Patent Abstract:
A safety catch is provided for firearms, such as pistols and revolvers, having a firing hammer ( 11 ) with a thrust spring ( 13 ) associated with a spring-holder rod ( 14 ) with a free end ( 16 ) of a noncircular cross section. The safety catch includes a safety pin ( 19 ), which is aligned with the free end of the spring holder ( 14 ) and is capable of axial, rotary translatory movements that can be controlled by a defined contour key ( 20 ) for a longitudinal blocking of the spring-holder rod ( 14 ), so as to prevent the arming and the action of the firing hammer when it is released and inhibits the functioning of the gun in the absence of the key.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains generally to firearms, and more specifically to a safety catch intended for selectively preventing the action of the firing hammer in firearms, such as pistols and revolvers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the firing hammer in pistols rotates on an axis between an armed position and a released, percussion position. The firing hammer is stressed by a spring that is associated and guided with a spring-holder rod. This spring-holder rod has an end connected to the firing hammer and an opposite, free end. The spring-holder rod is capable of longitudinal movements, and follows the rotating movements of the firing hammer between the armed and released positions. 
     When the firing hammer is armed, the spring is compressed between two rabbets, of which one can be moved with the spring-holder rod and the other is stationary in the stock of the gun. As soon as the firing hammer is released from the armed position, the spring reacts by rotating the said firing hammer for its percussion action for the firing of ammunition. 
     For the purpose of the safety of such guns, when they are not used or remain unattended, there is a need for providing them with devices that are able to selectively inhibit their action and particularly the action of the firing hammer on the firing pin. This need has been felt for some time. This has the objectives of preventing any accidental functioning of the gun, inhibiting its use by children or inexperienced people and, in other words, preventing an unintentional use of the gun as well as an intentional use of same by those who may have stolen it or may not be its owner. 
     In this regard, various safety catches have already been proposed, including systems, which are aimed at preventing the firing hammer from being able to reach and strike the firing pin. More specifically such devices are intended to prevent the movement of the spring-holder rod and, therefore, the loading of the spring of the firing hammer, once the firing hammer has been released from the stop position. Such devices that may be activated and deactivated only by means of a personalized access key, have already been proposed 
     An example of a safety catch for pistols has become known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,779, in which is described the presence of a rotating cam, which is associated with the spring-holder rod of the firing hammer and is selectively moved by a lock block controllable with a key. The cam may be rotated and stopped in a position that is inactive and does not affect the normal arming and releasing of the firing hammer and a usual use of the gun. For putting on the safety catch, the cam is rotated into an active position, in which it has to intercept and block the spring-holder rod, therefore preventing the longitudinal movement of same, the arming of the firing hammer once it has been released, and as a consequence, the use of the gun if the appropriate key is not available for activating the lock block. 
     The rotating cam and the lock block can be mounted in the stock of the gun according to an orientation that is transverse or longitudinal to the spring-holder rod of the firing hammer. 
     Another safety catch for pistols has become known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,927 and comprises a lock block with a control key. This device is arranged such that the lock block, when activated with its own key, interferes with the action of an essential functional component of the gun, thus preventing the functioning of the gun. In its mode of application the functional component with which such safety catch is intended to interact is the spring of the firing hammer, so as to inhibit the arming of same. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a safety catch for pistols and the like which is intended to interact with the spring-holder rod of the firing hammer, but is configured differently from the prior-art devices so as to be able to be activated and deactivated by means of its rotating, traverse movement with a key. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety catch that is able to positively block the firing hammer of a pistol or the like in the position with the firing hammer brought down, i.e., released, without the possibility of rotating it and arming it. 
     According to the invention, a safety catch for firearms such as pistols and revolvers is provided. The firearm has a firing hammer rotating on an axis between a released position and an armed position against the action of a thrust spring. The spring is associated and guided with a spring-holder rod. The spring-holder rod has an end connected eccentrically to the firing hammer and an opposite, free end of a noncircular cross section. A safety body defining a housing is provided to be fixed to a part of the stock of the gun in association with a free end of the spring-holder rod. A safety pin is mounted in the housing of the safety body in an arrangement that is aligned with the lower end of the spring holder and is capable of axial, rotary translatory movements. A defined contour (mapped) key (which may have a shape recorded and maintained in a data base) is provided for access and coupling to a part of the safety pin for the rotary translatory movements of the safety pin between a passive, lowered position, which does not affect the spring-holder rod for a normal functioning of the gun, and an active, raised position for the longitudinal blocking of the spring-holder rod for blocking the firing hammer in the released position and inhibiting the functioning of the gun. 
     The safety pin may have a defined contour (coordinated contour of defined shape) terminal portion for coupling with the control defined contour key and is stressed in the axial direction by a safety spring acting in the manner of normally maintaining the safety pin in the passive, lowered position. The safety pin may be mounted in the housing of the safety body with the possibility of rotating by a certain angle around its geometric axis, and having said lateral cam portions, which interact with the fixed companion cams which are provided in the housing for a translation of the safety pin between the passive and active positions simultaneously with the rotation of the safety pin with the defined contour key. The safety pin may have a top wall turned towards the lower end of the spring-holder rod. In the top wall there may be provided a hole having a cross section equal to that of the lower end of the spring-holder rod, the hole being aligned and coinciding with the lower end of the spring holder only when the safety pin is in the passive, lowered position, the hole being misaligned with respect to the rod for the interception of same by the safety pin when this is in the active, raised position. 
     A burglar-proof reinforcement part may be provided in the safety body, around and at the level of the defined contour portion. The safety body may be fixed to the stock of the gun and the safety pin may be held in the body with a safety pin, which can be removed only when the safety pin is in the passive position. The safety body may be fixed to the stock of the gun and the safety pin may be held in the safety body with a sphere, which makes possible disassembly only when the safety pin is in the passive position. The sphere may be mounted radially in the safety body, interfering with the stock of the gun when the safety pin is in the active position. 
     A rotatable, terminal plug may be provided for preventing access to and grasping of the pin with working tools other than the key. An antidrill conical head may be applied to the safety pin on the side of the defined contour portion. 
    
    
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the components of the safety catch; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the device not on safety with the firing hammer in the released position; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device not on safety with the firing hammer in the armed position; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the part circled in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device on safety with the firing hammer lowered and blocked; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the part circled in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 6 a  is a perspective sectional view of the safety body for demonstrating its internal companion cams; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG. 4 of an anti-extraction pin system for the device in the stopped position; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG. 4 of an anti-extraction pin system for the device in the released position; 
     FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of an anti-extraction sphere system with a device in the restrained position for the extraction; 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of an anti-extraction sphere system with a device in the released positions for the extraction; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a control key; and 
     FIG. 12 is an end view of a control key. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in particular, a firearm such as a pistol or the like has a usual firing hammer  11  that rotates on an axis  12  between a released position (FIG. 2) and an armed position (FIG. 3) against the action of a thrust spring  13  associated and guided with a spring-holder rod  14 . 
     This spring-holder rod  14  has an end  15  connected eccentrically to the firing hammer  11  and an opposite, free end  16 , having a polygonal and noncircular cross section. 
     The safety catch according to the present invention is associated with this free end  16  of the spring-holder rod  14  and acts as a support for a lower end of the thrust spring  13 , whose upper end rests against a shoulder  17  provided along the spring-holder rod. 
     The safety catch essentially comprises a safety body  18  and a safety pin  19  that are aligned with the spring-holder rod  14 , and a defined contour/control key  20  for controlling the safety pin. 
     The safety body  18  delimits, axially, a housing having a first, lower portion  21  having a first diameter and open towards the bottom, and a second, upper portion  22  having a larger diameter and obstructed towards the top by a safety plug  23 , which has an opening  24 , in which the free end  16  of the spring-holder rod  14  passes. 
     The safety pin  19  is arranged in the housing with the possibility of rotating 90° about its own geometric axis and of translating axially. The safety pin has a collar  25 , which is coupled to the first portion  21  and a head  26  at the level of the second portion  22  of the housing in the safety body  18 . 
     The collar  25  of the safety pin  19  ends with a defined contour portion  27  that is turned and exposed towards the bottom and is accessible with the contour/control key  20  which will be shaped correspondingly (FIGS.  11  and  12 ). As for the part of the defined contour portion  27 , a terminal plug  28  having a shank  29  inserted into a hole and supported there by means of an elastic pin  30  may be applied to the safety pin  19 . The terminal plug  28  is rotatable, prevents the safety pin from rotating with a collet or other means and also has an antidrill conical head. A reinforcement ring  19 ′ or, at any rate, a burglarproof part can be provided in the safety body, around and at the level of the defined contour portion  27  of the safety pin  19 . 
     Laterally, the head  26  of the safety pin  19  has cam portions  31  joined with companion cams  32  (FIG. 6 a ) provided on the internal surface of the second portion  22  of the housing in the safety body and configured such that an axial translation of the safety pin between a passive, lowered position, in which it does not affect the functioning of the gun, and an active, raised position, in which it inhibits the action of the firing hammer and thus of the gun, corresponds with the rotation of the safety pin caused by the key  20 . 
     Between the safety plug  23  and the head  26  of the safety pin  19  is mounted a safety spring  33 , which is intended to bring back and normally maintain the safety pin in its lowered, i.e., passive position. 
     The safety pin  19  is held axially in the safety body  18  by means of a tangential safety/release pin or member  35 , which may also be used to restrain the safety body and therefore the device to the stock of the gun indicated by  40  in FIGS. 9 and 10. 
     The safety pin  35  has an intermediate tapered section  36  and the safety pin  19  has a lateral notch  37 , which make possible the releasing and disassembly of the safety catch only when they are at the same level turned towards one another, a condition which occurs when the safety pin is in the passive position (FIG.  8 ). 
     Instead of a safety pin, a safety sphere  38 , as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, may be provided for holding the safety body  18  in the stock  40  of the gun and the safety pin  19  in the body. As shown, the sphere  38  is arranged radially in a hole provided in the safety body, and when the safety pin  19  is advanced into the active position, the sphere has to engage the safety body  18  and the stock  40  at the same time at the level of a hole  39  provided inside same stock (FIG.  9 ), thus preventing the extraction of the safety catch. 
     When the safety pin  19  is moved back into the passive position, the sphere  38  is at the level of, and may again enter into, a notch  19   a  provided on one side of the safety pin, therefore permitting only the extraction of the device (FIG.  10 ). 
     At its top  19 ″, the safety pin  19  has a hole  34 , having a cross section equal to that of the free lower end of the spring-holder rod  14 . This hole  34  is oriented and coincides with the lower end of the spring-holder rod  14  only if the safety pin  19  is in its passive position. 
     Therefore (FIGS.  2 - 4 ), the spring-holder rod  14  is free to slide axially, being able to enter into the hole  34 , and make possible the rotation of the firing hammer from the released position to the armed position, and vice versa, for the normal use of the gun. 
     To inhibit the use of the gun, the firing hammer is blocked by means of the safety catch by using the key  20 . Once the firing hammer is released or has just been released (FIGS.  5  and  6 ), the free end of the spring-holder rod  14  moves away from the safety pin  19 . Therefore, the safety pin  19  is accessed with the key  20  and it is made to rotate. With this rotation, the top hole  34  of the safety pin is misaligned or is arranged transversely to the lower end of the spring-holder rod  14 , and at the same time, the safety pin translates upwards into the active position, which is forced by to the contact of its lateral cams  31  with the companion cams  32 . Thus, the head  19 ″of the safety pin  19  will be brought closer to the lower end of the spring-holder rod, intercepting it, and preventing any longitudinal movement of same and consequently the rotation of the firing hammer to the armed position. 
     The restoration of the condition of normal functioning of the gun shall therefore be possible only by having the key for rotary translating the safety pin backwards into its passive position. 
     While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5