Abstract:
An assembly for supporting gun magazines comprising: a plurality of readily connectable and disconnectable, pouches, each comprising a housing portion adapted to receive a gun magazine therein and each of said housing portions comprises a strap adapter assembly constructed and arranged to receive an elongate flexible strap member that is attachable to and detachable from a human body; said strap adapter assembly being configurable to receive elongate flexible straps of different widths.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/941,157, filed Feb. 18, 2014, for EXTENDABLE ARTICULATING GUN MAGAZINE POUCH of David George Barwin and claims the benefit of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/624309, filed Feb. 17, 2015, for GUN MAGAZINE ASSEMBLY of David George Barwin, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    There are many different kinds of shooting competitions for gun enthusiasts. In some competitions, competitors carrying multiple gun magazines shoot targets, reload, and continue shooting. The speed at which a competitor is able to change magazines in this competition is important to score well. To reload a semiautomatic pistol, a competitor must remove an empty magazine from the pistol and replace it with a full magazine. To do this quickly, competitors need to carry their extra magazines in a convenient and readily accessible place. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    An assembly for supporting gun magazines includes a plurality of readily connectable and disconnectable, pouches. Each pouch has a housing portion adapted to receive a gun magazine therein and each of the housing portions has a strap adapter assembly constructed and arranged to receive an elongate flexible strap member that is attachable to and detachable from a human body. The strap adapter assembly is configurable to receive elongate flexible straps of different widths. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a person wearing a gun magazine pouch assembly containing gun magazines. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a rear isometric view of a plurality of interconnected gun magazine pouches and a gun magazine that is insertable into one of the pouches. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a top-front isometric view of a gun magazine pouch. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a bottom, rear-left isometric view of a gun magazine pouch also showing a spacer for a belt adapter that has been removed therefrom. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an isometric elevation view of a post member used to attach gun magazine pouches. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an isometric frontal elevation view of a lateral spacing adapter coupling two gun magazine pouches. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a top-left isometric view of another embodiment of a gun magazine pouch. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7A  is a removable belt opening spacer for the gun magazine pouch of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a top, front-left isometric view of yet another embodiment of a gun magazine pouch. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a right side elevation view of still another embodiment of a gun magazine pouch. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a left side elevation view of the gun magazine pouch of 
           [0015]      FIG. 9 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart of a method of shooting. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a person  14  wearing a gun magazine pouch assembly  10 . The assembly  10  has a plurality of interconnected gun magazine pouches  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . Gun magazines  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  are removably supported in the respective pouches. The gun magazine pouch assembly  10  may include a flexible strap  12 , such as a belt or bandelaro. A holster  34  for a pistol  36  may also be mounted on the strap  12 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a rear isometric view of the plurality of interconnected gun magazine pouches  20 ,  22 ,  24  and a gun magazine  30  that may be inserted into one of the pouches.  FIG. 3  is a top front isometric view of one of the gun magazine pouches. 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , each gun magazine pouch, for example pouch  20 , has an elongated housing portion  42  that defines an interior cavity  41  adapted to slidingly receive a gun magazine, e.g. magazine  30 . The dimensions of each pouch  20  are dependent upon the dimensions of the magazine  30  that it is adapted to receive. The elongated pouch housing portion  42  has a top opening  44  which provides access to the interior cavity  41 . The housing portion  42  may also have a front opening  46  intersecting the top opening. The front opening  46  may be patterned to accommodate the shape of a gun magazine  30  that is to be received in the cavity  41 . 
         [0020]    Each gun magazine housing portion  42  has a front side  48 , opposite lateral sides  52 ,  54 , a backside  56  and a bottom side  58 . In some embodiments the bottom is closed, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Alternatively, the bottom side may be open. A belt/strap adapter  60  is integrally formed on the backside  56  of each pouch housing portion  42 , projecting rearwardly therefrom. The belt adapter  60  has a central, vertically extending slit  62  dividing the rear portion of the belt adapter into mirror image first and second sides  64 ,  66 . A bolt  68  extends through a countersunk hole  71 ,  FIG. 4 , in the belt adapter  60 . A nut  70  may be threadingly tightened on the bolt  68  to selectively tighten or loosen the engagement between the housing portion  42  and a gun magazine  30  received therein. Other structures to facilitate receiving and holding a gun magazine  30  within the housing portion  40 , such as for example a detent assembly (not shown), may also be provided. 
         [0021]    The belt adapter  60  has a belt receiving opening  72  therein defined by a forward, vertically extending portion  74  a rear, vertically extending portion  76 , a top horizontally extending portion  78  and a bottom horizontal extending portion  80 . As best shown by  FIG. 4 , a plurality of differently sized spacer members may be provided for changing the size of the belt adapter opening  70 . In one embodiment a spacer member  82  has an upper block shaped portion  84 . Block shaped portion  84  has a vertical connector portion  86  having a bolt receiving hole  88  therein. The bolt receiving hole  88  is aligned with a countersunk hole  71  in the belt adapter. The bolt  68  and nut  70  may be used to retain the spacer member  82  in fixed relationship with the belt opening  72 . In one embodiment multiple spacer members such as member  82  are provided with differently sized block portions  84 , in order to provide a number of differently sized belt openings  72 . In another embodiment (not shown) the vertical connector portion  86  is relatively longer than that shown in  FIG. 4  and has a number of holes therein to enable adjustable positioning of the space remember. 
         [0022]    A pouch coupling assembly  90 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , may include a first plurality of axially aligned and spaced apart ring portions  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98  positioned on one lateral side  52  of a pouch. A second plurality of axially aligned and spaced apart ring portions  91 ,  93 ,  95 ,  97  are provided on the other side  54  of the pouch. The ring portions  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98  on each pouch are adapted to fit between the ring portions  91 ,  93 ,  95 ,  97  of an adjacently positioned pouch enabling the two pouches to be connected in articulating relationship. The articulating relationship between adjacent pouches, e.g.,  20  and  22 , facilitates wearing of the pouches  20 ,  22 , etc., about a person&#39;s waist, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Ring portions  92 ,  94  etc., maybe formed on a flat surface  110  on one lateral side of the pouch, and the opposite side ring portions  91 ,  93 , etc., may be formed on a mirror image flat surface on the other lateral side of the pouch. A post member  112  may be inserted into aligned ring portions  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 ,  95 , etc. to pivotally couple adjacent pouches, e.g.  20 ,  22 , together. The post member  112 ,  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, has a cylindrical body portion  114 , an enlarged head portion  116 , and a split lower body and tip portions  118 ,  120 . The opposite sides of the split lower body and tip portions are resiliently inwardly deflectable from the position shown in  FIG. 5 . During insertion of the post member  112  the ring portions  91 ,  92 , etc. urge the two split sides together until the tip projects from the bottom most ring member  98  and expands into a locking position. The post member tip portion  120  may be easily pinched together to enable the post member  112  to be removed from the ring portions to decouple the adjacent pouches. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is an isometric frontal elevation view of a lateral spacing adapter  119  pivotally coupling two gun magazine pouches  20 ,  22 . The lateral spacing adapter  119  has a central body portion  121 , a first plurality of aligned ring portions  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129  on one lateral side of central body portion  121  and a second plurality of aligned ring portions  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128  on the other lateral side thereof. Pouch  22  ring portions  91 ,  93 ,  95 ,  97  are positioned between and aligned with corresponding adapter ring portions  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  129 . Pouch  20  ring portions  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98  are positioned between and aligned with corresponding adapter ring portions  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . A first and second post  112  is extended through the aligned ring portions of the pouches  20  and  22  and the two sets of aligned ring portions on the lateral spacing adapter  119 . The pouches  20 ,  22  in  FIG. 6  are thus relatively pivotable with respect to each other about the two vertical axes provided by the two posts  112 . Lateral spacing adapters  119  having central body portions of different widths may be used for precise lateral spacing adjustment. Similarly, two or more lateral spacing adapters  119  which are pivotally coupled together may be attached to two pouches, e.g.,  20 ,  22 , for lateral spacing adjustment and to provide additional pivot axes between the pouches. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a modular pouch  130 . The configuration of the pouch embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7  is sometimes referred to herein as a “discrete configuration,” as opposed to the “proud configuration” shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . In the discrete configuration each pouch has an interior cavity  132  with its longer lateral dimension extending parallel to a belt on which it is mounted. In the proud configuration of  FIGS. 1-4 , the longer dimension extends perpendicular to the belt on which the pouch is mounted. Since the discrete configuration projects outwardly from a person&#39;s waist less than the proud configuration, it is typically more comfortable to wear when a person has a garment, such as a jacket, covering the pouches  130 . The proud configuration, because the smaller internal cavity dimension extending parallel to a person&#39;s belt, enables the mounting of more pouches in a given belt length than the discrete configuration. 
         [0025]    As further illustrated by  FIG. 7 , the interior cavity  132  of the pouch  130  has a top opening  134  through which a gun magazine  30  may be inserted. The pouch  130  has first and second lateral side portions  137 ,  138 . A vertical slit  136  is provided inside portion  137 . A nut and bolt tightening assembly  139  extends perpendicular to the slit  136  to enable reducing or enlarging the size of the interior cavity  132 . A belt adapter  140  is integrally formed on a rear portion of the modular pouch  130 . The belt adapter  140  has a belt receiving opening  142  defined by the belt adapter&#39;s opposite vertically extending side portions  144 ,  145  and upper and lower horizontally extending portions  148 ,  150 . A removable spacer member  154  forms part of the lower horizontal portion  150 . The spacer member  154  is removably attachable to a fixed horizontal portion (not shown) that is integrally formed with the two side portions  144 ,  145 .  FIG. 7A  is an isometric view of the spacer member  154 , which may be a snap fit member having a central body portion  156  with outwardly deflectable leg portions  158 ,  160  integrally formed with the body portion  156 . Each leg portion has an inwardly projecting foot portion  162 ,  164  that is adapted to hook underneath a lip structure (not shown) of a fixed structure (not shown) of the lower horizontal portion  150  that may have a generally T-shaped cross section. Variously sized spacer members like spacer member  154  may be provided to accommodate different belt widths. Four vertically aligned ring portions  164  are provided on a flat surface  165  between the belt adapter  140  and the structure forming the pouch cavity  132  on one lateral slide of the pouch  130 . Associated ring portions  166  are provided on the opposite lateral side of the pouch. These ring portions  164 ,  166  and associated posts  112  function to connect adjacent pouches  130 , etc., in the same manner as ring portions  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 , etc., previously described with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a top front isometric view of yet another embodiment of a gun magazine pouch  170 . The structure of pouch  170  may be generally the same as the structure of gun magazine pouches  20 ,  22 , etc., described with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 . However, in the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , the pouch  170  may have a different configuration of ring portions. An upper set of ring portions  172 ,  174  is positioned above a lower set of ring portions  176 ,  178  on one lateral side of the pouch  170 . An associated set of ring portions  173 , etc., adapted to mesh with the first set of ring portions is provided on the opposite lateral side of the pouch  170 . In this embodiment upper sets  172 ,  174  and lower sets  176 ,  178  are widely vertically spaced and a separate connector post is used to connect each set. A plurality of pouches identical to pouch  170  may be mounted on a belt and interconnected in the same manner as the pouches  20 ,  22 , etc., described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of still another embodiment of a modular gun magazine pouch assembly  190 .  FIG. 10  is an opposite side elevation view of the gun magazine pouch of  FIG. 9 . The gun magazine pouch  190  has a housing portion  192  defining a gun magazine holding cavity  193 , which may be generally the same size and shape as the interior cavity  41  described above with reference to  FIG. 3 . Gun magazine pouch  190  has two generally mirror image lateral sides  194 ,  196  that are connected together, such as by screws or nuts and bolts  198 . A belt adapter  200  defining a belt receiving opening  202 , projects from the rear of the housing body portion  192 . The modular gun magazine pouch  190  has a coupling assembly  210  for connecting it to identical gun magazine pouches. The pouches  190  are modular in that they are identical and can easily be used for replacement of a damaged pouch or extension/expansion of a pouch assembly by simply adding another pouch. The module coupling assembly  210  includes, on the lateral side shown in  FIG. 9 , a plurality of horizontally projecting shelves  212  in a first cluster at an upper part of the housing and an identical set of shelves  212  in a second cluster at a lower part of the housing. Post portions  214  extend between adjacent shelves  212  in both the upper and lower clusters. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the coupling assembly  210  further includes a plurality of arcuate, resilient clip shaped portions  216 , that are vertically spaced apart and adapted to resiliently clippingly engage vertical post portions, such as post portions  214 , that are provided on an adjacent gun magazine pouch, which may be identical to pouch  190 . The two adjacent pouches may be clipped together by urging the clip shaped portions  216  on one pouch against associated post portions  214  on the other pouch. The adjacent pouches may be decoupled by moving the clip shaped portions  216  away from the post portions  214  until the clip portions resiliently expand and release the post portions. 
         [0028]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart of a method of shooting. The method comprises, as shown at block  301 , providing a person with a gun and a plurality of gun magazines. The method further includes, as shown at block  302 , strapping a plurality of pivotally connected magazine pouches, which are adapted to receive the magazines, around the body of the person. 
         [0029]    Although certain embodiments of an extendable, articulating gun magazine pouch assembly have been described in detail herein, alternative embodiments of such a gun magazine pouch assembly will occur to those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure. It is intended for the language of the appended claims to be construed broadly to cover such alternative embodiments, except as limited by the prior art.