Magazine floor plate with a status indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784513-B2
Application number	US-201715398934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Implementations of a magazine floor plate with a status indicator are provided. In some implementations, the magazine floor plate with a status indicator may be used by replacing the floor plate of a magazine for a firearm. In some implementations, the magazine floor plate may be configured to provide a visual and/or tactile indicator that relates to the quantity of ammunition contained within the magazine. In some implementations, the magazine floor plate may comprise a base pad and an internal floor plate having a mechanical indicator device thereon. In some implementations, a portion of the mechanical indicator device extends from the base pad of the magazine floor plate when the magazine is loaded to its minimum indication capacity. In this way, the user is provided with a visual and/or tactile indicator that relates to the quantity of ammunition contained with the magazine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magazine floor plate with a status indicator comprising:
a base pad configured to be secured to a magazine for a firearm, the base pad includes an aperture that extends therethrough;
an internal floor plate, the internal floor plate comprises a base member configured to be seated into a cutout of the base pad and a guide shaft, the guide shaft extends from the base member and includes a first opening that extends therethrough, the first opening aligns with the aperture of the base pad when the magazine floor plate is assembled; and
a mechanical indicator device comprising an indicator member and a coil spring, the indicator member is movable between a retracted position in which the indicator member does not protrude from the aperture of the base pad and an extended position in which at least a portion of the indicator member extends from the aperture of the base pad, the coil spring is configured to fit about a portion of the indicator member;
wherein the first opening of the guide shaft is configured to receive therein at least a portion of the indicator member and the coil spring.

2. The magazine floor plate of claim 1 , wherein the internal floor plate further comprises a magazine spring guide configured to position a magazine spring within a body of a magazine having a magazine floor plate installed thereon.

3. The magazine floor plate of claim 1 , wherein the guide shaft extends from the base member of the internal floor plate at an angle perpendicular thereto thereby placing the first opening therethrough into alignment with the aperture of the base pad.

4. The magazine floor plate of claim 1 , wherein the indicator member comprises a first end and a second end, the first end includes a bore extending therethrough and a roll pin that extends through the bore, the bore is configured to hold the roll pin; the interior of the guide shaft includes a first guide groove and a second guide groove positioned on opposite sides of the first opening; the guide grooves in conjunction with the roll pin are configured to limit the up and down movement of the indicator member.

5. The magazine floor plate of claim 4 , wherein the first end of the indicator member may further comprise a tongue that extends from a side thereof, the tongue is configured to be received within a groove in the guide shaft of the internal floor plate thereby preventing the indicator member from rotating within the guide shaft.

6. The magazine floor plate of claim 5 , wherein the tongue on the first end of the indicator member is a rectangular shaped protrusion and the groove in the guide shaft is configured to receive the tongue.

7. The magazine floor plate of claim 4 , wherein the first end of the indicator member is larger in diameter than the second end; wherein the coil spring is configured to fit about the second end of the indicator member; wherein the coil spring presses against the underside of the first end of the indicator member when the magazine floor plate is assembled.

8. The magazine floor plate of claim 1 , wherein the indicator member is configured to move into the extended position by a magazine follower pressing against a top side thereof and compressing the coil spring.

9. A magazine for a firearm comprising:
a magazine body, the magazine body has an opening into which ammunition is loaded into, and unloaded from, the magazine body;
a follower configured to support ammunition loaded into the magazine body;
a spring for resiliently pressing the follower towards the opening of the magazine body; and
a magazine floor plate comprising:
a base pad configured to be secured to the magazine body, the base pad includes an aperture that extends therethrough;
an internal floor plate, the internal floor plate comprises a base member configured to be seated into a cutout of the base pad and a guide shaft, the guide shaft extends from the base member and includes a first opening that extends therethrough, the first opening aligns with the aperture of the base pad when the magazine floor plate is assembled; and
a mechanical indicator device comprising an indicator member and a coil spring, the indicator member is movable between a retracted position in which the indicator member does not protrude from the aperture of the base pad and an extended position in which at least a portion of the indicator member extends from the aperture of the base pad, the coil spring is configured to fit about a portion of the indicator member;
wherein the first opening of the guide shaft is configured to receive therein at least a portion of the indicator member and the coil spring.

10. The magazine of claim 9 , wherein the internal floor plate further comprises a magazine spring guide configured to position the spring within the magazine body when the magazine is assembled.

11. The magazine of claim 9 , wherein the guide shaft extends from the base member of the internal floor plate at an angle perpendicular thereto thereby placing the first opening therethrough into alignment with the aperture of the base pad.

12. The magazine of claim 9 , wherein the indicator member comprises a first end and a second end, the first end includes a bore extending therethrough and a roll pin that extends through the bore, the bore is configured to hold the roll pin; the interior of the guide shaft includes a first guide groove and a second guide groove positioned on opposite sides of the first opening; the guide grooves in conjunction with the roll pin are configured to limit the up and down movement of the indicator member.

13. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the indicator member may further comprise a tongue that extends from a side thereof, the tongue is configured to be received within a groove in the guide shaft of the internal floor plate thereby preventing the indicator member from rotating within the guide shaft.

14. The magazine of claim 13 , wherein the tongue on the first end of the indicator member is a rectangular shaped protrusion and the groove in the guide shaft is configured to receive the tongue.

15. The magazine of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the indicator member is larger in diameter than the second end; wherein the coil spring is configured to fit about the second end of the indicator member; wherein the coil spring presses against the underside of the first end of the indicator member when the magazine floor plate is assembled.

16. The magazine of claim 9 , wherein the indicator member is configured to move into the extended position when the follower presses against a top side thereof and thereby compresses the coil spring.

17. The magazine of claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the indicator member is a different color than the magazine body.

Assignees

• Zimmer Trent

Inventors

• Zimmer Trent

Classifications

• F41A9/62

  having means for indicating the number of cartridges left in the magazine, e.g. last-round indicators (last-round safeties F41A17/40) · CPC title

• F41A9/70 Primary

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