Patent Publication Number: US-4837963-A

Title: Field stripping key punch for firearm trigger assemblies

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 794,005, filed Nov. 1, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,500. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The trigger plate assembly of an auto-loading or repeating shotgun or rifle may become obstructed and fail to function properly due to a loose primer, lodged shell, or debris lodged in the action. The tool of the present invention is designed to be available for use instantly, thus eliminating any time-consuming tool assembly or inconvenient transporting of the firearm to a workshop for disassembly. Further, the tool is designed to engage a substantial concave surface of the retaining pins and to exert a substantial dislodging force on the retaining pins upon the application of a linear pushing moment to the field stripping key punch. The inherent, mechanical design of the tool generates the substantial, dislodging force upon application of the linear, pushing moment. 
     Previously, the retaining pins of the trigger plate assembly of an auto-loading or repeating rifle or shotgun have been dislodged from the receiver with a conventional punch tool. This time consuming procedure has usually been performed in a workshop, whereas the tool described hereinafter is capable of quickly providing a linear force sufficient to dislodge the retaining pins from the receiver in the field thus eliminating the trip to the workshop. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of this invention is to provide a key shaped punch tool, the tapered round end of the longest leg of which can be readily placed against the concave heads of the retaining pins that hold in place the trigger plate assembly of all Remington shotguns with detachable retaining pins including but not limited to models 1100, 11-48, 878, S-58, 12, and 11-87 and Remington rifles models 742, 552, 760, 7600, and 42, all Sears shotguns with detachable retaining pins including but not limited to models XL, 200 and 300, all Winchester shotguns and rifles with detachable retaining pins including, but not limited to models 1200, 1300, 1400, 120 and 140 all Smith and Wesson shotguns with detachable retaining pins including but not limited to models 51 and 300, all Mossberg shotguns with detachable retaining pins including but not limited to models 500 and 590, all Hi-Standard shotguns with detachable retaining pins, all Franchi shotguns with detachable retaining pins including but not limited to model 48AL, all Beretta shotguns with detachable retaining pins including, but not limited to model AL-2, all Browning shotguns with detachable retaining pins including, but not limited to model B-80 and BPS and all Weatherby shotguns with detachable retaining pins, thereby, through the inherent mechanical design of said tool, permitting a sufficient, linear force to be exerted upon said retaining pins causing them to be dislodged, thus effecting the removal of the malfunctioning trigger plate assembly of said specified firearms, the tool being designed for attachment to a standard key ring or key chain. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 1D are top, rear, and front views, respectively, of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1A. 
     FIG. 1E is a side elevational view of an alternate view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a rounded end portion for engaging the pins. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an auto-loading or repeating firearm showing the projected path of the punch tool to engage and dislodge the retaining pins from the receiver of the firearm. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an auto-loading or repeating firearm showing the key punch, the dislodged retaining pins, and the projected path of removal of the trigger plate assembly. 
     FIG. 4 is a view of the key punch tool attached to a standard key ring. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a key shaped punch tool 10 having first, second and third legs made of rounded stock, ranging in size from substantially 1/8&#34; to 3/16&#34;, inclusive also having a fourth leg made of half-rounded stock, again ranging in size from substantially 1/8&#34; to 3/16&#34;, inclusive the first leg being substantially longer than the other three legs. The first leg has a rounded end 12a or a tapered, nonjoining end 12b. The end 12a or b is adapted to engage the concave ends 4A, 5A of the retaining pins 4, 5 that are lodged in place to hold the trigger plate assembly 3 in the receiver 2 of an auto-loading or repeating shotgun, or rifle 13. The opposite end of the first leg joining with the second and third legs at the point of juncture of the second leg with the third leg, the first leg defining angles of approximately 135° at its juncture with both the second leg and the third leg, the second and third legs defining an angle of approximately 45° at the point of juncture of the second leg with the third leg. At the point of juncture of the second leg and the third leg with the fourth leg, angles of 45° are also formed. The second, third and fourth legs join to form an isometric, triangular configuration, said configuration forming a handle 11, said fourth leg having a continuous rounded inner face and a continuous flat outer face adapted to receive a linear force applied in the direction of the rounded or tapered, non-joining end 12a or bof the first leg. 
     A firearm 13 of the type intended for use with the tool 10 is shown generally in FIG. 2. Firearm 13 is shown to have a trigger plate assembly 3 held in place by retaining pins 4 and 5 within the receiver 2. Tapered or rounded end 12a or b of tool 10 engages a substantial surface of the concave ends 4A and 5A of retaining pins 4 and 5. When a linear force is applied to the triangular handle 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow F1, a moment is created upon the concave ends 4A and 5A of retaining pins 4 and 5. This moment is balanced by the resistance of retaining pins 4 and 5 to removal; however, a high level force is generated through the triangular handle 11 so that the maximum resistance of the retaining pins 4 and 5 may be easily overcome. Once dislodged, the retaining pins can be quickly removed by continued application of a linear force to the handle 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow F1. 
     The dislodged retaining pins 4 and 5 are shown in FIG. 3. The trigger plate assembly 3 is shown in a partially disengaged position, having been lifted out of the receiver 3 with a force applied in the direction of the arrow F2. 
     To store tool 10 simply attach handle 11 to standard key ring 15 as shown in FIG. 4. 
     While an embodiment of a field stripping key punch for firearm trigger assemblies and modifications thereof have been shown and described in detail herein, various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.