Arcuate magazine for a firearm and a method for making the same

Abstract

An arcuate magazine for a firearm, such as a rifle or carbine, which has a keyway and follower assembly for delivering rounds of ammunition one at a time to the firing area of the firearm and which may be fabricated from a single piece of metal and have a smooth interior free of welds and rough spots. The invention also includes a method of making such a magazine which includes the steps of deep drawing and wiping the magazine body under substantial pressure using a progressive die having numerous stations.

1 . An arcuate magazine for delivering rounds of ammunition one round at a time to the firing chamber of a firearm such as a rifle or carbine, said magazine having a keyway and follower assembly therein for moving said round to said firing chamber, said magazine having a one piece body with opposed side walls, said keyway being arranged on one of said side walls, and welded closure means for said body on another wall remote from said keyway. 
   
   
       2 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein said body has a smooth interior substantially free of wrinkles and rough spots. 
   
   
       3 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein said body is fabricated from metal. 
   
   
       4 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 2 , wherein said body is formed from a single sheet of metal. 
   
   
       5 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises opposed short sides and opposed longer sides and said keyway is arranged in one of said short sides. 
   
   
       6 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein the short side of said body opposed to the side having said keyway has overlapping edges welded together for closing said body. 
   
   
       7 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 5 , wherein a short side of said body opposed to said keyway overlays an edge welded to one of said longer sides. 
   
   
       8 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 5 , wherein one of said long side has rib means impressed therein and said follower is trained to move through said body directed toward said firing area within the confines of said ribs and keyway. 
   
   
       9 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein said welded closure means comprise additive welds. 
   
   
       10 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 1 , wherein said keyway has spaced apart pilot holes along and extending through its surface. 
   
   
       11 . The arcuate magazine recited in  claim 3 , wherein the surfaces of said body are hardened. 
   
   
       12 . A method for making a one piece body of an arcuate magazine for delivering rounds of ammunition one round at a time to the firing chamber of a firearm such as a rifle or carbine, said magazine having a follower assembly therein for smoothly moving said round to said firing chamber, said method comprising the steps of
 (i) forming a blank by removing opposed inverted spaced apart U-like shaped pieces from a strip of metal;   (ii) bending the central portion of the strip between the legs of said removed U-like shaped pieces toward one another;   (iii) drawing a keyway into the bridge between said U-like shaped pieces;   (iv) wiping said legs at substantially a 90 degree angle from said keyway bridge and bending an edge on at least one of said legs toward the other of said legs, said edge being remote from said bridge; and   (v) welding said edge to the other of said legs to form a magazine body containing opposed shorter sections and opposed longer sections for containing said keyway and follower assembly.   
   
   
       14 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein said bridge has spaced apart pilot holes, and the method includes the additional step of placing members for holding said blank in a selected position by means of said pilot holes. 
   
   
       15 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein edges of both of said legs are wiped at said 90 degree angle toward one another, so that the edge of one leg overlaps the edge of the other leg. 
   
   
       16 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein said keyway is impressed on its upper and lower surfaces. 
   
   
       17 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein ribs are formed during said wiping, and said wiping removes wrinkles from said blank. 
   
   
       18 . The method recited in  claim 12 , with the additional step of filling said formed magazine body with a follower assembly comprising a spring, follower member and base plate for urging rounds into said firing chamber. 
   
   
       19 . The method recited in  claim 12 , with the additional step of heat treating said magazine body to harden its surfaces. 
   
   
       20 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein said welding step includes adding metallic material during said welding.