Rapid pistol magazine loader

• US 8,356,441 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemoptics LLC
• Original Assignee: Gemoptics LLC
• Inventors: Meinel, Edward Steele
• Primary Examiner(s): TROY, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/686,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 42/87, 42/88, 42/89
• US Class Current: 42/88
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/83 Apparatus or tools for reloading magazines with unbelted ammunition, e.g. cartridge clips

Abstract

A pistol magazine loader device. The pistol magazine loader device includes a housing designed to receive a magazine. A control element, whose movement is directed by a handle device, coordinates the movement of a plunger designed to push a magazine follower or first cartridge resident at a top of the magazine down into the magazine and a cartridge pusher that pushes a second cartridge into the magazine.

Claims

1. A pistol magazine loader device, comprising:

a housing designed to receive a magazine;

a plunger designed to push a magazine follower or first cartridge resident at a top of said magazine down into said magazine;

a cartridge pusher configured to push a second cartridge into said magazine in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pushing direction of the plunger; and

a control element slidably engaged with said plunger and slidably engaged with said cartridge pusher, said control element coordinating a relative activation of said plunger and said cartridge pusher.

2. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said plunger pushes said first cartridge down into said magazine via contact with a side of said first cartridge.

3. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said plunger pushes said first cartridge down into said magazine via contact with one or more points or areas of said first cartridge.

4. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 3, wherein said plunger pushes said first cartridge down into said magazine via contact with two or more points or areas of said first cartridge.

5. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said cartridge pusher pushes said second cartridge via contact with a tip of said second cartridge.

6. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, further comprising a channel formed in a cartridge tray, said channel guiding said second cartridge into said magazine when pushed by said cartridge pusher.

7. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 6, wherein said cartridge pusher is slidably engaged with said channel.

8. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said plunger is slidably engaged with said control element such that a first range of motion of said control element in a predominantly horizontal direction is translated to a corresponding second range of motion of said plunger in a predominantly vertical direction.

9. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 8, wherein said plunger is slidably engaged with a slot formed in said control element.

10. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 9, wherein said slot includes multiple contiguous slot segments, at least one of said multiple contiguous slot segments translating said first range of motion into said second range of motion.

11. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 10, wherein one of said slot segments translates a third range of motion of said control element in a predominantly horizontal direction to a fourth range of motion of said plunger that produces insubstantial change in a position of said magazine follower or said first cartridge.

12. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said cartridge pusher is slidably engaged with said control element via a slot formed in said control element.

13. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 12, wherein said slot delays said cartridge pusher from pushing said second cartridge fully into said magazine until said plunger is disengaged from said magazine follower or said first cartridge.

14. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 13, further comprising a notch formed in said control element at an end of said slot, said notch engaging said cartridge pusher such that a first range of motion of said control element in a predominantly horizontal direction is translated to a corresponding second range of motion of said cartridge pusher in a predominantly horizontal direction, said second range of motion of said cartridge pusher pushing said second cartridge partially into said magazine, wherein said second range of motion ends when said cartridge pusher moves from engagement with said notch to slidable engagement with said slot.

15. The pistol magazine loader device of claim 1, wherein said control element is a planar element.