Magazine loader and unloader accessory

• US 6,810,616 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maglula, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guy Tal, Ran Tal
• Inventors: Tal, Guy, Tal, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US10/332,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20040020096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 42/87, 42/88, 42/90
• US Class Current: 42/87
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/83 Apparatus or tools for reloading magazines with unbelted ammunition, e.g. cartridge clips

Abstract

A fiream magazine loader and unloader accessory (10) comprises a main body (12) adapted to fit over an open end of a magazine (70) and a tiltable alternate round thruster (50) mounted in the main body above the magazine'"'"'s open end. The alternate round thruster includes two plungers (62) and (64), each positioned above a column of rounds (80, 82) of the magazine. Loading is achieved by thrusting inside the magazine the topmost round of the magazine using the plunger above to provide a vacant space for a new round to be rearwardly inserted. Unloading is achieved by thrusting inside the magazine the second-to-topmost round of the magazine with the plunger above to release spring (78) pressure from the topmost round so that it can gravitationlly and forwardly unload.

Claims

1. An accessory for facilitating the loading and unloading of rounds into a firearm magazine comprising a hollow body with an open side and which holds first and second columns of rounds and feeds such rounds out of said open side successively from alternate columns, comprising:

a hollow body shaped and sized to fit over and be attached to said open side of said magazine,

an alternate round thruster mounted in said hollow body so that said alternate round thruster can be pivoted between first and second positions,

said alternate round thruster having first and second plungers which extend into said magazine above said first and second columns of rounds, respectively, when said hollow body is attached to said open side of said magazine,

said alternate round thruster having an operating handle extending out of said hollow body so that said alternate round thruster can be pivoted between said first and second positions by operating said operating handle,

said first and second plungers being positioned so that

(a) when said alternate round thruster is in said first position, said first plunger will extend down into said magazine lower than said second plunger,

(b) when said alternate round thruster is pivoted from said first to said second position, said first plunger will move upwardly and said second plunger will move downwardly into said magazine to a position lower than said first plunger, and

(c) when said alternate round thruster is pivoted from said second to said first position, said second plunger will move upwardly and said first plunger will move downwardly into said magazine to a position lower than said second plunger,

whereby when said alternate round thruster is operated between said first and second positions, its plungers will either (a) push a topmost round in said magazine down to form a vacant space to facilitate loading of a new topmost round into said vacant space in said magazine, or (b) push a second-to-topmost round in said magazine down to release a spring force and facilitate unloading of a topmost round of said magazine.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said first and second plungers are parallel members which are positioned to define an angle therebetween.

3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said first and second plungers are parallel members, at least one of which has a rotatable member.

4. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said rounds are elongated and parallel and said alternate round thruster is mounted on a pivot bar that is perpendicular to said rounds.

5. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said rounds are elongated and parallel and said alternate round thruster is mounted on a pivot bar that is parallel to said rounds.

6. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said alternate round thruster is retactable inside said hollow body.

7. The accessory of claim 6 wherein said alternate round thruster comprises means for limiting the retractability thereof inside said hollow body.

8. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said hollow body comprises means for locking itself to said magazine.

9. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said hollow body and said alternate round thruster are made of plastic.

10. A method of loading and unloading a firearm magazine having an open side, comprising:

providing alternate round thrusting means comprising at least two thrusting plungers,

providing mounting means for operatively positioning said alternate round thrusting means at said open side of said magazine, so that said thrusting plungers of said alternate round thrusting means are insertable through said open side or said magazine,

positioning said alternate round thrusting means for exerting thrust against a topmost round in said magazine,

alternately positioning said alternate round thrusting means for exerting thrust against a second-to-topmost round of said magazine,

whereby rounds may be easily loaded or unloaded into said magazine, respectively.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said thrusting plungers are parallel members which are positioned to define an angle therebetween.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said thrusting plungers are parallel members wherein at least one of said members has a rotatable member.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said rounds are elongated and parallel and said alternate round thrusting means is mounted on a pivot bar that is perpendicular to said rounds.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said rounds are elongated and parallel and said alternate round thrusting means is mounted on a pivot bar that is parallel to said rounds.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said alternate round thrusting means is retractable inside said mounting means.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said alternate round thrusting means comprises means for limiting the retractability thereof inside said mounting means.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein mid mounting means comprises means for locking itself to said magazine.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said mounting means and said alternate round thrusting means are made of plastic.

19. A accessory for facilitating the loading and unloading of rounds, comprising:

a hollow body having an open end and a predetermined shape and size,

an alternate round thruster mounted in said hollow body so that said alternate round thruster can be pivoted between first and second positions,

said alternate round thruster having first and second plungers,

said alternate round thruster having an operating handle extending out of said hollow body so that said alternate round thruster can be pivoted between said first and second positions by operating said operating handle,

said first and second plungers being positioned so that

(a) when said alternate round thruster is in said first position, said first plunger will extend down lower than said second plunger,

(b) when said alternate round thruster is pivoted from said first to said second position, said first plunger will move upwardly and said second plunger will move downwardly to a position lower than said first plunger, and

(c) when said alternate round thruster is pivoted from said second to said first position, said second plunger will move upwardly and said first plunger will move downwardly to a position lower than said second plunger,

whereby when said alternate round thruster is operated between said first and second positions, its plungers will alternatively extend to a lowermost position,

whereby when said accessory is attached to a firearm magazine said accessory can facilitate loading and unloading of rounds.

20. The accessory of claim 19, further including means for locking said hollow body to said firearm magazine.

21. The accessory of claim 19 wherein said first and second plungers are parallel members which are positioned to define an angle therebetween and said hollow body has parallel sides surfaces and said alternate round thruster is mounted on a pivot bar that is perpendicular to said parallel sides surfaces.

22. A firearm magazine loader and unloader accessory for magazines having an open side and containing topmost and second-to-topmost rounds which are exposed at and urged towards said open side, comprising:

thrusting means for alternately (a) thrusting said topmost round farther into said magazine for creating space adjacent said open side for enabling a new round to be loaded into said space, and (b) thrusting said second-to-topmost round farther into said magazine for releasing force on said topmost round to enable said topmost round to fall out of said magazine, and

mounting means for operatively positioning said thrusting means at said open side of said magazine,

whereby by sequentially thrusting topmost rounds farther into said magazine, said magazine may be easily loaded with new rounds, and alternatively, when sequentially thrusting second-to-topmost rounds farther into said magazine, topmost rounds may be easily unloaded.

23. The accessory of claim 22 wherein said thrusting means is an alternate round thruster comprising at least two thrusting plungers and said mounting means is a body shaped and sized to fit over and be attached to said open side of said magazine.