Drop-In System to Enhance the Resetting and Operations of Semiautomatic Firearms

Abstract

A drop-in system for a semiautomatic firearm trigger includes a trigger-locking block, a hump block, a trigger-locking block transfer bar and an axis retainer plate that operate together to enhance the operations of a semiautomatic firearm trigger. The trigger-locking block is pivoted on a firearm safety pin to lock the trigger when the carrier bolt travels rearward, the hump block is pivotally disposed within a trigger cradle on a trigger pin to receive a force of a hammer to rotate rearward to rotate the trigger assembly backward, the trigger-locking block transfer bar slides along carrier bolt guide and rotate the trigger-locking block forward to releasee the trigger, and the axis retainer plate holds the trigger-locking block rotatably in place and limits the rotation of the trigger-locking block.

Claims

1. A drop-in system for a semiautomatic firearm, the drop-in system comprising: a hump block that is pivotable about a trigger axis pin independent of pivoting of a trigger, the pivoting of the hump block being capable of pivoting the trigger about the trigger axis pin to reset the trigger; a trigger-locking block that is pivotable about a safety axis pin in a first direction, the trigger-locking block preventing the trigger from being pulled when the trigger-locking block is pivoted in the first direction; and a transfer bar that is capable of sliding forward to pivot the trigger-locking block in a second direction to unlock the trigger.

2. The drop-in system of claim 1 wherein the hump block comprises: a hole for being pivotally connected to the trigger axis pin; a top portion for colliding with a hammer during a backward movement of a bolt carrier; and a bottom portion for colliding with the trigger to pivot the trigger backward.

3. The drop-in system of claim 1 wherein the trigger-locking block comprises: a hole for being pivotally connected to the safety axis pin; an upper notch for colliding with a bolt carrier during a backward movement of the bolt carrier; and a lower notch for impeding pivoting of the trigger during at least part of a forward movement of the bolt carrier.

4. The drop-in system of claim 1 wherein the transfer bar comprises: a folded portion for colliding with a bolt carrier during a forward movement of the bolt carrier, the collision of the folded portion with the bolt carrier causing the transfer bar to slide forward; and a tongue for colliding with the trigger-locking block when the transfer bar is sliding forward, the collision between the tongue and the trigger-locking block causing the pivot of the trigger-locking block in the second direction.

5. The drop-in system of claim 1 wherein when a bolt carrier slides backward along a receiver of the semiautomatic firearm: the bolt carrier collides with a hammer, which causes the hammer to pivot backwards along a hammer axis pin; the hammer, as a result of pivoting backwards, collides with the hump block, which causes the pivoting of the hump block; the hump block, as a result of the pivoting, collides with the trigger, which causes the resetting of the trigger; and the bolt carrier collides with the trigger-locking block, which causes the pivoting of the trigger-locking block in the first direction.

6. The drop-in system of claim 5 wherein the bolt carrier collides with the trigger-locking block at a bolt of the bolt carrier.

7. The drop-in system of claim 1 wherein when a bolt carrier slides forward along a receiver of the semiautomatic firearm: the bolt carrier collides with the transfer bar, causing the sliding forward of the transfer bar; and the transfer bar, as a result of the sliding forward, collides with the trigger-locking block, which causes the pivoting of the trigger-locking block in the second direction.

8. A semiautomatic firearm comprising: a trigger pivotal about a trigger axis pin; a bolt carrier that slides back and forth along a receiver of the semiautomatic firearm and comprises a bolt; a spring-loaded hammer that rotates about a hammer axis pin; a firearm safety including a corresponding safety axis pin extending therefrom; a hump block pivotable about the trigger pin independent of pivotal movement of the trigger, the pivoting of the hump block capable of pivoting the trigger about the trigger axis pin to a reset position; a trigger-locking block pivotable about the safety axis pin, the trigger-locking block limiting pivotal movement of the trigger when the trigger-locking block is pivoted in a first direction; and a transfer bar that is capable of sliding forward to pivot the trigger-locking block in a second direction to enable pivotal movement of the trigger.

9. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 8 wherein the hump block comprises: a hole for being pivotally connected to the trigger axis pin; a top portion for colliding with the hammer during a backward movement of the bolt carrier; and a bottom portion for colliding with the trigger to pivot the trigger backward.

10. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 8 wherein the trigger-locking block comprises: a hole for being pivotally connected to the safety axis pin; an upper notch for colliding with the bolt carrier during a backward movement of the bolt carrier; and a lower notch for impeding pivoting of the trigger during at least part of a forward movement of the bolt carrier.

11. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 8 wherein the transfer bar comprises: a folded portion for colliding with the bolt carrier during a forward movement of the bolt carrier, the collision of the folded portion with the bolt carrier causing the transfer bar to slide forward; and a tongue for colliding with the trigger-locking block when the transfer bar is sliding forward, the collision between the tongue and the trigger-locking block causing the pivot of the trigger-locking block in the second direction.

12. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 8 wherein when the bolt carrier slides backward along the receiver: the bolt carrier collides with the hammer, which causes the hammer to pivot backwards along the hammer axis pin; the hammer, as a result of pivoting backwards, collides with the hump block, which causes the pivoting of the hump block; the hump block, as a result of the pivoting, collides with the trigger, which causes the resetting of the trigger; and the bolt carrier collides with the trigger-locking block, which causes the pivoting of the trigger-locking block in the first direction.

13. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 12 wherein the bolt carrier collides with the trigger-locking block at a bolt of the bolt carrier.

14. The semiautomatic firearm of claim 8 wherein when the bolt carrier slides forward along the receiver: the bolt carrier collides with the transfer bar, causing the sliding forward of the transfer bar; and the transfer bar, as a result of the sliding forward, collides with the trigger-locking block, which causes the pivoting of the trigger-locking block in the second direction.

15. A method performed by a resetting assembly installed within a semiautomatic firearm, the resetting assembly comprising a hump block and a trigger locking block, the method comprising: colliding with a hammer of the firearm at the hump block of the resetting assembly, wherein: the collision with the hammer results from the hammer pivoting about a hammer axis pin upon contact with a bolt carrier of the firearm, and the collision of the hammer with the hump block causes the hump block to pivot backward about a trigger axis pin of the firearm; as a result of the pivoting backward of the hump block, colliding with a trigger of the firearm at the hump block of the resetting assembly, wherein the collision with the trigger causes the trigger to pivot about the trigger axis pin; colliding with the bolt carrier of the firearm at the trigger locking block of the resetting assembly during a backward movement of the bolt carrier, wherein the collision with the bolt carrier causes the trigger locking block to pivot backward about a safety axis pin of the firearm; impeding, with the trigger locking block, a pulling of the trigger during at least part of a forward movement of the bolt carrier; and based on a pivoting forward of the trigger locking block of the resetting assembly during a forward movement of the bolt carrier, enabling the pulling of the trigger.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein: the resetting assembly further comprises a transfer bar; and the pivoting forward of the trigger locking block comprises: colliding with the bolt carrier at the transfer bar of the resetting assembly; and colliding of the transfer bar of the resetting assembly with the trigger locking block of the resetting assembly.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein: the transfer bar comprises a folded portion and a tongue; the colliding with the bolt carrier with the transfer bar is at the folded portion; and the colliding of the transfer bar with the trigger locking block is at the tongue.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the colliding with the bolt carrier at the trigger locking block comprises a colliding with a bolt that is part of the bolt carrier.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein: the resetting assembly further comprises a retainer plate; and the retainer plate limits backward pivotal movement of the trigger-locking block.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the retainer plate comprises: a first end fixed to the hammer axis pin; and a second end fixed to the safety axis pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] These and/or other features and utilities of the present inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0020] FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate various steps of a semiautomatic firearm according to conventional operations.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept.

[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates an operational perspective view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates an operational side view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates another elevated operational side view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0026] The drawing illustrates a process for making the invention according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept and is not to be considered limiting in its scope, as the overall inventive concept may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept while referring to the figures. Also, while describing the present general inventive concept, detailed descriptions about related well-known functions or configurations that may diminish the clarity of the points of the present general inventive concept are omitted.

[0028] It will be understood that although the terms first and second are used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. Thus, a first element could be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element without departing from the teachings of this disclosure.

[0029] Expressions such as at least one of, when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.

[0030] All terms including descriptive or technical terms which are used herein should be construed as having meanings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the terms may have different meanings according to the intention of the lexicographer, case precedents, or the appearance of new technologies. Also, some terms may be arbitrarily selected by the inventors, and in this case, the meaning of the selected terms will be described in detail in the detailed description herein. Thus, the terms used herein should be defined based on the generally defined meaning of the terms together with the description throughout this specification.

[0031] Hereinafter, one or more exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[0032] Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept are directed to a drop-in system for a firearms trigger which improves the resetting of the trigger upon firing a cartridge in a chamber of the firearm.

[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a drop-in system 100 for enhancement of a firearms trigger, according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the drop-in system 100 for enhancement of a firearms trigger according to this example embodiment can include a trigger-locking block 102, a hump block 104, a trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 and an axis retainer plate 108. Depending on the size of a trigger axis pin 124c1 (see FIG. 3) that holds the trigger in a rotational position, the drop-in system 100 can also include a shortened adaptor sleeve 104c to assist in a secure fitting of the hump block 104 onto the trigger axis pin 124c1 via a hump block hole 104a extending therethrough. Positioning of the drop-in system 100 and each of the parts thereof into a receiver of a semiautomatic firearm are described below with respect to FIGS. 3-6, as well as operations of each of the parts of the drop-in system 100 within a semiautomatic firearm receiver 118.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates an operational plan view of the drop-in system 100 for a semiautomatic firearm, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. The standard trigger 124 for a semiautomatic firearm generally includes a rear section 124a, a cradle section 124b, a hole 124c extending through the sides of the cradle section 124b, a trigger axis pin 124c1 to hold the trigger 124 in place while being pivotal about the trigger pin 124c1, and a hammer engagement hook 124d (see also FIG. 4) disposed within a semiautomatic firearms receiver 118. The hump block 104 according to the present example embodiment can be placed into the cradle 124b of the trigger 124 and can include a bottom portion 104b and a top portion 104c, as well as the hole 104a to receive the trigger axis pin 124c1 therethrough. Each of the sides of the cradle section 124b include a trigger pin reception hole 124c to receive the trigger axis pin 124c1 therethrough to enable pivotal movement back and forth of the trigger 124 while keeping the trigger 124 in place. The trigger axis pin 124c1 can also be inserted through the hole 104a (see FIG. 2) formed through the hump block 104 to retain the hump block 104 within the trigger cradle 124b, and also to enable the hump block 104 to be pivotal about the trigger axis pin 124c1. In this configuration the hump block 104 can rock back and forth (i.e., pivot) about the trigger axis pin 124c1. In the case where the diameter of the trigger axis pin 124c1 is smaller than the diameter of the hole extending through the hump block 104 a shortened pin adaptor sleeve 104c can be inserted within the hole 104a through the hump block 104. The pin adaptor sleeve 104c is configured to tightly fit within the hole 104a formed through the hump block 104 and to have an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the trigger axis pin 124c1 to enable the hump block 104 to freely rock back and forth (i.e., pivot) on the trigger axis pin 124c1.

[0035] The trigger-locking block 102 is configured to be pivotally fixed in place by a well-known firearm safety device 126, which is included with all or most semiautomatic firearms in order to disable and enable a user to fire the semiautomatic firearm by blocking and unblocking the user's ability to pull the trigger 124. More specifically, the firearm safety device 126 generally includes a safety device axis pin 126a that extends from a side thereof that is inserted through a first hole extending through one side of the semiautomatic firearms receiver 118, through a hole extending through a retainer plate (not illustrated), and then snaps into a second hole extending through a second opposite side of the semiautomatic firearms receiver 118. The safety device 126 is commonly provided as a pivot switch that will pivot the safety device 126 back and forth to either be positioned away from the rear end 124a of the trigger 124 or directly over the rear end 124a of the trigger 124.

[0036] According to an example embodiment, the standard retainer plate can be first replaced with the specifically configured axis retainer plate 108 according to an example embodiment of the present inventive concept, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The axis retainer plate 108 can be used to replace the standard retainer plate by removing the standard retainer plate and placing the axis retainer plate 108 within the semiautomatic firearm receiver 118. More specifically the axis retainer plate 108 is configured to have a notch 108a formed into a first end thereof such that the notch 108a is inserted over a hammer axis pin 122a in which a hammer 122 of a semiautomatic firearm rotates about. The axis retainer plate 108 also includes a hole 108b extending through an opposite end thereof. The end of the safety device axis pin 126a (opposite the side in which the safety device is connected) can be extended through the hole 108b in the axis retainer plate 108 after the safety device axis pin 126a is inserted through the first hole in the semiautomatic receiver and through a hole 102a extending through the trigger-locking block 102. The end of the safety device axis pin 126a can then be snapped into the second hole extending through a second opposite side of the semiautomatic firearms receiver 118. The axis retainer plate 108 also includes a bend 108c disposed at approximately a middle section thereof to provide a spring action, as described in more detail below.

[0037] FIG. 4 illustrates an elevated operational side view of the drop-in system 100 for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 illustrates another elevated operational side view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a second end of the axis retainer plate 108 is configured to have a hole 108b extending therethrough to fixedly receive the safety device axis pin 126a which extends from a side of the firearm safety 126. The trigger-locking block 102 is configured to have a hole 102a extending therethrough in which the safety device axis pin 126a will extend through such that the trigger-locking block 102 will rotate about the safety device axis pin 126a of the firearm safety 126. The trigger-locking block 102 can be configured to include an upper notch 102b and a lower notch 102c, which is described in more detail below. The trigger-locking block 102 is also configured to include a trigger-locking block limit protrusion (or cylinder) 102d (see FIG. 5), which is also described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 5. The trigger-locking block 102 can rotate back and forth on the safety device axis pin 126a within a certain range of rotational motion due to the trigger-locking block limit protrusion 102d, as well as friction applied to the side of the trigger-locking block 102 by the bend 108c formed in the axis retainer plate 108, as is described in more detail below.

[0039] Generally, a semiautomatic firearm includes a bolt carrier 120 and a bolt 120a. Along the internal side of the semiautomatic firearm there is a bolt carrier guide 120b. The trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 is configured to be inserted into the semiautomatic firearm such that the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 rests on and slides along the bolt carrier guide 120b (see FIG. 5). The trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 is configured to have a folded portion 106a at a first end thereof and a tongue 106b extending away from a side thereof close to a second end of the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106.

[0040] Once the trigger-locking block 102, the hump block 104, the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 and the axis retainer plate 108 are placed within the receiver of the semiautomatic firearm the process of firing and reloading the semiautomatic firearm acts as follows. When the semiautomatic firearm is placed in a cocked position a hammer lip 122b (see FIG. 4) will become engaged by the hammer engagement hook 124d of the trigger 124, thus preventing the hammer 122 from springing forward and hitting a firing pin (not illustrated for brevity of the detailed description). The firing pin hits the back of a round (cartridge) disposed in the chamber 128 and fires the round when the hammer 122 strikes the firing pin. When the trigger 124 is pulled the hammer 122 will become released from the hammer engagement hook 124d and spring forward to strike the firing pin. This action will begin the cycling process described below.

[0041] The cycling process of a semiautomatic firearm with the drop-in system 100 for a semiautomatic firearms trigger, according to the present inventive concept, begins with the bolt carrier 120 traveling rearward as a result of the force of gas traveling through a gas tube to a piston at the front of the semiautomatic firearm. The gas traveling through the gas tube will reach the piston, which in turn will move the bolt carrier 120 backwards. As the bolt carrier travels backwards it will collide with the hammer 122. The hammer 122 will then be forced to pivot rearward and collide with the top portion 104c of the hump block 104. As described above, the hump block 104 is pivotally fixed within the trigger cradle 124b on the trigger axis pin 124c1. Also as pointed out above, the hump block 104 can either be pivotally fixed directly on the trigger axis pin 124c1 or pivotally fixed on the trigger axis pin 124c1 with the aid of the axis adaptor sleeve 104c, which is designed to take up space within the hole 104a of the hump block 104. The trigger assembly 124 will also be forced to pivot rearward by the hammer 122 colliding against the hump block 104, since the hump block 104 will pivot back and the bottom section 104b of the hump block 104 will push the rear end 124a of the trigger down. At this point a hammer lip 122b extending from the hammer 122 will become engaged by the hammer engagement hook 124d on the trigger 124. The hammer engagement hook 124d will engage with the hammer lip 122b and hold the hammer 122 from springing forward. The bolt carrier 120 will continue to travel rearward and the bolt 120a on the bolt carrier 120 will collide with the upper notch 102b of the trigger-locking block 102. The trigger-locking block 102 will then pivot rearward on the safety axis pin 126a, which extends between the firearm safety 126 and the axis retainer plate 108. The trigger-locking block 102 will pivot rearward with friction applied to one side of the trigger-locking block 102 from the inward bend 108c of the axis retainer plate 108 making contact with the trigger-locking block 102 until the trigger-locking block limit protrusion 102d hits a bottom of the axis retainer plate 108 at a location where the bend 108c extends inward (see FIG. 5). Thus, the trigger-locking block 102 will pivot counterclockwise (with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4) until the lower notch 102c of the trigger-locking block 102 collides with the rear end 124a of the trigger 124 and will push the rear end 124a of the trigger 124 down to lock the trigger 124 in place. As pointed out above, the axis retainer plate 108 will limit the pivotal movement of the trigger-locking block 102 as a result of the trigger-locking block limit protrusion 102d hitting the bottom of the axis retainer plate 108 at a location where the bend 108c extends inward to catch the trigger-locking block limit protrusion 102d (see FIG. 5).

[0042] Once the bolt carrier 120 completes its travel rearward it will begin to travel in the forward direction (the front direction of the semiautomatic firearm) as a result of a spring action force applied by a well-known coil spring (not illustrated to provide brevity to the detailed description). As the bolt carrier 120 continues to travel forward a shoulder of the carrier bolt 120 will collide with the folded end 106a of the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106. The trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 will then be forced to slide forward along the carrier bolt guide 120b formed along an inner side of the semiautomatic firearm receiver 118. As a result of the forward sliding movement of the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 the tongue 106b of the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 will collide with the upper notch 102b of the trigger-locking block 102 and cause the trigger-locking block 102 to pivot clockwise (with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4), thus unlocking the trigger 124 (the lower notch 102c of the trigger-locking block 102 will rotate away from the rear end 124a of the trigger 124) from the trigger-locking block 102. At this point the trigger 124 will be released from the trigger-locking block 102 and become enabled to be pulled again to restart the firing cycle.

[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the drop-in system for a firearms trigger, according to the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. As illustrated from a bottom view, the trigger-locking block transfer bar 106 slides along an inner side of the receiver 118 and the axis retainer plate 108 retains the trigger-locking block 102 in place with the rotational assistance of the safety axis pin 126a, which extends from the firearm safety 126.

[0044] Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.