Abstract:
The magazine well adapter of the present invention, and associated kits and devices, improves the firing rate and accuracy of AK-type firearms by converting the traditional magazine well into a push-button drop ejection device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/468,881, titled MAG-WELL, filed Mar. 29, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to the art of firearms, and more specifically, to an adapter for an automatic rifle&#39;s magazine well that increases firing rate, shooting accuracy, and accommodates the use of a multi-rifle (“universal”) ammunition magazine. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The Avtomat Kalishnikova, commonly known as the “AK-47” or “Kalishnikov.” is the world&#39;s most ubiquitous assault rifle. Indeed, since its development and deployment as a Soviet Armed Forces rifle in 1947, the AK-47 (and its variants) has been widely embraced due to their durability, low production cost, and ease of use. In fact, more AK-type rifles have been manufactured since 1947 than all other assault rifles combined. Of the estimated 500 million firearms in existence worldwide, approximately 100 million belong to the Kalishnikov family, with the AK-47 accounting for fully three-quarters of that total. 
     Originally designed for ease of operation and repair by glove-wearing Soviet soldiers in arctic conditions, the firearm&#39;s breathtaking simplicity makes it a common choice of both armed and special forces and individual gun owners and enthusiasts alike. Although the AK-47 is generally regarded as less accurate, less safe, and of limited shooting range in comparison to similarly calibrated firearms, its ease of operation, robustness to mistreatment, and negligible failure rate have firmly entrenched the weapon as the world&#39;s most popular small arms device. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the AK-47 (shown as a type-2 variation of the first Soviet model) is a selective-fire, gas operated 7.62×39 mm assault rifle that, in its original formulations, is easily recognizable by its wooden furniture consisting of a wood covered buttstock  2 , pistol grip  4 , and forend  6 . However, AK-style firearms have evolved over time to implement an extensive number of component changes and alterations, with modifications to, at least, the receiver, buttstock, ammunition caliber, pistol grip, sights, and materials. These changes are reflected in a wide variety of AK-47 variants which include, but are not limited to, firearms going by the common names of AK-47 (1948-51 models), AK-47 (1952 model), AKS, RPK, AKM, AKMS, AK-74 series (5.45 v 39 mm), AK-101/AK-102 series, AK-103/AK-104 series, AK-107/AK-108 series, AK-200 series, Saiga semi-automatic rifle and shotgun, and KSK shotgun. Additionally, military AK-type variants are produced in countries across the globe, from the Finnish RK 62, to the Israeli IMI Galil, to the Hungarian AK-55, to the Chinese AK-56 and the Serbian M92 (with numerous other nations, and their version, not listed but contemplated in referencing the gun). As would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, the AK-47 and all variants are intended to be covered when using the phrases AK-47, AK-type. AK-style, and/or AK-47 variants. 
     As is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, to fire an AK-47, or one of its variants, the operator inserts a magazine  8  loaded with bullets/cartridges/rounds  34  into the magazine well  10  of the receiver  12 , moves the selector lever  66  to the lowest position, pulls back and releases the charging handle, aims, and then pulls the trigger  20 . As each bullet travels through the barrel  50 , a portion of the gases expanding behind it is diverted into the gas tube above the barrel  50 , where it impacts the gas piston. The piston, in turn, is driven backward, pushing the bolt carrier, which causes the bolt  32  to move backwards, ejecting the spent round, and chambering a new round when the recoil spring pushes it back. Depending on the model being used and the selector setting, the firearm fires only once (semi-automatic), requiring the trigger to be released and depressed again for the next shot. With the selector in the middle position (full-automatic), however, the rifle continues to fire, automatically cycling fresh rounds into the chamber  36 , until the magazine is exhausted or pressure is released from the trigger  20 . The phrase “semi-automatic rifle” is hereinafter used to refer to firearms having both semi-automatic and fully automatic capabilities. 
     While the AK-47 and variants are generally regarded as providing a high rate of fire, the process of reloading an AK-47 has certain disadvantages that provide for less than optimal reload time and positioning. Specifically, to reload the AK-47 after a magazine is emptied of bullets, the firearm must be lowered from the firing position at the shoulder of the user in order to obtain sufficient leverage to remove the emptied magazine, while properly seating a new magazine  8  requires a combination of leverage and dexterity that can be unnecessarily time-consuming. 
       FIG. 2  is a prior art partial cross-section diagram of an AK-47, and traditional AK-47 ammunition magazine  8 , that—without belaboring the various firearm componentry, which are well known in the art—demonstrates generally how an ammunition magazine of the prior art is inserted, secured, and removed from the firearm during the reload process. The AK-47,  1 , has a receiver  12  having a bottom wall  14  from the opposite sides of which a pair of side walls  16   a ,  16   b  extend upwardly towards the gas tube  18 . The magazine well  10  is a rectangular opening in the bottom wall  14  of the receiver  12  for capturing an ammunition magazine  8  at a height sufficient to permit bolt  32  to strip a cartridge  34  (also referred to as a round or bullet) from the magazine  8  and push the cartridge  34  into firing chamber  36  in barrel  50 . A front trunion  40  is affixed within the front of the receiver  12  for securing the barrel  50  to the receiver  12 , and has a tab engaging rib  42  extending inwardly into the receiver&#39;s magazine well  10 . The tab engaging rib  42  works in conjunction with a spring-biased magazine latch  54 , as is well known in the art, to secure a standard tabbed ammunition magazine  8  within the magazine well  10  and receiver  12 . 
     The standard tabbed ammunition magazine  8  is designed to store thirty cartridges in stacked double rows. As generally shown in  FIG. 3 , the magazine  8  is of a size designed to fit securely within the magazine well  10 , and consists of an elongated and curved housing  80  having a substantially closed bottom end (BE) and a substantially open top end (TE) and two arcuate side walls  82   a ,  82   b  connected in opposition by a front wall  84  and a rear wall  86 . Front magazine wall  84  has an engagement tab  88 , while back magazine wall  86  has a magazine catch  90 . 
     As is well known in the art, the magazine&#39;s  8  top end (TE) is inserted into the magazine well  10  by tipping housing  80  forward so that the engagement tab  88  comes into contact with the tab engaging rib  42  of the front trunion  40 . The catching of engagement tab  88  on the tab engaging rib  42  acts a pivot point for rotating the tabbed magazine  8  in an upward and rearward direction (a rocker-type motion) towards the receiver  12  until the magazine catch  90  snap catches into place above the magazine latch  54  (as is shown in  FIG. 2 ). The magazine is removed by pressing the magazine latch  54  toward the housing  80 , and then swinging magazine  8  forward and in a downward direction out of the magazine well  10 . These traditional methods of loading (“pivot seating”) and unloading (“pivot release”) an AK-type firearm with an ammunition magazine are hereinafter referred to as “pivot action.” 
     As a practical matter, the AK-47 must be removed from even the most skilled and experienced firearm operator&#39;s shoulder in order to obtain the necessary leverage to properly seat the engagement tab  88  onto the tab engaging rib  42  and swivel the magazine  8  into the receiver&#39;s magazine well  10 . This has the disadvantage of forcing the user to temporarily aim the weapon away from the target while the weapon is reloaded, and in combat situations is a dangerously time-consuming process. An AK-type firearm that permitted push-button magazine ejection (also referred to as drop release)—without modifying the firearm&#39;s receiver—would dramatically improve reload times and permit the operator to maintain their aim during reload. 
     Additionally, many firearm enthusiast and collectors own and enjoy shooting various versions of AK-type firearms available on the market—many of which have made slight modifications to the receiver  12  that require use of the weapon only in conjunction with their gun specific ammunition magazines. Gun owners would benefit from an ammunition magazine that when used in conjunction with a magazine well adapter of the present invention—could be interchangeably used amongst various AK-type firearms. 
     Therefore, what is needed is an AK-type firearm magazine well adapter, associated magazines, and adaptor kits, that overcome one or more deficiencies in the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of this invention, an apparatus for use with an AK-type firearm, comprises a magazine well adapter having an adapter body with an attachment end adapted to be releasably mated with a magazine well of an associated AK-type firearm, and a receiving end adapted to receive an associated modified ammunition magazine, and a release mechanism adapted to releasably engage the associated modified ammunition magazine. 
     According to another embodiment, a kit for use with an associated AK-type firearm comprises a magazine well adapter having an adapter body with an attachment end adapted to be received and secured within a magazine well of an associated AK-type firearm, and a receiving end adapted to receive an associated modified ammunition magazine; a release mechanism adapted to releasably engage the associated modified ammunition magazine; and a modified ammunition magazine having a locking component that is selectively engaged by the magazine well adapter&#39;s release mechanism. 
     According to another embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus comprising an unmodified AK-type firearm having a magazine well; a magazine well adapter having an adapter body with an attachment end releasably mated with the magazine well, a receiving end adapted to receive an associated modified ammunition magazine, and a release mechanism adapted to releasably engage the associated modified ammunition magazine; and a modified ammunition magazine releasably secured within the magazine well adapter and magazine well. 
     The magazine well adapter of the present invention, and the associated ammunition magazines and kits detailed herein, enable owners of AK-type firearms to achieve push-button ejection of an ammunition magazine without modifying the receiver of the firearm. Such push-button ejection allows for the spent magazine to be dropped free of the AK-type firearm without pivot release from the magazine well, and permits reloading without removing the firearm from the user&#39;s shoulder. 
     Another feature of the magazine well adapter of the present invention, and the associated ammunition magazines and kits detailed herein, is that the receiver of an AK-type firearm does not need to be modified in order to load an ammunition magazine without pivot seating, and permits reloading without removing the firearm from the user&#39;s shoulder. 
     Another feature of the magazine well adapter of the present invention, and the associated ammunition magazines and kits detailed herein, is that the magazine well adapter can be installed and removed from the AK-type firearm without modification to the firearm&#39;s receiver. Thus, standard tabbed AK-type magazines can still be used when the magazine well adapter is disassembled from the AK-type firearm. 
     Still another feature of the present invention is that the magazine well adapter&#39;s ability to achieve reload without pivot action permits reloading without removing the firearm from the user&#39;s shoulder; effectively eliminating unnecessary user motion and decreasing reload time, thus increasing the firing rate of the AK-type firearm, while allowing the user to maintain their aim during reload. 
     Another feature of the present invention is that a modified ammunition magazine of the kits, detailed herein, can be used interchangeably with various magazine well adapters for a specific AK-type firearm. 
     Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an AK-47 assault rifle of the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  shows a partial cross-sectional side view of an AK-47 and installed ammunition magazine of the prior art; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a standard tabbed AK-47 ammunition magazine of the prior art; 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of the magazine well adapter according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  shows the opposite side view of the magazine well adapter according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the magazine well adapter according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  shows a bottom view of the magazine well adapter, with the release mechanism in an engagement position, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  shows a top view of the magazine well adapter, with the release mechanism in a release position, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of an AK-type firearm and partially assembled magazine well adapter, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of a magazine well adapter fully assembled onto an AK-type firearm, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  shows a side view of a modified ammunition magazine of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of a magazine well adapter fully assembled onto an AK-type firearm, along with a modified ammunition magazine, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of a magazine well adapter fully assembled onto an AK-type firearm, along with a modified ammunition magazine fully assembled/loaded into the magazine well adapter and AK-type firearm magazine well, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of a modified magazine fully assembled/loaded into the magazine well adapter, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  shows a side view of an embodiment of the magazine well adapter designed for use with a Saiga® assault rifle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, and wherein like reference numerals are understood to refer to like components,  FIGS. 4-7  show an AK-type firearm magazine well adapter  100 , according to one or more embodiments of this invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the magazine well adapter  100  has an adapter body  102  and a release mechanism  120 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , and further described below, in some embodiments the adapter body  102  has an attachment end  130  with a top opening  114  and design features and dimensions that permit it to be securely and releasably mated (“installed”) in an AK-type firearm magazine well  10  without any modification to the firearm&#39;s receiver  12 . The adapter body  102  also has a receiving end  140  with a bottom opening  116  having dimensions that permit an associated modified ammunition magazine  800  to inserted into, and be secured within, the magazine well adapter  100  and associated magazine well  10 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the adapter body  102  may be comprised of four walls: a front wall  104 , a rear wall  106 , and two side walls  108 ,  110 . The inner sides of the four walls  104   a ,  106   a ,  108   a ,  110   a  define a magazine cavity  112 . The magazine cavity  112  is of a size suitable to operatively receive and secure (collectively, “load”) a modified AK-type firearm ammunition magazine  800 . In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , the magazine cavity  112  is of substantially rectangular shape to accommodate receipt of the modified ammunition magazine  800 . In other embodiments, generally shown in  FIG. 4 , the top opening  114  and bottom opening  116  are both of rectangular shape, but the top opening  114  is smaller than the bottom opening  116 . At the attachment end  130 , the outer walls  104   b ,  106   b ,  108   b ,  110   b  of the adapter body  102  are of a size and dimension that are substantially identical to, but no smaller than, the size of the magazine well  10 . 
     The assembly and disassembly of the magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention is substantially similar to the process of loading and releasing a traditional tabbed ammunition magazine  8  into an AK-type firearm. Indeed, the attachment end  130  of the magazine well adapter  100  has two design features that mimic the function of a traditional ammunition magazine&#39;s engagement tab  88  and magazine catch  90  in order to releasably install the magazine well adapter  100  in much the same way that the traditional tabbed magazine is releasably installed/loaded into an AK-type firearm. With reference now to  FIGS. 4-7 , the first design feature is the provision of a riser  132  and seating flange  134 . The riser is operatively located on or near the front wall  102  and rises above the top opening  114 . The seating flange  134  is attached to the riser  132  and is located in a substantially perpendicular position relative to the riser  132 , and extends away from the magazine cavity  112 . The seating flange  134  acts in much the same manner as the engagement tab  88  of the traditional ammunition magazine  8 . The second design feature is the provision of an adapter catch  136 , located on the rear wall  106   b  of the adapter body  102  below the top opening  114 , that acts in much the same manner as the magazine catch  90  of the traditional ammunition magazine  8 . 
     The magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention can be installed and removed from the AK-type firearm without modifying the receiver  12 . Much as a traditional tabbed magazine  8  is loaded into an AK-type firearm, the magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention is assembled into the magazine well  10  of an AK-type firearm by tipping the magazine well adapter  100  forward so that the riser  132  and seating flange  134  are situated in close proximity to the portion of the magazine well  100  closest to the firearm&#39;s front trunion  40 . Next, the seating flange  134  is moved so that it comes into contact with the tab engaging rib  42  of the front trunion  40 . The catching of seating flange  134  on the tab engaging rib  42  acts as a pivot point for rotating the magazine well adapter  100  in an upward and rearward direction towards the receiver  12  until the adapter catch  136  snap catches into place above the firearm&#39;s magazine latch  54  (as is shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) (pivot seating). The magazine well adapter  100  is removed/disassembled by pressing the magazine latch  54  toward the magazine well adapter  100 , and then swinging magazine well adapter  100  forward and in a downward direction out of the magazine well  10  (pivot release). 
     Once the magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention is installed into an AK-type firearm magazine well  10 , the AK-type firearm can achieve push-button magazine ejection (drop release) when used in conjunction with a non-tabbed (modified) ammunition magazine  800 ; in essence, pivot action is no longer necessary during magazine loading or magazine removal. As generally shown in  FIG. 11 , in one embodiment a modified AK-type ammunition magazine  800  is substantially identical in size and shape to the traditional tabbed magazine  8 —with two exceptions. First, the modified magazine  800  does not have the engagement tab  88  and magazine catch  90  of a traditional tabbed AK-47 magazine  8 ; this permits the modified magazine  800  to be releasably secured within the magazine well  10  by the release mechanism  120  of an installed magazine well adapter  100  (instead of using pivot action, as a traditional magazine  8  would, to seat the magazine  8  within the magazine well  10 ). Second, the modified magazine  800  has a locking component  801  located on a side wall  82   a ,  82   b . The locking component  801 , as would be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art, can be any feature capable of working with a release mechanism  120  to releasably secure a modified magazine  800  within the magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the locking component  801  of the modified ammunition magazine  800  can be a recessed cutout notch  802  on a side wall  82   a . The cutout notch  802  works in cooperation with the magazine well adapter  100  release mechanism  120  to permit the modified ammunition magazine  800  to be releasably loaded into the magazine well adapter  100  and magazine well  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , according to one embodiment, a release mechanism  120  is operatively mounted, in a fashion chosen by any person of ordinary skill in the art, on an outer side wall  108   b  of the adapter body  102 . According to one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , the release mechanism  120  has a spring loaded/biased bar  122  with a hole  119  for receiving a pivot pin  121 . In one embodiment, the bar has an engagement component  129 . In one embodiment, the bar  122  operatively resides within brackets  123 —each having apertures  126  for securely receiving pivot pin  12 —that are mounted on side wall  108   b , as is well known in the art. In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , the bar  122  has a first end  122   a  with a pressure area  125 , in some embodiments also having a finger grip  126 , that—in cooperation with the brackets  123  and pivot pin  121 —transfers applied pressure so as to pivotably move the engagement component  129 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , the engagement component  129  is a cutout tab  124  located on a second end  122   b  of the bar  122 . Pivotal movement of the bar  122  causes the cutout tab  124  to move in a manner that releasably engages with (selectively resides within; engaged) (or outside of released) a cutout notch  802  of an associated modified AK-type ammunition magazine  800 . In this embodiment, the side wall  108  has an aperture  108   c  of a size and dimension capable of letting the release mechanism&#39;s cutout tab  124  pass through the outer wall  108  until it is operatively situated in an engagement position (EP) within the associated modified magazine&#39;s  800  cutout notch  802  when the magazine  800  is assembled into a loaded position (LP) within the magazine well adapter  100  and associated magazine well  10 . Importantly, the release mechanism  120  can also be interchangeably mounted on side wall  110   b , so long as the aperture  110   c  (not shown) is located on the same side wall  110 , and the cutout notch  802  is located on side wall  82   b . As would be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art, other release mechanisms  120  capable of cooperating with a modified magazine  800  locking component  801  are contemplated to fall within the scope of this invention. 
     The loading of a modified magazine  800  into an installed magazine well adapter  100  is shown in  FIGS. 12-14 . The modified magazine  800  can be releasably secured within the magazine well adapter  100  without pivot action of the magazine  800 . The modified magazine is moved substantially straight up until the bar  122  pivots the cutout tab  124  into the cutout notch  802  and the modified magazine  800  becomes releasably secured (loaded) within the magazine well adapter  100  and magazine well  10 . Similarly, when the release mechanism  120  is initiates to cause push-button ejection, pivotal movement of the bar  122 , such that the cutout tab  124  is removed from its position within the cutout notch  802 , causes the modified magazine  800  to drop substantially straight down out of the magazine well  10  and magazine well adapter  100 . As is shown in  FIG. 14 , when the modified magazine  800  is properly loaded into an AK-type firearm&#39;s installed magazine well adapter  100 , the top end (TE) of the modified magazine  800  has entered into the bottom opening  116  of the magazine well adapter  100 , and the release mechanism  120  has engaged the locking component  801  of the magazine housing  80  so as to releasably secure the modified magazine  800  housing  80  within the magazine cavity  112 . As is shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the loaded modified magazine  800  then resides at a depth where the top opening (TE) partially rises above the magazine well adapter&#39;s  100  top opening  114 , so as to operatively seat the modified magazine  800  within the magazine well  10  in a position where cartridges  34  can be operatively stripped from the modified magazine  800  and chambered by the bolt  32  for discharge during firearm operation, as is well known in the art. 
     With the modified magazine  800  properly loaded into the AK-type firearm, the user can fire the weapon until the modified magazine  800  is exhausted of bullets. Push-button drop ejection of the modified magazine  800  is achieved when the user applies pressure to the release mechanism&#39;s  120  pressure area  125 , or its finger grip  126 , to initiate the movement of the bar  122  into a release position (RP). As is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , applying pressure to the pressure area  125  of the spring-loaded bar  122  pivots the cutout tab  124  out of its engagement position (EP) within the magazine cavity  112  and magazine&#39;s cutout notch  802 , into a release position (RP) at least partially within the aperture  108   c . With the cutout tab  124  no longer residing within the cutout notch  802 , gravity pulls the modified magazine  800   s  down and out of the magazine well  10  and magazine well adapter  100 . Because pivot action is not required to load or eject the magazine  800 , a new modified magazine  800  can easily be loaded into the magazine well adapter  100  and magazine well  10  without the user removing the AK-type firearm from the shooting position on their shoulder. This efficient reload process, in turn, permits quicker reload, more rounds to be fired, and for target aim to be maintained during reload. 
     Due to the many variants intended to be covered by the present invention, it should be appreciated that many AK-type firearms—although utilizing functionally equivalent components—have tab engagement ribs  142  and magazine latch&#39;s  54  of different design, size, and specific location. Thus, as generally illustrated in  FIG. 15 , variations to the size and shape of the magazine well adapter&#39;s  100  riser  132 , seating flange  134 , and adapter catch  136  are contemplated to fall within the contours of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 15 , by way of just one non-limiting example, a magazine well adapter  100  specifically designed for use with a Saiga® brand 7.62×39 mm assault rifle must accommodate specific design features of the rifle&#39;s receiver  12 ; in this instance, the magazine well adapter&#39;s  100  seating flange  134  is of a greater size, and is chamfered so that it may act as a “bullet” guide for properly situating a cartridge  34  for chambering according the specific receiver  12  and trunion  40  configuration of the Saiga® rifle. Other modifications to the magazine well adapter  100  of the present invention may be required to impart the operability detailed above; all such modifications are contemplated to fall within the scope of the invention. Whatever modifications may be required to provide a magazine well adapter  100  for a specific AK-47 variant, however, the present invention permits a non-tabbed modified ammunition magazine  800  to be interchangeably used with an AK-type firearm of identical cartridge dimensions. This will save users money, as various AK-type firearms are designed so that they only work with proprietary magazines designed specifically to engage with their firearm variant receiver  12  and trunion  40  dimensions. 
     Numerous embodiments have been described herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.