US3373521A

US3373521A - Cartridge magazine

Info

Publication number: US3373521A
Application number: US580093A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry A Into
Original assignee: Olin Corp
Current assignee: Olin Corp
Priority date: 1966-09-16
Filing date: 1966-09-16
Publication date: 1968-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-19

Description

March 19, 1968 H. A. INTO 3,373,521

CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE Filed Sept. 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HENRY A. INTO A T TORNEV March 19, 1968 Filed Sept. 16, 1966 H. A. INTC CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I-NVENTOR.

HENRY A. INTO v wah- 3,373,521 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 3,373,521 CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE Henry A. Into, Wallingford, Conn, assignor to 01in Mathieson Chemical ilorporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 580,093 11 Claims. (Cl. 4250) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE For use in conjunction with a firearm having a multilugged bolt, a cartridge magazine comprising a side wall, a pair of end walls, a bottom wall, and a partition member spaced apart from the side wall and extending between the end walls to define a cartridge-receiving chamber with a spring-biased follower disposed therein. The side wall includes rear cartridge control means, cartridge guiding means, and an inwardly turned, axially inclined feed lip at the upper end thereof. The partition member includes frontal cartridge control means, cartridge guiding means, and a downwardly and inwardly tapering upper portion forward of the frontal cartridge control means.

This invention relates generally to cartridge magazines, and more particularly to magazines suitable for large caliber cartridges, which can be used in conjunction with firearms having m-ulti-lug rotary bolts.

It is found that when a standard single column magazine is used in firearms of the multi-lug rotary bolt type, the magazine does not have sufiicient feed lip separation to permit the bolt lugs to pass by and pick up the top round. Conventional magazines wherein the cartridges are staggered are undesirable because of the excessive width required of the receiver.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a magazine suitable for large caliber cartridges which can be used in conjunction with multi-lug rotary bolt firearms.

An additional object of this invention is to provide magazines wherein the cartridge containing portion is offset to one side of a vertical plane passing through the center of the cartridge chamber of the firearm.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a magazine utilizing a single feed lip which is so constructed that the cartridges are properly fed to the cartridge chamber of the firearm.

These and other objects will become more apparent by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of a magazine constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bottom closure, rearward end plate, and partition member in the assembled position;

FIGURE 3 is a right side perspective view of the assembled magazine viewed as seen looking downwardly from the top;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view with parts broken away as taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the magazine showing a cartridge positioned therein; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional diagrammatic view of the magazine mounted within the firearm showing the relationship of the vertical center line of the bolt to the vertical center line of the cartridges.

Referring generally to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the cartridge magazine 2 comprises a generally rectangular wall member 4, a bottom closure 6 having a partition 8 secured thereto, a rearward end plate 10, and a follower 12 spring biased by a suitable spring member 14.

The wall member 4 includes first and

second side walls

16 and 18 respectively, a forward end wall 20 and a rearward end wall 22. The bottom portions of

side walls

16 and 18 are mounted within the side wall portion 24 of the bottom closure 6. The partition 8 is positioned closer to the side wall 18 of wall member 4 than to side wall 16 forming a chamber 26 for the reception of the cartridges between the partition 8 and the internal surface of side wall 16. The rearward end plate 10 is positioned against the internal surface of the rearward end wall 22 and the rearward edge of the partition 8. The rearward end plate 10 includes a vertically extending flange 28 which is positioned against the left-hand surface of the partition 8 adjacent its rearward end to provide a support for the partition 8 throughout its vertical height.

As can be seen particularly in FIGURE 4, side wall 16 is provided with a raised cartridge guiding section 30 including a case engaging portion 32 and a shoulder engaging portion 34. A raised planar rear control surface 36 is provided at the rearward end of side wall 16 and eX- tends substantially the entire vertical height thereof.

The partition 8 is provided with a. cartridge guiding section 38 which includes a case engaging portion 40 and a shoulder engaging portion 42 and is oppositely disposed from the cartridge guiding section 30. A recess 44 is provided in partition 8 immediately to the rear of the cartridge guiding section 38. The recess 44 forms a fulcrum type front control surface 46 as depicted in FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4.

The top portion of partition 8 is bent over to form a top surface 46. The top surface 48 includes a rearward portion 59 which extends rearwardly from the front control surface 46 and is generally perpendicular to the vertical medium plane of chamber 26. The forward portion 52 of the top surface 48 tapers downwardly and inwardly toward the side wall 16 as shown in FIGURE 3. As the partition 8 is permanently connected to the bottom closure 6 and, as the top surface 48 is hooked over the side wall 18 as shown particularly in FIGURE 7, the various components of the magazine are held together as a unit.

The top of side wall 16 is curved inwardly to provide a feed lip 54. The vertical height of feed lip 54 from the horizontal plane of the uppermost portion of top surface 48 increases in a forwardly direction.

The follower 12 is mounted within the chamber 26 and has a general configuration corresponding to the internal surface of side wall 16 and inner surface of partition 8. Two

prongs

56 and 58 extend outwardly from follower 12 into

grooves

64 and 62 in partition 8 for guiding purposes. An upwardly extending flange 64 is provided on the right-hand side of the follower 12 to abut the underside of feed lip 54 when there are no cartridges in the chamber 26 to limit the upward movement thereof.

The spring member 14 is positioned between the follower 12 and bottom closure 6 and urges the follower 12 upwardly. The design of the spring member 14 is such that the center of the spring force acts upon the follower 12 at a point rearward of the front control surface 46.

As has been stated above, the magazine of this invention is especially adapted for holding large caliber cartridges such as shown in FIGURE 6. Cartridges of this type typically include a cartridge case having a neck portion 66, a tapering shoulder portion 68, and an enlarged belt portion 70 at the rearward end. When the cartridges are stacked in the magazine 2 of the invention, the belt portion 70 is contained between the inner surface of the partition 8 and the rear control surface 36. The portion of the cartridge case immediately rearward of the shoulder portion 68 is contained between the

case engaging portions

32 and 40 of the side wall 16 and partition 8 respectively. The shoulder portion 68 of the cartridge case abuts the

shoulder engaging portions

34 and 42.

As shown in FIGURE 7, after the magazine is placed in the appropriate opening in the receiver 72, a vertical plane extending in the direction of elongation of the magazine and disposed between the two

side walls

16 and 18 is coincident with a vertical plane passing through the axis of the bolt 74. However, the vertical plane passing through the axis of the stacked cartridges is offset to the right of the vertical plane of the bolt axis.

As the cartridge is moved forwardly by the bolt 74, the belt portion 70 of the cartridge case passes off the rear control surface 36 and the cartridge pivots about the front control surface 46 sufficiently to allow the nose of the cartridge to move toward the center line of the bolt which, of course, is coincident with the cartridge receiving chamber of the firearm. In addition, by virtue of the fact that the feed lip 54 has an increasing vertical height as the cartridge is moved forward, it moves upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIGURE 6 to permit proper entrance into the cartridge receiving chamber of the firearm. The forward tapering portion 52 of the top surface 48 provides additional guidance for the cartridge as it is fed.

Various other modifications and alterations will suggest themselves readily to persons skilled in the art. It is intended therefore that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment be considered as exemplary only, and that the scope of this invention be ascertained from the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge magazine for a firearm comprising first and second side walls, a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, a bottom closure, a partition member disposed between said first and second side walls spaced apart from said second side wall and forming a chamber with said first side wall for the reception of a plurality of cartridges, oppositely disposed cartridge guiding means on said first side wall and said particular member, a rear control surface extending inwardly from said first side wall adjacent the rearward end thereof, a vertically extending front control surface, said partition member having its top portion bent over to form a top surface, that portion of said top surface forwardly of said front control surface tapering downwardly and inwardly toward said chamber, the top surface of said first side wall being bent over to form a single feed lip, a follower member within said chamber, and spring means biasing said follower upwardly.

2. The magazine of claim 1 wherein the height of said feed lip increases from its rearward end to its forward end.

3. The magazine of claim 2 wherein said partition member is disposed closer to said second side wall than to said first side wall,

4. The magazine of claim 2 wherein the center of spring force acts upon the follower at a point rearward of the front control surface.

5. In a firearm having a multi-lug rotary bolt reciprocally movable along an axis, a magazine comprising first and second side walls, a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, a bottom closure, a partition member disposed between said first and second side walls spaced apart from said second side wall and forming a chamber with said first side wall for the reception of a plurality of cartridges, oppositely disposed cartridge guiding means on said first side wall and said partition, a rear control surface extending inwardly from said first side wall adjacent the rearward end thereof, a recess in said partition member rearward of said cartridge guiding means defining along the rearward vertical edge thereof a front control surface, said partition member having its top portion bent over to form a top surface, said top surface forwardly of said front control surface tapering downwardly and inwardly toward said chamber, the top surface of said first side wall being bent over to form a feed lip, a follower member within said chamber, and a spring member for biasing said follower upwardly, said chamber being arranged such that a vertical plane extending in the direction of elongation of the magazine and passing through the midpoint of said chamber is offset with respect to the axis of said bolt.

6. The firearm of claim 5 wherein the height of said feed lip increases from its rearward end to its forward end.

7. The firearm of claim 6 wherein said partition member is disposed closer to said second side wall than to said first side wall.

8. The firearm of claim 5 wherein the center of spring force acts upon the follower at a point rearward of the front control surface.

9. A cartridge magazine for a firearm having a multilug rotary bolt reciprocably movable along the axis, which magazine comprises:

(a) a sidewall member, a forward end wall, a rearward end wall, and a bottom closure;

(b) a partition member spaced apart from said sidewall member and extending between said end walls to form a chamber for the reception of a plurality of cartridges;

(c) oppositely disposed cartridge guide means on said sidewall member and on said partition member;

(d) a rear cartridge control surface on said sidewall member adjacent to the rearward end thereof, said rear cartridge control surface extending toward said partition member;

(e) a front cartridge control surface on said partition member, said front cartridge control surface being disposed re-arwardly of said cartridge guide means;

(f) a top laterally outwardly extending surface on said partition member, the portion of said surface disposed forwardly of said front cartridge control surface being tapered downwardly toward said chamber;

(g) a cartridge feed lip integral with the top surface of said sidewall member, said feed lip extending laterally toward said partition member;

(h) a follower disposed in said chamber;

(i) a spring to bias said follower upwardly; and

(j) said chamber being arranged such that when the magazine is mounted on the firearm, a vertical plane bisecting the chamber is laterally offset from the axis of the multi-lugged rotary bolt.

10. The magazine of claim 9 wherein the height of said feed lip increases from its rearward end to its forward end.

11. The magazine of claim 9 wherein the center of spring force acts upon said follower at a point rearward of said front control surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,558 10/1956 Roper et a1. 42-50 2,997,803 8/1961 Florence 42-S0 X 3,019,542 2/1962 Manthos 42-50 X 3,110,122 11/1963 Musgrave 42-50 BENJAMIN A. BOROHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

T. H. WEBB, Assistant Examiner.