Electric motor-driven semi-automatic handgun requiring micro-processor code for operation

• US 6,408,905 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frederick A. Lee
• Original Assignee: Frederick A. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Frederick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sukman, Gabriel S
• Application Number:
  US09/733,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 42/700.1, 42/701.1, 89/9, 891/63
• US Class Current: 42/70.01
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 7/08 Drives for externally-powered guns, i.e. drives for moving the breech-block or bolt by an external force during automatic firing

Abstract

The invention is a handgun in which the spring-loaded slide is replaced by an electric motor, engageable only upon an authorized user entering an access code. A combination rechargeable battery and keypad engages the butt of the handle where the magazine well is located and includes an electrical plug the fits into the handle, making an electrical connection between the battery and a microprocessor in the handgun. Entering the proper code on the keypad allows the microprocessor to complete the circuit between the battery and a motor that actuates the slide. When the device is not in use, the magazine having been removed, the motor then moves the slide rearward, ejecting any cartridge in the chamber, and maintains the slide in a position where the chamber is always open, thereby making obvious to anyone that the gun is not loaded.

Claims

1. A safer system for a semi-automatic handgun that denies permission for its use except for the authorized owner/user, and visually conveys, by means of its physical condition, whether it could be fired, said system comprising:

A. a cartridge magazine-fed, slide operated, semi-automatic handgun with a forward loading and rearward ejection cycle;

B. a rechargeable battery connected to an electric motor disposed in the handgun that drives the slide forwards and backwards effective to load and eject a cartridge; and

C. a micro-processor switch with a pre-set code recognition feature that upon receiving the correct code entered by the authorized user of the handgun enables the motor to close the slide to load the handgun, and commands that when the cartridge magazine ejection button is pressed the motor engages to open the slide to eject any chambered cartridge.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cartridge magazine releasably engages a rechargeable electric battery, said cartridge being locked in place in the gun by a spring catch and forming an electrical connection via a plug between the battery and the micro-processor via wires embedded in the handgun.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rechargeable battery includes a keypad for entry of said code, and wherein the electrical connection between the battery and the motor is completed only upon entry of said code.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which after firing, the cartridge in the barrel is extracted and ejected by a combination of the physical force of the recoil and the controlling action of the gears and the slide with electric motor, the final rearward limit of the slide travel accommodated by rubber contact points between the slide and the gun frame.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which the electric motor reverses direction of the slide at the rear of its travel, moving the slide forward to strip-off another cartridge from the top of the magazine, loading the cartridge into the barrel, and closing the breech.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which when the last cartridge in the magazine has been fired, the cartridge magazine spring engages the slide through a mechanical sear which prevents the slide from closing, thereby signaling the micro-processor switch to stop the electric motor from closing the slide and commands the motor to return the slide to the full open position.

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, in which the cartridge magazine is ejected by pressing an ejection button on the hand-grip, and pressing said ejection button causes the microprocessor to command the slide to return to the full open position.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein pressing said ejection button causes the cartridge magazine to be ejected, the micro-processor thereafter retaining a confirmation of the correct code for a predetermined period of time to allow the user to insert a fresh cartridge magazine and for the handgun to operate, without having to reinsert the correct code on the keypad when the fresh cartridge magazine is inserted.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein if after a predetermined period of time a fresh cartridge magazine has not been inserted, then the microprocessor commands the motor to move the slide to the open position and then to sever the electrical connection, resulting in the handgun slide remaining locked open by the unpowered electric motor, and the now fixed condition between gears and the teeth within the slide, thereby indicating a full safe condition for the handgun.

10. An improved semiautomatic handgun having a slide, wherein the improvement comprises an electric motor disposed in the handgun for moving the slide forward, a battery for powering the electric motor, a microprocessor-based switch disposed in the handgun for controlling the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor, and a keypad for communicating with the microprocessor.

11. The improved handgun of claim 10, wherein the spring normally urging the slide forward is eliminated.

12. The improved handgun of claim 10, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

13. The improved handgun of claim 12, wherein the battery and the keypad are an integral unit that can be releasably attached to the handgun.

14. The improved handgun of claim 12, wherein the battery can be releasably attached to the handgun and the keypad is disposed on the battery.