Patent Application
20240044604
The present invention relates at least in part to tools used for servicing firearms. In one instance, the invention relates to a tool configured to assist in removal and/or installation of a baseplate and/or extension from/to a firearm magazine.
In context of firearms, a magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm (fixed) or removable (detachable). The most common type of magazine is the detachable “box” type that holds the projectiles (which are most commonly spring loaded when packed inside and pushed into the firearm by the spring) in columns. The cartridges in the magazine are loaded or fed into the firearm's chamber either automatically or manually depending on the firearm, but almost always by a spring. To function reliably and safely, a firearm must be clean. One common area of firearm malfunction, especially in the field (i.e., hunting, a law enforcement operation or military combat), is dirt or debris inside the magazine which interferes with the proper loading of ammunition from the magazine to the chamber. This brings a need in a tool that allows quick and easy access to the magazine's tube, via removal of the magazine's baseplate (which sometimes is referred to as a floorplate), so that the magazine tube and spring can be cleaned to insure proper operation. Additionally or in the alternative, it may be desired to exchange the baseplate for an accessory that will either increase the capacity of the magazine or lengthen the grip (which accessory may be interchangeably referred to herein as an extension).
Some firearms, such as some Glock® pistols for example, have magazines that are commonly recognized to be very difficult to disassemble and clean. One commonly used but not particularly regarded method of removing a magazine's baseplate involved using a pliers-resembling device to remove the floorplate. In operation, the pliers' beaks must be held in place, while the handles are at a distance from the magazine, making it difficult to apply pressure on the locking tabs of the magazine, to maintain control of the magazine, and to manipulate the release of the floorplate with the other hand. This method is well known to often lead to damaging the locking tabs of the magazine, therefore rendering this important feature of the magazine substantially non-functional after a couple of iterations of the baseplate removal. Other unconventional types of magazine tools used for releasing the tabs on the magazine (such as vice grips, channel locks, c-clamps and other devices that exert pressure to the area around the locking tabs) simply do not and cannot provide a consistent calibrated force to release the locking tabs on the magazine, thereby substantially failing to prevent damage to the magazine itself. In particular, all these commonly used non-standardized methods often result in exertion (application to the magazine) of force insufficient for full disengagement of the locking tabs of the magazine from the corresponding locking notches of the base plate. This, understandably and recognizably, leads to inevitable stripping the locking tabs off the magazine and/or stripping off at least parts of the tabs that keep the baseplate in place when the baseplate is forced off. On the other side of the spectrum of application of inconsistent releasing force, applying too much force to the magazine can potentially damage the container portion of the magazine. This type of damage may compromise the intended use, safety, and dependability of the firearm altogether. Similarly, the use of a type of a commercially produced tools — such as that depicted as 100 in
The detrimental results of inconsistent and non-repeatable use of various non-standardized for the purpose, house-made, and/or not-intended-for-the-purpose tools begs a question of whether such methodology can be developed that reliably and repeatable guards against potentially damaging the magazine during baseplate disassembly and reassembly, while at the same time providing consistent performance and results every time it is used. Embodiments of the present invention provide for application of operationally-sufficient and repeatable amount of force along the locking tabs of the magazine to repeatably and fully—not partially, in stark contradistinction with the above-discussed methods—disengage the locking tables of the magazine from the baseplate, thereby allowing the baseplate to be removed and/or re-installed not only properly but also without affecting the shape of the locking tabs. Embodiments of the invention prevent the damage to the locking tabs and/or the magazine by ensuring the application of pre-calibrated and highly repeatable amount of force to the magazine, without compromising the safety and dependability of the magazine and ultimately for the firearm itself.
Embodiments of the invention provide a projectile container tool, which includes at least a receiving body and at least one release cam. The receiving body has an axis and includes first and second wall portions that are opposite to one another, that extend along the axis, and that are separated from one another in a plane transverse to the axis by a distance such as to form an internal opening of the receiving body. (The internal opening is judiciously dimensioned to removably accommodate a body of a projectile container between the first and second wall portions.) The at least one release cam has a cam lever and a camming body and is configured to be hinged at an edge region of a chosen wall portion of the first and second wall portions with the camming body positioned in the internal opening and the cam lever being outside of the wall. Substantially in any implementation, the tool may be dimensioned to have the distance separating the first and second wall portion satisfy a requirement of a running fit and/or a requirement of a sliding fit between the body of a projectile container and a surface of the receiving body (with such running fit or such sliding fit is defined according to ANSI B4.1 standard, as followed by related art).
Embodiments of the invention additionally provide a method that includes the steps of (i) removably inserting a body of a projectile container into the internal opening of the receiving body of the projectile container tool along the axis; and (ii) hingedly rotating the at least one release cam about a hinge thereof disposed at a wall portion of the receiving body to engage the camming body of the at least one release cam with a surface of the body of a projectile container and to release a locking tab of the body of the projectile container from a corresponding tab-accommodating notch of a structural element that is removably cooperated with the body of the projectile container to terminate the body of the projectile container. In at least one implementation, the method may additionally include a step of disconnecting the structural element from the body of the projectile container by moving the structural element in a first direction, and/or the step of removably securing the structural element at the body of the projectile container by (a) moving the structural element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction until the tab-accommodating notch of the structural element is substantially aligned with the locking tab of the body of the projectile container while such body of the projectile container is engaged with the camming body in the internal opening of the receiving body, and (b) hingedly rotating the at least one release cam about the hinge thereof to disengage the camming body of the at least one release cam from the surface of the body of the projectile container.
Substantially in every implementation of the method, the method may be characterized by at least one of the following features: (i) the step of removably inserting may include inserting the body of a projectile container into a hollow of the receiving body configured as a tubular element; (ii) the step of removably inserting may include inserting the body of a projectile container into the internal opening of the receiving body when the at least one release cam is oriented with the cam not protruding into the internal opening and the cam lever being substantially transverse to an outer surface of the receiving body, or the step of removably inserting may include inserting the body of a projectile container into the internal opening of the receiving body when the at least one release cam is oriented with the camming body not protruding into the internal opening and the cam level extending along the outer surface of the receiving body. In at least one specific case of the latter (when the projectile container includes a firearm magazine, and then structural element includes a baseplate of the firearm magazine), the method may further include a step of repositioning an internal element of the firearm magazine by engaging a repositioning element with the internal element through an opening in the baseplate.
The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments in conjunction with the Drawings, of which:
Generally, the sizes and relative scales of elements in the Drawings may be set to be different from actual ones to appropriately facilitate simplicity, clarity, and understanding of the Drawings. For the same reason, not all elements present in one Drawing may be necessarily shown in another.
Most generally, implementations of the idea of the invention provide a projectile container tool judiciously designed to be utilized in cooperation with a projectile container—such as a firearm magazine, for example. Such tool includes a receiving body and at least one release cam. The receiving body of the tool includes first and second wall portions opposite to one another and extending along the axis of the receiving body such as to be from one another in a plane transverse to the axis by a distance and such as to form an internal opening of the receiving body. This internal opening is specifically dimensioned to removably accommodate a body of a projectile container between the first and second wall portions. To appreciate the structure of the tool,
Implementations of the idea of the invention solve the persistent problem currently-used methodologies are facing—specifically, the problem of compromising the structural integrity and critical function of the projectile container (such as a firearm magazine) as a result of repeated removal and/or reinstallation of the structural element terminating the body of the projectile container (referred to herein as a structural termination element). Specifically, the discussed implementations substantially reduce and, in fact, substantially completely eliminate the problem of wearing out or even stripping the locking tabs of a body of a projectile container during the repeated removal and/or reinstallation of the structural element terminating the body of the magazine by ensuring that highly repeatable, consistent in value pressure is applied to the body of the projectile container each and every time the disclosed tool is employed, sufficient enough—to completely disengage the locking tab(s) of the body of the magazine from the corresponding tab-accommodating notch(es) at the terminating element prior to separation of the structural terminating element from the body of the magazine. Such meticulous operation is ensured by carrying out precisely dimensioned, repeatable and multiply reproducible elastic compression of the body of the magazine with the use of release cam(s) of an embodiments of the tool of the invention and holding the wall(s) of the body of the so-compressed magazine in their elastically-bent form at least for the time required to remove or re-install the structural terminating element. As a skilled person readily appreciates, the structural termination element may be a baseplate (shown in
To this end, as shown schematically in perspective views in
In further reference to
A given release cam 330 is preferably cooperated with an edge of a corresponding wall portion (of wall portions of the receiving body 310 that oppose one another) such as to have a hinge 410 to be received and accepted by a corresponding hinge-mounting element of the hosting wall portion and to remain freely rotatable about the axis 410A in such hinge-mounting element. The hinge mounting element can be dimensioned as a corresponding notch or groove (seen in the inner surface of the wall portion 318 of
When assembled with (for example, snapped into) the receiving body 310, a given release cam is hinged in the hinge mounting element at an edge region of a chosen wall portion (318, 322) with the cam lever 430 being outside of such wall portion. Generally, the hinge mounting element is configured such as to orient the axis 410 of rotation of the release cam 330 substantially in the plane of the corresponding hosting wall portion (318, 322). In one case, such orientation may be chosen to be substantially in the plane transverse (and, preferably, perpendicular) to the axis 312. As a skilled artisan readily appreciates, the rotation of the release cam 330 (that has been cooperated with the hosting wall portion of the body 310) about the axis 410A reversibly reorients the release cam 330 between the “engaged” position (in which the camming body 420 is within the internal opening 314 of the receiving body 310 and comes in contact with a wall of the body 210 of the projectile container 200 when such container is inserted into and accepted by the internal opening 314) and “disengaged” position (in which the camming body 420 is repositioned away from and is not present in the internal opening 314).
It is appreciated, that at least one implementation of the tool of the invention is judiciously dimensioned to ensure that the distance between the wall portions 318, 322 satisfies at least one of a running fit criterion and a sliding fit criterion for a space between the body of a projectile container and a surface of the receiving body when the body of the projectile container is inserted into the receiving body. (Such running fit and sliding fit being defined according to ANSI B4.1 standard, well recognized and used and adhered to in related art. See, for example, ANSI B4.1-1967, R1974 Standard Limits and Fits, available at cobanengineering.com/tolerances) As a skilled person will readily appreciate, several running and/or sliding fits are often used in related art, as referred to below, with the smaller RC numbers representing smaller clearances for tighter fits and the larger numbers representing larger clearances for looser fits. See also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_fit.
Examples of such fits include: a) RC1: close sliding fits, intended for the accurate location of parts which must assemble without noticeable play. b) RC2: sliding fits intended for the accurate location but with greater maximum clearance than class RC1. C) Parts made to this fit turn and move easily. This type is not designed for free run. Sliding fits in larger sizes may seize with small temperature changes due to little allowance for thermal expansion or contraction. d) RC3: precision running fits are about the closest fits that can be expected to run freely. Precision fits are intended for precision work at low speed, low bearing pressures, and light journal pressures. e) RC3 is not suitable where noticeable temperature differences occur. f) RC4: close running fits, which are mostly for running fits on accurate machinery with moderate surface speed, bearing pressures, and journal pressures where accurate location and minimum play are desired. Fits of this kind also can be described as smaller clearances with higher requirements for precision fit. g) RC5 and R6: medium running fits designed for machines running at higher running speeds, considerable bearing pressures, and heavy journal pressure. Fits of this kind also can be described with greater clearances with common requirements for fit precision. h) RC7: Free running fits intended for use where accuracy is not essential, suitable for great temperature variations. This fit is suitable to use without any special requirements for precise guiding of shafts into certain holes. i) RC8 and RC9: loose running fits intended for use where wide commercial tolerances may be required on the shaft. With these fits, the parts with great clearances with having great tolerances. Loose running fits may be exposed to effects of corrosion, contamination by dust, and thermal or mechanical deformations.
Referring again to
It is understood, therefore, that generally the projectile-container receiving body 310 of the embodiment 300 of the tool of the invention takes a form of the main chassis of the baseplate removal tool 300, which chassis is dimensioned to secure the constituent components of the baseplate removal tool. The receiving cavity of the tool 300 takes the form of an insertion opening that is configured to receive the projectile container (a firearm magazine, in one case). A release cam of the tool 300 takes the form of a compression element configured to disengage a locking tab that holes the structural terminating element 220 via structural cooperation with a tab-accommodating notch of such terminating element. In particular, the camming body 420 is configured as the cam compressive element judiciously dimensioned to exert compressive force (at the body of the projectile container) of a precise amount to reposition a locking tab of the body 310 out of the tab-accommodating notch of the terminating element to release the locking tabs from the terminating element. A hinge mounting element 630 of the embodiment 300 takes the form of a channel specifically dimensioned to receive the hinge 410 to mount the corresponding release cam to the receiving body 310. A cam lever 430 takes the form of a leveraging implement, configured as a leverage handle to the camming body 420. More specifically, the cam lever is configured to rotate the camming body about the hinge axis 410A from the disengaged position to the engaged position. Furthermore, camming lever 430 serves as a compressive retention implement to disengage the locking tab, and to allow the user to retain the engaged position of the camming body during the process of replacement/removal/re-installment of the termination element 220. Generally, the constituent components of the embodiment 300 may be made out of any suitable material such as, without limitations, a polymer composite, or plastic and/or metal such as aluminum, for example.
Referring again to the illustrations provided in
A skilled artisan having the advantage of this disclosure now readily appreciates that embodiments of the tool structured according to the idea of the current invention assures the integrity and critical function of the firearm magazine, where other tools of related art used for the same purpose do not. The discussed tool allows for consistent positive pressure that is always just enough to serve its purpose without compromising the functionality of the firearm magazine while, at the same time, creating the operational an environment where in setting the cams in place, the user can have hands free access to the task at hand of either removing or installing, the inner spring, spring plate, base plate, or any size grip extension.
For the purposes of this disclosure and the appended claims, the use of the terms “substantially”, “approximately”, “about” and similar terms in reference to a descriptor of a value, element, property or characteristic at hand is intended to emphasize that the value, element, property, or characteristic referred to, while not necessarily being exactly as stated, would nevertheless be considered, for practical purposes, as stated by a person of skill in the art. These terms, as applied to a specified characteristic or quality descriptor means “mostly”, “mainly”, “considerably”, “by and large”, “essentially”, “to great or significant extent”, “largely but not necessarily wholly the same” such as to reasonably denote language of approximation and describe the specified characteristic or descriptor so that its scope would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In one specific case, the terms “approximately”, “substantially”, and “about”, when used in reference to a numerical value, represent a range of plus or minus 20% with respect to the specified value, more preferably plus or minus 10%, even more preferably plus or minus 5%, most preferably plus or minus 2% with respect to the specified value.
The use of these terms in describing a chosen characteristic or concept neither implies nor provides any basis for indefiniteness and for adding a numerical limitation to the specified characteristic or descriptor. As understood by a skilled artisan, the practical deviation of the exact value or characteristic of such value, element, or property from that stated falls and may vary within a numerical range defined by an experimental measurement error that is typical when using a measurement method accepted in the art for such purposes. Other specific examples of the meaning of the terms “substantially”, “about”, and/or “approximately” as applied to different practical situations may have been provided elsewhere in this disclosure.
References throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “a related embodiment,” or similar language mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the referred to “embodiment” is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. It is to be understood that no portion of disclosure, taken on its own and in possible connection with a figure, is intended to provide a complete description of all features of the invention.
In addition, it is to be understood that no single drawing is intended to support a complete description of all features of the invention. In other words, a given drawing is generally descriptive of only some, and generally not all, features of the invention. A given drawing and an associated portion of the disclosure containing a description referencing such drawing do not, generally, contain all elements of a particular view or all features that can be presented is this view, for purposes of simplifying the given drawing and discussion, and to direct the discussion to particular elements that are featured in this drawing. A skilled artisan will recognize that the invention may possibly be practiced without one or more of the specific features, elements, components, structures, details, or characteristics, or with the use of other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Therefore, although a particular detail of an embodiment of the invention may not be necessarily shown in each and every drawing describing such embodiment, the presence of this detail in the drawing may be implied unless the context of the description requires otherwise. In other instances, well known structures, details, materials, or operations may be not shown in a given drawing or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment of the invention that are being discussed. Furthermore, the described single features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more further embodiments.
Disclosed aspects, or portions of these aspects, may be combined in ways not listed above. Accordingly, the invention should not be viewed as being limited to the disclosed embodiment(s).
This application claims the priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/370,613, filed on Aug. 5, 2022 and titled “Firearm Magazine Baseplate Removal Tool”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63370613 | Aug 2022 | US |
