The present invention relates to magazine carriers, in general and, in particular, to magazine carriers for firearms, such as M-16 rifles, submachine guns, handguns, and the like.
It is often desired to carry one or two spare ammunition magazines for a firearm. In order to carry the magazine outside of the rifle, it must be carried on the person, as in a belt or other holder. When it is time to replace the magazine, the old magazine must be removed and a new magazine retrieved from its storage location, generally on an ammunition belt, before it can be inserted in place.
There are known multi-magazine holders, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,442, and devices for coupling two magazines to one another to enable a soldier to carry more ammunition in a readily available location on the firearm when a single magazine is not sufficient. These devices do not solve the problem of traveling with a magazine in a secure but available position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,465 describes a protective carrier for holding a loaded spare magazine in a position of readiness for immediate insertion into operative engagement with a firearm. A latch mechanism in the carrier simultaneously releases the spent magazine, permitting an empty magazine and a loaded spare magazine to be released together. This carrier does not solve the problem of traveling with a magazine in a secure but available position. In addition, the location of the protective carrier makes it difficult to reach various parts of the rifle on which it is mounted.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a carrier for a spare magazine which is flexible for mounting on a belt or pocket, and it would be very desirable to have such a magazine carrier which can be coupled to another similar carrier.
There is provided according to the present invention a magazine carrier for a firearm, the magazine carrier including a frame having walls for receiving and releasably holding an ammunition magazine, the frame defining an external track element for releasably engaging a complementary engagement element.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the magazine carrier further includes a clip member, the clip member having a complementary engagement element for engagement by the track element on the frame, so as to mount the magazine carrier on a belt, a pouch or in a pocket.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the magazine carrier further includes a second frame having walls for receiving and releasably holding an ammunition magazine, the second frame having a complementary engagement element, preferably a complementary track element, for engagement by the track element on the first frame, permitting carrying of two magazines together.
According to a preferred embodiment, the magazine carrier frame further defines a releasable locking element for releasably engaging a magazine.
There is also provided a method for forming a magazine carrier for a firearm, the method including forming a frame having walls for releasably holding an ammunition magazine, and forming an external track element on the frame for releasably engaging a complementary engagement element on a clip member, an adapter, or to another similar carrier.
The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
a is a sectional view of the magazine carrier of
b is a detail view of the encircled portion of the magazine carrier of
The present invention relates to a magazine carrier which is adapted for mounting on a belt, pouch, vest, and so on, and is designed to hold one or two magazines. This is accomplished, according to the present invention, by providing a carrier for the magazine of a firearm including a frame having walls for releasably holding an ammunition magazine, and an external track element formed on the frame for releasably engaging a complementary engagement element. The complementary engagement element can be any element permitting releasable coupling to the track element on the holder, for example, a complementary track, loops, one or more catches or hooks, etc. The engagement element can be of the same length as the track element or a different length.
Referring now to
It is a particular feature of the invention that magazine carrier 10 further includes a pair of track elements 20, 22 on one external side face of the frame 12. Track elements 20, 22 are designed to releasably engage one or more complementary engagement elements on another object, such as a clip member, an adapter, a second complementary magazine carrier, etc. As can best be seen in
Preferably, stop members, here shown as raised ribs 26, 27, are provided on frame 12 for engaging complementary stop elements on the other object.
Referring now to
Magazine carrier 30 includes a substantially hollow frame 32 formed of walls defining an internal recess 34 shaped to hold the lower end of an ammunition magazine. Magazine carrier 30 is shaped to hold a conventional removable magazine and has a releasable locking mechanism 36 for locking the magazine in place. Magazine carrier 30 further includes a pair of track elements 37, 38 on one external side face of the frame 32. Track elements 37, 38 are designed to releasably engage one or more complementary engagement elements on another object, such as a clip member, an adapter, a second complementary magazine carrier, etc. As can best be seen in
Preferably, stop elements, here shown as grooves 33, 35, are provided on frame 32 for engaging complementary stop members on the other object. It will be appreciated that, in the illustrated embodiment, two sets of stop elements are provided to permit releasable locking in either of two different locations.
A side view illustration of the magazine carrier 10 of
According to a preferred embodiment, the track elements are symmetrical longitudinally, so that they can be engaged in either direction (from either end of the element). For example, it can be seen that the clip member in
It will further be appreciated that a clip member 50 can also be mounted on magazine carrier 30 of
As in the case of
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the magazine carrier further includes a second frame having walls for receiving and releasably holding an ammunition magazine, the second frame having a complementary track for engagement by the track on the first frame, permitting carrying of two magazines together.
By way of example,
The magazine carrier of the present invention may be formed of plastic, metal, or any other suitable material.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. It will further be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what has been described hereinabove merely by way of example. Rather, the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1756677 | Cook | Apr 1930 | A |
3066791 | Bivens | Dec 1962 | A |
4447976 | Cooper | May 1984 | A |
4467947 | Minneman | Aug 1984 | A |
4484403 | Schwaller | Nov 1984 | A |
5152442 | Gallagher | Oct 1992 | A |
6698129 | Hanks | Mar 2004 | B1 |
20070278269 | Rogers et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110107645 A1 | May 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61260042 | Nov 2009 | US |