US2978826A

US2978826A - Trigger safety latch for firearms

Info

Publication number: US2978826A
Application number: US770196A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jessie T Ivy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-28
Filing date: 1958-10-28
Publication date: 1961-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-11

Description

April 11, 1961 J, T |VY 2,978,826

TRIGGER SAFETY LATCH FOR FIREARMS Filed Oct. 28, 1958 TTENE YS *Amref United States Patent-f6) 27,918,826Y TRIGGER SAFETYLATCH lrorz.FnusARr/rs Jessie T. Ivy, 523 HendersonfSt., Seattle, Wash.

' Fired oct. 2s, 195s, ser. Ne. 0,196

This invention relates totsafietylatchesTasfappliedl rifles, revolvers and the like, to prevent accidental tiring. 'More particularly, it pertains tosafety latches that are directly associated with the trigger and the-pistol grip or vhand grip portion of a rifle, revolver or the like. l

The present application is a continuation in part of co-pending applicationfiled on November 15,1957, under Y Serial No. 696,738,

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a practical, effective and novel Ysafetylatch mechanism whereby accidental tiring of the fille or fire arm to, which -it is applied, that might be caused by a blow orforce a safety latch mechanism contained by the pistol grip and which can only be released `by the application of pressure against it in a directionopposite to the direction of pull applied to the trigger for firing. l

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of its parts and in their mode of operation, as will lhereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the pistol grip and trigger guard portion of a rifle, or the like with parts broken away or shown in section to illustrate the application of the present safety latch mechanism thereto; the latch mechanism here being shown in normal latched position.

Fig. 2 `is a similar view showing the pistol grip latch in that depressed and released position that permits the trigger to be pulled for firing the rifle.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the pistol grip on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail, taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 1, showing'details `of the pistol grip latch mounting.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sliding latch block of the latch mechanism.

'Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In these views, designates that portion of the wood stock of a rifle to which a trigger guard 11 and a pistol grip, which is herein designated in its entirety by reference numeral 12, are attached. The pistol grip, as here shown may be like or similar to that 'disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 2,832,166 issued on April 29, 1958.

As here shown, the pistol grip comprises a one-piece frame member 12f of the usual pistol grip shape, provided with a body chamber 13 of substantial size in which the latch mechanism embodied by this invention, is contained; this chamber being closed at its opposite sides by knurled or otherwise decorated plates 14-14 that may be secured in place by the usual application of screws, such as that shown at 15 in Fig. 3 which extends through chamber13 approximately at its center.

It is to be observed that `the upper and forward portion of the pistol grip4 frame 12j is fitted to the curvature of the rearward end portion of the trigger guard; the trigger guard being formed at that end with a rearwardly proh jecting part terminating in a head 16j that is fitted in a socket 17 formed in the top and forwardfedge portion of the frame 12] to receive it. It is preferred, in this assembly of parts, that the jointgbetween the fitted edges of the trigger guard and pistol grip frame be covered, at each side, by fittings such as that shown at 19 in Fig. 7; thesevttings being secured in place byV screws, as indicated at 20, and the top ,edgesof the plates 14 being fitted thereto., I

In the present illustrations, 25 designates the trigger by which the rifle is red. This may be mounted in the rifle frame in any practical manner with its lower end extended into the trigger guard. The trigger must be pulled rearwardly as from the normal position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the full line position, for ring the rifle.

Formed through that forward portion of the pistol grip frame 12f that is tted to the trigger guard, is a bore 28 which'is in axial alignment with a continuing bore 29 in i the rear portion of the trigger guard. A pin 30 is slidably fitted in these bores, 28 and 29, with itsV forward end engaged against the back side of the lower end portion of the trigger 25 and its rearward end portion extended well into the upper end portion of the chamber 13 of the pistol grip frame where it is contained within a channel 31 formed in an arm 32 that extends upwardly from a forwardly and rearwardly movable latch block 32. A nut 34, that is adjustably threaded onto the pin 30 engages against the front face of the block arm 32.

The block 32 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. l by the present hand grip latch lever 35 which is shown to be mounted in the lower end portion of the pistol grip chamber 13. At its lower end the latch lever v35 is pivotally mounted by a supporting pin 36 on which it swings forwardly and rearwardly at its upper end. Be'- tween its ends, this lever is formed with a rearwardly pro# jecting press portion 35x that is contained in and projects through and rearwardly from a slot 38 formed in the rear edge member of the pistol grip frame 12f. Nrmally, the press portion 35x projects to the extent shown in Fig. 1, and when the lever is in this position, the upper end' portion of the lever abuts against the under surface of a rearward end portion 32a of the latch block 32 and thus retains the block in its forward position. A leaf spring 40, that is attached to the lower end portion of the latch lever 35, extends upwardly along the latch lever and is then curved forwardly to bear against the bolt 15, thus to yieldingly hold lever 35 in the latch block locking position of Fig. l. The normal position of the block 32 is that in which it is shown in Fig. l. When in that position, the pin 30 engages -rmly at its forward end against the lower end portion of the trigger and positively prevents its being pulled or being actuated by any blow that would result in firing the rifle should if be loaded and cocked for firing. l l

It is to be observed also by reference to Fig. l that the latch block 32, when in locked position is supported at its forward end upon a rearwardly and downwardly curving portion of frame 12f with its forward end surface abutted against a at surface of the chamber wall thus to limit the forward movement of the block. The rear end portion of the block has a top surface 322, as shown in Fig. S, that is slidable along an opposedly facing surface of the chamber 13. It is also to be observed in Fig. 1 that the .under surface `32a of the rear end portion-of block 32 is upwardly and rearwardly curved and is engaged by a surface 35e at the upper end of lever 35 that is curved about the axis of pivot `pin 36. Thevblock 32 is `urged forwardly at all times by "a small'coil vspring 44 that has its end portions contained in

sockets

45 and 46 formed in the rear face of the arm- 32' of the block andtheopposedly related face of the chamber 13. i

The pin 30, as contained in the bores 2S'and 29 and also in channel 31 of the upwardlyextended arm 32' of the block has the nut `34 threaded `thereon and so adjusted against the forward face ofthe arm 132 to dispose the forward end of the pinraganstthe backside of Athe trigger. This adjustmentis `then secured* byta lock nut 49 that is tightenedlagainstnut'34.

With the latchV parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1, the trigger `25eannot be lpulled rearwardly to tiring'position. This can be done only when thelatch lever 35 has been actuated to its released position asseen inl-iig. 2 to disengage it from the latch block.

The significance of placing the latch lever 35 'in the backside of the pistol grip 12 resides in the fact that any object that might accidentally strike against it and depress it to a released position would not be apt to act in the opposite direction against the trigger 25 at the vsame time.

In using the ritie, or any other similar firearm so equipped with this grip and safety `latch mechanism, the user, in getting ready to tire, tightens his hand hold about the grip 12 and in doing this depresses the latch lever 35 to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus disengaging its upper end from the latch block 32, then when ready to fire, pulls the trigger. This moves the block v32 tothe position shown in Fig. 2. The instant the trigger pull s.released, the coil spring 44 moves the latch block 32 back to normal position as in Fig. 1, and `with release of tight hold in the grip 12, the latch lever 3S is moved back to its block locking position by spring 40.

For assembly purposes, the rear wall of chamber 13 is formed, at a location aligned with pin 30, with a socket 47 into which the rear end of the pin can be disposed in order that its forward end will not project from bore 28 and interfere `with the assembling of the frame 12) with the trigger guard. Also, the channel 31, as formed in block 32,'opens to a side of the block in order that'the block can be laid into place after the pin 30 has been placed in position. 4The assembling of the latch parts within the frame 121 is done before both of the facing pieces 14 have been placed in position on the frame.

As a detail of construction and method of assembly, the pivot pin 36, which mounts the lower end of latch lever thereon, projects through the lower end of the lever. With the pin so applied to the lever, the lever end is brought into mounting position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Then washers 50 are ltted to the ends of the pin and seated in circularly curved seats 51, ush with .the opposite facesofthe frame 12j. When the faceplates 14-14 are applied to the frame, they secure the assembly, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4.

It is believed that the present invention is unique in its combination and relationship of parts, and in the fact that the safety mechanism is contained entirely in the pistol grip portion andrcan Ybe applied to any lirm arm of the common types without requiring any deletion or change in'their operatingparts.

What I claimas newris:

' 1. The combination with a firearm of the character described, having a `'pull l"triggervfor firing it, of a chambered piston grip fixed to `thefrarne immediately rearward of said trigger in position to be tightly gripped for firing, by the hand from which the trigger pulling nger extends; a safety latch mechanism for said trigger comprising a block slidably mounted in the upper end portion of said chambered `pistonV grip for limited movement n-directions from and `toward-the linger engaging portion of the trigger, yieldable means acting against said block and urging it forwardly, a pin slidably mounted in said pistol grip in abutting engagement at one end with said block and normally urged thereby into contact at its other end with the trigger to prevent its being pulled for tiring, a latch lever contained in the lower portion of the chambereid pistol grip and yieldingly pivotally mounted therein `at its klower end Vwith its upper end portion normally yieldably disposed in the path of rearward movement of said block `as `a `stop therefor and to positively retain said block` and pin in trigger holding position; said-lever having'a pressportion between its ends projecting rearwardly from thepistol gripwherebysaid leverwill be actuated, -incidentto tightening the hand hold about the pistol grip preparatory to ring, to swing its upper-end portion from holding contact with said block thus to free the block and pin for rearward movementfof the trigger for-firing. i

2, The combination Trecited in claim 1 wherein said block is formed with a channel opening laterally from the block in which the rear end portion of said pin may be received and slidably contained and said pin has a nut adjustably mounted thereon engageable with the forward end of the block.

i References Citedin the -file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS