channel  209 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , shown is the pivoting arm  103  of the safety selector assembly  100  according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the first end  116  of the pivoting arm  103  can include a protrusion  303  that contacts the safety selector stop tab (not shown) that extends from the side of the frame. 
     The second end  119  of the pivoting arm  103  can include a recessed region  306  shaped to conform somewhat to an operator&#39;s thumb. The operator can press the recessed region  306  of the pivoting arm  103  to cause the pivoting arm  103  to rotate about the pivot axis discussed above. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , shown is a side view of the safety selector assembly  100 , with internal components depicted. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the safety selector assembly  100  can include a compression spring  403 . The compression spring  403  can exert a force that causes the pivoting arm  103  to be maintained in a position that engages with the safety selector stop tab of the frame when the safety selector assembly  100  is in the safe position. The operator of the firearm can overcome this force provided by the compression spring  403  by pressing on the second end  119  of the pivoting arm  103 , thereby causing the pivoting arm  103  to rotate about the pin  123  and disengage from the safety selector stop tab. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the pivoting arm  103  can include a recessed region  406  that receives an end of the compression spring  403 . Similarly, the body  106  can include a recessed region  409  that receives the opposite end of the compression spring  403 . The recessed region  406  in the pivoting arm  103  and the recessed region  409  in the body  106  can retain the compression spring  403  in the proper position to provide the force described above. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , shown is a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  100  installed in a frame  503  of a firearm. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the frame  503  can have a front safety selector stop tab  506   a  and a rear safety selector stop tab  506   b  extending from the left side of the frame  503 . 
     When the safety selector assembly  100  is in the position shown, the safety selector assembly  100  is in a safe position, and the trigger (not shown) is prevented from being pulled to fire the firearm. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the first end  116  of the pivoting arm  103  has engaged and makes contact with the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  of the frame  503 . Because the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  extends from the side wall of the frame  503 , the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  restricts the safety selector assembly  100  from unintentionally rotating from the safe position, as shown in  FIG. 5 , to a fire position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , shown is a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  100  of  FIG. 5  with the pivoting arm  103  of the safety selector assembly  100  disengaged from the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  that extends from the side of the frame  503 . As shown, the pivoting arm  103  has been rotated about the pin  123  such that the first end  116  no longer contacts the front safety selector stop tab  506   a . In this position, the pivoting arm  103  can rotate clear of the front safety selector stop tab  506   a.    
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , shown is a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  100  in the fire position. In particular, the pivot arm  103  has been rotated from the position shown in  FIG. 6  to the position shown in  FIG. 7 . Rotating the pivoting arm  103  in this way causes the body  106  of the safety selector assembly to rotate within the frame to a position in which the trigger is allowed to be pulled to discharge the firearm, as discussed above. 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , shown is a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  100  being moved from the fire position ( FIG. 7 ) to the safe position ( FIG. 5 ). As shown in  FIG. 8 , the first end  116  of the pivoting arm  103  can include a tapered surface  803  that facilitates the pivoting arm  103  overcoming the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  when the safety selector assembly  100  is being moved from the fire position to the safe position. Accordingly, the operator can move the safety selector assembly  100  from the fire position to the safe position without pressing on the second end  119  of the pivoting arm  103  to rotate the pivoting arm  103  away from the frame  503 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 9A-9B , shown is a second example of a safety selector assembly, referred to herein as the safety selector assembly  900 . In particular,  FIG. 9A  shows a top view of the safety selector assembly  900 , and  FIG. 9B  shows a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  900 . The safety selector assembly  900  can be an ambidextrous safety selector. 
     The safety selector assembly  900  can have components similar to the safety selector assembly  100 . For example, the safety selector assembly  900  can include the same pivoting arm  103  and pin  123  as discussed above with respect to the safety selector assembly  100 . The safety selector assembly  900  can also include a body  906  that has a cylindrical portion  909  and a first head  913   a  similar to the cylindrical portion  109  and the head  113  of the safety selector assembly  100 . The body can also include a second head  913   b  similar to the head  113  discussed above with respect to the safety selector assembly  100 . 
     Additionally, the safety selector assembly  900  can include a second pivoting arm  903  and a second pin  923 , which extends through the second head  913   b  and the second pivoting arm  903 . The second pivoting arm  903  can pivot about the second pin  923 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , shown is a perspective view of the safety selector assembly  900  installed in the frame of a firearm. As shown, the safety selector assembly  900  can be installed such that the first pivoting arm  103  is on the left side of the frame  503 , and the second arm  903  is on the right side of the frame  503 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 11 , shown is a top view of the safety selector assembly  900  installed in the frame  503 . In particular,  FIG. 11  shows the safety selector assembly  900  in a safe position. As shown, the first arm  103  of the safety selector assembly  900  engages with the front safety selector stop tab  506   a  in the same way described above with respect to the safety selector assembly  100 . In this way, the first pivoting arm  103  can prevent the safety selector assembly  900  from being unintentionally rotated to the fire position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , shown is a top view of the safety selector assembly  900  with internal components depicted. In particular,  FIG. 12  shows the safety selector assembly  900  in a position with the first pivoting arm  103  depressed such that the first end  116  has been disengaged from the front safety selector stop tab  506   a . In this position, the safety selector assembly  900  is allowed to rotate from the safe position to the fire position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the safety selector assembly  900  can include a rod  1203  and a compression spring  1206  positioned between the first pivoting arm  103  and the second pivoting arm  903 . The rod  1206  with the force provided by the compression spring  1206  can cause the first end  116  of the first pivoting arm  103  to be in contact with the first safety selector stop tab  506   a  or the side of the frame  503  when the second end  119  is not depressed. The compression spring  1206  can also cause the second pivoting arm  903  to be extended away from the side of the frame  503  when the second pivoting arm  903  is not depressed. 
     With reference to  FIG. 13 , shown is a top view of the safety selector assembly  900  with internal components depicted. In particular,  FIG. 13  shows the safety selector assembly  900  in a position with the second pivoting arm  903  depressed. The second pivoting arm  903  can be depressed as shown in  FIG. 13  by, for example, the operator of the firearm pressing on the second pivoting arm  903 . When the second pivoting arm  903  is depressed, the second pivoting arm  903  can cause the rod  1203  to slide within the frame  503 , thereby causing the first pivoting arm  103  to pivot to the position shown, such that the first end  116  of the first pivoting arm  903  disengages from the front safety selector stop tab  506   a . In this position, the safety selector assembly  900  is allowed to rotate from the safe position to the fire position, as described above. 
     It is emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure.