Abstract:
A new design for straight stick magazines that accommodates larger bottle-necked cartridges in a higher capacity than is currently available. The design includes a modified follower, a stronger magazine spring, and a more durable casing. The follower&#39;s new flexible movement allows for the stacking and releasing of more ammunition, as well as reducing binding and jamming issues. The stronger magazine spring is able to feed more ammunition into to the firearm. And the magazine casing is made of a more durable material to contain the great force the spring and ammunition are exerting towards the sides. The magazine casings&#39; angled bottom plate loads the magazine spring faster towards the front, making sure to keep the nose of the bullets up when leaving the magazine. The optional tab spring locks the bolt back when the magazine has been emptied due to firing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/395,422, filed May 13, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Although others have invented high capacity magazines for various firearms, straight stick magazines for bottle-necked cartridges have been limited in the quantity of ammunition they can hold due to the ammunition&#39;s tendencies to stack in a curved path as they are loaded. The use of flimsy materials also play a part in the limited capacity threshold currently experienced in stick magazines for bottle necked cartridges. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Thus, we re-invented some key aspects of standard stick magazines to accommodate upwards of 31 to 41+ rounds or more, while still maintaining basic straight stick magazine design. By modifying the follower, choosing more durable materials for the magazine spring and casing, and adjusting the design of the casing, we are able to create a higher capacity magazine that addresses the above concerns. The advantages of our magazine are;
       allows for a higher capacity of magazine for bottle necked ammunition; which means less reloading   easier to carry on your person—or in multiples—than other magazines; such as   can accommodate heavier cartridges such as the 308 Winchester or the 7.62 NATO   allows for a full grip of the firearm when inserted in the magazine well   can also be used as a formidable hand combat weapon, should the need arise       
 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    We have included the following drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  outer magazine components 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  inner magazine components 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  follower 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  tab spring 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  left side view of completed magazine 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  inner components assembly—underside view  1   
           [0016]      FIG. 7  inner components assembly—underside view  2   
           [0017]      FIG. 8  magazine spring and magazine—side view 
       
    
    
       [0018]    The components of our new design are as follows:
         10  magazine casing     12  lips     14  spacer     16  notch lock     18  dimple     20  tab spring opening     22  angled bottom plate     24  follower     26  tab spring     28  magazine spring     30 A follower tab     30 B follower tab     32 A follower hole     32 B follower hole     34  ammunition spacer     36  tab spring hook     38  tab spring body     40  bolt lock trigger     42  longer side of magazine spring     44  longer side of magazine       
 
         [0039]    The method of creating and arranging most of the components to make our improved magazine will be well known to those with knowledge of standard stick magazine assembly or suitable mechanical ability. However, for possible grey areas of confusion, as well as addressing the new components, the drawings located herein should clarify its arrangement further for the reader&#39;s understanding. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0040]    In  FIG. 1 . we see the outside components of the magazine; 
         [0041]    Magazine casing  10 &#39;s dimensions are based on the particular magazine well of the firearm it is intended to be used for. In the actual creating of the magazine casing  10 , a more formidable housing is needed than is normally used in stick magazines. This is not limited to any specific material, but the material must be able to endure the extra internal forces that it will be exposed to. In our production, we chose to use 18 gauge steel. Two metal circular spacers  14  are affixed to the upper sides of magazine casing  10  to create the correct overall dimensions of the magazine, so as to fit the magazine well on the firearm (not shown) properly. Notch lock  16  is located on the left side of magazine casing  10 , and penetrates through both the magazine casing  10  and the left spacer  14 . It is used to lock the magazine in the magazine well of the firearm. The dimple  18  is located directly below notch lock  16 , and assists in keeping the magazine from over-traveling—or being inserted to far in the magazine well of the firearm. The lips  12  retain and align the ammunition to properly dispense the ammunition from the magazine—to the firearm. The heavily angled bottom plate  22  is located at the bottom end of the magazine, and assists in loading, or compressing, the magazine spring  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) faster in the front of the magazine. This will help to keep the nose of the bullets up (not shown), and allow them to feed properly. 
         [0042]    For the inner components of the magazine (see  FIG. 2 .) we have the follower  24 , the tab spring  26 , and the magazine spring  28 ; 
         [0043]    The follower  24  is affixed with an ammunition spacer  34  (see  FIG. 3 .) on it&#39;s top right side, and allows the ammunition to stack up properly in the magazine in similar fashion as other common followers. The remaining features of our follower  24 , however, are unique to our own,—starting with the follower tab  30 A and  30 B. Follower tab  30 A is located in the front of the follower  24 , and extends down at a predetermined angle and length—to the underside of follower  24 . Similar to the effect of the prominently angled bottom plate  22 , follower tab  30 A&#39;s angle and length also help to load the magazine spring  28  faster in the front of the magazine. Follower tab  30 B also extends at a predetermined angle to the rear underside of follower  24 , but does not require the same length of follower tab  30 A. Two small holes are then cut into the follower  24 ; follower holes  32 A and  32 B. Follower hole  32 A is located at the top front of the follower  24 , while follower hole  32 B is located on the surface of follower tab  30 B. Both are used to accommodate the tab spring  26 , as discussed below. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 4 , we see the tab spring  26  broken down into 3 parts; the tab spring hook  36 , the tab spring body  38 , and the bolt lock trigger  40 . The tab spring hook  36  is braced into follower hole  32 A in such a fashion as to snugly fit into the hole—without actually penetrating to the upper side of the follower  24 . At the opposite end of the tab spring  26  is the bolt lock trigger  40 . From the underside of the follower  24 , the bolt lock trigger  40  slides through follower hole  32 B, and—when magazine is fully assembled-will protrude from tab spring opening  20  (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 ). The function of the tab spring  26  is to lock the bolt back in the firearm (not shown) when the magazine has been emptied due to firing. In our production, spring steel is the material we chose to create the tab spring  26 . 
         [0045]    To complete the inner components, magazine spring  28  is then slid in-between follower tabs  30 A and  30 B, as well as resting directly on the crease in the tab spring hook  36  (see  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ). This placement of the magazine spring  28  keeps the tab spring  26  firmly in place. The tab spring body  38  is situated in the empty cavity—or core—of magazine spring  28 , and will remain unaffected by it&#39;s movement. The magazine spring  28  should be oriented so that the longer side of the magazine spring  42  coincides with the longer side of the magazine casing  44  (see  FIG. 8 ). The magazine spring  28  is used to feed the ammunition though the magazine as the firearm is being fired, in the same fashion as most common magazine springs do. But since the capacity of the magazine is greater; the actual weight to displace—as well as the distance to travel—must also be greater for the magazine spring  28  to accommodate. Therefore, a stronger and bigger magazine spring  28  is needed to successfully feed the ammunition into the firearm than is normally used. For our purposes, we decided to have the magazine spring  28  consist of a chrome silicon material, and with a larger diameter of about 0.093″, to give us the desired result. We would also like to add that it is highly advantageous for the magazine spring  28 &#39;s diameter dimensions to closely mirror the internal dimensions of the magazine casing  10 , so as to limit the movement of the follower. 
         [0046]    Some of the key elements in the special ability of our magazine as opposed to other designs is that we do not stop the follower  24 , from tilting. We encourage the follower  24  to have free movement, and use the magazine spring  28 , to help keep the follower  24  stable. The magazine spring  28  is able to do this due to it&#39;s custom made size and stronger material, as well as the fact that the follower  24  is actually attached to the top of the magazine spring  28 . We also use both the follower tab  30 A, and the highly angled bottom plate  22 , to load the magazine spring  28  faster in the front of the magazine. This allows us to time the pressure curve on the spring, and to apply more force on the follower  24  to help feed the ammunition. The rear tab spring  26  is situated in-between the follower  24  and the magazine spring  28 , and is the mechanism we use to lock the bolt back in the firearm. 
         [0047]    Use of our magazine is mostly standard to other stick magazines with only slight variances, and are as follows; 
         [0048]    While holding the magazine, user will load  1  round of ammunition in standard fashion into follower  24 . For second round of ammunition, user will press bolt lock trigger  40  in with thumb or other, while simultaneously loading second round. At this point, bolt lock trigger  40  should be fully inserted in magazine casing  10 . All remaining rounds of ammunition are then loaded as usual. Once magazine is fully loaded, it can be inserted into the magazine well, where notch lock  16  will lock magazine in place. Dimple  18  will keep the magazine from over-traveling—or being inserted to far into the magazine well. Magazine is now ready to be used in normal fashion with firearm. After ammunition has been expelled, or when magazine is ready to be removed, user may simply pull magazine out—again, in standard fashion—which usually involves engaging some form of magazine release button on the actual firearm. 
       Other Embodiments 
       [0049]    While the above description has many specifications, it should not be interpreted as limitations of the invention, but rather as one of several possible incarnations thereof. There are many alternative ways to produce an effective re-creation of our magazine, some of which are as follows;
       Any wide variety of metals, plastics or other materials may be used for all components.   The dimensions of the magazine casing are subject to change for different firearms, different ammunition, different capacity, or to accommodate different size inner components.   The extreme angle on the notably angled bottom plate is not defined, and is subject to change for different firearms, different ammunition or to accommodate different size magazine springs.   Any wide variety of coatings may be used to prolong the durability, or improve the appearance of our magazine.   Any wide variety of processes can be used to create all components, i.e.—injection molding, stamping, etc.   Any wide variety of methods may be used to engage the tab spring; i.e. buttons, switches etc.   Our specific configuration of follower, tab spring, and magazine spring could possibly still function properly as a unit in a curved, or banana magazine casing, if desired.   Spacers can be in any variety of shapes—or even non existent at all—depending on the method of construction, i.e.—injection molding, stamping, etc.   The tab spring could be replaced with other devices to lock the bolt back—or no device at all; since it is more of a convenience, than a necessity, to the magazine&#39;s function. However, we do not advise the lack of such a device.   Our magazine design could also be used for non-bottle necked cartridges and/or less ammunition capacity, if desired.   Other types of springs, or materials that comprise the spring, could be used as the magazine spring, i.e—coil springs or braided steel magazine springs.
 
With this being said, the reader should comprehend that the scope of this application should not be determined solely by the embodiments mentioned, but by the attached claims and their legal equivalents.
       
 
         [0061]    Means for providing higher capacity in stick magazines, including larger bottle-necked cartridges;