FIREARM DISCONNECTOR

Description

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present disclosure relates to firearms, and more particularly to a pistol with trigger reset facility that enables rapid firing in striker-fired handguns without requiring custom fitting.

BACKGROUND

Previous trigger reset facilities often rely on trigger bar attachments or trigger shoes that engage the barrel or other firearm components to achieve reset. These designs frequently encounter issues such as friction and binding between the slide and barrel, requiring precise fitting, tuning, and modifications.

The Taurus® TX22® pistol uses a factory disconnector to enable semi-automatic fire by allowing the trigger to reset after the slide cycles. The factory disconnector also functions as the striker safety disengagement. This factory arrangement relies on spring tension and user release of the trigger for reset. While functional, the reset speed is dependent on the shooter's ability to fully release the trigger between shots, which can slow follow-up shots. Existing forced reset triggers for other firearms are incompatible with the Taurus® TX22® platform due to its lack of a barrel tilt action, unique slide geometry, and disconnector operation.

SUMMARY

Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved pistol with trigger reset facility that enables rapid semi-automatic firing in striker-fired handguns without requiring custom fitting. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. There is a need for a mechanism that provides a mechanical forward push to the trigger during cycling, ensuring a consistent and rapid reset, while still maintaining semi-automatic operation.

In this respect, the pistol with trigger reset facility according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enabling rapid firing in striker-fired handguns without requiring custom fitting.

The present invention is a replacement for the factory disconnector of the Taurus® TX22® disconnector and provides an improved pistol with trigger reset facility, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. The improved disconnector retains the original pivot point as the factory disconnector but includes a lower engagement with the trigger bar and an upper engagement surface designed to contact the underside of the slide during cycling. The improved disconnector may be made of any material suitable for withstanding internal forces from the slide moving against the disconnector, but preferably made from materials including but not limited to heat-treated tool steel, aluminum alloys, stainless steel, or polymer composite materials. The component is dimensioned for drop-in installation without permanent modification to the pistol. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved pistol with trigger reset facility that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.

To attain need and novelty for the solution, the embodiment of the present disclosure essentially comprises of a pistol comprising a frame, a slide operable to reciprocate with respect to the frame along a reciprocation axis between a forward battery position and a rear recoil position, a trigger connected to the frame and operable to move between a forward rest position and a rear firing position, a link element pivotally connected to the frame, and the link element operably responsive to movement of the slide form the battery position to the recoil position to move the trigger from the firing position to the rest position.

The link element's upper portion is shaped to engage the underside of the slide during cycling. The device also features a section that will engage the trigger bar during cycling. As the slide moves rearward upon firing, the underside of the slide pushes the disconnector down, causing the disconnector to pivot and push the trigger bar forward by its trigger bar engagement portion, which is absent from the factory disconnector. This movement physically pushes the shooter's finger forward past the trigger's mechanical reset point. When the slide returns to battery, the disconnector drops into the slide's (striker safety) cutout, enabling the next trigger pull. Each shot is fired by a single discrete trigger function, and the system does not allow the trigger to be fully pulled until the slide is in battery.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the present embodiment is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The embodiment, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a firearm with an embodiment of the forced reset disconnector installed.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the firearm with an original disconnector.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the trigger components, including an original disconnector.

FIG. 4 shows an upward view of the slide.

FIG. 5 shows the striker housing component of the slide.

FIG. 6 shows the trigger components without a disconnector.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a firearm in a full battery condition with a cutaway showing an original disconnector installed.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a firearm in a full battery condition and the trigger pulled rearward, with a cutaway showing an original disconnector installed.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of a firearm in a full recoil condition with a cutaway showing an original disconnector installed.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the improved disconnector.

FIG. 11 shows an isometric front view of the improved disconnector.

FIG. 12 shows an isometric horizontal view of the improved disconnector.

FIG. 13 shows a side view of part of the frame receiver of the firearm with the improved disconnector pivoted counterclockwise to show the sear trip and sear.

FIG. 14 shows a cutaway frame receiver of the firearm with the improved disconnector.

FIG. 15 shows the firearm in a full battery condition with a cutaway showing an embodiment of the improved disconnector interacting with the striker housing components.

FIG. 16 shows the firearm in a full battery condition with the trigger moved rearwards, with a cutaway showing an embodiment of the improved disconnector interacting with the striker housing components.

FIG. 17 shows the firearm in a full recoil condition with the trigger in a rearward position with a cutaway showing the trigger bar still in contact with an embodiment of the improved disconnector.

FIG. 18 shows the firearm in a full recoil condition with the trigger in a forward position with a cutaway showing the trigger bar still not contact with an embodiment of the improved disconnector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments and disclosures. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.

An embodiment of the firearm of the present disclosure is shown and generally designated by reference numeral 10. The factory link element disconnector is designated 250. The improved disconnector link element is designated 400. Link element and improved disconnector may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the firearm 10 in a forward battery condition having a slide 20 connected to a frame 50, also referred to as a lower receiver. The slide has a forward muzzle end 22 and an opposing rear breach end 24, with an ejection port 26 in between. The slide further has a top side 30 and opposing bottom side 32. Within the slide is a barrel 40 having a forward muzzle end 42 and an opposing breech end 44 at the ejection port. The frame similarly has a forward end 52 and opposing rear end 54, with a grip 56 extending downward from the rear end, and a top side 64 opposing the grip and extending the length between the rear end and forward end. Between the grip and the forward end of the frame is a trigger guard 60 that encloses a trigger 300, shown here in a forward rest position. The frame rear end further shows an external safety lever 62, though in other embodiments of the firearm there is no external safety lever. The bottom side of the slide is connected to the top side of the frame along their corresponding lengths.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the firearm 10. FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the trigger related components.

The slide 20 has a forward end 22 and opposing rear end 24 with an ejection port 26 therebetween, and a top side 30 and opposing bottom side 32. The barrel 40 has a forward muzzle end 42 and an opposing breech end 44, and in the present embodiment has a threaded portion at the muzzle end and may be accompanied by a suppressor adapter 156 and threaded barrel collar 160. The slide contains a rear retaining plate 100, rear plate retainer 102, striker spring 104, striker 106, left striker housing 110, right striker housing 112, strike block 114, striker block spring 116, extractor spring 120, extractor plunger 122, extractor 124, and impact insert 126. The slide's top end at the breech end accommodates a sight base 130, rear sight 132, rear sight screw 134, rear sight vertical adjustment screw 136, rear sight horizontal adjustment screw 140, adjustment screw pin guides 142, rear sight ball bearings 144, and a rear sight screw spring 146. Between the rear end of the slide and the ejection port is inserted a coiled spring pin 150. The slide's top side at the muzzle end accommodate a front sight 152, front sight screw 154.

The frame 50 has a front end 52 and opposing rear end 54, and a top side 64. A grip 56 protrudes down away from the top side at the rear end of the frame. Forward of the grip is a trigger guard 60. The grip receives the trigger components, coiled spring pins 166, magazine release 170 and magazine catch spring 172, and the magazine. The magazine comprises of a magazine body 186, magazine base plate 174, magazine base retainer 176, magazine spring 180, magazine load button 182, and magazine follower 184.

The trigger components, shown more distinctly in FIG. 3, include fire control housing 200 and the central block 290. The fire control housing has a forward end 202 and opposing rear end 204, left side 206 and right side 210, and defines a variety of holes, cutouts, and spaces, including but not limited to a central channel 212 that predominantly bisects the housing, an extractor slot 214, disconnector slot 216 with a transverse disconnector slot pivot hole 217, sear trip bushing hole 220, and manual safety hole 222. Connected to the housing are the sear trip 230, sear trip spring 232, sear trip dowel pin 236, left external safety lever 240, right external safety lever 242 (though in other embodiments the external safety levers and associated components may be absent), safety spring 244, ejector 246, factory disconnector 250, sear 280, sear spring 282, and sear dowel pin 284.

The factory disconnector has a forward nose 252 defining a pivot hole 254, a bottom lobe 255 behind and below the forward nose, with a bottom surface 256 and forward surface 257, a curved rear surface 266 going from the bottom lobe to a top lobe a top lobe 260. The top lobe is above and behind the forward nose, oriented opposite the forward nose, having a rear facing block surface 264, a top surface 261, and a forward facing surface 262, which curves to a predominantly flat disconnector top surface 263 that extends to the forward nose. The factory disconnector sits in the disconnector slot 216 oriented such that the forward nose is oriented towards the forward end 202 of the housing 200 and the top lobe may protrude from the slot when the disconnector pivots about the pivot pin 236 as it traverses the disconnector pivot hole 254 and disconnector slot pivot hole 217.

The retaining block 290 connects the trigger shoe 300, trigger 310, trigger bar 320, and slide release lever 360. The trigger has a front face 304 and a shoulder 306 protruding from the top of the shoe. The shoe defines a pivot hole 302 to allow the trigger shoe to pivot about a trigger shoe pin 370. Connected to the trigger shoe is a trigger 310, which defines a pivot hole 312 through which traverses a coiled spring pin 296, and is biased by a trigger safety spring 364. A trigger bar 320 is shown having a main beam section 322 connecting a forward upper arm 324 and lower arm 330 to a rear arm 350. All of the arms have a bend that orients them towards the trigger central block when assembled. The lower arm defines a pivot hole 334 at its forward most end 332 through which a pin 336 traverses. The rear arm has a left protrusion 352 with a shelf 354 and a rear face 356. Additional components include the slide lock spring 362 that biases the slide lock lever 360 and coiled spring 204.

FIG. 4 shows the underside of the slide 20 with the barrel 40, recoil spring 162 and recoil guide rod 164. The striker 106 is visible within the left 110 and right 112 striker housing units. It is retained by the slide retaining plate 100. There is a slide downward facing surface 70 in front of the striker block.

FIG. 5 shows the striker housing assembly 109, which contains the striker spring 104 (not visible here), striker 106, right striker housing 112, striker block 114, and striker block spring 116 within recess 115. The striker block is biased downward towards the frame of the firearm by the striker block spring. When the striker block is moved upwards it allows the striker to move forward.

FIG. 6 shows the trigger assembly without any disconnector. The trigger shoe 300 is connected to the trigger 310 (not visible here) and trigger bar 320 at the trigger bar forward lower arm 330. The trigger bar forward upper arm 324 is connected to one end of a trigger bar spring 366, which is connected at the opposing end to the central block 290. The trigger bar rear arm 350 interfaces with a disconnector (removed here for demonstration purposes) and the sear trip 230 within the fire control housing 200.

FIG. 7 shows the firearm 10 with a factory disconnector 250 installed in a forward battery condition ready to fire, but the trigger shoe 300 is not pressed. The trigger bar rear arm 350 is near or touching the forward surface 257 of the lower lobe 255 of the disconnector. The upper lobe 260 is shown as located within the slide, beneath where the striker block 114 (not visible here) would be, but does not contact the slide lower surface as the disconnector is still entirely within the firearm control housing.

FIG. 8 shows the firearm 10 with a factory disconnector 250 installed in a forward battery condition ready to fire, but the trigger shoe 300 is pressed to a rear firing position. When the trigger shoe is pressed, it moves the trigger bar 320 rearward, causing the rear arm 350 to slide against the factory disconnector lower lobe 255 forward surface 257 (see FIG. 7) and push against the lower lobe bottom surface 256, which pivots the disconnector clockwise, causing the top lobe 260 to move upward. The upper lobe moving up causes the disconnector top lobe block surface 264 to push against the striker block (not visible) and move the block upward, allowing the striker to move forward (see FIG. 16 for an analogous disclosure but using the improved disconnector).

FIG. 9 shows the firearm 10 with the slide 20 in rear recoil condition along a linear reciprocating axis 267. The slide lower surface 70 (see FIG. 4) pushes against the factory disconnector 250 top lobe 260 forward surface 262, causing the disconnector to pivot down and push the trigger bar rear arm 350 down, which pivots the trigger bar.

As the trigger bar moves rearwards in response to a trigger pull, the trigger bar rear end first engages the factory disconnector 250, pivoting the disconnector clockwise and moving the disconnectors top lobe 260 upwards. With the disconnector out of the way, the trigger bar rear arm 350 engages the sear trip 230 (not shown here but inherently understood from the prior art) and push the sear trip rearward, which releases the sear 280 (not visible here but inherently understood from the prior art) causing the striker 106 to release. As the slide 20 recoils, and the trigger shoe 300 remains depressed, the slide's downward facing actuation surface 70 pushes the disconnector top lobe down, causing the disconnector to pivot counterclockwise and move the lower lobe 255 of the disconnector down, which pushes the trigger bar rear arm down and off the sear trip, allowing it to move forward. The sear is now reset. When the slide returns to full battery and the trigger shoe still in a rearward position, the disconnector is still in a down position, with the sear trip being disconnected from the trigger bar. With the disconnector able to pivot upwards again, and the rear arm of the trigger bar is also able to pivot upwards should the trigger shoe be released. As the trigger shoe is released, the trigger bar moves forwards, sliding forward along the curved forward surface 257 of the factory disconnector, and reengages the sear trip. As the trigger bar moves forward it pivots upward and moves the original disconnector up partially to the original condition shown in FIG. 7.

FIGS. 10-12 show an embodiment of the improved disconnector 400, being a link element, which has a generally planar, thin, plate-like member having an irregular, asymmetrical shape with a forward nose section 402 to the right defining a hole 404 and a foot section 406 at a lower portion, a predominantly straight left side 410, and a upper lobe 412 resulting in an overhang 414 when viewed in a horizontal plane. Beginning at the top left portion, there is a block engagement surface 416, which in this embodiment is a rounded convex shoulder surface, transitioning rightward to a second, shorter segment having a surface 420, and third longer, oblique straight segment having surface 422 extending downward. This slide interface surface 422 is the upper lobe's forward surface. In other embodiments the transition may be comprised of fewer segments or even a single long oblique straight segment extending downward. The longer rightward and down surface 422 transitions to a right protruding nose section 402 having an upper horizontal segment with a surface 424, resulting in a first obtuse angle 426 between the down 422 and horizontal 424 segments. The first horizontal segment transitions to a large-radius semi-circular lobe 402 protruding rightward and defining a hole 404 with an axis of rotation 430 set at a first radius 432 from the periphery of the hole and a second radius 434 from the surface 436 lobe. The lobe transitions left to a second, lower horizontal segment with surface 440 of the nose portion, then to a short, concave arc 442 transitioning to a downward and leftward surface 444, also referred to as the foot first forward face, from the nose section. From there extends a down and right surface 446 at a third angle 450, which in this embodiment is equivalent to being approximately 55 degrees relative to a horizontal plane 454. Segment 446, also referred to as the foot second forward surface, terminates and extends left in a predominantly left horizontal direction, resulting in a fourth, obtuse angle 452 at a bottom horizontal plane 454, with a corresponding acute inward angle 456. This foot angle 452 is 108 degrees in the present embodiment, though it can range from 90 to 120 degrees in other embodiments. The bottom flat side 460 of the foot section 406 transitions to a long, straight oblique segment surface 410 ascending upward and rightward at an acute external angle 462 relative to the bottom horizontal plane. In the present embodiment this angle is approximately 55 degrees but can range from 45 to 65 degrees. Segment 464 represents the width necessary in this embodiment that forces the trigger bar out as far as possible to ensure it disconnects and the sear is able to catch the striker. In the present embodiment this width is 4 mm but may range from 3 mm to 4.3 mm in other embodiments depending on other geometric aspects. The upper lobe 412 is generally the shape of a rounded shoulder that transitions from the left predominantly upward straight side 410 to a left horizontal segment with surface 414 to create an overhang with a radiused curve having a radius 466 to form a predominantly curved 90 degree segment 470. This overhang curves up and slightly right along a radius 472 along a straight segment having a rear face 474 and then curves right along radius 476 to create the curved section 416 that connects to segment 420.

The foot section 406 thus has a first forward face 444, a second forward face 446 that interfaces with the trigger through the trigger bar, a bottom side 460, and a left face 410, with a corresponding forward nose 402 to the right and rear shoulder 412 to the left. The width 464 of the foot section 406 prevents overtravel after the trigger breaks. The second forward face 466 is directionally angularly offset upward with respect to the reciprocation axis 267.

The improved disconnector 400 has an initial operation similar to the factory disconnector. However, when slide 20 recoils the bottom surface 70 causes the improved disconnector to pivot counterclockwise which pushes the trigger bar 350 forward and slightly down via the disconnectors foot first forward surface 446. The slide moving forward, with trigger still pulled back allows disconnector to pivot counterclockwise and the foot 406 moves up, which allows the trigger bar 350 to move upward and slightly rearward to its original position. Because of the geometry, the improved disconnector remains behind the trigger bar.

FIG. 13 shows the improved disconnector 400 installed in the fire control housing 200. The disconnector is pivoted clockwise so as to better show the relationship between sear trip 230 and the rear arm 350 rear face 356 of the trigger bar 320.

The trigger bar rear end pushes on surface 444 and causes the disconnector to pivot clockwise, raising the upper lobe 412 which pushes against and lifts the striker safety plunger. The foot second forward face 446 forces the rear end of the trigger bar forward and is vertical and parallel to the trigger bar rear arm when the trigger is pulled. In the present embodiment there is a flat top segment 420 to prevent wear on the underside of the slide. The curved top left segment 416 is rounded so as to not catch on the slide when returning to battery from a recoil condition. The upper lobe second surface 422 also comes in contact with the underside of the slide at surface 70 and striker plunger, and its unique geometry allows for the slide to force the disconnector to pivot about the axis 430 of pivot hole 404 when the trigger is held pressed.

FIG. 14 shows the frame 50 with the trigger components and improved disconnector 400 installed when the trigger shoe 300 is not pressed. The improved disconnector is shown to be entirely within the fire control housing 200. The rear arm 350 of the trigger bar 320 is not in contact with the disconnector.

FIG. 15 shows the firearm 10 with the improved disconnector 400 pivotally connected to the frame 50 and being in a forward battery condition with the trigger shoe 300 not pressed, with a cutaway in the frame to show the improved disconnector and the striker block 114 within the striker housing assembly 109 (though only right side 112 is visible) within the slide 20. The disconnector is shown to be entirely within the fire control housing 200 (cutaway for demonstration purposes). The striker block is biased down by the striker block spring 116. The rear arm 350 of the trigger bar is not in contact with the disconnector. When the trigger is in a forward position, the second forward surface 466 is facing in a direction angularly offset upward with respect to a radius line 450 defined by a pivot axis 430 of the link element 400 and the trigger interface surface 466.

FIG. 16 shows the firearm 10 of FIG. 15 but with the trigger shoe moved rearward, causing the trigger bar 320 to move rearward and causing rear arm 350 to push past the disconnector foot first forward face 444 and against the foot second forward face 446, pivoting the improved disconnector clockwise. This raises the upper lobe 412 up and causes the disconnector's block engagement surface 416 to push the striker block 114 up, allowing the striker 106 to move forward. In the same rearward movement of the trigger shoe, the rear arm 350 forces the sear trip 230 rearward, allowing the sear 280 to fire the striker 106.

FIG. 17 shows the firearm 10 of FIG. 16 in full recoil along recoil axis 66. The slide's lower surface 70 pushes against the upper lobe's forward surface 422 (not visible here but shown elsewhere), pivoting the disconnector counterclockwise and causing the foot first forward surface 444 to connect with the rear arm 350 and push the trigger bar 320 forward.

FIG. 18 shows the firearm 10 in a full recoil condition with the trigger shoe 300 released and in a forward position, with a cutaway showing the trigger 320 bar not in contact with the improved disconnector 400.