US2321720A - Magazine for firearms - Google Patents

Description

June 15, 19 43.. J. WHITTAKER 2,321,720

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed May 13, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Joy/v E WAUTTA/(E/Q June 15, 1943 J wHlTTAKER 2,321,720

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed May 15, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 3

AL, Jomv E.VV///7(5Q BY 1 wea A fra /V5 K5 June 15, 1943. J. R. WHITTAKER 2,321,720

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed May 13, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Joy/v E. WH/ 7'74 5e 4 7' TOR/VEKS Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Application May 13, 1941, Serial No. 393,166

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a firearm magazine and refers more particularly to a cartridge-containing magazine which is adapted to be attached to a firearm and which supplies cartridges automatically one after the other to the firing chamber of the firearm.

A magazine of this type is particularly adapted ior use in connection with pistols and rifles of the autoloading type. A conversion mechanism is used to change at will the usual intermittent shooting, in the course of which the trigger must be pulled and released once for each shot, into a continuous shooting in the course of which the bullets are discharged automatically one after' the other while the shooter holds the trigger in a depressed position.

The small supply of cartridges usually availahile for semiautomatic intermittently shooting firearms is insuificient if the firearm is to operate as a machine gun in the continuous firing position of the conversion mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magazine containing a large number of cartridges, say, twenty-five, thirty or forty cartridges, which may be convenientlyattached to an autoloading firearm and which will automatically supply the cartridges one after the other to the chamber of this firearm.

Another object is the provision of a magazine for cartridges having simple, sturdy and reliable means providing an automatic supply of cartridges from the magazine into the firing chamber of a firearm.

A further object is to provide a magazine for cartridges which contains a single spring and magazine having a casing containing means carrying a large number of cartridges and supplying these cartridges one after the other into a cartridge clip oi the usual type which is. Dermanently attached to the casing and which may be conveniently inserted into the handle of a pistol, or attached to an underlying surface of a rifle.

the cartridge clip.

The cartridge-containing and supplying means of the magazine include a spring-actuated drum having projections enclosing circumferentially disposed pockets for cartridges, and a cage-like frame structure rotatable along with the drum and constituting a support for another circumferential arrangement of cartridges concentrically disposed in relation to said pockets.

Immovable guiding means situated close to the drum and the frame structure are used to shift the cartridges from the pockets of the drum to the frame structure and thence into the car tridge clip. v

A number of bodies which are similar to cartridges in form and which may consist of car tridge blanks or dummies, participate in the movements of the cartridges within the magazine and are used to push the last cartridges contained in the magazine up to the cartridge-withdrawing opening of the cartridge clip.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in. connection with accompanying drawings showing, byway of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings: 7

Figure l is a side View of a pistol with the magazine attached thereto.

Figure 2 shows the magazine in side elevation with a part of the cover removed.

Figure 3 is a section along the lines 3-3 of Figure 4 with a part of the magazine and car tr'idge clipcasing removed. 7

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Fig ure 3.

' Figure 5' is a detailed sectional View similar to Figure 3 and showing the magazine in a position in which only one cartridge is situated within Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the spring-adjusting means.

Figure '7 is a detail side View illustrating means for actuating the cartridge receiving means.

Figure 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Figur '7.

Figure 9 is a detail view showing means for stopping the movement of the cartridge supplying means.

The magazine shown in the drawings includes a substantially cylindrical casing 15 which is firmly connected with a cartridge clip I6 by means of screws 11. The cartridge clip l6 has the usual upper opening (I provided with inwardly turned edges.

In order to attach a'loaded magazine to a firearm, the cartridge clip I6 may be inserted into the hollow handle I8 of a pistol I9 shown in Figure 1, wherein it is held by the usual magazine catch not shown in the drawings.

The casing of the magazine is closed by a cover 26 and carries an inner guide 16 (Figs. 3 and 4). The casing l5 and the cover 20 carry an inner shaft 2| provided with a disc 22 of larger diameter and an end 23 having a substantially fiat surface 24 (Fig. 6). The spring-adjusting means of the magazine include a ratchet 25 which is keyed upon the end 23 of th shaft 2| and is engaged by a pawl 26 which is pressed against the teeth of the ratchet 25 by a spring 21. The pawl 26 is mounted upon a pivot 28 which is carried by the casing I5. Thus, the ratchet 25 and the pawl 26 are situated upon the outer surface of the casing I5 and are enclosed by a cover 29 which is pressed against the casing |5 by a knob 30 (Fig. 4). The knob 36 is held in this position by a screw 3| which is screwed into the threaded hollow end 23 of the shaft 2 The opposite end 32 of the shaft 2| is also provided with inner screw threads and carries a screw 33.

The cartridge-supporting means of the magazine include a frame 56 having substantially the form of a squirrel cage and comprising a plate or disc 34 which is rotatably mounted upon the portion 22 of the shaft 2|. A ring 35 is situated opposite the disc 34 and has outer circumferential edges extending substantially parallel to the edges of the disc or plate 34. The plate 34 is connected with the ring 35 by a plurality of symmetrically disposed rods 36, each of which has two ends which are firmly connected with the plate 34 and the ring 35, respectively. The rods 36 are situated at such distance from each other that a cartridge 31 may be conveniently placed between two-adjacent rods and may move somewhat in the space between two rods.

Each of the rods 36 carries a lip 38 extending substantially toward the center of the magazine and situated in the middle of the rod. The lips 38 are used to facilitate the movement of the cartridges 31.

The plate 34 is firmly connected with an inner drum 39 having the form of an annular body, the outer surfaces of which are provided with radially extending projections 4!). The projections 46 extend between curved pockets 4| adapted to contain cartridges 31. A cover plate 15 is firmly connected with the drum 39 and encloses the end 32 of the shaft 2|.

The hollow drum 39 contains a coiled spring 42 the. inner end of which is attached at 43 to the shaft 2|. The outer end of the coiledspring 42 is attached at 44 to the inner surface of the hollow drum 39. The spring 42 is used to rotate the drum 39 and th cage-lik frame 5!] connected therewith.

The device used for stopping the rotation of the drum 39-and the frame 56 includes a toothed pinion 45 which is mounted upon the shaft 2! and is firmly connected to the plate 34. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the pinion 45 is situated between the cover I5 and the disc or plate 34 and meshes with the teeth 46 of a wheel 41 which is rotatably mounted upon a pin or pivot 48. The wheel 41 is provided with teeth 43 upon a part of its circumference, while another part 49 of the wheel 41 is smooth and devoid of teeth. The diameters of the wheel 41 and the pinion 45 are so selected that the pinion 45 can make two revolutionswhile its teeth are in engagement with the teeth 46, whereupon the teeth of the pinion 45 strikes the smooth portion 49 of the wheel 41, so that further rotation of the pinion 45 and of the parts connected therewith, is prevented.

The device used for causing a stepwise turning of the drum 39 and the cage-like frame 50 connected therewith while cartridges are being inserted into the magazine, includes a lever 5| shown in Figures 7 and 8 and comprising an annular portion 52 which is swingably mounted upon the end 32 of the shaft 2| between the cover 26 and the screw 33 carried by the shaft 2|.

The lever 5| is hingedly connected at 53 with a plate 54 carrying a projecting pin 55 and an obliquely extending rib 16 (Fig. 2). Figure 2 shows the lever 5| in its inoperative position, while the operation of the lever 5| is illustrated in Figure 7.

The ring 35 which constitutes a part of the cage-like frame 50, is provided with a plurality of holes 56 (Fig. 2) and the pin 55 may be inserted into each of these holes. The number of holes 56 corresponds to that of the rods 36, and the holes 56 are located at equal distances from each other upon the ring 35.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the cover 20 of the magazine is provided with an elongated slot 51 which is situated opposite the ring 35 and which is of such length that at least two of the holes 56 are accessible at the same time through the slot 51. The pin 55 is so located upon the plate 54 that it may be inserted through the slot 51 into one of these holes 56. The longitudinal edges of the slot 51 are curved to enable the plate 54 and the lever 5| connected therewith to move along with the ring 35, when the pin 55 is situated Within a hole 56.

The immovable cartridge-shifting means of the magazine include a disc or web 59 which encloses the end 32 of the shaft 2| and which is situated between the plate 15 and the cover 20 (Figs. 2 and 4). The disc 59 is integral with radial arms 66, the outer ends of which are firmly connected to the casing I5. A web 11 interconnects two of these arms 60.

The arms 66 and the web 11 carry a substantially annular support 6! which is firmly connected thereto and which extends between the projections 46 of the drum 39 and the rods 36 of the cage-like frame 56. An end 62 of the support 6| is inclined inwardly and terminates close to the bottom of the pockets 4! situated between the projections 40 (Figs. 3 and 4). The end 62 has a central opening 63, so that the projections 46 can move through this opening Without enga ing the end 62. The opposite end 64 of the support 6| is upwardly inclined, so that it terminates substantially closely to the transverse rods 36. As shown in Figure 4, the upwardly extending end 64 has a central opening 65 for the passage of the central projections 38 carried by the rods 36. The ends 62 and 64 are joined by a web 18.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the magazine, in addition to cartridges 31, also contains a number of bodies 66 which are similar to the cartridges 31 in form and general appearance. The bodies 66 ma be made of any suitable material and may consist of blanks or dummy cartridges, although it is possible to make them of a lighter material, such as artificial resins, thereby reducing the overall weight of the magazine.

As shown in Figure 5, the purpose of the bodies 66 is to move the last cartridge 31 to its position close to the upper opening 1| of the cartridge "7, will wind the coiled spring 42.

the frame 55 is turned, the operator inserts a "cartridge 3! into the clip l5 through the opening 1 I, the spring 42 will not unwind itself when "clip I6 wherein this last cartridge may be withdrawn into the firing chamber of the firearm.

As already stated, the coiled spring 42 may be maintained at a desired strength by the adjusting device shown in Figure 6 and consisting of a ratchet which is keyed upon the shaft 2| and which is engaged by the pawl 26. The operator, by turning the knob 30, will turn the shaft 2| and the wheel 25 connected therewith, thereby winding the spring 42. This winding usually takes place at rare intervals, whenever the spring 42 has been weakened by a continuous use of the magazine.

The magazine is loaded with cartridges by inserting them one by one into the upper opening II of the cartridge clip It. As each cartridge is being inserted, the user turns the drum 39 and the frame 50 connected therewith one step at the time. This is accomplished by swinging the lever 5I from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown by full lines in Figure 7, and then by swinging the plate 54 away from the lever 5| until the plate 54 i in alinement with the lever EI and the pin 55 carried by the plate 54 is inserted into the right-hand hole 55 visible through the slot 51 (looking in the direction of Figure 7).

Then, the user turns the lever 54 in the direction of the arrow 58 until it is moved to the position shown by broken lines in Figure 7, while at the same time inserting a cartridge through the upper opening H of the clip IE.

Since the ring provided with holes 56 is integral with the rods 36 and the drum 39, this turning of the ring 35 will move one of the rods :36 from its position beneath th cartridge clip :1. :IE (Fig. 5), so that the lowermost body 66 will drop from the lower end of the cartridge clip I6 into the magazine casing I 5 and will roll upon the projection Ill and the upper end 64 of the support BI into a space between two adjacent rods 36 and will rest upon the support BI.

The turning of the frame 5 and the drum 39 in the direction of the arrow 58 shown in Figure If at the time manual pressure upon the plate 54 is released "since the uppermost cartridge in the clip IE will be pressed against the bent edges of the opening I I.

After the insertion of the first cartridge, an-

other cartridge is inserted into the cartridge clip I6 through the opening II while the drum 39 and the frame are moved another step forward. To move the frame an, the plate is swung outwardly situated close to the right-hand edge of the slot 51 (looking in the direction of Fig. '7). Then the lever 5| and the plate 54 are moved once again from the position shown in full lines in Fig. '7 to the position shown in broken lines therein.

This shifting of the drum 39 and the frame 55 moves another rod 36 from its position below the cartridge clip I6, so that another body 6% drops from the lower end of the cartridge clip into a space between two adjacent rods and upon the support ISI, while another cartridge 3'! is be-- ing inserted into the upper end of the cartridge clip I6.

This operation is repeated until the magazine is loaded.

When the frame 59 is being turned to enable the last free space between two rods 36 to be filled by a cartridge falling into that space from the cartridge clip, the space which was filled by a body 66 after the first initial turning of the frame 50, will be moved into a position between the two ends 32 and 84 of the support 6 I. This innermost body will then roll upon the inclined end 62 of the support 6| until it reaches one of the pockets M of the inner drum 39. Thus, this body 65 will be shifted from the outer ring of cartridge supporting elements into the inner ring of cartridge-supporting elements constituted by the pockets 4|.

Since the drum 39 turns along with the frame 55, the pockets 4| will be presented one after the other close to the inclined portion 52 of the support 6!, and bodies 66 will roll one after the other upon the inclined end 62 into these pockets. This is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

If the number of bodies 66 is smaller than that of pockets M, the remaining pockets will be filled with cartridges, which will also fill the spaces between the rods 35.

The illustrated magazine has nine bodies 65 and eighteen pockets 4i, while eighteen cartridges may be inserted between the rods 36 upon the support BI. Obviously, the size of the magazine and the number of cartridges contained therein may be varied at will, while the number of bodies 66 depends upon the length of the cartridge clip I6.

The magazine is fully loaded when the frame 50 and the drum 39 have completed two full revolutions. At that time, the pockets ill of the drum 39 are filled with bodies 66, and cartridges 31, while all the spaces between the rods 35 upon the support FBI are filled with cartridges 3'! which also extend, one on top of the other, within the cartridge clip I5.

After two complete revolutions of the plate 34 constituting a part of the frame 58, the pinion 45 will be brought into engagement with the smooth portion 49 of the wheel 41 shown in Figure 9, thereb preventing any further turning of the frame 50.

The magazine may be also loaded without the use of the lever 5i by removing the cover 2B and inserting the cartridges sidewise into the pockets 4! and the spaces between the rods 35, whereupon the spring @2 is tensioned by turning the frame 50 and the drum E9, and the rest of the cartridges is inserted into the clip I6.

The magazine is ready for use after being loaded and it may be inserted into the handle of a pistol I8 shown in Figure 1. The firing mechanism of the pistol withdraws the uppermost cartridge through the opening ll of the cartridge clip into the firing chamber. As soon as a cartridge is withdrawn, the spring 22 will unwind itself and will turn the drum 39 and the frame 5!! in a direction opposite to that of its direction of rotation during the loading operation. One of the rods 36 will push a cartridge 37 into the cartridge clip I5 thereby raising the column of cartridges situated within the cartridge clip until a cartridge replaces the withdrawn uppermost cartridge. The pressure of the inturned edges enclosing the opening II of the clip I 5 suffices to keep the cartridges in place against the pressure of the spring 42.

While a cartridge is pushed by the rod 36 into the lower end of the cartridge clip l6, another cartridge situated within a pocket M will engage the inclined surface 62 of the support 6| and will be shifted outwardly until it assumes a position upon the support 6| and between two rods 36 to replace that cartridge which has been shifted into the cartridge clip Hi.

It is thus apparent that during the shooting, and while cartridges are withdrawn, one after the other, by the firing mechanism from the upper opening 7| of the clip, the cartridges situated be tween the rods 36 upon the support 6| are pressed one after the other into the lower end of the clip I6 and the cartridges in the pockets 4| are moved one by one into the spaces between the rods 36 to replace those cartridges which have been inserted into the clip Hi.

When the supply of cartridges 31 in the pockets 4| is exhausted, the bodies 66 will move one after the other from the pockets 4| into the spaces between the rods 36. Thereafter, during continued firing, the bodies 66 will travel along with the frame 50 and will be inserted one after the other into the cartridge clip Hi.

In the position shown in Figure 5, the last cartridge 3? is situated in the cartridge clip |6 close to the opening H and is maintained in that position by a column of superposed bodies 66, the lowermost of which is supported by a rod 35. A further turning of the drum 39 and the frame 50 is prevented by the teeth of the pinion 45 which will strike against a smooth surface 49 of the wheel ii, so that, after the last cartridge 31 has been withdrawn from the clip E6, the bodies 66 will not rise any further.

Obviously, the bodies [56 may be replaced by cartridges 3?, although then these cartridges will always remain in the magazine, travelling from the casing into the clip !6 during the unloading, and back into the casing l5 during loading.

The above described structures are subject to further variations and modifications without departing from the scope or intent of the pres ent invention. All of such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge-containing magazine for firearms, comprising a cylindrical casing, a cartridge clip communicating with said casing and havins an opening formed therein for the insertion and Withdrawalcfcartridges,a rotary cartridge carrier within said casing, a cartridge-supplying frame having the form of a squirrel cage and comprising a plate firmly connected with said cartridge carrier, a ring, and a plurality of circularly disposed rods having ends connected with said plate and said ring and being spaced in relation to each other to enable the insertion of a cartridge between two adjacent rods; a cartridge support situated within said casing between said cartridge carrier and said rods, and means firmly connecting said cartridge support to said casing, said cartridge support being adapted to carry cartridges situated between said rods and having an end portion situated close to said cartridge carrier for receiving cartridges from said cartridge carrier when the latter is rotated, and another end portion situated close to said car tridge clip, whereby said rods move the cartridges carried by said cartridge support from said cartridge carrier and toward said clip.

2. A cartridge-containing magazine for firearms, comprising a cylindrical casing, a cartridge clip having an end attached to said casin and communicating therewith, and another end having cartridge-engaging edges enclosing an opening formed in the clip for the insertion and withdrawal of the cartridges, a shaft carried by said casing, means connecting said shaft with the casing to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, a hollow drum rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having projections and cartridge-receiving pockets formed in said drum between said projections, a coiled spring situated within said drum and having an end connected to said shaft and another end connected to said drum, a cartridge-supplying frame having the form of a squirrel cage and comprising a plate firmly connected with said drum, a ring, and a plurality of circularly disposed rods having ends connected with said plate and said ring and being spaced in relation to each other to enable the insertion of a cartridge between two adjacent rods; an immovable supporting frame situated within said casing and firmly connected therewith, an annular supporting element having an edge firmly connected to said supporting frame and substantially enclosing said drum, said supporting element extending between the plate and the ring of the cartridge-supplying frame and having an inwardly bent end portion situated close to said drum for receiving cartridges from said drum when the latter is rotated by said spring, and an outwardly bent end portion situated close to said cartridge clip, whereby said rods move the cartridges carried by said supporting element toward said clip when the driun is rotated along with the cartridge-supplying frame by said spring.

3. A cartridge-containing magazine for firearms, comprising a casing, a cartridge clip communicating with said casing and having cartridge-engaging edges enclosing an opening formed in the clip for the insertion and withdrawal of the cartridges, a rotary cartridge carrier within said casing, a coiled spring having one end connected with said cartridge carrier, means connecting the other end of said spring with said casing, a cartridge-supplying frame rotatable along with said carrier, a pinion rotatable along with said cartridge-supplying frame, a wheel having teeth formed upon a part of the periphery of the wheel and meshing with said pinion, the other part of the periphery of said wheel being smooth to limit the rotation of said pinion and of the frame and the carrier connected therewith, and a cartridge support firmly connected with said casing and having means for receiving cartridges from said cartridge carrier when the latter is moved, said cartridge supplying frame having means for engaging cartridges carried by said cartridge support and moving them toward said clip.

4. A cartridge-containing magazine for firearms, comprising a cylindrical casing, a cartridge clip communicating with said casing and having cartridge-engaging edges enclosing an opening formed in the clip for the insertion and withdrawal of the cartridges, a rotary cartridge carrier within said casing, a coiled spring having one end connected with said cartridge carrier, means connecting the other end of said spring with said casing, whereby said spring is wound when said cartridge carrier is rotated in one direction, a cartridge-supplying frame rotatable along with said carrier and comprising an annular member and cartridge-engaging elements carried by said annular member, said annular member having a plurality of circularly arranged holes formed therein and disposed at a substantially uniform distance from each other, said casing having a slot formed therein and enclosing at least two of said holes, a lever swingably mounted upon the outside of said casing, means connected with said lever and comprising a pin adapted to be inserted into one of said holes and movable within said slot when said lever is swung to turn said frame and said carrier, and a cartridge support firmly connected with said casing and having means for receiving cartridges from said cartridge carrier when the latter is turned, said cartridge support being adapted to carry the cartridges engaged by said cartridgeengaging elements.

5. A cartridge-containing magazine for firearms, comprising a cylindrical casing, a cartridge clip communicating with said casing and having cartridge-engaging edges enclosing an opening formed in the clip for the insertion and withdrawal of the cartridges, a shaft carried by said casing, means connecting said shaft with the casing to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, a hollow drum rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having cartridge-receiving pockets formed on the periphery thereof, a coiled spring situated within said drum and having an end connected to said shaft and another end connected to said drum, whereby said spring is wound when said cartridge carrier is rotated in one direction, a cartridge-supplying frame comprising a plate firmly connected with said drum, a ring, and a plurality of circularly disposed rods having ends connected with said plate and said ring and being spaced in relation to each other to enable the insertion of a cartridge between the adjacent rods; said ring having a plurality of circularly arranged holes formed therein and disposed at a substantially uniform distance from each other, said casing having a slot formed therein and enclosing at least two of said holes, a lever swingably mounted upon said shaft and situated outside of said casing, a plate hingedly connected with said lever, a pin carried by the last-mentioned plate and adapted to be inserted into one of said holes, said pin being movable within said slot when said lever is swung along with the last-rnentioned plate to turn said frame and said drum and thereby wind said spring, and a cartridge support firmly connected with said casing and having means for receiving cartridges from the pockets of said drum when the latter is turned, said cartridge support being adapted to carry the cartridges engaged by said rods.

JOHN R. WHIITAKER.

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