Patent Publication Number: US-8539707-B1

Title: Device to prevent over-rotation of pistol ejector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to firearms. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a device to prevent over-rotation of an ejector in a pistol. 
     An ejector in certain types of pistols, for example, a pistol that was produced in the 1980s and 1990s, is an elongate device disposed between the walls of the pistol&#39;s frame, that, after firing of the pistol, causes the spent case to eject from the firearm. The ejector has a first end that contacts the spent case and is pivotally mounted at a pivot point to rotate upwardly to eject the spent case. The second end, contacts the sear spring, which biases the ejector toward its upward position (the sear spring always is in contact with the ejector). 
     A common issue with the ejector in such pistols occurs primarily when reassembling the slide on the pistol frame. Specifically, the ejector, in its normal upright position, blocks the slide from moving into its proper position on the frame. In order to fully assemble the slide onto the frame, the ejector must be manually rotated down into the frame. When the first end of the ejector is pressed such that it rotates down into the frame, if it is inadvertently pressed too far, the second end of the ejector (opposite its pivot point from the first end), rotates past the sear spring such that the second end “snaps” past the end of one of the cantilevered legs of the sear spring such that it is blocked from returning to its normal position. Repositioning the ejector to its proper operation requires a difficult procedure involving removal of the slide (likely, already removed from the frame), one of the grip handles, and manually pressing the cantilevered leg of the sear spring in such that the ejector is free to rotate back around to its normal position. 
     It would be desirable to provide a device to prevent such over-rotation of the ejector. 
     All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a pistol is provided having a device to prevent ejector over-rotation. The pistol includes a frame having a handle portion for receipt of a magazine, a barrel portion for receipt of a barrel, and an upper rear portion for receipt of a firing mechanism. The upper rear portion has a left side wall and a right side wall. An elongate ejector is provided having a first end, a second end and a pivot point between the first end and the second end. 
     The first end has a cam surface for ejection of a spent case. The second end is for contacting an over-rotation stop. The ejector is rotatably disposed in the frame between the left side wall and the right side wall at the pivot point. A sear spring is disposed adjacent to the upper rear portion and has at least one cantilevered spring leg disposed adjacent to the second end of the ejector to rotably bias the ejector downward such that the first end of the ejector pivots in an upward direction. An over-rotation stop is disposed between the left side wall and the right side wall to engage the second end of the ejector to limit rotational travel of the ejector past the spring leg of the sear spring. 
     The pivot point may be a pin installed through at least one aperture in the frame. The over-rotation stop may be a pin installed through at least one aperture in the frame. 
     In a more detailed exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a pistol is provided having a device to prevent ejector over-rotation. The pistol includes a frame having a handle portion for receipt of a magazine, a barrel portion for receipt of a barrel, and an upper rear portion for receipt of a firing mechanism. The upper rear portion has a left side wall and a right side wall. A left side wall ejector pin aperture, and a right side wall ejector pin aperture are provided. The left side wall ejector pin aperture is aligned with the right side wall ejector pin aperture. The left side wall ejector pin aperture and the right side wall ejector pin aperture are disposed in the upper rear portion for receipt of an ejector pivot pin. At least one over-rotation pin aperture is provided in either the left side wall or the right side wall or both. The at least one over-rotation pin aperture is disposed adjacent to the ejector pin apertures. An elongate ejector is provided having a first end, a second end and a pivot point aperture between the first end and the second end. The first end has a cam surface for ejection of a spent case. The second end is for contacting an over-rotation pin. The ejector is rotatably disposed in the frame between the left side wall and the right side wall by an ejector pivot pin. A sear spring is disposed adjacent to the upper rear portion where the sear spring has at least one cantilevered spring leg disposed adjacent to the second end of the ejector to rotatably bias the ejector downward such that the first end of the ejector pivots in an upward direction. The over-rotation pin is disposed in the over-rotation pin apertures to provide an over-rotation stop to engage the second end of the ejector to limit rotational travel of the ejector past the cantilevered spring leg of the sear spring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of a pistol having a device to prevent ejector over-rotation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded isometric view of the frame and some internal components of the pistol of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation, partially cutaway view of the frame and some internal components of  FIG. 2 , shown with its ejector in an up position; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation, partially cutaway view of the frame and some internal components of  FIG. 2 , shown with its ejector in an down position; and 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the frame and internal components of a prior art pistol with its ejector shown in an undesirable condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will be illustrated in more detail with reference to the following embodiments, but it should be understood that the present invention is not deemed to be limited thereto. 
     Referring now to the drawing figures, wherein like part numbers refer to like elements throughout the several views, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , a pistol  10  having a device to prevent ejector over-rotation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the pistol  10  has a frame  12 , a slide  14 , a barrel  16 , a hammer  18 , a sear  20 , an ejector  22 , grips  24 ,  26 , a safety  28 , a magazine (not shown), a trigger assembly  30 , a firing pin assembly and other elements. The frame  12  of the pistol  10  includes a handle portion  32  for receipt of the magazine, a barrel portion  34  for receipt of the barrel  16 , and an upper rear portion  36  for receipt of the firing mechanism. The upper rear portion  36  has a left side wall  38  and a right side wall  40 . 
     The left side wall  38  has an ejector pin aperture  42 , and a right side wall ejector pin aperture (not shown, but opposite to and coaxial with the left side wall ejector pin aperture). That is, the left side wall ejector pin aperture  42  is aligned with the right side wall ejector pin aperture such that a single ejector pin  44  may be disposed in both apertures. The left side wall ejector pin aperture  42  and the right side wall ejector pin aperture are disposed in the upper rear portion  36  for receipt of an ejector pivot pin  44 . 
     The left side wall  38  and/or the right side wall  40  have an over-rotation pin aperture  46  (only an aperture  46  in the left side wall  38  is shown). The over-rotation pin aperture  46  is disposed adjacent to one or both of the ejector pin apertures  42  (between the ejector pin aperture  42  and the rear of the pistol  10 ). Like the ejector pin apertures  42 , the left side wall over-rotation pin aperture  46  is aligned with the right side wall over-rotation pin aperture, if used. 
     The ejector  22  is an elongate article having a first end  48 , a second end  50  and a pivot point aperture  52  between the first end  48  and the second end  50 . The first end  48  has a cam surface  54  contact with and ejection of a spent case (not shown). The second end  50  contacts an over-rotation pin or stop  56  which will be explained more fully below. The ejector  22  is rotatably disposed in the frame  12  between the left side wall  38  and the right side wall  40  and is held in place by the ejector pivot pin  44 . 
     A sear spring  58  is disposed adjacent to the upper rear portion  36  of the frame  12 . The sear spring  58  has at least one cantilever spring leg  60  disposed adjacent to the second end  50  of the ejector  22  to rotatably bias the ejector  22  downward (in Direction A) such that the first end  48  of the ejector  48  pivots in an upward direction (Direction B). 
     The over-rotation pin  56  is disposed in the over-rotation pin aperture  46  to provide an over-rotation stop that engages the second end  50  of the ejector  22  to limit rotational travel of the ejector  22  past the cantilever spring leg  60  of the sear spring  58 . 
     The main function of the ejector  22  is as described above. However, the ejector  22  has a secondary function to unblock the firing pin  62  (see  FIG. 1 ). A firing pin block  64  is provided which is biased by spring  66  against the top of the ejector  22 . When the trigger of the trigger assembly  30  is pulled, the ejector  22  rotates forward (toward the muzzle end of the pistol  10  about pivot pin  44  and allows the firing pin block  64  to drop and unblock the firing pin just before the hammer  18  strikes the firing pin  62 . 
       FIG. 5  is a view of the frame and internal components of a prior art pistol with its ejector shown in an undesirable condition. For convenience sake, the various elements of this prior art pistol use the same reference characters as in the pistol  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 , but having a prime symbol after the reference character. For example, the pistol  10  of  FIGS. 1-4  is designated pistol  10 ′ in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  shows a pistol  10 ′ where its ejector  22 ′ has been inadvertently over-rotated so that its second end  50 ′ has passed its sear spring  60 ′ to a position where it cannot be readily moved back to a proper operating position. The present invention addresses this drawback of the prior art. 
     While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific examples thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.