Firearm safety interlock

Abstract

An interlock mechanism for a firearm that includes a stop lever and a cam lever is disclosed. The stop lever is coupled to a firearm safety mechanism such that when the safety mechanism is in a “fire” position the stop lever prevents the upper receiver of the rifle from being separated from the lower receiver of the rifle and when the safety mechanism is in a “safe” position the stop lever allows the upper receiver to be separated from the lower receiver. The cam lever has a “locked position” in which the upper receiver cannot be separated from the lower receiver and an “unlocked position” in which the upper receiver can be separated from the lower receiver. When the safety mechanism is in the “fire” position the stop lever prevents the cam lever from transitioning from the “locked position” to the “unlocked position”.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interlock mechanism for a firearm having an upper receiver and a lower receiver, the interlock mechanism comprising:
 a stop lever that is coupled to a firearm safety mechanism such that when the safety mechanism is in a “fire” position the stop lever prevents the upper receiver from being separated from the lower receiver and when the safety mechanism is in a “safe” position the stop lever allows the upper receiver to be separated from the lower receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The interlock mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a cam lever that has a “locked position” in which the upper receiver cannot be separated from the lower receiver and an “unlocked position” in which the upper receiver can be separated from the lower receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The interlock mechanism of  claim 2  wherein when the safety mechanism is in the “fire” position the stop lever prevents the cam lever from transitioning from the “locked position” to the “unlocked position”. 
     
     
         4 . The interlock mechanism of  claim 2  wherein when the cam lever is in the “unlocked position” the cam lever prevents the safety mechanism from transitioning from the “safe” position to the “fire” position. 
     
     
         5 . The interlock mechanism of  claim 2  wherein the cam lever includes a pin portion that extends through the lower receiver and an arm that extends transverse to the pin, wherein the arm has a distal end. 
     
     
         6 . The interlock mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the firearm is an AR-15 style rifle. 
     
     
         7 . A rifle modification kit comprising:
 a cam lever including a pin portion that couples an upper receiver of the rifle to a lower receiver of the rifle;   a stop lever that is attached to a safety mechanism of the rifle;   wherein when the safety mechanism is in a fire position the stop lever prevents the cam lever from rotating from a locked position to an unlocked position in which the upper receiver can be decoupled from the lower receiver; and   wherein when the safety mechanism is in a safe position the cam lever can rotate from the locked position to an unlocked position enabling the upper receiver to be decoupled from the lower receiver.   
     
     
         8 . The rifle modification kit of  claim 7  wherein when the cam lever is in the unlocked position, the cam lever prevents the safety mechanism from being moved from the safe position to the fire position. 
     
     
         9 . The rifle modification kit of  claim 7  wherein the cam lever includes a pin portion that extends through the lower receiver and an arm that extends transverse to the pin, wherein the arm has a distal end. 
     
     
         10 . The rifle modification kit of  claim 7  wherein the rifle is an AR-15 style rifle.