Drum Magazine

Abstract

Drum magazines have a body defining an interior and having a rear wall, a rotor rotatably mounted within the interior of the body, the rotor having a periphery defining a plurality of cartridge-receiving spaces, the rotor positioned to define a rim path proximate the rear wall, such that rims of cartridges received by the rotor periphery are proximate the rear wall, and a first rim-engagement element within the interior of the body and proximate the rim path, such that the rims of cartridges passing by the first element are contacted to axially shift each cartridge with respect to a subsequent cartridge. The first rim-engagement element may be a raised protrusion on the body. The rims of cartridges passing by the first rim-engagement element may be contacted to actually shift each cartridge rearward with respect to a subsequent cartridge.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a drum magazine for rimmed ammunition.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]A drum magazine is a type of firearms magazine that is cylindrical in shape, similar to a drum. Instead of rounds being stored flat, as in a more common box magazine, rounds in a drum magazine are stored in a circle around the center of the magazine, facing the direction of the barrel. Drum magazines for rimmed ammunition, including shotgun shells, primarily run off a cogged (gear-shaped) design which feeds each individual round of ammunition from the outermost edge of the shell. Recently, a single stack compact design has been developed that uses most of the interior capacity of the drum. It is driven by a single hub and a telescopic shaft.[0003]The advantage over traditional box-shaped magazines is that a drum magazine can carry much more ammunition, often two to three times that of a box magazine, without making it ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is an improved drum magazine for a cartridge system. The main technical effects of this invention include an improved design that allows for the cartridges to be easily shifted and aligned with each other, resulting in a more efficient and reliable system. Additionally, the invention provides a simple and effective mechanism for aligning the cartridges with the system's components, making it easier to use and maintain.

Problems solved by technology

The downside to drum magazines is that they increase the overall weight of the weapon in which they are being used, and they are more prone to jamming because of rim lock when used with rimmed ammunition.

Rim lock is caused by the rims of improperly stacked shotgun shells impeding each other from feeding into the firearm.

As a result, the uppermost shell cannot feed forward into the firearm, resulting in a jammed magazine.

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