Gun safety lock device

Abstract

A gun lock device ( 10 ) prevents accidental or intentional firing of a loaded weapon ( 12 ) by locking the weapon. The gun lock device includes hinged portions ( 14, 16 ) which wrap around a barrel ( 31 ) of the weapon and are locked together by a locking assembly ( 69 ). The gun lock device prevents operation of both the trigger ( 52 ) and the hammer ( 440 of the weapon when installed. This effectively renders the gun unable to fire until the gun lock device is removed by unlocking with a key or secret combination.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment, the invention is now claimed to be:  
     
         1 . A gun lock device comprising: 
 a barrel cover which straddles a gun barrel, the barrel cover including a first panel which extends adjacent a first side of the gun barrel and a second panel which extends adjacent a second side of the gun barrel;    a locking assembly including: 
 a lock operably connected with the first panel; and  
 a catch operably connected with the second panel, the lock and catch being selectively interconnectable in a locking position to lock the gun lock device to the gun.  
   
     
     
         2 . The gun lock device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly includes a throw portion operably connected with the second panel and with the catch, the throw portion extending through a trigger guard opening of the gun when the locking assembly is in the locked position.  
     
     
         3 . The gun lock device of  claim 2 , wherein the throw portion is pivotally connected with the second panel.  
     
     
         4 . The gun lock device of  claim 2 , wherein the throw portion is pivotally connected with the catch.  
     
     
         5 . The gun lock device of  claim 2 , wherein the throw portion extends through the trigger guard opening forwardly of a trigger of the gun when the locking assembly is in the locked position.  
     
     
         6 . The gun lock device of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear trigger lock, operably connected with the first panel, the rear trigger lock extending at least partially through a trigger guard opening of the gun such that it is positioned rearwardly of a trigger of the gun when the locking assembly is in the locked position.  
     
     
         7 . The gun lock device of  claim 6 , wherein the rear trigger lock cooperates with a throw of the locking mechanism to inhibit forward and rearward motion of the gun lock device relative to the gun when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.  
     
     
         8 . The gun lock device of  claim 6 , wherein the rear trigger lock is generally L-shaped.  
     
     
         9 . The gun lock device of  claim 8 , wherein the rear trigger lock includes a blocking portion which extends generally perpendicular to the first panel, the blocking portion being interposed between the trigger and the trigger guard when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.  
     
     
         10 . The gun lock device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second panels are pivotally connected.  
     
     
         11 . The gun lock device of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel cover includes an extension which receives a hammer of the gun, the extension preventing actuation of the hammer when the locking mechanism is in the locked position.  
     
     
         12 . The gun lock device of  claim 11 , wherein the extension defines a slot which receives a hammer of the gun at least partially therethrough.  
     
     
         13 . The gun lock device of  claim 1 , further including a key for unlocking the catch from the lock.  
     
     
         14 . A gun lock device comprising: 
 a barrel cover;    a locking assembly, the locking assembly including: 
 a throw which passes through an opening between the barrel of a gun and a trigger guard, the throw being connected with a first side of the barrel cover;  
 a catch operably connected with the throw;  
 a lock which selectively engages the catch to prevent removal of the gun lock device from a gun, the lock being connected with a second side of the barrel cover; and  
   a rear trigger guard connected with the barrel cover, the rear trigger guard being spaced from the throw by a trigger of the gun when the lock engages he catch.    
     
     
         15 . The gun lock device of  claim 14 , wherein the first side of the barrel cover is defined by a first rigid panel and the second side of the barrel cover is defined by a second rigid panel, the first and second panels being pivotally interconnected.  
     
     
         16 . The gun lock device of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a hammer lock which selectively engages a hammer of the gun to prevent actuation of the hammer.    
     
     
         17 . A method of inhibiting actuation of a gun, the method comprising: 
 mounting a barrel cover of a gun lock device over a barrel of the gun such that a rear trigger guard extends behind a trigger of the gun;    passing a throw of the gun lock device beneath the barrel of the gun, the throw being pivotally connected at a first end with one side of the barrel cover;    engaging a catch with a lock to lock the gun lock device to the gun, the catch being connected with a second end of the throw, the throw and rear trigger guard cooperating to prevent actuation of the trigger.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the barrel cover includes first and second portions which are pivotally connected, the step of mounting including pivoting one portion of the barrel cover toward the second portion such that the first and second portions lie generally flush with first and second sides of the barrel of the gun.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the barrel cover includes a hammer lock, the step of mounting including engaging the hammer lock with the hammer, thereby inhibiting actuation of the hammer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the catch is pivotally connected with the second end of the throw and the step of engaging the catch with the lock includes pivoting the catch relative to the throw while inserting the catch in a slot defined by the lock.