Gun and magazine system

Abstract: An improved gun/magazine system (10) which is top loading and wherein the magazine (20) is of generally cylindrical config­ uration. A spiral drive of the cartridges through the maga­ zine into the top loading receiver of the gun is provided. The magazine (20) includes a spring/winder (30) having a silent clutch which permits tensioning of the drive spring (38) at any time and even immediately before use, and which has a release means in order to permit relaxing of the spring (38) in the event the unprecedented large capacity of cartridges is not entirely expended from the magazine (20). The cylindrical shaped magazine (20) is mounted above, parallel to, and closely adjacent to the axis of the gun.

Description: This invention relates to a gun/magazine system, and more particularly, it relates to such a system, wherein the magazine is characterized by having a relatively large capacity for ammunition. More specifically, the invention relates to such a system as applied to automatic and semi-automatic firing guns. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Guns and magazines for such guns are a highly developed art. However, the prior art has numerous problems which are overcome by the present invention. More specifically, gun systems having magazines which have a relatively large ammunition capacity usually tend to extend away from the gun at a right angle to the axis of the gun. Examples of such magazines include drum-type ammunition magazines for light machine guns, see, for example, DE-A-1553 877, and "banana"-type clips for automatic and semi-automatic guns. Magazines of this sort have a substantial problem in that they create a substantial weight located well away from the axis of the gun, which creates a moment when the gun is in use, which destroys the aim, makes the gun harder to use, creates more user fatigue, and the like. The present invention overcomes all of these problems by providing a gun/magazine system comprising the features of claim 1. The invention system provides improved handling, as compared to an automatic weapon using a conventional drum-magazine or "banana" clip, because the entire mass of the invention magazine with the mass of the large number of cartridges therein, is all very close to the line of recoil which is axial with respect to the gun. Because of this, the moment arm is only an inch or two long. Thus, the invention magazine produces a much smaller active moment tending to push the gun off of its aiming axis, than does the moment produced by a banana clip which has a moment arm on the order of six or eight inches long, i.e., from the middle of the banana clip to the axis of the gun. This is a critical advantage of the invention in improved handling. A further advantage of the invention system is that the front/rear balance and handling of the gun is enhanced by having the magazine located on the gun at least substantially rearwardly of the grip of the gun. US-A-3 088 378 discloses a heavy-caliber pistol having a removable magazine with the cardridges arranged in a spiral path for feeding through the magazine from the front end thereof to the rear. The magazine, being located above and in line with the barrel of the pistol, does not extend rearwardly of the pistol grip and, therefore, the magazine only holds 15 cardridges, because its length is defined by the short barrel of the pistol. There is no winder means for storing energy in the drive spring of the known magazine, that is, the spring is wound by the action of loading the cardridges into the magazine. Furthermore, there is also no means to relieve the energy stored in the drive spring regardless of the amount of ammunition in the known magazine. Relieving of energy stored in the drive spring is necessarily accompanied by the unloading of the cardridges from the known magazine. SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention gun/magazine system provides a firearm which is top loading and a magazine which is of generally cylindrical configuration. The magazine includes a spiral drive of a high volume of cartridges into the top loading gun. The cylindrical magazine is positioned above and parallel to the axis of the gun. The cylindrical magazine is able to accept a relatively large number of cartridges because of the spiral drive which comprises an inner fluted drive member in the magazine. A helical torsion spring is provided inside the fluted drive member to drive the cartridges via the drive member through the magazine. The magazine includes a centrifugal ramp type of clutch and manual spring winder arrangement which permits the magazine to be easily loaded with cartridges. Thereafter, the fully, loaded magazine, but with the spring relaxed, can be stored indefinitely. This is a substantial advantage for the invention over the prior art in that the spring fatigue problem is totally avoided. That is, the spring is not wound up or tensioned until immediately before the cartridge magazine is to be used. Yet another advantage of the invention is means to cause the clutch to be silent. This is an important advantage of the invention in that the magazine spring can be wound up and made ready for use in a manner which is not detectable during hunting or in combat. Yet a further advantage of the invention has to do with a release built in to the magazine to relieve the spring force. This permits safe storage of a magazine with only some of the cartridges therein. Again, after preparation for use or after partial use, the magazine, either fully or partially loaded, can be stored indefinitely with absolutely no danger whatsoever of the drive spring suffering any fatigue. The fluted drive member provides an important advantage in that the flutes can be curved at any particular angle to accommodate different sizes of cartridges or to accommodate cartridges with or without rims. Further, the flutes in the drive member provide an important advantage of insulating the cartridges from the very substantial full strength of the drive spring. Absent the flutes in the drive member, with the very large number of cartridges with which the invention magazine can be used, it would be possible for the cartridges to jam in their travel through the magazine. Yet another advantage of the invention magazine is that it lends itself to fabrication virtually entirely of plastic. This provides substantial advantages over the prior art wherein the magazines are fabricated mostly of metal, these advantages residing in the area of reduced costs of manufacture and lighter weight. Lighter weight is particularly important for military use. Yet a further advantage of the invention has to do with the ability of the magazine to be repeatedly reloaded. Another advantage of the invention gun/magazine system is that it makes no conceptual or basic changes in the actual firing and shell ejection means of standard weapons. This permits the invention system to be accommodated to use with all sorts of standard weapons with little modification thereof. Another advantage of the invention is the provision of such a system applicable for use with all sorts of firearms and with all calibers of weapons, including automatic and semi-automatic weapons, including handguns, rifles, carbines, shotguns, and machine guns. A further advantage of the invention is to provide a system of the character described which has a minimal frontal area and is thus of reduced overall size and weight for use in confined spaces and with rapid motion of the user. An object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described which is well balanced for accurate firing, which will automatically line up with the user's forearm for use in the so-called "point-shoot" mode, and which is highly accurate in use. The invention provides a gun/magazine system which is highly adapted to the rigors of use both as a hunting weapon and as a combat weapon, which is applicable to use with all sorts and sizes of guns, which is economical to manufacture, which avoids the spring fatigue problem of present high ammunition capacity magazines, which can accept an unprecedented large number of cartridges, which is adaptable to use with all sorts of gun operating systems, and yet which is highly efficient and practical in its manufacture and use. A further advantage of the invention system is that it is relatively small while having a relatively large capacity of cartridges. This makes it much easier to store and to be kept on the person of guards and the like who do not want it obvious that they are carrying a gun. This is the case with undercover policemen, secret service guards, and the like. This advantage flows primarily from the fact that the invention magazine can store a large number of cartridges in a relatively small space. The invention gun/magazine system lends itself to one-hand operation because of its excellent balance. More specifically, as to one-hand operation, with the pistol grip at about the midpoint of the weapon, the total length of the magazine and the weapon extending to the rear of the pistol grip is less than the length of the forearm of an average person. This permits twisting and pivoting and pointing from the shoulder, which is good gun handling practice. That is, the most desirable shooting posture involves the creation of a straight line of the weapon through the forearm and ending at the bent elbow of the user. The relatively compact size of the invention permits this desirable posture. Pointing of the gun can then occur from motion at the shoulder rather than motion of the body. The dramatically increased cartridge capacity of the invention gun/magazine system is of critical importance, especially in a military environment. Battles and perhaps even wars could be won if the soldiers of one side had three times the ammunition capacity in a clip as compared to the enemy soldiers. Thus the invention provides a compact gun/magazine system, having no projections transverse to the gun's axis, and having a heretofore unheard of large capacity of cartridges (up to one hundred cartridges for .22 caliber), while providing a gun/magazine system having improved weight distribution and correspondingly improved handling characteristics. Further embodiments of the gun/magazine system according to the present invention are set out in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING The invention will be understood more clearly with reference to the accompanying drawing, which drawing also forms a part of this disclosure, and wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a rifle embodying the gun/magazine system of the invention with an associated butt stock folded; Figure 2 is a partial side elevational view similar to the rear (right side) end of the gun in Figure 1 showing the butt stock extended; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting of the magazine of Figure 1 onto the gun; Figure 4 is an exploded view of the magazine with some parts broken away and in cross-section; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the magazine clutch assembly exploded apart; Figure 6 is a partial perspective exploded view of the drive end of the fluted drive member of the magazine in accordance with a first embodiment thereof; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a second embodiment thereof; Figure 8 is an exploded partial view of a detail looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 of Figure 4; Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred form of the magazine latch assembly; Figure 10 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the magazine mounted on the gun and the action of the cartridges being fed through the magazine and into the gun receiver; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10; Figures 12 and 13 are views similar to Figure 11, with the center drive member omitted, showing two different variations of a feature of the invention; Figures 14, 15 and 16 are "action" views showing different manners of use of the invention gun/magazine system; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22-22 of Figure 10; Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 17 showing a variation of means to lock the magazine onto the gun; Figure 19 is a side elevational view of this magazine locking embodiment; and Figures 20 and 21 are views similar to Figures 18 and 19 respectively, showing another embodiment of means to removably lock the magazine onto the gun. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in detail to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates a gun/magazine embodying the invention. Gun 10, chosen by way of example only, may be thought of as an attack rifle, a light machine gun, or a semi-automatic rifle. The weapon 10 may be used in any of the common postures, see Figs. 14, 15 and 16. Gun/magazine system 10 comprises a pistol grip 12 including a trigger 15 mounted generally midway along the length of the weapon 10. To the rear of the pistol grip 12 weapon 10 includes a folding butt stock assembly 14 mounted to the underside of the rear portion of the body of the gun 18 (see Figure 3). A high-capacity ammunition magazine 20 in accordance with the invention is removably mounted on the rear body portion 18. This arrangement of the location of the magazine and the center mounted pistol grip improves the front/rear balance and overall handling characteristics of the invention gun/magazine system. The forward part of the weapon 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a barrel 16, the intermediate length of which is surrounded by a shroud or front hand grip 22. The front end of the barrel terminates at a combined flash suppressor and front sight assembly 24. Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of the magazine 20 in accordance with the invention. Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of this same magazine 20 mounted on the gun. The reader may wish to refer to both Figures 4 and 10 as this description of the magazine progresses in order to facilitate understanding. Magazine 20 comprises a main housing or shell 26, a front end cap 28, and a clutch assembly 30 at the rear end of the magazine. Clutch assembly 30 is shown in Figure 5 and is described in detail below. A cartridge or bullet feed lip 32 is provided at the front end of the magazine for cooperation with the receiver of the gun in the conventional manner. Figure 10 shows a bullet B feeding down out of the magazine into the receiver of the gun. In this regard, the manner of handling the bullets or cartridges in the gun after they leave the magazine 20, including firing and ejection of the spent shells, is substantially conventional. Minor constructional changes to accommodate the invention to existing weapons may be needed, but the basic principles of operation of such existing guns will remain unchanged. The inside of the magazine housing 26 is formed with a helical screw thread 34 winding around the inside of the housing and extending from end to end thereof (see Figure 10). Positioned inside the housing 26 is a fluted drive member 36 having a length substantially equal to housing 26. Positioned inside the drive member 36 is a drive spring 38. Torsion spring 38 has its ends formed into radial fingers 44, one of which is received in an opening 40 of a front end sliding spring anchor 42. The fingers 44 are similar to each other, one at each end of the spring. The opposite anchor finger 44 is received in a hole 46 in the front end dog member 48 of clutch assembly 30, see Figure 5. When spring 38 is relaxed, it has a length less than that of the magazine housing 26. However, the spring 38 is of substantial length to drive the large number of cartridges, and thus means must be provided to accommodate its increase in length when it is wound up by the clutch/winder assembly 30. Referring to Figures 4 and 10, this is accomplished by the front end spring anchor 42, which is formed with a pair of sliding dogs 50 which are received in mating slots 51 formed for a predetermined length in from the front end of the drive member 36. Thus, Figure 10 shows the spring 38 unwound, with the sliding anchor 42 over to the right. When the spring is fully wound, the anchor 42 will be to the left. Referring to Figures 5 and 10 and also to Figures 3 and 4, the clutch/winder 30 is shown in detail. Overall, this part of the magazine can be thought of as a silent operating, centrifugal action, ramp-type clutch. This part of the magazine comprises a winding knob 52, a release button 54, a release button return spring 56, a clutch race member 58, and the previously described front dog member 48. Front and rear snap rings 60 are used to hold the parts of the clutch assembly 30 together. Some of these parts are omitted in the showing of Figure 10 because of its smaller size and so as not to clutter the drawing. The clutch knob assembly 52 is formed with a circular shoulder portion 62 which is formed with three equally radially spaced clutch member grooves or ramps 64. Each groove receives a clutch member 66 which in the embodiment shown is in the form of a small cylinder. The shoulder portion 62 fits snugly within a recess on the inside (not shown) of the race member 58. These parts, 58, 62, 64 and 66, are so configured that when the knob 52 is turned in the winding direction, the ramps or slope built into the groove 64 is such as to cause the member 66 to roll down into the groove 64, radially inwardly. This permits a free motion of the shoulder 62 on the inside of the race 58. However, as soon as that winding force is released, the energy stored in the torsion spring 38 will impart a vigorous counter rotation force to the knob member 52, which will, by centrifugal force, throw the clutch members 66 radially outwardly, where they will wedge between the ramps 64 and the inside of the race member 58. Advantageously, all of the parts of the magazine and of the clutch assembly, except for the members 66 and the springs, screws, snap rings and other hardware which are all made of metal, are made of durable plastics such as a fiber-filled nylon known as "Minlon" sold by DuPont. This particular plastic not only wears well, but lends itself to molding, thus even further facilitating manufacture and enhancing the invention's economic advantages. Concentrically with the shoulder portion 62, the knob member 52 is formed with a rear end dog portion 68. The release button 54 is formed with an enlarged rear portion 70, and a front reduced diameter portion 72, these two portions being separated by an annular shoulder 74. An important advantage of the invention is that the magazine can be loaded with bullets in the factory or at a time other than during combat or hunting when it may be required for use with substantial urgency. The fatigue problem of the main drive spring 38 is avoided due to the release provided by this clutch/winder assembly 30. Further, releasing the spring tension after the magazine is wound up for use, as when not all of the bullets have been expended from the magazine, is another advantage, again permitting the magazine to be stored either full or partially full with the spring released. Another advantage in this regard is that since the magazine is made virtually entirely of plastic, the motion of the parts is silent. That is, winding up of the spring to prepare the magazine for use can be done in a combat or hunting situation and the enemy or the game will not hear any noise due to the silent operation of the clutch/winder 30. In order to release the spring tension, the user simply presses on the rear end of the button 54. This causes the shoulder 74 to bear against the front dog 48, and to push it frontwardly until the dog teeth on the two members 48 and 68 are out of engagement. When that occurs, the torsion spring 38 is no longer restrained at its rear end, and the dog member 48 can spin freely on the front portion 72 of the release button 54 until the spring is fully relaxed. At this same time, the dogs 50 on the front anchor 42 may slide freely in the grooves 51 formed on the inside front end of the drive member 36. When the spring is next wound, the first quarter rotation of the knob 52 will cause the dog teeth in the parts 48 and 68 to "find" each other under the urging of the spring 56 which will be urging the front dog member rearwardly and into engagement. After this first quarter turn, at the most, the dog teeth will be reengaged and winding of the spring 38 will proceed. The opening in the race member is sufficient to easily slidingly receive the dog portions 48 and 68 and to permit the motion of the front dog portion 48. A folding butt stock of the invention gun/magazine is shown in Figure 1 in the folded or stowed condition and in Figure 2 in the extended for use position. The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the motion of the parts in moving from the stowed or folded position to the unfolded use position of Figure 2. The butt stock is mounted to the gun by a fixed track member 76, Figure 2, by means of a plurality of roll pins or the like. A sliding arm 78 is nested on fixed track member 76. A pin 82 fixed to the gun, see Figure 10, is provided between the parts 76 and 78 to limit the extension of the butt stock between the two positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Pin 82 rides in a slot in the cross over segment of arm 78, see Figure 10. Means are provided to hold the sliding track 78 in the extended position in a positive manner. To this end, a pivot trigger or lock 77 is provided. Trigger 77 is pivoted to the gun on a pin. The fixed track is held in place by the roll pins previously described. The facing ends of the members 76 and 77 are formed with tabs 81 which when they are resting on each other when the members 76 and 77 are in line with each other permit the moving track 78 to slide over the full length of the two tracks 76 and 77. However, when the moving track 78 is extended, a spring 148, which also biases a magazine ejection pin 146, biases the trigger 77 downwardly to thereby prevent the track 78 from retracting on to the fixed track 76. In order to fully collapse the moving track 78, it is necessary to lift trigger 77 so that it is in alignment with the fixed track 76 to thereby permit the sliding track 78 to retract fully, i.e., to move all the way to the left as shown in Figure 14. In this manner, the spring 148 is caused to perform two functions, that is, to eject the magazines and to hold the butt stock extended. This achieves additional economies of manufacture and cost of parts, another advantage of the present invention. Another important advantage of the folding butt stock 14 is that it folds to a very compact configuration, see Figs. 1 and 10. In Figure 17, it can be seen that all three of the members 76, 77 and 90 nest on one another in the folded, collapsed or stowed position of the butt stock. This causes these parts to take the minimal possible space to thereby facilitate use of the invention in different postures, as shown in the succeeding Figures. The butt stock 14 includes a swiveling butt plate 98 which is held on the outer end of the pivot arm 90 by means of a pair of hinge pins 100. A flat spring 102, secured in place intermediate the ends of the cross face of the pivot arm 90 by rivets, is provided to have its free end bear against the butt plate 98, see Figure 2. Means, not being shown, are provided to positively lock the folding butt stock in both the folded position of Figure 1 and the extended position of Figure 2. Means are provided to permit quick mounting and dismounting of magazines 20 onto the gun of the invention. Referring to Figure 3, the rear body 18 of the gun is formed with a receiver opening 122 through which the cartridges exiting the magazine through the feed lips 32 enter the gun for firing, see Figure 10 in this regard. Thus, the gun of the invention is what is known in the art as top loading, that is, the bullets enter the gun vertically downwardly from the magazine. The magazine is also positioned in line with the axis of the gun and directly thereabove. This provides important advantages as discussed above and also below in regard to Figures 14, 15 and 16. One form of means to removably hold the magazines in place is shown in Figure 3. This comprises a boss member 124 formed in a vertical wall defining the front end of the magazine receiving portion of the rear body 18 of the gun. The front end 28 of the magazine 20, see Figure 10, is formed with a mating opening to receive this boss 124. This serves as a locator so that the magazine is correctly aligned axially into its desired position on the gun in receiver 18. The magazine 20 is also properly located on the gun by mating rails and ledges therebetween running the whole length of the magazine, see Fig. 3. Latch means are provided to releasably secure the magazine in place. The preferred embodiment of these latch means is shown in Figs. 3 and 9, and details and variations thereof are shown in Figs. 17 through 21. The rear body 18 is formed with a pivot block 128 adjacent to a cut-out 130 in which a latch member 132 formed on the magazine 20 is received. A latch member 134 is mounted by means of a pin 136 on the block 128. A spring 138 urges the latch 134 to the normally latched position with the latch finger 140 engaged in the opening in the magazine latch member 132. To either side of the vicinity where the latch 134 is secured, the receiver 118 is formed with fairing or mating portions 142 and 144 to the front and the rear of the latch 134, respectively, these portions serving to smoothly blend the latch into the side of the rear body 18 of the gun and to prevent inadvertent operation of the latch as by its ends catching on clothing or passing objects, or as a result of the gun being dropped, or the like. Of course, a similar structure to the latch assembly 126 shown in Figure 9 will be provided on the opposite side of the gun. The portion 132 of the magazine itself fits into the slot 130 to further help in locating the magazine properly on the gun for use. Operation of the latches 134 by pressing on the front ends thereof, shown with the finger serrations, releases the finger 140 from the mating opening in member 132 on the magazine. Only when both latches 134 are operated will the gun release the magazine. The pin 146 is automatically retensioned when a new magazine is latched down in place on the rear body 18. The magazine 20 itself has numerous other advantageous features and variations. One of these has to do with remounting of the magazine onto the gun. It is of course important that the magazine be correctly oriented with the feed lip 32 in its proper position over the cartridge receiving opening in the gun. To this end, the first embodiment of the magazine shown in Figure 1, see also Figure 11, is formed with prismatic shaped outer casing. Further, the radius, as it were, of these prismatic surfaces is larger at the upper end of the magazine which is exposed than at the lower end which is received in the body 18. This, as shown in Figure 11, gives one indication to the user while holding a magazine in his hand which he is preparing to put into position on the gun that it is correctly oriented to be mounted on the gun. The magazine 20A of Figure 12 shows a variation thereof wherein a member 150 molded into the magazine is provided at the top surface thereof. The user, when positioning the magazine on the gun, has an indication that the magazine is correctly positioned for mounting, or more accurately has an additional indication of correct orientation, when the part of the magazine 150 is vertically upwardly. Yet another variation is shown in Figure 13, the magazine 20B having a plurality of extending fingers 152 protruding outwardly in a recognizable pattern on the upper side of the magazine. Here again, the user knows that the magazine is correctly positioned when the protrusions 152 are correctly oriented. Other variations of such tactile means to position the magazine, as in combat or in the dark, by feel rather than by sight, may be provided and will present themselves to those skilled in these arts. Another feature of the magazine has to do with the screw thread 34 used to drive the bullets in a spiral path through the magazine into the gun. This feature is shown in detail in Figure 8 and also in Figs. 4 and 10. In Figure 8 is indicated an angle D which is provided on each side of the screw thread 34 Attention is also directed in this regard to Figure 4, herein it can be seen that the flutes 154 in the drive meter 36 have an angle that is curved around the axis of the drive member 36. The appearance in longitudinal cross-section of this curvature of the flutes is illustrated in Figure 10. Likewise, the angles assumed by the cartridges as they are fed is also illustrated at the left end of Figure 10. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 10 is for .22 caliber cartridges having rims. These are the conventional, currently popular .22 caliber cartridges. Where a different size and/or type of cartridge is to be handled, then the sizes and shapes of the parts will be adjusted accordingly. For example, for thicker cartridges, the number of flutes 154 may be decreased and their depth increased, and the magazine might be of a larger overall diameter. For longer or shorter cartridges, the adjustments will include corresponding changes in the pitch of the helical thread 34. Because of the rim on the cartridges, there is in effect a substantial taper of the cartridge overall from the rear end toward the front end. However, even in so-called rimless cartridges, a slight taper is still provided to the casing from the rear to the front. The reason for this is that absent this slight enlargement at the rear, it would be virtually impossible to feed and eject the cartridges and then to eject the spent shell. In this regard, the present invention is not concerned with ejection of spent shells. It may be downwardly or to the side or in any other direction. As far as the invention is concerned it is important that the gun be top loading vertically downwardly with the magazine arranged above the gun and axially in line with the gun. Returning now to Figure 4, the curved flutes are desirable for proper operation of the invention gun/magazine system. The current cartridge in the feed lip 32 about to be fed into the receiver 122 of the gun has to have its nose pointing out, that is, down into the gun. The curvature permits the nose of the next following cartridge to push the cartridge in the feed lip into that posture so that it will feed properly, i.e., to push the cartridge to be next fed into the gun to be nose down and out. It is believed that with straight flutes and without some means to cooperate therewith to cause this canting of the cartridges, the magazine simply would not feed cartridges into the gun. However, a variation with straight flutes in accordance with the invention is shown in Figures 6 and 7 and is described below. The sloping walls of the screw thread 34 are defined by the angle D, see Figure 8. This angle D can be different on each side of the thread 34. One side of the thread is active together with the flutes in loading cartridges into the magazine, and the opposite side is active when feeding the cartridges out of the magazine into the gun. Depending upon the various considerations, angle D can vary between 0 and 45 degrees. For .22 caliber rimmed cartridges this angle has been found to be preferably approximately 32 degrees, and it has been found desirable to make the angle equal on both sides of the thread. It is thought that, depending upon the particular manufacturing method used, at least some slight angle for angle D should be provided in order to facilitate manufacture. Figs. 6 and 7 show another variation of the drive system of the invention. Figure 7 shows straight flutes 154A, as opposed to the curved flutes 154 of Figure 6 and the other Figures. However, in order to get the proper feeding of the cartridges as discussed above, a star wheel 160 which continues the flutes 154A, but which has the curvature of the flutes 154 of Figure 6, is provided. In this manner, a straight fluted drive member 36A can be used in the invention system. The star wheel 160 can also be used in conjunction with the Figure 6 version if it should be desired to provide added protection against wear at the front end of the flutes. That is, in Figure 6, the star wheel 160 will continue smoothly from the curvature of the flutes 154, but will provide a metal member at this junction, that is, that point at which the cartridges are fed out of the magazine and into the gun, or into the magazine to load the magazine. This is another facet of the versatility of the invention. The rear sight 162 shown in Figure 1 is more or less conventional, except that it is raised up above the magazine 20, and thus the rear sight 162 is not described in any further detail which is also the case with the front sight 24. The front sight 24 includes a flash suppressor 164 which runs smoothly into the front sight front arm 166. Figure 17 also shows the nested character of the parts of the butt stock 14. Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21 show further variations of the means to secure the respective magazines 20C, 20D, 20E and 20F to the gun in different embodiments. In Figure 18, the magazine is formed with a pair of simple tits formed on the sides thereof which cooperate with spring clips 182 fixed to the gun receiver 18C. This version is perhaps the least expensive to build, and might be suitable for target shooting, sport use, and the like. The cooperating tits 180 and spring fingers 182 permit very simple snapping in and out of this magazine 20C. Other locating means such as are described elsewhere herein can be used in conjunction with the parts 180 and 182 as needed. Referring to Figure 20, the embodiment 25D includes a pair of integral fingers 184 which cooperate with toggle-type latches 186 to hold the magazine in place. The embodiment 20D is otherwise similar to the embodiment 20C. Figure 19 shows another embodiment 20E which comprises a pair of locator fingers 188 formed on the magazine 20E. Cut-outs 190 are formed in a lower cover member 196 secured to the gun. A top cover member 198 is hinged to the gun at 200 to cooperate with the member 196. A toggle-type latch 192/194 is provided to securely hold the magazine 20E in place. This embodiment 20E might find use in a particularly harsh environment, perhaps in military environments wherein the magazine 20E can simply be put inside the unlatched covers 196/198 and properly located therein by the fingers 188 in the cut-outs 190, and then latched in place by the parts 192 and 194. This has the advantage of completely insulating and securing the magazine 20E from the environment outside the gun. Magazine 20F of Figure 21 is held in place by a bail member 202 which is hinged to the weapon at 204. Securing means such as latches, asymmetrical cross-sectional shapes, internal ridges and ledges between the bail and the magazine, all are possible in this Figure 21 version of the securing means. Thus, it can be seen that the invention has great versatility as to this aspect of the magazine securing sub-system thereof, namely, many variations and types of ways of removably securing the magazine to the weapon could be provided. For example, the Figure 18 version might be useful in a low-priced weapon for sport or target-shooting purposes. The other versions may find utility in other specific applications, all of which are well known to those skilled in these arts. OPERATION Figures. 14, 15 and 16 show various ways in which the gun/magazine of the invention can be used. Figure 14 shows the butt stock extended and the weapon being used as a rifle in a conventional manner. Figures 15 and 16 show the same weapon with the butt stock folded. In Figure 15, the weapon is being used like a pistol, that is, held in one hand with the arm extended fully outwardly. It should be noted that, with the butt stock collapsed, it is entirely out of the user's way, thus permitting this pistol-type posture. Figure 16 illustrates the fact that, because of the compact nature of the invention, with the butt stock folded, the weapon can be held at the hip and in the crook of the arm, which facilitates the so-called military "point-shoot" posture. While Figure 16 shows the user holding the weapon in both hands, this user could as well have his left hand free for other purposes, holding the weapon on his right forearm and in his right hand. In this manner, he can pivot and shoot without turning his body, by simply pivoting his arm from the shoulder. Since the invention gun/magazine system is symmetrical about a vertical plane through the line of fire, it is just as well adapted to left-handed users. Another facet of the operation of the invention is that because of its extremely small size, which is due to the compact magazine, the in-line arrangement of the magazine, and the folding butt stock, a semi-automatic or carbine weapon could be concealed in the clothing of security guards, secret service men, and the like. This is an enormous advantage for such applications wherein an automatic or semi-automatic weapon with a large ammunition capacity can be concealed on the person. The "point-shoot" posture requires that the weapon be a continuation of the line of the forearm of the user, and this is clearly the case with the invention system as is shown in Figure 16. The invention gun/magazine system when used in the military environment has a unique advantage. Currently, the logistics of military usage are in effect doubled. Soldiers in the field must deal with boxes of loose cartridges and boxes of empty magazines, and must load their own magazines in the field. This is so because it is not practical or viable to ship loaded, large-capacity clips of cartridges because the spring, which would be fully compressed once the clip is loaded at the factory, will lose some of its drive ability due to fatigue. For this reason, there is no alternative for military applications but to ship cartridges loose and magazines empty. With the present invention, the magazine can be fully loaded with cartridges, but the spring left in a relaxed state. The soldier in the field is relieved of the tedious and time-consuming and perhaps dangerous waste of time needed to load clips during combat. He simply winds up the spring when he snaps the magazine onto his gun. This takes no more than a few seconds, and in fact the soldier can wind up his magazines before going in to combat. That is, those he will carry on his person can be fully wound and ready for immediate use that day. Yet another advantage flowing from this facet of the invention is that battlefields are often very dirty, harsh environments for delicate mechanisms. The possibility of the cartridges and the magazines becoming coated with grime and dirt and the like is another danger for the soldier. That is, the danger of his weapon jamming or misfiring is diminished because he has clean, fully loaded magazines to use, and there is no possibility of exposure of the cartridges to the dirty, harsh environment in a manner that could harm the operation of the gun/magazine system. Thus, on an overall basis, the logistics of supplying ammunition to soldiers in the field is literally cut in half. Instead of having two types of things to inventory, that is, loose cartridges and empty magazines, the quartermaster personnel need deal only with full magazines ready for use upon winding of the spring. This is an enormous advantage for the invention and a very substantial step forward in this art in general. Further in this regard, the invention magazine can hold on the order of one hundred 9 mm. military cartridges compared with thirty or thirty-two such cartridges for conventional high-capacity magazines presently in use. Thus, the logistics are not only cut in half due to the elimination of separate shipment of empty clips and cartridges, but are again cut by one-third because the invention magazine has over three times the capacity of present high-capacity ammunition clips. Thus, the logistics are reduced not merely by a factor of three due to the large capacity of the magazine, and not only by a factor of two due to the cartridges and clips being shipped together, but by a factor of six, since these advantages multiply with each other. Yet a further advantage of the invention in use has to do with the fact that except for the drive spring and the screws and small hardware, the magazine is made entirely of plastic. If because of this, magazine cost can be reduced sufficiently, then another military highly desired feature of a magazine which is simply discarded after use may possibly be achievable in accordance with the teachings of the invention gun/magazine system. The invention provides an extremely light weight, compact weapon system having greatly improved handling. As compared to other automatic or semi-automatic weapons using conventional clips, such as a so-called banana clip or a drum magazine, in the present invention the entire mass of the magazine, even with the unprecedented large number of cartridges, is very close to the line of recoil due to the fact that the magazine is elongated and arranged axially with respect to the axis of the gun. Thus, the moment arm of the magazine with respect to the gun axis, which is the line of recoil, is very short, perhaps an inch or two inches. With banana clips or drum magazines, this moment arm can be on the order of four or five or more inches, thus causing a greater tendency to push the gun off of the aiming axis in response to the recoil of the weapon. The invention thus provides a top loading gun, having a spiral drive magazine, which is arranged above the gun and axially in line therewith. The silent clutch/winder built into the magazine provides numerous advantages and facilitates operation. In a military, hunting, target shooting, or whatever environment, when only some of the cartridges in the magazine are used, the spring can be relaxed simply by pushing the release button. This immediately imparts to the partly loaded magazine an indefinite shelf life due to the lack of any possibility whatsoever of fatigue of the drive spring. The silent clutch permits use in sensitive environments such as military or hunting, to prepare the weapon for use even when it is necessary to change to a fresh unwound magazine. The flutes on the drive member inside the magazine serve an important function of insulating the cartridges from the full strength of the drive spring. That is, with a large number of cartridges on the order of one hundred or so, and with the strength of the spring needed to drive all one hundred cartridges, absent these flutes the pressure on the one-hundredth cartridge could cause crushing or damage to the first cartridge, if each individual cartridge were not insulated from that full force by the flutes. Further, the flutes together with the internal spiral member, the pitch of which and the configuration of the thread of which is designed for a particular cartridge, cooperate to drive each cartridge through the magazine and to drive each cartridge in effect individually. That is, each cartridge is effectually "encased" in a separate system of forces made up of the two sides of the flute and the two ends of the turns of the thread in which it then is located as it progresses through the magazine. This is the "insulation" of each cartridge from the full spring force to which this discussion refers. The fabrication of the magazine virtually entirely from plastic improves operation in that the weight of the increased number of cartridges is counterbalanced by the reduction in weight of the magazine itself. Further, plastic fabrication yields additional advantages of simpler manufacturing and lower cost, as well as reduced weight. While the gun is top loading, the strong drive spring which positively ejects each cartridge from the magazine and urges it into the gun, assures proper operation in all postures. That is, at the extreme, the invention gun/magazine system can even be used upside down, and it will function perfectly. Put another way, the invention system is immune from gravity. The invention permits mounting the magazine on the gun in many different manners to accommodate the requirements of all sorts of different environments and fields of use. These systems include arrangements of and combinations of latches, covers, a bail, and a system of mating a pin and recess at the front end together with nesting rails and ledges and side latches. This latter is the preferred embodiment. The invention system can be used together with all sorts of firearms, machine guns, semi-automatic rifles, automatic pistols, machine shotguns, and the like, with only relatively simple mechanical modifications and no conceptual modifications to such weapons to accommodate the high-capacity magazine of the invention and all of its other advantages, including improved handling. The invention thus produces an extremely compact gun/magazine, this system having no projections transverse to the gun's axis, and with an unprecedented large capacity of cartridges in the magazine. Thus, the invention provides a gun/magazine system having improved weight distribution, and correspondingly dramatic improved handling characteristics in addition to numerous other detailed advantages as set forth herein.

Claims: A gun/magazine system comprising a top loading gun (10), an ammunition magazine (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F) , means to removably mount said magazine on said gun above and closely spaced to the axial line of fire of said gun (10), said gun (10) comprising grip means (12) and barrel means (16) defining said line of fire and extending forwardly of said grip means (12), said gun (10) including a trigger means (15) , said grip means (12) and said trigger means (15) being so located on said gun (10) that said grip means (12) can be gripped and simultaneously said trigger means (15) can be operated with one hand of a user, said magazine mounting means locating said magazine on said gun (10) at least substantially rearwardly of said grip means (12), whereby the front/rear balance and handling of said gun/magazine system is enhanced, said magazine including a drive spring (38) to urge the ammunition (B) stored in the magazine into said top loading gun (10), and said magazine including winder means (30) for said drive spring (38) and manual release means (54) to relieve the energy stored in said drive spring (38) regardless of the amount of ammunition (B) in said magazine, said winder means (30) and said release means (54) being operable independently of the loading and unloading of ammunition (B) into and out of said magazine. The system of claim 1, said magazine (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F) being of a generally cylindrical configuration, said drive spring (38) urging the ammunition (B) through said magazine in a spiral path around the axis of said magazine, and said magazine being removably mounted on said gun (10) with its axis above, in line with and closely spaced to the axial line of fire of said gun (10). The system of claim 2, said magazine (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F) being of an elongated configuration, said magazine comprising an outer housing (26), a drive member (36, 36A) for ammunition cartridges (B) rotatably mounted within said outer housing (26), said drive member (36, 36A) being formed with a plurality of flutes (154, 154A) extending at least generally axially of said drive member, said flutes (154, 154A) being so configured as to permit a succession of said cartridges (B) to pass therethrough in end-to-end relationship, said drive spring (38) being strong enough to rotate said drive member (36, 36A) within said housing (26) even with all of said flutes (154, 154A) filled with cartridges (B), said housing (26) comprising a helical thread portion (34) on the inside surface thereof cooperable with the cartridges (B) in said flutes (154, 154A) of said drive member (36, 36A), and feed means at the cartridge exit of said magazine to permit the cartridges (B) therein to be fed one by one into said magazine or out of said magazine and into said gun. The system of claim 3, said drive spring being a coiled torsion spring (38) having a wound-up length substantially equal to the length of said drive member (36, 36A) and having a relaxed length a predetermined amount shorter than the length of said drive member (36, 36A), said drive spring (38) being located inside said drive member (36, 36A), means (46, 48) to fix one end (44) of said drive spring (38) to said winder means (30), a drive spring anchor (42) member located inside said drive member (36, 36A), means to fix the other end of said drive spring (38) to said drive spring anchor member (42), and means (50, 51) to secure said anchor member (42) to said drive member (36, 36A) so that said anchor member (42) can move axially with respect to said drive member (36, 36A) to accomodate the changes in length of said drive spring (38) between its relaxed and wound-up conditions. The system of claim 4, said means to secure said anchor member (42) to said drive member (36, 36A) comprising dog means (50) extending radially outwardly of said anchor member (42) and longitudinal groove means (51) formed on the inside of said drive member (36, 36A) to snugly and slidingly receive said dog means (50). The system of anyone of claims 3 to 5, wherein said drive member flutes (154A) are straight and parallel to the axis of said drive member (36A), and said feed means include a star wheel member (160) arranged axially in line with said fluted drive member (36A), said star wheel member (160) being formed with flutes equal in number to and which continue from said drive member flutes (154A) but which also spiral around the axis of said drive member (36A). The system of anyone of claims 3 to 5, wherein said flutes (154) spiral around the axis of said drive member (36). The system of claim 7, and a fluted star wheel member (160) arranged axially in line with said drive member (36) with the flutes thereof equal in number to and continuing said drive member flutes (154). The system of anyone of claims 3 to 8, wherein said housing (26); said drive member (36, 36A) and said winder means (30) are all made substantially entirely of plastic materials. The system of anyone of claims 6 to 9, wherein said star wheel (160) is made of metal. The system of anyone of claims 3 to 10, and means to assure feeding of the last cartridge (B) out of said magazine into a cooperating gun comprising dummy follower means, said dummy follower means comprising a pair of dummy cartridges (156, 158) joined together and located in said fluted drive member (36, 36A) behind the last cartridge (B) therein. The system of anyone of claims 4 to 11, said winder means including a clutch assembly connected to said housing (26) and adapted to allow a winder member (52) of said winder means (30) to be rotated freely only in the direction for properly winding said helical torsion spring (38). The system of claim 12, said clutch assembly including a silent operation centrifugal action ramp-type clutch (64, 66). The system of anyone of claims 1 to 13, said winder means drive spring release means comprising a pair of mating clutch dog members (48, 68), means (46) to attach one end (44) of said drive spring (38) to one (48) of said clutch dog members, a spring (56) urging said dog members (48, 68) into engagement with each other, and a push button (54) to operate against the force of said last mentioned spring (56) to push said dog members (48, 68) out of engagement with each other to thereby permit unwinding of said drive spring (38). The system of anyone of claims 3 to 14, said helical thread portion (34) having a cross-sectional shape including a pair of at least partially radially disposed surfaces each positioned at a predetermined angle (D) to a line which is radial of said magazine (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, 20F), said surfaces cooperating with said drive member (36, 36A) and the particular size and type of cartridges (B) being handled, and one surface adapted to facilitate loading of cartridges (B) into said magazine and the other surface adapted to feed cartridges (B) out of said magazine. The system of claim 15, wherein said predetermined angle (D) for each of said surfaces is approximately 32° for .22 caliber rimmed cartridges (B). The system of anyone of claims 1 to 16 and tactile means to assist in mounting said magazine (20) on said gun (10), said tactile means comprising a plurality of longitudinal surfaces formed on the outside of said magazine (20). The system of anyone of claims 1 to 16, and tactile means to assist in mounting said magazine (20B) on said gun (10), said tactile means comprising an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape of said magazine. The system of claim 18, said tactile means comprising protruding portions (152) formed on the portions of said magazine (20B) which will be the furthest away from the gun (10) when the magazine (20B) is mounted thereon. The system of anyone of claims 3 to 19 and further comprising a feed lip insert (32) for directing cartridges (B) into the receiver (122) of the gun (10). The system of claim 20, with the magazine feed lips (32) being nested within an opening in the top of the receiver (122), and with a socket and pin detent in the front and a spring pin detent (132) at the bottom rear of the magazine (20) that act together to locate and hold the magazine in the proper relationship to the gun (10).

Inventors: MILLER MICHAEL K, STOCKTON WARREN D, MILLER, MICHAEL K., STOCKTON, WARREN D.
Applicants: CALICO LIGHT WEAPON SYSTEMS
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F41A9
IPC codes: F41C23, F41G1, F41A17, F41A9