Firearm magazine loader and unloader

• US 10,060,692 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Christopher Couie
• Original Assignee: William Christopher Couie
• Inventors: Couie, William Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Semick, Joshua T
• Application Number:
  US15/638,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20180080729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/65 Box magazines having a cartridge follower
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/67 having means for depressing the cartridge follower, or for locking it in a depressed position
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/83 Apparatus or tools for reloading magazines with unbelted ammunition, e.g. cartridge clips
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/84 Clips

Abstract

A magazine loader/unloader, designed to stand on a table or be handheld during use, includes a loader/unloader housing, including right and left sides, front and rear sides, and a flat bottom plate; a loading structure, including a loading member; and an unloading structure, including top and bottom guides, and an unloading protrusion. Also disclosed is a method of using the magazine loader/unloader, including positioning cartridge, loading cartridge, and unloading cartridge.

Claims

1. A magazine loader/unloader, comprising:

a) a loader/unloader housing, which is hollow and defines a housing interior with an upper opening, such that the loader/unloader housing is configured to accept an upper end of a firearm magazine, via insertion of the firearm magazine through the upper opening;

b) a loading structure, comprising;

a loading member, which is mounted inside the housing interior, wherein the loading member comprises an upper surface that is configured to accept a firearm cartridge; and

c) a bottom plate, which is connected to a bottom end of the loader/unloader housing;

wherein the loader/unloader housing further comprises;

an inner floor, which is mounted inside the housing interior, such that the loading member is connected to an upper surface of the inner floor;

wherein the inner floor is inclined downward in a forward direction, at a floor inclination angle relative to the bottom plate;

such that the inner floor is configured to create a forward motion of the firearm cartridge, when the firearm magazine is depressed downward into the housing interior, such that the firearm cartridge is pressed downward and rearward into the firearm magazine;

wherein, when the firearm cartridge is inserted into the housing interior and positioned on the upper surface of the loading member, and the firearm magazine is depressed downward into the housing interior, the loading member is configured to depress the firearm cartridge into the firearm magazine, whereby the firearm cartridge is securely loaded within the firearm magazine.

2. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 1, wherein the upper surface is configured as a half-cylinder.

3. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 1, wherein the upper surface is configured with a loading inclination angle relative to the bottom plate, such that the upper surface is inclined downward in a forward direction.

4. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 3, wherein the loading inclination angle is in a range of 15 to 85 degrees.

5. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 1, wherein the loader/unloader housing further comprises:

a) right and left sides; and

b) a bottom plate, which is connected to bottom ends of the right and left sides, wherein the bottom plate is configured with a flat bottom surface

such that the magazine loader/unloader is configured to be positioned for use on a flat surface.

6. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 5, wherein the loader/unloader housing further comprises:

a) a front side, which connects between front parts of the right and left sides; and

b) a rear side, which connects between rear parts of the right and left sides.

7. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 1, further comprising:

an unloading structure, which is mounted on an outer side of the loader/unloader housing, the unloading structure comprising;

an unloading protrusion;

wherein, when the unloading structure is placed on a top of the firearm magazine, such that when the unloading protrusion is positioned against a rear of the firearm magazine and the magazine loader/unloader is pushed forward, the unloading protrusion is configured to engage with a rear end of the firearm cartridge and move the firearm cartridge forward, such that the firearm cartridge is ejected from the firearm magazine.

8. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 7, wherein the unloading structure further comprises:

a bottom guide, which is a first elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing, such that the bottom guide is formed by the bottom plate protruding out from the outer side;

such that the bottom guide is configured to guide a smooth forward motion of the firearm magazine and ensure positioning of the firearm cartridge relative to the unloading protrusion, such that the unloading protrusion engages the firearm cartridge.

9. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 8, wherein the unloading structure further comprises:

a top guide, which is a second elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing;

wherein the top guide is parallel to the bottom guide and wherein the top guide is positioned above the bottom guide;

such that the top and bottom guides are configured to guide the smooth forward sliding motion of the firearm magazine and ensure the positioning of the firearm cartridge relative to the unloading protrusion.

10. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 1, wherein the upper surface is configured with a loading inclination angle relative to the bottom plate, such that the upper surface is inclined downward in a forward direction, wherein the loading inclination angle is equal to the floor inclination angle.

11. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 6, wherein a front inner side of the front side is configured with a forward inclination at a front inclination angle relative to a vertical line, whereby the front side is configured to guide a forward inclined position of the firearm magazine.

12. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 6, wherein a rear inner side of the rear side is configured with a forward inclination at a rear inclination angle relative to a vertical line, whereby the rear side is configured to guide a forward inclined position of the firearm magazine.

13. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 5, wherein lower parts of right and left inner sides of respectively the right and left sides are configured with an inward taper, such that the housing interior narrows toward a bottom of the housing interior, whereby the housing interior is configured to adapt to a tapered end of the firearm magazine.

14. A magazine loader/unloader, comprising:

a) a loader/unloader housing; and

b) an unloading structure, which is mounted on an outer side of the loader/unloader housing, the unloading structure comprising;

an unloading protrusion; and

a bottom guide, which is a first elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing;

such that the bottom guide is configured to guide a smooth forward motion of a firearm cartridge and ensure positioning of the firearm cartridge relative to the unloading protrusion, such that the unloading protrusion engages the firearm cartridge;

wherein, when the unloading structure is placed on a top of a firearm magazine, such that when the unloading protrusion is positioned against a rear of the firearm magazine and the magazine loader/unloader is pushed forward, the unloading protrusion is configured to engage with a rear end of a firearm cartridge in the firearm magazine and move the firearm cartridge forward, such that the firearm cartridge is ejected from the firearm magazine.

15. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 14, wherein the unloading structure further comprises:

a top guide, which is a second elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing; and

wherein the top guide is parallel to the bottom guide and wherein the top guide is positioned above the bottom guide;

such that the top and bottom guides are configured to guide the smooth forward sliding motion of the firearm cartridge and ensure the positioning of the unloading protrusion.

16. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 14, wherein the loader/unloader housing further comprises:

a) right and left sides; and

b) a bottom plate, which is connected to bottom ends of the right and left sides, wherein the bottom plate is configured with a flat bottom surface

such that the magazine loader/unloader is configured to be positioned for use on a flat surface;

wherein the bottom guide is formed by the bottom plate protruding out from the outer side of the loader/unloader housing.

17. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 14, wherein the loader/unloader housing is hollow and defines a housing interior with an upper opening, such that the loader/unloader housing is configured to accept an upper end of the firearm magazine, via insertion of the firearm magazine through the upper opening;

and

the magazine loader/unloader further comprises;

a loading structure, comprising;

a loading member, which is mounted inside the housing interior, wherein the loading member comprises an upper surface that is configured to accept the firearm cartridge;

which is hollow and defines a housing interior with an upper opening, such that the loader/unloader housing is configured to accept an upper end of a firearm magazine, via insertion of the firearm magazine through the upper opening

wherein, when the firearm cartridge is inserted into the housing interior and positioned on the upper surface of the loading member, and the firearm magazine is depressed downward into the housing interior, the loading member is configured to depress the firearm cartridge into the firearm magazine, whereby the firearm cartridge is securely loaded within the firearm magazine.

18. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 17, wherein the upper surface is configured as a half-cylinder.

19. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 17, further comprising:

a bottom plate, which is connected to a bottom end of the loader/unloader housing;

wherein the upper surface is configured with a loading inclination angle relative to the bottom plate, such that the upper surface protrudes upward and rearward from a front end of the upper surface.

20. A method of using a magazine loader/unloader, comprising:

a) inserting cartridge, wherein a firearm cartridge is positioned on an upper surface of a loading member, which is mounted inside a housing interior of the magazine loader/unloader;

b) loading cartridge, comprising;

depressing a firearm magazine downward into the housing interior, such that the loading member, depresses the firearm cartridge into the firearm magazine, whereby the firearm cartridge is securely loaded within the firearm magazine;

wherein the magazine loader/unloader comprises;

a loader/unloader housing, which is hollow and defines the housing interior with an upper opening, such that the loader/unloader housing is configured to accept an upper end of the firearm magazine, via insertion of the firearm magazine through the upper opening; and

a loading structure, comprising;

the loading member, which is mounted inside the housing interior, wherein the loading member comprises the upper surface that is configured to accept the firearm cartridge; and

an unloading structure, which is mounted on an outer side of the loader/unloader housing, the unloading structure comprising;

an unloading protrusion; and

a bottom guide, which is a first elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing;

such that the bottom guide is configured to guide a smooth forward motion of a firearm cartridge and ensure positioning of the firearm cartridge relative to the unloading protrusion, such that the unloading protrusion engages the firearm cartridge;

wherein, when the firearm cartridge is inserted into the housing interior and positioned in the loading member, and the firearm magazine is depressed downward into the housing interior, the loading member is configured to depress the firearm cartridge into the firearm magazine, whereby the firearm cartridge is securely loaded within the firearm magazine.

21. The method of using a magazine loader/unloader of claim 20, further comprising:

unloading cartridge, wherein the magazine loader/unloader is held on a side that includes the unloading structure with an unloading protrusion, such that the unloading structure is placed on a top of the firearm magazine, such that the unloading protrusion is positioned against a rear of the firearm magazine, such that the magazine loader/unloader is pushed forward, such that the unloading protrusion engages with a rear end of the firearm cartridge and moves the firearm cartridge forward, such that the firearm cartridge is ejected from the firearm magazine.

22. A magazine loader/unloader, comprising:

a) a loader/unloader housing, which is hollow and defines a housing interior with an upper opening, such that the loader/unloader housing is configured to accept an upper end of a firearm magazine, via insertion of the firearm magazine through the upper opening;

b) a loading structure, comprising;

a loading member, which is mounted inside the housing interior, wherein the loading member comprises an upper surface that is configured to accept a firearm cartridge;

c) a bottom plate, which is connected to a bottom end of the loader/unloader housing; and

d) an unloading structure, which is mounted on an outer side of the loader/unloader housing, the unloading structure comprising;

an unloading protrusion; and

a bottom guide, which is a first elongated member mounted on the outer side of the unloader housing, such that the bottom guide is formed by the bottom plate protruding out from the outer side;

wherein, when the unloading structure is placed on a top of the firearm magazine, such that when the unloading protrusion is positioned against a rear of the firearm magazine and the magazine loader/unloader is pushed forward, the unloading protrusion is configured to engage with a rear end of the firearm cartridge and move the firearm cartridge forward, such that the firearm cartridge is ejected from the firearm magazine,

such that the bottom guide is configured to guide a smooth forward motion of the firearm magazine and ensure positioning of the firearm cartridge relative to the unloading protrusion, such that the unloading protrusion engages the firearm cartridge;

wherein, when the firearm cartridge is inserted into the housing interior and positioned on the upper surface of the loading member, and the firearm magazine is depressed downward into the housing interior, the loading member is configured to depress the firearm cartridge into the firearm magazine, whereby the firearm cartridge is securely loaded within the firearm magazine.

23. The magazine loader/unloader of claim 22, wherein the upper surface is configured with a loading inclination angle relative to the bottom plate, such that the upper surface is inclined downward in a forward direction.