Firearms – Safety mechanism – On trigger guard
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-08-21
Eldred, J. Woodrow (Department: 3644)
Firearms
Safety mechanism
On trigger guard
C042S070070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276086
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to firearms safety and more particularly to a trigger blocking device which is intended to be a child safety aid. The device covers the trigger guard area of a gun with two smooth half-shells that are matingly engageable and held together by at least one permanent magnet with adjustable magnetic force such that they are not separable by children.
Trigger locks are well known in the art. For example, it is known to use two half-shells which fixedly lock together with a key lock mechanism to form a trigger lock. However, the drawback of this arrangement is the time consuming reliance on a key which has to be located and inserted before the gun can be fired. It is also known to use latching or snap-together half-shells which will prevent accidental firing stemming from dropping the gun or other movement, but which are easily removable by anyone, including a child. It is also known to use a pseudo-key wherein two half-shells appear to lock via a key lock with a tumbler; however, in actuality the half shells are releasable from a locked position by pushing in the pseudo-key. The drawback of this arrangement is that once a child observes the operation of this device, the child will not be misled by the appearance of the pseudo-key in the future. It is also know to use electronic keypads with access codes that electronically control the release of a trigger lock. The drawbacks associated with such an arrangement are a reliance on a battery, and the time consuming process of entering a code on a key pad. It is also known to use electronic voice activated release of a trigger lock. The drawbacks of this arrangement are reliance on a battery, overall complexity of the device, and having to make a significant sound to release the gun. This sound could alert the target to the presence of the gun user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore the objects of the invention include: providing a trigger blocking device which deters children from firing the gun,
providing a trigger blocking device that is removable without any external key,
providing a trigger blocking device for a gun which does not rely on a battery or electric power,
providing a trigger blocking device which has an adjustable level of force required to remove it from the gun,
providing a trigger blocking device which requires the grip of an adult to remove it from the gun, and
providing a trigger blocking device which can be released without generating unwanted noises that could alert a target to the presence of the gun user.
The foregoing objects of the invention are carried out in a trigger cover for a gun having a frame, a trigger guard mounted on the frame, and a trigger located within the trigger guard. The trigger cover has two complementary and separable half-shells which are matingly engageable and which together define a cavity between the half-shells, the cavity sized and configured to substantially receive and immobilize the trigger. One of the half-shells includes at least one magnet(s) and the other of the half-shells includes at least one of a magnet or a magnetic catch piece cooperating to magnetically attract the half-shells together when the half-shells are matingly engaged. The half-shells are separable by applying force to overcome the force of the magnetic attraction between the half-shells for removing the trigger cover and exposing the trigger. Additionally, the half-shells enclose the trigger guard.
According to additional aspects of the invention, the half-shells engage and separate with substantially axial movement opposite to and sufficient to overcome the magnetic attraction between the half-shells. Also, the outside surface of the engaged half-shells is substantially smooth, whereby a substantial level of grip is required to separate the engaged magnetically attracted half-shells.
Accordingly to other aspects of the invention the magnetic attraction of the least one magnet is adjustable to hold the half-shells together by an adjusted force. Also, the magnetic attraction is adjustable by adjusting a gap between the at least one magnet and the other magnet or magnetic catch piece. The other magnet or magnetic catch pieces are associated with one or more screws which may be turned to adjust the gap and strength of force.
According to other aspects of the invention, there are at least two spaced-apart sets of magnets and magnets or catch pieces.
According to another aspect of the invention, the half-shells or one of them define trigger blocking posts adjacent the trigger, so that it may not be cocked or released by other mechanisms of the gun. The trigger blocking posts may include one trigger post having adjustable spacer means to adapt the trigger cover to a variety of guns.
Other, more particular objects and features of the invention will be in part recognized by those skilled in the art and will in part appear from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the claims, taken together with the drawings.
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Eldred J. Woodrow
Mitchell Hunt
Ware Fressola Van der Sluys & Adolphson LLP
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