US2736977A - Magazine latching means - Google Patents

Description

March 6, 1956 E. M. HARVEY 2,736,977

MAGAZINE LATCHING MEANS Filed April 17, 1953 INVENTOR. u A :1- 56 EnrleMl-Iu'nve 4o Y l/[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII a"nu'nnnulnnun"Invunl/ 5 Q 45 4- J 4&1-

2,735,977 Patented Mar. 6, 1956 MAGAZINE LATCHING MEANS Earle M. Harvey, Agawam, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,579

4 Claims. (CI. 42-50) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms of the type wherein the cartridges are fed from a replaceable magazine and relates more particularly to means for releasably latching the magazine to the firearm.

In firearms embodying a box-type magazine, a latching mechanism is provided for releasably retaining the magazine within the firearm structure. It is conventional in firearms of such type for the magazine to be latched either at one position or at two positions by separate latches. Where the magazine is latched at only one position, it can readily be seen that the magazine is subject to tilting or camming which might interfere with the proper feeding of the cartridges from the magazine. In the firearms provided with a latching system which latches the magazine at both front and rear by separate latching devices, the magazine is conventionally installed by engaging one of the latches with the magazine and then fully inserting the magazine into the weapon with a rotary motion for engagement with the other latch. The magazine is removed with a reverse rotary motion. These motions are convenient in magazine installation and removal but they require a large clearance between the front and the rear of the magazine and the magazine receiving passageway through which dust, water and other foreign matter may enter the weapon.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for automatic firearms a magazine latch system by which the magazine is insertable into the firearm in a straight vertical motion and thereby permits a closer relationship between the magazine and the magazine receiving passageway.

It is another object of this invention to provide positive mechanical latching at both the front and the rear of the magazine.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide a means of unlatching the front and the rear latches simultaneously by a single convenient handle.

It is a still further object of this invention toprovide a magazine latching system in which the handle means is cooperable with the firearm trigger guard when in open winter-trigger position to assist in the unlatching of the magazine.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

'Fig. 1 is a side view of a trigger housing and magazine guard partially cross-sectioned showing a magazine retained therein by the latching mechanism of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the magazine guard;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal crosssectional view of the rear latch;

Fig. .4 is ,a view taken along line 4.1-4 of Big. 1 without the magazine; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal cross- Sflctibnal view of the front latch.

Shown in the figures is a trigger housing 9 having spaced-apart longitudinal sides 12 and a base portion 13 therebetween. A trigger guard 14 is pivotally mounted to base portion 13 so as to swing downwardly and forwardly therefrom to an open, winter-trigger position. Extending forwardly from trigger housing 9, and secured to the outside surfaces of sides 12 as by dovetail 17 and screw means, is a substantially U-shaped magazine guard member 15 which cooperates with the front end of trigger housing 9 to form a magazine receiving passageway 16. Receivable in passageway 16 is a conventional box-type magazine 20 having a rear latch receiving notch 21 and a front latch receiving notch 22 provided, respectively, in the rear and front sides thereof. Facing downwardly into notches 21 and 22 are conventional engaging portions, 23 and 24, respectively.

A pair of oppositely disposed lugs 26, provided with laterally aligned holes 27, depend from the forward portions of'sides 12, and received therebetween is a rear latch member having an approximately central transverse bore 31. A pin 32 is snugly received by bore 31 and is rotatably mounted in holes 27 to provide for pivotal movement of rear latch 30 between an engaged and a disengaged position, in respect to magazine 20;

That portion of rear latch 30 below bore 31 is formed as a handle 28 which is operable by trigger guard 15 when in an open, winter-trigger position; Protruding forwardly from the top portion of rear latch 30 is a nose portion 33 which is receivable by rear notch 21 when magazine 20 is fully inserted in passageway 16. The lower side of nose portion 33 is provided with a cam surface 34 whereby upward movement of magazine 20 thereagainst during installation in passageway 16 moves rear latch 3,0 to the disengaged position. The top side of nose portion 33. is provided with an engaging surface 29 which cooperates with engaging portion 23 of rear notch 21. Engaging surface 29 is arranged to incline forwardly and downwardly when rear latch 30 is in either engaged or disengaged positions to facilitate the movement of nose portion ,33 in and out of rear notch 21. v Provided in the upper portion of rear latch 30 is a lateral hole 25 and a cylindrical channel 35 which extends downwardly from the top side thereof to provide communication between bore 31 and hole 25. A pin 36, having a segmental recess 37 approximately central thereof, is received by hole 25 and projects outwardly from either side of rear latch 30. A cylindrical detent member 38 and a coiled compression spring 39 are received by channel 35 and are so arranged that detent 38 is receivable by recess 37 and spring 39 is compressed between pin 32 and detent 3 8 to resiliently bias detent 38 into recess 37 whereby pin 32 is releasably maintained in rear latch 30. The extending ends of pins 32 are received by a pair of oppositely disposed holes 40 in sides 12 of trigger housing 9. Holes 40 have a larger diameter than pin 32 to permit limited pivotal movement of rear latch 30 between the engaged and disengaged positions. The engaged position of rear latch 30 is so arranged that when nose portion 33 is received in rear notch '21, engaging surface 29 is forwardly out of vertical alignment with pin 32. Thus, the downward pressure of engaging portion 23 of rear notch 21 against engaging surfaces 29 of rear latch 30 applies a torque to rear latch 30, to retain nose portion 33 in rear notch 21.

Longitudinally arranged in base 13 is a cylindrical well 19 and received therein is a plunger 41, engageable with the upper portion of rear latch 30, and a coiled ,compression spring 42 which is compressed between the end of well 19 and plunger 41 to normally biasrear latch 30 to the engaged position.

The longitudinal sides of magazine guard are provided with intermediate arcuations 43 which extend inwardly, conforming to the contours of magazine 20, and extending forwardly therefrom is a magazine guard portion 44 of reduced width. Provided along one side of portion 44, and spaced equidistant from the lower side thereof, is an elongated opening 45 which extends to midway of the front end of magazine guard 15 to communicate with the lower portion of a vertical slot 46. Provided on either side of vertical slot 46 and above opening 45 are a pair of oppositely disposed flanges 47 through which there is rotatably mounted a pin 48. Clearance grooves 49 aid installation of pin 48 in flanges 47.

Snugly mounted on pin 48 in slot 46 is a front latch member 50. Projecting rearwardly from the top portion of front latch 50 is a nose portion 51 having a cam surface 60 and an engaging surface 61 of similar configuration and purposes as cam surface 34 and engaging surface 29 on nose portion 33 of rear latch 30. A pin 52 is transversely mounted through the upper portion of front latch 50 and is receivable by a semi-cylindrical recess 53 in the front 'end of magazine guard 15. The engagement of pin 52 with recess 53 limits the engaged position of nose portion 51 in passageway 16 and is so arranged that when nose portion 51 is in engaged position, engaging surface 61 thereof is rearwardly out of vertical alignment with pin 52.

A connector bar 55 links the lower portion of front latch 50 to the upper portion of rear latch 30 thus joining latches 50 and 30 for simultaneous latching or disengaging of magazine in passageway 16. Connector 55 has a longitudinal portion which is received by opening 45 and a clearance groove 65 which extends rearwardly therefrom along the inside wall of magazine guard 15. The forward portion of connector 55 is received within opening 45 and terminates in a portion 56 which projects longitudinally forwardly and adjacent to the near side of front latch 50. A hole 57 transverses portion 56 and rotatably receives a headed rivet 58 mounted laterally in the lower portion of front latch 50. The rear portion of connector 55 skirts passageway 16 and terminates in a portion 59 arranged adjacent to the near side of rear latch 30. Provided in portion 59 is a lateral hole 54 which receives an extending end portion of pin 36. Connector 55 is mounted on pin 36 before magazine guard 15 is assembled to trigger housing 9 as the inside wall of magazine guard 15 is arranged to block disengagement of connector 55 from pin 36.

As has already been explained, latches and 50 are normally biased by spring 42 to engaged positions in passageway 16. When magazine 20 is slidably inserted in passageway 16, the engagement of the front and rear sides thereof with cam surfaces 60 and 34, pivot latches 50 and 30 to disengaged positions. When magazine 20 is fully installed in passageway 16, nose portions 33 and 51 of latches 30 and 50 are received by their respective cooperating notches 21 and 22, with surfaces 29 and 61 engaging portions 23 and 24. As surfaces 29 and 61 are positioned into passageway 16 out of vertical alignment with the pivotal centers of latches 30 and 50, provided by pins 32 and 48, the downward pressure exerted against magazine 20 during fire applies a torque to latches 30 and 50 to urge nose portions 33 and 51 into their respective cooperating notches 21 and 22. Moreover, any increase in pressure against latches 30 and 50 by magazine 20 increases the torque holding them in engagement therewith. However, as latches 30 and 59 are resiliently maintained by spring 42 against their individual stopping means, pins 36 and 52, the pounding of magazine 20 during automatic fire is absorbed by pins 36 and 52 with no portion of it being transmitted to or through connector 55.

With handle 28 located adjacent magazine 2%) and ar ranged to unlatch the latching mechanism by forward pressure, it is readily apparent that the operator by grasping both magazine 20 and handle 28 in one hand, may easily unlatch and remove magazine 20 by tightening his grasp and pulling downwardly. Also, with handle 28 operable by trigger guard 22 when in open winter-trigger position, the operator is given an added facility for removing magazine 20.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. In a firearm having a magazine receiving passageway, a magazine receivable in the passageway, said magazine being provided with a front and a rear notch and downwardly facing engaging portions formed thereby, a front and a rear latch pivotally mounted in the firearm on transverse pins and arranged to pivot between engaged and disengaged positions, said latches being provided with nose portions receivable in said notches when said latches are in said engaged position, said nose portions arranged to be retained in said notches by said latches through a torque produced therein by downward pressure of said engaging portions against said nose portions, a connector mounted between said latches for translation of rotation of one of said latches to counterrotation of the other to provide simultaneous movement of said latches to said engaged or disengaged positions, spring means to normally bias said latches to said engaged positions, and handle means to move said latches to said disengaged positions.

2. In a firearm having a magazine receiving passageway, a magazine receivable in the passageway, said magazine being provided with a front and rear notch and downwardly facing engaging portion formed thereby, a front and a rear latch pivotally mounted in the firearm on transverse pins for engaging cooperation with said notches and each of said latches arranged to pivot between notch engaged and disengaged positions, means to limit the movement of said latches to said engaged positions, nose portions projecting from the upper portions of said front and said rear latches and arranged to be received by said notches, said nose portions arranged to be so positioned out of vertical alignment with said pins that downward pressure of said engaging portions against said nose portions produces a torque in said latches whereby said latches secure said nose portions against disengagement from said notches, a connector mounted between said latches for translation of rotation of one of said latches to counterrotation of the other to provide simultaneous movement of said latches to said engaged or disengaged positions, spring means to normally bias said latches to said engaged positions, a handle to move said latches to said disengaged positions, and a trigger guard mounted to said trigger housing for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position wherein said trigger guard may operate said handle.

3. In a firearm, a trigger housing and a U-shaped magazine guard attached forwardly thereof to form a magazine receiving passageway therebetween, a magazine receivable in said passageway, said magazine being provided with a front and a rear notch and downwardly facing engaging portions formed thereby, a first pin mounted transversely in the front portion of said magazine guard, av second pin mounted transversely in the front portion of said trigger housing, a front and a rear latch mounted on said pins for pivotal movement between engaged and disengaged positions, nose portions projecting from the top portions of said latches and adapted to be received by said notches when said latches are in said engaged position, cam surfaces provided on the underside of said nose portions whereby said latches are cammed to said disengaged positions by movement of said magazine thereagainst when being installed in said passageway, engaging surfaces provided on the top gra er? side of said nose portions and arranged to engage said engaging portions when said nose portions are received by said notches, a connector pivotally mounted at one end to said front latch below said first pin and at the other end to said rear latch above said second pin for simultaneous movement of said latches to said engaged or disengaged positions, spring means biased against said rear latch to resiliently urge said latches to said engaged positions and thereby normally retain said magazine in said passageway, said engaging surfaces are so related to said pins when said latches are in said engaged positions that a torque is produced in said latches when said engaging portions press against said engaging surfaces whereby said nose portions are secured against disengage ment from said notches, stopping means to limit the movement of said latches to said engaged positions, a handle provided on said rear latch below said second pin for movement of said latches to said disengaged position, and a trigger guard mounted to said trigger housing for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position wherein said trigger guard may operate said handle.

4. In a firearm, a trigger housing and a U-shaped magazine guard attached forwardly thereof to form a magazine receiving passageway therebetween, a magazine receivable in said passageway, said magazine being provided with a front and a rear notch, a front and a rear latch mounted in said magazine guard for pivotal movement between engaged and disengaged positions, a first pin mounted transversely in the upper portion of said front latch, said pin being engageable with the front side of said magazine guard to limit the movement of said front latch to said engaged position, a second pin mounted transversely in the upper portion of said rear latch and arranged to extend outwardly therefrom to form projecting ends, said projecting portions being received by a pair of oppositely disposed holes provided in said magazine guard, said holes being of greater diameter than said second pin whereby said rear latch is limited in movement between said engaged and said disengaged position, nose portions projecting from said latches above the pivotal centers thereof and arranged to be received by said notches when said latches are in said engaged positions, spring means to resiliently urge said latches to said engaged positions whereby said nose portions are biased into said notches to normally retain said magazine in said passageway, said nose portions are secured against disengagement from said notches by said latches through a torque produced therein by downward pressure of said magazine against said nose portions, a connector pivotally mounted at one end to said front latch below the pivotal center thereof and at the other end to one of said projecting ends of said second pin, a handle to move said latches to said disengaged positions, and a trigger guard mounted to said trigger housing for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position wherein said trigger guard may operate said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 989,560 Borchardt Apr. 18, 1911 1,821,385 Holek Sept. 1, 1931 1,835,715 McCoy Dec. 8, 1931 1,878,039 Frommer Sept. 20, 1932

Images