1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ammunition cartridge storing and loading tools for firearms magazines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many contemporary ammunition box designs that are configured to sterily store and also load ammunition cartridges into firearms magazines do not have the ability to store and load more than one row of cartridges. Designs that do allow for the storage and loading of multiple rows of cartridges often require a large number of moving components to facilitate the alignment and urging of successive rows of cartridges into a magazine. Unfortunately, history has revealed time and time again that apparatuses with a large number of moving parts often have reduced reliability in outdoor environments.
At the moment, there exists no prior art design of ammunition storage and loading apparatuses that can align successive rows of ammunition cartridges for urging into a magazine without the utilization of a large number of moving components.
In light of the limitations of existing ammunition storage and loading apparatuses, it is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can store multiple rows of ammunition cartridges and successively align each row of stored cartridges for urging into a firearms magazine using a significantly reduced number of moving components.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition cartridges comprises an elongated rectangular box having a proximal long end, a distal long end and an adjacent side that lies between the proximal and distal long ends. The rectangular box comprises a linear channel that runs within the rectangular box, initiating at the proximal long end and running to the distal long end. The proximal long end, distal long end and adjacent side comprise a cartridge dispensing opening, rod entry opening and cartridge entry opening, respectively, all of which lead into the linear channel.
The rectangular box comprises cartridge slots that are recessed into the rectangular box through topside openings on the adjacent side. These cartridge slots are convergent with the linear channel and are configured to receive and host ammunition cartridges via the topside openings. Each cartridge slot extends a partition wall, which segregates the extending cartridge slot from an adjacent cartridge slot. In one embodiment, each cartridge slot extends a partition wall from a portion of the cartridge slot that lies of farthest distance from the dispensing opening. In one embodiment, the cartridge slots are arranged in two independent single file rows whose lengths run parallel with that of the linear channel. In this same embodiment, these two independent rows of cartridge slots are tangent with the linear channel on two opposing sides of the linear channel. Also in this same embodiment, partition walls on both rows of cartridge slots are offset from linear alignment with one another. Cartridge slots are recessed into the rectangular box in such a manner as to leave a height of space between the bottom of the cartridge slot recesses and a linear channel interior wall that lies farthest from the adjacent side, defined as the channel floor. The cartridge slots comprise obstruction walls that are tangent with the linear channel and run from each cartridge slot's partition wall towards the dispensing opening until within a gap of distance from an adjacent cartridge slot's partition wall. In one embodiment, the size of this gap of distance is equal to the width of an ammunition cartridge. Each gap of distance defines a slot side opening, configured to facilitate the passage of cartridges from the cartridge slots into the linear channel.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition cartridges comprises a channel obstruction block shaped in the form of an elongated rectangular block. The obstruction block is selectively engaged within the linear channel of the rectangular box, through either of the rectangular box openings, in order to obstruct cartridges hosted within the rectangular box cartridge slots from passing into the linear channel, via the slot side openings, as the apparatus of the present invention is loaded with cartridges for storage. The apparatus is loaded with ammunition cartridges via the positioning of cartridges into the cartridge slots through the cartridge slot topside openings.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition cartridges comprises an urging rod. The urging rod is shaped as an elongated rectangular block and extends a planar shaped flat cover that is coupled to the elongated rectangular block in such a manner as to form a T shape. The urging rod is slideably engaged within the rectangular box linear channel, through the rod entry opening, in such a manner as to cause the flat cover to slideably engage with the rectangular box adjacent side.
The apparatus of the present invention is configured for the sterile storage of cartridges via urging of the urging rod into the linear channel, through the rod entry opening, towards the dispensing opening until the urging rod comes into tangency with the dispensing opening. This action causes the urging rod to displace the obstruction block from the linear channel through the dispensing opening while simultaneously causing the rod to obstruct successive slot side openings, preventing cartridges hosted within cartridge slots with obstructed slot side openings from moving into the linear channel. Simultaneously, as the urging rod moves toward tangency with the dispensing opening, the flat cover is slideably engaged with the adjacent side and moved along with the urging rod to successively encapsulate all of the topside openings leading into the cartridge slots.
The apparatus of the present invention is interfaced with a firearms magazine for the transfer of cartridges from the apparatus into a firearms magazine. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by coupling a feed opening of a firearms magazine with the apparatus dispensing opening in such a manner that the magazine feed opening is oriented, relative to the dispensing opening, to receive cartridges from the dispensing opening in the same angular orientation by which the firearms magazine properly feeds ammunition cartridges into a firearm. In a preferred embodiment, cartridges are stored within two independent rows of cartridge slots, and cartridges hosted within each row of cartridge slots are successively displaced into the linear channel by canting the apparatus and interfaced magazine in such a manner as to elevate one row of cartridge slots, which hosts the cartridges that are subject for displacement, over an opposing row of cartridge slots. Simultaneously, the apparatus and interfaced magazine are also oriented in such a manner as to cause the rod entry opening to elevate over the dispensing opening. The urging rod is then retracted from the linear channel, through the rod entry opening, causing cartridges hosted in the elevated row 110 to move through the slot side openings 120, by force of gravity, toward the opposing row 110 until obstructed from further directional movement by the obstruction walls of the opposing row 110 or cartridges hosted within the opposing row. Simultaneous to this point, the displaced cartridges are vectored into the height of space, within the linear channel, that lies between the bottom of the cartridge slots and the linear channel floor, by force of gravity. The displaced cartridges travel down into the height of space until obstructed from further movement by the channel floor. Simultaneously, the displaced cartridges are also vectored towards the dispensing opening, by force of gravity, until obstructed from further directional movement by the coupled magazine feed opening or cartridges stacked in succession leading into the magazine opening. Each successive row of cartridges displaced from the two independent rows of cartridge slots into the linear channel are urged into the interfaced firearms magazine via the urging of the urging rod towards the dispensing opening. This action causes the urging rod to shift cartridges, displaced into the linear channel, through the dispensing opening into the magazine feed opening coupled to the dispensing opening.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
In reference to
The proximal long end 101 defines a cartridge dispensing opening 105 that opens into the linear channel 104 and is configured to engage with a feed opening 201 of a firearms magazine 200. When engaged with the feed opening 201 of a firearms magazine 200, the dispensing opening 105 facilitates the passage of ammunition cartridges 300, hosted within the linear channel 104, from the linear channel 104 into the feed opening 201.
The adjacent side 103 of the rectangular box 100 defines a cartridge entry opening 106 that opens into the linear channel 104. The linear channel 104 defines a channel floor 107 that occupies a wall of the linear channel 104 that lies farthest from the cartridge entry opening 106.
In one embodiment, the linear channel 104 is shaped in such a manner that cartridges 300 received into the linear channel 104 are arranged into a single file whose length is parallel with that of the linear channel 104. In one embodiment, cartridges 300 received and hosted within the linear channel 104 are oriented in such a manner that their bullet tips 301 point toward the cartridge entry opening 106 from within the linear channel 104 while their base primer sides 302 are tangent with the channel floor 107.
The adjacent side 103 further defines multiple cartridge slots 108 that are individually recessed into the rectangular box 100 through the adjacent side 103. Each cartridge slot 108 comprises a topside opening 109 that leads into each cartridge slot 108 from the adjacent side 103. Each cartridge slot 108 is configured to host ammunition cartridges 300 and each topside opening 109 is configured to facilitate the positioning of cartridges 300 into its respective cartridge slot 108. In one embodiment, cartridge slots 108 are recessed into the rectangular box 100 at a depth equal to the height of an ammunition cartridge 300. Each cartridge slot 108 is convergent with the linear channel 104 and configured to displace cartridges 300 into the linear channel 104. In one embodiment, each cartridge slot 108 is sized to host one cartridge 300. In one embodiment, each cartridge slot 108 is sized to host two cartridges 300.
The cartridge slots 108 define slot floors 111, which are portions of the cartridge slots 108 that are furthest recessed into the rectangular box 100. In one embodiment, the cartridge slots 108 host cartridges 300 with the base primer sides 302 of cartridges 300 tangent with the slot floors 111. In one embodiment, the cartridge slots 108 host cartridges 300 with the bullet tips 301 of cartridges 300 tangent with the slot floors 111. The linear channel 104 defines a non-convergent height of space 112 within the linear channel 104 that lays between the slot floors 111 and the channel floor 107 and is non-convergent with the cartridge slots 108. This non-convergent height of space 112 is sized to maintain cartridges 300 positioned within the linear channel 104 in a single file configuration.
Each cartridge slot 108 extends a partition wall 113 that separates each cartridge slot 108 from an adjacent cartridge slot 108. In one embodiment, each cartridge slot 108 extends a partition wall 113 from a portion of the cartridge slot 108 that lies of farthest distance away from the dispensing opening 105. In one embodiment, the length of each partition wall 113 runs perpendicular to the length of the linear channel 104. In one embodiment, the cartridge slots 108 are arranged in two independent single file rows 110 whose lengths run parallel with that of the linear channel 104. In this same embodiment, these two independent rows 110 of cartridge slots 108 are tangent with the linear channel 104 on two opposing sides of the linear channel 104. Also in this same embodiment, the partition walls 113 on one row 110 of cartridge slots 108 are offset from linear alignment with the partition walls 113 of the opposing row 110 of cartridge slots 108.
Each cartridge slot 108 comprises an obstruction wall 119, whose length runs parallel with that of linear channel 104. Each obstruction wall 119 is tangent with the linear channel 104 and configured to obstruct cartridges 300 displaced from an opposing row 110 of cartridge slots 108 from entering the cartridge slot 108 that comprises it. In one embodiment, each obstruction wall 119 is perpendicularly extended from a partition wall 113 and runs in the direction of the dispensing opening 105 until within a gap of distance from the partition wall 113 of an adjacent cartridge slot 108. In one embodiment, this gap of distance is equal to the width of one ammunition cartridge 300. The gaps of distance between each obstruction wall 119 and adjacent cartridge slot partition wall 113 each define a cartridge slot side opening 120 that is configured to facilitate the passage of cartridges 300 from each cartridge slot 108 into the linear channel 104.
The distal long end 102 of the rectangular box 100 defines a rod entry opening 114 that opens into the linear channel 104 and is configured to facilitate the entry of a cartridge urging rod 115 into the linear channel 104.
The apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition, in its preferred embodiment, comprises an urging rod 115 that is shaped as an elongated rectangular block with two short sides and four long sides. The urging rod 115 is configured to slideably engage within the linear channel 104, through the rod entry opening 114, with two opposing long sides of the urging rod 115 slideably engaged with the non-convergent height of space 112 and one long side slideably engaged with the channel floor 107. The urging rod 115 comprises a planar shaped flat cover 116 that extends from the one long side of the urging rod 115 that does not slideably engage with the non-convergent height of space 112 or the channel floor 107 when the urging rod 115 is engaged within the linear channel 104. The flat cover 116 extends from the urging rod 115 in such a manner as to form a T shape with the urging rod 115. The flat cover 116 runs the length of the urging rod 115 and is sized to encapsulate the rectangular box adjacent side 103. The urging rod 115 further comprises a pressing surface 117 on a short side of the urging rod 115 that faces foremost towards the dispensing opening 105 when the urging rod 115 is slideably engaged within the linear channel 104 through the rod entry opening 114. The pressing surface 117 is configured to urge ammunition cartridges 300 and objects hosted within the linear channel 104 out from the linear channel 104 through the dispensing opening 105. The length of the urging rod 115 is sized so as to cause the urging rod 115 to fully encapsulate the linear channel 104 when the urging rod 115 is slideably engaged within the linear channel 104 and the pressing surface 117 is tangent with the dispensing opening 105. When the urging rod 115 is engaged with linear channel 104 in such a manner that it fully encapsulates the linear channel 104, the urging rod 115 obstructs objects from entering into the linear channel 104 via the dispensing opening 105, cartridge entry opening 106, the slot side openings 120 and the rod entry opening 114. Simultaneously, when the urging rod 115 is engaged to fully encapsulate the linear channel 104, the flat cover 116 encapsulates the adjacent side 103 and obstructs the passage of cartridges 300 and objects into and out from the cartridge slots 108 via the topside openings 109.
The apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition, in its preferred embodiment, comprises a channel obstruction block 118. The obstruction block 118 is shaped as a rectangular block and is sized to slideably engage within the linear channel 104, via the dispensing opening 105, cartridge entry opening 106 or rod entry opening 114, and obstruct the slot side openings 120, preventing cartridges 300 hosted within the cartridge slots 108 from moving into the linear channel 104 via the slot side openings 120. In one embodiment, the obstruction block 118 is sized to fully encapsulate the linear channel 104.
In reference to
Ammunition cartridges 300 are positioned into the cartridge slots 108 through the adjacent side topside openings 109. In one embodiment, cartridges 300 are inserted through the topside openings 109 with the base primer sides 302 of cartridges 300 facing foremost towards the slot floors 111. In one embodiment, cartridges 300 are inserted through the topside openings 109 with the bullet tips 301 of cartridges 300 facing foremost towards the slot floors 111. The obstruction block 118 maintains the cartridges 300 positioned into the cartridge slots 108 from moving into the linear channel 104 via the slot side openings 120.
In reference to
In reference to
The apparatus for storing and loading multiple rows of ammunition cartridges is configured to displace successive rows 110 of cartridge slots 108, hosting cartridges 300, into the linear channel 104 with the canting of the apparatus and interfaced magazine 200 to such an orientation as to cause a row 110, containing cartridges 300 that are subject to displacement, to elevate over an opposing row 110 of cartridge slots 108. The apparatus and interfaced magazine 200 are also oriented in such a manner as to cause the rod entry opening 114 to elevate over the dispensing opening 105.
In reference to
In reference to
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1786537 | Holek | Dec 1930 | A |
4706402 | Csongor | Nov 1987 | A |
4739572 | Brandenburg | Apr 1988 | A |
4862621 | Kearney | Sep 1989 | A |
5107751 | Grabner | Apr 1992 | A |
20120255211 | Kim | Oct 2012 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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EU 205 661 | Dec 1986 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170030669 A1 | Feb 2017 | US |