Easy loading gun magazine

Abstract

A gun magazine is provided having a magazine frame, a magazine base, a magazine follower located inside the magazine frame, a spring element located inside the magazine frame and configured to engage the magazine base and the magazine follower, and a pull element, such as a braided metal cord, coupled to the underside of the magazine follower and extending through an opening in the magazine base. A keeper element is attached to an intermediate location of the pull element, and a grip element is coupled to an end of the pull element, outside of the magazine frame. The grip element is grasped and pulled downward, thereby moving the magazine follower down in the magazine frame. The keeper element passes through a wide section of the opening and is then engaged with a narrow section of the opening, thereby holding the magazine follower near the bottom of the magazine frame.

1 . A gun magazine comprising: 
 a magazine frame having a cavity configured to receive a plurality of cartridges at a first end;    a magazine base located at a second end of the magazine frame, opposite the first end of the magazine frame;    a magazine follower located inside the cavity of the magazine frame;    a spring element configured to engage the magazine base and the magazine follower, wherein the spring element forces the magazine follower toward the first end of the magazine frame;    a pull element coupled to the magazine follower and extending through an opening in the magazine base; and    one and only one keeper element located at an intermediate location of the pull element, wherein the keeper element is sized to pass through a first portion of the opening in the magazine base but not through a second portion of the opening in the magazine base.    
   
   
       2 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , further comprising a grip element coupled to the pull element, wherein the grip element is located outside of the cavity.  
   
   
       3 . The gun magazine of  claim 2 , wherein the grip element comprises an opening for receiving a finger.  
   
   
       4 . The gun magazine of  claim 3 , wherein the grip element is a circular ring.  
   
   
       5 . The gun magazine of  claim 3 , wherein the grip element is a D-shaped ring.  
   
   
       6 . The gun magazine of  claim 2 , wherein the grip element comprises a 3-dimensional element that can be readily grasped by a human hand.  
   
   
       7 . The gun magazine of  claim 6 , wherein grip element comprises a rod, a block or a sphere.  
   
   
       8 . The gun magazine of  claim 2 , wherein the grip element is larger than the opening in the magazine base.  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the keeper element comprises a bead attached to the intermediate location of the pull element.  
   
   
       11 . The gun magazine of  claim 10 , wherein the bead is spherical.  
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the pull element is directly attached to the magazine follower.  
   
   
       14 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the pull element is coupled to the magazine follower by linking elements.  
   
   
       15 . The gun magazine of  claim 14 , wherein the linking elements comprise: 
 a first link attached to the magazine follower; and    a second link attached to the pull element and coupled to the first link.    
   
   
       16 . The gun magazine of  claim 15 , wherein the first link and the second link comprise circular links.  
   
   
       17 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the spring element comprises a coiled spring, and the pull element extends through a centrally-located region of the coiled spring.  
   
   
       18 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the magazine frame comprises sidewalls that define a portion of the cavity, the magazine frame further comprising one or more rails located along the sidewalls inside the cavity, wherein the one or more rails are configured to guide cartridges into the cavity in a preferred alignment.  
   
   
       19 . The gun magazine of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more springs coupled to the magazine frame and located adjacent to the one or more rails, wherein the one or more springs are positioned to engage cartridges loaded into the cavity.  
   
   
       20 . The gun magazine of  claim 19 , wherein the magazine frame further comprises a back wall that joins the sidewalls of the magazine frame, wherein the back wall includes an opening for receiving cartridges to be loaded into the cavity.  
   
   
       21 . A method of loading a gun magazine comprising: 
 moving a magazine follower from a first end of a magazine frame toward a second end of the magazine frame, thereby increasing the compression of a spring located between the second end of the magazine frame and the magazine follower;    mechanically holding the magazine follower near the second end of the magazine frame by engaging a keeper element at the second end of the magazine frame, thereby defining a cavity over the magazine follower;    loading one or more cartridges into the cavity over the magazine follower, while the magazine follower is mechanically held near the second end of the magazine frame; and then    releasing the magazine follower, such that the spring forces the one or more cartridges into engagement with flanges at the first end of the magazine frame, and such that the keeper element is located entirely within the magazine frame.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of moving the magazine follower comprises exerting a force on a pull element that is coupled to the magazine follower and extends through the second end of the magazine frame.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of mechanically holding the magazine follower comprises latching the keeper element, which is coupled to the pull element, in an opening in the second end of the magazine frame.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of loading the one or more cartridges into the cavity comprises inserting the one or more cartridges through a circular opening near the first end of the magazine frame.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising guiding the one or more cartridges into the cavity along rails located on the magazine frame.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising receiving the one or more cartridges into the cavity with the assistance of springs coupled to the magazine frame.  
   
   
       27 . A gun magazine comprising: 
 a magazine frame having an opening at a first end and a base at a second end;    a magazine follower located in the magazine frame;    a spring located between the magazine follower and the base of the magazine frame;    means for moving the magazine follower from the first end of a magazine frame toward the second end of the magazine frame, thereby increasing the compression of the spring;    means for mechanically holding the magazine follower near the second end of the magazine frame, thereby defining a cavity over the magazine frame; and    means for releasing the magazine follower, such that the spring forces the magazine follower toward the first end of the magazine frame, such that the means for mechanically holding the magazine follower are located entirely within the magazine frame.    
   
   
       28 . A method of modifying a gun magazine having a magazine frame, a magazine follower located in the magazine frame, magazine base attached to the magazine frame and a spring element located between the magazine follower and the magazine base, the method comprising: 
 removing the magazine follower from the magazine frame;    forming an opening through the magazine base;    attaching a first end of a pull element to the removed magazine follower;    attaching one and only one keeper element to an intermediate location of the pull element;    replacing the magazine follower with the attached pull element and keeper element in the magazine frame such that a second end of the pull element extends through the opening in the magazine base.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising attaching a grip element to the second end of the pull element.  
   
   
       30 . A gun magazine modification kit having component parts capable of being assembled with a gun magazine having a magazine frame, a magazine follower located in the magazine frame, magazine base attached to the magazine frame and a spring element located between the magazine follower and the magazine base, the kit comprising the combination of: 
 a pull element having a first end adapted to be coupled to the magazine follower and a second end adapted to extend through an opening in the magazine base;    one and only one a keeper element adapted to be coupled to an intermediate location of the pull element, between the first end and the second end; and    a grip element adapted to be coupled to the second end of the pull element, outside of the magazine frame.    
   
   
       31 . The gun magazine of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate location is located such the one and only one keeper element is located inside the magazine when the pull element is released and the keeper element is not engaged with the second portion of the opening in the magazine base.  
   
   
       32 . A gun magazine comprising: 
 a magazine frame having a cavity configured to receive a plurality of cartridges at a first end;    a magazine base located at a second end of the magazine frame, opposite the first end of the magazine frame;    a magazine follower located inside the cavity of the magazine frame;    a spring element configured to engage the magazine base and the magazine follower, wherein the spring element forces the magazine follower toward the first end of the magazine frame;    a pull element having a first end coupled to the magazine follower and a second end extending through an opening in the magazine base; and    a keeper element attached to an intermediate location of the pull element, nearer to the first end of the pull element than the second end of the pull element, wherein the keeper element is sized to engage the opening in the magazine base, and wherein the pull element is smooth from the keeper element to the second end.