Thousands of accidental deaths and injuries occur every year from the use of firearms by both experienced adult handlers and children. It is essential that firearms be locked away or kept in a locked state when the firearms are being used for personal protection in households where children and visitors can be present. Generally, the locks available for firearm protection include those that use a key. In order to keep the firearm in an accessible state, the key must be kept usually in a hidden, but readily available location. Often this hidden location is a place that can be discovered by curious children which unfortunately is the setting for the disaster that is repeated thousands of times annually.
Firearms are often accidentally discharged by rough handling or by being dropped while being moved. Experienced and trained users while under stressful situation discharge their firearms hastily only when there is only a perceived need for extreme force.
Various proposals have occurred over the years for locking triggers. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,953 to Lind; U.S. Pat. No. 2,505,227 to Charters; U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,316 to Mulno; U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,433 to Rogers et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,694 to Schaefer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,047 to McDonnell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,559 to Soblewski; U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,725 to Cravener; U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,626 to Brandt; U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,576 to Troncoso et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,618 to Justice, Sr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,605 to Nishioka; U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,185 to Justice, Sr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,178 to Justice; U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,578 to Kay; U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,396 to Shapiro; U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,816 to Saltz; Des. No. 196,842 to Schaefer; However, these references are limited to only locking the firearm triggers and the like, and preventing the firearms from being used while the locks are in place. Users of these lock devices would have physically remove portions of the lock to operate the firearm, which takes extra time and effort.
New firearms are being produced today that allow for increasing the finger pressure needed to fire the firearm. However, these firearms must be initially manufactured with modified triggers for adjusting finger pressure, and also do not intended to break apart when a pressure is exceeded. Existing firearms cannot be retrofitted.
This invention is not intended to solely replace gun and trigger locks, but it is to provide an additional and/or last defense against accidental discharge of the firearm. The invention is to make a firearm unusable by children.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds