Dry Fire Practice Training Device for Single Stack Pistols

Abstract

Live firing a semi-automatic pistol, resets the firing pin, and the semi-automatic pistol is ready to be fired again. With dry fire practice, the shooter removes a hand from the pistol and ratchets the slide resetting the firing pin to simulate each shot. This invention provides a simulated ammunition magazine that provides realistic muscle training by duplicating the trigger action of normal live fire, the feel and the sound of the release of the firing pin, and the resetting of the trigger for additional trigger activations. There is no firing pin interaction, and no alterations required to the pistol. This dry fire training device is narrow enough to work in single stack pistols.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A dry fire training device for use with a semi-automatic pistol having a magazine compartment defined in the semi-automatic pistol's hand grip that is sized and configured for a single stack ammunition magazine, and a trigger mechanism for releasing the semi-automatic pistol's firing pin, the dry fire training device comprising:
 a magazine case  20  that is sized and configured to replicate a single stack ammunition magazine, and has a upper end portion  23 , a bottom end portion  24  and defines an interior chamber  30  that has an inner surface  30 A which carries a plurality of spacedly arrayed and generally transversely extending pivot axle protrusions  31 ;   an enlargement  34  at the bottom end portion  24  of the magazine case  20 , and the enlargement  34  defines an interior cavity  38  that communicates with the interior chamber  30  of the magazine case  20 , and a detente base plate  36 , which has a détente reed  80  mounting protrusion  37  thereon, is structurally carried within the interior cavity  38 ; and   an elongate trigger lever  40  is carried within the magazine case  20  interior chamber  30 , and the elongate trigger lever  40  has a first end portion  41 , a second end portion  44  and defines a pivot axle orifice  52  at a medial portion  50  that receives a generally transversely extending pivot axle protrusion  31  carried on the inner surface  30 A of the interior chamber  30  so that the elongate trigger lever  40  is pivotally movable thereon within the interior chamber  30 , and wherein the first end portion  41  of the elongate trigger lever  40  frictionally interacts with the trigger mechanism of the semi-automatic pistol; and   a transfer hub  60  is carried within the interior chamber  30  defined by the magazine case  20  proximate the enlargement  34 , and the transfer hub  60  has a medial portion  61 , a trigger lever arm  62 , a pivot axle arm  65  and a detente reed arm  69 , and
 the trigger lever arm  62  has a terminal end  64  that frictionally engages with the second end portion  44  of the elongate trigger lever  40 , and 
 the pivot axle arm  65  has a terminal end  67  that engages with a transversely extending pivot axle protrusion  31  carried on the inner surface  30 A of the interior chamber  30  of the magazine case  20 , so that the transfer hub  60  is rotatably movable thereon responsive to forward and rearward pivotal movement of the second end portion  44  of the elongate trigger lever  40 , and 
 the detente reed arm  69  has a terminal end  71  that defines a corner  73 , and the corner  73  of the terminal end  71  frictionally engages with a detente reed  80 ; and 
   the detente reed  80  has a first end portion  81 , and a second end portion  82 , and is positionally secured to the detente reed base plate  36  within the interior cavity  38  of the enlargement  34 , so that the second end portion  82  of the detente reed  80  is unsupported and is movable upwardly and downwardly between a release position, and a reset position, responsive to frictional engagement with the corner  73  of the detente reed arm  69  as the transfer hub  60  rotatably moves; and wherein   movement of the detente reed  80  between the release position and the reset position generates tactile and audible feedback to a user that replicates a release, and reset of the semi-automatic pistol's firing pin.   
     
     
         2 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the magazine case  20  further has a muzzle facing portion  25 , a rearward facing portion  26 , a left side portion  27 , a right side portion  28 , an exterior surface  29 , and the exterior surface  29  defines a through hole  32  for access to a regulating screw  55 , and defines a detente reed access hole  33 . 
     
     
         3 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 2  and further comprising:
 a cover plate  75  that releasably engages with the magazine case proximate the protrusion to cover the détente access hole  33 . 
 
     
     
         4 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 2  and wherein the enlargement  34  extends forwardly from the muzzle facing portion  25  of the magazine case  20  so as to form a finger shelf  35  on an upper surface  35 A of the enlargement  34 , and also rearwardly from the rearward facing portion  26  of the magazine case  20 . 
     
     
         5 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the enlargement  34  is positioned outside/external of the semi-automatic pistol's magazine compartment and immediately adjacent a bottom end portion of the semi-automatic pistol's hand grip. 
     
     
         6 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the enlargement  34  has exterior dimensions that exceed interior dimensions of the semi-automatic pistol's magazine compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the elongate trigger lever  40  further has a medial portion  50  that has a rearward facing enlargement  51 , a muzzle side portion  46 , a rearward side portion  47 , a right side portion  48 , a left side portion  49 , and the first end portion  41  defines a curvilinear protrusion  42 , and the curvilinear protrusion  42  has a predetermined side-to-side thickness dimension  43  that facilitates frictional operative communication with the semi-automatic pistol's trigger mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 7  and further comprising:
 a set screw hole  53  defined in the elongate trigger lever  40  proximate the second end portion  44  to threadably carry a regulating screw  55  therein. 
 
     
     
         9 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and further comprising:
 a plurality of spacedly arrayed cavities  54  defined in the elongate trigger lever  40  to carry and accommodate electronic components of the dry fire training device. 
 
     
     
         10 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein each arm  62 ,  65  and  69  of the transfer hub extends generally radially outwardly from the medial portion  61  of the transfer hub  60 , and each arm  62 ,  65  and  69  is angularly offset from the adjacent arms  62 ,  65 ,  69 . 
     
     
         11 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 8  and wherein the regulating screw  55  that is adjustable carried in the set screw through hole  53  defined in the second end portion  44  of the elongate trigger lever  40 , the set screw hole  53  communicating between the rearward side portion  47  and the muzzle side portion  46  of the elongate trigger lever  40  proximate the second end portion  44 ; and
 the regulating screw  55  carried in the set screw through hole  53  frictionally and adjustably communicates with the trigger lever arm  62  of the transfer hub  60 . 
 
     
     
         12 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the détente reed  80  is formed of a metal. 
     
     
         13 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the détente reed  80  defines a dimple at a generally medial position. 
     
     
         14 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the detente reed  80  is generally rectilinear and elongate and has a first side portion  83 , a second side portion  84 , an upper surface  85  and a bottom surface  86 , and defines a mounting hole  87  proximate the first end portion  81  for engagement with the mounting protrusion  37  of the detente reed a base plate  36 ; and
 the detente reed  80  is positionally secured, along a portion of first end portion  81  so that the second end portion  82  of the detente reed  80  is movable upwardly and downwardly within the interior cavity  38  responsive to frictional engagement with the détente reed arm  69  and the corner  73  thereof which rotatably moves responsive to forward and rearward movement of the elongate trigger lever  40  which pivots responsive to actuation of the trigger mechanism of the semi-automatic pistol. 
 
     
     
         15 . The dry fire training device as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein the detente reed  80  biases the transfer hub  60  and the elongate trigger lever  40  to the reset position. 
     
     
         16 . A dry fire training device for use with a semi-automatic pistol having a magazine compartment defined in the semi-automatic pistol's hand grip that is sized and configured for a single stack ammunition magazine, and a trigger mechanism for releasing the semi-automatic pistol's firing pin, the dry fire training device comprising:
 a magazine case  20  that has a upper end portion  23 , a bottom end portion  24 , a muzzle facing portion  25 , a rearward facing portion  26 , a left side portion  27 , a right side portion  28 , an exterior surface  29 , and the magazine case  20  defines an interior chamber  30  that has an inner surface  30 A which carries a plurality of spacedly arrayed and generally transversely extending pivot axle protrusions  31 , and the exterior surface  29  defines a through hole  32  for access to a regulating screw  55 , and defines a detente reed access hole  33  that may be covered with a releasable cover plate  75 , and defines a trigger arm orifice  39  in the muzzle facing portion  28  at the upper end portion  23 ;   an enlargement  34  is defined at the bottom end portion  24  of the magazine case  20  and the enlargement  34  extends generally forwardly from the muzzle facing portion  25  so as to form a finger shelf  35  on an upper surface  35 A of the enlargement  34 , and also rearwardly from the rearward facing portion  26 , and the enlargement  34  defines an interior cavity  38  that communicates with the interior chamber  30  of the magazine case  20 , and a detente base plate  36 , which has a mounting protrusion  37  thereon, is structurally carried within the interior cavity  38 ; and   an elongate trigger lever  40  is carried within the interior chamber  30  defined by the magazine case  20 , and the elongate trigger lever  40  has a first end portion  41 , a second end portion  44 , a medial portion  50  having a rearward facing enlargement  51 , a muzzle side portion  46 , a rearward side portion  47 , a right side portion  48 , a left side portion  49 , and defines a pivot axle orifice  52  proximate the medial portion  50  that receives a generally transversely extending pivot axle protrusion  31  carried on the inner surface  30 A of the interior chamber  30  so that the elongate trigger lever  40  is pivotally movable thereon within the interior chamber  30 , and wherein the first end portion  41  of the elongate trigger lever defines a curvilinear protrusion  42  that extends at least partially though the trigger arm orifice  39  so as to frictionally interact with the trigger mechanism of the semi-automatic pistol, and the curvilinear protrusion  42  has a predetermined side-to-side thickness dimension  43 ; and   a set screw hole  53  is defined in the elongate trigger lever  40  proximate the second end portion  44  to threadably carry an adjustable regulating screw  55  therein that may extend outwardly from the muzzle side portion  46 , and the elongate trigger lever  40  further defines a plurality of spacedly arrayed cavities  54  that may carry and accommodate electronic components; and   a transfer hub  60  is carried within the interior chamber  30  defined by the magazine case  20  proximate the enlargement  34 , and the transfer hub  60  has a medial portion  61 , a trigger lever arm  62 , a pivot axle arm  65  and a detente reed arm  69 , and each arm  62 ,  65 ,  69  extends somewhat radially, outwardly from the medial portion  61  of the transfer hub  60 , and
 the trigger lever arm  62  has a base portion  63  adjacent the medial portion  61 , and a spaced apart terminal end  64  that frictionally engages with the muzzle side portion  46  of the second end portion  44  of the elongate trigger lever  40  and the regulating screw  55  carried thereby, and 
 the pivot axle arm  65  has a base portion  66  adjacent the medial portion  61 , and a spaced apart terminal end  67  that defines a transverse pivot axle hole  68  that engages with a transversely extending pivot axle protrusion  31  carried on the inner surface  30 A of the interior chamber  30  of the magazine case  20 , so that the transfer hub  60  is rotatably movable thereon responsive to forward and rearward pivotal movement of the second end portion  44  of the elongate trigger lever  40 , and 
 the detente reed arm  69  has a base portion  70  adjacent the medial portion  61  and a terminal end  71  opposite the base portion  70 , and the terminal end  71  has an angled surface  72  and defines a corner  73 , and the terminal end  71  and corner  73  of the detente reed arm  69  frictionally engages with a detente reed  80 ; and 
   the detente reed  80  is generally rectilinear and elongate and formed of metal, and has a first end portion  81 , a second end portion  82 , a first side portion  83 , a second side portion  84 , an upper surface  85  and a bottom surface  86 , and defines a dimple  88  and defines a mounting hole  87  proximate the first end portion  81  for engagement with a fastener to secure the détente reed  80  on the detente reed a base plate  36 , and wherein the detente reed  80  is positionally secured, along a portion of first end portion  81  to the detente reed base plate  36  within the interior cavity  38  of the enlargement  34 , so that the detente reed  80  extends forwardly therefrom so that the second end portion  82  of the detente reed  80  is unsupported and is movable upwardly and downwardly within the interior cavity  38  between a release position and a reset position responsive to frictional engagement with the angled surface  72 , and corner  73 , of the detente reed arm  69  as the transfer hub  60  rotatably moves responsive to movement of the elongate trigger lever  40  which pivots responsive to actuation of the trigger mechanism of the semi-automatic pistol that is frictionally engaged with the curvilinear protrusion  42  of the elongate trigger lever  40 ; and wherein   movement of the detente reed  80  between the release position and the reset position generates tactile and audible feedback to a user that replicates a release, and reset of the semi-automatic pistol's firing pin; and wherein   the detente reed  80  biases the transfer hub  60  and the elongate trigger lever  40  to the reset position.