Removable shotgun magazine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400148-B2
Application number	US-201414500015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Sep 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A magazine assembly for a firearm in one embodiment includes an outer magazine housing configured for attachment to a firearm and a magazine removably insertable into the housing. The magazine includes an axially extending internal cavity configured to hold a plurality of ammunition shells in stacked end-to-end relationship. In one embodiment, the magazine has an elongated tubular body. A shell catch lever is slideably mounted on the magazine for linear and pivoting movement in one arrangement. The shell catch lever retains a shell in the magazine in a first lateral position and releases the shell from the magazine in a second lateral position. The shell catch lever operates to retain and release shells from the magazine when either removed from or positioned in the magazine housing for loading the firearm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magazine assembly for a firearm, the assembly comprising:
an outer magazine housing configured for attachment to a firearm having a longitudinal axis defining an axial direction;
an elongated magazine removably insertable into the housing, the magazine including an open rear end and axially extending internal cavity configured to hold a plurality of shells in stacked end-to-end relationship; and
a shell catch lever slideably mounted at the rear end of the magazine for linear movement parallel to the longitudinal axis, the shell catch lever configured to retain the shells in the magazine in a first lateral position and release the shells from the magazine in a second lateral position;
wherein the shell catch lever is configured and operable to retain and release the shells when removed from the magazine housing to allow the magazine to be preloaded before insertion into the housing;
wherein the shell catch lever is further pivotably mounted on the magazine for lateral movement transverse to the longitudinal axis between the first and second lateral positions by rotating the shell catch lever;
wherein the pivot comprises a triangular protrusion formed on an inner surface of the shell catch lever that engages a complementary configured recess formed in an outer surface of the magazine.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shell catch lever is laterally displaceable with respect to the magazine to move from the first to second lateral positions by sliding the shell catch lever in a forward axial direction.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the shell catch lever includes an inclined surface which slideably engages a mating inclined surface on the magazine, the engaged inclined surfaces translating linear movement of the shell catch lever into the lateral movement.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shell catch lever includes a pinless pivot that engages the magazine to form the pivotable mount.

5. A magazine assembly for a firearm, the assembly comprising:
an outer magazine housing configured for attachment to a firearm having a longitudinal axis defining an axial direction;
an elongated magazine removably insertable into the housing, the magazine including an open rear end and axially extending internal cavity configured to hold a plurality of shells in stacked end-to-end relationship; and
a shell catch lever slideably mounted at the rear end of the magazine for linear movement parallel to the longitudinal axis, the shell catch lever configured to retain the shells in the magazine in a first lateral position and release the shells from the magazine in a second lateral position;
wherein the shell catch lever is configured and operable to retain and release the shells when removed from the magazine housing to allow the magazine to be preloaded before insertion into the housing;
wherein the shell catch lever is further pivotably mounted on the magazine for lateral movement transverse to the longitudinal axis between the first and second lateral positions by rotating the shell catch lever;
wherein the pivot comprises a triangular protrusion formed on an inner surface of the shell catch lever that engages a complementary configured recess formed in an outer surface of the magazine;
wherein pushing an operating end of the shell catch lever inwards laterally displaces a rear hooked end of the shell catch lever outwards to release shells from the magazine when the shell catch lever is in the second position.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the magazine is axially insertable and removable from the housing in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

7. A magazine assembly for a firearm, the assembly comprising:
an outer magazine housing configured for attachment to a firearm having a longitudinal axis defining an axial direction;
an elongated magazine removably insertable into the housing, the magazine including an open rear end and axially extending internal cavity configured to hold a plurality of shells in stacked end-to-end relationship; and
a shell catch lever slideably mounted at the rear end of the magazine for linear movement parallel to the longitudinal axis, the shell catch lever configured to retain the shells in the magazine in a first lateral position and release the shells from the magazine in a second lateral position;
wherein the shell catch lever is configured and operable to retain and release the shells when removed from the magazine housing to allow the magazine to be preloaded before insertion into the housing;
wherein the shell catch lever is further pivotably mounted on the magazine for lateral movement transverse to the longitudinal axis between the first and second lateral positions by rotating the shell catch lever;
wherein the pivot comprises a triangular protrusion formed on an inner surface of the shell catch lever that engages a complementary configured recess formed in an outer surface of the magazine;
wherein the magazine housing has an axially elongated tubular shape.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a pivotably mounted shell release lever, the shell release lever configured to engage a rear hooked end of the shell catch lever for sliding the shell catch lever axially forward to release a shell from the magazine.

9. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a laterally movable lock pin configured to engage and retain the magazine in the housing, the lock pin movable between a locked position preventing the magazine from being axially withdrawn from the housing and a release position allowing the magazine to be axially withdrawn from the housing.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a shell release lever engageable with the shell catch lever, the shell release lever moveable in a pivotable motion to move the shell catch lever between the first and second positions.

Assignees

• Sturm Ruger & Co
• Strum Ruger & Company Inc

Inventors

• Pittman Jason
• Potter Dwight
• Warburton Scott

Classifications

• F41A9/82

  Reloading {or unloading} of magazines · CPC title

• F41A9/66

  Arrangements thereon for charging, i.e. reloading (apparatus or tools for reloading of magazines F41A9/83) · CPC title

• F41A9/70

  Arrangements thereon for discharging, e.g. cartridge followers or discharge throats · CPC title

• F41A9/72 Primary

  Tubular magazines, i.e. magazines containing the ammunition in lengthwise tandem sequence · CPC title