US20180142976A1

US20180142976A1 - Compact Firearm Device

Info

Publication number: US20180142976A1
Application number: US15/817,286
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Full
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Full Conceal Inc
Priority date: 2016-11-22
Filing date: 2017-11-20
Publication date: 2018-05-24

Abstract

A pistol has a frame with a tubular upper grip portion that defines a magazine well having a. lower first aperture. The upper grip portion defines a forward facing second aperture, and the second aperture is adapted to receive an end portion of a magazine stowed in a horizontal position

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional of and claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/425,075 filed Nov. 22, 2016, entitled “Firearm Device,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Compact handguns assist users in the conceal carry of their handguns. However, a problem exists that as you increase the handgun's magazine capacity, the longer the magazine will be and therefore when concealing creates a larger “L-Shaped” that makes it easier to identify that the concealed item is a handgun. The present invention addresses this problem so that a larger capacity magazine can be more easily concealed and not easily identified as a handgun when concealed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention is a firearm (i.e. a pistol) where there the trigger can be folded away so that the magazine (which contains the ammunition for the firearm) can be stored underneath the pistol horizontally (so that the long length of the magazine is horizontal and parallel to the barrel/slide). There is a port or cut-out in the front of the grip that allows part of the magazine being stored to protrude into the grip. Therefore, it would be possible to store a longer magazine that has a similar length of the pistol slide, and it would create an imprint of a rectangle or square (verse an L-Shape). Without the port or cut-out in the front of the grip, a magazine that has the length of a slide would end up sticking out the front of pistol and would no longer keep a rectangle/square imprint.
Another version of this invention is where there is a shortened pistol grip or no pistol grip and relies on the ‘stored’ magazine to be removed and inserted and locked into ‘ready to fire’ position and becomes the pistol grip. By having a shortened or no pistol grip, a longer magazine can be stored while preserving the imprint of a rectangle or square (which is important to keep it conceal and unrecognizable as a pistol). At the same time, the largest length magazine can be carried while keeping this imprint.
The magazine that is stored is attached and removed using a mechanism that secures onto the front rail of the pistol. The mechanisms are similar to how handgun front rail flashlights are mounted on a pistol.
There is also an automatic assemble version where a spring or tension band is used to snap the ‘stored’ magazine into the magazine well.
This invention addresses, inter alia these issues:

- 1. Changes the imprint of traditional concealed carry pistols from the traditional ‘L-Shape’ to a rectangle. So when you conceal it under clothes, it has the imprint of a cell phone.
- 2. Increase the methods a person can practically conceal or carry a firearm. For example, this makes it practical to conceal, carry, or store the pistol inside your pants pocket. Even with a long magazine because it is no longer an ‘L-Shape’.
- 3. Increases the methods a person can practically conceal or carry a magazine with larger ammunition capacity, while reducing the imprint that discloses to the average individual that someone is carrying a pistol. For the same imprint of a square or rectangle that a comparable traditional pistol with a high capacity magazine of 16+ rounds would be a bigger imprint of the invention with the same amount of ammunition and would not fit in typical pant pockets.
- 4. Increases the comfort of carrying or concealing the pistol (in its ‘stored’ form) as the center of gravity is more equal (as a rectangle or square) compared to a typical ‘L-Shaped’ pistol.
- 5. Increase storage options due to maximizing the space for storage (a rectangle or square).
- 6. Provides a quick method to go from ‘stored’ to ‘ready to fire’ pistol as the ‘stored’ magazine is connected to the pistol already.

In various embodiments, the present invention is a novel improvement over currently known foldable firearms, at least:

- 1. Providing a pistol configuration that can be stored, with or without a loaded magazine, under the upper slide that will give the gun the imprint of a rectangle or square. The overall footprint when concealed (for example under clothing) will be smaller than a pistol with the same slide length and magazine length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. A is a side view of the first invention, which is a firearm (2) and its magazine (5), which contains the ammunition, is stored under the firearm, where the trigger is folded (11) and part of the magazine is inserted into the grip (3) of the firearm. The magazine attachment (4) holds the magazine (5) and slides onto the front rails of the firearm (rails are not shown, but most pistol have a rail to attach a flashlight or laser). The protrusion (13) keeps the magazine from sliding back out.

Fig. B is a side view of the first invention showing the magazine being removed from the firearm. It is removed by pressing down on a lever (1) to retract the protrusion (2) that allows the magazine to be slide off the front of the pistol's rails (arrow shows direction).

Fig. C is a side view of the first invention showing the magazine being inserted into the firearm so that it is ready for firing (in either semi-automatic or full automatic).

Fig. D is a side view of the first invention, but a different variation that what is in Fig. A through Fig. C.

Fig. E is a side view of the variation with the magazine holder with the magazine removed from storage and put into ‘ready to fire’ position within the pistol grip.

Fig. F is the back part of the magazine holder where it latches onto the back part of the pistol grip.

Fig. G shows the magazine block (1) with a place to insert the original magazine base plate (2).

The base of the block (1) allows the one way screws to screw into after the new base plate wings (4 and 5) are inserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. A, which shows the pistol in its ‘concealment’ configuration. For orientation purposes, the barrel (1) is shown to where the bullets will exit from when a bullet is fired.
The magazine (5) of the firearms is attached to a magazine attachment which consists of magazine holder (4), a lever (12), and a protrusion (13). The protrusion (13) is retracted into the magazine holder (4) when the lever is pressed down. The magazine holder has grooves that slides onto the front rail of the pistol (the rail is not shown), and the protrusion (13) will keep the magazine holder in place. The magazine (5) slides into the front of the grip and part of it can be inside the grip when in the ‘concealment’ configuration (allowing longer and higher capacity magazines).
The magazine release unit consists of the magazine release rod holder (6), which holds the magazine release rod (7) and allows the rod to move down into the magazine holder (4). The rod (7) is pushed down into magazine holder (4) when inserted in the ‘concealment’ configuration because it hits the folded trigger. When the magazine holder is taken out of ‘concealment’ configuration (as we will see in Fig B), the spring (8) will push the rod up. At the end of the rod (7), there are two metal flaps (9 & 10) which is spring tensioned to move outward like an umbrella. The metal flap (9) will be used as the magazine release, while the metal flap (10) will be used as a ‘trigger guard’, giving the shooter a physical feel to where the middle finger should go when holding the pistol in the ‘ready-to-fire’ configuration (Fig. C).
The magazine release rod holder (6) may be integrated or part of the magazine housing (4).
Additional design is having a simple hinge on the pistol grip or firearm frame where the magazine will rotate from the ‘concealment’ configuration to the ‘ready to fire’ configuration. In that case the metal flap (10) will be modified to either catch the pistol grip (3) or a locking mechanism will be built into the hinge.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. B, shows the magazine holder unit (which is attached to the magazine) being removed from the ‘concealment’ configuration and transitioning to the ‘ready-to-fire’ configuration. The user depresses the lever (1) which retracts the protrusion (2) in order slide the unit out of the firearm rails (see arrow for direction).
As the magazine holder slides out, the rod (3) is no longer being restricted by the trigger and therefore can move forward due to the spring tension (4).
Additional designs are instead of sliding off and on the firearm rail, it is replaced with a clip where the magazine unit can be removed from the firearm straight down.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. C, shows the magazine inserted into the firearms to complete the ‘ready to fire’ configuration. The metal flaps (2 & 3) have a spring so they want to come out like an umbrella.
The metal flap (2) folds out (from the spring tension) to its maximum and becomes the bottom of the trigger guard to where the shooters middle finger should reside below. The metal flap (3) is the magazine release that catches the bottom lip of the grip (from the front opening of the grip) and holds the magazine in place while shooting. The spring (4) keeps the rod (to which the metal flaps are attached) in the up most position.
The trigger (1) is folded down either manually, or automatically with a spring (that gives tension to always being folded down in the ready to fire position). The trigger can also be folded down by a small metal rod running to the back of the magazine well, where when the magazine is inserted into the magazine well.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. D is a different variation that what was described in Fig. A through Fig. C. In this version, there is no spring or metal flaps that becomes the trigger guard. Instead, the trigger guard (1) is part of the lower pistol frame. When the magazine (2) is stored (horizontal to the barrel) and inside the pistol's grip, the trigger guard are on its sides. The magazine holder (3) is attached to the magazine (2) and slides on the pistol's rail when storing the magazine.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. E is a side view of the variation with the magazine holder with the magazine (1) removed from storage and put into ‘ready to fire’ position within the pistol grip. The trigger (2) is folded in storage, but when the magazine is inserted can automatically drop to be ready to use. The magazine release (3) has a hook that locks onto the back part of the pistol grip (4).
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in Fig. F is the back part of the magazine holder (1) where it latches onto the back part of the pistol grip (2). It is a spring loaded lever that keeps the hook in place. When the user depresses the lever, the user can remove the magazine form the pistol grip.

Claims

We claim:

1. A pistol comprising:

A frame having a tubular upper grip portion;

the upper grip portion defining a magazine well;

the magazine well having a lower first aperture;

the upper grip portion defining a forward facing second aperture; and

the second aperture adapted to receive an end portion of a magazine stowed in a horizontal position.