GB2026082A - Magazine clamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A magazine clamp, which makes it possible to clamp together two or more straight or curved bar magazines e.g. for rifles, comprises clamping jaws 3 which are brought into the clamping position by the eccentric cams 15 of a pivoting lever 10, which cause the jaws 3 to move closer together for clamping actions. A spring 12 in tension tends to force the jaws 3 for quick release of the jaws. Rubber inserts 14 assist in gripping the magazines. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Magazine clamp The invention relates to a magazine clamp for the releasable connection and frictional retention of at least two bar magazines, with two clamping jaws provided on different sides of a central plane and each engaging one of the two magazines, which clamping jaws keep the magazines under spring tension.

When using lightweight machine guns in combat, such as for example automatic rifles or sub-machine guns, the supply of cartridges which can be carried along with the gun is restricted to the filling capacity of a magazine.

Normally, straight or curved bar magazines are used and the marksman carries several magazines with him. If the magazine located in the gun is empty, it is removed and a full magazine is inserted in its place. Whilst the magazine is being changed, the marksman is in effect unarmed, because his gun can only be re-used after the magazine is changed.

Therefore, when used in combat, it is attempted to keep the time for changing the magazine as short as possible. A substantial part of the total time for changing the magazine is taken up by the period used by the marksman for releasing the full magazine which he carries, from its fastening or for removing it from its carrying case. In order to reduce the time required for changing the magazine, which may be a decisive factor in survival, attempts have also been made to interconnect two or more magazines by means of an adhesive strip, with the interposition of a spacer member, in order to be able to carry more than one magazine on the gun. Changing the magazine then consists of a very rapid extraction of the empty magazine, moving the latter to the side and insertion of the full magazine. In practice, this can be carried out in seconds.However, the use of adhesive strips is an expedient which causes problems at higher ambient temperatures and likewise in the case of the possible effect of mineral oil, because in both cases the adhesive dissolves and the desired result is no longer achieved.

In order to overcome the afore-mentioned drawbacks, it is known (U.S. Patent Specification 3 623 256), to provide a magazine clamp, which is either produced from a sheet metal plate or is injection-moulded from synthetic material. In both cases, the magazine clamp comprises a central cross piece which is located in a central plane between the two magazines retained. Respectively formed at opposite ends of this cross piece is a cap, whose shape corresponds to the cross section of a magazine. The base of the magazine held by the magazine clamp is located in this cap.

A clamping jaw is respectively provided for each magazine, at a distance from this cap, respectively on one side of the cross piece, which clamping jaw is constructed in the form of a leaf spring fixed at one side, namely formed at the end od the cross piece. This leaf spring bears against the side of the magazine and pushes the magazine against the cross piece by the opposite side. The magazines are held in the clamp so that one magazine can be inserted in an upwards direction into the gun and at the same time the other magazine is arranged with the magazine lips on the underside. Opposed regions of the magazines, remote from the magazine lips, are located side-by-side and are surrounded and retained by the clamp.In order to change the magazine, the region of the two magazines surrounded by the clamp is grasped, the magazine is extracted from the gun, then rotated through 180 about an axis parallel to the axis of the gun and the other magazine, whose magazine lips are now on the top, is inserted in the gun. However, with this known arrangement, the insertion of the magazine in the magazine clamp is made difficult, because the elastically yieldable clamping jaws must exert a relatively high pressing force, which has to be overcome by the user. Therefore, this pressing force must be relatively high, because it alone is intended to retain the full magazine located in the reserve position. In this case, this solely frictional mounting must suffice to retain the relatively heavy full magazine reliably, even in the case of vibrations caused by firing.If the clamping force of the clamping jaws is any less, then the magazine may fall out. Therefore, this clamping force must be relatively high owing to the weight of the ammunition in the magazine and must be overcome manually when inserting the magazine in the clamp.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve a magazine clamp of this type so that on the one hand it keeps at least two magazines reliably in their desired position relative to each other and on the other hand, it allows easy removal and insertion of the magazines in the magazine clamp. Also, the magazine clamp is intended to be constructed so that it makes it possible for more than two magazines to be clamped together.

In a magazine clamp of the afore-mentioned type, this object is fulfilled according tD the invention due to the fact that the clamping jaws are able to move relative to each other and can be brought into their clamping or released position due to the fact that they can be brought into a position clamping the inserted magazines by a manually operated quick-action clamping member and that the clamping force is produced by the quickaction clamping member with mechanical transmission.

The magazine clamp according to the invention fulfils the object of the invention and obviates all the afore-described problems. It thus retains even relatively heavy magazines very reliably side-by-side, because a high clamping force can be achieved by the quickaction clamping member with its mechanical transmission. Nevertheless, the removal and insertion of magazines in the magazine clamp is possible without applying any appreciable force, because the clamping jaws are able to move towards each other and in the released position can be separated sufficiently in order to be able to insert a magazine easily. Thus, the magazines may be straight or curved and the magazine lips may be located side-by-side or on opposite sides. Furthermore, by using several clamps, more than two magazines can be clamped together.In addition, it is an advantage that the magazine clamp according to the invention has a very simple construction and can therefore be manufactured economically. Moreover, on the basis of its simple construction, it is extraordinarily reliable and foolproof as regards its handling.

The clamping jaws may be constructed in various ways. For example, it would be possible to construct the clamping jaws as rigid plates, which are provided with a friction layer in the form of a resilient rubber coating and which when pressed together retain the magazines therebetween. This would have the advantage on the one hand that the user is free to choose whether the magazines retained are clamped parallel to each other or at an angle with respect to each other. However, on the other hand, the time taken for clamping the magazines would be increased, because they are only fixed in their position after clamping.

Therefore, in preferred embodiments of the invention, the cross sectional shape of the clamping jaws is that of two U's located sideby-side, between which the quick-action clamping member is located. Each of the U's, whose inside width is adapted to the dimensions of the magazine, surrounds one of the two magazines to be interconnected. The cross bars of the U of one clamping jaw are thus preferably located in the same plane and the two adjacant sides of both U's of a clamping jaw are interconnected by a cross piece. Thus, one clamping jaw has an approximately meandering cross section, however, the width of the cross piece generally being substantially less than the width of the cross bar.The sides of the U engage the magazines and substantially determine the relative position of the magazines relative to each other, the cross piece between the two U's producing the spacing of the magazines from each other.

Various connections of the two clamping jaws can be chosen. For example, the two clamping jaws may be interconnected by tension members in the form of chains or the like. However, this very loose connection of the two clamping jaws (provided that the magazines are not inserted and the clamping jaws are not pressed together) could prove troublesome in use, namely when inserting the magazines. Therefore, in preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one rod is pushed loosely through recesses in the cross pieces and is prevented from falling out. Due to this, the clamping jaws are able to move in the longitudinal direction of the rod, but are otherwise virtually fixed in their position, if, as is preferably provided, the rod does not have a round cross section and in particular has a flat rectangular cross section.At least one compression spring is also provided for the purpose of further fixing, which spring keeps the two clamping jaws in their open position, when the quick-action clamping member is released and which is preferably constructed as a helical compression spring surrounding the rod. Thus, the inside cross section of the helical compression spring is adapted to the cross section of the rod.

The quick-action clamping member may have various constructions. For example, the rod may be provided with a transverse bore, in which an undetachably connected pin can be inserted in the clamping position. However, this would result in somewhat awkward handling and in preferred embodiments of the invention, it is therefore provided that the quick-action clamping member engages one end of the rod and is constructed as an eccentric lever pivoted to the end of the rod.

A very rapid release and clamping action can be achieved by pivoting the eccentric lever and it is possible to achieve a relatively high clamping force without effort. In addition, apart from the clamping effect, it is simultaneously possible to achieve fixing in the final clamped position, if a corresponding eccentric construction is chosen.

The spatial geometry of the arrangement of the eccentric lever may be varied in many ways. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, in the open position of the clamping jaws, the eccentric lever is approximately at right-angles to the clamping jaws or to the cross bars of the U's and it can be pivoted from this position in two directions each by approximately 90 into an over dead-centre position, in which it assumes the clamping position. The over dead-centre position simultaneously provides reliable fixing of the eccentric lever in the clamping position.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the pivot axis of the ecentric lever is arranged at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the clamping jaw U-shaped profile and parallel to the cross bars of the U's. This choice of the position of the eccentric lever pivot axis has the advantage that the eccentric lever is set back in the clamping position between the two U's of one clamping jaw and therefore does not cause any disturbance. Then, the length of the eccentric lever is chosen so that it projects somewhat beyond the end of the clamping jaw, in order that it can be grasped for releasing the clamping action. As a further improvement, the eccentric lever is provided at its end with an actuating knob, which in the clamped position, as a single part of the lever, projects somewhat beyond the contour of the magazine clamp.This has the advantage that the magazine clamp not only obtains an attractive appearance, but also the marksman is prevented from being caught on projecting parts of the magazine clamp.

The clamping jaws preferably consist of metal or a rigid synthetic material. In order to achieve reliable clamping both of straight bar magazines as well as curved bar magazines, without modifying the apparatus and in order to be able to provide better compensation for smaller tolerances, according to preferred embodiments of the invention, the clamping jaws are provided in the region of their open profiled ends with a resilient rubber insert, which is preferably inserted in recesses and/ or applied by vulcanisation. Moreover, these inserts have the advantage that they form frictional fixing and that smaller manufacturing tolerances both of the magazines as well as of the magazine clamps do not have a disadvantageous effect on the operation.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the two clamping jaws of a magazine clamp are identical. This has advantages as regards manufacturing techniques and as regards stock keeping.

The length of the clamping jaws may generally be selected as desired, with the prerequisite that the clamping both of straight as well as of curved bar magazines is not impaired by the latter. However, the profile length of the clamping jaws is preferably less than approximately half the length of the shortest type of magazine used. This has the advantage that several magazines can be interconnected by magazine clamps according to the invention, in that two magazine clamps engaging side-by-side are provided on each magazine with the exception of the two outermost magazines.

Further details and features of the present invention are given in the following description of one embodiment illustrated in the drawings. In a simplified diagrammatic illustration, the latter show: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a magazine clamp according to the invention in the released position, without magazines, on line I-I of figure 2, Figure 2 is a section on line Il-Il of figure 1 with bar magazines inserted in the magazine clamp being shown in dot-dash line, Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section through a magazine according to figures 1 and 2, in the clamped position, with clamped bar magazines and Figure 4 is a perspective view of three bar magazines, which are interconnected by two magazine clamps, this view being on a smaller scale relative to the illustrations of figures 1 to 3.

A magazine clamp 1 for bar magazines 2 illustrated in the drawing comprises two clamping jaws 3 respectively of identical construction. The clamping jaws 3 are in the form of a shaped section. Their cross section consists of two U's 4, whose two cross bars 5 are located in the same plane. Adjacent sides of the two U's 4 are interconnected by a cross piece 6 parallel to the two cross bars 5. In its central region, the cross piece 6 is provided with a recess, through which a rod 7 is inserted, which has a flat rectangular cross section. The rod 7 is provided at both ends with a transverse bore, one of the two transverse bores being arranged parallel to the length of the clamping jaw 3 and the other transverse bore being arranged at right-angles to the sides of the U.A spiral pin 8 is inserted in the first transverse bore, whereas a journal pin 9 is inserted in the latter bore, which pin forms a bearing for an eccentric lever 1 0. At its free end, the eccentric lever 10 comprises a symmetrical actuating knob 11 projecting on both sides beyond the sectional plane II. In the released position of the magazine clamp 1, as shown in figures 1 and 2, the two clamping jaws 3 are held in their end positions by a helical compression spring 1 2 with a flat rectangular inside cross section, one of the two clamping jaws 3 bearing against the spiral pin 8 and the other of the two clamping jaws 3 bearing against a surface 1 3 at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the eccentric lever 10 and parallel to the axis of the journal pin 9.The helical compression spring 1 2 surrounds the rod 7 and bears with pretension against facing surfaces of the two cross pieces 6 of the two clamping jaws 3.

Resilient rubber inserts 14 are attached to the cross bars 5 at the outer ends of the two clamping jaws 3, which inserts are inserted or attached or preferably applied by vulcanisation.

Adjoining the contact surface 1 3 of the eccentric lever 10 on both sides is an eccentric surface 15, whose apex, i.e. its greatest distance from the sectional plane II, is located between the plane of the cross piece 6 and the plane parallel the:et , in which tbe axis of the journal pin 9 is located Therefore, if the eccentric lever 10 is swung through approximately 90 into the position illustrated in figure 3, then it is located in a stable over dead-centre position, from which it can be swung back by the application of a corresponding force to the actuating knob 11.In the over dead-centre position of the eccentric lever 10, the two clamping jaws 3 have been moved towards each other, thus compressing the helical compression spring 12, the resilient rubber inserts 1 4 being pressed against the corresponding adjoining surfaces of the bar magazine 2, with deformation. As shown in figure 3, it is also quite easy to clamp curved bar magazines, because the height of the inserts 14 is available for the height of the curve along the magazine clamp 1.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the embodiment illustrated, but that variations of the latter are possible without diverging from the scope of the invention. In particular, certain of the features of the invention can be used individually or in combination. For example, it will be understood that the outer sides of the U of the clamping jaw 3 may be substantially shorter than illustrated in figure 2, because in fact it is sufficient if the magazine bearing on the cross bar is engaged laterally by a short section of the side. It is thus possible to achieve a saving in weight. Then, the clamping jaws 3 may not have the cross section of two U's interconnected by a cross piece 6, but of two L's interconnected by a cross piece 6, at whose free ends, a short bevel is provided in place of the respective side of the U.

In the case of a single row and thus narrow magazines, the width of the cross bar 5 is reduced accordingly.

Finally, it will also be understood that the two clamping jaws can be interconnected in a manner other than described and illustrated, without diverging from the scope of the invention as set out in Claim 1. For example, the two clamping jaws may be interconnected at one end in the form of a hinge, in which case the hinge may comprise one or two pivot points, which are arranged approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the magazine or to the longitudinal direction of the profile of the clamping jaws. Opposed ends of the two clamping jaws are then provided with the quick-action clamping member, for example a rod pivoted to one clamping jaw with a head provided at its free end, the rod engaging in a groove cut in a lug formed on the other clamping jaw, which lug extends approximately parallel to the cross bar of the U.

The head which has an enlarged cross section relative to the rod, bears against the lug, in which case this head bears against the lug for example by means of a surface in the form of a spherical segment and the lug is provided with a corresponding recess, in order to achieve engagement.

Claims (14)

1. Magazine clamp for the detachable connection and frictional retention of at least two bar magazines, with two clamping jaws provided on opposite sides of a central plane and engaging two magazines, which clamping jaws retain the magazines under spring tension, wherein the clamping jaws can be moved relative to each other and can thus be brought into their clamped or released position due to the fact that they can be brought into a position clamping the inserted magazines by a manually operated quick-action clamping member and the clamping force is produced by the quick-action clamping member with mechanical transmission.

2. Magazine clamp according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the clamping jaws is that of two U's or L's located side-by-side, between which the quick-action clamping member is located.

3. Magazine clamp according to claim 2, wherein the cross bars of the U's or sides of the L's of one clamping jaw are located in the same plane and adjacent sides of the two U's of L's are interconnected by a cross piece.

4. Magazine clamp according to claim 3, wherein the two clamping jaws are interconnected so that they are able to move in the region of the cross pieces.

5. Magazine clamp according to claim 4, wherein at least one rod is inserted loosely through recesses in the cross pieces and is prevented from falling out.

6. Magazine clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one compression spring is provided, which retains the two clamping jaws in their open position when the quick-action clamping member is released and which is preferably constructed as a helical compression spring surrounding the rod.

7. Magazine clamp according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the quick-action clamping member engages one end of the rod and is constructed as an eccentric lever pivoted at the end of the rod.

8. Magazine clamp according to claim 7, wherein in the open position of the clamping jaws, the eccentric lever is approximately at right-angles to the clamping jaws or to the cross bars of the U's and it can be pivoted out of this position in two directions each through approximately 90 into an over dead-centre position, in which the clamping jaws assume their clamping position.

9. Magazine clamp according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the pivot axis of the eccentric lever is arranged at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped profile of the clamping jaws and parallel to the cross bars of the U's.

1 0. Magazine clamp according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the eccentric lever is provided at its free end with an actuating knob, which in the clamped position projects as a single part of the lever somewhat beyond the contour of the magazine clamp.

11. Magazine clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the region of their profiled ends, the clamping jaws are provided with a resilient rubber insert, which is preferably inserted in recesses and/or ap plied by vulcanisation.

1 2. Magazine clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein its two clamping jaws have an identical construction.

13. Magazine clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the profile length of the clamping jaws is less than approximately half the length of the shortest type of magazine to be clamped.

14. Magazine clamp, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.