Patent Publication Number: US-2009229159-A1

Title: Firearm training safety device

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/036,721, filed Mar. 14, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to firearms and, more specifically, to a firearm training safety device. 
     Firearms can be dangerous when used in training. If a firearm is not somehow disabled and rendered inoperable, training users of the firearm might load a live round and make the weapon ready to fire, which could lead to an accident. Further, during training, it is desirable to quickly and easily identify which firearms are disabled, so as to easily distinguish disabled firearms from weapons that might be made ready to fire. It would also be desirable to disable and re-enable firearms quickly and easily, so as to avoid the need to disassemble the weapon, and so that a user could use his or her own personal weapon for training. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus to render a firearm inoperable and identify that the weapon can be used safely for training purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing a firearm having a barrel includes: a cartridge adapted to be loaded into the firearm; a rod adapted to fit in the barrel of the firearm, the rod having first and second ends; a releasable fastening element which fastens the first end of the rod to the cartridge; and a safety indicator at the second end of the rod; wherein the cartridge can be loaded into the firearm, and the rod can be inserted into the barrel and fastened to the cartridge, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the barrel. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of selectably changing a firearm having a barrel from an operable mode into an inoperable mode includes: loading a cartridge into the firearm, the cartridge having a first fastening element; inserting a first end of a rod into the barrel, the rod having a second fastening element at the first end and a safety indicator at a second end; and attaching the first fastening element and the second fastening element together, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the end of the barrel. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a cutaway of a firearm with an embodiment of the present invention installed; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention including dimensions for a .40 caliber Smith &amp; Wesson® weapon; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an oblique view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2  with end piece installed; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or may only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a weapon cartridge and rod to render a firearm inoperable and identify that the weapon can be used safely for training purposes. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may lock the action of a pistol, rifle or shotgun so that the action cannot operate, while displaying a colored plug on the end of the barrel. This could allow an individual to use his or her personal weapon while training. The weapon does not have to be disassembled for the invention to be installed. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the training device  10  may include a cartridge shaped piece  12  with a threaded tunnel  14  in place of a bullet, which is placed in the firearm in the same fashion as a loaded live round. A threaded matching rod  18  of the length of the weapon&#39;s barrel  28  with a colored plug  24  on the end may then be inserted into the barrel  28  and screwed tightly to the cartridge  12 . This may cause the action of the weapon to become inoperative, and display the colored plug on the end of the barrel  28  making it easily recognizable by all parties as being in training mode. The tunnel  14  and threaded matching rod  18  may form a releasable fastening element, so that the device can be transitioned back and forth between an operable mode, when the device is not installed, and an inoperable mode, when the device is installed. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the present invention  10  may include a cartridge  12  and a rod  18 . The cartridge  12 , instead of a bullet, may have a threaded tunnel  14  and a funnel  16 . The rod  18  may have a threaded stud  20  to mate with the tunnel  14 . The cartridge  12  may be loaded into the weapon not unlike a normal cartridge or a live round. The rod  18  may be then inserted into the barrel  28  and threaded tightly onto the cartridge  12 . The funnel  16  may help guide the stud  20  into the tunnel  14  so that the stud  20  and tunnel  14  can mate together. The rod  18  may have a small enough diameter to fit in the barrel  28 , and is at least the length of the barrel  28  so that the end piece  24  can attach to the rod  18 , at or near the end of the barrel  28 . The action of the firearm may then becomes inoperable and cannot be opened until the rod  18  is unscrewed from the cartridge  12 . A second stud  22  may be attached to the end of the rod  18  opposite from the cartridge  12 , and the end piece  24  may be screwed onto or otherwise attached to the second stud  22  to act as a safety indicator. The second stud  22  and end piece  24  may form a second fastening element. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3 , various dimensions of the present invention can be specified. The dimensions in  FIG. 3  are for an embodiment of the invention utilizing a .40 caliber Smith &amp; Wesson® weapon. 
     To make an embodiment of the invention, the cartridge could be cast out of hard plastic, metal, or other material as well. It would be possible in mass production to cast or machine a cartridge for a specific caliber or type of weapon from a resin, hard plastic, or metal. The end piece could be approximately ¼″ to ½″ in length, brightly colored, and slightly greater in diameter than the caliber of the weapon (which would match the diameter of the barrel). 
     Another embodiment of the invention could include a bushing, made of nylon or other material, which may be inserted and epoxied or otherwise fitted snugly into a spent cartridge. As depicted in  FIG. 4 , this could be accomplished with an insert  26  that meets the dimensions required to accommodate the funnel, which has a diameter that fits within the cartridge, but which still fits within the cartridge. As depicted In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the funnel  16  may help guide the threaded stud  20  to mate with the tunnel  14 . The end piece  24  can be attached directly to the rod  18 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment of the invention  30  could include the funnel  32  and threaded tunnel  34  on the rod  36 , and the cartridge  38  could contain the threaded stud  40  or post where the bullet would normally extend from the cartridge. The stud may protrude from the cartridge a sufficient length to accept the threaded rod. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.