Hybrid firearm magazine follower

Abstract

A follower for use in a variety of firearm magazines includes a follower body formed of a rigid material and having a bullet engaging surface that is contoured to position the bullets in the magazine so that they are efficiently stacked upon loading. The follower body further includes a rear leg that extends downward from a main generally horizontal surface and a slide lock shelf on one side. A flat follower spring is attached to a bottom of the follower body at one end and has a generally curved shape when in a relaxed state.

Claims

1. A follower for use in a firearm magazine that holds multiple bullets, the follower comprising: a follower body formed of a rigid material and including a front end, a back end, a top side and a bottom, the top side including a bullet engaging surface that is formed and configured for receipt of a first one of the bullets loaded into the magazine, and the follower body further including a slide lock shelf on one side of the follower body, and a rear leg extending downwardly from the follower body at the back end, and the rear leg terminating at a bottom and including a back rear edge; and a follower spring formed of a flat material and having spring biased properties, and the follower spring including a top side, a bottom side, a rear portion and a front portion including a front edge, and the rear portion of the follower spring fixed to the follower body with the follower spring positioned below the bottom of the follower body, and the follower spring curving downwardly from the rear portion to the front portion so that at least a portion of the top side of the follower spring is separated from the bottom of the follower body when the follower spring is in a relaxed state, and the follower spring being movable against the bottom of the follower body in a compressed state when a force is applied to the bottom side of the follower spring.

2. The follower as recited in claim 1 wherein the bullet engaging surface of the follower body is structured to contact the first one of the bullets loaded into the magazine in a manner that influences the first one of the bullets into a precise position that causes subsequently loaded bullets to be stacked in a space efficient manner within the magazine.

3. A follower for use in a firearm magazine that holds multiple bullets, the follower comprising: a follower body formed of a rigid material and including a front end, a back end, a top side and a bottom, the top side including a bullet engaging surface that is formed and configured for receipt of a first one of the bullets loaded into the magazine, and the follower body further including a rear leg extending downwardly from the follower body at the back end, and the rear leg terminating at a bottom and including a back rear edge; and a follower spring formed of a flat material and having spring biased properties, and the follower spring including a top side, a bottom side, a rear portion and a front portion including a front edge, and the rear portion of the follower spring fixed to the follower body with the follower spring positioned below the bottom of the follower body, and the follower spring curving downwardly from the rear portion to the front portion so that at least a portion of the top side of the follower spring is separated from the bottom of the follower body when the follower spring is in a relaxed state, and the follower spring being movable against the bottom of the follower body in a compressed state when a force is applied to the bottom side of the follower spring.

4. The follower as recited in claim 3 wherein the follower body further includes a slide lock shelf on one side.

5. The follower as recited in claim 4 wherein the bullet engaging surface of the follower body is structured to contact the first one of the bullets loaded into the magazine in a manner that influences the first one of the bullets into a precise position that causes subsequently loaded bullets to be stacked in a space efficient manner within the magazine.

6. The follower as recited in claim 3 further including a sprung slide lock shelf formed of a thin flat strip material and attached to the follower body and positioned between the bottom of the follower body and the follower spring and including a top side, a bottom side, a rear portion and a forward portion, and the sprung slide lock shelf further including a shelf member protruding from one side and positioned outboard of the follower body.

7. The follower as recited in claim 6 wherein the follower body includes a slot formed in the front end and a shoulder member within the slot; and the sprung slide lock shelf including a hook member extending upwardly from the forward end and received within the slot formed in the front end of the follower body, and the hook member being positioned for engagement with the shoulder member to prevent the sprung slide lock shelf from deflecting in the downward direction relative to the bottom of the follower body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a partially exploded bottom perspective view of an unassembled follower in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the follower of FIG. 1, shown fully assembled;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view, shown in cross-section, of the assembled follower;

(5) FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the assembled follower;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the assembled follower;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view, shown in partial cutaway, of an assembled magazine unloaded;

(8) FIG. 6A is a magnified view taken from the area indicated as FIG. 6A in FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 7 is a perspective view, shown in partial cutaway, of an assembled magazine partially loaded;

(10) FIG. 7A is a magnified view taken from the area indicated as FIG. 7A in FIG. 7;

(11) FIG. 8 is a perspective view, shown in partial cutaway, of an assembled magazine fully loaded to capacity;

(12) FIG. 8A is a magnified view taken from the area indicated as FIG. 8A in FIG. 8;

(13) FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a sprung slide lock shelf used in accordance with a second embodiment of the follower of the present invention;

(14) FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an assembled follower including the sprung slide lock shelf of FIG. 9, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;

(15) FIG. 11 is a side elevational view, in partial cross section, showing the assembled follower of FIG. 10; and

(16) FIG. 12 is an exploded top perspective view of the follower of FIG. 10, in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention.

(17) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

(18) TABLE-US-00001 General Parts Description 1 Follower 2 Magazine Spring 3 Magazine Housing 4 Bullet 5 Follower Body 6 Follower Spring 7 Bullet Engaging Surface 8 Receiving Slot 9 Mounting Post 10 Swaged Post 11 Support Tab 12 Rear Leg 13 Feed Lips 14 Countersunk Hole 15 Forward End Tip 16 Upper Front Edge 17 Slide Lock Shelf 1a Follower Of Second Embodiment 5a Follower Body Of Second Embodiment 18 Sprung Slide Lock Shelf 19 Hook On The Sprung Slide Lock Shelf 20 Shelf Area On The Sprung Slide Lock Shelf 21 Enlarged Rear Portion Of The Sprung Slide Lock Shelf 22 Open Aperture In The Enlarged Rear Portion Of The Sprung Slide Lock Shelf 23 Slot Formed In Front End Of Follower Body 24 Shoulder Within Slot In Front End Of Follower Body

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(19) Referring to FIGS. 1-8 of the drawings, one embodiment of the hybrid firearm magazine follower of the present invention is shown and is generally indicated as 1. The hybrid magazine follower 1 is comprised of two separate components assembled together as one finished part. One component, the follower body 5, is of rigid structure with a complex detailed shape that is manufactured using a process capable of such results including plastic injection molding. The follower body 5 engages with the first bullet(s) 4 that is loaded into the magazine 3 (see FIGS. 7-8A) with its bullet engaging surface 7 (see FIGS. 1-6A) that is contoured to position the bullets in the magazine so that they are stacked upon loading in a precise and consistent manner. The bullet engaging surface 7 of the follower body 5 may also be contoured as a negative (i.e., congruent) match of the shape of the first bullet(s) 4 into the magazine 3 in such a way that, under the force of the magazine spring 2, it is kept in a specific and precise location as the magazine 3 gets wider toward the bottom where the follower 1 loses its influence of the magazine side walls as is common in double stack type magazines. The follower body 5 includes the rear leg 12 which extends downward from the main generally horizontal surface of the follower body 5. A slide lock shelf 17 is built into the shape of the follower body 5. There are also provisions built into this part for mounting the second component together with the follower body 5. In at least one embodiment, there is a mounting post 9 and a receiving slot 8 for this purpose (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

(20) The second component of the follower 1 assembly is the follower spring 6 (see FIGS. 1-3) which is suitable to be cut and formed from flat material containing the appropriate spring properties for the application. The follower spring 6 is formed to be of a generally curved shape and is assembled to the follower body 5 using an appropriate method. In the preferred embodiment, the follower spring 6 contains support tab 11 and a countersunk hole 14, both of which are features used to mount the follower spring 6 to the follower body 5.

(21) During assembly, the follower spring 6 is located onto the underside of the follower body 5 so that the mounting post 9 is inserted into the countersunk hole 14 with the follower spring 6 positioned so that the open end of the countersunk hole 14 is directed away from the follower body 5 and the forward end tip 15 of the follower spring 6 is located away from the follower body 5 as a result of its curved shape. The follower spring 6 is manipulated so that the support tab 11 enters the receiving slot 8. The mounting post 9 would then be swaged to permanently contain the follower spring 6 onto the follower body 5 so that the swaged post 10 (see FIGS. 2-3) is recessed into the countersunk area of the follower spring 6, and so that there is little or no material of the swaged post 10 exceeding the bottom surface of the follower spring 6. As permanently attached, the follower body 5 and the follower spring 6 represent the follower 1 of the preferred embodiment.

(22) When the follower 1 is assembled within a complete magazine that is empty without bullets 4, the front of the follower body 5 may completely exceed the upper front edge 16 of the magazine housing 3 vertically. When the follower 1 is in this position, the force of the magazine spring 2 upon the follower spring 6 is not enough to compress the follower spring 6 significantly. The forward end tip 15 of the follower spring 6, therefore, will remain below the upper front edge 16 and against the inside surface of the magazine housing 3. With the follower spring 6 in its uncompressed and curved state while positioned at the top of the magazine, it acts much like a follower front leg would in keeping the follower from moving forward and maintaining containment within the magazine housing 3. Also, in the event that the front of the follower body 5 is pushed upward when the follower 1 is in this position, urging the follower 1 to pivot on the front edges of the magazine feed lips 13, the interference between the forward end tip 15 of the follower spring 6 and the inside surface of the magazine housing 3 would cause the follower 1 to resist this motion.

(23) When bullets 4 are added to the magazine 1, the follower will position itself under the stack according to the contour design of the bullet engaging surface 7. The contour design of the bullet engaging surface 7 would also be responsible for locating the first bullet 4 loaded in the magazine into its appropriate position (often to one specific side) so that the following bullets loaded would stack as desired. As more bullets 4 are loaded, the follower spring 6 compresses into a more flat position and the upper front surface of the follower body 5 comes into contact with the inside front surface of the magazine housing 3 while the rear bottom edge of the rear leg 12 maintains contact with the rear inside surface of the magazine housing. These contact points of the follower body 5 are what keep the front of the follower 1 from tilting down and causing a problem. The forward end tip 15 of the follower spring 6 has no influence on the prevention of this motion, as is the case in some follower examples of the prior art. Since the front point of contact between the follower 1 the magazine housing 3 end up much higher in this design, the rear leg can be much shorter than if it were the much lower front end tip 15 that accomplished the anti-tilt interference at the front.

(24) When the magazine is fully loaded with bullets 4, the magazine spring 2 is fully compressed, and the follower 1 is at its lowest position, the follower spring 6 is compressed to a flat or nearly flat shape (see FIGS. 8-8A). As the bullets 4 are stripped from the magazine and the follower 1 makes its way up toward the top of the magazine housing 3, the influence of the force of the magazine spring 2 on the follower spring 6 is reduced and the follower spring 6 gradually regains its curved shape until it is fully realized when it reaches the top of the magazine housing 3.

(25) A further embodiment of the hybrid firearm magazine follower of the invention is shown in FIGS. 9-12 wherein the hybrid firearm magazine follower is generally indicated as 1a. This embodiment provides for a variation of the slide stop shelf. More particularly, there are some instances, depending on the firearm, where the slide stop shelf may need to be located lower on the follower than it is in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, as described above. In order to accommodate a lower slide stop shelf, the follower body would need to grow in thickness which would lessen the benefit of the present invention since the follower would need to grow in height. This would result in the follower taking up more vertical space in the magazine housing 3, which is inconsistent with the purpose of the invention. In order to accommodate a lower slide stop shelf with little or no effect on overall follower 1a vertical thickness (i.e., height), a sprung slide lock shelf 18 may be captured between the follower body 5a and the follower spring 6. In this embodiment, the slide stop shelf 17 shown in FIGS. 1-8 is eliminated from the follower body 5 and is functionally replaced with the sprung slide lock shelf 18. The sprung slide lock shelf 18 is preferably made of a material with spring properties so that it returns to its original shape after deflecting. The shape and structure of the sprung slide lock shelf 18 is a generally thin flat strip with a hole or other feature allowing it to be attached at the rear of the follower body 5a, as seen in FIG. 11. The sprung slide lock shelf 18 further includes a shelf area 20 that protrudes from the side of the follower body 5 when assembled, and a flange containing a hook 19 which engages the follower body 5a and is used to limit its downward travel.

(26) In operation, the sprung slide stop shelf 18 contacts the slide lock arm (not shown) within the firearm, thereby activating the slide stop condition. There is no downward movement of the sprung slide stop shelf 18 relative to the follower body 5a when this happens since the hook 19 is engaged with shoulder 24 within slot 23 formed in the front end of the follower body 5a and prevents the sprung slide lock shelf 18 from deflecting in the downward direction. When the magazine is filled to capacity and the follower bottoms out inside the magazine housing 3, the sprung slide stop shelf 18 deflects upward against the follower body 5a so that maximum vertical space is allowed above the follower 1 in a loaded magazine. In summary, the sprung slide lock shelf 18 allows for a lower slide lock shelf location on the follower 1a while compressing to a much shorter vertical profile when the magazine is full, thereby providing more space for bullets in the firearm magazine.

(27) Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.