Historical Document · 1950
George Patchett's cartridge-magazine patent (British priority 18 April 1946; filed 16 April 1947; granted 6 June 1950), the Sterling's curved box magazine. Cited by the Sterling Mk 7 dive.
June 6, 1950 G. w. PATCHETT 2,510,331 CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed April 16, 1947 A ttomeys Patented June 6, 1950 7510,831 BET!) SAT 2,510,831 CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS George William Patchett, Gidea Park, Essex, England Application April 16, 1947, Serial No. 741,745 In Great Britain April 18, 1946 12 Claims. 1 2 This invention relates to an improved cartridge tridge under resilient pressure prior to feed, the‘ magazine for automatic ?rearms and has for its lips of said magazine mouth being formed to conobjects, inter alia, means for providing greater stitute guides to lift and centralise the cartridge‘ ammunition carrying capacity with the same or to enter the breech under urge of one or other of less weight than magazines now in use wherein 6 the bolt feeders, the forward underlip of the mag the feed to the gun will function under bad dust azine throat having a ?nal semi-circular car or grit conditions, the said magazine being ca tridge guide whose centre line is coaxial to that pable of ?lling by hand and is designed for re of the said breech. peat manufacture out of pressed metal parts, In order that the invention shall be better that are jig assembled, welded and ready for use ll understood reference is made to the accompany without machining operations. ing drawing wherein: In order that the pressed steel magazine, though fabricated from metal of light section, shall remain free from later distortion due to in herent stress engendered by pressing, the right angled flangingr is accomplished by serrating the edges of the plates prior to folding, and according ' ' Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the upper part of the magazine. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1 on line X-X, Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the upper part of the magazine, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side sectional elevation of the lower part of the magazine, ‘Fig. 5 shews detail in part section of the plat slightly sloping inward sides from back to front, 20 form and spring, the back plate being merely a curved strip against Fig. 6 shews a back elevation of the platform which the cartridge rims contact, and the front shown in Fig. 5 with the spring removed, plate a serrated ?anged plate, said ?anges en Fig. 7 shews a fragmentary front elevation of gaging the side plates on their inner faces whilst Fig. 4. the rear serrated ?ange of each side plate en Fig. 8 shows method of piling ammunition gages the outer edge surfaces of the back plate, within the magazine. the said serrations, when the plate parts are jig Referring to the drawings and Figs. 1 and 2 the assembled, being spot welded to the part con magazine as illustrated has a contour that is seg tacted. mentally arcuate from a centre whose radii align The side plates have pressed in corrugations 30 with the tapering sides of the cartridges, equally which besides imparting strength to the assembly as will be gathered from the cross section shown as a whole provide internally rolling rails along in Fig. 2 the interior of the magazine tapers which the cartridges contact in their progression slightly from the rear to the front to conform in towards the breech, leaving space for grit and the other plane with the cartridge taper. dust to be negligent factors if present and capable 35 The magazine has four walls and is substan of discharge. tially rectangular in cross~section, the back wall The invention consists of an improved car I being made from a plain metal sheet bent to re tridge magazine for automatic firearms wherein quired radius. ri‘he sides 2 and 3 respectively are the contour of said magazine is segmentally arou flanged over at right angles, as is also the front ate from a centre whose radii align with the 40 plate 55, but the metal of each ?ange prior to bend tapering sides of the cartridges, said magazine ing is serrated as at 5. the incision commencing being wholly fabricated from pressed metal parts from the point of bending. The object of incis welded together, the ?anges of the said parts be ing the flanges is to prevent pucker or stretching‘ ing serrated to eliminate strains and distortion which would ensue as a result of bending over on' to a preferred construction the said magazine is substantially rectangular in cross section with after welding. ' The invention further provides for a cartridge magazine as above wherein the cross section of a curve or radius, the surplus metal otherwise tending to set up internal stress in the material which in time would cause distortion and lead to said magazines permits of staggered piling of the faulty ?tting of the magazine to the firearm or said cartridges against a spring impelled plat mis-?ring. The side parts I, 2, 3 and =3 are, after form, and transfer of said ammunition from the 50 pressing chromium plated on their inner faces magazine to the ?rearm in alternating succes or otherwise ?nished before welding. The fact sion by either the left or right hand feeder of the reciprocating bolt, the mount of the magazine comprising slightly tapering in curved throat sides, each side in succession retaining a car that the internal faces of the magazine sides are polished or burnished adds greatly to the friction-' less travel of the platform, and the Welding spots 55 that occur on the serrations do not effect the in 2,510,881 3 'ternal plating ?nish where the cartridges con tact the magazine walls. The said wall parts I, 2, 3 and 4 after pressing and plating are jig assem bled and welded together. In order to provide for the smooth running of the cartridges and their platform B with its rollers 6 and 6a., the side plates 2 and :3 are provided with indented lands or'pressed in corrugations ‘l 4 . the magazine and retains it there whilst the base plate I4 is ?rst positioned to slide on the maga zine ?anges I3, and then as the operator removes his ?nger or thumb pushed home to its closed position as shown in Figs. 4 and '7. The spring now is under slight compression and the am munition 8 is now inserted round by round through the mouth 9 of ‘the magazine the said rounds automatically taking up the zigzag as which latter provide internally rolling rails upon which the cartridges 8 and their platform ‘I can 310 sembly as indicated in Figs. 6 and 8. This opera tion follows closely upon the normal method of revolve and slide respectively. The said corruga cartridge loading except that it is done with tions materially strengthen the construction as ‘a "greater ease and speed due to the fact that the whole and impart an inherent rigidity to the cartridge'rounds rotate easily upon the rollers B magazine even when the latter isfabricated :from thin sheet material. The mouth 9 of the maga v15 and the platform B with its raised lands 2'! and rounds.8 only contact the sides of the magazine zine is formed with a bolt feeding notch I U in the where their surfaces meet the indented rails 1. rear side I and the sides 2 and v."rhavoincurved cheeks H and Ila respectively which also taper ‘Hence friction is reduced to a minimum. :Having ?lled the magazine the latter is in towards the radial centre referred to above. The front plate 4 is provided‘ with a curved and ‘out 20 serted in the ?rearm and the bolt having two feederpushers of~-a known type alternately con wardly-?aredlip l 2. The sides '2 and Sat thebase areflanged outwardly as‘at -! 3,, adaptedtoreceive tacts either ‘a ‘right or lefthanded cartridge, abase plate “having channel-sides vl5 adapted whichrlatter is moved‘ forward under guidance of toembrace and-slide‘upon-the ?anges 13. The the inturned cheeks II and Ha to centralise said :base plate has a perforation .16 ‘adapted .to 25 itself and emerge into the gun breech over the magazine lip l2. During the period of ?ring'the receivea ball'headed'projection ll formed on .the spring lower :abutment plate 48. The plate 18 is platform {B »moves upward under in?uence of fast with the rectangularly coiled springd-Qwhose spring -I 9,_-the rollers -6. and cartridges 8‘ beingfree to‘rotate individually in such movement. ‘Rota formEpIate‘Z-Oby its end passing into-.clipl I ‘riv so tion-His induced by the outer surface of each eted to plate 20. round contacting the rails lso that movement The platform -.B~is a pressed up metal sheet upwardin the direction of the arrows-shown in entity formed as shown in Eigs..5~and 6, the Fig.8 causes adjoining layers‘to have ‘comple ?anged side anembers 722 carrying slightlyztaper mentary contact rolling motion as though mesh 35 ing. The magazine feeds from bolt movement ing rollers stand ?'a‘loose on spindles 24. The rollers 6 and 6a constitute the platform to the last round, since the ?rst round entered proper for'the ‘cartridges 8,'which are ?lledinto in-?llinglrests in the space above the lower roller the magazine by handatthe mouth v9, in a-man 76a and the backpart of ‘this round projects well ner ‘that produces the arrangement shown in above the top of the higher roller 6 which latter Figs. 6 and 8 against the resilient spring £9. The 40 is restrained as set out above from projecting platform B is a hollow entity and its side walls into the path ‘race of the reciprocatingbolt. 26 carry uppressed lands 2? adaptedrtoicontact V ~It~will be- observed that'th'e‘platformB is hol andwm'ovezupon the rails-‘Lof the magazine. .The low-and the space below‘free of any obstruction roller ‘5a is at a lower level to that numbered? other than the springl‘Q. Hence dust, sand, ‘grit to~give :a'staggered-pile of cartridges Within the 45 or like‘ adventitious"matter-‘that not infrequently end remote from the ‘plate l8lis fast with a.plat magazine; The rollers 6 ands?a areeof substan tially ‘equal diameters to the diameter of the cartridgeand taper as shown. wayrduning any‘ period of ?ring. rl'?urth'er,thev platform B is provided with" round shoulders ~28 vadapted to point contact the back orafrontpiate 1 0rd; should there be any tendency f'or‘the platform to tilt in its descent when load ingi'or'its'ascent when feeding cartridge to the When the magazine is inserted in its socket, provided in ‘the ?rearm, the in’curved cheeks H throwout .the .detent catch'of the socket auto~ matically, and continued insertion brings the magazine into a fully socketed condition when breech of the gun. Torprevent‘the platform travelling too far'up enters these magazines in transport or use is en abled-tofallto the base and remain out of the 7 the back-.detent-enters the notch 32 and the stop 55 29 engages the ~ front‘limiting stop. Having now particularly described and ascer ward inthe magazine and to prevent any pos tained the nature :of .ourisaid invention and in sibilityof the bolt'striking the roller 6 and indent what manner the same is to be performed, we 29 theifront plateengages the top edgerof the declarethat'what-lwe claim-is: skirt Eaton the platform B. ‘The magazine'is-in 1. A cartridge magazine for ?rearms composed the knownmanner provided'with a locating catch 60 of :pressed ‘metal side walls having curvilinear 32 for engagement-with the ‘?re-arm magazine edges and end*walls shaped to conform with the. retaining plate?and ‘a stop plate 33 for. engage curvilinear edges of the side walls and assembled ment ‘with ‘an abutment (not shown) .in "the With'theside walls'to form'a structure of sub-' The operation of the :invention'is asfollows: 65 stantially rectangular cross-section, the edges The :magazine in‘its assembled condition has1its of one" end wall ‘being serrated and flanged to ' engage‘the sidewalls adjacent to one end of the - base .plate M removed and the platform B ‘with structure. and the‘ edges of the side walls adjacent its spring ls‘and ‘abutment plate It insertedfthe platform is pushed home with the rollers 6 upper tofthe other ‘end of thestructure being serrated mostuntil’the indent 29'inf'fr0nt plate 4 engages 7.0 and ?anged to engage the edges of the other end the platform :skirting edge 3!}. In this position wall, ‘the ‘serrated ?anges being welded to ‘the the‘pl'a'tform is just below the level :of'the ?rearm V respective wallswhich they engage, and a spring ' bolt entrance'cartridge feeding notch ill ‘in the actuatedrplatform ‘having a plurality of rollers top-of therear plate I. The operator now pushes mounted‘ thereon ‘to rotate freely and to ‘support the spring .lower abutment plate upwards into 75 respectivelycolumns 50f l-taperedi cartridges :inlthe magazine ‘carrier .of ‘the " ?rearm. i 2,510,831_ magazine, one of said rollers being disposed in a plane lower than another of said rollers to sup port one column of cartridges in staggered rela tion with cartridges supported by the other of said rollers, the side walls of the magazine being provided at their inner sides with lands which 6 of to coact with the rails in the magazine, shoul ders on the other end of the skirt to coact with the front and rear walls of the magazine, and a spring seated at one end against the closure member and at the other end under the platform to urge the latter resiliently towards the other end of the magazine. 7. A platform for a cartridge magazine as de ?ned in claim 6, wherein said rollers are displaced extend concentrically with the curvilinear edges of the side walls for rolling engagement with the rollers on said platform and with cartridges con tained in the magazine, and said rollers being tapered from front to rear in similar degree to the taper of the cartridges and having substan tially the same diameter as the cartridges at all points of engagement of the rollers with the in height to admit of zigzag loading of cartridges thereon. 8. A platform for a cartridge magazine as de ?ned in claim 6, wherein said rollers are tapered axially to correspond substantially with the taper of the sides of the cartridges to be employed. cartridges. 2. A cartridge magazine for ?rearms, compris 9. A platform for a cartridge magazine as de~ ing a magazine body to contain columns of car tridges, a platform movable within the maga zine body and comprising a metal pressing hav ing a basal skirt to slidably engage the inner surfaces of the magazine body and lugs integral with the upper portion of the platform, and car ?ned in claim 6, wherein said platform has a body of greater length than that of two contiguous turns of said spring in its uncompressed condi tion. 10. A platform for a cartridge magazine as de ?ned in claim 6, wherein said platform comprises a body which constitutes a rectangular entity of tridge supporting rollers mounted by said lugs to rotate freely. 3. A cartridge magazine as de?ned in claim 2, wherein said platform comprises a hollow sub greater length than width, and is adapted for » movement within a magazine of corresponding section. 11. A platform for a cartridge magazine as de ?ned in claim 6, wherein said platform comprises stantially rectangular entity conforming with the cross-section of the magazine body and freely movable therein, and a spring abutment on said platform immediately below said rollers. a hollow body which is perforate on all sides. - 12. A cartridge supporting platform for a car 4. A cartridge magazine as de?ned in claim 2, tridge magazine, comprising an elongated body wherein said platform comprises a body formed having a pair of rollers mounted to rotate freely with front and rear plates having contact shoul on its upper end and positioned to rotatably sup ders, said shoulders being rounded for point en port cartridges resting thereon and to rotatably gagement with walls of the magazine body. 35 engage the side walls of the magazine, and hav 30 5. A cartridge magazine as de?ned in claim 2, wherein said magazine body is provided at its base with out-turned ?anges, and including a closure plate formed with upwardly and inwardly ing a substantially rectangular skirt at its lower end, the skirt having lands projecting from its opposite sides for slidable engagement with the walls of the magazine engageable by the rollers, and the body of the platform having curved por turned ?anges slidable engageable with the out turned flanges of the magazine body, a platform tions projecting from the front and rear edges for supporting and advancing cartridges in the thereof to slidably engage with point contact magazine body, a spring for advancing the plat the front and rear walls of the magazine. form and abutting at one end against the plat GEORGE WILLIAM PATCHETT. form, and a spring abutment engaging the other 45 end of the spring and having a spherical projec REFERENCES CITED tion engageable with a perforation in the closure The following references are of record in the plate when the latter assumes closed position. ?le of this patent: 6. A platform for a cartridge magazine having UNITED STATES PATENTS a hollow body open at both ends, longitudinal in 50 wardly projecting rails on its side walls, and a Number Name Date closure member at one end, said platform being 999,387 Mauser ___________ __ Aug. 1, 1911 adapted for movement longitudinally within the 1,323,063 Johnson et al _____ __ Nov. 25, 1919 magazine, a pair of rollers freely rotatable on and exposed at the upper end of the platform to 55 support cartridges and permit rotation thereof during movement of the platform in the maga zine, a skirt integral with the platform and ex 1,331,155 Johnson _________ __ Feb. 17, 1920 1,462,972 Lewis ___________ __ July 24, 1923 2,275,213 Number tending downwardly from the rollers to guide and 817,235 locate the platform in the magazine, lands pro 60 jecting outwardly from the skirt at one end there Wise _-_____.._..__.._ Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France __________ -- Aug. 30, 1937