Safety mechanism for blowback firearm

Abstract

A breechblock assembly for a firearm includes a breechblock extending along a central axis and configured to reciprocate along a receiver of the firearm between a recoil position and a battery position. A lever on the breechblock is movable from a blocking position to a non-blocking position in response to the breechblock moving from the recoil position to the battery position. A spring biases the lever to the blocking position. When the lever is in the blocking position the lever prevents the firearm from firing.

1 . An auto-loading firearm comprising:
 a receiver;   a striker coupled to the receiver and movable between a cocked position and a fire position;   a breechblock configured to reciprocate along the receiver between a recoil position and a battery position; and   a blocking element movable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position, wherein the blocking element is biased to the blocking position and is configured to move to the non-blocking position when the breechblock is within a predefined distance from the battery position.   
     
     
         2 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the predefined distance is 2 mm or less. 
     
     
         3 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 2 , wherein the predefined distance is 1 mm or less. 
     
     
         4 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator between the blocking element and the receiver, wherein the actuator moves the blocking element to the non-blocking position when the breechblock is within the predefined distance from the battery position. 
     
     
         5 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises a pin extending through part of the breechblock. 
     
     
         6 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 5 , wherein the pin is oriented vertically. 
     
     
         7 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 4 , wherein the receiver defines a cam surface arranged to engage the actuator when the breechblock is within the predefined distance from the battery position, thereby causing the blocking element to occupy the non-blocking position. 
     
     
         8 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 7 , comprising a spring arranged to bias the blocking element to the blocking position. 
     
     
         9 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 8 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring. 
     
     
         10 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 1 , wherein the firearm is a semiautomatic handgun. 
     
     
         11 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 10 , wherein the semiautomatic handgun is configured for recoil operation. 
     
     
         12 . An auto-loading firearm comprising:
 a receiver;   a hammer coupled to the receiver and movable between a cocked position and a fire position;   a breechblock configured to reciprocate along the receiver between a recoil position and a battery position; and   a blocking element movable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position, wherein the blocking element is biased to the blocking position and is configured to move to the non-blocking position when the breechblock is within a predefined distance from the battery position.   
     
     
         13 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a firing pin movable along the central axis of the breechblock from a rearward position to a forward position, the firing pin having a proximal end that extends through the proximal face of the breechblock when the firing pin is in the forward position; and   a firing pin spring between the breechblock and the firing pin, the firing pin spring biasing the firing pin towards the rearward position.   
     
     
         14 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 12 , wherein the predefined distance is 2 mm or less. 
     
     
         15 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 14 , wherein the predefined distance is 1 mm or less. 
     
     
         16 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 12 , further comprising an actuator between the blocking element and the receiver, wherein the actuator moves the blocking element to the non-blocking position when the breechblock is within the predefined distance from the battery position. 
     
     
         17 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a pin extending through part of the breechblock. 
     
     
         18 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 17 , wherein the pin is oriented vertically. 
     
     
         19 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 16 , wherein the receiver defines a cam surface arranged to engage the actuator when the breechblock is within the predefined distance from the battery position, thereby causing the blocking element to occupy the non-blocking position. 
     
     
         20 . The auto-loading firearm of  claim 16 , comprising a spring arranged to bias the blocking element to the blocking position.