US 161117
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
DANA G. HADLEY, OF BETHLEHEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,117, dated March 23, 1875; application filed February 17, 1875.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, DANA G. HADLEY, of Bethlehem, Grafton County, New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification:
My invention relates to safety-devices for locking the hammer or cock of a fire-arm in such a way that there will be no danger of the cock or hammer being accidentally lifted away from, and then released, so as to fall forcibly upon the cap or cartridge.
To this end I make use of a locking-lever, one end of which bears normally against the periphery of the hub of the hammer or cock, and is provided with a locking-hook or projection, extending from the lever in a direction opposite to that in which the mainspring tends to revolve the hammer; and with the looking-lever thus arranged, I combine one or more notches in the periphery of the hub of the hammer, each formed on the side opposite that in the direction of which the hammer revolves when descending, with an undercut recess to receive the hook or projection on the locking-lever. The slots are preferably so located that the locking lever or levers will take into them when the trigger engages the half-cock notch on the hammer.
One or more of these locking-levers may be employed. I prefer two, arranged one along side of the trigger, and one in the handle-stock, back of the trigger-guard.
Under the arrangement devised by me it is not possible after the hammer is one locked to unlock it by an independent movement of either the locking-lever or the hammer. Both must be operated simultaneously to produce any result.
In illustration of my improvements, I have represented in the accompanying drawings a revolver embodying my invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the same, with the butt and locking-mechanism in section. Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of detached parts, in which my invention is more particularly comprised.
The pistol, in all other respects save those that will be hereinafter particularly described, is of ordinary or suitable construction.
In the position shown in Fig. 1 the hammer A is down. B is the mainspring. The trigger C is represented in dotted lines in Fig. 1. a, is the half-cock notch, and b the full-cock notch. D is a locking-lever, shown more fully in Fig. 2, which lies alongside of the trigger, vibrates on the same axis, and is acted on, if desired, by same spring c, although each device may have its own spring, if desired. The spring serves to press, the upper end of the lever against the periphery of the hub of the hammer. Projecting from this end of the lever is a projection or hook, d. Below the hooked end of the lever, a distance about equal to that which separates the upper end of the trigger from the half cock notch, is a slot, e, of a size to admit the hooked end of the lever. This notch, at the junction of its bottom and upper side, is undercut or recessed, as shown at f.
Under this arrangement, when the hammer is drawn back to half-cock, the hooked end of the lever will fall into the notch e, and by the time the trigger rests in the half-cock notch the hook or projection d will have entered the undercut recess f. When the parts are in this position the lever will be maintained in place by the pressure of both trigger-spring and mainspring, and it will be impossible, without drawing back the hammer and pressing the exposed end of the locking lever simultaneously to unlock the hammer. If desired, a notch, g, may be provided for the locking-lever, corresponding to the full-cock notch for the trigger. This latter notch has no undercut recess, and consequently the locking-lever can be readily withdrawn there from by pressing it simultaneously with the trigger.
I have shown a second locking-lever in the butt or stock. Either lever may be used alone, but I prefer to use both jointly, for greater security. This second lever is indicated at D’. It has a hooked end, d’, which operates in connection with a notch, e’, and undercut recess, f, and with a notch, g, in the same way in which the lever D operates, as already described. The lever D’ differs a little in arrangement from lever D. It works through a guide-piece, h, near its front end, and at its rear is hinged or pivoted at i to a slide-block, E, having tongues j which move in grooves k, fixed in the butt of the pistol. To the front of this slide-block is fixed a knob or button, l, that projects out through the butt or handle. The block is pressed forward by a spring, m, and consequently tends to hold the hooked end of the lever against the hub of the hammer with a yielding pressure. By pressing on the knob l the slide. block will be pushed back, thus causing the retraction of the lever from the hub of the hammer. This lever operates in the same way, and with the same result, as does the lever D. The two levers are so placed that they are under the hand when the pistol is taken hold of, and are naturally pressed back when the weapon is being cocked.
It will be understood, as before stated, that either lever can be used to the exclusion of the other; and that my invention is applicable, not only to pistols, but to all varieties of fire-arms.
Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is–
1. The locking-lever provided with a square shouldered hooked end, to operate in conjunction with a square-shouldered notch and undercut recess in the hub of the hammer or cock, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination, in a fire-arm with the hammer cocking and releasing mechanism, of a hammer whose hub is formed with a square shouldered notch, having an undercut recess, as described, and a locking-lever, formed with a square-shouldered hooked end, bearing against the periphery of said hub with a yielding pressure, and adapted to engage said notch and undercut recess at the times and in the manner set forth.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 5th day of February, A. D. 1875.
DANA G. HADLEY.
Witnesses:
EVARTS W. FARR,
E. C. STEVENS.