Self-raising magazine loader

• US 9,212,859 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maglula, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Maglula, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tal, Ran, Tal, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Bret
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morgan, Derrick
• Application Number:
  US14/281,302
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 42/87
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/83 Apparatus or tools for reloading magazines with unbelted ammunition, e.g. cartridge clips

Abstract

A magazine loader (10) facilitates loading loose rounds into a firearm magazine. The loader comprises a body (12) with finger rests (14), a plunger tooth (18), a pusher element (20), and a spring (22). The body includes an opening (16) to accept the magazine. The tooth pushes down the topmost round (50). The pusher element and the spring push the loader up after each round is partially loaded. To load a round, the loader is fitted on the magazine and forced down so its tooth pushes the topmost round down sufficient to insert a new round, rim first, until it engages the plunger. Then, the user reduces force on the loader to allow the pusher to lift the loader up so that the plunger is cleared from the magazine, whereupon the partially inserted round can be forced rearwardly to its final position in the magazine.

Claims

1. A magazine loader for facilitating the loading of rounds into a predetermined firearm magazine having an open upper end and which holds one or more columns of rounds therein and urges said rounds to, and feeds said rounds from, said open end of said magazine, said loader comprising:

a. a substantially hollow body comprising a housing having a substantially rectangular bottom opening that is sized and shaped to fit onto said open end of said magazine,

b. a tooth or plunger in said body,

c. said tooth or plunger being sized and positioned, so that when said loader is fitted onto said magazine, said tooth or plunger does not engage any round or follower in said magazine, and when said loader is forced down onto said magazine, said tooth or plunger pushes down a topmost round or follower in said magazine a sufficient distance to insert a new round, rim first, until it engages said tooth or plunger, and

d. a spring in said body,

e. said spring having first and second ends,

f. said first end of said spring joined to said body,

g. said spring being positioned, shaped, and sized so that when said body is fitted onto said magazine, said second end of said spring engages said magazine and when said loader is forced down onto said magazine, said magazine pushes said second end of said spring up to compress said spring and thereby urge said loader away from said magazine,

h. said second end of said spring being free of rigid or fixed joinder to any component,

i. whereby said loader can be fitted onto said magazine and when forced down said plunger pushes a topmost round or follower down into said magazine so that a user may insert a round partially into said magazine, whereafter said user may reduce force on said body to allow said spring to lift said loader up so that said plunger is cleared from said magazine, whereupon said round can be forced rearwardly to a final position in said magazine, so that new rounds can be loaded into said magazine without exerting finger force to push existing rounds or a follower in said magazine down.

2. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said tooth or plunger is an elongated element having an upper end attached to an inside upper part of said body and a free lower end.

3. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said spring is positioned and shaped so that said second end thereof engages a lip on said open end of said magazine.

4. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said spring is positioned, shaped, and sized so that said second end thereof engages a ledge on an outside of said magazine.

5. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said spring is a compression spring and said first end of said compression spring is affixed to a post or stub extending down from an upper end of said body.

6. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said spring is a compression spring and said first end of said compression spring is affixed to a post or stub extending down from an inside upper part of said body and said tooth or plunger is an elongated element having an upper end attached to an inside upper part of said body and a free lower end.

7. The magazine loader of claim 1 wherein said body has an upper end to which said tooth or plunger and spring are affixed, a plurality of sides extending up from said bottom opening to said upper end, and an upper opening that is slanted with respect to said upper end and that extends to said upper end.

8. In a magazine loader of the type for facilitating the loading of rounds into a predetermined firearm magazine having an open upper end and which holds one or more columns of rounds therein and urges said rounds to, and feeds said rounds from, said open end of said magazine, where said loader comprises:

a. a substantially hollow body having a substantially rectangular bottom opening that is sized and shaped to fit onto said open end of said magazine, said body containing a tooth or plunger,

b. said tooth or plunger being sized and positioned, so that when said loader is fitted onto said magazine, said tooth or plunger does not engage any round or a follower in said magazine, and when said loader is forced down onto said magazine, said tooth or plunger pushes down a topmost round or follower in said magazine a sufficient distance to insert a new round, rim first, until it engages said tooth or plunger, and

c. said body containing a magazine pusher element, and

d. a spring positioned between said body and said magazine pusher element and having an upper end fixedly joined to said body and a lower end fixedly joined to said magazine pusher element, where said magazine pusher element and said spring arranged so that when said body is fitted onto said magazine, said magazine pusher element engages said magazine and when said loader is forced down onto said magazine, said magazine pushes said magazine pusher element up to compress said spring and thereby urge said loader away from said magazine,

characterized in that;

e. said magazine pusher element is free of rigid or fixed joinder to any component other than said spring so that said magazine pusher element can move vertically in said body,

f. whereby said loader can be fitted onto said magazine so that when forced down onto said magazine, said plunger pushes a topmost round or follower down into said magazine so that a user may insert a round partially into said magazine, whereafter said user may reduce force on said body to allow said spring to lift said loader up so that said plunger is cleared from said magazine, whereupon said round can be forced rearwardly to a final position in said magazine, so that new rounds can be loaded into said magazine without exerting finger force to push existing rounds or follower in said magazine down.

9. The magazine loader of claim 8 wherein said magazine pusher element has a guide means comprising at least one projecting rib and said body comprises a slot sized and shaped to accept said projecting rib in a mating manner so that said movement of said pusher is guided by said mating rib and slot and so that said magazine pusher is prevented from rotating or moving in any direction except vertically.

10. The magazine loader of claim 8 wherein said spring is a compression spring and said magazine pusher element has a concave recess bottom.

11. The magazine loader of claim 8 wherein said magazine pusher element is positioned and shaped to engage a lip or ledge on said open end of said magazine.