Abstract:
Systems and methods for extracting cartridges from a carrier for loading onto a magazine speed loading tool are disclosed herein. Apparatuses described herein includes a cartridge carrier that is configured to host ammunition cartridges, a loading medium tool that is configured to transition the transfer of cartridges from a cartridge carrier onto a magazine speed loading tool and a comb shaped tool configured to eject cartridges from a carrier into a magazine speed loading tool. In an apparatus that configured to transition the transfer of cartridges from a carrier onto a magazine speed loading tool is a routing channel that is defined by three sides of the apparatus. The routing channel is configured to receive and route cartridges extracted from a carrier. Two parallel sides of the routing channel are configured to suspend a cartridge carrier a specified length from the routing channel and transfer halts to forward momentum to the carrier to eject cartridges from the carrier. The apparatus also includes extractor ledges, defined by obstructions on a plane parallel to the plane of the routing channel which run the same length as the routing channel. The extractor ledges are configured to strip ammunition from cartridge carriers. A funnel in the routing channel coupled with a proximal end of the routing channel is configured to consolidate ammunition extracted and placed onto the routing channel into a single row and pass it through the proximal end of the routing channel for dispensing into a magazine speed loading tool.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Loading ammunition from a clip is a common means for quickly loading ammunition cartridges into an ammunition magazine. However, commercially purchased ammunition is more commonly packaged in carriers which hold cartridges in stacked configurations of single or multiple parallel rows. Aside from loading individual cartridges into the magazine manually, the quickest method for loading ammunition from these carriers into a magazine is to transfer ammunition from a carrier onto a magazine speed loading tool for loading into a magazine. Though loading cartridges from a magazine speed loading tool into a magazine is quick, the process for transferring cartridges from a carrier into a speed loading tool is not, often requiring that individual cartridges be moved by hand one at a time from a carrier into the speed loading tool. Currently, there exists very few means for placing ammunition directly onto a speed loader quickly in bulk for loading into a magazine. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
           [0003]      FIG. 1A  is side angle views of typical single row carrier with perforations loaded with cartridges; 
           [0004]      FIG. 1B  is side angle views of typical multiple row carrier with perforations loaded with cartridges; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2A  is a side angle view of a loading medium tool for extracting multiple rows of cartridges simultaneously; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2B  is a front view of the loading medium tool for extracting multiple rows of cartridges simultaneously; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3A  is a top down view of a cartridges in a carrier inserted onto a loading medium tool configured for extracting multiple rows of cartridges simultaneously; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3B  is a side cross section view of a cartridges being held on the loading medium tool configured for multiple rows by extractor ledges as the carrier is lifted away from the cartridges; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3C  is a side view of the loading medium tool configured for multiple rows transferring cartridges into the loading opening of a typical magazine speed loading tool; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side angle view of a loading medium tool configured for extracting single rows of cartridges 
           [0011]      FIG. 5A  is a top down view of a cartridges in a carrier inserted onto a loading medium tool configured for extracting single rows of cartridges; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5B  is a side view of a cartridges being held on the loading medium tool configured for single rows by extractor ledges as the carrier is lifted away from the cartridges; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5C  is a side angle view of the loading medium tool configured for single rows transferring cartridges into the loading opening of a typical magazine speed loading tool; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a side angle view of the loading medium tool configured to extract cartridge by inertia; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7A  is a top down view of a carrier with ammunition placed onto the inertial extraction loading medium tool; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7B  is a side cross section view of the inertial extraction loading medium tool being hit against a foreign surface to extracted cartridges from the carrier by inertia; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a side angle view of an extraction comb; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a side angle view of cartridges on a carrier being urged from the carrier by the extraction comb and ejected into the loading opening of a typical magazine speed loading tool. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    The prior art method for loading cartridges stored in an cartridge carrier requires taking out individual cartridges from the cartridge carrier and loading them one by one into a magazine or onto a magazine speed loading tool for loading into a magazine. As this is time and labor intensive, it is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a system by which the cartridges contained on an ammunition carrier can be transferred in mass from an ammunition carrier onto a magazine speed loading tool, which in turn loads the cartridges into a magazine. As some magazine speed loading tools require that cartridges be placed in a single row configuration on the magazine speed loading tool to facilitate the urging cartridges from the magazine speed loading tool into a magazine, it is also an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a system by which cartridges on a carrier are consolidated into a single row for placing onto a magazine speed loading tool. 
         [0020]    An example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which the ammunition on a carrier is placed onto a loading medium tool and is stripped off its carrier by the loading medium tool for placing onto a magazine speed loading tool. Cartridges are stripped from the carrier by being placed on ledges on the loading medium tool which protrude into the extraction indentations of cartridges to hold the rims of the cartridges in place on the loading medium tool while the carrier is lifted away from the cartridges. The ledges restrict the perpendicular movement of cartridges to the plane of a routing channel, which runs lengthwise on the loading medium tool and guides cartridges through a consolidating funnel and out of the loading medium tool for dispensing onto a speed loading tool. The extraction ledges may further contain arced cut outs which assist the extraction ledges in wrapping partially around the cartridge indentations for greater surface area contact between the extraction ledges and cartridge rims. Once all the cartridge indentations on the carrier have been placed onto the ledges, the cartridges are angled parallel to the ground or diagonal to the ground with their flat primer sides facing toward the ground. As the cartridges are held between the extraction ledges and routing channel, the carrier supporting them is lifted away, allowing cartridges to roll down the extraction ledges by force of gravity onto the support of the routing channel. The routing channel guides cartridges toward the consolidating funnel and a bottom end opening on the loading medium tool. The consolidating funnel consolidates the cartridges into a single row configuration and the cartridges then exit through the bottom end opening and are dropped into the loading opening of a magazine speed loading tool. 
         [0021]    Another example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which ammunition on a carrier is transferred onto a loading medium tool, by force of inertia, for loading onto a magazine speed loading tool. This is accomplished with the assistance of the walls on the loading medium tool which couple with and suspend a carrier with ammunition a specific length away from a routing channel. The routing channel, which runs lengthwise in the loading medium tool, hosts and guides ammunition through the loading medium tool to a bottom end opening on the loading medium tool. The walls of the loading medium tool suspend a carrier with cartridges from the routing channel to such a length as to allow a cartridge to move away from the friction hold support of the carrier and come into contact with the routing channel at one end of the cartridge while its weight is still supported by the carrier at the opposite end of the cartridge. Cartridges exit from the carrier and come into contact with the routing channel by overcoming the friction applied onto them by the carrier. This friction is overcome by applying forward momentum to the cartridges in conjunction with ceasing momentum in the carrier and routing channel. This is accomplished by applying rapid forward acceleration onto the loading medium tool, carrier and cartridges, and then bringing an abrupt stop in forward momentum to the carrier and loading medium tool only. This is preferably accomplished by hitting a loading medium tool hosting a carrier with ammunition against a foreign surface with the repository channel between the cartridges and the foreign surface. The impact of the loading medium tool with the foreign surface causes a sudden halt in the forward momentum of the loading medium tool, which transfers to the tangent carrier, but only partially to the cartridges. The cartridges, still having forward inertial momentum, overcome the friction applied onto them by the carrier and move in the direction of the foreign surface until stopped by the routing channel. The support of the weight of the cartridges still lies on the carrier, as ends of cartridges are still in the carrier, and is only transferred onto the routing channel by lifting the carrier away from the cartridges. Once the carrier is lifted away and support of the cartridges lies on the routing channel, the routing channel guides the cartridges toward a consolidating funnel and bottom end opening on the loading medium tool with the assistance of gravity as the loading medium tool is angled diagonally or perpendicularly to the ground. Cartridges passing through the consolidating funnel are consolidated into a single row configuration and exit through the bottom end opening into a magazine speed loading tool coupled with the loading medium tool. 
         [0022]    Another example embodiment of the present invention is a process by which the cartridges on a carrier are pressed out of the carrier onto a magazine speed loading tool by urging the ends of the cartridges placed into the carrier out of the carrier, accessing these ends through perforations in the carrier. This is accomplished with the assistance of a comb shaped tool which contains teeth that correspond to perforations on the carrier. The comb teeth are inserted into the carrier perforations where they press the inserted cartridge ends toward the openings through which the cartridges were inserted into the carrier. This is done by overcoming the friction forces placed onto the cartridges by the carrier. Once the friction forces are overcome, the cartridges eject from the carrier directly onto magazine speed loading tool placed adjacent to the carrier. 
         [0023]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , an ammunition carrier  202  is a generally elongated rectangular box shaped container embedded with multiple cartridge holding compartments  207 . The cartridge holding compartments are accessed by hole openings  211  located on a top face side  210  of the carrier  202  and are configured to host and grip cartridges  200  in the carrier  202  by friction. The hole openings  211  are generally lined in rows on the top face side  210 , and carriers  202  often host single or multiple rows of hole openings  211 , organized in a parallel configuration. The carrier  202  also contains perforations  206  on its sides, other than the top face side  210 , which expose the tips  208  or flat primer sides  204  of cartridges  200  through the sides of the carrier  202 . 
         [0024]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the loading medium tool  101  is a generally elongated rectangular box shaped container that defines a routing channel  102  running lengthwise through it, which serves to direct and dispense cartridges  200  onto a magazine speed loading tool  201 . A top opening  103  and bottom opening  104  are located on opposite ends of the loading medium tool  101 . Openings  103 ,  104  are tangent to both ends of the routing channel  102 . The top opening  103  preferably allows for the insertion of cartridges  200  on a carriers  202  while the bottom opening  104  preferably allows for the dispensing of cartridges  200  out of the loading medium tool  101 . Loading medium tool  101  defines a consolidating funnel  109  in the routing channel  102 , which is positioned between the top opening  103  and bottom opening  104 . The consolidating funnel  109  consolidates multiple rows of cartridges  200  placed into the routing channel  102  into a single row for passage through the bottom opening  104  and loading into the loading opening  209  of a magazine speed loading tool  201  coupled with the bottom opening  104 . In an embodiment, the consolidating funnel  109  comprises two non-parallel, non-tangent planar slopes which narrow toward a common focal point, whose broad opening widens in the routing channel  102  to the same width as the top opening  103  and whose narrow opening is coupled to the bottom opening  104 . Loading medium tool  101  defines a side opening  105  in the routing channel  102 , which is positioned between openings  103 ,  104 . The side opening  105 , located opposite of the routing channel  102 , allows for the insertion and extraction of carriers  202  with or without cartridges  200  into and out of the loading medium tool  101 . Loading medium tool  101  defines extractor ledges  106  in the routing channel  102 , which are positioned between the routing channel  102  and side opening  105  on a plane parallel to the routing channel  102 . The extractor ledges  106  run parallel to one another throughout the length of the loading medium tool  101  and host cartridges  200  in the space between the extractor ledges  106 . The extractor ledges  106  protrude into the indentations  205  of hosted cartridges  200  which fastens cartridges rims  203  in a space between the extractor ledges  106  and the routing channel  102  known as the rim gap  112 . This fastening prevents perpendicular movement of cartridges  200  to the plane of the routing channel  102 . In an embodiment, the extractor ledges  106  contain arced cutouts  107 , which correspond to the extraction indentations  205  on cartridges  200  and allow the extractor ledges  106  wrap partially around the curvature of the extraction indentations  205 . This assists the extractor ledges  106  in forming greater surface area contact with cartridge rims  203 , so as to allow the extractor ledges  106  to better ground cartridges  200  to the routing channel  102  during the stripping of cartridges  200  from a carrier  202 . 
         [0025]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C, a system and method for transferring cartridges  200  from a carrier  202  onto a loading medium tool  101  for loading onto a magazine speed loading tool  201  involves fastening multiple rows of cartridges  200  onto extractor ledges  106  on the loading medium tool  101  and pulling the carrier  202  from the cartridges  200  to separate them by overcoming the friction hold applied onto the cartridges  200  by the cartridge holding compartments  207  of the carrier  202 . A carrier  202  with cartridges  200  is placed onto the routing channel  102  through the top opening  103  of the loading medium tool  101  with the flat primer sides  204  of the cartridges  200  facing into the routing channel  102 . The cartridges  200  are placed onto the extractor ledges  106 , with the extractor ledges  106  protruding into the indentations  205 , and travel in contact with the extractor ledges  106  as they are slid down the routing channel  102  on the carrier  202 . Once all of the extraction indentations  205  are slid onto the extractor ledges  106 , arced cutouts  107  on the extractor ledges  106 , which correspond to the extraction indentations  205 , fasten partially around the curvatures of the extraction indentations  205 , allowing the extractor ledges  106  to form a greater surface area hold on the cartridge rims  203 . The extractor ledges  106  hold the rims  203  of cartridges  200  in the rim gap  112  between the extractor ledges  106  and the routing channel  102  and prohibit perpendicular movement of the cartridges  200  to the plane of the routing channel  102 . While the cartridge rims  203  are held by the extractor ledges  106 , the loading medium tool  101  hosting the carrier  202  with cartridges  200  is angled to be diagonal or near perpendicular with the ground with the flat primer sides  204  of cartridges  200  facing into the ground. The carrier  202  is lifted away through the side opening  105  as the cartridges  200 , restricted from perpendicular movement to the plane of the routing channel  106 , stay in place on the loading medium tool  102 . The ammunition cartridges  200 , now no longer supported by the carrier  202 , roll parallel to the plane of the routing channel  102  by influence of gravity, losing tangency with the arced cutouts  107  and extractor ledges  106 , and fall toward the consolidating funnel  109  and bottom opening  104  of the routing channel  102 . Passing through the consolidating funnel  109 , the cartridges  200  consolidate into a single row and pass through the bottom opening  104  where it is dropped into the loading opening  209  of a magazine speed loading tool  201 . 
         [0026]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 A,  5 B and  5 C, a system and method for transferring cartridges  200  from a carrier  202  onto a loading medium tool  101  for loading onto a magazine speed loading tool  201  involves fastening a row of cartridges  200  onto extractor ledges  106  on the loading medium tool  101  and pulling the carrier  202  from the cartridges  200  to separate them by overcoming the friction hold applied onto the cartridges  200  by the cartridge holding compartments  207  of the carrier  202 . Single rows of cartridges  200  in a carrier  202  are inserted through the top opening  103  or side opening  105  of the loading medium tool  101 , with the cartridge flat primer sides  204  pointed into the routing channel  102 , onto the extractor ledges  106  in such a manner as to allow the extractor ledges  106  to protrude into the cartridge indentations  205 . A row of cartridges  200  in a carrier  202  is placed onto the extractor ledges  106  through the top opening  103  by sliding the extraction indentations  205  of the cartridges  200  between two extractor ledges  106 , which pin the cartridge rims  203  between the extractor ledges  106  and the routing channel  102 . A row of cartridges  200  in a carrier  202  is placed onto the extractor ledges  106  through the side opening  105  by urging the rims  203  of the cartridges  200  against the extractor ledges  106  until they flex, creating a wider gap of spacing between each extractor ledge  106  to allow passage for the rims  203  between the extractor ledges  106 . The extractor ledges  106  are assisted in flexing by slopes  108  on the extractor ledges  106 , located on the sides of the extractor ledges  106  closest to the side opening  105 . The slopes  108  translate the directional movement of the cartridge rims  203  toward the routing channel  102  into sideways movement for the extractor ledges  106 , allowing them to flex to create a wider gap between each other. After the rims  203  move past the extractor ledges  106 , the extractor ledges  106  contract back to their original positions and fasten around the extraction indentations  205 , trapping the extraction indentations  205  between the extraction edges  106  with the cartridge rims  203  in the rim gap  112  between the extractor ledges  106  and the routing channel  102 . Once the extraction indentations  205  on the row of cartridges  200  are placed onto the extractor ledges  106 , fastening the cartridges  200  in place on the loading medium tool  101 , the carrier  202  supporting the cartridges  200  is lifted away from the cartridges  200 , transferring the support of the cartridges on the routing channel  102 . The loading medium tool  101  is then angled to be diagonal or perpendicular with the ground, urging the cartridges  200  on the routing channel  102 , by force of gravity, to fall through the bottom opening  104  where it is dropped into the loading opening  209  of a magazine speed loading tool  201 . 
         [0027]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 A, and  7 B, a system and method for transferring cartridges  200  from a carrier  202  onto a loading medium tool  101  for loading onto a magazine speed loading tool  201  involves applying forward inertia and momentum onto cartridges  200  to dislodge the cartridges  200  from the friction hold applied onto them by the cartridge holding compartments  207  of the carrier  202 . In order to apply forward inertia onto cartridges  200 , a carrier  202  with cartridges  200  is suspended a specific length of distance from the routing channel  102 , known as the exit gap  110 , with the flat primer sides  204  of the cartridges  200  facing into the routing channel  102 . The exit gap  110  is defined by the distance between the routing channel  102  and the carrier  202  which allows cartridges  200  to move out of the carrier  202  beyond the friction hold applied onto the cartridges  200  by cartridge holding compartments  207  while prohibiting cartridges  200  from moving out to such an extent that the weight of the cartridges  200  are no longer supported by the carrier  200  through the cartridge tips  208 , which are still in the carrier  202 . A set of multiple suspending walls  111 , which protrude from and run perpendicular to the routing channel  102  assist in suspending the carrier  202  with cartridges  200  from the routing channel  102  by supporting the top face side  210  of the carrier  202  while leaving an unobstructed path for cartridges  200  to move onto the routing channel  102 . The suspending walls  111 , while maintaining the distance between the carrier  202  and the routing channel  102 , also prohibit the lateral movement of the carrier  202  along a plane parallel to the plane of the routing channel  102 . Forward inertia and momentum is applied onto the cartridges  200  by rapidly accelerating the assembly composed of the loading medium tool  101  and carrier  202  with cartridges  200  and bringing the medium loading tool  101  and carrier  202  to an abrupt stop. In an embodiment, the assembly is hit against a foreign surface  124  to accomplish this, with the medium loading tool  101  coming into contact with the foreign surface  124  while the routing channel  102  is between the cartridges  200  and the foreign surface  124  and the cartridges  200  are between the routing channel  102  and carrier  202 . The abrupt halt in movement to the loading medium tool  101  and routing channel  102 , which is transferred to the carrier  202  by the suspending walls  111 , is weakly transferred to the cartridges  200  by the friction hold of the cartridge holding compartments  207  of the carrier  202 . The residual forward momentum, or inertia, in the cartridges  200  overcomes the friction hold of the cartridge holding compartments  207  and ejects cartridges  200  from the carrier  202  over the entire length of the exit gap  110  onto the routing channel  102 . The cartridge tips  208  which still remain in the carrier  202  allow for the support of the weight of the cartridges  200  to remain on the carrier  202 . The loading medium tool  101  and carrier  202  with cartridges  200  are then sloped diagonal or near perpendicular to the ground, with the cartridge flat primer sides  204  facing toward the ground and the carrier  202  is lifted away from the cartridges  200 . This shifts the support of the cartridges  200  from the carrier  202  onto the routing channel  102  where, by influence of gravity, the cartridges  200  move toward to the consolidating funnel  109  and bottom opening  104  of the loading medium tool  101 . The cartridges  200 , passing through the consolidating funnel  109 , consolidate into a single row and pass through the bottom opening  104  where they are dropped into the loading opening  209  of a magazine speed loading tool  201 . 
         [0028]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIG. 8 , an extraction comb  123  is a generally elongated rectangular bar  120  with multiple prongs  121  protruding from it on a long side  125 . The prongs  121 , which are also generally elongated rectangular bars, are coupled to long side  125  at a prong proximal ends  126  and run perpendicular to the rectangular bar  120 . The prongs  121  are spaced to correspond with the perforations  206  on cartridge carriers  202  and on the ends of the prongs  121  opposite to the prong proximal ends  126  are teeth  122  for urging the tips  208  of cartridges  200  out of carriers  202 . 
         [0029]    In reference to example embodiments disclosed in  FIG. 9 , a system and method for stripping cartridges  200  from a carrier  202  onto a magazine speed loading tool  201  involves urging cartridges  200  out of the carrier  202  by urging the ends of the cartridges  200  placed into the carrier  202 . This is accomplished by inserting the teeth  122  of an extraction comb  123  through the perforations  206  on a carrier  202  to urge the tips  208  of the cartridges  200  in the carrier  202  toward the hole openings  211  of the carrier  200 . The force of the comb teeth  122  pressing the cartridge tips  208  toward the hole openings  211  overcomes the friction imposed on the cartridges  200  by the cartridge holding compartments  208 . This allows the cartridges  200  to eject from the carrier  200  through the hole openings  211  into the loading opening  209  of a magazine speed loading tool  201 , positioned beneath the hole openings  211 , adjacent to the cartridge flat primer sides  204 , to receive the ejected cartridges  200 . 
         [0030]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment.