Abstract:
A grenade dispensing system having a magazine for retaining and dispensing grenades that is removably coupled to a holder for retaining the magazine in a predetermined location, such as on a combat vest. The magazine includes a spring and an associated follower positioned within the cavity for urging additional grenades toward the opening when a grenade is removed by a user. The magazine includes a pivoting latch for releasably engaging and mating with a receiving slot formed into the holder and the holder includes a clip for attaching to a conventional combat vest systems.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/266,279, filed on Dec. 3, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to article retaining systems and, more particularly, to a system for retaining a grenade magazine on the body of a user. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventional grenade launchers are usually mounted on a service rifle, such as the M16,and are single shot, manually reloaded weapons. The most standard grenade round is the 40 mm grenade consisting of an aluminum projectile body with a rotating band and a cartridge case containing the propelling charge and percussion primer, but there are many specialty grenades available, such as less-lethal sponge grenades and flares. Rounds are typically stored in loose fashion in the pouches or pockets of a military tactical vest. A user may therefore have to search to locate additional rounds during an engagement, thereby presenting an undesirable distraction and hampering the ability of the user to repeatedly fire the weapon. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a system and method for dispensing grenade rounds that positions additional rounds in a single location. 
         [0007]    It is an additional object and advantage of the present invention to provide a system and method for dispensing grenade rounds that is easily accessible to a user. 
         [0008]    In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention comprises a grenade dispensing system including a magazine for retaining and dispensing grenades that may be removably coupled to a magazine holder for retaining the magazine in a predetermined location, such as on a military tactical vest worn by a user. The magazine includes an opening that permits access to a first grenade in communication with a cavity formed within the magazine for housing additional grenades. The magazine further includes a spring and an associated follower positioned within the cavity for urging the additional grenades toward the opening when the first grenade is removed by a user. The holder preferably includes a pivoting latch for releasably engaging and mating with a receiving slot formed into the magazine. The present invention also includes a magazine for dispensing grenades that includes a window formed therethrough for assisting in loading the magazine with multiple grenade rounds, a following having struts for ensuring proper biasing of grenade rounds, and a pair of opposing clips for retaining grenade rounds in a position for easy dispensing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0009]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal cross-section of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a lateral cross-section of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a magazine of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a second perspective view of a magazine of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a magazine of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a holder of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a second perspective view of a holder of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention in a storage configuration. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade dispensing system according to the present invention showing a holder for attaching to a military vest. 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade magazine according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a cutaway view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade magazine according to the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an follower for a grenade magazine according to the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is a cutaway view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade magazine according to the present invention showing the alignment of grenade rounds. 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the clip retaining system of an alternative embodiment of a grenade magazine according to the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a grenade magazine according to the present invention showing the internal surface ribs of the magazine. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a grenade dispenser  10  according to the present invention. Dispenser  10  comprises a magazine  12  for retaining and dispensing a plurality of grenade rounds  14 . Dispenser  10  further comprises a holder  16  for releasably retaining magazine  12 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , holder  16  preferably includes a clip  18  for positioning dispenser  10  on the body of a user, such as by attaching holder  16  to a conventional military tactical vest. Dispenser  10  may be manufactured from one or more types of plastics and/or polymers, such as nylon, or metals. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , magazine  12  comprises a housing  20  including a cavity  22  therein and an opening  24  at one end that is in communication with cavity  22 . A spring  26  is positioned at the opposing end of magazine  12  for biasing a follower  28  toward opening  24 . A removable cap  34  may be used for permitting access to spring  26  and follower  28 . Spring  26  is preferably a coil spring but may comprise other conventional biasing structures. Opening  24  is preferably defined by two opposing arcuate sections  30  and  32  for retaining a single round  14  in opening  24  while allowing a user to manually remove round  14  when desired. Additional rounds  14  may be retained within cavity  22  and biased toward opening  24  by spring  26  and follower  28  so that when round  14  in opening  24  is removed, another round  14  is moved into position until all rounds are repeated. Rounds  14  may be reloaded into magazine  12  by reversing the process. As seen in  FIG. 6 , magazine  12  includes at least one moveable latch  36  positioned on one side for releasably engaging holder  16 , as further described herein. Latch  36  may include an integrally formed or separate spring for biasing latch into an engaged position when magazine  12  is mated with holder  16 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 , holder  16  comprises a body  38  having an opening  40  at one end that is dimensioned to receive magazine  12 . Holder  16  further includes a slot  42  formed through one side thereof for receiving latch  36  of magazine  12  when magazine  12  is positioned fully within holder  16 . Latch  36  permits releasable retention of magazine  12  within holder  16  by disengaging from slot  42  when biased by a user. It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that various latching structures may be used for retaining magazine  12  within holder  16  without departing from the spirit of the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 9 , holder  16  may be provided with one or more structures adapted for retaining holder  16  on the body of a user or in another location, such as one or more clips  18  dimensioned to engage the existing hooks or loops on a military tactical vest. Alternatively, clips  18  may be dimensioned for attachment to another item worn by a user, such as a belt, or for attachment to another structure, such as webbing. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , latch  36  is adapted to engage one or more slots  50  formed through magazine  12 . Slots  50  are preferably positioned in first and second locations on each side of magazine  12 . Movement of latch  36  between slots  50  allows for magazine  12  to be positioned in holder  16  with opening  24  exposed for left- or right-handed dispensing operations, as seen in  FIG. 1 , or positioned in a storage configuration with opening  24  covered by holder  16 , as seen in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0032]    There is seen in  FIG. 11  an alternative embodiment of the present invention, namely, grenade dispenser  110  comprising a removable magazine  112  for dispending a plurality of grenade rounds  114 . Dispenser  100  further comprises a holder  116  for releasably retaining magazine  112 . As seen in  FIG. 12 , holder  116  may comprise a flexible pouch, such as one made from fabric, having one or more loops  102  attached thereto for attachment to a military vest. Holder  116  also includes a latching mechanism  118  for releasably engaging magazine  112 . Latching mechanism  118  may comprise any conventional structure, such as a biased rocker plate or other known structure. Dispenser  110  may further include a removable cap  104  that can be positioned over the open end of magazine  112 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , magazine  112  includes a slot  120  positioned along an intermediate portion for engaging with latching mechanism  118 . As an example, slot  120  is shown at the midpoint of magazine  112 , thereby allowing magazine  112  to be easily positioned in holder in either direction, i.e, with the open end exposed for a user or positioned within holder  116 . Magazine  112  also includes at least one window  122  formed therethrough and permitting access to the interior of magazine  112 . Window  112  is preferably positioned proximately to the open end where rounds  114  are dispensed for a user. Window  122  allows a user to easily verify that a round is in position and may be used to assist a user with reloading operations by permitting a user&#39;s finger to be inserted into magazine  112 . Using window  122 , a user may push a round  114  further down into magazine  112  and manually retain it in place to make space for insertion of a subsequent round  114  in the open end of magazine  112 , thereby allowing rounds  114  to be more easily loaded into magazine  112 . 
         [0034]    Magazine  112  of dispenser  100  includes a spring  124  and follower  126  for biasing rounds  114  loaded into dispenser  100 . As seen in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the upper surface  138  of follower  126  is offset relative to the longitudinal axis of dispenser  100 , thereby positioning each round  114  at a slight angle within magazine  112 , so that the circumferentially extending groove  128  of each round  114  cooperates with the circumferentially shoulder  130  of each adjacent round  114 , as further seen in  FIG. 16 . Follower  126  also includes a series of struts  132  positioned around its periphery. Struts  132  acts as spacer to maintain follower  126  in position in magazine  112  and reduce frictional forces between magazine  112  and follower  126 , particularly when dispenser  100  is used in harsh environments. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 17 , magazine  112  includes at least one protrusion  134  positioned on the inside of the top opening. Protrusion  134  is configured to releasably engage groove  128  of round  114  when it is in position for removal by a user and thus prevents any inadvertent dispensing of round  114  by frictionally engaging the groove  128  of round  114 . It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that the size and shape of protrusion  134  (and the inclusion of a second protrusion  134  on the opposing side of magazine  112 ) may be altered to change the amount of force retaining round  114  and the amount of force needed to manually dispense a round  114 . As seen in  FIG. 18 , magazine  112  also includes two longitudinal ribs  136  extending along on its interior surface that are positioned to engage grooves  128  of rounds  114  positioned in magazine  112 . Ribs  136  thus keep rounds  114  properly aligned within magazine  112  and prevent rounds  114  from becoming misaligning or jostling around when dispenser  100  is in motion, such as when it is being transported or worn by a user.