Improved firing control mechanism and method

Abstract

A firearm having a housing, a handle coupled to the housing, at least two barrels, and a firing control assembly arranged within the housing. Each barrel may be configured to expel a round therefrom. The firing control assembly may have a trigger configured to be depressed by a user and at least two firing pins, each corresponding with one of the at least two barrels. The firing control assembly may additionally have a rotatable state change cog and a pawl configured to engage with at least one of the firing pins. The firing control assembly may additionally have a pawl selector configured to engage with the pawl. The pawl selector may be configured to slide between a first position and a second position in response to rotation of the state change cog.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A firearm comprising:
 a housing;   a handle coupled to the housing;   at least two barrels, each barrel configured to expel a round therefrom; and   a firing control assembly arranged within the housing, the assembly comprising:
 a trigger configured to be depressed by a user; 
 at least two firing pins, each corresponding with one of the at least two barrels; 
 a rotatable state change cog; 
 a pawl configured to engage with at least one of the at least two firing pins; and 
 a pawl selector configured to engage with the pawl, the pawl selector further configured to slide between a first position and a second position in response to rotation of the state change cog. 
   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the pawl selector comprises a pawl channel for the pawl. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the pawl selector comprises a tab for each of the at least two firing pins, wherein each tab is configured to selectively prevent a corresponding firing pin from firing. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firing control assembly further comprises a cog pusher configured to cause rotation of the cog upon depression of the trigger. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the state change cog is configured to rotate approximately 90 degrees upon depression of the trigger. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the state change cog comprises one or more fins, each fin having a peak. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the pawl selector is configured to direct the pawl toward a first firing pin when in the first position, and to direct the pawl toward a second firing pin when in the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 1 , further comprising a sear lug arranged on each firing pin. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 8 , wherein the pawl is a first pawl and the firing control assembly further comprises a second pawl, and wherein each pawl is configured to engage with a corresponding sear lug. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firing control assembly further comprises a spacer arranged between each firing pin and a rear wall of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein each spacer comprises a ramp for slidingly engaging the pawl to disengage the pawl from a corresponding firing pin. 
     
     
         12 . A firing control assembly for a firearm having at least two barrels, the firing control assembly comprising:
 a trigger configured to be depressed by a user;   at least two firing pins, each corresponding with one of the at least two barrels;   a rotatable state change cog;   a pawl configured to engage with at least one of the at least two firing pins; and   a pawl selector configured to engage with the pawl, the pawl selector further configured to slide between a first position and a second position in response to rotation of the state change cog.   
     
     
         13 . The firing control assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the pawl selector comprises a pawl channel for the pawl. 
     
     
         14 . The firing control assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the pawl selector comprises a tab for each of the at least two firing pins, wherein each tab is configured to selectively prevent a corresponding firing pin from firing. 
     
     
         15 . The firing control assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a cog pusher configured to cause rotation of the cog upon depression of the trigger. 
     
     
         16 . The firing control assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the pawl selector is configured to direct the pawl toward a first firing pin when in the first position, and to direct the pawl toward a second firing pin when in the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The firing control assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a sear lug arranged on each firing pin. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firing control assembly further comprises a spacer arranged between each firing pin and a rear wall of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm of  claim 9 , wherein each spacer comprises a ramp for slidingly engaging the pawl to disengage the pawl from a corresponding firing pin. 
     
     
         20 . A method for selectively firing a single barrel of a multiple-barrel firearm, the method comprising the steps of:
 depressing a trigger of the firearm, wherein depression of the trigger causes rotation of a state change cog; and   wherein rotation of the state change cog causes a pawl selector to transition between at least a first position and a second position, the pawl selector configured to direct a pawl toward a firing pin of firearm.