US2498553A - Automatic safety firing control for repeating shotguns - Google Patents

Description

E. O. KLEBE Fe. 21, E950 AUTOMATIC SAFETX FIRING CONTROL FOR REPEATING SHDTGUNS FileaAug, 12; '1946 Patented Feb. 21, 19 50 AUTOMATIC SAFETY FIRING CONTROL FOR REPEATING SHOTGUNS Erich 0. mac, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 689,846

11 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in firearms and more particularly to an automatic safety firing control therefor.

The invention is especially designed for use on a Winchester model 12 repeating shotgun.

It is well known that in case a person fails to release the trigger of the above identified gun after firing the same, andmanipulates the action slide to eject the empty shell and reload the gun, saidgun will automatically be fired, for the reason that the trigger is held in a hammer release position.

The object of this invention is to provide automatic mechanism that will positively lock the hammer in cocked position if the trigger is beingv held in a hammer releasing position following the firing of the gun and then automatically release the hammer after the trigger has been releasedto still hold the hammer cocked.

To the .above end, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which ,illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view ofv a repeating shotgun, some parts being broken away and other parts sectioned;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the frame and mechanism carried thereby, together with the breech bolt removed from the gun, and said mechanism being in firing position;

Fig. 3 is a corresponding view to Fig. 2, with the exception that the gun has been fired and showing the trigger in an inoperative position and the automatic safety device holding the hammer cocked; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational View on an enlarged scale showing a portion of the trigger and the safety catch, a portion of which is broken away and sectioned.

The drawing illustrates fragmentarily, a "Win chester model 12 repeating shotgun, and the standard parts thereof, it is important to note, the receiver 5, the barrel 6, the magazine 1, the action slide 8, its handle 9 and the breech bolt actuating bar 10, the breech bolt II, the firing pin l2, the frame l3, the trigger guard Id, the shell carrier l5, the hammer [6, its lock lug H, the trigger l8 and the action slide lock l9, and its hammer holding hook 20. The spring for propelling the hammer I6 is indicated by the numeral 2| and the opposing springs which eelocking lug 25.

2 11: I. l tuate the action slide lock 19 are indicated by the numeral 22. l I

Referring now in detail to my present invention, the numeral 23 indicates an automatic safe ty catch in the form of an upstanding hook pivoted at 24 to the trigger [8 for interlocking errgagement with alock lug 25 on one side of the hammer l6. Pivotal movement of the safety catch 23 is in a plane parallel to the plane of the hammer l6 and this pivotal movement is limited by a pin 26 on the hammer 16 that extends through a slot 21 in said safety catch. A coiledspring 28 acting on a plunger 29 that engages an abutment 30 in the form of a pin on one sideof the trigger l 8 yieldingly holds the safety catchf 23 in an operative position. The spring 28 and the plunger 29 are mounted in a bore 3! on the under side of the safety catch 23 rearwardly of the pivot 26 of said safety catch.

It is important to note that the front edge portion of the nose 32 of the safety catch 23 is curved upwardly and rearwardly and that the locking lug 25 is forwardly of the nose 32.

The gun as shown in Fig. 1 is in the process of being loaded and the hook 20 on the action slide lock I9 is interlocked with the lock lug l1 and holds the hammer l6 cocked. If the trigger' l'8j is pulled at this time, the safety catch 23 will be moved into interlocking engagement withthe hammer I6 the nose 32'of the safety catch 23 will engage the locking lug 25 and thereby move the safety catch 23 rearwardly on its pivot pin 24 and thus prevent engagement with the lock lug 25.

Fig. 3 shows the gun in the process of being reloaded while the trigger I8 is still held irra hammer releasin position or in other words, the trigger 18 has not been released since it was pulled to release the hammer It to fire the gun. At this time while the hammer is being cocked the lock lug 25 engages the nose 32 of the safety catch 23 and'cams the same out of its path'of movement by moving the safety catch 23 units pivot pin 24 against the tension of the spring 23.; Whenthe locking lug 25 passes out ofengage; ment with the nose 32 of the safety catch 23 the compressed spring 28 will swing the safety catch 23 forwardly and into a position in which it interlocks with the lock lug 25 and thereby positively hold the hammer I6 cocked as long as the 3 trigger I8 is held retracted and thus prevents the gun from being accidentally fired.

When the trigger I8 is released it is first positioned to hold the hammer I 6 cocked and this moves the safety catch 23 out of engagement with the locking lug 25 so that the gun may be fired by again pulling the trigger l8.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the invention described is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement Within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a firearm having a trigger controlled hammer and of the type wherein upon a cocking of the hammer with the trigger held in a firing position there is no meag s for holding the hammer cocked, a safety lock movably mounted adjacent the hammer and movable into engage? ment with the hammer to hold the hammer oc ed nd asin m ans o e bl n y upon the cooking of the hammer when the trigger is in a firing position to actuate, said safety lock t en a e an he d he hamm r cocked a earm a s n ropeued ham e and means or c ki he hamme a ainst t e tension of said spring, a tri er normally operable upon the cocking of the hammer to hold the mmer oc e s d t i ger ei manu y psrab e o release he co ed h m said trigger when held in firing position during the cocking of the hammer being inoperable to hold t e ham er ck d, a sa e y ck mo able i o ocki e em wit h am an b asing means operating only upon the cooking of the hammer with the trigger held in a firing position to move said safety lock into locking:

engagement with the hammer to hold the hammer in a cocked position.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1 wherein, means is provided for releasing the safety lock from a locked position, and said means being brought into operation upon movement of thetr s er f om a r ng to a n n-fi i posit o 4. A con truction as defined in claim 2 wherein, means is provided for releasing the safety oo from. a o ke os ti nd sa d me ns i s b u t. int Operatio po m n of th ri r r m a fir n o non-fi n P n- 5. In a firearm, a movable firing hammer and mea t ro e t e s me. m a s for cocking tli h m a ri g r norma b ase t a n fir ng p i i n nd o n a em wit th hamm r for lding he h mme in a locked positionwhen the hammer is cocked, said trigger having no cocking engagement with thehammer when the trigger is held in a firing position during the cooking of the hammer, a movably mounted safety catch biased for locking engagement with the hammer when the hammer is cocked, said safety catch operatingto engage and hold the hammer cocked when the trigger is held in a firing position during the cocking of the hammer, and means preventing the lock-v ing operation of said safety catch when the trigger is in a non-firing position during the cooking (i the er- 6. A construction as defined in claim 5 wherein, an operative connection is provided between the trigger and the safety catch for moving the safety catch from a locked to an unlocked position upon movement of the trigger from a firing to a non-firing position when the safety catch is in a locked position, and said trigger upon said movement to release the safety catch moving into locking position with the hammer prior to moving the safety catch out of locking engagement with the hammer.

7. In a firearm, a spring propelled hammer manually movable into a cocked position, a trigger biased normally to a non-firing position and when so positioned operating upon the cooking of the hammer to engage and lock the hammer in a cocked position, said trigger being manually operable to release the cocked hammer, said trigger when being held in a firing position upon the cocking of the hammer having no locking engagement with the hammer, a safety catch pivotally mounted on the trigger for rearward tilting movement in a plane parallel to the movement of the hammer, biasing means normally holding said safety catch in a forward position, a lock member on the hammer, said safety catch being movable in response to movement of the trigger and being positioned for non-locking engagement with the hammer when the trigger is in its normal non-firing position, said safety catch when the trigger is held in a firingposition being moved into the path of movement of the hammer lock member during movement of the hammer into a cooked position and interlocking with said lock member and locking the hammer in a locked position.

8. A construction as defined in claim 7 wherein, when the safety catch is in a. locked position.

movement of the trigger from a firing to a nonfiring position moves the safety catch to an unlocked position, and the trigger upon said movement moving into locked position with the hammer prior to releasing the safety catch.

9. A construction as defined in claim '7 wherein, means is provided for limiting the pivotal movement of the safety catch, an abutment on the trigger, the biasing means for the safety catch being in the form of a spring projected plunger mounted in a bore on the safety catch.

10; A construction as defined in claim 1 Wherein, means is provided for releasing the safety look from a locked position, said means being brought into operation upon movement of. the trigger from a firing to a non-firing position, and upon said movement of the trigger locking engagement between the trigger and the hammer taking place prior to the releasing of the safetylock, whereby the hammer remains in a cocked position.

11. A construction asdefined in claim 2 wherein, means is provided for releasing the safety look from a locked position, said means beingbrought into operation upon movement of the trigger from a firing toa non-firing position,

and upon said movement of the trigger locking engagement between the trigger and the hammer taking place prior to the releasing of the safety lock, whereby the hammer remains in a cooked position.

ERICH O. KLEBE.

No references cited.

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