Magazine safety

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029110-B2
Application number	US-202016822296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Apr 5, 2019
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A magazine safety for a semiautomatic firearm uses two levers connected via a floating pin. The first lever is pivotable into and out of the magazine well. The second lever is spring biased to position a spur extending therefrom into the path of a trigger bar. An end of the second lever is connected to the first lever via the floating pin. In the absence of the magazine from the magazine well the first lever will rotate into the magazine well, thereby permitting the second lever to rotate and position the spur in the path of the trigger bar to prevent discharge of the firearm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A safety mechanism for a firearm having a frame defining a magazine well for receiving an ammunition magazine, a trigger bar movably mounted on said frame, said safety mechanism comprising:
a first lever mountable on said frame adjacent to said magazine well, said first lever comprising a first arm pivotable about a first pivot axis into and out of said magazine well, and a second arm positioned on an opposite side of said first pivot axis;
a second lever having a first end pivotably attached to said second arm and a second end attachable to said frame, said second end being pivotable about a second pivot axis oriented parallel to said first pivot axis; wherein
when said first arm pivots into said magazine well said second lever pivots into a position blocking motion of said trigger bar which would discharge said firearm.

2. The safety mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a biasing spring engaging one of said first and second levers for biasing said first arm into said magazine well.

3. The safety mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said biasing spring acts between said frame and said second lever.

4. The safety mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a spur extending from said second lever, said spur being engageable with said trigger bar when said first arm pivots into said magazine well.

5. The safety mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a pin extending between said second arm and said first end of said second lever, said pin defining a floating axis of rotation between said second lever and said second arm parallel to said first and second pivot axes.

6. A safety mechanism for a firearm having a frame defining a magazine well for receiving an ammunition magazine, a trigger bar movably mounted on said frame, said safety mechanism comprising:
a housing mountable on said frame adjacent to said magazine well;
a first lever mounted on said housing, said first lever comprising a first arm pivotable about a first pivot axis into and out of said magazine well, and a second arm positioned on an opposite side of said first pivot axis;
a second lever having a first end pivotably attached to said second arm and a second end attached to said housing, said second end being pivotable about a second pivot axis oriented parallel to said first pivot axis; wherein
when said first arm pivots into said magazine well said second lever pivots into a position blocking motion of said trigger bar which would discharge said firearm.

7. The safety mechanism according to claim 6 , further comprising a biasing spring engaging one of said first and second levers for biasing said first arm into said magazine well.

8. The safety mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein said biasing spring acts between said housing and said second lever.

9. The safety mechanism according to claim 6 , further comprising a spur extending from said second lever, said spur being engageable with said trigger bar when said first arm pivots into said magazine well.

10. The safety mechanism according to claim 6 , further comprising a pin extending between said second arm and said first end of said second lever, said pin defining an axis of rotation parallel to said first and second pivot axes.

11. The safety mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein said housing comprises at least one plate.

12. A firearm having a magazine safety mechanism, said firearm comprising:
a frame defining a magazine well for receiving an ammunition magazine;
a trigger bar movably mounted on said frame; wherein said safety mechanism comprises:
a first lever mounted on said frame adjacent to said magazine well, said first lever comprising a first arm pivotable about a first pivot axis into and out of said magazine well, and a second arm positioned on an opposite side of said first pivot axis;
a second lever having a first end pivotably attached to said second arm and a second end attached to said frame, said second end being pivotable about a second pivot axis oriented parallel to said first pivot axis; wherein
when said first arm pivots into said magazine well said second lever pivots into a position blocking motion of said trigger bar which would discharge said firearm.

13. The firearm according to claim 12 , further comprising a biasing spring engaging one of said first and second levers for biasing said first arm into said magazine well.

14. The firearm according to claim 13 , wherein said biasing spring acts between said frame and said second lever.

15. The firearm according to claim 12 , further comprising a spur extending from said second lever, said spur being engageable with said trigger bar when said first arm pivots into said magazine well.

16. The firearm according to claim 12 , further comprising a pin extending between said second arm and said first end of said second lever, said pin defining a floating axis of rotation between said second lever and said second arm parallel to said first and second pivot axes.

17. A firearm having a magazine safety mechanism, said firearm comprising:
a frame defining a magazine well for receiving an ammunition magazine;
a trigger bar movably mounted on said frame; wherein said safety mechanism comprises:
a housing mounted on said frame adjacent to said magazine well;
a first lever mounted on said housing, said first lever comprising a first arm pivotable about a first pivot axis into and out of said magazine well, and a second arm positioned on an opposite side of said first pivot axis;
a second lever having a first end pivotably attached to said second arm and a second end attached to said housing, said second end being pivotable about a second pivot axis oriented parallel to said first pivot axis; wherein
when said first arm pivots into said magazine well said second lever pivots into a position blocking motion of said trigger bar which would discharge said firearm.

18. The firearm according to claim 17 , further comprising a biasing spring engaging one of said first and second levers for biasing said first arm into said magazine well.

19. The firearm according to claim 18 , wherein said biasing spring acts between said housing and said second lever.

20. The firearm according to claim 17 , further comprising a spur extending from said second lever, said spur being engageable with said trigger bar when said first arm pivots into said magazine well.

21. The firearm according to claim 17 , further comprising a pin extending between said second arm and said first end of said second lever, said pin defining an axis of rotation parallel to said first and second pivot axes.

22. The firearm according to claim 17 , wherein said housing comprises at least one plate.

Assignees

• Smith & Wesson Inc

Inventors

• Curry Brett
• Zukowski Gary

Classifications

• F41A17/38

  {Magazine mountings, e.g. for} locking the magazine in the gun · CPC title

• F41A17/36 Primary

  locking the gun {automatically} in a safety condition when the magazine is empty or removed {(F41A17/44 takes precedence)} · CPC title