Combined mechanical and Electro-mechanical firing mechanism for a firearm
AssigneeDefense Technologies Limited
InventorGeorge D. Ealovega
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A firearm with a firing mechanism having a hammer, a trigger, a semi-automatic disconnector, an automatic sear, and an electro-mechanical movement mechanism for moving the automatic sear. The trigger and semi-automatic disconnector can be used to fire the firearm in a semi-automatic firing mode. The electro-mechanical movement mechanism can control release of the hammer by the automatic sear, but only after a first firing of the firearm by release of the hammer from a mechanical interlock with the trigger. The electro-mechanical movement mechanism has an actuator attached to a piezoelectric member. The piezoelectric member moves the actuator to move the automatic sear between a hammer holding position and a hammer release position.
Claims24
A firearm firing mechanism comprising:
- a hammer;
- means for semi-automatic firing having a trigger with a first sear for engaging a first sear surface on the hammer and a disconnector movably connected to the trigger, the disconnector having a second sear for engaging a second sear surface on the hammer;
- and
- means for automatic firing having an electro-mechanical movement mechanism for moving an automatic sear out of engagement with a third sear surface on the hammer wherein the automatic firing means is only operable after the trigger releases the hammer from mechanical engagement at the first sear surface.
A firearm firing mechanism comprising:
- a hammer;
- an automatic sear having a first section for engaging a sear surface on the hammer, a second section for movement by a selector, and a third section;
- and
- an electro-mechanical movement mechanism for moving the automatic sear, the movement mechanism comprising an actuator and a piezoelectric member for moving the actuator, wherein as the piezoelectric member is moved from a first position to a second position the actuator is moved by the piezoelectric member to move the third section of the sear and thereby move the first section of the sear out of engagement with the sear surface on the hammer.
A method of firing a firearm comprising the steps of:
- moving a trigger of the firearm to thereby release a mechanical interlock of the trigger with a hammer of the firearm, the release of the mechanical interlock allowing the hammer to move from a first cocked position to a battery position to cause a first discharge of the firearm;
- retaining the hammer at a second cocked position by a sear of the firearm when the hammer is moved back from its battery position after the first discharge;
- and
- moving the sear by an electro-mechanical mover from a holding position to a release position to thereby release the hammer from retainment by the sear, allowing the hammer to move back to its battery position, and causing a second subsequent discharge of the firearm wherein the first discharge is independent of electrical energy supplied to the electro-mechanical mover.
In a firearm having a firing mechanism with a hammer, a trigger with a trigger sear for engaging a sear surface on the hammer to retain the hammer at a cocked position, an automatic sear, and a semi-automatic sear, the improvement comprising:
- an electro-mechanical movement mechanism for moving the automatic sear from a hammer retaining position to a hammer release ion, wherein the movement mechanism does not affect operation of the semi-automatic sear.
A method of firing a firearm comprising steps of:
- providing the firearm with an electrical firing system;
- and
- preventing the electrical firing system from operating unless a solely mechanical trigger system of the firearm releases a hammer which strikes a firing pin and causes a first discharge of the firearm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.