EP4196737B1 - Lock for charger - Google Patents

Description

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for locking and releasing a magazine of a firearm, preferably of the pistol type. The document US 4,326,353 A describes such a locking device.

State of the art

Magazine-fed automatic and semi-automatic firearms include means for locking the magazine when the weapon is in use. In the case of a carbine or assault rifle, the magazine is generally placed in a magazine well placed in front of the trigger guard in the case of conventional FN FNC or AK47 type rifles or behind in the case of a type weapon bullpup. In this case, the magazine lock control is generally located in the receiver and requires moving the hands to change the magazine.

In the case of semi-automatic pistol-type handguns, the magazine is generally placed in the handle itself and it is locked by means of a push button which can be moved in translation perpendicular to the handle and to the handle. barrel pin to unlock the magazine. This magazine lock is placed close to the normal position of the thumb when firing, so as to allow easy ejection of the empty magazine at the end of the firing sequence, and reloading without changing the firing position of the hand in grip. the handle.

The speed of changing the magazine is further improved by the presence on the magazine board of a protuberance activating a breech (or slide) retainer holding the slide and/or the breech rearward after the last cartridge has been fired. Stopping the breech backwards has the effect of indicating to the shooter that he no longer has a cartridge, and simplifies reloading, the breech being in position to reload a new cartridge from a new magazine.

However, this type of magazine lock has at least two disadvantages. On the one hand, the position and type of movement by simple pressure of the thumb can induce an untimely release of the magazine due to a false movement of the shooter, and on the other hand, the position of the thumb must be adapted to the right or left-handed grip of the shooter.

One of the objectives of the present invention is therefore to provide a magazine lock reducing the probability of unwanted release of the magazine. According to preferred modes of the invention, the magazine lock mechanism must allow ambidextrous use of the weapon concerned.

Ideally, ambidextrous devices should allow release from one side, without inducing movement on the other side. Indeed, the activation button may be located under the palm or under the index finger of the opposite side, which could induce friction preventing easy release of the lock.

Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to a gun according to claim 1.

• le mécanisme comprend deux boutons de commande disposés à droite et à gauche de la poignée, chaque bouton de commande étant fixé à une extrémité d'un levier de commande commandant la translation de la came de verrouillage, permettant de déverrouiller le chargeur en actionnant le bouton de commande de droite ou de gauche;
• chaque levier de commande comprend un ergot de levier de commande prenant appui sur un ergot de came de verrou correspondant de la came de verrou, la came de verrou étant entrainée en translation lorsque l'un des boutons de commande est actionné;
• le mécanisme comprend un ressort de retour de came de verrou maintenant la came de verrou en position verrouillée et deux ressorts de leviers de commande maintenant les leviers de commande en position verrouillée, de façon à rendre le mouvement des boutons de commande gauche et droit indépendants l'un de l'autre
• la came de verrou est disposée à l'arrière de la poignée.

According to preferred modes of the invention, the pistol magazine unlocking mechanism of the invention comprises at least one, or an appropriate combination of the following characteristics:

• the mechanism comprises two control buttons arranged to the right and left of the handle, each control button being fixed to one end of a control lever controlling the translation of the locking cam, making it possible to unlock the charger by actuating the button right or left control;
• each control lever comprises a control lever pin bearing on a corresponding lock cam pin of the lock cam, the lock cam being driven in translation when one of the control buttons is actuated;
• the mechanism includes a latch cam return spring holding the latch cam in the locked position and two operating lever springs holding the operating levers in the locked position, so as to make the movement of the left and right control buttons independent of each other
• the lock cam is arranged on the back of the handle.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a pistol comprising a magazine unlocking mechanism according to the invention.

Preferably, the gun of the invention comprises a frame guiding a slide and a carcass covering said frame, the bolt cam axis being fixed on the frame.

Advantageously, the chassis is metallic while the carcass is polymeric.

Brief description of the figures

• There figure 1 represents an example of a pistol grip comprising according to the invention.
• There figure 2 represents the pistol grip of the figure 1 in the unlocked position.
• There Figure 3 represents a perspective view of an example of a magazine lock, alternative to the invention.
• There Figure 4 shows another perspective view of the example magazine latch of the Figure 3 .
• There figure 5 shows a sectional view of a magazine handle including a magazine latch outside the invention.
• There Figure 6 represents an enlarged view of zone 14 of the figure 5 , charger locked.
• There figure 7 represents an enlarged view of zone 14 of the figure 5 , charger unlocked.
• There figure 8 represents an example of a magazine lock mechanism according to the invention.
• There Figure 9 represents a section of the device of the invention.

Numerical references of the figures

• 1. Handle
• 2. Right control button
• 3. Charger
• 4. Right control lever
• 5. Left control lever
• 6. Latch cam return spring
• 7. Lock cam lug
• 8. Lock cam
• 9. Left control button
• 10.18. Right control lever pin
• 11. Lock cam pin
• 12. Right control lever return spring
• 13. Latch cam lock
• 14. Detail shown in figures 6 and 7
• 15. Magazine stopping surface
• 17. Travel magazine lock
• 19. Magazine lock pin (in translation)
• 20. Left control lever return spring
• 21. Right control lever return spring
• 22. Traveling magazine latch return spring
• 23. Chassis

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to a magazine release mechanism, in particular a magazine release mechanism integrated into a semi-automatic pistol. This invention represents an alternative to the lock described in the application PCT/EP2020/054624 from the same applicant. This request concerns the forms of realization of the figures 3 to 7 .

As shown in figures 1 and 2 , the magazine lock control 2 is arranged on the side of the handle 1. As shown in these figures, the unlocking control is obtained by moving this control 2 from top to bottom, and not by lateral pressure on a button pusher. This prevents poorly controlled pressure from the thumb from unlocking the magazine 3, despite a position of the control 2 in a position normally occupied by the shooter's thumb when using the weapon.

As shown in figures 3 and 4 , the control buttons 2.9 are arranged at the ends of two levers 4.5. These levers not only make it possible to position the control buttons 2.9 in the location allowing the best ergonomics (distance between the back of the handle and the last phalanx of the thumb), but also to increase the travel necessary to unlock the charger. A longer stroke reduces the likelihood of unwanted unlocking, while a longer stroke short improves ease of use. Equivalent levers 4.5 are also present in the device of the invention represented in figures 8 And 9 .

Of course, a single control lever and button could be sufficient to unlock the loader and would alone have the advantage of up and down movement, and determination of adequate control travel. However, in this case, the weapon could not be easily adapted to all shooters and specific devices would be required for "right-handed" and "left-handed" people. Also, advantageously, the lock according to the invention comprises a control button on each side of the handle.

As we see in figures 6 and 7 , in the demand alternative PCT/EP2020/054624 , the actual unlocking is obtained by the rotation of a cam 8 rotating around an axis 11. This cam 8 comprises a stopping surface 13 cooperating with a corresponding stopping surface 15 on the rear face of the charger 3.

According to the invention, the rotating cam 8 has been replaced by a translation cam 17, moving in a movement represented by a double arrow on the Figure 9 (the hidden parts of the lock cam 17 have been shown in dotted lines)

In the case of a rotating and non-ambidextrous mechanism, comprising a single control button 2.9 and a single lever 4.5, the rotation of the lock cam 8 can be simply obtained by making the lever 4.5 integral of said lock cam 8. In this case, a single spring 6.12 acting either on cam 8 or under lever 4.5 is sufficient to return the lock to the locked position after loading.

In the case of an ambidextrous mechanism, if the two levers 4.5 are secured to the cam 8, the two control buttons 2.9 will move together. This united movement can pose reliability problems in the case where the button on the palm side of the shooter's hand is at the base of the index finger, or under a part of the palm exerting strong pressure on the corresponding button. Indeed, in this case, the pressure of the palm or the base of the index finger could prevent the unlocking movement, or, worse, the return of the lock to the locking position. In this case, it could be complicated to replace a new charger reliably. Also, advantageously the two control levers 4.5 actuate the lock cam by simply pressing a control lever pin 10 on a corresponding lock cam pin 7 on the lock cam 8.

In the case of the lock 17 moving in translation, a surface 18 secured to each control lever 4.5 activates the lock 17 by taking support on a lug 19 located on said lock 17. In the absence of pressure on the control levers 16, the lock 17 is held in position by a spring 22, and each control lever is held independently of each other by springs 20,21.

Those skilled in the art will easily understand that if ideal ergonomics is obtained by placing the lock cam 17 at the rear of the handle 1 (length of the levers substantially equal to the length of a thumb), this device could be transposed symmetrically to the front of the handle.

In many recent semi-automatic pistols, the function of guiding the moving parts in general, and of the slide in particular, is decoupled from the gripping function of the weapon by the use of a metal frame comprising rails on which slides the slide when cycling the weapon. A frame including the handle supports this chassis. This grip includes a magazine well into which the magazine is inserted. Advantageously, the lock cam 17 is guided by a housing provided in a part 23 of the chassis and not in the carcass, so as to improve the positioning of the magazine head (and therefore, the positioning of the cartridge to be loaded) relative to the slide to avoid reloading problems when cycling the weapon.

Claims (4)

1. Pistol comprising an unlocking mechanism for a pistol magazine, comprising at least two control buttons (2) arranged to the right and left of a handle (1) into which a magazine (3) can be inserted, each control button (2, 9) being fastened to one end of a control lever (4, 5) controlling the translation of a lock cam (17) arranged at the front or the back of the handle (1), said lock cam (17) comprising a lock, cooperating in use with a stop surface arranged on the front or back surface of the magazine (3) so as to lock or unlock said magazine (3), at least one spring (22) holding the lock cam (17) in the magazine lock position in the absence of pressure applied on the control button (2, 9), and each control lever (4, 5) comprising a control lever lug (18) bearing on a corresponding lock cam lug (19) of the lock cam (17), the lock cam (17) being configured to be translated when one of the control buttons (2, 9) is actuated and the unlocking device comprising two control lever springs (20, 21) holding the control levers (4, 5) in locked position, so as to make the movement of the left and right control buttons (2, 9) independent of one another.
2. Pistol according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock cam (17) is arranged at the back of the handle (1).
3. Pistol according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a frame guiding the slide and a shell covering said frame, the lock cam (17) being guided in a housing provided in a part of the frame (23).
4. Pistol according to claim 3, wherein the frame is metallic while the shell is polymeric.

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