The present invention is generally related to ammunition magazines and related weapon parts for automatic and semi-automatic weapons. In particular, the present invention is directed to a modification in ammunition magazines and weapons to facilitate automatic ejection of an empty ammunition magazine and expedited reloading for firing rounds from a subsequent, loaded ammunition magazine.
The purpose of modern automatic weapons, whether used in semi-automatic or full automatic modes, is to provide fast, accurate placement of rounds downrange at a desired target or targets. Speed and precision are the objectives when using such arms as the M4 (described in an operations manual cited in an attached Information Disclosure Statement) or one of its many variations and embodiments. A number of these embodiments are listed in the subject cited operations manual. However, there are many types of magazine-fed weapons with similar characteristics, and the discussion of conventional art is not limited to the M4 family.
The major difficulty hindering the rapid fire of such weapons on a designated downrange target is the reloading cycle. The pauses or “downtime” occurring during the reloading cycle not only hinders the effective application of fire on a given target but also exposes the weapon operator to increased danger. Moreover, operators cannot easily protect themselves during those pauses. It is common for the weapon operator to lose sight of the target during the reloading cycle. If the weapon operator is engaged in competitive target shooting, the extra steps and the time expended for the reloading operations may put the weapon is operator at a competitive disadvantage.
There have been many techniques for dealing with this drawback. These solutions have included larger magazines (such as large “banana” magazines) and physically connecting magazines together so that it is easier to lay hands on the new magazine once the old one is expended. In other cases, infantry tactics mandate staggered firing and reloading cycles, so that teamed weapon operators might protect themselves and each other more effectively during the pauses caused by the reloading cycle. While some of these techniques have been moderately effective, they are in general complicated, and do not substantially decrease time lost during the reloading cycle. In particular, none of these techniques encompass the automatic ejection of the spent magazine and automatic weapon preparation to chamber a round from a new magazine, for a weapon such as the M4 (and its many variations and derivations from the original AR15/M16).
When using an automatic or semi-automatic weapon (such as an M4 or one s of its many variations, for example), it is conventionally necessary for the final round to be fired, and for the weapon operator to press a release button with one hand while pulling the spent ammunition magazine out with the other. Then, the weapon operator must drop the spent ammunition magazine, grab a new (i.e., loaded) ammunition magazine and slide it into the magazine-well or magazine-receiver of the weapon. The operator would then have to take the added step of pulling back on the bolt to put a new round in the firing chamber or, in the case of most automatic weapons, press a bolt release to automatically load the next round, before firing again.
Further, the ejection of an ammunition magazine (even if it can be performed automatically as described in Applicant's parent application), leads to certain difficulties which slow the reloading process. In particular with the M4, as soon as the empty magazine is automatically ejected from the weapon magazine-well, the bolt normally closes. This means that it is necessary to manually operate the bolt once a new (i.e., loaded) magazine is inserted to chamber the first round of the reloading ammunition magazine. The result is that the weapon operator is required to use one hand to operate the bolt and the other hand to operate the bolt catch release. As a result, the weapon operator's eyes are often taken away from the target, and the operator must move at least one hand away from the firing position. This complicates and lengthens the reloading cycle, often leading to error and/or undesirable results.
Automatic ejection of a spent ammunition magazine (as described in Applicant's parent application) helps to shorten the reloading cycle by reducing the necessary manual steps for the reloading process. However, this is not completely sufficient to provide a smooth, virtually automatic arrangement where an operator need only grab a new ammunition magazine and push it home into the weapon ammunition magazine-well. Rather, additional steps are still required in the reloading cycle. These steps create undesirable results in competition shooting and can lead to disastrous results in law enforcement and combat situations.
Under the pressures of combat and/or law enforcement use, “anything that can go wrong will go wrong” applies to reloading cycles. Accordingly, it is extremely important to make each cycle as short and efficient as possible, by reducing the number of physical steps and movements that the operator of the weapon must perform to effect the reloading process. This is extremely important for the security of the weapon operator. Also, while competitive rapid-fire shooting does not entail the stresses of combat, the desire for rapid, accurate fire is still present. Because of this, competitive shooters prefer to limit the number of operations needed for reloading to limit the time that the weapon is off target.
Accordingly, a fast and efficient simplification of the reloading cycle is needed to reduce the number of steps that the weapon operator must take during the reloading process and ultimately reduce the time necessary for the process. Moreover, automation of this process will benefit the weapon operator, especially if in combat or tense law enforcement situations and/or time-sensitive shooting completion.
It is a principal goal of the present invention to facilitate the rapid and efficient reloading operation of an automatic or semi-automatic rifle, such as an M4 or one of its many variations. Therefore, the present invention reduces the number of physical operations or steps that a weapons operator must carry out when undergoing the reloading operation.
It is another object of the present invention to make minimal physical changes to an existing weapon to accommodate the present invention.
It is a further object of the present invention to facilitate the operation of the present invention with minimum alterations to standard weapons ammunition magazines.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automatic release for the ammunition magazine once the last round from the ammunition magazine enters the weapon's firing chamber. Moreover, the present invention is includes an ammunition magazine release system that provides for easy, automatic removal of the ammunition magazine from the weapon.
It is again an additional object of the present invention to provide an automatic ammunition magazine release system that can be accommodated, for example, by including modifications to an otherwise standard ammunition magazine follower. The present invention may also include an innovative modification to an otherwise standard ammunition magazine housing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automatic ammunition magazine release system that can be adapted to a wide range of magazine-fed automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system for removing ammunition magazines, by requiring fewer steps and movements of the weapon operator.
It is again another object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine release system that automatically controls the weapon bolt, so that the weapon operator may avoid manually operating the weapon bolt during the reloading cycle.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine release system that automatically chambers the first round when a newly reloaded ammunition magazine is placed in the ammunition magazine-well of a weapon.
It is again a further object of the present invention to provide a system for reloading in which the weapon operator is required to use only one hand in the process.
It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine release system that allows the weapon operator to more easily keep sight on the target, without complication, interruption and/or distraction.
These and other goals and objects of the present invention are achieved by an automatic bolt control system for an ammunition magazine-fed automatic or semi-automatic weapon. In a typical situation, the weapon has an ammunition magazine-well and a manual bolt catch mechanism configured to hold and release the weapon bolt. Moreover, the control system in this case includes a spring position to hold the bolt catch mechanism in an open position when a last bullet of a first ammunition magazine is fired and a corresponding empty shell is automatically ejected from the weapon. Included is an extension of the bolt catch mechanism pivotally attached to the weapon, spring loaded, and extending into the magazine-well. In operation, the extension is used to automatically close the bolt when a second (i.e., reloaded) ammunition magazine is fully inserted into the magazine-well of the weapon.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method for controlling the bolt of the automatic or semi-automatic weapon when replacing a first (i.e., spent) ammunition magazine from an ammunition magazine-well on the weapon. The process includes the step of automatically holding the bolt catch mechanism open by a catch mechanism being pivotally attached and spring-loaded to the weapon such that an arm of the catch mechanism extends into the magazine-well thereby catching and holding the bolt in an open position when a last bullet of the first ammunition magazine is fired and the corresponding shell automatically ejected from the weapon. The subsequent step includes closing the bolt catch mechanism when inserting a second (i.e., loaded) ammunition magazine into the ammunition magazine-well of the weapon, by contacting the arm extending into the magazine-well to pivot the catch mechanism, thereby releasing the bolt.
A further embodiment of the present invention is to provide an expedited reloading sequence for an automatic or semi-automatic weapon that is fast and easy, such that the firing chamber, in direct communication with a magazine-well, automatically receives a round from an external ammunition magazine when placed in the magazine-well. Specifically, the ammunition magazine in this case includes an outer casing having at least one aperture and a spring driven follower with a spring driven perpendicular prong or plunger extending through said aperture. The weapon further includes a magazine catch configured to hold an external ammunition magazine in the magazine-well and a bolt catch mechanism operable to hold the firing chamber open when an empty (i.e., spent) external magazine is removed from the magazine-well. In operation, the sequence typically includes moving rounds in the first ammunition magazine upwards through the magazine by means of a spring driven follower. When the last round of the magazine is placed in the firing chamber, the empty magazine is automatically is released from the magazine-well via the engagement prong or plunger. Then, when the last round is expended, the firing chamber is automatically held open. Subsequently, a new (i.e., loaded) ammunition magazine is placed in the magazine-well and the firing chamber automatically closes on a first round in a new magazine and the operator remains in a position to continue firing.
The drawings included herewith are for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the instant invention, for which reference should be made to the claims appended hereto. Other features, objects and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following more detailed description made with reference to the drawings in which:
The present invention is directed to automatic and semi-automatic weapons such as the M4, and its many variations, dating from the AR15/M16 to the present embodiments. More specifically, the present invention is directed to modifications of ammunition magazines and weapon parts that interface with the magazines for such weapons. Submitted as conventional art for this application is the instruction manual for the Bushmaster family of weapons. For illustrative purposes, parts of the Bushmaster manual dated 2005 have been incorporated into drawings of the present application as background for the application to better describe the invention with such firearms, although the instant invention may be used with other automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
The invention of the present application is related to that of the parent application, although a separately operative, inventive development. Moreover, the invention of the present application addresses a condition resulting from the invention of the parent application. Accordingly, for purposes of clarity, parts of the parent application will be discussed and summarized below.
In both the parent and the instant applications, the inventions are directed to interactive systems between a weapon and ammunition magazines. The ammunition magazine is modified from a standard conventional ammunition magazine. While the modifications to the ammunition magazine depicted in the drawings have been made to specifically fit the M4 family of weapons, other magazine-fed weapons (including both semi-automatic and automatic) can be adapted by incorporating the same modifications to the weapons and ammunition magazines as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art knowledgeable of the instant disclosures. This is true for the inventions of both the parent and the present application.
For a weapon to benefit from the inventions of both applications, that weapon should have a standard manual ammunition magazine release mechanism and a bolt catch mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, alterations in the ammunition magazines can be made to correspond to the exact location of the magazine catch and release mechanism on the particular weapon. The M4 Bushmaster, as depicted in the cited instruction manual, is used as a representative weapon with both the inventions of the present application and the parent application because of the adaptability of both inventions to this particular weapon. However, either of the two inventions can be adapted to other automatic/semi-automatic weapons having appropriate ammunition magazine catch and bolt catch configurations.
For clarity, in both the present and the parent applications, only those parts of the weapon that interact as part of a particular invention are designated in certain drawings. The other parts of the weapon are depicted in the drawings, but are not designated with numerals since they do not interact as part of a particular inventive system. For example, in conventional art
Conventional art
Also identified in conventional art
In normal operation, the weapon operator must manually press magazine release button 101 to operate the magazine catch 104 and thus the holding extension 105 that holds the magazine to the weapon. Once the magazine release button is pressed, it is possible to pull ammunition magazine 10 from the magazine-well 110. This conventional operation requires extra movement on the part of the weapon operator, and as a result, the weapon is not easily held on target. Further, an often unacceptable amount of time is needed before the weapon can be put back in use and on target, due to the fact that both of the weapon operator's hands are needed to carry out the removal of the spent ammunition magazine 10.
In addition, a weapon operator must move his hand to operate bolt catch mechanism 160. This is necessary in order to close the bolt 108 when the normal operation of the weapon leaves the bolt open. However it should be understood that the release of an ammunition magazine 10 from the magazine-well 110 will cause the bolt 108 to normally close in an M4. To open the bolt to receive a new round from a new (i.e., loaded) ammunition magazine, the operator must manually pull the bolt 108 back once a new ammunition magazine is inserted into magazine-well 110. This creates substantial difficulty for the weapon operator who wants to continue to fire rapidly downrange without major pause and disruption. The key to addressing both of these time-consuming tasks lies in part with the ammunition magazine 10.
A conventional ammunition magazine is depicted in
The conventional casing 11 of ammunition magazine 10 also includes an aperture 16 and a catch lip 17. Both of these structures are sized and located to interact with holding extension 105 of magazine catch 104. This is the structure that conventionally holds the magazine within the magazine-well 110 of weapon 100. When the operator pushes the magazine release button 101, the entire magazine catch is moved outward away from the magazine-well 110 (i.e., the magazine holding extension 105 is pushed away from catch lip 17 on the magazine). This action allows the operator to then pull out the magazine 10 from the magazine-well 110.
Regarding the instant invention,
Conventional followers typically have spacing arms 147, 148, 149 (depicted in
Inset body 141 illustrated in
Moreover, with the invention described in the parent application, it will be appreciated that the weapon operator does not have to press magazine release button 101 or pull ammunition magazine 10 from the magazine-well 110. Rather, the entire operation is made automatic by the invention as described. Once the last round 300 leaves ammunition magazine 10, whether this last round 300 has been fired or not, the automatic release and drop of the ammunition magazine 10 will occur without any effort on the part of the weapon operator. Moreover, the weapon operator can keep both hands in firing position and maintain the sighting of the weapon on the target downrange as the empty (i.e., spent) magazine is automatically released from the magazine-well.
To reload, the weapon operator need only grab a new (i.e., loaded) ammunition magazine 10 and “slam it home” into the magazine-well or receiver 110. This can be done while the weapon operator maintains the sighting of the weapon downrange on the target.
It should be noted that there is one drawback with the invention of the parent application (i.e, when ammunition magazine 10 automatically drops from magazine-well 110 and the last round from the empty magazine is fired, the weapon bolt 108 will automatically close). Under many circumstances, this is a desirable operation in order to protect the firing chamber. However, when the speed of the reload cycle is important, this automatic operation is a drawback. More specifically, when the weapon operator is replacing the spent ammunition magazine, it is necessary for the weapon operator to replace the spent magazine with a loaded magazine before firing the last round or (if the last round is fired) to manually operate the bolt 108 to allow the first round in the new ammunition magazine to be chambered. Therefore, in the second case (i.e., the last round is accidently fired), the weapon must be taken from the downrange aiming position and the operator must use both hands to operate the bolt 108 to chamber the first round of the new ammunition magazine. Again, this is a drawback in those situations that require maintaining sight on a downrange target and adds time between firings.
In order to address the drawback caused by the automatically closing bolt of the weapon 100, when the spent ammunition magazine 10 automatically drops from magazine-well 110 and the last round is fired before loading a new magazine, the invention of the present application is used. In particular, the present invention keeps the weapon bolt back and the chamber open to receive a new round from a new ammunition magazine. Once the new ammunition magazine is engaged in the magazine-well and first round in position, the bolt will automatically close, chambering the round for firing. This is done without need to manually operate the bolt catch mechanism 160, using operating button 161 as is required in the conventional art. To be clear, with the present invention, the bolt 108 does not have to be manually operated (with all of its undesirable consequences) by the weapon operator in order to chamber a new round from the newly loaded magazine.
The goal of the present invention, which is further improvement from the operation of the invention of the parent application, is to keep the bolt open so that a round from the new ammunition magazine can be chambered without manually operating the weapon bolt. This is accomplished by a modification of the bolt catch mechanism 160 (conventionally depicted in
At the expense of being repetitive, the conventional bolt catch mechanism 160 of
As modified by the present invention, plunger spring 163 is not necessary due to pressure spring 175 (seen in
The present invention further includes a mechanism by which the weapon bolt is automatically closed in response to the new ammunition magazine 10 being placed and secured in position in the magazine-well 110. This structure includes the extension arm 170 shown in
Specifically, the extension arm 170 facilitates the key operation of the present invention, in that beveled edge 173 interfaces with detent 181 on case 11 of the ammunition magazine 10. The detent is positioned so that it is aligned opposite aperture 180 in the ammunition magazine-well 110. The beveled end 173 with extension arm 170, therefore, extends through aperture 180 to interface with detent 181. Therefore, as the ammunition magazine 10 is moved upwards and into magazine-well 110, the ramped profile of detent 181 contacts and forces the beveled end 173 (and thus extension arm 170) to rotate outwards through aperture 180 about pivot pin 165, as best seen with reference to
The placement and dimensions of extension arm 170 are adaptable, and can vary from weapon to weapon. The inventive adaptations described above are not difficult to apply to the M4 family of weapons.
The modifications to the instant bolt catch mechanism 160 are further depicted in the exploded view shown in
To be clear, in operation, as the magazine 10 is forced upward in the magazine-well 110, the detent 181 in the magazine casing 11 ramps outward and pushes against the beveled end 173 of extension arm 170 passing through aperture 180. More specifically, the depth of the detent 181 is much greater near the top of the magazine where it first makes contact with beveled end 173.
Since the detent 181 ramps outward (extending down the magazine casing 11), the detent 181 forces extension arm 170 outward by pushing beveled end 173 further out of aperture 180, as the ammunition magazine 10 is pushed upward into the magazine-well 110. The force created by the movement of the ammunition magazine 10 into the magazine-well 110 is sufficient to overcome the force of pressure spring 175, moving the operating button 161 towards the weapon housing 120, thereby operating the bolt catch mechanism to close the firing chamber 107. This does not occur, however, until the ammunition magazine 10 is all the way into the magazine-well 110 (i.e., in the seated position such that the first round 300 in the ammunition magazine simultaneously enters the firing chamber 107 as it closes).
The advantage of the instant invention is clear. When combined with the automatic magazine release mechanism of the parent application (wherein the ammunition magazine automatically releases and falls from the magazine-well 110 without manual effort on the part of the weapon operator), the present automatic bolt release mechanism described herein allows the weapon operator to fire the last round of the spent ammunition magazine, insert the new (i.e., loaded) magazine, and continue operation. The weapon bolt, which would normally close upon firing the last round, is automatically held open, and the weapon operator does no more than slip and seat another ammunition magazine 10 into the magazine-well. Placement of the loaded magazine 10 fully within the magazine-well 110 automatically operates the weapon bolt 108 to chamber the first round 300 of said magazine.
In operating sequence,
With further reference to
As a result, the weapon operator need use only one hand for reloading, and does not have to deviate from sighting downrange from a fully operational firing position. The result is a much faster reloading cycle that does not interfere with the weapon operator's ability to maintain focus downrange. The combination of the invention of the parent application with that of the present application creates a streamlined system for expedited reloading that reduces the effort required by the weapon operator. Importantly, the weapon operator need not lose focus on downrange targets.
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in the document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While the preferred embodiments have been described by way of example, the present invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the present invention should be understood to include any and all limitations, modifications, variations, embodiments, derivations, and adaptations that would occur to one skilled in this technology after understanding the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention should be limited only by the breadth of the following claims. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
The present patent application claims priority as a continuation-in-part application to parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/725,051, filed on May 29, 2015, the description and drawings of which are incorporated herein in the entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14725051 | May 2015 | US |
Child | 14837318 | US |