This disclosure relates to an article of manufacture, and method using that article of manufacture, to load cartridges, i.e., ammunition, into a firearm magazine.
Conventional loading of detachable firearm magazines generally requires finger strength, dexterity, or both. It can be difficult to load more than a few magazines at a time by hand.
It is often a time consuming and tiring event to line up and then force the cartridges into the magazine. Such impediments discourage people who lack sufficient strength and/or dexterity from enjoying the sport of shooting. Further even able-bodied people may avoid this recreational activity due to the time and hassle that is required to load enough detachable magazines to make the experience worthwhile.
A method to load cartridges into a firearm magazine is disclosed. The method provides an article of manufacture comprising a hopper comprising at least one rotatable hopper plate, a hopper slide, a funnel, and a slide funnel. The method further includes selecting a firearm, selecting a caliber of ammunition compatible with the firearm, selecting a cartridge magazine compatible with the selected firearm and caliber, mounting the selected cassette onto the article of manufacture, releasably attaching the selected cartridge magazine to the mounted cassette, disposing (N) cartridges comprising the selected caliber into the hopper, agitating the hopper plate to place an (i)th cartridge into a desired orientation while in the hopper, wherein the (i)th cartridge is one of the (N) cartridges, moving the (i)th cartridge from the hopper and into the hopper slide, wherein the (i)th cartridge maintains the desired orientation when being moved from the hopper into the hopper slide, moving the (i)th cartridge from the hopper slide and into the funnel, wherein the (i)th cartridge maintains the desired orientation when being moved from the hopper slide into the funnel, moving the (i)th cartridge from the funnel and into the slide funnel, wherein the (i)th cartridge maintains the desired orientation when being moved from the funnel and into the slide funnel, moving the (i)th cartridge from the slide funnel and into the mounted cassette, wherein the (i)th cartridge maintains the desired orientation when being moved from the slide funnel slide and into the cassette, and moving the (i)th cartridge from the mounted cassette and into the releasably attached firearm magazine.
Applicant's article of manufacture and method using same are described in preferred embodiments in the following description with reference to the Figures, in which like numbers represent the same or similar elements. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the 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.
The described features, structures, or characteristics of Applicant's disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are recited to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of Applicant's invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that Applicant's disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth.
In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of Applicant's disclosure, and it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of Applicant's disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents as supported by the following disclosure and drawings.
Schematic flow charts
Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method.
Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown.
Referring now to
In certain embodiments, the detachable firearm magazine is configured to hold about six rounds. In yet other embodiments, the detachable firearm magazine is configured to hold at least ten rounds. In still other embodiments, the detachable firearm magazine is configured to hold thirty rounds.
Further, in certain embodiments, Applicant's magazine loading device 100 comprises a funnel 120 and a hopper slide 130, said hopper slide having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the funnel 120, and wherein the second end is attached to funnel slide 135, which sets atop and is attached to cassette 140.
In certain embodiments one or more internal surface(s) of funnel 120 and/or an hopper slide 130, is formed to include a plurality of flutes. Cartridges moving through these structures travel between two flutes. This being the case, the flutes keep rounds passing therethrough in the desired orientation, i.e. where the tapered-bullet end leads the flat-bottomed cartridge housing.
Referring to
Referring to
Cassette 140 is configured to releasably fixture a firearm magazine 47 (
In certain embodiments, cassette 140 (
In certain embodiments, the apparatus 100 can utilize cartridge calibers from .380 auto to 308. In certain embodiments, apparatus 100 can load smaller caliber cartridges into a magazine, such as the 22 Long Rifle and other small rounds. In certain embodiments, apparatus 100 is configured to utilize larger caliber cartridges, such as shot gun cartridges and 50 caliber cartridges. In certain embodiments, cassette 140 is configured to releasably attach different types of pistol and rifle magazines. In all instances, the cassette 140 and the magazine 47 (
Rotation of hopper bucket 8 (
Only cartridges that have been placed in a correct orientation by the hopper rotation are able to pass out of the hopper and into the hopper slide, still having the correct orientation. By “correct orientation,” Applicant means that the rounds passing through the funnel 120, and through the hopper slide 130, and through the slide funnel 135, and through the cassette 140, are inserted into an attached magazine in an orientation ready to be subsequently moved from the magazine and into a firing chamber of a weapon bearing said magazine.
Referring to
Referring to
In certain embodiments, motor 170 (
In certain embodiments, the ECM 2400 allows for various inputs and outputs to display a number of cartridges the user wishes to load into a magazine and a number of cartridges that have already been loaded. In certain embodiments, the ECM 2400 enables counting and stores data that it processes. Further, in certain embodiments, the ECM 2400 is compatible with wireless technology, such as the use of WIFI and Bluetooth, to allow the user to employ another electronic device to interface with the machine.
Sensor 1100 (
Referring again to
Referring to
A slot 11 (
In certain embodiments, a nub 12 (
When cartridge 700 is moved from funnel 120 into hopper slide 130, cartridge 700 maintains while moving the “proper orientation” with the tapered-bullet end leading. When cartridge 700 is moved from hopper slide 130 into slide funnel 135, cartridge 700 maintains while moving the “proper orientation” with the tapered-bullet end leading. When cartridge 700 is moved from the slide funnel 135 into cassette 140, cartridge 700 maintains the “proper orientation” with the tapered-bullet end leading.
In certain embodiments, nub 12 is formed to include member 17 extending upwardly from the disk, wherein member 17 is shaped as a rectangle with one flat side in line with the back of the slot or as a triangle shape with one of the flat sides in line with the back of the slot.
In certain embodiments, on an aspect of the nub 12 that faces into the slot, an outside corner, i.e., the corner that faces the slot and is closest to the inside wall of the bucket, is formed at a diagonal with no cut at the bottom of the nub 12 and the deepest part of the cut at the top of the nub 12. Further, the cut can be anywhere in between about 10 degrees off the Z/X plane to about 80 degrees off the Z/X plane. In the X/Y plane, the cut can also be angled anywhere in between about 10 to about 80 degrees off the plane.
In addition, in certain embodiments, the face that is created by said cut can be flat. In certain embodiments, the face can have a concaved, convex, or a combination thereof to manipulate the cartridges that are not aligned correctly to pass by nub 12 and out of the slot either in configuration 10 or configuration 16.
In certain embodiments, cartridges include a bullet portion that is formed to include a tapering “tip” to facilitate travel of the bullet through the barrel of a gun, and to achieve favorable flight dynamics. Nub 12 lets each bullet tip pass by.
As a general matter, a cartridge is formed to include a large round flat back. In certain embodiments, the above rotatable disks 50 and 55 are configured to dispose nub 12 to create a space between the nub 12 and the bucket, wherein the space is small enough to prevent an entire cartridge, which is aligned correctly with its primer positioned against nub 12, to move through. Then, the cartridge is carried inside the plate slot either in configuration 10 or 16 up to slot 5 in the bucket. Subsequently, the cartridge falls out of hopper 110 and into hopper slide 130 by gravity.
Referring again to
In certain embodiments, a rectangular member 13 extends upwardly from the disk, and agitates the cartridges to ensure all cartridges can be aligned properly to fall into the slots in configuration 10 and to be caught by nub 12. In certain embodiments, two members 13 are sufficient. In certain embodiments, more or fewer members 13 are utilized.
In certain embodiments, an aperture 15 is formed on the top of the disk to permit a shaft of a motor 160 (
In certain embodiments, each of two apertures 14 includes a bump-up and a grommet, wherein the two apertures 14 are symmetrically placed on each side of aperture 15. A shaft of a motor connects to cover plate 9 through the bump-ups and grommets. In certain embodiments, aperture 14 can have a different configuration due to a slip-on and lock in place connector being incorporated onto the back of plate 9.
Referring to
In certain embodiments, a number of slots 23 is greater than 4, and is limited by a length of the cartridges to be loaded into the hopper 110. Further, the number of slots is further limited by the size of the hopper, and the room required for ramp 24 to manipulate the cartridges to fall back to the bottom of hopper 110. In certain embodiments, the one-piece disk can be constructed for nearly any caliber of ammunition from 22 Long Rifle or smaller up to 50 Cal or bigger without any restrictions.
Referring to
In certain embodiments, on the back of the bucket inline with and directly behind the slot 5 at the top of the hopper 110, an L-shaped pipe/tube with a side facing the slot 5 cut open connects to the slot, through which the aligned cartridges fall into. Further, due to the combination of gravity and momentum, the aligned cartridge are directed via the L-shape down the back of hopper 110 through a tube or open faced slide that curves under hopper 110 and connects onto the back of hopper slide 130. In certain embodiments, many other ways of connecting and locking these said parts into place can be employed. Funnel slide 130 incorporates a bump-out part on the face that the cartridges impact once they have come to the end of the said slide, wherein this bump-out part limits cartridges from flipping up and becoming jammed in the cassette 140 by becoming misaligned.
Referring to
Referring now to
Further, in certain embodiments interface part 28 is formed to include an indented and keyed socket, which can utilize hand crank 104 (
Spring-loaded finger actuated clip 29 (
Referring again to
Referring again to
Referring again to
Referring again to
As a general matter; the gears are configured in a 1:1 gear ratio. In certain embodiments, other gear ratios are utilized in other cassette configurations. Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment of
In certain embodiments, with rifle magazines, cartridges are aligned directly above the magazine and are pushed directly down until the cartridges are disposed within the magazine. With pistol magazines, the cartridges are placed to be loaded half way forward toward the front of the magazine and then the back end of the cartridge are pushed down toward the back of the magazine until the said cartridges are seated.
Referring to
In certain embodiments, micro-switches are installed in cassette 140 to detect the insertion of a magazine into the magazine well, and to detect the insertion of a cartridge into the magazine.
In step 2520, the method selects a firearm and a caliber of cartridges to load. In step 2530 and based upon the selection of caliber, the method selects a firearm magazine 47 (
In step 2540 and based upon the selected firearm, caliber and magazine, the method selects a cassette to accept the selected magazine. In step 2550, the method mounts the selected cassette to Applicant's article of manufacture. Further in step 2550, the method sets cartridge length adjustment 2810 (
For example and referring now to
Referring now to
Referring once again to
Alternatively, if the method elects to utilize a pair of adjustable rotatable disks, then the method transitions from step 2560 to step 2570 wherein the method provides a pair of adjustable rotatable disks. The method transitions from step 2570 to step 2610 (
Referring now to
In step 2630, the method rotates the hopper disk to place an (i)th cartridge, where that (i)th cartridge is one of the plurality of cartridges of step 2610, into a correct orientation, wherein (i) is initially set to 1.
In step 2640, the method moves the (i)th cartridge from the hopper into the hopper slide, wherein that (i)th cartridge maintains the correct orientation in the funnel. In step 2650, the method moves the (i)th cartridge from the hopper slide and into the funnel, wherein that (i)th cartridge maintains the correct orientation in the funnel.
In step 2655, the method moves the (i)th cartridge from the funnel and into the slide funnel, wherein that (i)th cartridge maintains the correct orientation in the slide funnel
In step 2660, the method moves the (i)th cartridge from the slide funnel and into the cassette, wherein that (i)th cartridge maintains the correct orientation in the cassette. In step 2670, the method moves the (i)th cartridge from the cassette and into the attached magazine, wherein that (i)th cartridge maintains the correct orientation in the magazine. The method transitions from step 2670 to step 2710 (
Referring now to
If the method determines in step 2710 that the (i)th cartridge was received by the attached magazine in the correct orientation, then the method transitions from step 2710 to step 2750 wherein the method determines if (i) equals (N), i.e. if the attached magazine is full.
If the method determines in step 2750 that (i) does not equal (N), then the method transitions to step 2760 wherein the method sets (i) equal to (i+1). The method transitions from step 2760 to step 2630 and continues as described herein.
Alternatively, if the method determines in step 2750 that (N) does equal (i), i.e. the attached magazine is full, then the method transitions from step 2750 to step 2770 wherein the method determines whether to load another magazine with a different caliber of cartridges. If the method determines that another magazine configured for a different caliber is selected, then the method transitions from step 2770 to step 2550 and continues as described herein. Alternatively, if the method determines that another magazine configured for a different caliber is not selected, then the method transitions from step 2770 to step 2780 wherein the method determines whether to load another magazine configured for the same caliber.
If the method elects to load another magazine of the same caliber, then the method transitions from step 2780 to step 2550 and continues as describer herein. Alternatively, if the method elects not to load another magazine of the same caliber, then the method transitions from step 2780 to step 2740 and ends.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of Applicant's disclosure.
The application is A Continuation-In-Part of a U.S. Non-Provisional Application filed on Jan. 13, 2017, having Ser. No. 15/405,582, which is a Continuation of a U.S. Non-Provisional application filed on Nov. 5, 2015, having a Ser. No. 14/933,835, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,612,070, which is a Continuation-In-Part of a U.S. Non-Provisional application filed on Nov. 22, 2013, and having a Ser. No. 14/088,117, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,182,185, which claims priority to a US Provisional application filed on Nov. 22, 2012, having a Ser. No. 61/729,407. Each and every of these cited applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61729407 | Nov 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14933835 | Nov 2015 | US |
Child | 15405582 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15405582 | Jan 2017 | US |
Child | 16592508 | US | |
Parent | 14088117 | Nov 2013 | US |
Child | 14933835 | US |