Locking means for firearms

Abstract

A locking means for firearms operable by means of a key operated cam. The purpose being that only the person holding the proper key to the firearm can release the safety lever from its locking position.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a means for locking a firearm by means of a key. The purpose being that the person with the proper key could release the "safety position" of the firearm, or lock the firearm, thus preventing accidental shooting of the firearm.

FIG. 1 shows thhe upper handle and hammer end of an automatic pistol.

FIG. 2 shows a partly cross-sectional view of the locking plunger pin and spring.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the locking plunger pin in contact with the locking plunger cam in locking position.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the locking plunger pin in contact with the locking plunger cam in an unlocking position.

FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 showing the locking plunger pin in an unlocking position.

FIG. 6 is a top cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 showing the locking plunger pin in a locking position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the locking cam.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the safety lever trunnion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows perspective view of the rear upper handle end of an automatic pistol 2. A key 4 is shown inserted into the locking means 6 which controls the rotational movement of a locking cam 10, shown in FIG. 7, allowing the locking plunger 12, shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 to be moved in locking recess 14 of half-circular shoulder portion 16 of shaft 18 of safety lever 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the locking plunger pin 12 is slidable within a bore 13 and held against the locking cam 10 and semi-circular shoulder portion 16 by spring 22. A threaded plug 24 is inserted in the bore to allow removal, however, it is to be understood that other permanent plug means can be inserted as a plug to prevent withdrawal of the locking plunger pin. It is to be further understood that a square bore instead of a round bore and a square pin instead of a round pin is adaptable to this device.

While FIG. 7 shows the locking cam 10 and FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 shows the locking cam 10 in its un-locked position and locked position, respectively. The locking cam 10 consists of a segmented quarter section 32 which is rotated ninety degrees as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. It includes a surface portion 49 which abuts the semi-circular surface portion 51 of shaft 18 of safety lever means. The cam 10 includes a flat edge 34 on surface portion 50 which is parallel to flat-sided extension 36. Extension 36 is a lock contacted by key 4 and turned by the sides of the key from a locked position to an un-locked position and vice-versa. The quarter section 32 is adapted to move within the recess 52 depending on whether the safety lever of the pistol is to be locked or un-locked. The cam 10 is placed in position when a bore 40 is drilled in the slide 42 and either press-fitted in position or secured by other conventional means, e.g. brazing, welding or soldering at shaft portion 44. A retaining cap 46 is secured to the slide 42 by conventional means, and includes a bore 48 which allows entry of key 4 to turn cam 10 to lock or un-lock the safety lever.

In operation, viewing FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, shows the locking plunger pin 12 against edge 34 of locking cam 10, allowing plunger pin 12 to fit into locking recess 14, thereby preventing the safety lever 20 to be removed from the "safety position" of the firearm as shown in FIG. 2.

To unlock the safety lever, key 4 is inserted into retaining cap 46 and connected to extension 36 of locking cam 10, and rotated 90.degree., thus moving locking cam 10 90.degree., thereby allowing position of segmented quarter section 32 to move 90.degree. as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Movement of locking cam 10 moves the flat edge 34 90.degree., thus allowing the circumferential surface portion 50 of cam 10 to move the locking plunger pin 12 to move back out of the locking recess 14 of shaft 18 of safety lever 20. As shown in FIG. 5, with the locking plunger pin 12 out of position of preventing rotation of safety lever shaft 18, safety lever 20 can be partially turned or partially rotated to release the "safety lever" from its locked position to its un-locked position.

The firearm can now be fired.

While it will be apparent that the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is not necessarily limited to pistols, but could be adapted to revolvers, rifles, shot guns and other firearms; and further susceptible to modification, variation and change.

Claims

I claim:

1. A locking mechanism for a firearm comprising a safety lever, means for locking said safety lever with a key operable lock, a locking cam having a cam surface, a proper key to rotate said lock and locking cam, a locking plunger whereby movement of the locking cam moves said locking plunger releasing said safety lever, said locking cam having a key operable lock at one end whereby said locking cam is rotated when the proper key is inserted and turned.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 in which said locking cam includes a flat cam surface portion and a curved cam surface portion.

3. A locking mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking plunger includes a locking plunger pin and spring, said spring biasing the locking plunger pin against said cam surface portions.

4. A locking mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said safety lever includes a shaft extending from said safety lever, the end of said shaft including a flat semi-circular shoulder surface portion abutting one end of the locking cam, said semicircular shoulder surface portion having a recess portion extending radially whereby said locking plunger is adapted to move in said recess portion of said shoulder surface portion to prevent rotation of said safety lever, thus locking the firearm.