Safety system
AssigneePrecision Thin Film Corporation
InventorsJames N. Barker, Edward A. Cartwright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Normally disabled electrical and mechanical devices are caused to be enabled to operate by remote control signals having predetermined distinctive characteristics, such signals originating from enabling control equipment transported by an authorized person or persons. Receiving equipment providing output enabling signals only in response to received signals having the predetermined distinctive characteristics is preferably made integral with the mechanical or electrical devices involved and is coupled through appropriate electronic or electro-mechanical devices to the disabling means in the mechanical or electrical devices to be enabled.
Claims23
In a hand-held firearm for operation only by authorized personnel, the combination comprising:
- a firing mechanism;
- first means positioned on said firearm and normally locking said mechanism in an inoperative position;
- and
- second means adapted to be carried by said authorized personnel and including means for transmitting a radiated energy control signal to which said first means is responsive only at the option of said authorized personnel to deactivate said first means and restore the operability of said firing mechanism.
A firearm incapable of being fired except by an authorized person, said firearm having a trigger-operated firing mechanism, comprising:
- means normally locking said firing mechanism against operation;
- and
- electromagnetic means for disabling said locking means in response to the reception of a distinctive signal emanating from a source exterior to said firearm;
- for use with
- signal source means adapted to be carried on said authorized person and normally operating to radiate said distinctive signal and including means on said firearm operable at the option of said authorized person to render ineffective said locking means if said firearm is being held for firing by said authorized person.
In combination with a firearm having a trigger adapted to operate a firing mechanism embraced by a handgrip designed to be grasped by an authorized user's hand preparatory to operating said firing mechanism, a safety device for said firearm comprising first and second structurally independent assemblies, said first assembly being carried by said authorized user and radiating an electromagnetic signal of a distinctive character, said second assembly being incorporated in said firearm and including means normally disabling said firing mechanism, and means responsive to reception of a signal from said first assembly to restore the operability of said firing mechanism.
In combination with a safety firearm incapable of use unless enabled by a preselected distinctive radiated energy control signal received from a source on an authorized person carrying said firearm, said firearm having a trigger adapted to control a firing mechanism;
- battery-energized signal receiving and processing means carried by said firearm and having an output circuit thereof coupled to means normally effective to disable said firing mechanism;
- said trigger being coupled to said output circuit and being effective when said trigger is initially moved to modify conditions in said output circuit and thereby restore the operability of said firing mechanism.
The method of controlling the operation of a firearm firing mechanism to prevent operation thereof by unauthorized personnel which comprises the steps of:
- providing the firing mechanism with deactivatable locking means which normally prevent operation of the firing mechanism;
- generating a distinctive high frequency electromagnetic-wave signal;
- coupling said signal to the body of a person authorized to use the firearm;
- equipping the firearm with radio receiver means designed to receive said high frequency signal when said authorized person is grasping said firearm to fire the same;
- and
- utilizing the output signal of said radio receiver means when said firearm is grasped in the hand of said authorized person to deactivate said locking means and restore the operability of said firing mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.