Folding pocket pistol

1. A pistol comprising:

a frame;

a barrel connected to the frame and defining a bore and a chamber and movable between an operating position and a loading position;

a bolt connected to the frame and operable to reciprocate between a rearward cocked position and a forward battery position;

a trigger connected to the frame and having a trigger lever movable between a forward position and a rearward position;

a grip pivotally connected to the frame by way of a pivot element and the grip being pivotally between a closed position abutting the frame, and an open position away from the frame;

the grip defining a pocket adapted to receive the trigger lever when the trigger lever is in the forward position;

the grip having a pocket block surface spaced apart from the pivot element by a first distance;

the trigger having a contact surface spaced apart from the pivot element by a second distance less than the first distance when the trigger lever is in the rearward position thereby to prevent the grip moving to the closed position when the trigger lever is in the rearward position; and

the trigger contact surface being spaced apart from the pivot element by a third distance greater than the first distance when the trigger lever is in the forward position thereby to enable the grip moving to the closed position when the trigger lever is in the forward position.

2. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the trigger has an intermediate position between the forward and rearward position, and wherein the pocket block surface is adapted to contact a portion of the trigger lever when the trigger lever is in the intermediate position thereby to prevent the grip moving to the closed position when the trigger lever is in the intermediate position.

3. The pistol of claim 2 wherein the trigger includes a sear element adapted to restrain the bolt in the cocked position when the trigger is in the intermediate position.

4. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the bolt has a home position between the rearward position and the forward position, and wherein the trigger is in the forward position when the bolt is in the home position.

5. The pistol of claim 4 wherein the bolt includes a catch element operably engaging the trigger when the trigger is in the home position to restrain the trigger in the forward position when the bolt is in the home position, except upon movement of the bolt toward the cocked position.

6. The pistol of claim 5 wherein the trigger defines a pocket receiving the catch element when the trigger is in the forward position and the bolt is in the home position.

7. The pistol of claim 4 wherein the bolt has a rear surface flush with a rear surface of the frame when the bolt is in the home position.

8. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the bolt includes a firing pin adapted to discharge a cartridge in the chamber upon movement to the battery position.

9. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the barrel includes an engagement element and bolt includes a barrel lock element adapted to engage the engagement element to restrain the barrel in the operating position when the barrel lock element engages the engagement element.

10. The pistol of claim 9 wherein the barrel lock element engages the engagement element when the bolt is in the cocked position, such that the barrel may not be moved from the operating position when the pistol is cocked.

11. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the frame and grip are each elongated elements that are parallel to each other when in the closed position and angularly disposed with each other when in the open position.

12. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the pistol defines a rectangular periphery when in the closed position.

13. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the trigger lever is entirely enclosed by the frame and the grip pocket when in the closed position.

14. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the bolt is an elongated body having a sear engagement surface at a forward end adapted to be engaged by the trigger, and has a block element at an intermediate location, and the trigger defines an opening adapted to receive the block element to prevent movement of the trigger.

15. A pistol comprising:

a frame;

a barrel connected to the frame and defining a bore and a chamber and movable between an operating position and a loading position;

a bolt connected to the frame and operable to reciprocate between a rearward cocked position and a forward battery position;

a trigger connected to the frame and having a trigger lever movable between a forward position and a rearward position;

a grip pivotally connected to the frame by way of a pivot element and the grip being pivotally movable between a closed position abutting the frame, and an open position away from the frame;

the grip defining a pocket adapted to receive the trigger lever when the trigger lever is in the forward position;

the grip having a pocket block surface spaced apart from the pivot element by a first distance;

the trigger lever having a contact surface spaced apart from the pivot element by a second distance less than the first distance when the trigger lever is in the rearward position thereby to prevent the grip moving to the closed position when the trigger lever is in the rearward position thereby to prevent the trigger lever moving to the rearward position when the grip is in the closed position.

16. The pistol of claim 15 wherein the trigger lever has an intermediate position between the forward and rearward position, and wherein the pocket block surface is adapted to contact a portion of the trigger lever when the trigger lever is in the intermediate position thereby to prevent the grip moving to the closed position when the lever is in the intermediate position.

17. The pistol of claim 16 wherein the trigger includes a sear element adapted to restrain the bolt in the cocked position when the trigger is in the intermediate position.

18. The pistol of claim 15 wherein the bolt has a home position between the rearward position and the forward position, and wherein the trigger is in the forward position when the bolt is in the home position.

19. The pistol of claim 15 wherein the trigger lever is entirely enclosed by the frame and the grip pocket when in the closed position.

20. The pistol of claim 15 wherein the bolt is an elongated body having a sear engagement surface at a forward end adapted to be engaged by the trigger, and has a block element at an intermediate location, and the trigger defines an opening adapted to receive the block element to prevent movement of the trigger.