Firearms – Revolvers – Firing mechanism
Patent
1991-04-11
1992-08-18
Carone, Michael J.
Firearms
Revolvers
Firing mechanism
42 7011, F41A 1502
Patent
active
051387859
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a lock for a firearm and more particularly to a lock for a pistol or other firearm with a revolving cylinder, a so-called revolver, in order to render the firearm safe when not in use.
Difficulties arise in rendering firearms, particularly small firearms such as revolvers, safe when not in use. It is conventional to remove the bullets from the cylinder, but this does not disable the weapon. In an attempt to provide a disabling function for the weapon, the Police may sometimes put a handcuff through the trigger guard in order to prevent operation of the trigger. Such a practice is not satisfactory and has given rise to accidents in instances where not all of the bullets have been removed from the cylinder.
An object of the invention is to provide means which can be used with existing firearms in order to disable the firearm against operation.
According to the present invention, there is provided a removable lock for a firearm having a revolving cylinder with bullet-receiving chambers, said lock comprising a body portion sized for insertion into one of the chambers when the cylinder is in open position, and means for preventing removal of the body portion from the chamber so as to prevent closure of the cylinder.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a lock in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the lock;
FIG. 3 is an end view showing the lock in a non-activated condition; and
FIG. 4 is an end view showing the lock in an activated condition.
The lock shown in the drawings is intended to be placed into one of the bullet-receiving chambers of the revolving cylinder of a revolver when the cylinder has been swung into its open position, that is the position which the cylinder occupies to permit loading of bullets into the cylinder. The lock prevents closing of the cylinder and, in turn, prevents operation of the hammer and trigger mechanisms as most weapons have interlock features which prevent operation of these mechanisms whilst the cylinder is open. Even if such interlock mechanisms are not present, the locking of the cylinder in its open position will ensure that none of the chambers of the cylinder is able to align with the barrel of the weapon.
The lock comprises a substantially cylindrical body 2 of a maximum diameter approximately the same as that of a bullet for use in the weapon so that the body is able to fit into one of the chambers of the cylinder. An enlarged head 4 at an outer end of the body 2 is of greater diameter than the chamber diameter and abuts against an axial end face of the chamber in the fully inserted position of the lock. The overall length of the body 2 is greater than that of the chamber and in the fully inserted position of the lock, a foot portion 6 of the body 2 at the opposite end to the head 2 projects beyond the other end of the chamber. The foot portion 6 is either expandable or incorporates an expandable element which can be activated by a key 7 so as to prevent withdrawal of the lock.
In the particular embodiment shown, the body 2 is of tubular form. In a portion 2a adjacent the head 4, the body is of a diameter equivalent to that of a bullet for use in the weapon. The outer diameter of the body then reduces progressively over an inclined transition zone 2b to a constant diameter portion 2c at the other end portion of the body. This constant diameter portion is then enlarged by means of the foot portion 6 which steps outwardly to define an abutment surface 8 which faces rearwardly towards the head 4. The foot portion 6 has, in a non-activated state of the lock, an outer diameter which is no greater than, and which is preferably less than, the diameter of the larger portion 2a of the body, to enable the foot portion to pass through the length of the chamber. The axial distance between the head 4 and the axial abutment surface 8 of the foot portion 6 is greater than the length of the
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