IL100446A

IL100446A - Pistol with indicator for the loading state of the magazine

Info

Publication number: IL100446A
Application number: IL10044691A
Authority: IL
Inventors: Yehuda Meller
Original assignee: Israel Military Ind
Priority date: 1991-12-20
Filing date: 1991-12-20
Publication date: 1996-01-31
Also published as: EP0549288A2; IL100446A0

Description

Pistol with indicator for the loading state of the magazine ISRAEL MILITARY INDUSTRUES LTD* n")Q *KI»>¾ i josn wynri The Inventor: Yehuda MELLER C. 84810 84810 .D FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a pistol provided with indicator means designed to show in the course of operation the extent to which the gun magazine is still loaded.

In protracted pistol-firing incidents combatants may find themselves in need of replacing an empty magazine. In the tenseness of ongoing shooting an empty magazine situation may, and often does, come unexpectedly and puts a combatant at a tactical disadvantage. While this problem is well known, no solution has yet been found and it is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a magazine with visual indicator means adapted to show the user the extent to which the magazine is still loaded. It is a further object of the invention to provide a pistol suitable for operation with such a magazine.

- - SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pistol characterized in that: (i) it is adapted for operation with a magazine having side walls with upper lips, a follower and spring means biasing the follower towards said upper lips, characterized by a retractable finger projecting laterally from said follower and a longitudinal slot in one of said side walls which faces said retractable finger so located that said finger may project therethrough; and (ii) it has a grip accommodating a magazine chamber and fitted with side walls, one of said side walls has a groove extending downward from an upper edge thereof and accommodating a downward biased indicator slide fitted with means for engagement by said retractable finger of the magazine when it projects through said slot, whereby the indicator slide is pushed upward as the finger moves up.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the magazine is rectangular prismatic and said retractable finger is springily biased into the emerging position and has a slanted lower side serving as gliding surface.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the magazine has an upper, trapezoidally profiled portion having at least one slanting lateral wall portion which includes said longitudinal slot, and said finger is integral with said follower and is so dimensioned that it stops short from emerging through the slot near the lower end thereof.

By another aspect the invention provides a side wall for a pistol magazine chamber, characterized by having a groove extending downward from an upper edge thereof and accommodating a downward biased indicator slide fitted with means for engagement by said retractable finger of the magazine when it projects through said slot.

Still further, the invention provides a kit comprising a pistol, a magazine and a magazine chamber side wall, all as specified.

When the magazine according to the invention is empty, the finger of the magazine projects through the slot in the magazine wall. When an empty magazine is withdrawn the indicator slide moves automatically down due to its downward bias. When a withdrawn empty magazine is loaded and the follower is depressed, the finger is guided into the retracted position. In the course of shooting, as the follower gradually rises, the finger at some stage emerges through the slot in the side wall of the magazine and engages the indicator slide located in the magazine chamber side wall. As the shooting progresses and the magazine is gradually emptied, the finger continues to push the indicator slide upward against the downward bias thereof whereby the indicator slide emerges beyond the upper edge of the magazine side wall, showing the operator that his magazine is about to be emptied.

If desired, the indicator slide may be calibrated so as to indicate to the user the number of rounds of ammunition left in the magazine.

With a pistol according to the invention, the user is in a position to assess his situation before the magazine is totally emptied and to replace it timely.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For better understanding, the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a pistol and magazine according to the invention with the magazine partly broken open; Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the magazine and associated magazine chamber side wall portion in a pistol according to Fig. 1 along line II-II of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the pistol of Fig. 1 showing the indicator slide at its uppermost position; Fig. 4 is an axonometric illustration of another embodiment of a magazine according to the invention; and Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section of the magazine and associated magazine chamber side wall portion in a pistol according to Fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT The pis.tol according to the invention here shown comprises a frame 1 with grip 2 accommodating a magazine chamber 3 and having a removable side wall 4 fitted on its inner side with a longitudinal groove 5 opening into the upper edge 6 of the side wall.

Groove 5 accommodates an indicator slide 7 fitted at its lower end portion with a bracket 8 engaged from above by arm 9 of a helical spring 10 whereby slide 7 is biased downward.

Magazine 12 is rectangular prismatic with essentially the same rectangular cross-section along essentially its entire height. The magazine has a follower 13 slidable within it, the follower being fitted with a retractable spring-loaded finger 17 having a lower, gliding surface 18 and being mounted within a socket 19. The follower 13 rests on a magazine spring 20 which is compressed as the magazine is loaded and which in the compressed state biases the' follower upwards.

The magazine side wall 21 which is on the side of the retractable finger 17, comprises a longitudinal slot 22 and in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in which the retractable finger 17 is located opposite slot 22, the finger emerges across the slot. - 5 - 100446/J Groove 5 extends down to a level slightly above the lower edge of slot 22 such that when finger 17 emerges near the lower edge of the slot, the emerging portion is located underneath bracket 8 of indicator slide 7. Consequently, the upward urge of compression spring 20, which expands as the magazine is gradually emptied, elevates the follower 13 with finger 17, which in turn push the indicator slide 7 up so as to emerge eventually beyond the upper edge 6 of side wall 4 as shown in Fig 3.

When magazine 12 is withdrawn from chamber 3, spring 10 through its arm 9, pushes the indicator slide down, thereby readying it for a new operational cycle with a fresh, fully loaded magazine.

When an empty magazine 12 is loaded, finger 17 is gradually depressed and when the lower gliding surface 18 thereof reaches the lower edge of slot 22 the finger is guided into the fully extracted position and the follower 13 can be further depressed until the magazine is fully loaded.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 4 and 5 which show another embodiment of a magazine according to the invention. In this embodiment magazine 25 has an upper trapezoidal section 26 and likewise the follower 27 has an upper trapezoidally shaped section 28. The upper trapezoidal section 28 of follower 27 has an integral finger 29 which when located in the region of the upper, trapezoidal section 26 of magazine 25 emerges through a slot 30 in the latter .

The design of the magazine chamber is the same as in the embodiment of Figs . 1 to 3 and the various components are designated by the same numerals. The bracket 8' in the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5 is slightly longer than bracket 8 in Figs. 1 to 3, to make allowance for the fact that in accordance with Figs. 4 and 5 finger 29 is shorter and does not penetrate into groove 5.

Similar as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 , as the magazine is emptied and the follower rises, finger 29 gradually emerges through slot 30 engaging bracket 8' from below and thereby pushing up the indicator slide 7. This position is shown in Fig. 5 where the indicator slide 7 is shown in the emerging position which corresponds to a raised position of the follower in which the trapezoidal portion 28 of the follower 27 is located in the trapezoidal section 26 of magazine 25. As shown, in that position finger 29 emerges through slot 30.

When the emptied magazine is withdrawn, indicator slide automatically returns to its lowermost position. By loading the withdrawn magazine the follower is depressed and due to the geometry of the magazine finger 29 is gradually withdrawn into the interior and is completely retracted when it reaches the lower edge of slot 30.

Claims

100446/5 - 7 - CLAIMS :

1. A pistol characterized in that: (i) it is adapted for operation with a magazine having side walls with upper lips, a follower and' spring means biasing the follower towards said upper lips, characterized by a finger projecting lalerally from said follower and a longitudinal slot in one of said side magazine walls which faces said finger so located that said finger may project therethrough; and (ii) it has a grip accommodating a magazine chamber and fitted with side walls, one of said grip: side walls has a groove extending downward from an upper edge thereof and accommodating a downward biased indicator slide fitted with means for engagement by said finger of ' the magazine when it projects through said slot, whereby the indicator slide is pushed upward as the finger moves up.

2. A pistol according to claim 1, wherein said finger is retractable .

3. - A pistol magazine according to Claim 2> being of rectangular prismatic shape, wherein said retractable finger is springily biased into the emerging position and has a slanted lower side serving as gliding surface.

4. A pistol magazine according to Qaim l having an upper, trapezoidally profiled portion having one or more slanting lateral wall portions, characterized in that one of said one or more slanting lateral wall portions 0 100446/5 - 8 - includes said longitudinal slot, and said finger is integral with^said follower and is so dimensioned that it stops short from emerging through the slot near the lower end thereof . 5 A removable side wall for said magazine chamber of a pistol according to Claim 1, characterized by having the groove extending downward from an upper edge thereof and accommodating a downward biased indicator slide f tted with · means for engagement by said finger of the magazine when it projects through said slot . 6, A kit comprising a pistol according to Claim 1, a magazine according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, and a side wall for a magazine chamber according to Claim

5. For the Applicants, DR. REINHOLD COHN AND PARTNERS