Abstract:
This kit is to convert a semi-automatic hand-gun, such as the Colt model 1911A1, into a hand-gun of increased round capacity from the original seven-round to thirteen round by replacing the conventional frame, magazine, magazine catch, grip covers, and trigger assembly by new similar parts, while still retaining the remaining parts of the hand-gun, including the slide, barrel, breech block, firing pin and hammer mechanism, manual safety catch and take-down latch.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to hand-guns and, more specifically, to a kit for converting an existing hand-gun to one of increased round capacity. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The semi-automatic hand-gun known as the Colt government model 1911A1, which has a caliber of 45 mm, has a seven-round capacity. This hand-gun is widely used in spite of its limited round capacity. In such a conventional hand-gun, the rounds in the magazine are in a straight line configuration. A proposal has been put to increase the length of the magazine and, consequently, of the handle to increase the round capacity; but this proved to be too cumbersome. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the general object of the present invention to convert a semi-automatic hand-gun of a given round capacity to a much-increased round capacity while replacing only the frame, the trigger assembly, the magazine, the magazine catch, and the grip covers and using the other conventional parts of the original hand-gun. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a conversion kit of the character described, in which the grip of the converted hand-gun has the same length, albeit a greater width than the grip of the original gun and yet the guide rails for the slide conserve their full uninterrupted length. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a conversion kit of the character described, wherein the hand-gun has about 85% increase in magazine capacity by just increasing the width of the grip. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a converted hand-gun which handles still better than the original gun, because of the increased width of its hand-grip. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a converted hand-gun of increased round capacity which, when full is about of the same weight as the full original hand-gun. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The conversion kit of the invention comprises a frame, a magazine, a magazine catch, a trigger assembly and a pair of grip covers to replace the like parts of the conventional hand-gun. The frame is in one cast piece, preferably made of a light-weight aluminum alloy, and includes an elongated top part and a grip downwardly depending at an angle from an intermediate portion of said top part. The top part has longitudinal uninterrupted grooves serving as guides for the conventional slide of the hand-gun. The frame has a through-bore defining a magazine chamber extending through the handle part and the top part and opening at the bottom end and at the top part. Said through-bore is defined by front and back transverse faces, which are substantially flat and parallel throughout their length and by opposite side faces which are substantially parallel to the long axis of the top part, and each defining a lower side face portion; an intermediate side portion and an upper side face portion. The lower side face portions are straight and parallel to each other and their transverse spacing is such as to accommodate a magazine with rounds in staggered configuration. The intermediate face portions are converging towards each other and the upper face portions are spaced from each other to accommodate the upper part of the magazine in which the rounds are in a single-line configuration. 
     The top part has a front portion, preferably of semi-circular cross-section, forming an upwardly-opening trough for receiving the shock absorber re-coil assembly of the breech block and barrel. The frame is preferably made of an aluminum alloy for light weight, but the rear portion of the trough is preferably provided with an externally-ribbed insert, of steel or the like, embedded in the alloy to resist the re-coil forces produced during firing. The top part preferably has a rear extension protruding from the grip to which the conventional hammer mechanism is pivoted. 
     The magazine has a shape to fit said through-bore. The trigger assembly consists of a finger engaging part which is slidably mounted in a front opening made in the front of said grip just below said top part, and of a loop fixed to said finger-engaging part, surrounding said magazine and preferably slidable within grooves made in the internal side faces of said through-bore. In the rear limit position of the trigger assembly, the back of the loop protrudes from a rear opening made in the back transverse face of the grip to actuate the hammer mechanism. The grip is preferably provided with rearwardly-extending, inwardly-recessed flanges, which each has a cut-out to accommodate the rear portion of the loop when moving rearwardly to its rear limit position. Grip covers are provided, each preferably having a rear extension to cover these cut-outs and the rear portion of the loop. The magazine is further preferably provided along its converging intermediate face portions with longitudinally-extending ribs for guiding the rounds from their staggered to their single line configuration. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the frame, trigger and handle cover of the conversion kit of the invention, shown in full lines, the conventional parts of the hand-gun being shown in dotted line; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the frame of the conversion kit, the trigger assembly being removed, the bottom cover of the magazine being shown; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the frame of FIG. 2 and showing the magazine in position; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan section, taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 and showing the trigger assembly; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-section, taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3 and along line 5--5 of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan section, taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-section, taken through the magazine and the grip; 
     FIG. 7a is a partial cross-section of the grip, on an enlarged scale; 
     FIG. 8, 9, and 10 are a side elevation, a front elevation and a rear elevation respectively of the magazine; and 
     FIG. 11 is a top end view of the magazine, taken along line 11--11 of FIG. 8. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The conversion kit of the invention comprises a frame 1, a trigger assembly 3, a magazine 5 and grip covers 7. Also, screws and a magazine catch are provided. The frame 1 is preferably made of an aluminum alloy for light weight by investment casting. Frame 1 could also be made by electro-chemical machining, but this is more expensive. By using an aluminum alloy, the entire modified hand-gun, loaded with thirteen rounds, weighs about the same as an all-steel non-converted Colt type hand-gun loaded with seven rounds. The frame 1 is of a one-piece construction, comprising an elongated top part 9, from an intermediate portion of which downwardly projects a grip 11 at an angle thereto. Grip 11 has the same downward, rearward inclination as the conventional Colt hand-gun. 
     Top part 9 defines a front portion 13 and a rear portion 15. These front and rear portions 13 and 15 have external side faces 17, which are co-planar throughout the length of the top part and which are parallel to each other and at the same distance apart to the corresponding side faces of the conventional frame of the handgun to be replaced by frame 1. The front portion 13 has a cross-sectionally generally semi-circular shape to define an upwardly-extending trough for receiving the conventional re-coil spring and guide buffer assembly 19 of the Colt hand-gun. The rear end of said trough is provided with a steel insert 21 (see FIGS. 3 and 6), having external ribs 23 embedded within the aluminum alloy of the frame to better resist the thrust of the re-coil exerted by the re-coil assembly 19 during firing. The steel insert 21 has the same internal shape as the corresponding portion of the conventional frame, which frame it replaces. If the head of the spring guide is made of plastic, insert 21 can be dispensed with. 
     The rear portion 15 has a top face 25 which is higher than the top longitudinal edges 27 of the front portion 13. A step 29 is formed at the junction of edges 27 with top face 25. The side faces 17 are each provided with a groove 31 extending longitudinally of the top part 9 and adjacent to and parallel to the top face 25. 
     The grooves 31 open forwardly at the step 29 and also rearwardly of the rear portion 15. These grooves 31 are uninterrupted from end to end and serve as a guide for the conventional slide A of the hand-gun and which encloses the barrel and the breech block. During recoil, the slide stops on step 29 and the barrel stops on the bottom of insert 21 or on the equivalent upright wall formed by frame 1. 
     The top part 9 has a pair of spaced, rear extensions 33 for housing the conventional hammer C, which is pivoted between the rear extensions 33 at holes 35 made therein. One extension 33 has also a hole 37 to carry the conventional manual safety catch. 
     Grip 11 has a through-bore 39 forming a magazine chamber. This through-bore 39 opens at the top face 25 of the top part 9, to form a top opening 41, of restricted width. Through-bore 39 also opens at the bottom end of the grip 11 to form a bottom opening 43 of a width wider than the top opening 41. The grip 11 is wider than the top part 9, having external side faces 45, which laterally protrude from the side faces 17 of the top part 9. 
     The external side faces 45 are parallel to each other and are flat and each starting from a zone 47 just below the top part 9, are inclined, converge towards and merge with the side faces 17 of the top part 9, as indicated at 46. Similarly, the internal opposite side faces 49 of the through-bore 39, that is those side faces which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the top part 9, are each formed of a bottom face portion 51, an intermediate face portion 53 and a top face portion 55. The bottom side face portions 51 are flat and parallel to each other and extend up to about the zone 47. The intermediate face portions 53 are upwardly converging, while the top face portions 55 are parallel to each other and extend through a small height and are spaced apart by a width corresponding to the restricted width top opening 41. The distance between the bottom side face portions 51 corresponds to the width of bottom opening 43. 
     Since intermediate face portions 53 of through-bore 39 are upwardly converging, converging walls of substantially uniform thickness are obtained and, therefore, guide grooves 31 which are completely uninterrupted. It follows that the slidable connection between slide A and frame 1 is not weakened. This is an essential characteristic of the frame 1. 
     A straight rib 54, of partly circular cross-section, is integrally cast with frame 1 and protrudes from one external side face 17 of top part 9 just below groove 31 and parallel thereto. Rib 54 has a through-bore to form a tube which is adapted to receive an intermediate compression spring outwardly biasing a front and a rear plunger serving respectively as a detent for the conventional take-down latch mounted in hole 56 of frame 1 and for the conventional manual safety catch mounted in hole 37, respectively. Since rib 54 is integral with frame 1, it is less expensive than, and is not liable to become loose compared to the equivalent conventional tube which it replaces. This conventional tube is a separate part secured by screws to the conventional frame. 
     A trigger guard 57 is integrally formed with frame 1 below top part 9 and forwardly of the grip 11. 
     The trigger assembly 3 comprises a finger-engaging part 59 to which is secured a loop 61. Loop 61 is shaped in the same manner as a conventional loop, except that it is wider and its side legs 63 are slidable within grooves 65 made in the internal side faces of the through-bore 39, just below the top part 9, Thus, the legs 63 do not interfere with the magazine 5 inserted within the magazine chamber or through-bore 39. The finger-engaging part 59 of the trigger assembly is slidable within a front opening 67 of the grip 11 for movement between a front limit position, as shown in FIG. 3, in which the rear transverse leg 69 of the loop 61 abuts against the rear of the magazine 5 and a rear limit position in which the rear leg 69 of the loop 61 engages and operates the hammer and the firing pin of the handgun in conventional manner. The rear transverse leg 69 of the loop 61 moves out of a rear opening 71 of the grip and moves through cut-outs 73, each made in one of the pair of transverse flanges 75 which extend rearwardly from grip 11 and are substantially co-extensive therewith, these flanges 75 being inwardly recessed with respect to the external faces 45 of grip 11 and being substantially co-planar with the external side faces 17 of the top part 9, so as to be at the standard distance apart. 
     The conventional cocking spring mechanism of the hammer is housed between these flanges 75, which are closed at their rear end by the usual cover of the conventional hand-gun. 
     Grip covers 7 are preferably made of plastic and are fixed by means of screws 8 to the external side faces 45 of the grip 11, so as to flatly abut and cover said external side faces, including the inclined side face portions 46 above zone 47. The grip covers 7 are characterized by the fact that they have a rear extension 77 integrally formed therewith, which cover and hide the rear portion of the loop 61 and the cut-outs 73. 
     An advantage of the present invention is the fact that frame 1 is integrally cast with circular bosses which protrude from both external side faces 45 of grip 11 and which are tapped to receive screws 8 which secure covers 7 to grip 11. Bosses 12 fit within cavities made in the covers 7. This arrangement is simpler, less expensive and longer-lasting than the conventional method of securing separate inwardly-threaded bushings in holes made in the side walls of the grip, these bushings tending to become loose with use of the hand-gun. 
     Magazine 5 is shaped to exactly fit the magazine chamber or through-bore 39. It includes a pair of flat spaced, parallel lower side wall portions 79, which extend through the major portion of the height of the magazine 5, followed by upwardly-converging intermediate side wall portions 81 which in turn are followed by top wall portions 83, which are generally parallel to each other and are of restricted height. Wall portions 79, 81, and 83 fit the corresponding internal side faces 51, 53, and 55 of through-bore 39. Magazine 5 has a top opening 85, shaped as the top opening of a conventional magazine. The top wall portions 83 are spaced by such a distance as to slidably fit a single round D. The distance between the lower wall portions 79 is sufficient to permit a staggered configuration of the rounds D. 
     A round-engaging follower 87 is located within the magazine 5, this follower having an inclined top face of conventional construction but being characterized by the fact that it is narrower than the distance between the lower wall portions 79 and being of a width such as to stop when reaching an upper limit position by engagement with the lower edge of the top wall portions 83. 
     Follower 87 is urged upwardly by a compression coil spring 89 which extends between the follower and a bottom cover 91, closing the bottom opening of the magazine 5. This bottom cover 91 is in itself of conventional construction. In order to accommodate as great a number of rounds as possible, the coil spring 89 is preferably shaped, so as to have lower coils of substantially equal size, and upper coils of progressively-decreasing size, so as to nest within each other and within the topmost lower coil. 
     In order to facilitate and properly guide the rounds when passing from their staggered configuration to their single-line configuration, so as to issue one by one at the top of the magazine, the side walls of this magazine are provided with substantially diamond-shaped depressions 93 defining on the inside of the magazine, as shown in FIG. 7, longitudinally-extending central ribs 95 which engage and guide only the body of the rounds and not their rear rim. Thus, the rounds are kept properly aligned. 
     Frame 1 is provided with a conventional hole 97 to receive a magazine catch for engaging a slot 99 in the magazine wall to retain the magazine 5 in locked position within the magazine chamber. This magazine catch (not shown) is of conventional construction but longer to fit the wide grip 11. The frame 1 is also provided with various holes to fix the other standard parts of the hand-gun.