US3371441A - Safety mechanism for hand firearms - Google Patents

Description

' March 5, 1968 F. WALTHER SAFETY MECHANISM FOR HAND FIREARMS Filed Feb. 18, 1966 QJHIAVAYIIIIIIA I2 ig.4c

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United States Patent M SAFETY MECHANISM FOR HAND FIREARMS Fritz Walther, 4 Wettersteinweg, 79 Ulm (Danube), Germany Filed Feb. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 528,636

Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 25, 1965,

6 Claims. (Cl. 42-70) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention broadly relates to a safety mechanism to firearms which has a safety-off and a safety-on position. The safety mechanism is comprised of a manually operated safety lever and rotatable member having at least first and second cam surfaces which confront the firearm firing pin and which lies between the forward end of the firing pin and the primer of a cartridge loaded into the firearm. Rotation of the safety lever to the safety-on position blocks the firing pin from striking the primer of the cartridge. Movement of the safety lever to the safety-off position provides sufiicient clearance for the forward end of the firing pin to strike the primer of the cartridge. In moving the safety lever from the safety-on to the safetyoff position, an edge of the rotatable member which joins the cam surfaces drives the firing pin rearwardly which in turn engages and rotates the firing hammer through a small angle. A 'safety catch provided on the firing hammer releases a spring biased trigger lever member causing it to embraced by the safety catch, locking the firing hammer into a slightly cocked position. With the trigger lever projection locked into the safety catch, any effort to fire the weapon by squeezing the trigger will be thwarted. The firing hammer must be moved to the fully cocked position before the weapon can be fired.

The instant invention relates to firearms and more particularly to a safety device for hand firearms which provides positive blocking of the firearm firing pin when appropriately set and which further automatically sets a safety latch blocking the firearm hammer from operation.

A safety lock of the type set forth in US. Patent No. 3,184,876, is comprised of a pivotally mounted drum which is provided with at least first and second differing contours or cam surfaces which, in the safety-off position, permits the firing pin to make engagement with the cartridge of a shell. When pivoted into the safetyon position, one of the cam surfaces confronts the firing pin preventing it from striking the shell even in the case where the firing pin is accidentally activated or released. The arrangement of the above mentioned patent further provides means for blocking the trigger when the safety device is in the safety-on position by a mechanical coupling between'the operating lever of the firing pin safety device and the latching means of the trigger safety device.

However, in the arrangement of the above mentioned patent, when the firing pin safety device is moved from the safety-on to the safety-off position, then firing, accidental or otherwise, may occur immediately thereafter.

It is a function of the instant invention to provide a novel arrangement wherein the firearm firing hammer is set in a locking position during the time in which the firing pin safety device is being operated so as to prevent any accidental movement of the firing hammer and hence any accidental firing of the Weapon.

The firing pin safety device of the instant invention is comprised of a pivotally mounted drum member having first, second and third cam surfaces which cooperate with 3,371,441 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 the front shoulder of the firing pin to permit the firing pin to engage a cartridge when the safety device is in the safety-off position and which prevents the firing pin from engaging the cartridge when the safety device is pivoted to the safety-off position. In moving from the safety-off to the safety-on position the cam surfaces cause the firing pin to move generally in a rearward direction by a distance somewhat greater than the distance between the safety-on and safety-off positions. The firing pin holds this location momentarily and then moves slightly forward again so as to have its front shoulder confronted by the third cam surface which hold the firing pin in the safety-on position.

The momentary rearward movement beyond the safetyon position is imparted to the fire arm firing hammer causing it to rotate through an angle suflicient to release a spring biased trigger lever which enters into a safety catch on the surface of the firing hammer and looking it in this position so as to prevent either accidental or deliberate operation of the trigger as well as preventing the firing hammer from driving into the firing pin until it is properly set into the loaded position. This arrangement maintains the firing hammer and trigger mechanisms in the safety-on position even after the firing pin safety device has been pivoted to the safety-off position.

It is therefore one object of the instant invention to provide a novel safety device for use in hand firearms.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel safety device for use in hand firearms comprising a firing pin safety device and a firing hammer safety device automatically actuated by the firing pin safety device when said firing pin safety device is moved to either said safety-off or said safety-on position.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel safety device for use in hand firearms comprising a firing pin safety device and a firing hammer safety device automatically actuated by the firing pin safety device when said firing pin safety devices is moved to either said safety-off or said safety-on position and wherein said firing hammer safety device maintains the firing hammer and the firearm trigger in the locked position until the firing hammer has been properly cocked for firing purposes.

These and other objects of the instant invention will become apparent when reading the accompanying description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a partial view of a hand firearm with internal portions of the firearm being exposed for the purpose of simplifying the understanding thereof. FIG- URE 1 shows the firearm in the safety-off position.

FIGURE 2 is a view substantially similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 with the firearm being in the safety-on position.

FIGURES 3a-3c are cross-sectional views of the firing pin safety drum in the safety-off, intermediate and safetyon positions, respectively.

FIGURES 4a-4c are detailed views of the firing hammer safety catch of FIGURES 1 and 2, showing the safety catch in the safety-off, intermediate and safety-on posi tions, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a portion of a hand firearm 10 which may, for example, be an automatic pistol which is comprised of a breech block 11 containing an axially movable firing pin assembly 12 having a rear surface 12a which bears against the forward surface of a firing hammer 13. The central portion 12b of firing pin assembly 12 is provided with an elongated opening for receiving a stationary mounted pin 34 which bears against one end of a spring 35, the other end of which bears against the rear edge of slot 12b. Spring 35 normally urges firing pin assembly 12 generally in the projecting pin 12c extending toward the left and reciprocally movable through opening 36 which communicates between breech block 17 and the barrel 38 of the weapon receiving cartridge 37.

The firing hammer 13 is pivotally mounted about stationary pin 15 located in the upper rearward portion of the stock 14 of the firearm and is under the influence of the firearm operating spring 16 which is pivotally connected.

to firing hammer 13 at 39. The lower end thereof is also pivotally connected at a position substantially near the lower end of the firearm handle (not shown). The firing hammer 13 is provided with a knurled surface 13a which may be operated by the users thumb or other finger to rotate firing hammer 13 clockwise as shown by arrow 40, in order to fully cock the firearm. Rotation in direction 40 compresses spring 16.

A safety catch 23 is provided near the pivoting end of firing hammer 13 which cooperates with a pivotally mounted trigger lever 25 in a manner to be more fully described, to provide the locking of firing hammer 13. Safety catch 25 is mounted to pivot about stationary pin 27. Trigger lever 25 is normally biased in the clockwise direction under control of spring 26 whose left-hand end is seated in an opening 42 provided within the stock of the weapon and whose right-hand end bears against a surface of the trigger lever 25. A projection 24 at the upper end of trigger lever 25 cooperates with the safety catch 23 in a manner to be more fully described. The lower end 28 of trigger lever 25 bears against the trigger arm 29 which extends generally in the left-hand direction forming a manually operable trigger means capable of activating the weapon in any conventional manner. The trigger means 29 may be mechanically linked to the safety device activating lever 21 as represented by the broken line 41 for the purpose of blocking the trigger mechanism 29 when the activating lever 21 is in the safety-on position. This structure is set forth in detail in the above mentioned US. Patent 3,184,876 and will be omitted here for purposes of simplicity.

A safety drum 18 is pivotally mounted between the front shoulder 20 of firing pin assembly 12 and the rear of barrel 38. The safety drum is rigidly coupled to and pivoted by activating lever 21 which is mounted exteriorly of the firearm to permit manual manipulation thereof.

The safety drum 18 is provided with cam surfaces 19, 31 and 43.

As shown in FIGURES l and 3a, the safety drum 18 is in the safety-off position with its surfaces 31 and 43 confronting the engaging surfaces 20a and 20b formed on shoulder 20 of firing pin assembly 12. In this position the firing pin assembly 12 is permitted to move in the lefthand direction by an amount sufficient to cause the pin 120 to protrude into barrel 38 in order to activate a cartridge 37.

By pivoting safety drum 18 under control of activating lever 21 to the position shown in FIGURE 2, the cam surface 19 confronts surface 20a of shoulder 20, as can best be seen in FIGURES 2 and 30, which moves the lefthand end of pin 120 a sufficient distance away from barrel 38 so as to prevent detonation of the cartridge.

In moving the safety drum 18 from the safety-off position of FIGURE 3a to the safety-on position of FIGURE 3c, the safety drum 18 passes through the intermediate position, shown in FIGURE 3b, wherein the sharp projecting portion 30 formed between the vertex of surfaces 19 and 43 engages surface 20a moving firing pin assembly 12 a distance D to the right of the safety-on position,

shown in FIGURES 2 and 30. Thus, the firing pin 12, in moving from safety-off to safety-on moves to the right slightly beyond the safety-on position and then moves to the left again by the distance D to return to the safety-on position.

The movement of firing pin assembly 12 in the righthand direction causes its bearing surface 12a to impart rotation to firing hammer 13. With the safety drum 18 in the safety-off position as shown in FIGURE 3a, the firing notch 24 at the upper tip of trigger lever 25 is located in the position shown in FIGURE 4a. When the safety drum 18 moves through the intermediate position to reach the safety-on position, the movement of firing pin assembly 12 to the extreme right-hand position beyond the safety-on position as shown in FIGURE 3b, imparts rotation to firing hammer 13 causing the firing notch 24 to clear the lip 23a of safety notch 23 so as to occupy the position shown in FIGURE 4b of the drawings. When safety drum 18 reaches the safety-on position as shown in FIGURE 30 the movement of firing pin assembly 12 to the left through the distance D causes firing hammer 13 to rotate counterclockwise through an angle related to the linear distance D so as to firmly seat firing notch 24 in safety catch 23.

With the weapon set in the position shown in FIGURE 2, safety drum 18 absolutely prevents the firing pin assembly 12 from detonating a cartridge in barrel 38. Simultaneously therewith the trigger assembly 29 is prevented from releasing the firing hammer 13 due to the latching of firing notch 24 within safety catch 23. An additional feature which isprovided is the further locking of the trigger 29 due to the mechanical linkage between activating lever 21 and trigger 29 represented by dotted line 41, which linkage assembly is set forth in great detail in the above mentioned US. Patent No. 3,184,876. Thus, with the weapon in the position as shown in FIGURE 2, trigger 29 is blocked, firing hammer 13 is blocked and firing pin assembly 12 is blocked. If the activating lever 21 is moved from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the safety-off position, shown in FIGURE 1, this in no way affects the safety locking of firing hammer 13. It is true that the safety drum 18 in moving from the safety-on position of FIGURE 30 to the safety-off position of FIGURE 3a passes through the intermediate stage shown in FIGURE 3b, but spring means 26 will nevertheless bias firing notch 24 toward firing hammer 13 so that firing hammer 13 will be prevented from being placed under the influence of spring 16 to urge firing pin assembly 12 into engagement with a cartridge in barrel 38. Thus, no accidental firing an occur during the time in which the safety drum 18 is moved from the safety-on to the safety-off position of figures 2 and 1, respectively. The possibility of an accidental firing may be caused by the rotation of the firing hammer 13 clockwise in the direction shown by arrow 40 during the movement of the activating lever 21 from safety-on to safety-off position. Thus, spring 16 becomes slightly compressed and will release its energy as safety drum 18 moves from the intermediate position of FIG- URE 3b to the safety-0E position shown in FIGURE 3a. This is completely prevented by the safety catch 23 and trigger notch 24. This is a further advantage over the structure described in the above mentioned US. patent in that the safety lever for locking the trigger unblocks the trigger at the same time that the safety drum unblocks the firing pin. In the instant invention, even though the firing pin and trigger may be unblocked, the firing hammer is still nevertheless blocked by the seating of the trigger notch 24 in the safety catch 23.

The weapon may be discharged by gripping the knurled surface 13a of firing hammer 13 to rotate firing hammer 13 clockwise as shown by arrow 40 until the firing notch 24 is latched by the shoulder 32 provided at the lower end of firing hammer 13. This rotational movement significantly compresses the firing spring 16 causing it to be in the charged condition. By movement of the trigger mechanism 29 in the direction shown by arrow 45, this releases charged spring 16 causing the firing hammer 13 to be rapidly rotated counterclockwise about its pivot 15 causing the firing pin assembly 12 to be urged rapidly toward the left which, in turn, causes engagement of pin end 120 with the cartridge 37 so as to fire the weapon.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the instant invention provides a novel safety catch for looking a firearm firing hammer which is automatically under control of a firing pin safety drum to prevent activation of the weapon under control of the firing hammer even after the firing pin safety drum has been reset to the safety-01f position.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm having a chamber and trigger and firing pin means for engaging the primer of a cartridge and a pivotally mounted spring loaded firing hammer activated by said trigger for urging said firing pin toward engagement with a cartridge;

a safety mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted safety drum positioned between said first pin and adjacent the primer of a cartridge;

said safety drum being movable between a safety ON and a safety OFF position;

said firing hammer having a safety catch;

a pivotally mounted trigger lever positioned between said trigger and said firing hammer having a projection biased toward said firing hammer;

said projection being free of said safety catch when said safety drum is in the safety OFF position;

said safety drum driving said firing pin rearwardly into said firing hammer rotating said firing hammer safety catch into locking engagement with said trigger lever projection when said safety drum moves between the safety ON and the safety OFF positions to prevent either accidental or deliberate firing of said firearm.

2. The firearm of claim 1 wherein said safety drum is provided with a projecting edge which engages the firing pin near the front end thereof when said safety drum is moved between the safety ON and safety OFF positions to urge said firing pin rearwardly a predetermined amount beyond the safety ON position to rotate said firing hammer an amount sufficient to lock said firing trigger lever projection into said firing hammer safety catch.

3. The firearm of claim 2 wherein said safety drum is provided with first and second substantially fiat contiguous cam surfaces forming a projecting edge at their joining surface;

said firearm being in the safety OFF position when the forward end of said firing pin is confronted by said first cam surface;

said firearm being in the safety ON position when the forward end of said firing pin is confronted by said second cam surface.

4. The firearm of claim 3 wherein the projecting edge of said safety drum moves the firing pin means rearwardly a spaced distance beyond the safety ON position to rotate said firing hammer in a first direction by an amount sufficient to cause said safety catch to release said trigger lever projection to become aligned with said safety catch when said safety drum moves between the safety ON and safety OFF positions, and to cause said firing hammer to rotate in a reverse direction when said safety drum reaches the safety OFF position, bringing the safety catch into locking engagement with said trigger lever projection.

5. The firearm of claim 3 wherein said firing pin attains its forwardmost safety OFF position closest to a cartridge when confronted by said first cam surface;

is spaced rearwardly of its forwardmost position attaining the safety ON position, when confronted by said second cam surface; and

is moved still further in the rearward direction when slidingly engaged by said safety drum projecting edge in moving between the safety OFF and safety ON positions. 6. The firearm of claim 1 wherein said firing hammer is further provided with a second firing hammer catch; said trigger lever projection being released from said safety catch and locked into releasable engagement with said second catch when said firing hammer is cocked for firing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 936,369 10/ 1909 Searle 4270 1,070,582 8/1913 Browning 42-70 2,846,925 8/ 1958 Norman 42-25 3,184,876 5/1965 Walther 42-70.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 453,672 9/1936 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. T. H. WEBB, Assistant Examiner.

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