Patent ID: 7150122

Claim:
A gun-lock device for a firearm having a barrel with a generally cylindrical bore therein and a generally cylindrical chamber of diameter greater than that of the bore for receiving an ammunition cartridge in alignment with said bore, and said gun-lock device comprising: a dummy cartridge chamber plug member with exterior dimensions similar to said ammunition cartridge for said firearm's chamber, wherein said chamber plug member having a hollow interior and having an open forward end of diameter less than that of said bore and that of the hollow interior; a tube adapted to be inserted coaxially into the bore, the tube having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a length sufficient to extend from the muzzle to the chamber, wherein the distal end portion of the tube extending into said hollow interior of the chamber plug member; a distal subassembly on the distal end portion of the tube defining at least one barb member pivotally mounted and operated through a partial pivotal movement between a first position corresponding to the first configuration of the distal subassembly wherein the diameter to the tip of the barb member is greater than that of said open forward end of the chamber plug member so that the distal subassembly does obstruct removal of the tube from the chamber plug member, and a second position corresponding to the second configuration of the distal subassembly wherein the diameter to the tip of the barb member is less than that of said open forward end of the chamber plug member so that the distal subassembly does not obstruct removal of the tube from the chamber plug member and the bore; a lock subassembly on the proximal end of the tube for enabling a user to selectively move the distal subassembly between said first and second configurations while the correct key is inserted, the lock subassembly including a tumbler cylinder adapted to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the tube a partial turn between a first position of the tumbler cylinder corresponding to the distal subassembly being in said first configuration and a second position of the tumbler cylinder corresponding to the distal subassembly being in said second configuration, and the lock subassembly including means for locking the tumbler cylinder in the first position; and an actuator subassembly disposed within the tube for transmitting the rotational movement from the tumbler cylinder of the lock subassembly to a movement of a rod member and transferring it to the distal subassembly, wherein the actuator subassembly including (i) a shaft disposed coaxially within the tube wherein the proximal end of the shaft is connected to said tumbler cylinder of the lock subassembly to couple rotational movement thereof, (ii) an adapter means connected at the distal end of said shaft to couple movement thereof and, and (iii) said rod member disposed coaxially within the tube and so arranged to connect the motion between said adapter means and the distal subassembly.