Patent Publication Number: US-8112929-B2

Title: Key device for guns

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the National Stage of PCT/DE2006/000170 filed on Feb. 4, 2006, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of PCT/DE2006/000170 filed on Feb. 4, 2006. The international application under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English. 
     The invention relates to a key device having a key element for locking a hammer gun or bolt gun comprising a trigger rod which can be reciprocated by a trigger. 
     Key devices of the above type are used in the prior art to prevent use by unauthorized persons. However, the known devices suffer from the drawrear that it is not possible to indicate in a conspicuous manner that the gun is blocked or in an unusable locked state. 
     It is thus an object of the invention to provide a key device by means of which the locked state of the gun is apparent at a glance in a conspicuous manner. 
     For a device of the above type, this object is achieved in that the key element is a releasably securely attachable part of the gun housing. 
     In particular, this object is achieved in that the key element is formed as a rear portion of the grip of the gun. 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the subordinate claims. 
     In the device of the invention, the feature to the effect that the key element is a releasably securely attachable part of the gun housing has the effect that an unusable state of the gun is directly visible to any person due to the fact that a “locked” gun has an incomplete gun housing and is therefore evidently not usable. 
     In particular and preferably, the present invention provides for the key element to be formed as a rear portion of the grip of the gun. 
     According to a first important preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, provision is made for the key element to be coupled with a movably mounted gate element having a shift gate to guide the trigger rod, and when the key element has been inserted into the gun, the gate element is disposed in a first position, in which the shift gate of the movably mounted gate element is oriented so as to allow for interaction between the trigger rod and the bolt for the purpose of cocking and releasing the bolt. 
     According to another important preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, provision is made for the gate element to be biased by a key spring such that when the key element is removed from the gun the gate element assumes a biased second position, in which the trigger rod is oriented so as to prevent interaction between the trigger rod and the bolt and, if necessary, to decock a cocked bolt. 
     According to another important preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, provision is made for the gate element to assume a third position, when the key element is absent from the gun, by the action of the key spring, in which position both interaction between the trigger rod and the bolt and interaction between a bolt stop and the bolt are prevented so that a breech block in which the bolt is present can be totally removed from the gun. 
     The gate element is preferably coupled at its end region with a push stick, which is at least indirectly connected to the key element. The coupling of the push stick with the gate element is preferably effected with the aid of a protrusion on the push stick adapted to engage a recess formed in the region of the end the gate element. 
     Furthermore, the bolt stop is preferably formed in the region of the end of the push stick, and the push stick is preferably connected in the region of its other end to a slide bar coupled with the key element. 
     The mobility of the gate element is preferably realized in that the gate element is rotatable about a fulcrum in the region of its other end. The gate element preferably comprises a shift gate, in which a sliding gate member connected to the trigger rod is mounted for reciprocation. The shift gate is preferably of a substantially linearly straight design. 
     Interaction between the trigger rod and the bolt is preferably effected in that a trigger rod mandril connected to the trigger rod bears against a projection of a bolt entrainer connected to the bolt and interaction between the bolt stop and the bolt is preferably effected in that the bolt stop bears against a bolt entrainer connected to the bolt. 
     According to another important preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, provision is made for the key element to contain a locking element which is biased toward a locking block, and the key element, when inserted, is braced against an arresting block on the grip. The key element preferably has a mandrel adapted to be releasably inserted into a recess of the push stick. 
     Furthermore, the key element is preferably formed such that when the locking element is released from the locking block by means of manual force acting on the locking element, the key element connected via the mandrel to the slide bar is moved by the action of the key spring biasing the slide bar in the expanding direction of the key spring until a stop limit surface of the key element abuts a stop block anchored in the grip. The key element can then be removed from the grip after the stop limit surface has abutted the stop block. 
    
    
     
       The device of the invention is explained below with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures of the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic side view of a first preferred embodiment of the device of the invention with the rear portion of the grip securely fixed and the gun cocked; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic side view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  with the rear portion of the grip removed and the gun decocked; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic side view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  with the rear portion of the grip removed and the gun decocked; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     In the locking device  110 ,  132 ,  135 ,  130  of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the key element  110  is coupled with a movably mounted gate element  130  having a shift gate  131  for guiding the trigger rod  120 , and when the key element  110  is inserted in the gun  100 , the gate element  130  is in a first position, in which the shift gate  131  of the movably mounted gate element  130  is oriented so as to enable interaction between the trigger rod  120  and the bolt  140  for the purpose of cocking and releasing the bolt  140 . The gate element  130  is biased by a key spring  111  such that when the key element  110  is removed from the gun the gate element  130  is in a biased second position in which the trigger rod  120  is oriented so as to prevent interaction between the trigger rod  120  and the bolt  140  and, if necessary, to decock a cocked bolt  140 . 
     Following removal, when the key element  110  is absent from the gun  100 , the gate element  130  is in a third position due to the action of the key spring  111 , in which position both interaction between the trigger rod  120  and the bolt  140  and interaction between a bolt stop  141  with the bolt  140  are prevented such that a breech block  150  containing the bolt  140  can be totally removed from the gun  100 . 
     The gate element  130  is coupled, in the region of one end thereof, with a push stick  132 , which is at least indirectly connected to the key element  110 . Coupling of the push stick  132  with the gate element  130  is effected with the aid of a protrusion  133  on the push stick, which protrusion engages a recess  134  formed in the region of one end of the gate element  130 . 
     The bolt stop  141  is formed in the region of one end of the push stick  132 , and the pusher stick  132  is connected at its other end to a slide bar  135  coupled with the key element  110 . The gate element  130  is at its other end rotatable about a fulcrum  136  and comprises the shift gate  131 , in which a sliding member connected to the trigger rod  120  is mounted for reciprocation. The shift gate  131  is substantially of linearly straight design. 
     Interaction between the trigger rod  120  and the bolt  140  is effected in that a trigger rod mandril  120  connected to the trigger rod  121  bears against a projection  143  of a bolt entrainer  142  connected to the bolt  140 . Furthermore, interaction between the bolt stop  141  and the bolt  140  is effected in that the bolt stop  141  bears against a bolt entrainer  142  that is connected to the bolt  140 . 
     The key element  110  comprises a locking element  112 , which is biased toward a locking block  113 , and the key element  110 , when inserted, is braced against an arresting block  103  of the grip ( 102 ). Furthermore, the key element  110  is provided with a mandrel  104 , which can be releasably inserted into a recess  138  in the slide bar  135 . When the locking element  112  is released from the locking block  113  by means of manual force exerted on the locking element  112 , the key element  110  connected to the slide bar  135  via the mandrel  104  can be moved by the action of the key spring  111  urging the slide bar  135  in the expanding direction of the key spring  111  until a stop limit surface  114  of the key element  110  hits a stop block  115  anchored in the grip ( 102 ). 
     Once the stop limit surface  114  has hit the stop block  115 , the key element  110  can be removed from the grip ( 102 ). 
     The above exemplary embodiment of the invention serves only the purpose of providing better comprehension of the teaching of the invention defined in the claims, which teaching is not, as such, limited to the exemplary embodiment.