Semi-automatic firearm trigger mechanism and safety device

Abstract

A firearm has a frame, a barrel assembly, a slide assembly which holds a recoil assembly, and a firing system with a trigger assembly and safety mechanism. The slide and recoil assemblies are located above the barrel so that the barrel is situated between the topmost part of the frame and the bottom of the slide assembly. The barrel assembly includes a housing which is covered by the slide assembly and secures one side of the recoil assembly. The barrel can be removably connected to the frame through front and rear mounts with removable pins and can modularly connect with the frame and slide assembly so that different caliber barrels can be interchanged. In addition to the trigger, the trigger assembly has a hammer, a sear, a lever arm that engages the trigger, sear and hammer, and springs that bias the trigger assembly components.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 14 / 486,633 and 62 / 100,342 respectively filed on Sep. 15, 2014 and Jan. 6, 2015, hereby incorporated by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0002]Not Applicable.APPENDIX[0003]Not Applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Field of the Invention[0005]The present invention relates to a semi-automatic pistol, and more particularly to modular compact semi-automatic pistols with quick-change barrels and corresponding inserts for different caliber barrels, an improved recoil mechanism having a shock absorbing system with a spring and dampener assembly that is held in place and stopped by a housing formed above the barrel, and a firing system with a trigger assembly and safety device having reduced complexity.[0006]Related Art[0007]Known firearms generally experience kickback and muzzle climb due to discharge gases when the firearm is fired. Kickback is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a trigger assembly for a firing system that is small and can work with different caliber barrels. It includes a lever arm that connects to the trigger pull and the sear, with a ram that engages a tab on the sear and an extension that engages a cam surface on the hammer. The trigger assembly also has a safety device that reduces the complexity of traditional safeties by using a rotating shaft that engages the sear and forces it into its engaged position with the hammer catch surface in a safety-on configuration. The shaft also has a cutout section that allows the sear to rotate away from the hammer catch surface in the firing-ready configuration.

Problems solved by technology

Known firearms generally experience kickback and muzzle climb due to discharge gases when the firearm is fired.

Kickback is created by a forward momentum of the bullet and results in a rearward acting force upon the firearm and the marksman.

Kickback and muzzle climb may cause marksmen to flinch or hesitate when discharging the firearm, thereby resulting in less control of the firearm.

Additionally, muzzle climb and recoil may lead to fatigue in the marksman and may inhibit the marksman's ability to repeatedly discharge the firearm.

Kickback and muzzle climb can cause the marksman to move out of alignment with the target after each round is fired requiring additional setup time for each subsequent shot.

As such, kickback and muzzle climb can decrease the accuracy of the marksman.

However, pistols with the recoil mechanism beneath the barrel create a higher torque from the kickback or “recoil” upon discharging the firearm due to the offset of the barrel from the position of the operator's hand.

The larger the offset distance, the greater the counterforce that the operator of the firearm must exert to overcome the torque and maintain control after discharging the firearm, resulting in discomfort and increased fatigue to the operator of the firearm.

None of these traditional prior art pistols have the recoil mechanism secured over the barrel by a housing positioned over the barrel or firing chamber.

This movement can negatively impact the accuracy of the firearms, since this creates a floating-type moment when firing the weapon.

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