Firearm with safe axis firing pin and center aligned barrel

Abstract

Systems for a firearm are provided to increase safety, reduce complexity, and improve precision of the weapon. In general, examples of the systems including a safe axis firing pin that prevents unintended discharge are described herein, where the firing pin is not aligned with the primer of a chambered cartridge until the user intends to fire the firearm. Embodiments of the system are capable of modular installation and generally include a user-actuated trigger configured to displace the firing pin from a safe axis to a firing axis, by rotation, translation, or a combination thereof. Additional features are provided to prevent displacement of the firing pin by input other than the trigger, e.g., if the firearm is dropped. In another aspect, examples of the systems described herein include a barrel interfacing a slide where the barrel and slide include features to centrally align the barrel as the slide completes a cycle.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A centering firearm barrel, comprising:
 a tubular barrel having a bore defining an axis extending along the length of the bore, the barrel having a chamber portion configured to receive a cartridge; and   a protrusion extending outwardly from the chamber portion and disposed near a proximal end of the barrel, the protrusion having a shaped abutment surface configured to engage a corresponding abutment surface on a slide, wherein the shaped abutment surface is configured to bias the barrel towards a centered position where the axis is centered laterally in the slide in a firing position when the shaped abutment surface is urged against the corresponding abutment surface.   
     
     
         2 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 1 , wherein the shaped abutment surface comprises a shape configured to guide the barrel laterally such that the axis is centered laterally in the slide in the firing position. 
     
     
         3 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 2 , wherein the corresponding abutment surface comprises a shape corresponding to the shape of the shaped abutment surface such that the shaped abutment and corresponding abutment surfaces mate together in the firing position. 
     
     
         4 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 2 , wherein the shape is selected from the group consisting of an arc, a chamfer, and a geometric shape. 
     
     
         5 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pin extending from one of the shaped abutment and corresponding abutment surfaces; and   a corresponding bore within the other of the shaped abutment and corresponding abutment surfaces,   wherein the axis is centered laterally in the slide by insertion of the pin into the bore in the firing position.   
     
     
         6 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 5 , wherein the pin and the bore are parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         7 . The centering firearm barrel of  claim 5 , wherein the pin has a chamfer on an end facing the bore, the chamfer configured to guide the pin into the bore, thereby guiding the barrel into a position where the axis is centered in the slide. 
     
     
         8 . A barrel-centering firearm, comprising:
 a barrel, comprising;
 an elongate tubular portion having a bore defining an axis extending along the length of the bore; 
 a chamber portion extending from a proximal end of the tubular portion, the chamber portion configured to receive a cartridge; and 
 a protrusion extending outwardly from the chamber portion and disposed near the proximal end of the barrel, the protrusion having a slide abutment surface; and 
   a slide having a cavity configured to interface the chamber portion and the protrusion, the cavity having a barrel interface surface configured to engage the slide abutment surface, wherein the slide abutment surface is configured to bias the barrel towards a centered position where the axis is centered laterally in the slide cavity in the firing position when the slide abutments surface is urged against the barrel interface surface.   
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 8 , wherein the slide abutment surface comprises a shape configured to guide the barrel laterally such that the axis is centered laterally in the slide cavity in the firing position. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the barrel interface surface comprises a shape corresponding to the shape of the slide abutment surface such that the barrel interface surface and the slide abutment surface mate together in the firing position. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein the shape is selected from the group consisting of an arc, a chamfer, and a geometric shape. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a pin extending from one of the slide abutment surface and the barrel interface surface; and   a corresponding bore within the other of the slide abutment surface and the barrel interface surface,   wherein the axis is centered laterally in the slide cavity by insertion of the pin into the bore in the firing position.   
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 12 , wherein the pin and the bore are parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm of  claim 12 , wherein the pin has a chamfer on an end facing the bore, the chamfer configured to guide the pin into the bore, thereby guiding the barrel into a position where the axis is centered in the slide cavity. 
     
     
         15 . A handgun with a centering barrel, the handgun comprising:
 a frame and a locking block mounted in the frame;   a barrel supported on the frame having a chamber portion and a distal portion, the chamber portion having a lower barrel extension configured to releasably engage the locking block and an upper protrusion defining a slide abutment surface;   a slide slidably mounted to the frame, the slide having a cavity defining a barrel interface surface and configured to closely receive the upper protrusion of the barrel with the slide abutment surface adjacent the barrel interface surface;   wherein the slide abutment surface and the barrel interface surface are configured to bias the chamber portion of the barrel towards a centered position when the barrel interface surface is urged against the slide abutment surface in the firing position.   
     
     
         16 . The handgun of  claim 15 , wherein the slide abutment surface comprises a shape configured to guide the barrel laterally such that the axis is centered laterally in the slide cavity in the firing position. 
     
     
         17 . The handgun of  claim 16 , wherein the barrel interface surface comprises a shape corresponding to the shape of the slide abutment surface such that the barrel interface surface and the slide abutment surface mate together in the firing position. 
     
     
         18 . The handgun of  claim 16 , wherein the shape is selected from the group consisting of an arc, a chamfer, and a geometric shape. 
     
     
         19 . The handgun of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a pin extending from one of the slide abutment surface and the barrel interface surface; and   a corresponding bore within the other of the slide abutment surface and the barrel interface surface,   wherein the axis is centered laterally in the slide cavity by insertion of the pin into the bore in the firing position.   
     
     
         20 . The handgun of  claim 19 , wherein the pin has a chamfer on an end facing the bore, the chamfer configured to guide the pin into the bore, thereby guiding the barrel into a position where the axis is centered in the slide cavity.