IL126821A - Weapon lock - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock (10) for use with firearms (5) having a chamber (12), a magazine well (14) communicating therewith, and a barrel, for securing such firearms against unauthorized firing, comprising: a chamber pin element (28) arranged to be placed in said chamber; and a locking assembly (16) comprising an actuation member for 2686 י" ד בחשון התשס" ב - October 31, 2001 lockingly retaining said chamber pin element in said chamber; characterized by said locking assembly comprising: a plurality of body pins (20) assembled in a body of said locking assembly; and a plurality of driver pins (24) mounted in a slider member (26) which has a keyway (28), said driver pins being arranged with respect to said body pins such that insertion of a proper key (30) in said keyway moves said driver pins against said body pins and aligns said driver pins and said body pins along a shear line (32) to allow linear movement of said slider member, thereby to actuate said locking assembly. 2687 י" ד בחשון התשס" ב - October 31, 2001

Description

WEAPON LOCK MUL-T-LOCK TECHNOLOGIES LTD. C: 32599 1 126821/2 32599rav.doc 29-Oct-98 WEAPON LOCK FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to gun locks generally and more particularly to a novel linear lock which locks the chamber of a weapon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of gun locks are known in the patent literature. The following patents and published patent applications are believed to represent the state of the art: U.S. Patents: 5,488,794; 5,465,519; 5,450,685; 5,419,069; 5,410,832; 5,361,526; 5,357,704 5,331,759; 5,241,769; 5,239,767; 5,231,236; 5,115,589; 5,044,105; 4,965,952; 4,835,894 4,761,906; 4,709,496; 4,672,762; 4,654,992; 4,619,062; 4,532,729; 4,576,021; 4,528,765 4,461,108; 4,398,366; 4,276,707; 4,266,356; 3,774,333; 3,605,311; 3,504,818; 3,378,943 3,137,957; 3,089,272; 2,997,802; 2,763,081; 2,327,334; 1,728,902; 1,572,122; Published PCT Patent Applications: WO 92/15835; 92/13249; 92/10714; 92/06345; 88/09475; 88/06264; 86/00396; 82/02941; UK Published Patent Applications: 2,238,604; 2,234,047; 2,215,822; 2,220,253; German Offenlegungsschriften DE 4119617; DE 3323501; DE 2920679; DE 2908066; German Patent 602163; European Published Patent Application 0163912, and applicant/assignee's published PCT Patent Application WO 96/29560.

The most relevant references are believed to be U.S. Patents 5,331,759; 5,231,236; 4,761,906, 4,709,496; 3,089,272, Published PCT Application WO 88/09475, and applicant/assignee's published PCT Patent Applications WO 96/29560 and WO 98/53268, the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to provide an improved weapon lock. It is noted that throughout the specification and claims the terms "gun", "firearms" and weapon" are used interchangeably.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a lock for use with firearms having a chamber, a magazine well communicating therewith, and a barrel, for securing such firearms against unauthorized firing, including a chamber pin element arranged to be placed in the chamber, and a locking assembly including an actuation member for lockingly retaining the chamber pin element in the chamber, characterized by the locking assembly including a plurality of body pins assembled in a body of the locking assembly, and a plurality of driver pins mounted in a slider member which has a keyway, the driver pins being arranged with respect to the body pins such that insertion of a proper key in the keyway moves the driver pins against the body pins and aligns the driver pins and the body pins along a shear line to allow linear movement of the slider member, thereby to actuate the locking assembly.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the chamber pin element includes at least one lug which upon linear movement of the slider member protrudes from the chamber pin element and fixedly abuts against an inner surface of the chamber, thereby lockingly retaining the chamber pin element in the chamber.

Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the inner surface is at least in propinquity to a cartridge-receiving depression formed in the chamber.

Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the slider member includes a stub which upon linear movement of the slider member pushes against the at least one lug and causes the at least one lug to protrude from the chamber pin element.

Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the body of the locking assembly includes a plurality of anti-tampering pins which substantially prevent drilling into the body to gain access to the locking assembly.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least one of the body pins and the driver pins are telescopic.

Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the locking assembly includes a barrel member extending from the body, the barrel member being configured to extend into the barrel of the firearms and including an anti-tampering mechanism.

Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention anti-tampering mechanism includes a plurality of deformable tongues into which is wedged a pin, wherein a force applied generally longitudinally on the pin causes the pin to wedge further into the tongues, thereby causing the tongues to deform outwards from the barrel member and to abut against an inner surface of the barrel, thereby lockingly retaining the chamber pin element in the firearms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figs. 1A and IB are simplified partially cutaway and pictorial illustrations, respectively, of a lock for use with firearms, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a simplified sectional illustration of the lock of Fig. 1 A, taken along lines II - II in Fig. 1 A; Fig. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the lock of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a simplified elevational sectional illustration of the lock of Fig. 3, showing body pins and key pins of the lock; Fig. 5 is a simplified top plan sectional illustration of the lock of Fig. 3, showing locking lugs for locking the lock in the firearms; Fig. 6 is an inverted, simplified pictorial illustration of the lock of Fig. 2, showing a telescoping-pin key used to actuate the lock; and Figs. 7A and 7B are simplified pictorial illustrations of two different keys which may be used to actuate the lock of Fig. 1 A, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to Figs. 1A and IB which illustrate a firearm 5 and a lock 10 therefor constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Firearm 5, here shown to be part of a rifle, may be any suitable firearm, having a chamber 12 and a magazine well 14 (Fig. IB) communicating therewith. Lock 10, which prevents unauthorized firing of firearm 5, preferably includes a chamber pin element 16 arranged to be placed in chamber 12 and a locking assembly 18 for lockingly retaining chamber pin element 16 in chamber 12. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, locking assembly 18 is not disposed within magazine well 14, but rather is assembled in chamber pin element 16. As will be described hereinbelow, the configuration of chamber pin element 16 makes it nearly impossible to forcibly disengage chamber pin element 16 from firearm 5 without simultaneously damaging firearm 5 to an extent which prevents it from being used in a normal manner.

Reference is now made to Figs. 2-6 which illustrate lock 10 in greater detail.

Preferably a plurality of body pins 20 (Fig. 4) is assembled in a body 22 of locking assembly 18. A plurality of driver pins 24 (Figs. 4 and 6) is preferably mounted in a slider member 26 which has a keyway 28. Driver pins 24 are preferably arranged with respect to body pins 20 such that insertion of a proper key 30 (Figs. 2 and 6) in keyway 28 moves driver pins 24 against body pins 20 and aligns driver pins 24 and body pins 20 along a shear line 32 (Fig. 4) to allow linear movement of slider member 26, thereby to actuate locking assembly 18. Most preferably, although not necessarily, key 30 has telescopic pin key cuts to cooperate with telescoping body pins 20 and driver pins 24.

Chamber pin element 16 preferably includes one or more lugs 34 (most preferably a pair of lugs 34) disposed in grooves 36 (Fig. 5) in body 22. Slider member 26 preferably comprises one or more stubs 38 (most preferably a pair of stubs 38). Upon linear movement of slider member 26, generally in the direction towards a barrel 40 of firearms 5 indicated by an arrow 42 in Fig. 2, stubs 38 push against lugs 34 and cause lugs 34 to protrude from chamber pin element 16 and fixedly abut against an inner surface, thereby lockingly retaining chamber pin element 16 in chamber 12. The inner surface is preferably at least in propinquity to a cartridge-receiving depression 44 (Fig. 5) formed in chamber 12.

As seen in Fig. 3, body 22 preferably includes a plurality of hardened anti-tampering pins 46 which substantially prevent drilling into body 22 to gain access to locking assembly 18.

Locking assembly 18 preferably includes a barrel member 48 extending from body 12. Barrel member 48 is preferably configured to extend into barrel 40 of firearms 5 and includes an anti-tampering mechanism which is now described with particular reference to Figs. 3-5.

The anti-tampering mechanism preferably includes a plurality of deformable tongues 50 into which is wedged a pin 52. The deformable tongues 50 act like an expansion bolt. This means that if an unscrupulous person were to try to hammer a generally longitudinal blow against barrel member 48 in an effort to drive lock 10 out of firearms 5, the force of such a blow will cause pin 52 to wedge further into tongues 50, thereby causing tongues 50 to deform outwards from barrel member 48 and to abut against some inner surface of barrel 40, thereby lockingly retaining chamber pin element 16 in firearms 5.

Since the access to keyway 28 may be limited with a straight key, Figs. 7 A and 7B which illustrate two different keys which may be used to actuate the lock of Fig. 1 A. In Fig. 7 A, a key 60 is shown with a head 62 bent generally at right angles with respect to a longitudinal axis 64 of a shank 66. In Fig. 7B, a key 70 is shown with a head 72 twisted generally at right angles with respect to a longitudinal axis 74 of a shank 76.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A lock for use with firearms having a chamber, a magazine well communicating therewith, and a barrel, for securing such firearms against unauthorized firing, comprising: a chamber pin element arranged to be placed in said chamber; and a locking assembly comprising an actuation member for lockingly retaining said chamber pin element in said chamber; characterized by said locking assembly comprising: a plurality of body pins assembled in a body of said locking assembly; and a plurality of driver pins mounted in a slider member which has a keyway, said driver pins being arranged with respect to said body pins such that insertion of a proper key in said keyway moves said driver pins against said body pins and aligns said driver pins and said body pins along a shear line to allow linear movement of said slider member, thereby to actuate said locking assembly.

2. The lock according to claim 1 and wherein said chamber pin element comprises at least one lug which upon linear movement of said slider member protrudes from said chamber pin element and fixedly abuts against an inner surface of said chamber, thereby lockingly retaining said chamber pin element in said chamber.

3. The lock according to claim 2 wherein said inner surface is at least in propinquity to a cartridge-receiving depression formed in said chamber.

4. The lock according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said slider member comprises a stub which upon linear movement of said slider member pushes against said at least one lug and causes said at least one lug to protrude from said chamber pin element.

5. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said body of said locking assembly comprises a plurality of anti-tampering pins which substantially prevent drilling into said body to gain access to said locking assembly.

6. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and wherein at least one of said body pins and said driver pins are telescopic.

7. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said locking assembly comprises a barrel member extending from said body, said barrel member being configured to extend into said barrel of said firearms and comprising an anti-tampering mechanism.

8. The lock according to claim 7 and wherein said anti-tampering mechanism comprises a plurality of deformable tongues into which is wedged a pin, wherein a force applied generally longitudinally on said pin causes said pin to wedge further into said tongues, thereby causing said tongues to deform outwards from said barrel member and to abut against an inner surface of said barrel, thereby lockingly retaining said chamber pin element in said firearms.

9. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and comprising a key to actuate the lock wherein said key comprises a head bent generally at right angles with respect to a longitudinal axis of a shank of said key.

10. The lock according to any of claims 1-8 and comprising a key to actuate the lock wherein said key comprises a head twisted generally at right angles with respect to a longitudinal axis of a shank of said key.

11. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and substantially as described hereinabove.

12. The lock according to any of the preceding claims and substantially as shown in any of the drawings. Sanford T. Colb & Co. Advocates & Patent Attorneys C:32599