US2011078936A1PendingUtilityA1

Firearm Magazine Indicator

41
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Oct 7, 2009Filed: Oct 7, 2009Published: Apr 7, 2011
Est. expiryOct 7, 2029(~3.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Craig D. Gates
F41A 9/62F41A 9/65
41
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a tactile indication to an operator of a firearm of the number of cartridges remaining in the firearm's magazine. In some embodiments, an indication is provided when a critical few cartridges remain in the firearm.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A firearm magazine device configured to hold one or more cartridges for a firearm, comprising:
 a spring-loaded follower that travels upwards as each of the one or more cartridges are fired by the firearm;   a pawl configured to prevent a spring-loaded indicator from extending out of the firearm magazine device; and   a lanyard connected to both the spring-loaded follower and to the pawl, the lanyard configured to lift the pawl when a critical few cartridges remain in the firearm magazine device thereby permitting the spring-loaded indicator to extend out of the firearm magazine device.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the spring-loaded follower is configured to provide tension on the lanyard when a critical few cartridges remain in the firearm magazine device, and wherein the tension on the lanyard causes the lanyard to lift the pawl thereby permitting the spring-loaded indicator to extend out of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a compression spring causes the spring-loaded indicator to extend out of the firearm magazine device when the pawl is lifted by the lanyard. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the critical few cartridges comprises one, two, or three cartridges. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a number of the critical few cartridges is adjustable by an operator of the firearm by increasing or decreasing the length of the lanyard. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the indicator can be felt by a trigger hand of an operator of the firearm, without the trigger hand having to move away from the trigger, when the indicator is extended out of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the indicator can be felt by a non-trigger hand of an operator of the firearm, without moving or manipulating the firearm, when the indicator is extended out of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured to extend horizontally out of the bottom of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         9 . A firearm magazine device configured to hold one or more cartridges, comprising:
 an indicator, the indicator configured to provide a visual and tactile indication when a critical few or no cartridges remain in the magazine device.   
     
     
         10 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the indicator is configured to provide a visual and tactile indication by extending horizontally out of the bottom of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the critical few cartridges comprises one cartridge in the magazine device, and wherein the indicator is configured to provide an additional visual and tactile indication when there are no cartridges in the magazine device. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the indicator is configured to provide the visual and tactile indication by extending partially out of the magazine device, and wherein the indicator is configured to provide the additional visual and tactile indication by extending fully out of the magazine device. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising an additional indicator, the additional indicator configured to provide a third visual and tactile indication of the number of cartridges in the magazine device. 
     
     
         14 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the critical few cartridges comprises one, two, or three cartridges. 
     
     
         15 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein a number of the critical few cartridges is adjustable by an operator of the firearm. 
     
     
         16 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the indicator can be felt by a trigger hand of an operator of the firearm device, without the trigger hand having to move away from the trigger, when the indicator is extended out of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         17 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the indicator can be felt by a non-trigger hand of an operator of the firearm, without moving or manipulating the firearm, when the indicator is extended out of the firearm magazine device. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising a pawl, the pawl configured to prevent the indicator from extending out of the firearm device. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm magazine device as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the pawl is lifted when the critical few cartridges remain in the magazine device thereby permitting the indicator to extend out of the firearm device. 
     
     
         20 . A firearm magazine device configured to hold one or more cartridges for a firearm, comprising:
 a spring-loaded follower that travels upwards as each of the one or more cartridges are fired by the firearm;   a lanyard connected to the spring-loaded follower and configured to:
 pull on an indicator when there are two cartridges left in the firearm causing the indicator to extend partially out of the magazine; and 
 pull on the indicator when there is one cartridge left in the firearm causing the indicator to extend fully out of the magazine.

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