Firearm's Magazine Locking System

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Brazilian Patent Application No. 10 2024 008045-9 filed Apr. 24, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field

This innovation relates to a locking system for a firearm's magazine, which is in the field of mechanical engineering.

Description of Related Art

Several locking systems for firearms' magazines are known in the state of the art, however, each system has its own particularity since each firearm has different shape and size, resulting in limited space for the arrangement of said system.

In order to design the locking system for the firearm's magazine, several criteria are considered, such as the number of parts, ease maintenance and manufacturing, impossibility of failures, etc.

Document WO2012135879 describes a firearm's magazine locking system that consists of using a spring attached to a sliding actuator and a protrusion formed on said firearm's magazine. When the magazine is inserted into the firearm, the protrusion comes into contact with the spring so that said spring assumes a locking position. In this described system, the spring itself is the barrier that prevents the magazine from coming out the firearm. This constant interaction, due to the changing magazines, can cause wear and tear on the spring and, furthermore, improper handling of the magazine can end up causing the spring tip breaking, preventing the system from functioning accordingly.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,691 describes a firearm's magazine locking system which is an ambidextrous system. This system comprises a laminar spring that is actuated by a button which can be actuated from both sides. Said spring and button comprise cams that are responsible for moving the spring to release the firearm's magazine. Therefore, the system presents a certain complexity, the components are difficult to be manufactured and they are located in a place where is difficult to access, making the necessary maintenance difficult.

Document BRPI0417505 discloses a system for fixing a firearm's magazine comprising two springs and a retainer, whereby a protrusion it is required on said firearm's magazine. The springs act to keep the retainer in a central position in which it prevents the magazine from coming out of the firearm by making contact with the magazine protrusion. In this system, the springs are arranged in holes located on the inside of the firearm's handle, making access for maintenance difficult, as well as the assembly process of the firearm. However, the magazine protrusion is arranged in such a way that when the magazine is outside the firearm, the protrusion is exposed to impacts and/or friction, which can cause wear out or breakage, preventing this magazine from working in this system.

Consequently, the state of the art lacks a magazine locking system for firearms that is reliable, uses few components due to space and weight limitations and makes maintenance difficult.

SUMMARY

This innovation aims to provide a firearm's magazine locking system which is simple to build, using only two components, and it is easy to assemble and make maintenance. Furthermore, this system can be assembled on both sides of the firearm, allowing the user to choose which side to activate it.

In a first object, this innovation provides a firearm's magazine locking system comprising a retainer and a retainer spring, wherein the retainer is provided with a locking protrusion and at least one recess. The firearm's magazine is provided with at least one locking channel that cooperates with the locking protrusion and the firearm is provided with a handle in which a spring housing and a retainer housing are arranged, wherein:

• • the spring is filamentary and comprises a straight portion and a C-shaped portion, wherein the distal end of the straight portion is arranged in the retainer recess and the spring is arranged in the spring housing;
  • the spring housing comprises an upper chamber, a central chamber and a lower chamber, all rectangular, with at least part of the central chamber side facing at least part of the upper chamber side and the central chamber extending downwards up to the lower chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures are showing:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a pistol comprising the system of the present innovation, with the body of the pistol being shown translucent, enabling the internal elements to be seen, and sections AA and BB are indicated;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a firearm's magazine fitted with a locking channel;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of an embodiment of the retainer spring according to the present innovation, where the dash-dot lines represent the displacement of the spring when the retainer is activated;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of an embodiment of the retainer;

FIG. 5 shows a rear view of an embodiment of the retainer;

FIG. 6 shows a section AA as shown in FIG. 1, in which the retainer is in the locked position;

FIG. 7 shows a section BB as shown in FIG. 1, in which the retainer is in the locked position;

FIG. 8 shows a section AA as shown in FIG. 1, in which the retainer is in the released position;

FIG. 9 shows a section BB as shown in FIG. 1, in which the retainer is in the released position;

FIG. 10 shows a section DD, where the inside of the handle can be seen;

FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of this innovation; and

FIG. 12 shows a detailed view of the recess in the handle and the retainer stop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions are given as non-limiting examples of preferred embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments in order to describe the present innovation clearly and objectively.

In a first object, the present innovation describes a firearm's magazine (4) locking system comprising a retainer (2) and a retainer spring (3), wherein the retainer (2) is provided with a locking protrusion (8) and at least one recess (5). The firearm's magazine (4) is provided with at least one locking channel (13) which cooperates with the locking protrusion (8). The firearm is provided with a handle in which a spring housing (7) and a retainer housing are arranged, whereby:

• • the spring is filamentary, comprising a straight portion (3.1) and a C-shaped portion (3.2), wherein the distal end of the straight portion (3.1) is arranged in the retainer recess (5) and the spring is arranged in the spring housing (7);
  • the spring housing (7) comprises an upper chamber, a central chamber and a lower chamber, all rectangular, with at least part of the side of the central chamber facing at least part of the side of the upper chamber and the central chamber extending downwards up to the lower chamber.

The system of the present innovation works in a such way as to lock the magazine (4) in the firearm, allowing it to be released only by actuating the retainer. To this end, the firearm's magazine (4) comprises at least one locking channel (13) which, when the firearm's magazine (4) is inserted into the handle, aligns itself with the locking protrusion (8) of the retainer and, by actuating the retainer spring (3), the retainer (2) assumes a locking position in which the locking protrusion (8) enters and remains in the locking channel (13). To release the firearm's magazine, the user must move the retainer laterally, placing it in a release position making the locking protrusion (8) to disengage from the locking channel (13).

The retainer (2) has a C-shape, formed by two lateral legs and a central rod, where the locking protrusion (8) is arranged on the inner face of one of the C legs, projecting inwards, and being able to extend at least partially into the central rod. There is at least one recess (5) arranged on the outer side of the central rod and said recess (5) is responsible for housing one of the ends of the spring (3).

In one embodiment, the retainer (2) comprises two recesses (5) so that the retainer (2) can be inserted on either sides, so that, depending on the user's preference, it can be activated from the left or right side of the firearm.

The retainer spring (3) is filamentary, with a straight portion (3.1) whose distal end lodges in the retainer recess (5), and this region is responsible for retaining and returning the retainer. At the opposite distal end, the spring has a C-shape, so that this shape allows the spring to be attached to the handle.

In one embodiment, the C-shape of the retainer spring (3) is formed by a larger leg, a smaller leg and a central rod.

The spring housing (7) is arranged in the handle and the spring housing (7) is made up by three rectangular chambers: an upper chamber, a central chamber and a lower chamber. The central chamber connects the upper and lower chambers, in more detail, the central chamber extends vertically between the upper and lower chambers, with at least part of one side of the central chamber facing at least part of one side of the upper chamber and the lower distal end of the central chamber facing the lower chamber.

In one embodiment, at least one of the walls of the upper chamber is at least partially inclined.

The central chamber has a width compatible with the thickness of the spring, so that the central rod is arranged in the central chamber, fixing the spring to the handle. As for the upper chamber, it must have wide enough for the straight portion (3.1) of the spring to flex freely due to the actuation of the retainer in order to release the firearm's magazine (4).

In one embodiment, the spring (3) fits into the central chamber without clearance.

In a preferred embodiment of the spring, the smaller leg has a length such that the straight portion (3.1) is arranged on the central axis of the upper chamber of the spring housing (7).

In a preferred embodiment of the spring, the longer leg has a length equal to the width of the lower chamber of the spring housing (7).

In one embodiment, the retainer (2) has at least one stop (6) on its front face and the inner wall of the handle (1) facing the retainer (2) has a recess (1.1). Said stop (6) is arranged inside the recess (1.1), creating a displacement limit for the retainer (2), so that, when there is no magazine in the handle (1), the retainer (2) maintains a resting position and does not the firearm disassembling.