Patent ID: 8789303

Claim:
A firearm, comprising: a frame; a barrel attached to said frame and defining a firing axis oriented lengthwise along said barrel; a hammer pivotably mounted on said frame; a trigger pivotably mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said hammer; a firing pin comprising a first cylindrical body mounted within said frame so as to be struck by said hammer upon a pull of said trigger, said firing pin being oriented substantially parallel to said firing axis and having a relieved portion on one side thereof, said relieved portion of said firing pin comprising a notch positioned in said first cylindrical body; a blocking member comprising a second cylindrical body positioned within said frame and oriented transversely to said firing pin, said blocking member having a relieved portion adjacent to said relieved portion of said firing pin, said relieved portion of said blocking member comprising a notch positioned in said second cylindrical body; a pawl located within said frame and moveable in a direction transverse to said firing axis; a lever arm attached to said blocking member and oriented transversely to said axis of rotation thereof; wherein said blocking member is rotatably movable about an axis of rotation oriented transversely to said firing axis between a first position, in which said relieved portion thereof is not in registration with said relieved portion of said firing pin, and a second position, in which said relieved portion of said blocking member is in registration with said relieved portion of said firing pin, said blocking member blocking movement of said firing pin in a direction parallel to said firing axis when in said first position, said blocking member allowing movement of said firing pin in a direction parallel to said firing axis when in said second position, and wherein pulling said trigger moves said pawl, said pawl contacting said lever arm to rotate said blocking member from said first position to said second position to unblock said firing pin.