Modular insertion trigger method and apparatus

• US 7,421,937 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J & K IP Assets, LLC.
• Original Assignee: John Gangl
• Inventors: Gangl, John
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US11/073,302
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 891/36, 891/40, 891/42, 891/48, 891/49, 891/50, 891/54, 42/690.3
• US Class Current: 89/142
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/46 Trigger safeties, i.e. means for preventing trigger movement F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/74 Hammer safeties, i.e. means for preventing the hammer from hitting the cartridge or the firing pin F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/82 trigger-operated, i.e. the movement of the trigger bringing a hammer safety into inoperative position during firing
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/10 Triggers; Trigger mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/12 Sears; Sear mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/14 Hammers, i.e. pivotably-mounted striker elements; Hammer mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/16 Adjustable firing mechanisms; Trigger mechanisms with adjustable trigger pull F41A19/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/45 for catching the hammer after each shot, i.e. in single-shot or semi-automatic firing mode

Abstract

A trigger assembly comprising a housing adapted to mount a trigger, hammer and sear therein. The housing has an adjustment feature adapted to fixedly mount the housing within the trigger chamber portion of the firearm. The trigger assembly is particularly conducive for an AR-15 type rifle and the various sear engagement surfaces are adapted to be adjustable irrespective of the various dimensions and tolerances of the underlying firearm. A safety system is employed that adjustably allows proper engagement of the trigger tail to properly engage and disengage the safety mechanism.

Claims

1. A trigger assembly adapted to be fitted to the lower receiver of a firearm having a central chamber region having a lower surface, the trigger assembly comprising:

a) a housing having a forward and rearward regions and first and second lateral walls and a base portion providing an upper surface,

b) a locking system having an extendable member that is adapted to engage the lower receiver to minimize movement between the housing and the lower receiver,

c) a hammer pivotally connected to the housing in the forward region of the housing, the hammer having a hammer disconnector sear surface,

d) a trigger pivotally connected to the housing, the trigger having a trigger sear surface located in a forward region,

e) a trigger over travel adjustment system having an adjustment member with a lower surface adapted to engage the upper surface of the housing to limit the range of rotational travel of the trigger in a first rotational direction,

f) a trigger take up adjustment system having an adjustment member with a lower surface that is adapted to engage the upper surface of the housing to limit the amount of rotation of the trigger in a second rotational direction, the trigger further having a safety engagement surface,

g) a safety system comprising a laterally extending member and an adjustable member having an adjustment surface that is adapted to reposition with respect to the laterally extending member, the adjustment surface adapted to engage the safety engagement surface of the trigger to limit rotation in the first rotational direction when the safety system is activated.

2. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 1 where the adjustment members of the trigger over travel adjustment system and the trigger take up adjustment system are comprised of set screws threadedly engaged to the trigger.

3. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 2 where the set screws are accessible from a central chamber region positioned between the first and second lateral walls of the housing and having an unobstructed upper open area adapted to allow access for adjustment of the set screws of the trigger over travel adjustment system and the trigger take up adjustment system.

4. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 3 where an adhesive material fixedly mounts the head region of the set screws of the trigger over travel adjustment system and the trigger take up adjustment system to the trigger to prevent further adjustment of the trigger over travel adjustment system and the trigger take up adjustment system.

5. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 1 where the extendable member of the locking system comprises first and second set screws threadedly engaged to the housing and the first and second set screws having an upper head region that is unobstructed and accessible when the trigger assembly is positioned within the central chamber region of the lower receiver.

6. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 1 where the safety system comprises a lever that is positioned on the exterior of the lower receiver of the firearm and adapted to rotate the laterally extending member from a safe position to a fire position.

7. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 6 where the lever is removably and fixedly attached to the laterally extending member of the safety system.

8. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 7 where the lever is removably and fixedly attached to the laterally extending member of the safety system and adapted to be attached to either the left or right lateral location of the laterally extending member.

9. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 1 where the trigger and hammer are pivotally connected to the housing by first and second centrally open pins where first and second mounting pins are adapted to pass through openings in the receiver and through first and second centrally open pins to mount the trigger assembly to the receiver.

10. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 9 where the first and second centrally open pins have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the first and second mounting pins to account for potential out of tolerance issues with the openings in the receiver.

11. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 9 where the first and second centrally open pins have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the first and second mounting pins where the locking system is adapted to restrict movement of the housing with respect to the lower receiver.

12. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 9 where a sear is mounted to the first centrally open pin and a sear adjustment system is adapted to adjust the amount of sear engagement between a hammer engagement sear surface positioned on the hammer and an engagement sear surface positioned on the sear.

13. A trigger assembly adapted to be fitted to a firearm having a central chamber region having a lower surface, the trigger assembly comprising:

a) a housing having a forward and rearward regions and first and second lateral walls and a base portion providing an upper surface,

b) a locking system adapted to engage the firearm to minimize movement between the housing and the firearm,

c) a hammer pivotally connected to the housing in the forward region of the housing, the hammer having a hammer disconnector sear surface,

d) a trigger pivotally connected to the housing, the trigger having a trigger sear surface located in a forward region,

e) a trigger over travel adjustment system having an adjustment member adjustably connected to the trigger, the adjustment member having a lower surface adapted to engage the upper surface of the housing to limit the range of rotational travel of the trigger in a first rotational direction,

f) a trigger take up adjustment system having an adjustment member with a lower surface and adjustably connected to the trigger, that is adapted to engage the upper surface of the housing to limit the amount of rotation of the trigger in a second rotational direction,

g) whereas the adjustment member of the trigger take up adjustment system are reasonably accessible for adjustment when the trigger and hammer are actively assembled to the housing.

14. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 13 where the locking system comprises an extendable member of the locking system comprises first and second set screws threadedly engaged to the housing and the first and second set screws having an upper head region that is unobstructed and accessible when the trigger assembly is positioned within the central chamber region of the firearm.

15. The trigger assembly as recited in claim 13 where the trigger take up adjustment system is adapted to position the engagement of the trigger sear surface and the hammer disconnector sear surface of the hammer to be less than 0.035 inches.