Safety mechanism for hammer-operated firearms

US11215417B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jonathan Mather · Grafton, US
• Andrew James Beland · Gilmanton, US
• Geoffrey W. Smith
• Kenneth Bruce McLoud · Goshen, US
• Eric Mitchell Callum · Unity, US
• Jonathan Barrett · Georges Mills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 29, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 4, 2022
• Expiry date: Jul 29, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F41C3/14
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A firearm with safety mechanism in one embodiment includes a barrel supported by a housing, at least one cartridge-receiving chamber in communication with a bore of the barrel, and a rotatable hammer. The safety mechanism includes a biased safety component, which may be a blocking pin in one embodiment, mounted to and rotatable with the hammer. When the firearm is exposed to an abnormal impact force caused by bumping or dropping the firearm, the safety component changes position and interacts with a blocking feature on the hammer pivot pin to stop or delay the motion of the hammer in a manner which prevents discharging the firearm. The blocking feature may be a notch in one embodiment. Rotating the hammer between rearward cocked and forward firing positions alternatingly aligns or misaligns the blocking pin with the notch, respectively.