Firearm disabling device

Abstract

A method of preventing access to the firing mechanism of a handgun, or other similar firearm, is provided in which a keyed rotationally activated locking cylinder is employed to secure the invention to the trigger guard of the handgun. Additionally, the invention also employs a device which will hold the slide of the handgun in a rearward manner while the invention is in place. This allows for the access to the handgun's chamber, which enables a user to insert and remove a magazine from the weapon while the invention is in place, and which makes it impossible for the accidental discharge of a bullet from the handgun to be caused by the firing pin.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A firearm trigger disabling device for use on a handgun having a trigger, a barrel and a slide that moves along the barrel during the operation of the handgun, said trigger disabling device comprising: 
 a trigger lock body having a left and a right at least partially vertically extending plate for covering the respective sides of said trigger, at least one of said left and right plates having a lock hole passing therethrough;    a slide retainer extending from said trigger lock body, said slide retainer having an at least partially vertically extending slide stop portion;    said slide stop including a barrel abutting portion therein, said barrel abutting portion at least partially surrounding the barrel;    said slide stop extending from said barrel abutting portion sufficiently to hold the slide of the handgun in a rearward position while allowing the handgun barrel to pass adjacent said barrel abutting portion in said slide stop; and    a removable lock portion sized to pass through said lock hole.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein both said left plate and said right plate have a lock hole passing therethrough, one of said plates having a cap section covering said lock hole therein.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  further comprising a locking pin mounted within said cap section of one of said plates, said pin positioned at least partially within said cap section.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  further comprising an inner lock cylinder within said removable lock portion for selectively locking or releasing from said locking pin.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said at least one lock hole includes a radially non-symmetrical contour, said removable lock portion having a matching contour so as to prevent said removable lock portion from rotating when positioned within said at least one lock hole.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said left and right at least partially vertically extending plates are joined together by a floor having a width at least as wide as the trigger and a trigger guard in front of the trigger.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said slide retainer barrel abutting portion surrounds a majority of the barrel of the handgun when said barrel abutting portion is adjacent said barrel.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said barrel abutting portion is in the form of a barrel hole completely surrounding said barrel when said barrel abutting portion is adjacent the barrel.  
     
     
         9 . A trigger and slide lock for a handgun having a trigger covered by a trigger guard, a barrel and a slide that moves along the barrel during the operation of the handgun, said trigger disabling device comprising in combination: 
 a slide retainer having a slide stop and a removable handgun attachment region; and    said slide stop abutting the slide when the slide is retracted and said removable handgun attachment region is attached to a portion of the handgun, such that advancement of the slide of the handgun is prevented by said slide stop.    
     
     
         10 . The lock of  claim 9  wherein said removable handgun attachment region is configured to attach to the handgun between the trigger guard and the trigger of the handgun.  
     
     
         11 . The lock of  claim 9  wherein said slide stop includes a barrel abutting portion, said barrel abutting portion at least partially surrounding the barrel.  
     
     
         12 . The lock of  claim 11  wherein said barrel abutting portion surrounds a majority of the barrel when said barrel abutting portion is located adjacent the barrel.  
     
     
         13 . The lock of  claim 12  wherein said barrel abutting portion is configured as a barrel hole completely surrounding the barrel when said barrel abutting portion is located adjacent the barrel.  
     
     
         14 . The lock of  claim 9  wherein said removable handgun attachment region includes a lock hole adjacent a space between the trigger guard and the trigger of the handgun, said removable handgun attachment region including a removable lock portion configured to pass into said lock hole when said removable handgun attachment region is located with said lock hole adjacent the space between the trigger guard and the trigger so that said removable lock portion passes between the trigger guard and the trigger.  
     
     
         15 . The lock of  claim 14  wherein said removable handgun attachment region completely surrounds a space between the trigger guard and the trigger such that said removable handgun attachment region blocks access to the trigger of the handgun.  
     
     
         16 . The lock of  claim 15  wherein said removable handgun attachment region includes a trigger lock body having a left and a right at least partially vertically extending plate spaced apart by a floor with a distance between said left and right at least partially vertically extending plates greater than a width of the trigger guard and trigger of the handgun.  
     
     
         17 . A firearm trigger disabling device for use on a handgun having a trigger covered by a trigger guard, a barrel and a slide that moves along the barrel during the operation of the handgun, said trigger disabling device comprising in combination: 
 a unitary rigid mass including a slide stop and a removable handgun attachment region; and    said slide stop spaced from said handgun attachment region by a first distance similar to second distance between a forward tip of the handgun slide and the portion of the handgun to which the removable handgun attachment region attaches when the slide of the handgun is retracted, such that said slide stop keeps the slide from advancing when said removable handgun attachment region is attached to the portion of the handgun to which said removable handgun attachment region attaches.    
     
     
         18 . The lock of  claim 17  wherein said slide stop includes a barrel hole surrounding a majority of the barrel of the handgun when said slide stop is adjacent the forward tip of the handgun slide.  
     
     
         19 . The lock of  claim 18  wherein said removable handgun attachment region substantially encloses the trigger guard, the trigger and a space between the trigger guard and the trigger.  
     
     
         20 . The lock of  claim 18  wherein said removable handgun attachment region includes a hole passing therethrough adjacent a space between the trigger guard and the trigger, said removable handgun attachment region including a removable lock portion removably attachable to the removable handgun attachment region, said removable lock portion sized to pass into and out of said lock hole and said removable handgun attachment region with said removable lock portion passing into and out of the space between the trigger guard and the trigger of the handgun, said removable lock portion selectively securely attaching said removable handgun attachment region to said handgun.