Method of and apparatus for assisting a user in correctly loading and reloading ammunition magazines into a hand-held firearm in the dark

Abstract

A ammunition magazine for a hand-held firearm or weapon, having a photo-luminescent (i.e. glow-in-the-dark) base portion (e.g. base plate) that emits visible illumination and enables the firearm user, in darkness, to quickly access the ammunition magazine, accurately determine its spatial orientation, properly insert (i.e. load) the magazine into the firearm in a correct manner, retrieve the spent magazine, remove (i.e. unload) it from the firearm, and then reload another loaded magazine, quickly without error or reloading errors or delays.

1 . An ammunition magazine adapted for use in a firearm having a barrel and handle portion, in dark environments, said ammunition magazine comprising:
 a hollow body having a bottom opening and a top opening a top opening in communication with said barrel;   a base portion fixed stationary with respect to said hollow body and closing off said bottom opening;   wherein said base portion includes a bottom surface, and multiple side wall surfaces;   a movable platform installed within said hollow body and capable of sliding up and down within said hollow body;   wherein said hollow body is adapted for storing a round of ammunition in the form of bullets, supported on said movable platform and extending up to said top opening;   a spring disposed between said movable platform and said base portion;   wherein said movable platform and round of ammunition are slidably pushed towards the top opening, by virtue of the biasing forces acting on said movable platform and generated by said spring installed between said movable platform and said base portion, and said biasing forces assist in advancing said bullets out of said hollow body and through said top opening; and   one or more photo-luminescent elements applied to said base portion for emitting visible illumination so as to help the user of said firearm visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in said hollow body should be loaded into the barrel of said hand-held firearm.   
     
     
         2 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent strips mounted on the side and/or bottom wall surfaces, for emitting visible illumination and to helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of the hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         3 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 2 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent strips have a round, rectangular or other geometry, or are custom made to the specifications of said plate portion. 
     
     
         4 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent inlays formed, mounted or otherwise molded in the side wall and/or bottom surfaces of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         5 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements are molded or co-molded in the material of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         6 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 1 , wherein said base portion comprises a base plate. 
     
     
         7 . A hand-held firearm comprising:
 a barrel and a handle portion adapted to receive an ammunition magazine;   wherein said magazine includes:   a hollow body having a bottom opening and a top opening in communication with said barrel;   a base portion fixed stationary with respect to said hollow body and closing off said bottom opening;   wherein said base portion includes a bottom surface, and multiple side wall surfaces;   a movable platform installed within said hollow body and capable of sliding up and down within said hollow body;   wherein said hollow body is adapted for storing a round of ammunition in the form of bullets, supported on said movable platform and extending up to said top opening;   a spring disposed between said movable platform and said base portion;   wherein said movable platform and round of ammunition are slidably pushed towards the top opening, by virtue of the biasing forces acting on said movable platform and generated by said spring installed between said movable platform and said base portion, and said biasing forces assist in advancing said bullets out of said hollow body and through said top opening; and   one or more photo-luminescent elements applied to said base portion for emitting visible illumination so as to help the user of said firearm visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in said hollow body should be loaded into the barrel of said hand-held firearm.   
     
     
         8 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 7 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent strips mounted on the side and/or bottom wall surfaces, for emitting visible illumination and to helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of the hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         9 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 8 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent strips have a round, rectangular or other geometry, or are custom made to the specifications of said plate portion. 
     
     
         10 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 7 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent inlays formed, mounted or otherwise molded in the side wall and/or bottom surfaces of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         11 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 7 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements are molded or co-molded in the material of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         12 . The ammunition magazine of  claim 7 , wherein said base portion comprises a base plate. 
     
     
         13 . A method of helping a user correctly load an ammunition magazine into a hand-held firearm in darkness, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) supplying a hand-held firearm to a user to be worn on the person of said user, wherein said hand-held firearm has a barrel and a handle portion adapted to receive an ammunition magazine;   (b) supplying the user with an open-top ammunition holster to be worn openly on the person of said user;   (c) loading one or more of said ammunition magazines into said open-top ammunition holster;   wherein each said ammunition magazine includes:   a hollow body having a bottom opening and a top opening in communication with said barrel;   a base portion fixed stationary with respect to said hollow body and closing off said bottom opening;   wherein said base plate includes a bottom surface, and multiple side wall surfaces;   a movable platform installed within said hollow body and capable of sliding up and down within said hollow body;   wherein said hollow body is adapted for storing a round of ammunition in the form of bullets, supported on said movable platform and extending up to said top opening;   a spring disposed between said movable platform and said base portion;   wherein said movable platform and round of ammunition are slidably pushed towards the top opening, by virtue of the biasing forces acting on said movable platform and generated by said spring installed between said movable platform and said base portion, and said biasing forces assist in advancing said bullets out of said hollow body and through said top opening; and   one or more photo-luminescent elements applied to said base portion;   (d) while said one or more ammunition magazines are supported in said open-top ammunition holster, photo-recharging said one or more photo-luminescent elements applied to said base portion thereof, by sources of ambient illumination; and   (e) during darkness, said photo-luminescent elements emitting visible illumination from the base portions of said ammunition magazines supported in said open-top ammunition holster, so as to help the user of said hand-held firearm to visually indicate the correct direction that bullets in said hollow body should be loaded into the barrel of said hand-held firearm;   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent strips mounted on the side and/or bottom wall surfaces, for emitting visible illumination and to helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of the hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent strips have a round, rectangular or other geometry, or are custom made to the specifications of said plate portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements comprises one or more photo-luminescent inlays formed, mounted or otherwise molded in the side wall and/or bottom surfaces of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more photo-luminescent elements are molded or co-molded in the material of said base portion, for emitting visible illumination and helping the user visually indicate, during night-time use, the correct direction that bullets in the magazine should be loaded into the handle portion of said hand-held firearm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said base portion comprises a base plate.