US3482348A - Automatic hammer safety for revolvers - Google Patents

Description

Dec; 9., 1969 A- o. ZANCHI I AUTOMATIC HAMMER SAIi'E'TY FOR REVOLVERS Filed Feb. 8, 1968 m m TM 0 m R O BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent AUTOMATIC HAMMER SAFETY FOR REVOLVERS Admar Orlando Zanchi, Porto Alegre, Brazil, assignor to Forum Taurus, S.A. Industria e Comercio, Porto Alegre,

Brazil, a corporation of Brazil Filed Feb. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 704,108 Claims priority, applicationBrazil, Aug. 7, 1967,

191,892 Int. Cl. F4lc 17/04 US. CI. 4266 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety lock for revolvers which can be installed without any modification of existing hammer or trigger mechanisms in certain make revolvers. A two armed actuator plate is mounted on the hammer pivot and one arm engages the sear mechanism while the other arm engages a slidable locking member in contact with the hammer. The locking member normally blocks the firing pin from contact with a cartridge so if the revolver is dropped, accidental discharge will not occur. When the trigger is squeezed, however, then the locking member moves away from the hammer to permit normal firing of the revolver.

The present invention, in general, deals with a safety mechanism for automatically locking revolver hammers to prevent accidental discharge, and in particular is directed to an automatic safety lock for revolvers of the .32 or .38 caliber Taurus type.

As is well known to all who handle revolvers, there is always a risk of an accidental shot being fired when the gun falls to the ground, if the exposed upper end of the hammer should happen to strike against a hard surface or object. For this reason, revolvers generally are equipped with a safety lock to prevent the firing pin from making premature contact with a cartridge, which might be in firing position in the revolver cylinder. Thus, the gun is rendered safe by the present invention until necessary pressure is deliberately applied to the trigger to detonate a cartridge.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanism which offers an effective automatic locking arrangement for existing revolvers in the sense that no changes are required in the original mechanism itself, and it is particularly adapted for revolvers of the aforesaid Taurus type. In the arrangement about to be described, the safety device operates with a minimum of friction in the normal handling of the revolver when it is desired to detonate a cartridge. Also, the safety device is slidably mounted wholly within the hammer chamber without any connection with the outer cover, and therefore there is no possibility of the safety shifting laterally when the gum is cocked in a full or half-cocked position.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the hammer locking member, as applied to a Taurus .32 caliber revolver.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the hammer locking member shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the hammer locking member in position to prevent the hammer from firing the cartridge except by squeezing the trigger of the gun.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the hammer locking member withdrawn from the path of the hammer to permit it to fire the cartridge.

FIGURES 5 and 6, respectively, show side and end elevations of the control member for the hammer locking member as applied to a .32 caliber revolver.

3,482,348 Patented Dec. 9, 1969 "ice FIGURES 7 and 8, respectively, are side and end views FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic side elevation similar to FIGURE 3 showing the mechanism in locking position as applied to a .38 caliber revolver.

FIGURES 10 and 11, respectively, are side and end views of the control member for the hammer locking member used in a .38 caliber revolver.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic side elevation similar to FIGURE 4 illustrating the hammer locking member in released position as applied to a .38 caliber revolver.

In general the invention shown in the drawings is directed to a special safety unit to be housed within a cavity in the gun stock between the handle and the cylinder in a manner to be readily incorporated in the assembly of a pistol or revolver of the Taurus type. In that connection it may be pointed out that only slight changes are required in the invention to enable the basic features to 'be readily applied to either a .32 or .38 revolver. No substantive change is required in the assembly to fit either revolver, and the entire unit is, in operation, simply slidable between the side walls of the casing, without permanent attachment thereto.

As shown in FIGURES 1-6 illustrating a .32 caliber revolver, a hammer locking member L has a shank 1, a laterally extending head or hammer stop member 2, an offset portion 3 at a right angle to the shank 1 and a leg 4 depending from the offset portion 3. It will be seen from FIGURES 3 and 9 that the stop member 2 is blocking the hammer H by engaging an abutment surface 2' on the side of the hammer so that the firing pin H cannot reach a cartridge (not shown). The leg 4 of the locking member L has a transverse groove 5 on its inner face which receives the nose 6 on the end of one arm 7 of an angular control member or plate 8. The central body portion 9 of the control plate 8 is of open circular formation as indicated at 9 and includes a radial slot 10 to conveniently mount it on the hammer pivot P at the time of installation. The downwardly directed arm 11 has a slot 12 at its lower edge which fits over a pin 13 on the sear 14 which in turn is connected with the trigger T by means of a link 15 pivoted on the body of the trigger. The rear face 16 of leg 4 of the hammer locking member L is slidable on the surface of a wall 17 of the revolver housing, being urged against wall 17 by nose 6 engaged in slot 5 and the relative positions of control plate 8 and locking member L. Referring to FIGURES 4 and 12 when the trigger i squeezed, the link 15 urges sear 14 rear-wardly which rocks control plate 8 in a clockwise direction causing the stop portion 2 of hammer locking member L to slide downwardly away from engagement with surface 2' of the hammer H, thus permitting the hammer to move forwardly so that the firing pin H can strike and detonate a cartridge. When pressure on trigger T is released, the trigger returns to its rest position under action of a spring (not shown) and the stop 2 returns to its hammer blocking position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 9.

FIGURES 7-12 inclusive are illustrative of the application of the invention to a .38 caliber revolver of the same make. In general, the mechanism is the same as heretofore described, except for the modification of the control plate. As shown in FIGURE 10, for example, the control plate 8 has a central opening 10 and the nose 6' is smaller and medially located at the end of arm 7'. Also the slot 12' at the end of arm 11' is not as deep as its counterpart in FIGURE 5. These minor modifications facilitate the installation of the invention in a .38 caliber Taurus revolver.

I claim:

hammer pivotally mounted on a shaft in the frame, a firing pin integral with said hammer, said hammer operated by a scar and trigger mechanism, said safety device comprising,

a lock member including a body portion, a hammer engaging portion at its upper end and a depending leg, said hammer engaging portion being laterally offset from one side of said body portion, said leg being disposed parallel to and spaced from said body portion and having a notch in one edge thereof, the opposite edge of said leg slidably engaging a wall surface of said frame,

an angular control member pivotally mounted on the hammer shaft and including first means engaging the notch of said lock member and urging said opposite edge of said leg against said wall surface, and second means operatively connecting said control member to said sear,

said control member including a central body portion, said first means of said angular control member comprising an arm extending angularly from said body portion, the end of said arm engaging the notch from said first mentioned arm, said additional arm having a notched end portion operatively connected to said sear,

whereby, when the trigger is in its rest position said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1910 Wesson 42-66 12/1912 Key 4259 12/1914 Pomeroy 42-66 5/1949 Norman et al. 4266 11/ 1964 Lewis 4266 of said lock member, said second means of said angular control member comprising an additional arm extending angularly from said body and spaced 25 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner CHARLES T. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner

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