SHOTGUN WITH AUTOCOCKING/DECOCKING MECHANISMS

Abstract

A combination of autococking and decocking mechanisms for a single barrel break-open shotgun including a body, a barrel, a trigger and a hammer is provided. The autococking and decocking mechanisms include the autococking mechanism having an autococking lever to place the hammer in a firing position when the barrel is broken open from the body and the decocking mechanism having a decocking lever to selectively place the hammer in the firing position or a decocked position.

Claims

1. A combination of autococking and decocking mechanisms for a single barrel break-open shotgun including a body, a barrel, a trigger and a hammer, the autococking and decocking mechanisms comprises: the autococking mechanism including an autococking lever configured to place the hammer in a firing position when the barrel is broken open from the body; and the decocking mechanism including a decocking lever to selectively place the hammer in the firing position or a decocked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a break-open single barrel shotgun including exemplary autococking and decocking mechanisms in accordance with the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the exemplary autococking and decocking mechanisms shown in FIG. 1 with the decocking mechanism in the fire position;

[0009] FIG. 3 is an expanded view of the exemplary autococking and decocking mechanisms shown in FIG. 1 with the autococking mechanism actuated to break open the single barrel shotgun;

[0010] FIG. 4 is expanded top view of the break-open single barrel shotgun shown in FIG. 1, showing the hammer pull and decocking mechanism in the decocked position; and

[0011] FIG. 5 is an expanded view of the exemplary autococking and decocking mechanisms shown in FIG. 1 with the decocking mechanism in the decocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a break-open single barrel shotgun 10 including exemplary autococking and decocking mechanisms in accordance with the present invention. With further reference to FIG. 2, in the exemplary shotgun 10, autococking mechanism 12 generally includes an autococking lever 14 operably coupled to hammer 16. With additional reference to FIG. 3, actuating of autococking lever 14 to release the barrel 18 from the body 20 to extract and reload a shotgun shell automatically sets hammer 16 in a firing position, whereby once barrel 18 and body 20 re-engage hammer 16 is ready to immediately fire the loaded shotgun shell upon pulling of trigger 22. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, decocking lever 24 of decocking mechanism 26 is placed in the firing position whereby the hammer 16 can strike the shotgun shell upon pulling of trigger 22.

[0013] Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, decocking lever 24 may also be selectively positioned in the decocked position. Placing decocking lever 24 in the decocked position causes hammer 16 to move to its respective decocked position. While hammer 16 is in its decocked position, hammer 16 will not engage the loaded shotgun shell even if trigger 22 is pulled. Decocking lever 24 must first be returned to its firing position before hammer 16 can strike the shotgun shell. Decocking lever 24 may be placed in the decocking position irrespective of the actuation position of autococking lever 14 or whether shotgun 10 is broken open for reloading or re-engaged for firing.

[0014] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain aspects thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the aspects contained herein.

[0015] All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.