Ammunition magazine
View Patent ↗The present invention is an ammunition magazine, preferably made of a glass fiber reinforced polymer, utilizing a structurally enhancing ridge, angular guide rails and a follower made to interface with said guide rails to reduce wobble. The preferred embodiment also features a protective cover that distributes forces from the spring to more structurally sound areas of the magazine, thus reducing feed end splay, and an ammunition indication system comprised of at least one window and a noticeable marker on the follower spring. The follower and magazine casing are also designed to interface to prevent the follower from popping out of the feed end and the floor plate of the magazine utilizes a locking plate and sliding relationship between the floor plate, locking plate and magazine to secure the floor plate onto the magazine casing. The cover features built in tools for, among other things, unloading and disassembling the magazine.
1. An ammunition magazine comprising:
a. A casing having a mostly rectangular cross-section with fore and aft sides and two longer lateral sides and first and second open ends, the casing further comprising:
i. two guide rails extending a length of the magazine, each one situated along the lateral sides in an interior of the casing, the guide rails extending at least mostly to the first open end and each presenting a flat forward surface, roughly parallel to the fore side; and
ii. a ridge, centrally located on an interior side of the fore side and extending to a terminus located at least mostly, but not entirely, to the first open end;
b. A follower residing within the casing, said follower further comprising:
i. A follower platform with two opposite tines at fore and aft positions and extending generally perpendicularly and distally therefrom;
ii. Two side fins situated to interface with the casing's guide rails;
c. A floor plate capable of interfacing the casing at the second end; and
d. A follower spring residing between the follower and floor plate;
wherein the tines and the side fins limit rotation of the follower within the casing.
2. The magazine of claim 1 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
3. The magazine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one window in the casing, through which the spring is viewable.
4. The magazine of claim 1 , the magazine further comprising a rim about the second end and the floor plate being capable of a sliding relationship over said rim.
5. The magazine of claim 4 , the floor plate further comprising an interior locking plate with a locking tab and a floor plate cover with a mating slot and a ledge capable of interfacing with the rim, the interior locking plate also having at least one support wall extending therefrom on a side opposite the locking tab.
6. The magazine of claim 5 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
7. The magazine of claim 4 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
8. The magazine of claim 1 , further comprising a constant internal curve initiating at the second open end and continuing through a majority of the casing of the magazine, though not as far as the guide rails.
9. The magazine of claim 8 , the magazine further comprising a rim about the second end and the floor plate being capable of a sliding relationship over said rim.
10. The magazine of claim 9 , the floor plate further comprising an interior locking plate with a locking tab and a floor plate cover with a mating slot and a ledge capable of interfacing with the rim, the interior locking plate also having at least one support wall extending therefrom on a side opposite the tab.
11. The magazine of claim 10 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
12. The magazine of claim 9 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
13. The magazine of claim 1 , further comprising a protective cover and interfacing geometry on the casing with which to secure the protective cover, the protective cover capable of forcing the follower downward and absorbing at least some pressure applied to the magazine by the spring.
14. The magazine of claim 13 , further comprising a constant internal curve through a majority of the length of the magazine.
15. The magazine of claim 14 , the magazine further comprising a rim about the second end and the floor plate being capable of a sliding relationship over said rim.
16. The magazine of claim 15 , the floor plate further comprising an interior locking plate with a locking tab and a floor plate cover with a mating slot and a ledge capable of interfacing with the rim, the interior locking plate also having at least one support wall extending therefrom on a side opposite the tab.
17. The magazine of claim 16 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
18. The magazine of claim 17 , the magazine casing being made from a fiber-reinforced polymer.
19. The magazine of claim 15 , further comprising a stop tab, projecting internally from the ridge terminus and generally perpendicularly from the fore side, and a groove serving as a detent, situated in the follower platform to interface with stop tab, thereby preventing the follower from exiting the magazine through the first end.
20. The magazine of claim 19 , the magazine casing being made from a fiber-reinforced polymer.
21. The magazine of claim 13 , the protective cover further comprising at least one tool portion.
22. The magazine of claim 21 , the at least one tool portion being at least one tool selected from the set of magazine tools consisting of: a magazine unloading tool, a magazine disassembly tool, and a feed lip width gauge.