GB2137321A - Ambidextrous cartridge magazine retaining catch for self loading firearms - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-loading firearm having manually releasable means for holding a box magazine in a well in the firearm frame which is operable by either hand on either side of the firearm. The releasable means comprises an aperture (T1) in the front wall of the magazine which is engaged by the nose (VV1) of a catch (VV) pivotable in a slot in the wall of the well from a central position in which the catch nose engages the aperture (T1) to either of two extreme positions in which the nose is withdrawn from the aperture, pivoting of the catch being effected from either side by means of a double plunger (UU). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ambidextrous cartridge magazine retaining catch for self loading fire arms This invention relates to self loading fire arms in which a box magazine is employed, and more particularly to such fire arms having means for holding the magazine in a positive position to allow cartridges in the magazineto be correctlyfed from the magazinetothe pistol barrel breech chamber,andfor manually releasing the said magazine from its position in the fire arm frame.

The usual practice in self loading pistolsisforthem to employ a catch which is forced by spring pressure to intrude into a passage or well enclosed bythe pistol gripframe,thereby holding the cartridge magazine in a positive position, to allowthe breech blockslideto removeacartridgefromthe magazine lips on the return ofthe slide after recoil.

One known form of magazine retaining catch used in self loading pistols operates transversely in the frame, being depressed in one direction to release the magazinefrom the frame well.Anothertype of magazine catch is placed atthe rear ofthe grip frame base, and is moved by the free hand ofthe user to release the magazine.

The disadvantage of the transverse single direction catch is that it is not convenient for use with either hand.

The disadvantage of a catch engaging with the base ofthe magazine and mounted on the grip base, is that the catch cannot be operated bythefiring hand.

Greater convenience would be provided by a magazine retaining and release catch that could be ambidextrously operated, whether the pistol be held in the right or left hand.

It is an object ofthe invention, therefore, to provide for self loading pistols and other fire arms, a magazine retaining and release catch mounted in a convenient position for operation from either side ofthe pistol or otherfire arm, either bythefiring hand or by the free hand.

Itis another object ofthe invention to simplifythe manipulations involved in disassembling and assembling a self loading pistol or fire arm.

It is another object ofthe invention to provide for self loading pistols or otherfire arms a cartridge magazine retaining and release catch which can be disassembled and assembled in said pistol or other fire arm without the use of specific tools.

It is a further object to provide a magazine catch for a self loading pistol or fire arm that is of simple construction and cheap to manufacture.

According to the invention, therefore, a self loading fire arm comprises manually releasable means for holding a box magazine within an enclosed well in the frame ofthe fire arm in a position to allow cartridges to be sequentially fed from the magazine into the barrel breech chamber ofthe fire arm, said means comprising an aperture in the front wall of the magazine, a catch, pivotally movable against a spring loading within a slot-shaped opening in the wall of said well adjacent the front wall of the magazine, from a central position in which the catch engages in said aperture to hold the magazine in the well, to either of two extreme positions in which the catch is withdrawn from said aperture, thereby freeing said magazine, and means manuallyoperablefrom eithersideofthefirearmto move said catch against said spring loading from the central position to a respective one of said extreme positions.

An embodimentoftheinvention is shown in the drawings and will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

Figure 1 ofthe accompanying drawings represents, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, a self loading semi automatic pistol provided with means constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention forthe retention of the cartridge magazine and means to permit removal of same magazine, showing the pistol with a partially loaded magazine inserted in the grip frame, held in position bythe magazine catch; Figure 2 is a transverse horizontal section along the line 1 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section along the line 1 offigure 1, with the magazine catch plunger depressed from the right side ofthe pistol; Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal section along the line 1 of figure 1 with the magazine catch plunger depressed from the left side of the pistol;; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the magazine catch recess, viewed from the front of the pistol, with the trigger guard removed, and magazine removed; Figure 6 is a perspective view ofthe magazine catch recess, viewed from above, slightly to the rear, with trigger guard removed, and magazine removed; Figure 7 is a perspective view ofthe magazine catch plunger; Figure 8 is a perspectiveviewofthetriggerguard; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the magazine catch; Figure 10 is another perspective view of the magazine catch; Figure llisafrontviewofthe magazine; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the magazine followerviewedfromthefront; Figure 13is a perspective view ofthe magazine catch spring; and Figure 14 is a longitudinal transverse section view along line 1 with magazine follower on same plane as magazine catch.

In the self loading pistol represented in Figure 1 the magazine T is accommodated in magazine well A1 in the grip section of the frame A and is held securely in position,from which the uppermostcartridge XX can be accuratelyfed by the Slide B into the chamber of the Barrel C, by the magazine catch nose Wl,which is forced by the magazine catch spring WW acting upon the magazine catch bridge VV2, to entertheaperture T1 which is cut out of the front centre of the magazine body, as shown in Figure 11.

Upon the insertion of the magazine into the grip well the magazine nose T2 will bear againstthe angled surface of the magazine catch nose and cam the magazine catch VVforwards. The magazine catch tail is free to move in a longitudinal manner in the Tslot UU1 of the magazine catch plunger. The magazine catch nose is prevented from moving upwards bythe frame pin A2 which is fitted transversely in the frame as shown in the drawings. The magazine base plate V will seat againstthefootA3 oftheframe grip and the magazine will be in the proper position for the magazine catch nose to enter the magazine aperture.

The magazine is removed by applying equal pressure on either end ofthe magazine catch plunger UU, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. It will be seen in 4that when the magazine catch bridge pivots on either extremity the magazine catch nose will be withdrawn fromthemagazinewell.Figure2showsthe magazine with cartridges, held in the magazine well bythe magazine catch protruding into the magazineaper- ture.Themagazine spring tails WW1 and WW2 force the magazine catch bridge againstframe pin A2 and thereby holdsthe magazine catch tail VV3 in a central position in the magazine catch recess.ltwill be seen in Figure 3 and Figure 4thatwhen lateral pressure is exerted on the magazine catch plunger, the magazine catch tail which is retained in the magazine catch plungerT slot is forced to the left or right, relative to the direction oftraverse ofthe magazine catch plunger.The magazine catch will pivot on either extremity of the magazine catch bridge bearing against frame pin A2 depending on which direction the magazine catch tail is moved. The magazine catch spring tails are free to move independently and will accommodate any directional movement of the magazine catch bridge and will force the bridge to return flush with the frame pin A2. The magazine catch bridge cannot move in a lateral direction due to the confines ofthe magazine catch well sides. The magazine catch spring is retained on the frame pin A4 which is transversely fixed in the frame as shown in thedrawings,theframe pin A4 having astudAA5 which prevents the magazine catch spring from rotating when forward pressure is exerted in either or both magazine catch spring tails.

In the pistol shown the trigger guard D is a separate unitthe recesses D1 and D2 as shown in Figure 8 seating on frame pin A4.

To removethewhole magazine catch unitthe magazine catch is moved until the nose is forward of theframe pin A2 and the catch nose isthen lifted upwards, the magazine catch tail being in the Tslot of the magazine catch plunger will rotatethe plunger and when the catch nose is clear offrame pin A2 the catch can be withdrawn rearwards into the magazinewell, between frame pin A2 and pin A4.The magazine catch plungerwill then be free to be removed transversely from either side of the pistol.

While the invention has been particularly described with reference to a pistol, it is applicable to all other types of repeating fire arms, such as rifles and machineguns.Theapplication ofthe invention to otherfire arms differs in no essential respect from its application to the pistol hereinbefore described.

The terms "horizontal" and "vertical" as used herein refertothe pistol orotherfire arm when held in the normal firing position.

Claims (7)

1. A self loading fire arm comprising manually releasablemeansforholding a boxmagazinewithin an enclosed well in the frame ofthe fire arm in a position to allow cartridges to be sequentially fed from the magazine into the barrel breech chamber ofthe fire arm, said means comprising an aperture in the frontwall of the magazine, a catch, pivotally movable against a spring loading within a slot-shaped opening in the wall ofsaidwell adjacentthefrontwall ofthe magazine, from a central position in which the catch engagesinsaidapertureto holdthemagazineinthe well, to either of two extreme positions in which the catch is withdrawn from said aperture, thereby freeing said magazine, and means manuallyoperablefrom either side of the fire arm to move said catch against said spring loadingfrom the central position to a respective one of said extreme positions.

2. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 1,wherein said manually operable means comprises a double-ended plunger mounted transverselyfor axial movement in the fire arm frame.

3. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said catch comprises a nose portion adapted to engage in said aperture, a tail portion adapted to engage in an aperture in said plunger andto be movable therewith, and a transverse bridge portion on the side of which remotefrom the well separately movable spring elements urge said nose portion towards said aper ture,wherebymovementofsaid plungerto either extreme position causes pivotal movement of said catch to free said nose portion from said slot-shaped opening againstthe pressure exerted by a respective one of said spring elements.

4. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said spring elements are formed by respective tails of a spring passing round a pin transversely mounted in said frame and prevented from rotation when press ure is exerted on eithertailthereofintheforward direction ofthefire arm by a stud on said pin.

5. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said catch, when in said central position, is retractable against said spring loading by pressure on the underside of said nose portion, whereby a magazine can be loaded into said well with the catch in said central position.

6. Afire arm as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the upper side of said slot-shaped opening isformedbya further pin transversely mounted in said frame in an opening in the wall of said wel 1, said catch being further retractable against said spring loading so that the nose portion clears said further pin, when the catch can be withdrawn rearwardlythroughthe opening in the wall ofthewell above said further pin intothewell and said plunger can bewithdrawn from either side of the frame.

7. A self loading fire arm substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the drawings.