PISTOL WITH HORIZONTAL MAGAZINE BENEATH THE BARREL

Abstract

A striker fired semi-automatic pistol or handgun that utilizes a magazine positioned horizontally and in front of the grip. The pistol of the invention includes two recoil springs and two locking lugs positioned on each side of the barrel (1 per side) which has a corresponding set of locking blocks. A sliding stripper rail is utilized to move cartridges from the magazine to the barrel. The grip is detachable and completely customizable, using a small solid tang to connect the grip to the firearm.

Claims

1. A pistol comprising: a barrel, a grip, a magazine well, and a magazine, wherein the magazine well is configured to engage with the magazine and is located adjacent to and beneath the barrel, and wherein the magazine well and the magazine are located in front of the grip.

2. The pistol of claim 1, wherein the pistol is a striker fired pistol.

3. The pistol of claim 1, wherein the magazine is substantially parallel to the barrel.

4. The pistol of claim 1, wherein the grip is detachable.

5. The pistol of claim 1 further comprising a tang configured to engage with the grip.

6. The pistol of claim 1 further comprising a slide assembly, said slide assembly comprising an internal helix to turn a cartridge located within the magazine ninety degrees.

7. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the grip comprises a battery well.

8. The pistol of claim 1 wherein the grip comprises integrated electronics.

9. The pistol of claim 1 further comprising a pincer which locks the magazine into place.

10. A pistol comprising: a. a frame; b. a barrel mounted on the frame; c. a grip connected to the frame; d. a magazine well occupying a space within the frame; and e. a magazine, wherein the magazine well is configured to engage with the magazine and is located adjacent to and beneath the barrel, and wherein the magazine well and the magazine are located in front of the grip.

11. The pistol of claim 10 wherein the pistol is a striker fired pistol.

12. The pistol of claim 10, wherein the magazine is substantially parallel to the barrel.

13. The pistol of claim 10, wherein the grip is detachable.

14. The pistol of claim 10 further comprising a tang connected to the frame and configured to engage with the grip.

15. The pistol of claim 10, wherein the magazine is attached to the front of the frame by at least two hooks on the front of the magazine which engage with indents in the front of the pistol.

16. The pistol of claim 10, wherein the grip comprises a battery well.

17. The pistol of claim 10, wherein the grip comprises integrated electronics.

18. The pistol of claim 10, further comprising a pincer which locks the magazine into place.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention is more fully described by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the pistol in an assembled state with the magazine in place, the grip attached and the slide forward.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pistol of the invention showing the magazine detached from the magazine well.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a left side view showing the internal aspects of a fully loaded magazine.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the internal aspects of a fully loaded magazine.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a left side view of an empty magazine.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a side view of an embodiment showing the magazine lock mechanism.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a view of an embodiment showing the slide stop of the device.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a side view of an embodiment showing the slide stop and attached springs.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a side view of an embodiment showing the firing mechanism.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a side view of an embodiment showing the safeties of the gun.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a side viewing showing an embodiment with the tang exposed without the grip.

[0037] FIG. 12 is a side viewing of an embodiment showing one of the pistol's guide rods.

[0038] FIG. 13 is a top view of an embodiment showing the pistol's guide rods.

[0039] FIG. 14 is a side view of an embodiment showing the locking lugs on the barrel and the locking block on the frame.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a side view of an embodiment showing the stripper rail in the upward position when the slide is in battery.

[0041] FIG. 16 is a side view of an embodiment showing the stripper rail in a downward position when the slide is racked back.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment showing the pistol of the invention in an assembled state 1. This is the form in which the newly designed pistol would normally be carried and discharged.

[0043] FIG. 2 is an embodiment showing the firearm without a magazine 2 in the magazine well 5. This embodiment also shows the slide 6. The position of the magazine well is unlike standard semi-automatic handguns. It is an open design for quicker and easier loading, the magazine located forward of the grip and positioned horizontally. In this embodiment, the magazine well 5 comprises a crescent shaped wall above the trigger guard and below the barrel that contains the magazine locking mechanism. Additional support for the magazine is provided by the two magazine support hooks 11 on the muzzle end of the magazine entering hollowed out areas in the front of the frame of the firearm. This position of the magazine moves the balance of the firearm forward, providing the gun greater tactile feedback with regards to the muzzle position as well as reducing muzzle flip when the gun is fired. Because the magazine well is open and rounded it is much easier to use, especially under stress, and the crescent shape guides the magazine into place if the magazine is anywhere near the correct position. This is much easier than angling a standard design magazine into the grip. In an embodiment of the invention, an accessory rail 3 may be attached to the frame of the firearm or detached as the user prefers.

[0044] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show embodiments of the magazine 2 fully loaded and from different sides. The cartridge 10 at the mouth of the magazine faces towards the muzzle and is in line with the barrel. This position is achieved by the use of an internal helix and two ‘pushers’ located inside the magazine. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the two halves of the helix 7 which turns a cartridge 90 degrees. When the magazine is empty a pusher 8 is forced up to the mouth of the magazine and halted at a 45° angle when viewed from above due to its shape. The design of the magazine allows a significantly greater number of cartridges to be stored in the magazine compared to other handguns of similar size. The magazine and the frame may be contoured to each engage with each other to aid in loading.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows the magazine emptied of cartridges with the pushers 8 in a stopped position and the floorplate 9 moved to its most extended position by the magazine spring 12 and extending into the frame to interact with the slide lock lever. This causes the slide to lock back when the magazine is empty, and the slide is moved to a back position either manually or due to firing.

[0046] The magazine also locks into place in a novel manner as depicted in the embodiment provided in FIG. 6, which shows the magazine lock that forms a pincer 15. This pincer is kept in a closed position by a spring 16 and is opened either by partially inserting a magazine or pressing the magazine release button on the frame which moves a wedge 14 to open the pincers and release the magazine if it is present.

[0047] The magazine lock utilizes the magazine latch extension 13 located in the lower rear section of the magazine, beneath the internal helix as show in FIG. 7. This design is a unique, solid and robust magazine lock. This design is different from standard semiautomatic magazine well locks, which comprise notches in the magazines. The new design offers a stronger, more positive lock due to its solid structure giving greater support to the magazine locking mechanism as well as an ambidextrous magazine release.

[0048] FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment showing the slide stop 17 and attached spring 18 which keep the slide in place by halting its forward motion through contact of the barrel's 27 (FIG. 13) locking lugs 28 (FIG. 14) with the slide stop. The slide stop must be moved down during disassembly by the operator reaching into the frame and pulling it downward. The unique shape and positioning of the slide stop places the slide stop lever in the magazine well 5. The lever can only be manipulated by the operator when the magazine well is empty. In contrast to other semiautomatic handguns, this design cannot be disassembled or reassembled when a magazine is in the well.

[0049] FIG. 9 shows the firing mechanism of the device. The trigger bar 22 (FIG. 10) has an extension which contacts the vertical connector 20 and causes compression of the vertical connector spring 21 when the trigger is pulled. The vertical connector is pushed upwards by the spring which keeps the striker 19 in a loaded position. When the trigger is pressed, the connector is moved downwards releasing the striker and firing the gun.

[0050] FIG. 10 shows the internal safeties of the device, the unique safety being the magazine safety 23. If the magazine 2 is removed, as seen in FIG. 2, then the trigger bar 22 cannot release the striker and the firearm cannot be discharged due to the unique magazine disconnect safety shown. In contrast to other models which disengage the trigger from the firing mechanism, the magazine disconnect safety prevents the trigger bar from traveling far enough to release the striker. The position of the magazine disconnect safety aids in ejecting the magazine by the magazine disconnect safety spring, forcing the magazine out of the magazine well when released. Additionally, since the magazine disconnect safety blocks the trigger bar and must be depressed horizontally to disengage (as opposed to disengaging vertically or moving the firing mechanism out of position, as is standard), the magazine disconnect safety does not negatively affect the trigger's performance.

[0051] FIG. 11 depicts an embodiment showing the tang 25 of the firearms frame exposed and without a grip. This design allows a fully detachable grip which may or may not contain electronics. In some embodiments, the grip may contain power sources such as batteries. Additionally, the grips are much more customizable compared to standard models due to not having to be integral to the magazine well.

[0052] FIGS. 12 and 13 show the guide rods 26 of the firearm. These guide rods are located on either side of the barrel 27, as opposed to the usual position of a single guide rode located under the barrel. This allows room for the unique magazine and magazine well.

[0053] FIG. 14 shows the locking lugs 28 and the locking blocks 29 which both correspond to the unique design of the barrel. Two locking lugs are in a ‘winged’ design which interact with appropriately situated and shaped locking blocks placed in the frame. The blocks are in two sections and form hook shapes which guides the barrel in a tilting motion as the gun cycles. Since they are comprised of two sections and interact with the uniquely shaped locking lug on the barrel, they can be constructed much more solidly than standard designs.

[0054] FIGS. 15 and 16 depict embodiments showing the stripper rail 30 in the up and down position respectively, because the magazine is placed horizontally, not vertically. The stripper rail needs to move up and down as the gun cycles so that it may interact with the cartridge but not interfere with the magazine. This is accomplished by springs 31 pushing the stripper rail 30 into a downward position when the gun is out of battery and extensions on both the stripper rail 30 and the barrel forcing the stripper rail 30 into an up position when the gun is in battery.

[0055] To summarize some of the unique aspects of the invention, the horizontally placed magazine 2 utilizes a helix 7 to turn the cartridge 10 into the position for feeding as well as a set of hooks 11 that interact with the frame to increase support. A solid magazine lock 13 may be used to engage the pincer shaped magazine release mechanism 16 located beneath the mouth of the magazine. This pincer shape is urged open by the movement of a wedge 14 or the insertion of a magazine into the magazine well 5. This is a much stronger design than the standard notches in the magazines. The magazine well 5 is largely open and includes a small crescent shaped opening near the trigger and below the slide. This position allows greater magazine capacity as well as moving the balance of the firearm forward, which reduces felt recoil and increases tactile awareness of the muzzle direction. The open nature of the magazine well 5, combined with the crescent shape, allows much easier and more instinctive reloading than a standard magazine well. This is because the crescent shape will naturally move the magazine into the proper position if it is within the crescent. Because there is no magazine well in place in the grip 4, the grip is fully customizable and interchangeable. The grip may optionally include a battery well or integrated electronics.

[0056] The position of the magazine 2 and magazine well 5 allow the addition of a unique type of magazine disconnect safety 23 which blocks the travel of the trigger bar 22 when the magazine 2 is absent. The horizontal nature of the safety means it also aids in the ejection of the magazine, which discourages the removal of the safety. The fact that it blocks the firing mechanism, as opposed to moving the firing mechanism to a disengaged position, means that it does not negatively affect the trigger, a common complaint about such safeties.

[0057] The barrel 27 is also unique as it utilizes two locking lugs 28, located on either side of the barrel, instead of the usual single lug located beneath the barrel. These interact with the uniquely shaped locking blocks 29 attached to the frame. This design places two guide rods 26 and recoil springs on either side of the barrel and lowers the bore of the firearm, thus decreasing felt recoil and aiding in feeding from the unique magazine. Because the magazine will not push cartridges upwards when the slide is to the rear (as on standard automatics), a sliding stripper rail 30, which moves cartridges into the barrel and is itself moved by contact with the barrel in the cycling process, is utilized. Due to the lack of upwards pressure and greater contact between the stripper rail and the cartridge, the chance of a malfunction is reduced.

[0058] The magazine's position and the barrel design allow the slide stop 17 to be completely shrouded by the frame and magazine, when the magazine is in place. Because of the magazine's position, it is impossible to manipulate the slide stop 17 when a magazine is in place. This is an additional feature that makes the firearm safer than other designs, especially during disassembly and reassembly of the firearm. Since there is no need for a lever or other device made to manipulate the slide stop 17 on the side of the firearm, this also decreases the overall width of the device due to the position of the slide lock lever.

[0059] To use the firearm 1, the operator first loads the magazine 2 with cartridges 10. This magazine 2 has innovations such as the following: the helix 7, which turns the cartridge 10 to the loading position, and the pushers 8, which move the cartridges through the helix 7 and which stop beneath the mouth of the magazine when the last catridge is removed from the magazine.

[0060] The magazine 2 is automatically locked into place once seated in the magazine well 5 and is removed by using the magazine release button.

[0061] Next the operator pulls the slide 6 backwards and releases it to chamber a cartridge 10. The trigger is then pulled, which causes a cartridge 10 to be struck by the striker 19 and a round to be fired due to the trigger bar 22 that compresses the firing mechanism's vertical connector 20. The movement of this piece backwards causes the vertical connector 20 to release the striker 19. The striker 19 in turn strikes the cartridge 10, discharging a round. The recoil of this action causes the slide 6 to cycle backwards.

[0062] When the slide 6 is either pulled back by hand or cycled backwards by recoil, the sliding stripper rail 30 is moved into a down position. The slide disconnect safety is also engaged. This safety includes the trigger bar and an indentation in the slide. When the slide moves backwards, it pushes the trigger bar 22, which pivots in the trigger down and out of contact with the vertical connector 20, which is pressed down by the striker 19 during rearward travel in a loaded position, ready to be fired again. Any cartridge 10 or spent brass in the chamber is also extracted by the extractor during the backwards motion of the slide.

[0063] When a magazine 2 is empty, the floorplate 9 extends into the frame to engage the slide lock, locking the slide 6 in a back position.

[0064] The slide 6 may be released from the locked position by the operator manually manipulating the slide lock lever, releasing it from a pulled back position when no magazine 2 or a loaded magazine is in the magazine well 5. The sliding stripper rail 30 sweeps the cartridge 10 into the chamber of the barrel 27 and is moved into an up position. Once the slide 6 is the forward position, the slide disconnect safety is no longer engaged but the trigger bar 22 is not in place to move the vertical connector. If the trigger was held back during the cycling process, as proper technique dictates, then the trigger must be ‘reset’ by allowing it to move forward until the trigger bar 22 reengages the vertical connector 20. If the trigger was not held back during the cycling process, it was, by necessity, forward and thus the trigger bar 22 is ready to engage the vertical connector, as when the firearm is first picked up when a round is chambered.

[0065] When a cartridge 10 is fired and there are no more cartridges left in the magazine 2, the slide 6 is locked back due to the floor plate extension 9 extending into the frame. This activates the slide lock which puts upward pressures on the slide lock. This pressure moves the slide lock into an upward position when the notch cut into the slide is moved over the slide lock by the slide's travel to the rear of the firearm. From here the slide lock lever must be used to release the slide 6, or the pressure must be alleviated, either by removing the empty magazine and leaving the magazine well 5 empty or by inserting a magazine 2 with one or more cartridges 10 loaded. Additionally, the slide 6 must be pulled backwards to disengage the slide lock.

[0066] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

LIST OF REFERENCED COMPONENETS

[0067] Component 1: firearm or pistol in an assembled state

[0068] Component 2: magazine

[0069] Component 3: detachable accessory rail

[0070] Component 4: detachable grip

[0071] Component 5: magazine well

[0072] Component 6: firearm slide

[0073] Component 7: floor magazine helix

[0074] Component 8: cartridge pusher inside the magazine

[0075] Component 9: floorplate

[0076] Component 10: cartridge

[0077] Component 11: front magazine hook

[0078] Component 12: magazine spring

[0079] Component 13: magazine latch extension

[0080] Component 14: magazine latch opening wedge

[0081] Component 15: magazine latch pincer

[0082] Component 16: magazine latch spring

[0083] Component 17: magazine slide stop

[0084] Component 18: magazine slide stop spring

[0085] Component 19: firearm striker

[0086] Component 20: firing mechanism vertical connector

[0087] Component 21: vertical connector spring

[0088] Component 22: trigger bar

[0089] Component 23: magazine disconnect safety

[0090] Component 24: magazine disconnect safety spring

[0091] Component 25: tang of the firearm

[0092] Component 26: guide rods of the firearm

[0093] Component 27: barrel of the firearm

[0094] Component 28: firearm's locking lugs

[0095] Component 29: firearm's locking blocks

[0096] Component 30: sliding stripper rail

[0097] Component 31: sliding stripper rail springs