Linked round carrying bag

Abstract

A linked round carrying bag having a flexible sleeve and a fastening is provided. The sleeve is sealed at a first end, has an opening at a second end, and has an openable closure, for example, a zip, extending substantially from the first end to the second end. A width of the sleeve is greater than the length of an individual round of the linked round that the bag is designed to carry but is less than twice the length of an individual round. The fastening is adjacent a closed side of an opening of the sleeve and is arranged to be tightly fastenable around the closed side of the opening and any linked round carried in the bag. The fastening can ensure that a linked round is held in its proper position within the bag, even when the bag is carried as a bandolier.

Claims

1. A linked round carrying bag, comprising: a flexible sleeve comprising a sealed first end, an open second end defining an opening, and an openable closure extending substantially from the first end to the second end, wherein a width of the sleeve is greater than the length of an individual round of a linked round to be carried in the bag but is less than twice the length of an individual round; a closing flap at the second end, attached to the flexible sleeve, having a free edge, and configured to flap down over the opening to close the opening; and a fastening strap fixed to the flexible sleeve adjacent the opening at the second end, positioned on the flexible sleeve closer to the second end than is the free edge of the closing flap when the closing flap is flapped down over the opening to close the opening, the fastening strap having a length and being arranged to extend around the flexible sleeve, around any linked rounds carried in the flexible sleeve, and around the closing flap to thereby hold the linked rounds in position adjacent the opening when the bag is carried as a bandolier.

2. A bag according to claim 1, wherein the fastening strap comprises a quick release fastening.

3. A bag according to claim 2, wherein the quick release fastening comprises a hook and loop fastener.

4. A bag according to claim 2, wherein the quick release fastening comprises press studs.

5. A bag according to claim 1, wherein the fastening strap comprises a fabric strap.

6. In combination, the linked round carry bag of claim 1 and a linked round held therein, the link round comprising a plurality of individual rounds, each individual round of the plurality having a length, wherein the width of the sleeve is greater than 120% of the length of each individual round and less than 150% of the length of each individual round.

7. A method of using a linked round carrying bag, the bag comprising: a flexible sleeve comprising a sealed first end, an open second end defining an opening, and an openable closure extending substantially from the first end to the second end, wherein the width of the sleeve is greater than the length of an individual round of a linked round to be carried in the bag but is less than twice the length of an individual round; a closing flap at the second end, attached to the flexible sleeve, having a free edge, and configured to flap down over the opening to close the opening; and a fastening strap fixed to the flexible sleeve adjacent the opening at the second end, positioned on the flexible sleeve closer to the second end than is the free edge of the closing flap when the closing flap is flapped down over the opening to close the opening, the fastening strap having a length and being arranged to extend around the flexible sleeve, around any linked rounds carried in the flexible sleeve, and around the closing flap to thereby hold the linked rounds in position adjacent the opening; the method comprising the steps of: positioning a linked round in the bag such that the linked round is folded over upon itself; closing the openable closure to contain the linked round in the bag; wrapping the fastening strap completely around the flexible sleeve, around the linked round in the bag, and around the closing flap; tightly fastening the fastening strap to thereby hold the linked round in position adjacent the opening; and carrying the bag as a bandolier.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bag according to a preferred embodiment of the invention with its fastening means and its closing flap open; and

(2) FIG. 2 is a second plan view of the bag of FIG. 1 with the fastening means and the closing flap closed.

(3) A preferred embodiment of a bag 11 according to the present invention is shown in the Figures. The bag 11 consists of a flexible fabric sleeve that is sealed at a first end 12 and open at a second end 9 and a fastening strap 20. The sleeve is formed of CORDURA fabric. The sleeve has a zip 1 that extends from the first end to an opening 14 at the second end 9. The zip 1 is positioned centrally across a width of the sleeve. The sleeve is formed as a triagonal prism with the zip 1 positioned along one edge of the prism and the opposing face of the prism extending across the width of the sleeve.

(4) The fastening means 20 is a fabric strap that is attached at a first end adjacent the opening 14. The fastening means has a plurality of press studs 21 and a hook and loop fastening 22 that allow it to be tightly fastened around the bag 11, as shown in FIG. 2.

(5) A linked round can be contained within the bag 11. The bag shown in the Figures is intended to hold a linked round (not shown) consisting of two hundred individual rounds that is 3 m long, each individual round has a length of 68 mm. The sleeve has a width of 90 mm and is 750 mm long from the first end 12 to the second end 13. The linked round is intended to be stored within the bag 11 folded over upon itself. In particular, the linked round is intended to be folded so that it is in four layers. The first five to ten individual rounds of the linked round are folded so that they lie on the top of the folded linked round and are at the second end 9 of the sleeve so that the end round can be easily accessed when the bag 11 is opened. When the linked round is being positioned within the bag 11, the bag will be opened using the zip 1 to allow the linked round to be simply placed within the sleeve and folded in the appropriate manner. After the linked round has been placed in the bag 11, the zip 1 will be closed and need not be reopened until a new linked round is required to be positioned within the bag. It is not necessary to open the zip 1 to remove the linked round 5 from the bag 11.

(6) The second end 9 of the bag 11 is closed by a closing flap 16. The flap 16 can be folded back over the bag and secured against an outer surface of the sleeve using hook and loop fastening means 4, 6 positioned on the outer surface of the sleeve and an inner side of the flap 16 respectively. When folded over, the flap 16 covers the end of the zip 1. This prevents the zip 1 being inadvertently opened. After a linked round has been appropriately positioned in the bag 11 the closing flap 16 is closed and the fastening strap 20 is tightly fastened around the closing flap 16 and the linked rounds. This holds the outermost rounds of the linked rounds in position no matter how the bag 11 is held. Advantageously it ensures that the outermost rounds are immediately accessible and positioned at the opening 14 when the flap is opened 16.

(7) The opening 14 at the second end of the bag 11 is triangular in shape. This shape is particularly advantageous as, in conjunction with the correct folding of the linked round positioned within the bag 11, it allows the linked round to be rapidly removed from the bag.

(8) When it is necessary to use the bag 11, the fastening 20 will be undone, the flap 16 will be opened. When the flap 16 has been opened the triangular shape of the opening 1 then reveals the end of the linked round, which is immediately visible and accessible. The end of the linked round can then be fed into the appropriate firearm. As the linked round is fed through the firearm it will be gradually pulled out of the bag 11. It is not necessary for the linked round to be completely removed from the bag 1 before being used. However, if it is desirable to do this it can be done in a simple and quick manner by simply pulling the end of the linked round out of the bag 11.