Semi-automatic handgun, magazine, and follower
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention are directed to a magazine and follower assembly for use with a semi-automatic handgun. The assembly may include a magazine body configured to be received within a recess in a handgun. The magazine body has an open top end including a pair of magazine lips sized to retain cartridges within the magazine body. A follower is housed within the magazine body and is biased against the force of a compression spring. The follower has a resting face configured to accommodate the outside profile of a cartridge body and further includes a protrusion disposed along the resting face. The protrusion maintains contact between the magazine lips and an uppermost cartridge loaded within the magazine body.
1. A magazine assembly comprising:
a magazine body configured to be received within a recess in a handgun, the magazine body having a bottom end, a front wall, a back wall, left and right side walls, and an open top end including a pair of magazine lips disposed to retain cartridges within the magazine body;
a compression spring housed within the magazine body and disposed against the bottom end of the magazine body;
a follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of the compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein the protrusion does not extend above the main resting face when a cartridge body is simultaneously maintained in contact with the main resting face on one side and the magazine lips on an opposite side.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a molded thermoplastic material.
4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the molded thermoplastic material is nylon.
5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main resting face of the follower has a concave shape configured to accommodate the outside profile of a cartridge body.
6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main resting face of the follower includes a cut out area for accommodating the protrusion.
7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion that accommodates an upper portion of the compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower.
8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the protrusion is joined to the main resting face by an integral hinge, such that the compression spring provides rotational movement of the protrusion about the hinge.
9. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a protuberance located on the protrusion at an end opposite the integral hinge, the rotation of the protrusion about the hinge being limited by contact of the protuberance with an underside of the main resting face.
10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the protrusion includes a projection configured to contact a cartridge loaded within the magazine body, at a predetermined location during upward rotation of the protrusion such that a clockwise or counterclockwise moment is generated to act upon a misaligned cartridge during a handgun loading cycle.
11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the magazine lips include shaped upper edge portions that extend inwardly toward each other to such a distance as to slidably fit a single cartridge.
12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the follower includes a lowered engagement portion for contacting a slide stop within a semi-automatic handgun when no cartridges remain within the magazine body.
13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the left and right side walls of the magazine body are spaced so as to accommodate more than one column of cartridges in a staggered high capacity configuration.
14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion rests above the main resting face and generates a vertically directed force by being resiliently biased in an upward direction relative to the main resting face.
15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the protrusion is configured to extend above the main resting face and exhibit a predetermined spring rate to maintain proper contact and alignment between the uppermost cartridge within the magazine and the magazine lips.
16. A semi-automatic handgun, comprising:
a frame including a grip that has a magazine entrance;
a slide disposed on the frame for movement between a forward position and a rearward position;
a magazine received within the magazine entrance, the magazine comprising:
a hollow magazine body having an open top end including a pair of magazine lips disposed to retain cartridges within the magazine body;
a compression spring housed within the magazine body;
a follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of the compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein the protrusion does not extend above the main resting face when a cartridge body is simultaneously maintained in contact with the main resting face on one side and the magazine lips on an opposite side; and
a handgun barrel received within the slide and linked to the frame.
17. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.
18. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a molded thermoplastic material.
19. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 18 , wherein the molded thermoplastic material is nylon.
20. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the main resting face of the follower has a concave shape configured to accommodate the outside profile of a cartridge body.
21. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the main resting face of the follower includes a cut out area for accommodating the protrusion.
22. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion rests above the main resting face and generates a vertically directed force by being resiliently biased in an upward direction relative to the follower resting face.
23. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion extends above the main resting face to contact a cartridge loaded within the magazine body to maintain complete contact between the cartridge body and the magazine lips when the follower is tilted within the magazine body.
24. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion includes a projection configured to contact a cartridge, loaded within the magazine body, at a predetermined location such that a clockwise or counterclockwise moment is generated to act upon a misaligned cartridge during a handgun loading cycle.
25. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion that accommodates an upper portion of the compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower.
26. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion is joined to the main resting face by an integral hinge, such that the compression spring provides rotational movement of the protrusion about the hinge.
27. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 26 , further comprising a protuberance located on the protrusion at an end opposite the integral hinge, the rotation of the protrusion about the hinge being limited by contact of the protuberance with an underside of the main resting face.
28. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 16 , wherein the magazine lips include shaped upper edge portions that extend inwardly toward each other to such a distance as to slidably fit a single cartridge.
29. A magazine follower for use in a magazine body having magazine lips, comprising:
the follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of a compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein the protrusion does not extend above the main resting face when a cartridge body is simultaneously maintained in contact with the main resting face on one side and the magazine lips on an opposite side.
30. The follower of claim 29 , wherein the main resting face of the follower has a concave shape configured to accommodate the outside profile of a cartridge body.
31. The follower of claim 30 , wherein the main resting face of the follower includes a cut out area for accommodating the protrusion.
32. The follower of claim 29 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.
33. The follower of claim 32 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a molded thermoplastic material.
34. The follower of claim 33 , wherein the molded thermoplastic material is nylon.
35. The follower of claim 29 , wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion configured to receive a portion of a compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower.
36. The follower of claim 29 , wherein the protrusion is joined to the main resting face by an integral hinge, such that a vertically directed force against an underside of the protrusion provides rotational movement of the protrusion about the hinge.
37. The follower of claim 36 , further comprising a protuberance located on the protrusion at an end opposite the integral hinge, the rotation of the protrusion about the hinge being limited by contact of the protuberance with an underside of the main resting face.
38. The follower of claim 37 , wherein the protrusion includes a projection configured to contact a cartridge loaded within a magazine body, at a predetermined location during upward rotation of the protrusion such that a clockwise or counterclockwise moment is generated to act upon a misaligned cartridge during a handgun loading cycle.
39. The follower of claim 29 , further comprising spring tabs that extend from a rear position of the follower in order to maintain a proper position of the follower during translation within a magazine body.
40. The follower of claim 29 , wherein the protrusion rests above the main resting face and generates a vertically directed force by being resiliently biased in an upward direction relative to the main resting face.
41. The follower of claim 40 , wherein the protrusion is configured to extend above the main resting face and exhibit a predetermined spring rate to maintain proper contact and alignment between the uppermost cartridge within the magazine and the magazine lips.
42. A magazine assembly comprising:
a magazine body configured to be received within a recess in a handgun, the magazine body having a bottom end, a front wall, a back wall, left and right side walls, and an open top end including a pair of magazine lips disposed to retain cartridges within the magazine body;
a compression spring housed within the magazine body and disposed against the bottom end of the magazine body;
a follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of the compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion that accommodates an upper portion of the compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower.
43. The assembly of claim 42 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.
44. The assembly of claim 42 , wherein the protrusion is joined to the main resting face by an integral hinge, such that the compression spring provides rotational movement of the protrusion about the hinge.
45. A semi-automatic handgun, comprising:
a frame including a grip that has a magazine entrance;
a slide disposed on the frame for movement between a forward position and a rearward position;
a magazine received within the magazine entrance, the magazine comprising:
a hollow magazine body having an open top end including a pair of magazine lips disposed to retain cartridges within the magazine body;
a compression spring housed within the magazine body;
a follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of the compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion that accommodates an upper portion of the compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower; and
a handgun barrel received within the slide and linked to the frame.
46. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 45 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.
47. The semi-automatic handgun of claim 45 , wherein the main resting face of the follower includes a cut out area for accommodating the protrusion.
48. A magazine follower for use in a magazine body having magazine lips, comprising:
the follower configured for movement within the magazine body against the force of a compression spring, the follower having a main resting face configured to contact a cartridge body when a cartridge is at a feed angle, and a resilient protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being movable relative to the main resting face, the protrusion being configured to impart a force against the cartridge when the cartridge is at an angle other than the feed angle and rotate the cartridge toward the feed angle,
wherein an underside of the protrusion includes a cut out portion configured to receive a portion of a compression spring such that contact between the compression spring and protrusion provides upward movement of the protrusion relative to the main resting face of the follower.
49. The follower of claim 48 , wherein the main resting face of the follower has a concave shape configured to accommodate the outside profile of a cartridge body.
50. The follower of claim 48 , wherein the protrusion and follower are formed of a single integral piece.