Abstract:
A firearm safety lock assembly for preventing the loading and accidental discharge of a firearm employs a cable which extends between a chamber insert and a muzzle cap. The cap and the insert are seatable against opposing ends of the firearm barrel. The cable is locked by an armature extension of a lock which has a catch for receiving a lug fixed to the cable. Lock assemblies for a wide variety of firearm makes and models may be assembled from a single kit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to safety devices for firearms. More particularly, the present invention relates to safety devices which are employed to prevent ammunition from being loaded into the firearm and which are adapted for use in conjunction with a wide variety of firearm makes and models. 
     There are numerous types of firearm safety devices and locks. While conventional firearm safety devices, such as locked trigger guards, have proved to be effective, many of the more recent firearms safety devices have been directed to preventing the loading of ammunition into the firearm. Conventional safety devices have also been configured to be highly visible to ensure that the devices are securely locked in position. Because of the numerous makes, models and types of firearms, it is also highly desirable to provide a single firearm safety device or kit which is easily adaptable to a wide variety of firearms. 
     Brown U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,508 and 5,062,233 disclose firearm safety devices which prevent ammunition from being introduced into the chamber. When deployed the devices provide a visible indication that the firearm is not loaded. One disclosed device incorporates a plug attached to a cable and plug ring adapters. One of the adapters is selected to correspond to the barrel diameter for the given firearm. The cable is inserted into the barrel from the chamber and pulled through until the plug/plug ring combination is seated against the chamber opening. The safety is held in place by the combination of a restricting means and a clamp. The restricting means can be locked in place, thereby preventing unintended removal. A number of related firearm safety devices employ various structures which extend through the firearm barrel and engage the barrel chamber opening and the muzzle end of the firearm. Many of the conventional firearm safety devices incorporate locking mechanisms for securing the safety devices in position with the firearms. Various U.S. patents to which the invention relates are set forth by patentee and patent number below. 
     
         ______________________________________Patentee            U.S. Pat. No.______________________________________Parker              2,327,334Garretson           2,479,107Huckabee            2,763,081Santangelo          2,887,807Wikstrom            3,022,598Ingalls             3,137,957Wolter              3,708,901Cornett et al       3,710,490Goodrich            3,720,014Hetrick             4,136,476Bielman             4,224,753Wernicki            4,398,366Fix                 4,479,320Mathew              4,512,099Thurber             4,783,924Healey et al        4,969,284Madden              4,999,940Derman              5,001,854______________________________________ 
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form is a safety lock assembly for a firearm. The safety lock assembly engages at the chamber opening to the firearm barrel, extends through the firearm barrel and is exteriorly secured proximate the muzzle end of the firearm. The safety lock assembly prevents ammunition from being loaded into the firearm. The safety lock assembly also presents a highly visible indication that the device is locked in position and that the firearm is not loaded. The firearm lock assembly which may be assembled from a kit is readily adaptable for use with a wide variety of firearm makes and models, including handguns, rifles and shotguns. 
     The safety lock assembly includes a cable which has a stud having a flange fixed at one end of the cable and a lock lug fixed at the other end of the cable. A cap engages the muzzle end of the firearm and includes an axial bore which permits passage of the cable and lock lug. A chamber insert has an axial bore which receives the stud so that the flange engages the insert to retain the insert to the cable. The insert may have a truncated disk-like form or may have a forward tapered end with the bore having an enlarged and a reduced axial portion. A lock, which includes an armature having a catch, locks with the lock lug to retain the cable within the firearm. 
     The stud may have a cylindrical portion defining an axial cavity for receiving an end portion of the cable. The cap has a forward surface having a tapered conical shape. The armature is a generally U-shaped member with one leg defining the catch. The lug has a generally cylindrical portion defining an axial cavity for receiving an end portion of the cable and also includes a recess which is partially defined by an annular shoulder. The armature engages the shoulder in a surface-to-surface relationship when the lock lug is locked with the armature. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lock assembly for enhancing firearm safety and preventing accidental firearm discharge. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved firearm safety lock assembly which provides a highly visible indication that the assembly is mounted in a locked position and the firearm is not loaded. 
     A yet further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved firearm safety lock assembly which is adaptable for a wide variety of firearm makes and models. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, partly in phantom and partly broken away, illustrating a firearm and a firearm safety lock assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational, partly in section, partly in phantom and partly broken away, illustrating a second firearm and a second embodiment of a firearm safety lock assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged interior view, partly in phantom, of a lock employed in the lock assembly of FIG. 1 and taken along the line 3--3 thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged frontal end view of a chamber insert for the assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged frontal end view of a chamber disk for the assembly of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged frontal end view of a muzzle spacer for the lock assembly of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, a firearm lock assembly in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1. The safety lock assembly 10 is especially adapted for use in connection with a wide range of firearm makes and models, including handguns, rifles and shotguns. The safety lock assembly 10 is assembled from a quasi-universal kit according to the given firearm specifications. The assembled lock assembly 10 is illustrated in conjunction with a shotgun 14 in FIG. 1. A second assembled lock assembly is illustrated in conjunction with rifle 16 in FIG. 2. Similar suitably dimensioned safety lock assembly embodiments are applicable to handguns. The safety lock assemblies 10, 12 function to prevent the loading of ammunition into the firearm chamber and also present a highly visible indication that the assembly is properly secured and that the firearm is not loaded. In addition, the lock assemblies 10, 12 are adapted to be locked to the firearm so that the safety assembly cannot be removed without the appropriate key or lock combination. 
     The safety lock assembly preferably is marketed in the form of a kit for either a handgun or a long gun. Each kit includes a pair of cable sub-assemblies 20, a centerfire chamber insert 30, multiple chamber disks 40, a muzzle spacer 50, and a lock 70. For a given firearm, the appropriately dimensioned cable sub-assembly 20 is selected. A centerfire chamber insert 30 or an appropriately dimensioned chamber disk 40 may be selected in accordance with the firearm chamber characteristics. For rimfire chambers, neither an insert 30 nor a disk 40 is required. Each assembled safety lock assembly includes a muzzle spacer 50 and a lock 70. 
     The cable sub-assembly 20 comprises a flexible steel cable 22 which is preferably manufactured from woven steel wire and encased with a vinyl coating. One end of the cable 22 is inserted into a rimfire stud 24 which has a rear rim or flange 25. The stud 24 is brazed or mechanically fixed to the cable. The opposing end of the cable is inserted and brazed or mechanically fixed into an axial opening of a brass lock lug 26. The lock lug 26 has a circumferential forward recess 27 forwardly defined by a transverse annular lock shoulder 28. The length of cable 22 is selected so that the pre-established distances D between lock shoulder 28 and flange 25 (when the cable 22 is taut) accommodate the numerous standard barrel dimensions for firearms. In a preferred embodiment, the handgun cable sub-assemblies 20 for the handgun kit have distances D of 8.35 and 14.85 inches and the cable sub-assemblies for the long gun kit have distances D of 20.85 and 30.85 inches. 
     With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the centerfire chamber insert 30 normally employed for rifles and pistols is an elongated member having a forward tapered nose 32. The insert has an axial bore 34 and a counterbore 36. The reduced bore 34 has a diameter which is dimensioned to closely accommodate the rimfire stud 24 so that the insert may receive the stud with the flange 25 engaging the end surface of counter bore 36. The frontal surface of the insert nose 32 has a symmetrical tapered configuration which allows the insert to be seated into the chamber end of the barrel at an axial position which is determined by the diameter of the firearm chamber or other barrel breech opening such as a revolver forcing cone, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The chamber insert 30 is preferably manufactured from a composite material or other non-abrasive non-corrosive material. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, the chamber disk 40, which is ordinarily employed in connection with shotguns or revolvers, is a truncated disk-like member having an axial bore 42 which is slightly greater than the diameter of the rimfire stud 24. When installed in the firearm, the disk 40 has an upper chord-like edge 44. The bore 42 is dimensioned so that the chamber disk can be slidably mounted over the rimfire stud 24 with the flange 25 engaging the rear side of the chamber disk. The disk 40 is preferably manufactured from a composite material or other non-abrasive non-corrosive material. The chamber disk 40 is further dimensioned to have a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the shotgun (or revolver) barrel and is axially dimensioned so that the disk may be received in the chamber and seated against the chamber opening to the barrel, as best illustrated in FIG. 1. 
     The maximum diameter d and the truncated radius R (distance from the center to edge 44) of the chamber disk 40 are dimensioned to correspond to various shotgun gauges as set forth in Table I. 
     
                       TABLE I______________________________________COMPONENT   d (inch)    R (inch) GAUGE______________________________________40A         .55         .22      41040B         .70         .25       2840C         .77         .25      16-2040D         .90         .30      10-12______________________________________ 
    
     The long gun kit preferably includes disks 40A, 40B, 40C and 40D and the handgun kit includes disks 40A and 40B. Indicia identifying the corresponding gauge may be affixed to the disk. 
     With additional reference to FIG. 6, muzzle spacer 50 is a tapered cap-like member having a central axial bore 52 with a diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of the lock lug 26, so that the cable lock lug 26 may be inserted through the bore 52. The muzzle spacer 50 preferably is formed from a composite material or other non-abrasive non-corrosive material and has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the barrel. In one preferred embodiment, the spacer has a maximum thickness of 0.25 inch and a diameter of 1.00 inch. 
     Lock 70 is a combination lock. A key actuated lock or other locking device may also be employed. With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the lock 70 has a casing 72 which receives a projectable latchable armature 74. The armature 74 is a U-shaped member having an open-ended slot-like catch 76. The catch 76 is accessible in the unlocked projected configuration of the armature 74. The catch 76 is closely dimensioned so that the catch slides into the lock lug recess 27 in the unlocked position to thereby capture the lock lug 26. The forward planar surface of catch 76 engages against shoulder 28 in surface-to-surface fashion when the armature is latched with (retracted into) the lock casing. 
     When the lock is locked, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, the retracted armature 74 secures the muzzle spacer 50 to the cable sub-assembly. The cable sub-assembly is retained in position in the barrel as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lock 70 prevents removal of the safety lock assembly from the firearm. The lock 70 is effective even though for some applications there may be a significant spacing between the muzzle spacer 50 and the lock 70. The spacing may result from the pre-established length 22 of the cable sub-assembly which does not precisely match the optimum dimensions for all firearms. Lock 70 includes three combination rings 78. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the safety lock assembly is installed in the firearm by first determining whether the rim stud 24 is sufficient and, if necessary, selecting the appropriate centerfire chamber insert 30 or chamber disk 40. The selection naturally will depend on the given firearm configuration. For the FIG. 1 application, the cable subassembly 22 is then inserted through the bore 42 of the chamber disk 40, and the cable sub-assembly is inserted from the chamber end of the barrel through the barrel until the forward portion of the cable extends through the muzzle end of the firearm. The cable is then drawn taut so that the disk 40 seats against the chamber end of the firearm. The muzzle spacer 50 is then mounted to the cable sub-assembly 22 b sliding the spacer over the lock lug 26 for engagement against the muzzle end of the firearm. The projected armature 74 of the lock is then latched to the cable assembly by engaging the catch 76 with the lock lug26. The armature is latched into the casing. The armature 74 may engage against the forward end of the muzzle spacer and the adjacent lock lug to provide a snug taut axial fit or may be spaced away from the end of the muzzle. the lock is securely locked in position by forcing the armature into the lock casing. The safety lock assembly provides a safety device of high integrity regardless of the disposition of the lock relative to the end of the muzzle. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a locked safety lock assembly 12 wherein the centerfire chamber insert 30 is mounted to the cable sub-assembly 22 and seated at the chamber end of the barrel. 
     It will be appreciated that the foregoing safety lock assemblies 10 and 12 each provides an efficient firearm safety device which may be securely mounted in position by selecting the appropriate components for the given firearm from a universal kit having relatively few components. Thus, the lock assembly may be employed with a wide range of firearm makes and models. The lock assembly functions to prevent ammunition from being loaded into the chamber of the firearm. In addition, the protruding portion at the muzzle end of the firearm including the lock provides a strong visual indication that the firearm is unloaded and that the safety lock is properly positioned and locked in place. The lock assembly, once locked, can be effectively released only by unlocking the lock 70. Thus, the safety assembly may be maintained in the locked position so as to prevent accidental firearm discharge unless the appropriate combination, key or unlocking means is employed to unlock the lock. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the foregoing invention has been set forth for purposes of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.