The field of the invention is speed loaders for firearms.
Competitive shooting has made it desirable to load and reload firearms rapidly. Most speed loaders today are made of bulky, expensive materials and comprise of several complex components. These speed loaders often require modifications to fit different types of firearms, cartridges and chamber sizes. In addition, many existing speed loaders are designed to fill all chambers simultaneously, requiring the user to line up each cartridge held in the speed loader with a corresponding chamber of the revolver, exactly, in order to transfer the cartridges. Loading the cartridges simultaneously creates the complicated problem of having to choreograph as many as six chambers and cartridges at once. There is a need for a simplified speed loader made of a more affordable material that also offers higher performance.
A single elongated cylindrical body that can be made of material, such as plastic, that is light weight and inexpensive. An end or top of the cylindrical body may be left open, making it possible to insert more cartridges quickly. In the alternative, an end or top may be closed with various closure devices to secure the cartridges in the cylindrical body as the speed loader is moved around. The speed loader may be carried in various ways making it convenient for the user. For example, it may be hung around the neck or attached to or enclosed in an article of clothing.
A closure device located at an opposite end or bottom of the body is opened to allow the cartridges to transfer or move into the chamber of the firearm. The invention is designed to transfer one cartridge at a time; therefore, it does not require the precise alignment of multiple cartridges with corresponding chambers. The speed loader may be used with several different types of firearms and varying sizes of chambers and cartridges without modifications. In addition, the transfer of a single cartridge only requires the user to line up the elongated cylindrical body with a single chamber of the firearm, easing the process of transferring the cartridge to the chamber.
The closure device 104 may be made of plastic or some other suitable material that can be secured firmly in the end of the elongated body 101, such as a snap connection, a threaded closure, or some other means of sealing the end of the elongated body 101 so that the cartridges 102 do no slide out of the elongated body 101. Another, similar or identical closure device may be placed at an opposite end of the elongated body to seal cartridges 102 in the elongated body when the speed loader is not in use or is being transported.
The elongated cylindrical body 101 is made of plastic or some other light weight material, which may be flexible or more rigid, as desired. The light weight material makes it possible for the user to carry the speed loader 100 in several ways and allows the speed loader 100 to be attached to clothing without being distracting or burdensome to a user. Another advantage of the speed loader 100 is that it can be worn around the neck and used from that position. If worn around the neck, there is no risk of damage to the speed loader 100 by dropping it to the ground, a common problem with other speed loaders.
In use, the closure device 104 is inserted and/or secured in the end of the elongated body 101. The firearm cartridges 102, which have a forward or bullet nose end 102′, are placed into the elongated body 101, bullet nose 102′ first. The first cartridge 102 slides down the elongated body 101 until it rests against the closure device 104. As shown in
In order to load the cartridges 102 into the firearm cylinder 103, the elongated cylindrical body 101 is held over one of the chambers 105 in the firearm cylinder 103. The closure device 104 is then opened or removed from the elongated body 101, and the cartridge 102 slides out of the elongated body 101 and into the chamber 105 of the firearm cylinder 103. The elongated body 101 is then moved in the exemplary clockwise direction shown by the arrow A in
After use, the elongated body 101 may again be filled with more cartridges 102 and the closure device 104 installed in each end of the elongated body 101 for transport or storage.
The application claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/765,967, filed Feb. 18, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61765967 | Feb 2013 | US |