Device for loading bullets into firearm magazines

• US 6,817,134 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Gangi
• Original Assignee: Rainbow Precision Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Newman, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US10/439,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 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 rapid action bullet reloading device for use in conjunction with any firearm utilizing a removable magazine is operable by either hand of the user with minimal effort. The device includes a sleeve, defining a main body, a lever hinged to the sleeve and a cam member operatively engaged with the lever. The sleeve is structured and disposed to receive the magazine in a releasably locked and registered position for the bullet reloading operation. The device is operated by squeezing the lever towards the sleeve body with one hand which rotates the cam member about a cam axis in a highly leveraged action. Rotation of the cam causes an integral finger extending from the cam member to engage and depress a properly positioned bullet into the magazine. A spring urges the cam member back to the relaxed position upon each release of the lever, whereupon a next successive bullet can be placed in registered position for loading. In several embodiments, a hood is hingedly fitted to the top end of the sleeve body and includes an axial bore, defining a loading chamber, through which the bullets are inserted, using the other hand to guide each bullet into the registered loading position.

Claims

1. A device for loading bullets into a magazine of a firearm, said device comprising:

a sleeve defining a main body and being structured and disposed for receiving the magazine in seated position therein during use to load the bullets into the magazine;

a lever pivotally fitted to the main body and including a top portion with a top distal end;

a cam member pivotally fitted to said main body and disposed in operative, driven engagement with said top distal end of said lever;

a finger extending from said cam member;

a biasing element urging said cam member to a relaxed position; and

said cam member, including a cam surface in operative, abutting engagement with said top distal end of said lever, and said lever being pivotally operable to cause said top distal end to drivingly engage said cam surface of said cam member, resulting in forced rotation of said cam member about a cam axis and against said biasing element so that said finger is moved towards said magazine to depress a top bullet seated in position on a top of said magazine, thereby loading said bullet into said magazine.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

intermeshing teeth disposed on said top distal end of said lever and said cam member, respectively, said intermeshing teeth being structured and disposed for drivingly rotating said cam member about said cam axis upon pivotal operation of said lever.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a hood on a top portion of said main body and said hood including a bore extending therethrough and defining a loading chamber for insertion of the bullets therethrough and into guided, registered position on the top of the magazine for loading therein upon subsequent operation of said lever and rotation of said cam member against said biasing element.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sleeve insert structured and disposed to be received within said main body for accommodating variations in size of the magazine, in order to maintain the magazine in seated position within said sleeve.

5. The device as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a magazine support member adjustably moveable within said sleeve for accommodating magazines of varying height so that the magazines are maintained in operative, seated position within the sleeve for loading the bullets therein.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes at least one protruding member on an inner surface thereof for releasable, interlocking receipt within a corresponding recess on the magazine, to thereby insure proper positioning of the magazine within the sleeve for loading the bullets into the magazine.

7. The device as recited in claim 6 wherein said sleeve is structured and disposed for releasable, interlocking receipt of any of a plurality of magazines of various models and sizes.

8. A device for loading bullets into a magazine of a firearm, said device comprising:

a sleeve defining a main body and being structured and disposed for receiving the magazine in seated position therein during use to load the bullets into the magazine;

an actuator member moveable about a first pivot axis and operable by a single hand of a user between a relaxed position and an actuated position;

a cam member operatively engaging said actuator member and moveable about a second axis upon operation of said actuator member between said relaxed position and said actuated position; and

a finger extending from said cam member, said finger being structured and disposed to engage a top bullet seated in position on a top of said magazine and to depress said top bullet into said magazine upon operation of said actuator member about said first pivot axis from said relaxed position to said actuated position and rotation of said cam member about said second axis.

9. The device as recited in claim 8 wherein said actuator member and said cam member are operatively engaged with one another to provide a mechanical advantage which minimizes the effort necessary to operate said actuator member from said relaxed position to said actuated position and resultant movement of said cam member about said second axis to cause said finger to depress said top bullet into the magazine.

10. The device as recited in claim 9 wherein:

said actuator member is defined by a lever movable about a said first pivot axis and including a top distal end; and

said cam member includes a cam surface in operative, abutting engagement with said top distal end of said lever.

11. The device as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

intermeshing teeth disposed on said top distal end of said lever and said cam member, respectively, said intermeshing teeth being structured and disposed for drivingly rotating said cam member about said second axis upon pivotal operation of said lever.

12. The device as recited in claim 10 wherein said cam member includes a cam surface in operative, abutting engagement with said top distal end of said lever, and said top distal end being structured and disposed to apply a force on said cam surface upon pivotal operation of said lever, resulting in forced rotation of said cam member about said second axis.

13. The device as recited in claim 10 wherein said mechanical advantage is variable by extending a length of said lever from said first pivot axis.

14. The device as recited in claim 10 wherein said mechanical advantage is variable by altering a configuration of said cam surface.

15. The device as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

a hood on a top portion of said main body and said hood including a bore extending therethrough and defining a loading chamber for insertion of the bullets therethrough and into guided, registered position on the top of the magazine for loading therein.

16. The device as recited in claim 15 wherein said hood is hingedly attached to said main body and operable between a raised, open position and a lowered, closed position, and wherein said closed position aligns said bore relative to the top of the magazine for guiding the bullets into registered position on the top of the magazine for loading therein.

17. The device as recited in claim 8 further comprising a sleeve insert structured and disposed to be received within said main body for accommodating variations in size of the magazine while maintaining the magazine in seated position within said sleeve.

18. The device as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

a magazine support member adjustably moveable relative to said sleeve for accommodating magazines of varying height so that the magazines are maintained in operative, seated position within the sleeve for loading the bullets therein.

19. The device as recited in claim 8 wherein said sleeve is structured and disposed for releasable, interlocking receipt of the magazine therein to insure proper registered positioning of the magazine within the sleeve for loading the bullets into the magazine.

20. A device for loading bullets into a magazine of a firearm, said device comprising:

a sleeve defining a main body and being structured and disposed for receiving the magazine in seated position therein during use to load the bullets into the magazine;

a lever pivotally fitted to the main body and moveable about a first pivot axis, said lever including a top portion with a top distal end;

a cam member pivotally fitted to said main body and moveable about a second axis, said cam member disposed in operative, driven engagement with said top distal end of said lever;

a finger extending from said cam member;

a biasing element urging said cam member to a relaxed position; and

said lever being pivotally operable about said first pivot axis to drivingly engage said cam member and resulting in forced rotation of said cam member about said second axis and against said biasing element so that said finger is moved towards said magazine to depress a top bullet seated in position on top of said magazine, thereby loading said bullet into said magazine.

21. The device as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

intermeshing teeth disposed on said top distal end of said lever and said cam member, respectively, said intermeshing teeth being structured and disposed for drivingly rotating said cam member about said second axis upon pivotal operation of said lever about said first pivot axis.

22. The device as recited in claim 20 wherein said cam member includes a cam surface in operative, abutting engagement with said top distal end of said lever, and said top distal end being structured and disposed to apply a force on said cam surface upon pivotal operation of said lever about said first pivot axis, resulting in forced rotation of said cam member about said second axis.

23. The device as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

a hood on a top portion of said main body and said hood including a bore extending therethrough and defining a loading chamber for insertion of the bullets therethrough and into guided, registered position on the top of the magazine for loading therein upon subsequent operation of said lever and rotation of said cam member against said biasing element.

24. The device as recited in claim 20 further comprising a sleeve insert structured and disposed to be received within said main body for accommodating variations in size of the magazine, in order to maintain the magazine in seated position within said sleeve.

25. The device as recited in claim 24 further comprising:

a magazine support member adjustably moveable within said sleeve for accommodating magazines of varying height so that the magazines are maintained in operative, seated position within the sleeve for loading the bullets therein.

26. The device as recited in claim 20 wherein said sleeve includes at least one protruding member on an inner surface thereof for releasable, interlocking receipt within a corresponding recess on the magazine, to thereby insure proper positioning of the magazine within the sleeve for loading the bullets into the magazine.

27. The device as recited in claim 26 wherein said sleeve is structured and disposed for releasable, interlocking receipt of any of a plurality of magazines of various models and sizes.