Ammunition magazine with self-locking mechanism

An ammunition magazine includes a self-locking mechanism configured to prevent the magazine from being removed from a firearm without disassembly of the firearm action.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to firearms, more particularly, to an ammunition magazine having a self-locking mechanism for securing the magazine within a firearm.

BACKGROUND

Concern over mass shootings in America has led some U.S. states such as California and New York to ban the use of “assault-style” weapons. The definition of “assault style” weapons varies from state-to-state, but in California AR-15-type sporting rifles with detachable magazines fall under this umbrella. Specifically, current California law requires that all semi-automatic rifles using centerfire ammunition must be at least 30″ in length and must have fixed magazines that hold no more than 10 rounds, where a “fixed magazine” is defined as a magazine that cannot be removed without disassembling the firearm action.

In response to this legislation, innovators have devised numerous ways of bringing non-compliant sporting rifles into compliance with the laws of California and other states. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,598,457B2, 10,859,335B2, 10,895,427B2, 10,302,383B2, 10,288,371B2, and 10,295,288B2, all to Maga, disclose various affixable magazines that allow loading of ammunition without removing the magazine from the firearm or disassembling the action. Each of the magazines disclosed in these patents must be manually locked into place in the magazine well by turning a screw. While the manually locking mechanisms are adequate for their purposes, there is still room for improvement in affixable magazines for previously non-compliant firearms.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to an ammunition magazine including a self-locking mechanism configured to prevent the magazine from being removed from a firearm without disassembly of the firearm action.

In one aspect of the disclosure, the self-locking mechanism is configured to lock the magazine to the firearm without the use of tools.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the self-locking mechanism is configured to be actuated by downward movement of the magazine relative to the firearm, with no additional actions by the user.

In still another aspect of the disclosure, the self-locking mechanism includes a locking member mounted for movement between a first position wherein the locking member projects beyond the side wall of the magazine and engages a portion of the firearm, and a second position wherein the locking member is retracted from the side wall of the magazine and disengaged from the portion of the firearm. In another aspect, the second position is below the first position.

In yet another aspect of the disclosure, the locking mechanism includes a spring biasing the locking member towards the first position.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the locking mechanism is a wheel.

In still another aspect of the disclosure, the wheel and the spring are mounted in a recessed area in the magazine. The recessed area includes a wheel-containing portion and a spring-containing portion. The wheel-containing portion contains a top wall defining an upper boundary for the wheel, a bottom wall defining a lower boundary for the wheel, a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and an opening opposite the side wall of the recessed area, allowing a portion of the wheel to project past the side wall of the magazine when the wheel is in the first position. The spring-containing portion extends below the bottom wall of the wheel-containing portion.

In yet another aspect of the disclosure, the wheel includes disc having a protruding hub, and the recessed area includes a slot receiving the protruding hub.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the spring-containing portion comprises a portion of the slot extending below the bottom wall of the wheel-containing portion.

In still another aspect of the disclosure, the ammunition magazine includes a bore extending between a top wall of the magazine and a top wall of the wheel-containing portion. The bore allows insertion of a tool for pushing the wheel toward the second position to unlock the magazine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows a side loadable ammunition magazine10secured to the inner wall11of a magazine well12in the lower receiver14of a sporting rifle such as an AR-15. The magazine10includes a spring-loaded follower assembly having a finger pull16located in a slot18on one side of the magazine10. To load the magazine10, a user pulls the finger pull16down the slot18and locks it in the down position, compressing the spring of the follower assembly and locking the cartridge follower in the down position. The user then feeds ammunition cartridges into an opening in the opposite side of the magazine10and releases the finger pull16, causing the cartridge follower to push the cartridges up toward the open feeding end20of the magazine. The magazine10is secured within the magazine well12by a self-locking mechanism22that cannot be disengaged while the lower receiver14is covered by an upper receiver. The self-locking mechanism22, which actuates automatically upon insertion of the magazine10into the well and does not require the use of any tools, need not be limited to use with the specific magazine and receiver illustrated shown here, but may be used to secure a variety of different types of magazines to various types of firearms. Examples of magazines that may a utilize a self-locking mechanism22include, but are not limited to, magazines having pivoting or sliding doors or other openings allowing loading of the magazine via locations other than the top, or even possibly conventional magazines that are loaded through the top.

Referring now toFIGS.2and3, the automatic locking mechanism22comprises a locking wheel24disposed within a recessed area26in the upper portion28of the magazine. The locking wheel24is mounted for diagonal movement between opposite ends of the recessed area26. A compression spring34biases the locking wheel24towards a locked position at the top wall35of the recessed area26, wherein a portion of the locking wheel24projects laterally beyond the side wall36of the magazine, as shown inFIG.2. After being pushed against the bias of the compression spring34to an unlocked position at the bottom end32of the recessed area26, as shown inFIG.3, the locking wheel24is entirely contained with the recessed area26, and does not project beyond the side wall36of the magazine.

FIGS.4and5show the locking wheel24and recessed area26in greater detail. The locking wheel24comprises a metallic disc having a protruding hub38formed on one side. The recessed area26includes a wheel-containing portion40and a spring-containing portion42, with a slot43extending diagonally through both portions40,42. The wheel-containing portion40includes the top wall35, which defines an upper boundary for the wheel24, a bottom wall46defining a lower boundary for the wheel24, and a side wall48extending between the top and bottom walls35,46. The side of the recessed area26opposite the side wall48is open, allowing a portion of the wheel24to project past the side wall36of the magazine when the wheel24is in its uppermost position. The region of the slot43above the bottom wall46of the wheel-containing portion40serves as a channel slidably receiving the hub38of the wheel, while the region below the bottom wall46houses the spring.

A plurality of openings52,54,56are provided around the recessed area26for receiving pins58,60,62depending from the underside of a cover64, as shown inFIG.6. The cover64holds the locking wheel24and spring34in place, while also protecting them from the elements. Its removability allows the components to easily be replaced if needed.

FIG.7shows the cover64in place on the upper portion28of the magazine10, with the locking wheel24projecting out from the open side of the recessed area26, past the side wall36of the magazine. Also visible inFIG.7is an end cap70having an indentation66that marks the location of a bore allowing a pushing tool to access the locking mechanism, as will be described later in reference toFIG.8. The end cap70can not be removed without breaking the firearm action. In jurisdictions which require the magazine to be permanently affixed to the firearm, the end cap70can be epoxied in place so that access to the locking mechanism is permanently blocked.

Referring again toFIG.1, to lock the magazine10into place, a user simply pushes the magazine10downwardly into the well10. As the magazine10moves downwardly, the spring forces the wheel10upwardly against both the inner wall11of the magazine well12and the side wall48of the wheel-containing portion40of the recessed area26. Continued downward movement of the magazine10and upward movement of the magazine well12causes the wheel to rotate upwardly into an area of decreasing size, increasing the tightness of the wheel and the strength of the lock.

As soon as one side of the locking wheel24contacts the inner wall11of the well10, the inner wall11exerts an inward force on the wheel24, causing the opposite side of the wheel24to contact the side wall48of the wheel-containing portion40of the recessed area26. When the magazine10is fully seated in the well12, the spring34forces the wheel24back upwardly, exerting a sufficiently strong outward force against the inner wall11of the well12to prevent removal of the magazine10.

To remove the magazine10from the receiver, the user must insert a pushing tool such as a thin rod74into the opening66in the top wall68of the magazine10, as shown inFIG.8. The opening66leads to a bore72that extends into the recessed area26of the locking mechanism22, allowing the rod74to contact the upper surface of the locking wheel24. Continued downward force by the rod74forces the locking wheel24to move downwardly until it reaches the bottom wall46of the wheel-containing portion40of the recessed area26, where it no longer projects beyond the side wall36of the magazine10. In this position, the locking wheel24no longer exerts any force against the inner wall of the magazine well, thus allowing the user to remove the magazine. Since these steps cannot be carried out without disassembling the firearm action, the locking mechanism22enables the user to comply with the regulations of all or most jurisdictions regarding fixed magazines.

The illustrated locking mechanism22is just one example of a locking mechanism that could be in the self-locking magazine of this disclosure. Mechanisms including locking members other than wheels—such as, for instance, cammed levers or spring-actuated pins—would also self-actuate upon downward movement of the magazine, and are included within the scope of this disclosure.