Patent Abstract:
Methods for disabling firearms and firearm safety devices designed to reduce the risk of accidental discharge are provided. Safety devices according to the present invention comprise a chamber-disabling component constructed of a flexible material. The chamber-disabling component is adapted to be inserted through an opening in the firearm into the firing chamber with partial retraction of the bolt.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/448,695 filed May 30, 2003, which claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/384,697 filed May 31, 2002. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to firearms, and more particularly to safety devices used in conjunction with firearms.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Firearm safety devices are disclosed.  
         [0004]     In one aspect, the present invention relates to methods for disabling firearms. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing a firearm comprising a firing chamber, an opening in communication with the firing chamber and a bolt, providing a safety device comprising a chamber-disabling component constructed of a flexible material, the chamber-disabling component adapted to be inserted through the opening into the firing chamber with partial retraction of the bolt and inserting the safety device into the chamber of the firearm.  
         [0005]     In another aspect, the present invention relates to safety devices. In one embodiment, the safety device comprises a chamber-disabling component constructed of a flexible material. The chamber-disabling component is adapted to be inserted through an opening defined in the firearm and is in communication with a firing chamber of the firearm with partial retraction of a bolt of the firearm. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a firearm with a safety device of the present invention in place.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a portion of the firearm of  FIG. 1  with a safety device of the present invention in place. The firearm&#39;s ammunition is shown in phantom line.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2B  is an enlarged view of the firing chamber of  FIG. 2A . A portion of the bolt of the firearm is shown in phantom line.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2C  is an enlarged view of the internal mechanism of a firearm with the safety device of the present invention in place.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a portion of the firearm with a safety device of the present invention being removed from the chamber of the firearm.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a broken apart illustrative embodiment of the safety device of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an attachment member secured to the safety device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Safety devices, according to the present invention, are useful to disable firearms that include a firing chamber, an opening in communication with the firing chamber and a bolt. These safety devices are adapted to be positioned in the firing chamber of the firearm by the user and adapted to be removed therefrom. Since the size of the firing chamber often varies from firearm to firearm, the safety device is preferably flexible enough to accommodate structural differences, while at the same time, sufficiently strong enough to withstand the pressure exerted by bolts inside the firing chamber.  
         [0015]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 A, an illustrative embodiment of a safety device  10  of the present invention is positioned within the firing chamber  12  of an automatic/semi-automatic firearm  14 . The safety device  10  includes a body  16 , a grasping member  18 , and an attachment member  19 . Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2C , the firearm  14  includes a bolt  20 , a magazine  22  containing ammunition  24 , a bolt-retracting member  26  for actuating a bolt  20  to feed a round of ammunition from the magazine  22  and load the round into the firing chamber  12 , an ejection port  21 , a handguard  27  and a muzzle  28 .  
         [0016]     Needless to say, before inserting the safety device  10  into the firearm  14 , the firing chamber  12  should not contain ammunition  24 . To insert the safety device  10  into the firearm  14 , the user may pull back the bolt-retracting member  26  a slight amount, and then insert the body  16  through the ejection port  21  into the firing chamber  12 . If the firearm  14  contains a magazine  22  with live ammunition  24 , the user need not completely retract the bolt-retracting member  26  before placement of the safety device  10 , because such action could load a round of live ammunition  24 . Provided, however, the safety device  10  is in place, full retraction of the bolt-retracting member  26  will not chamber a round of ammunition  24  because the safety device  10  blocks the firing chamber  12 . That is, the body  16  of the safety device  10  occupies space within the firing chamber  12 , and prevents ammunition  24  from being able to properly position itself therein. Moreover, pulling out the safety device  10  does not allow bolt  20  to retract beyond the magazine  22  to permit a round to be fed into the firing chamber  12 .  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 2B , the body  16  is positioned within the firing chamber  12  of the firearm  14 , and, in one embodiment, may be abutted by the bolt  20 . In this embodiment, bolt  20  helps maintain the position of the body  16  in the firing chamber  12  of the firearm  14  by exerting pressure on the safety device  10  against the sidewall that defines the beginning of the firing chamber  12 . It is not necessary, however, that bolt  20  abut the body  16 . In non-spring activated firearms, for example, the body  16  may be dimensioned to maintain its position within the firing chamber  12  without assistance from the bolt  20 . For example, body  16  may be dimensioned so as to create an interference fit with either a dimension of the ejection port and/or an inner circumference of the firing chamber  12 . In addition, the attachment member  19 , which may be wrapped around the central action of the firearm  14 , may help ensure that the safety device  10  does not inadvertently fall out of position.  
         [0018]     Once the safety device  10  is in position, it is plainly visible to the user and others. The grasping member  18  may enhance visibility. In some embodiments, the grasping member  18  may extend out of the firing chamber  12 , allowing the user to observe the safety device  10  from a distance, and easily remove it to prepare the firearm  14  for action. The grasping member  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , is in the form of a coil integral with the body  16 . The grasping member  18  need not, however, be integral with the body  16 . In fact, the grasping member  18  may take any form that allows the user to sufficiently grasp the safety device  10  for removal. The grasping member  18  may, for example, take the form of a T-shaped handle, a ring or virtually any other structure connected to the body  16  that the user can grasp. Under any of these constructions, the grasping member  18  may assist the user in removing the safety device  10  from the firing chamber  12 .  
         [0019]     The attachment member  19  may also enhance visibility. Like the grasping member  18 , the attachment member  19  may extend out of the firing chamber  12  so that users and others may see the safety device  10  from a distance. To further enhance visibility, the safety device  10 , the grasping member  18  or the attachment member  19 , (or portions of each), may be fluorescent in color.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows one attachment member  19  according to the present invention. As mentioned, the attachment member  19  may help to ensure that the safety device does not inadvertently fall out of position. In addition, the attachment member  19  allows the user to avoid losing or misplacing the safety device  10  after its removal from the firing chamber  12 . After removal, the safety device  10  remains connected to the attachment member  19 , which, in turn, remains secured to the firearm  14 .  
         [0021]     The attachment member  19  may be made of any suitable material or structure adapted to secure the safety device  10  to the firearm  14 . Such structures include, for example, a flexible band for tying a knot (as shown in  FIG. 5 ), an elastic band, a wire twist or a strap containing an adhesive, such as VELCRO®, available from Velcro USA, Inc. The attachment member  19  may be secured to the firearm  14  by securing it around the central action of the firearm, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Any one or combination of ways may be employed to secure the safety device  10  to the firearm  14 .  
         [0022]     The attachment member  19  may be secured to the safety device  10  in any suitable manner, including but not limited to, melting, tying, pinning, gluing or shrink wrapping the two together. Alternatively, the attachment member  19  and the body  16  may be formed as a single unit through injection molding.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  depicts removal of the safety device  10  from the firing chamber  12  of the firearm  14  by a user. As those of skill in the art will appreciate, the user may remove the safety device  10 , and then prepare the firearm  14  for action in two fast and easy motions. To remove the safety device  10 , the user may take hold of the grasping member  18 —in this case a coil—and pull it in a direction away from the firearm  14 . The smooth surface of the safety device facilitates sliding of the safety feature. Since the user need not retract the bolt  20  to remove the safety device  10 , the time spent removing the safety device  10  is minimal.  
         [0024]     Minimizing removal time is particularly advantageous to users who need to defend themselves against deadly force. As shown in  FIG. 3 , use of the coiled grasping member  18  allows the user to remove the safety device with one finger. Such construction allows an injured or incapacitated user to remove the safety device with minimal effort, when confronted with the use of deadly force. Moreover, with the safety device  10  herein sliding out of the firing chamber  12 , the bolt  20  is not moved back far enough to allow a round to enter the firing chamber  12  from the magazine  22 , and cause any premature loading or jamming of the weapon. Regardless of whether the safety device  10  is secured in the firearm  14  by the action of the bolt  20  pressing against the safety device  10  or by some other method, such as an interference fit between the device  10  and a dimension of the firing chamber  12 , a round of ammunition will not be placed in the firing chamber  12  by extraction of the safety device  10  from the firearm  14 . The user prepares the firearm  14  for action by pulling back and releasing the bolt-activating member  26 , thereby chambering a round of ammunition  24 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a safety device  10  according to the present invention. The safety device  10  includes a body  16 , a first end  32  and a second end  34 . The body  16  may be elongated.  
         [0026]     The safety device  10  may be solid or hollow. In  FIG. 4 , the safety device  10  is hollow with a central lumen  36  running throughout.  
         [0027]     Either one of the first or second ends  32  and  34  of the safety device  10  may be inserted into the firing chamber  12  of the firearm  14 . As shown in  FIG. 2C , in one embodiment, the first or second end  32  and  34 , which is not inserted into the firing chamber  12  is positionable in an angular relationship to a longitudinal axis A of the firing chamber  12 . Alternatively, the first or second end  32  and  34  inserted into the firing chamber  12  is positionable in an angular relationship to a longitudinal axis B of the first or second end  32  and  34  not inserted into the firing chamber  12 . The angular relationship, in either case, may be transverse.  
         [0028]     In other embodiments, the first or second end  32  and  34  not inserted into the firing chamber  12  may extend/hang out of the firing chamber  12 , allowing the user to grip the safety device  10  to remove it from the firing chamber  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first or second end  32  and  34  not inserted into the firing chamber  12  may also be wound about itself to form a coiled grasping member  18 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in one embodiment of the invention, designed for operation with an M-16 or AR-15 rifle, the diameter d of the safety device  10  is between about 0.25 in. and 0.75 in., with 0.33 in preferred, and its length l is between about 3 in. and 6 in. Diameter d and length l may, however, vary broadly, depending on firearm dimensions and the needs of the user. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the safety device  10  are sufficient to prevent dirt and other debris from entering the firing chamber  12  after insertion of the safety device  10  into the firearm  14 . When the safety device  10  is so dimensioned, the need for mounting a dust cover over the ejection port may be eliminated.  
         [0030]     The safety device  10  may generally be constructed of flexible materials. It is understood that materials for the safety device  10  of the present invention may also resist abrasion and cutting when the bolt exerts a force against the body  16  of the safety device  10 . In addition, these materials may resist elongation when the user removes the safety device  10  from the firing chamber  12  with the bolt exerting force against the body  16  of the safety device  10 . Resistance to cutting and abrasion also maintains the structural integrity of the body  16 , particularly when the bolt  20  of the firearm  14  contains lugs (not shown), which appear on the forward portion of the bolt  20 . Another aspect of the material used for the body  16  of the safety device  10  may include resistance to generation of particulates due to cutting or abrasion. Flakes or particles of material from which body  16  is formed may lodge in the internal mechanism of the firearm  14 , causing jamming, or fouling of the mechanism. Additionally or alternatively, such materials may include other beneficial qualities, such as resistance to temperature changes.  
         [0031]     Examples of materials suitable for use with the safety device  10  of the present invention include, but are not limited to silicone, TEFLON®, polymeric compounds, polyurethane polymers, thermal plastics or malleable metals. The material of the safety device  10  may also comprise a smooth exterior surface.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5