Abstract:
A soft magazine or pouch for belted machine gun ammunition is disclosed. The pouch has a metal or plastic top with flexible sides and bottom made of woven fabric. The sides have internal pockets that carry plastic panels for structural support. One side also has an external pocket that carries a link injector. The bottom is held to the sides by a circumferential zipper that wraps around a majority of the perimeter of the sides, leaving a fabric hinge. Then by unzipping the zipper, the bottom swings open to permit filling the pouch with ammunition.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The machine gun is a principal weapon in any modern arsenal. Like any other weapon, the employment and use of the machine gun is restrained by cost, time, and utility. Such restrains also apply to machine gun ammunition, which is needed in great quantities to support any military operation. Consequently, machine gun ammunition must be able to be deployed and handled rapidly at lowest cost. 
     Invariably the handling of machine gun ammunition presents several logistical concerns during field use, unprotected machine gun ammunition is subjected to exposure to water, dust, and debris, which can cause the gun to malfunction, presenting a major risk during combat. To minimize this risk, machine gun ammunition is put into ammunition boxes, and is often put on belts to function with the self-loading mechanism of most machine guns. The ammunition package or container must also be designed so that it does not interfere with other military objectives. For example, it must require little maintenance. 
     Flexibility is a significant prerequisite to achieving a successful military force. A modem military operation requires participants that can rapidly adapt to changed environmental conditions, reinforced opposing forces, altered objectives, and revised tactics. In response to such variables, a gunner must be able to change the amount of ammunition needed for a given objective. The gunner will have to subdivide ammunition into usable lengths and package it for transport, often at a moment&#39;s notice. 
     Logistical considerations for handling ammunition are not new. Over the years since the first machine guns were introduced, inventors have developed ways of holding conveniently-sized quantities of ammunition at the ready. Most inventors have simply chosen various forms of metal boxes sized according to the dimensions of the ammunition cartridges and equipped with lids for loading and handles for carrying. A typical example of this type of box is U.S. Pat. No. 2,401,762, issued to Irasek. However, these boxes, despite achieving basic utility at moderate cost, are obsolete. Metal boxes are heavy, rust-prone, and noisy when handled. 
     Recognizing the shortcomings of metal boxes, some inventors have tried designs using fabric or plastic. A flexible, fabric pouch for machine gun ammunition is currently in use. However, this pouch is difficult to refill with ammunition because it has a zippered slit on the bottom. It is difficult to fit a belt of ammunition through a slit. Therefore an improved ammunition pouch is needed that will be lighter and easier to use than prior art pouches. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly recited and according to its major aspects, the present invention is a semi-rigid fabric pouch designed to hold belted ammunition for a machine gun such as the M-249 and Mark 48. The pouch is essentially rectangular in shape and has a top that mates with the machine gun. The top of the pouch is rigid and is attached to its flexible sides and a bottom, all of which are made of woven fabric. The sides have interior pockets that hold stiff panels to give structural reinforcement to the pouch. One of the sides has an external pocket designed to hold a link injector. The bottom is attached to the sides by a circumferential zipper and a fabric hinge, which, when the zipper is unzipped, allows the bottom to act as a lid to facilitate refilling the pouch, and when zipped, prevents dust and debris intrusion. There is also means for holding the zipper in the closed or zipped position. 
     A key advantage of the present invention is the use of reinforced fabric. The fabric and side-panel construction does not corrode, is light-weight, and maintains its shape even when the gun is supported by the pouch. The ability of the pouch to maintain its shape also facilitates rapid loading. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is the retention of the link ejector in the external pocket. Keeping the link ejector in the external pocket makes the link ejector handy for the user. Furthermore, the pocket is positioned to hold the ejector near the top opening where it can be attached to the first round of ammunition of the belt. The ammunition belt can thus be quickly fed into a gun using the link ejector, but also securely held during transport and storage. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is the circumferential zipper and fabric hinge for the bottom lid. The hinge and zipper allow a user to rapidly and easily refill the pouch with ammunition when opened, while keeping out dust and debris when closed 
     Still another advantage of the present ammo pouch design is the sound-deadening aspect of the side construction. The use of two fabric panels with a plastic panel in between helps to muffle the sound of the ammunition in the pouch. 
     Other features and their advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art of firearm accessory design and fabrication from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments accompanied by the following drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the pouch as loaded with ammunition with the bottom closed; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  2 — 2  of FIG. 4 showing the loading of ammunition into the pouch with the bottom open; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view showing the bottom closed; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view showing the bottom open, and 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom cross-sectional view taken along lines  5 — 5  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a rectangular-shaped pouch or enclosure with a top made of rigid material, such as metal, composite, or molded plastic, and sides and a bottom made of flexible, woven fabric. The fabric is any commercially available military type that is wear and rot resistant, and preferably made of a ballistic material such as KEVLAR. The fabric pieces (sides) are attached by conventional methods used for fabricating bags and containers for military use, such as by sewing and/or gluing. The sides have interior pockets dimensioned to hold stiff plastic side panels. The side panels provide structural support for the pouch. In the preferred embodiment, the same type of fabric will be used to form the bottom and a hinge that joins the bottom to one of the sides. The fabric will also be used to form an exterior pocket on one side that is dimensioned to hold a link ejector. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an ammunition pouch generally indicated by reference number  10 . A top  12  is formed to mate with sides  14 , which are fastened to top  12  with rivets  16 , thus forming the upper part of the enclosure. In the preferred embodiment, top  12  is made of metal, however other materials, such as composites or plastics, could be used. In such alternative embodiments, the manner in which top  12  is fastened to sides  14  can be adjusted to suit the most efficient process, e.g. sewing, heat staking, integral molding, etc. Top  12  also carries a receiver interface  20  that allows a user to mount pouch  10  to a machine gun (not shown). In the preferred embodiment, receiver interface  20  is a clip, although other retention systems are foreseeable if pouch  10  is adapted for other weapons other than the M-249 and Mark 48. 
     Running along the perimeter of the bottom edge of at least three of four sides  14  is a circumferential zipper  22 . A reinforcement collar  24  provides a sewing edge to secure three of sides  14  to zipper  22 . Reinforcement collar  24  also gives the bottom of pouch  10  a rectangular shape suitable to receive belted ammunition  30 . In the preferred embodiment, zipper  22  and reinforcement collar  24  are made of plastic, however various other commonly available corrosion-resistant materials, such as brass, could also be used. 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, a link ejector pocket  32  is shown attached to one of sides  14 . Link ejector pocket  32  is located so that enough ammunition  30  protrudes from an outlet  34  in top  12  to allow a link ejector  36  to be connected to ammunition  30  and firmly held in link ejector pocket  32 , thus preventing ammunition  30  from flapping and working loose. In the preferred embodiment, link ejector pocket  32  is made from the same material as sides  14  and is sewn to side  14 . Other embodiments may use other commercially available materials, such as plastic, and other fastening methods, such as gluing, for link ejector pocket  32 . When the user loads the machine gun, link ejector  36  is removed from link ejector pocket  32  and placed into an open receiver. Once link ejector  36  is removed from link ejector pocket  32 , belted ammunition  30  may be fed freely from outlet  34  by link ejector into the feed tray (not shown). Any link remaining in the tray will be pushed out by the ejector. Then link ejector can be pulled through the feed tray from the other side to position the next round for firing. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of pouch  10  with a bottom  40  in the open position. In the preferred embodiment, bottom  40  is retained to one of sides  14  by a fabric hinge  42  and is formed of the same woven fabric as sides  14 . Hinge  42  consists of an extension flap  44 , which is a piece of woven fabric integrated to bottom  40 , and a reinforcing strip  46 , which partially covers the resulting seam between bottom  40  and side  14 . Extension flap  44  is sewn to the lower exterior of side  14 , and reinforcing strip  46  is sewn to the innerside of bottom  40  and the inner side of side  14  (shown on FIG.  5 ). 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, zipper  22  runs along the lower edge of three sides  14 . However, another embodiment where zipper  22  runs along the edge of all sides  14  is possible. In the preferred embodiment, reinforcing strip  46  provides a positive stop for zipper  22 . In the alternative embodiment where zipper  22  runs along the edge of all sides  14 , reinforcing strip  46  covers the portion of zipper  22  that runs along the edge of side  14  corresponding to hinge  42 . In the alternative embodiment, reinforcing strip  46  also provides a positive stop for zipper  22 . In both embodiments, bottom  40  is moved to the open position by unzipping circumferential zipper  22  to a stop and then rotating bottom  40  about hinge  42 . With bottom  40  in the open position, ammunition  30  may be conveniently placed into pouch  10 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a bottom view of pouch  10  with bottom  40  in the closed position, i.e. with zipper  22  is fully zipped. Hinge  42  is also shown in FIG. 4, with bottom  40  shown in the open position. When zipper  22  is fully zipped, a zipper retention means may be employed to hold zipper  22  in the fully zipped position. In the preferred embodiment, the zipper retention means consists of a zipper retainer strap  50 , which is sewn to one of sides  14 , and a retainer strap anchor  52 , which is sewn to bottom  40 . A hook and loop retention system is to be used on both strap  50  and anchor  52 , although other retention systems, such as buttons, may be used in other embodiments. Drain holes  54  are also integrated in bottom  40  to allow water to drain from pouch  10 . 
     Referring to FIG.  2  and FIG. 5, stiff side panels  60  are shown in sides  14 . In the preferred embodiment, side panels  60  are made of plastic. The plastic is flexible enough to bend without shattering due to impacts, is thin enough to keep weight and bulk to a minimum, and is strong enough to provide support for the gun. Since sides  14  are made of a woven fabric, they are not capable of providing structural support when loaded in compression, especially when pouch  10  is not full. Side panels  60  provide structural support for pouch  10  when loaded in compression to facilitate loading and storage. Sides  14  have two layers of woven fabric: an inner layer  62  and an outer layer  64 . Inner layer  62  is sewn to outer layer  64  creating a gap in between. The gap and sewn edges of the layers define pockets that are dimensioned so that side panels  60  will be retained once inserted in the pockets. 
     It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of firearm accessory design and fabrication that many changes and substitutions can be made to the foregoing preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, defined by the appended claims.