Triple-barrel combined firearm apparatus

Abstract

A triple-barrel firearm includes three barrels in a triangular array mounted on a rear stock. The rear stock is connected to the firearm rearward of the firearm's trigger assembly by a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly in turn, includes a locking member and a manually-activatable release member whereby the rear stock can be pivoted between a first “fire ready” position distal with respect to the trigger assembly and a second “storage” position proximal with respect to the trigger assembly. The locking member automatically locks the rear stock in the first position or the second position. The release member unlocks the locking member upon manual activation thereof to enable pivoting of the rear stock from the first position to the second position or vice versa. The rear stock further includes an opening for a retainer for firearm accessories.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: 
     
         1 . A combined firearm apparatus comprising:
 a stock,   first, second and third barrels supported by said stock, and   a firing mechanism supported by said stock for selectively firing through a corresponding one of said first, second, or third barrels, respectively,   a trigger assembly mounted on said stock and being operatively connected to said first, second and third barrels via said firing mechanism,   wherein said first, second and third barrels form an array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section,   a barrel selector supported on said stock, said barrel selector being operative to select one of said first, second or third barrels for firing when said trigger assembly is activated, and   wherein said stock is a rear stock and is hingedly connected to said firearm apparatus rearwardly of said trigger assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first, second or third barrels being rifled interiorly thereof to accept a rifle bullet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  at least one of said barrels is a smooth bore barrel adapted to receive a shot gun shell, said smooth bore barrel further being adapted to receive a removable choke adapted to be attached to said smooth bore barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first, second and third barrels are supported on a hand-grip, said hand grip being pivotally connected to said stock by a connecting pin, and
 wherein said apparatus further includes a break-open lever for causing said first, second and third barrels and said hand-grip to pivot downwardly and away from said stock about said connecting pin. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said barrels being rifled is sized to accept a bullet size selected from the group comprising: 45 caliber, 30-06, or 22 caliber. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said other of said second and third barrels being adapted to receive a shot gun shell are sized to select a shotgun shell selected from the group comprising, 20 gauge, 12 gauge or 410 gauge. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said trigger assembly includes a rearward extension and said rear stock is connected to said extension by a hinge assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said trigger assembly includes a rearward extension and said rear stock is connected to said extension by a hinge assembly, said hinge assembly defining a rotation axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis defined by said first, second and third barrels. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said hinge assembly includes a locking member and a manually-activatable release member,
 wherein said rear stock is pivotal about said rotation axis between a first position distal with respect to said trigger assembly and a second position proximal with respect to said trigger assembly, 
 wherein said hinge assembly further includes means for automatically causing said locking member to lock said rear stock in said first position or said second position relative to said trigger assembly, and 
 wherein said release member is effective to unlock said locking member upon manual activation thereof to pivot said rear stock from said first position to said second position or vice versa. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said locking member and said manually-activatable release member are co-axially related to each other with respect to said rotation axis. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said locking member includes a plunger, a radial lug on said plunger, a spring, and a bushing on said rear stock, said bushing having a reception notch for receiving said radial lug under the influence of said spring acting on said plunger, and
 wherein said release member includes a push-button for moving said plunger to cause said lug to be withdrawn from said reception notch. 
 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said bushing, said plunger and said spring are coaxially related to each other and to said rotation axis. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rear stock has an opening therein for storing firearm accessories. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said firearm accessories are selected from the group consisting of shot gun shells or chokes. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said rear stock includes a resilient retainer in said opening, said retainer further having grooves for receiving and supporting said firearm accessories within said opening in said rear stock. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first, second or third barrels has a smooth bore for accepting a shotgun shell and at least one other of said first, second or third barrels is rifled to accept a bullet. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first, second or third barrels form an array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section, said array comprises at least one smooth bore barrel adapted to receive a shot gun shell, and at least one rifled barrel adapted to receive a bullet, respectively. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first, second or third barrels forming said array characterized by a substantially triangular cross-section comprises first and second smooth bore barrels adapted to receive a shot gun shell, respectively, and a rifled barrel adapted to receive a bullet, respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first, second or third barrels is a rifled barrel, and said at first, second or third rifled barrel substantially are of are of the same caliber. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said wherein said first, second or third barrels is a rifled barrel, and said at first, second or third rifled barrel substantially are of are of different caliber.