Break-action firearm and trigger mechanism

Abstract

A firearm having a frame and a barrel pivotally mounted to the frame, and further including a locking block pivotally mounted to the frame and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the locking block engages the barrel to prevent pivotal motion thereof; and a trigger mechanism for a firearm having a neutral center of gravity, the trigger member having a geometry that results in an equal and/or symmetric distribution of its mass relative to the pivot point of the trigger, wherein impact caused by dropping the firearm will result in substantially equal application of forces on opposed sides of the trigger member, thereby reducing the likelihood of unintended discharge of the firearm.

1 . A firearm comprising:
 a frame;   a barrel pivotally mounted to the frame, the barrel having a breech end and a muzzle end;   a trigger pivotally mounted relative to the frame about a trigger axis, the trigger comprising a proximal portion on a first side of the trigger axis and a distal portion on a second side of the trigger axis opposite the first side, and wherein the proximal portion has a weight W P  and the distal portion has a weight W D , and wherein W P  is approximately equal to W D ;   a locking block pivotally mounted to the frame and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the locking block engages the barrel when closed to prevent pivotal motion thereof, and in the second position the locking block is disengaged from the barrel to allow pivotal motion of the barrel relative to the frame; and   a trigger guard having a loop portion for shielding the trigger, a forward portion extending toward the muzzle end, and a rearward portion extending away from the muzzle end, the trigger guard being pivotally mounted to the frame about a guard axis located toward the rearward portion, the trigger guard having a cam surface for actuating the locking block to move between its first position and its second position upon pivotal movement of the trigger guard.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , comprising a muzzle-loading firearm wherein the breech end of the barrel is closed. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1 , further comprising a hammer movable between a neutral position and a cocked position, and wherein the locking block is locked in the first position when the hammer is cocked. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 3 , wherein the hammer can not be cocked when the locking block is not in the first position. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel of the firearm can not be opened or closed when the firearm is cocked. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1 , further comprising a hammer, and wherein the trigger further comprises an extension for direct engagement and release of the hammer 
     
     
         7 . A firearm comprising:
 a frame;   a barrel pivotally mounted to the frame; and   a locking block pivotally mounted to the frame and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the locking block engages the barrel when closed to prevent pivotal motion thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 7 , further comprising a trigger guard, the trigger guard comprising a cam surface for moving the locking block between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 7 , comprising a muzzle-loading firearm. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 7 , further comprising a hammer movable between a neutral position and a cocked position, and wherein the locking block can not be moved out of the first position when the hammer is cocked. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 10 , wherein the firearm can not be cocked when the locking block is not in the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 10 , wherein the barrel of the firearm can not be opened or closed when the firearm is cocked. 
     
     
         13 . A firearm comprising a trigger member pivotally mounted about a trigger axis, wherein the trigger member comprises a proximal portion on a first side of the trigger axis and a distal portion on a second side of the trigger axis opposite the first side, and wherein the proximal portion has a weight W P  and the distal portion has a weight W D , and wherein W P  is approximately equal to W D . 
     
     
         14 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein W P  is between 0.90 W D  to 1.10 W D . 
     
     
         15 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein the proximal portion has a first center of gravity spaced a distance D P  from the trigger axis, and the distal portion has a second center of gravity spaced a distance D D  from the trigger axis, and wherein D P *W P  is approximately equal to D D *W D . 
     
     
         16 . The firearm of  claim 16 , wherein a line drawn between the first and second centers of gravity crosses at or near the trigger axis. 
     
     
         17 . The firearm of  claim 13 , comprising a muzzle-loading firearm. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm of  claim 13 , wherein the trigger member further comprises an extension for direct engagement and release of a hammer of the firearm. 
     
     
         19 . A firearm comprising:
 a trigger movable between a ready position and a firing position, the trigger comprising an actuator portion for manipulation by a user, and an extension arm having a top face and a notch formed therein; and   a hammer movable between a neutral position, a cocked position and a discharge position, the hammer comprising a hammer block portion and a sear surface;   wherein the hammer block portion of the hammer engages the top face of the trigger extension arm when the trigger is in the ready position and the hammer is in the neutral position, to prevent the hammer from moving to the discharge position; and   wherein the sear surface of the hammer engages the notch of the trigger extension arm when the trigger is in the ready position and the hammer is in the cocked position; and   wherein the hammer is released to the discharge position when the trigger is moved to the firing position.   
     
     
         20 . The firearm of  claim 19 , wherein the trigger further comprises a spring arm, and wherein the firearm further comprises a trigger spring in engagement with the spring arm of the trigger to bias the trigger toward the ready position. 
     
     
         21 . The firearm of  claim 19 , comprising a muzzle-loading firearm.