Ammunition Carrier

Abstract

An ammunition carrier and cover may be configured to hold a plurality of boxes of ammunition for transport and storage. The cover may be held to the ammunition carrier by cam locks and may have an opening to allow an arm of the ammunition carrier to be extended and retracted.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Prov. Appl. 63 / 773,423, filed Mar. 17, 2025, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF ART

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an ammunition carrier which facilitates the safe and comfortable storage and carrying of ammunition. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an ammunition carrier which will hold multiple boxes of ammunition, and which may be used for both carrying and storing the boxes of ammunition.

[0003] There are many situations in which a person may carry or store boxes of ammunition. For example, when a person goes hunting or to a shooting range to engage in target practice, a person may need to carry numerous boxes of ammunition.

[0004] One type of ammunition which can be somewhat cumbersome to carry and store is shotgun shells. Shotgun shells are often packaged 25 shells to a box. In the case of 12-gauge shotgun shells, the box is often approximately 4.25 inches wide and 4.25 inches tall with the thickness of the box varying by the length of the shotgun shells. The most common length of shotgun shells are 2.75 inches, 3 inches and 3.5 inches.

[0005] It is also common to pack multiple boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition into a larger box. Two common sizes for shotgun shells are a four pack, containing a total of 100 shells in 4 boxes and a 10-pack containing 250 shells in 10 boxes. The boxes are often made from relatively thin cardboard. While they will hold all of the boxes of shotgun shells together if they do not get damaged, once the box has become damaged or gotten wet, it will often not hold the boxes together and boxes of shotgun shells can spill out of the box. Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved carrier for boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition.

[0006] It is also desirable to keep the large pack box and the individual boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition from getting wet. Wet boxes are far more likely to fail and allow the shotgun shells to fall out. Additionally, the wet boxes can fowl the ammunition. Thus, there is a desire for an improved ammunition carrier.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The following summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every possible implementation of a method and apparatus for forming an ammunition carrier, but rather to give illustrative examples of application of principles of forming such. While the ammunition carrier is discussed in the context of a carrier for boxes of shotgun shells. It will be appreciated that the principles discussed herein may be used for an ammunition carrier for boxes of other types of ammunition.

[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the ammunition carrier may include a housing configured for receiving a plurality of boxes of ammunition, such as shotgun shells. In one or more applications the housing may be divided into two or more compartments for receiving a number of boxes of shotgun shells or the like.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a handle may be attached to the housing to facilitate holding of the housing when desired. In one or more applications the handle may be retractable to a position adjacent to or substantially inside the housing to facilitate storage of the ammunition carrier when not in use.

[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the housing may include a number of dividing walls to help hold boxes of ammunition so that the movement of the ammunition is limited within the housing.

[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the handle may be attached to arms which engaged the dividing walls so as to allow the handle to slide up and down as needed.

[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a housing cover may be disposed over the housing so as to protect the contents of the housing from rain or the like.

[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the housing may include one or more brackets to facilitate mounting of the housing cover on the housing to thereby protect the contents thereof.

[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the handle may be retracted into the area encompassed by the housing cover for storage purposes or may be extended through the housing cover for carrying and the like.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an ammunition carrier made in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 1 with the handle in a retracted position;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an upper perspective view with the handle in an extended position.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows an upper perspective view with the handle in a retracted position;

[0020] FIG. 5 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle in an extended position;

[0021] FIG. 6 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle in a retracted position;

[0022] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the ammunition carrier with the housing of the carrier empty apart from the dividing walls and handle arms;

[0023] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier;

[0024] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier with a plurality of boxes of ammunition disposed therein for carrying and / or storage;

[0025] FIG. 10 shows a side view of an ammunition carrier with a plurality of boxes of shotgun shells contained therein shown in dashed lines;

[0026] FIG. 11 shows a side view of an alternate ammunition carrier having an attachment bracket disposed thereon and the handle extended;

[0027] FIG. 12 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11 with the handle retracted;

[0028] FIG. 13 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0029] FIG. 14 this shows an upper perspective view with the handle retracted;

[0030] FIG. 15 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle extended and showing attachment brackets on both sides of the housing;

[0031] FIG. 16 shows an end view similar to that of FIG. 15 with the handle retracted;

[0032] FIG. 17 Shows a top view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0033] FIG. 18 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0034] FIG. 19 Shows an upper perspective view of an ammunition carrier cover;

[0035] FIG. 20 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0036] FIG. 21 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0037] FIG. 22 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0038] FIG. 23 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover being disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0039] FIG. 24 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover being disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0040] FIG. 25 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle in an extended position;

[0041] FIG. 26 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0042] FIG. 27 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0043] FIG. 28 shows an end view similar to that of FIG. 27, but with the handle retracted;

[0044] FIG. 29 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0045] FIG. 30 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0046] FIG. 31 shows a number of ammunition carriers with ammunition carriers disposed thereon stacked for storage, with one of the ammunition carriers being locked.

[0047] FIG. 32 shows an ammunition carrier cover disposed on an ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0048] FIG. 33 shows the ammunition carrier cover of FIG. 31 disposed on an ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0049] FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle extended of FIG. 31;

[0050] FIG. 35 shows the ammunition carrier cover of FIG. 34 with the handle retracted;

[0051] FIG. 36 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0052] FIG. 37 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0053] FIG. 38 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier; and

[0054] FIG. 39 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier with the ammunition carrier cover disposed thereon.

[0055] It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein or covered by the appended claims will include all of the aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

[0057] Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,”“one configuration,”“an embodiment,” or “a configuration” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment, etc. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather the element may be included in other or all embodiments discussed herein.

[0058] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details may be provided, such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0059] Before the present invention is disclosed and described in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood that terminology contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the claims.

[0060] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, singular forms such as “a,”“an,” and “the” may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a bracket” may include an embodiment having one or more of such brackets, and reference to “the target plate” may include reference to one or more of such target plates.

[0061] As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing nearly all of the length of a lumen would be substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the lumen had a slit or channel formed along a portion thereof. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.

[0062] As used herein, the term “generally” refers to something that has characteristics of a quality without necessarily being exactly that quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical would be at least as vertical as horizontal, i.e. would extend 45 degrees or greater from horizontal. Likewise, something said to be generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a consistent diameter in every direction.

[0063] As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.

[0064] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and / or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member.

[0065] Concentrations, amounts, proportions and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5 but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range, or the characteristics being described.

[0066] Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a side view of an ammunition carrier, generally indicated at 4. The ammunition carrier 4 may include a housing 8 which may be formed by spaced apart sidewalls 8a and 8b (FIG. 3). The sidewalls 8a and 8b , may be spaced apart sufficiently to hold a plurality of boxes of ammunition in a row between the sidewalls. (See FIGS. 9 and 10). The sidewalls 8a and 8b may be made of aluminum or other metals or of durable plastics so as to protect boxes of ammunition disposed in the housing from being damaged by tree limbs or other impacts as they are being transported.

[0067] Along the bottom of the housing 8 may be a bottom plate 12 and a plurality of feet 16. Extending upwardly from the housing 8 may be one or more arms 20 and a handle 24. As will be explained in additional detail below, the arms may slide relative to dividing walls within the housing 8 to allow the handle 24 to retract as is shown in FIG. 2. The housing 8 may include a recess 28 or other shaped feature to facilitate access to the handle 24 when it is disposed in a retracted position.

[0068] Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 in an extended position. This may be accomplished by one or more dividing walls 32 which extend between a first housing side wall 8a and a second housing side wall 8b. The dividing walls 32 may include one or more slots 36. One or more nut and bolt 40 maybe attached to the arms 20 attached to the handle 24 so that the bolts are able to slide in the slots 36 and thereby allow the arms to slide relative to the dividing walls 32 to thereby allow the arms to move up and down. In a preferred embodiment that arms 20 are able to move up and down without interfering with ammunition disposed adjacent the arms and between the first housing sidewall 8a and the second housing sidewall 8b.

[0069] Both the dividing walls 32 and the arms 20 may include corrugated portions 44 to provide the structural integrity to the arms and dividing walls. The corrugated portions may also allow the arms 20 and the dividing walls 32 to nest within one another. The dividing walls 32 may include a dividing wall flange 48 to facilitate attachment of the dividing wall to the housing side walls 8a and 8b. It will be appreciated that the ammunition carrier could be made from steel, aluminum or other metal. Alternatively, the ammunition carrier could be formed from a thermoplastic or other durable, moldable material. The dividing walls may attach to the housing side walls 8a and 8b by a variety of methods including fasteners such as rivets, nails or screws, adhesives or welding.

[0070] Disposed on the ends of the housing side walls 8a and 8b maybe a pair of side wall end flanges 52 to thereby form a partially enclosed chamber 60 between a dividing wall 32 and the flanges 52. The opening 56 left by the flanges 52 may be used to facilitate the placement and removal of ammunition boxes in the partially enclosed chamber 60.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a similar view to that shown in FIG. 3, but with the handle 24 having been pushed down so that the arms 20 slide along the dividing walls 32 in the housing 8 While the ammunition carrier 4 may be a variety of sizes depending on the type of ammunition that needs to be carried, one embodiment designed for carrying shotgun shells may have the first housing sidewall 8a and the second housing sidewall 8b being spaced apart approximately 4.25 to 4.5 inches. Toward the ends, the partially enclosed chamber 60 may be formed to extend approximately 2.75 inches to 3.5 inches away from the adjacent dividing wall 32. This would allow two boxes of shotgun shells to be disposed in the partially enclosed chamber 60 one on top of the other. The base plate 12 extends far enough below the enclosed chamber 62 prevent the boxes of shotgun shells from passing out of the bottom of the housing 8.

[0072] In contrast, the space between the dividing walls 32 may be between 8 and 10.5 inches so that three boxes of shotgun shells can be placed on a surface between the dividing walls. Due to the height of the housing 8, another row of three boxes could be placed thereon. With two additional boxes in the partially enclosed chamber 60 ammunition carrier 4 is able to carry 10 boxes of shotgun shells while the user is able to carry the entire load with one hand holding the handle 24. In contrast, the boxes which are used to hold ten boxes of shotgun shells are often difficult to carry, especially if one is also carrying a shotgun or other equipment at the same time. While the ammunition carrier 4 can be made in multiple different sizes to accommodate specific sized boxes of shotgun shells or other types of ammunition, in one presently preferred embodiment the total length of the housing from the flanges 52 to opposing flanges 52 is about 17 inches long. This allows for the depth of five boxes for 3.5-inch shotgun shell disposed in the housing and the thickness of the dividing walls 32.

[0073] Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown in end view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the arm 20 extended out of the housing 8 and retracted into the housing, respectively. The slots 36 in the dividing wall 32 can be seen, as can the bolts 40 which extend through the arm 20 and through these slots 30 with the shaft of the bolts passing through the slots. It will be appreciated that the relative structures could be reversed so that the arm 20 has slots therein and the dividing walls 32 have bolts 40 attached thereon so that the arms can slide along the dividing walls as these slots move along the shaft of the bolts. Dispose near the top of the arm 20 maybe a fastener 63, such as a bolt or rivet, to attach the handle (not shown in FIG. 5) to the arm 20.

[0074] Turning now to FIG. 7 there is shown at top view of the ammunition carrier 4 including the housing 8, the arms 20, and the handle 24. The handle 24 is attached to the arm 20 via the fastener 64. It will be appreciated that other types of attachment mechanisms can be used, including adhesives, welds, and the formation of the handle 24 and the arms 20 from a single piece of material. The top view in FIG. 7 also shows how the base plate 12 may be formed so as to leave the bottom area of the partially enclosed chamber 60 open so as to facilitate removal of a box of shotgun shells from the partially enclosed chamber.

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4. The feet 16 may be seen as well as the base plate 12 and the portions of the side walls 8b and 8b which extend beyond the base plate, and which may end in the housing end flanges 52. It should be understood that the openings 56 and the partially open bottom of the partially enclosed chamber 60 could be replaced by a continuous wall at the end or a longer base plate 12 so long as the boxes of ammunition may be inserted into and removed from the partially enclosed chambers 60.

[0076] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier 4. Five boxes of ammunition 68 are disposed ammunition carrier 4, with one each in the partially enclosed chambers 60 at either end of the ammunition carrier 4, and three in the central chamber 72 defined between the dividing walls 32 and sidewalls 8a and 8b. It will be appreciated the handle 24 may be in the way when placing or removing boxes of ammunition in the central chamber 72. Thus, it is typically desirable to have the handle 24 in the extended position when adding or removing ammunition boxes from the central chamber 72.

[0077] While five boxes 68 are shown in FIG. 9, the housing 8 may be designed sufficiently tall that two boxes of ammunition 68 may be disposed on top of one another as shown by the dashed lines representing boxes of ammunition 68 within the housing 8 as shown in FIG. 10. It will be appreciated that travelling to a location where the ammunition is to be used often involves travelling over rough terrain either in a car or walking. The housing 8 securely holds the ammunition boxes 68 and the ammunition contained therein better than simply carrying it in a thin cardboard box, as 10 packs are often sold in.

[0078] Turning now to FIG. 11, there is shown a side view of an alternate ammunition carrier 4. Many of the structures in this embodiment are similar or the same as those discussed with respect to the prior embodiment and are therefore provided with the same reference numbers. Those structures will not be discussed in detail for the sake of brevity in the application.

[0079] Adjacent to the recess 28, if such is provided, the ammunition carrier 4 may include a bracket 76 which may be disposed on the side of a housing sidewall, such as housing sidewall 8a. As will be discussed momentarily in additional detail the bracket may be used to secure an ammunition carrier cover (not show) to the housing 8. FIG. 12 shows a similar view of the ammunition carrier with the handle 24 in a retracted position.

[0080] FIGS. 13 and 14 show an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier similar to that discussed with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 and are thus numbered accordingly. The two noticeable differences between FIGS. 3-4 and 13-14- are 1) that the bottom plate 12 extends a greater distance into the partially enclosed chamber 60, with a portion extending right up to the flanges 52, and 2) the brackets 76 which are disposed on the outsides of the housing 8. The bottom plate 12 may include a small, rounded opening at its end to facilitate removal of shotgun shell boxes from the partially enclosed chamber 60.

[0081] The brackets 76 may include a projection 80 having a hole therein, and an anchoring flange 84 disposed there-above to facilitate the attachment of a cover (not shown) to the housing 8 to protect any boxes of ammunition contained therein.

[0082] FIGS. 15 and 16 show end views of the ammunition carrier 4 with the arm 20 extended and retracted, respectively. The brackets 76 are placed on both sides of the housing 8 so that the projections 80 extend outwardly from the housing and the anchoring flanges 84 are positioned thereabove. The projections 80 may include holes 88 which may be used to secure a lock for holding a cover on the housing. The remaining structures in FIGS. 15 and 16 are similar to those shown and discussed with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6 and that description is incorporated by reference.

[0083] FIG. 17 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier 4 of FIG. 11. The portions of the drawing, which are substantially the same as FIG. 7, are numbered accordingly and the description contained with reference there too is equally applicable with respect to FIG. 17. The brackets 76 are disposed on either side of the housing and maybe positioned at a center point along the side walls 8a and 8b. Additionally, the bottom plate 12 extends somewhat further than the bottom plate 12 shown in FIG. 7 but may still be left with an opening adjacent opening 56 to facilitate placement and removal of boxes of ammunition. FIG. 18 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4, as well as the brackets 76 discussed previously. It will be appreciated that the brackets 76 maybe placed along the side walls 8a and 8B of the housing 8 at virtually any location. Additionally, while a single bracket 76 is shown on each side of the housing, additional brackets could also be used to provide more retention spots for a cover.

[0084] Turning now to FIG. 19, there is shown an upper perspective view of a cover generally indicated at 100. The cover 100 may include a top 104 which is sized to fit over the top opening in the housing (not shown). Thus, the top 104 may include one or more flanges 106 to extend downwardly and run along the side walls of the housing. In the top may be an opening 108 which may have a central portion 112 which may be sufficiently wide for a user to stick in their hand and engage the handle of the ammunition carrier when the cover 100 is disposed thereon. The opening may also include one or more end portions 116 which are designed to allow the arms attached to the handle to be raised while the cover remains on the ammunition carrier.

[0085] Positioned adjacent to the end portions 116 may be a plurality of recesses 118. The recesses 118 are shown as generally round depressions which are sized and shaped to receive feet (such as feet 16 shown in FIG. 18). This allows a number of ammunition carriers to be stacked on top of one another for storage as shown in FIG. 39. While the various drawings show the feet as being generally cylindrical, it will be appreciated that the feet could be formed of a variety of different shapes and that the recesses 118 may be shaped accordingly to receive the feet.

[0086] At either end of the top 104 may be an end piece 120. The end piece 120 may be formed integrally with the top 104 or may be attached to the top by a retainer 122. The retainer 122 may be a ring, a clip, or a piece of rope or other flexible attachment member. The end piece 120 may have lateral portions 124 and a central portion 128. The lateral portions 124 may be recessed from the central portion 128 so that the lateral portions may be slid behind the flanges 52 (FIG. 18) at the end of the housing 8 (FIG. 18), while the central portion 1 / 28 extends into the opening 56 (FIG. 18) between the flanges.

[0087] The cover 100 may also include a cam lock 132. The cam lock 132 may include one or more arms 136 and a body 140. The body 140 may include an engagement wall 144 and a projection slot 148 which interact with the bracket 76 (FIG. 16) and its projection 80 (FIG. 16) to secure the cover 100 to the housing 8 (FIG. 16). Specifically, the projection may extend through the projection slot 148 so that the projection extends beyond the body 140. The hole in the end of the projection may be used by a lock to hold the body on the projection.

[0088] Turning now to FIG. 20, there is shown an end view of the cover 100 including the top 104 and one end piece 120 attached to the top by retainers 122. The lateral portions 124 and central portion 128 of the end piece 120 are also visible. The corrugated nature of the junction between the lateral portions 124 and the central portion 128 provides rigidity to the end piece 120 along its length while providing some flexibility between the lateral portions and the central portion.

[0089] Also shown in FIG. 20 are cam locks 132 with cam lock arms 136 being pivotably attached at one end to the top 104 of the cover 100 and an opposing end pivotally attached to the body 140. The engagement wall 144 is barely visible next to a cam engagement arm 152 in FIG. 20 and the projection slot cannot be seen.

[0090] Turning now to FIG. 21, there is shown a front view of the cover 100 including the top 104 with a flange 106 extending downwardly. Attached along the flange 106 may be the cam lock arms 136 to hold the cam lock 132 to the top 104 of the cover 100. The cam lock arms 136 may be attached to the body 140 slightly below the cam engagement arms 152. The cam engagement arms 152 are disposed adjacent to the engagement wall 144 so that when a user presses inwardly on the body 140 the cam engagement arms engage the body of the ammunition carrier to ensure a forceful connection between the engagement wall 144 and the anchoring flange 84 (FIG. 16) on the bracket 76 (FIG. 16). Also seen in FIG. 21 is the projection slot 148 through which the and the end pieces 120. FIG. 22 shows a top view of the cover 100 which has been labeled with numerals consistent with the discussion regarding FIGS. 19 through 21.

[0091] FIG. 23 shows the cover, generally indicated at 100, mounted on the ammunition carrier, generally indicated at 4. The top 104 has the flange 106 extending downwardly over the top of the side wall 8a of the housing 8. The cam lock 132 is extending downwardly with the engagement wall 144 nested under the anchoring flange 84 while the projection 80 extends through the projection slot 184 so that the cover 100 is locked on to the ammunition carrier 4 by the cam lock 132.

[0092] Also shown in FIG. 23 how are the end pieces 120 which barely extend beyond the flanges 52 at the ends of the housing 8. The handle 24 is extending outwardly and the arms 20 passed through the openings (not visible) in the top. FIG. 24 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 23, but with the handle retracted below the top 104.

[0093] FIG. 25 shows an upper perspective view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. The handle 24 is in an extended position so that the arms 20 extend through the end portions 116 of the opening 108 in the top 104. The engagement wall 144 of the cam lock 132 is engaging the anchoring flange 84 of the bracket which is obscured by the body 140 of the cam lock 132.

[0094] In FIG. 25 it can also be seen how the end pieces 120 engage the ends of the housing 8 with the lateral portions of the sides being disposed inside of the flanges 52 of the housing and with the center portion extending into the opening between the flanges. FIG. 26 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 25 with the handle 24 retracted through the opening 108 so that a number of ammunition carriers 4 can be stacked atop another by placing the feet 16 of one ammunition carrier into the recesses 118 in the top 104 of the cover 100. With the cam lock 132 engaging the bracket on the housing 8 the projection 80 extends through the projection slot 148 and reveals the hole 88 in the projection. This enables a lock to be slid through the hole 88 to thereby lock the cover 100 on the ammunition carrier 4.

[0095] FIG. 27 shows an end view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4 and locked in place with the cam locks 132. The body 140 may include lever arms 156 to provide additional leverage on the cam lock 132 as it forces engagement between the engagement wall 144 and the anchoring flange 184. FIG. 28 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 27 but with the handle and arms in a retracted position.

[0096] FIG. 29 shows a top view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. On the ends, the flanges 52 of the housing are visible, as is the central portion 128 of the end piece 120. The central portion 112 of the opening 108 is disposed above the handle 24 to facilitate extension or retraction of the handle, while the end portions 116 of the opening 108 show the arms 20 and the dividing walls 32. The space between dividing walls 32 and between the dividing walls and the end pieces 120 leave voids for placing of multiple boxes of ammunition, while the cover 100 proves a surface facilitate stacking multiple ammunition carriers on top of one another as shown in FIG. 31.

[0097] FIG. 30 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the cover 100 disposed thereon. Of the top of the cover the only portions which are visible are the flanges 106 and a small portion at each end where the bottom plate 12 terminates. FIG. 30 does provide a good view of how the lateral portions 124 of the end pieces 120 are positioned behind the flanges 52 while the central portion 128 of the end pieces 120 may extend beyond the flanges in the area there between.

[0098] The ammunition carrier 4 provides a convenient way to carry a large number of shotgun shells or other ammunition which both protects the ammunition and keeps is readily available for the user to access. It also allows the ammunition to be protected during travel and to be easily stored when not in use. It will be appreciated that the ammunition carrier can be made in various dimensions to accommodate common ammunition box sizes.

[0099] Turning now to FIG. 31, there is an end view of four ammunition carriers 4 in a typical storage configuration in which the ammunition carriers are stacked. On each ammunition carrier 4, the cam locks 132 are fasted down to hold the cover 100 to the housing 8. In the upper left most ammunition carrier 4a, a pair of locks 160 and 164 are mounted on the projections 80 so that the cover 100 cannot be removed, thereby preventing children and the like from accessing the contents of the ammunition carrier, while avoiding the necessity of loading and unloading boxes of ammunition between a safe or other security storage container and a transporter. Multiple different types of locks can be used, such as a combination lock 160, a padlock 164, etc.

[0100] FIG. 32 shows an ammunition carrier cover 100 disposed on an ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended and FIG. 33 shows the same view with the handle retracted. While the bottom plate (not shown) and dividing walls (not show) can be attached to the housing sidewalls 8a via welding or adhesives, the housing sidewalls may also have openings 170 to facilitate attachment of the structures via rivets, screws or the like. Additionally, while the cam lock 132 may leave a portion of the projection exposed for receiving a lock to prevent opening of the cam lock, a locking member 174 may also be formed as part of the cam lock so that separate locks are not needed.

[0101] FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover 100 and ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended. FIG. 35 shows the same view with the handle retracted. The holes 170 are visible in the housing sidewall 8a and the cam lock 132 with the locking member 174 are also visible. It will be appreciated that the other parts of the ammunition carrier 4 and the ammunition carrier cover 100 may be similar to the other embodiments discussed above.

[0102] FIGS. 36 and 37 show end views of the ammunition carrier cover 100 and ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended and retracted respectively. Other than the locking member 174 built into the cam lock 132, the device is substantially the same as the previously discussed embodiments and are numbered accordingly.;

[0103] FIG. 38 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. The lockable cam locks 132 are shown on either side. The remaining parts shown are similar to the prior embodiments. Likewise, FIG. 39 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 24 and the ammunition carrier cover 100 with the lockable cam locks being shown on both sides.

[0104] Thus, there is disclosed an ammunition carrier and a cover which may be used with the same. It will be appreciated that the images shown herein show embodiments of applications of the general principles of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0056]Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

[0057]Reference in the specification to “one embodi...

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Prov. Appl. 63 / 773,423, filed Mar. 17, 2025, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF ART

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an ammunition carrier which facilitates the safe and comfortable storage and carrying of ammunition. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an ammunition carrier which will hold multiple boxes of ammunition, and which may be used for both carrying and storing the boxes of ammunition.

[0003] There are many situations in which a person may carry or store boxes of ammunition. For example, when a person goes hunting or to a shooting range to engage in target practice, a person may need to carry numerous boxes of ammunition.

[0004] One type of ammunition which can be somewhat cumbersome to carry and store is shotgun shells. Shotgun shells are often packaged 25 shells to a box. In the case of 12-gauge shotgun shells, the box is often approximately 4.25 inches wide and 4.25 inches tall with the thickness of the box varying by the length of the shotgun shells. The most common length of shotgun shells are 2.75 inches, 3 inches and 3.5 inches.

[0005] It is also common to pack multiple boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition into a larger box. Two common sizes for shotgun shells are a four pack, containing a total of 100 shells in 4 boxes and a 10-pack containing 250 shells in 10 boxes. The boxes are often made from relatively thin cardboard. While they will hold all of the boxes of shotgun shells together if they do not get damaged, once the box has become damaged or gotten wet, it will often not hold the boxes together and boxes of shotgun shells can spill out of the box. Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved carrier for boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition.

[0006] It is also desirable to keep the large pack box and the individual boxes of shotgun shells or other ammunition from getting wet. Wet boxes are far more likely to fail and allow the shotgun shells to fall out. Additionally, the wet boxes can fowl the ammunition. Thus, there is a desire for an improved ammunition carrier.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The following summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every possible implementation of a method and apparatus for forming an ammunition carrier, but rather to give illustrative examples of application of principles of forming such. While the ammunition carrier is discussed in the context of a carrier for boxes of shotgun shells. It will be appreciated that the principles discussed herein may be used for an ammunition carrier for boxes of other types of ammunition.

[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the ammunition carrier may include a housing configured for receiving a plurality of boxes of ammunition, such as shotgun shells. In one or more applications the housing may be divided into two or more compartments for receiving a number of boxes of shotgun shells or the like.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a handle may be attached to the housing to facilitate holding of the housing when desired. In one or more applications the handle may be retractable to a position adjacent to or substantially inside the housing to facilitate storage of the ammunition carrier when not in use.

[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the housing may include a number of dividing walls to help hold boxes of ammunition so that the movement of the ammunition is limited within the housing.

[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the handle may be attached to arms which engaged the dividing walls so as to allow the handle to slide up and down as needed.

[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a housing cover may be disposed over the housing so as to protect the contents of the housing from rain or the like.

[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the housing may include one or more brackets to facilitate mounting of the housing cover on the housing to thereby protect the contents thereof.

[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the handle may be retracted into the area encompassed by the housing cover for storage purposes or may be extended through the housing cover for carrying and the like.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an ammunition carrier made in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 1 with the handle in a retracted position;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an upper perspective view with the handle in an extended position.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows an upper perspective view with the handle in a retracted position;

[0020] FIG. 5 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle in an extended position;

[0021] FIG. 6 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle in a retracted position;

[0022] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the ammunition carrier with the housing of the carrier empty apart from the dividing walls and handle arms;

[0023] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier;

[0024] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier with a plurality of boxes of ammunition disposed therein for carrying and / or storage;

[0025] FIG. 10 shows a side view of an ammunition carrier with a plurality of boxes of shotgun shells contained therein shown in dashed lines;

[0026] FIG. 11 shows a side view of an alternate ammunition carrier having an attachment bracket disposed thereon and the handle extended;

[0027] FIG. 12 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11 with the handle retracted;

[0028] FIG. 13 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0029] FIG. 14 this shows an upper perspective view with the handle retracted;

[0030] FIG. 15 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier with the handle extended and showing attachment brackets on both sides of the housing;

[0031] FIG. 16 shows an end view similar to that of FIG. 15 with the handle retracted;

[0032] FIG. 17 Shows a top view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0033] FIG. 18 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier of FIG. 11;

[0034] FIG. 19 Shows an upper perspective view of an ammunition carrier cover;

[0035] FIG. 20 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0036] FIG. 21 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0037] FIG. 22 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover;

[0038] FIG. 23 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover being disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0039] FIG. 24 shows a side view of the ammunition carrier cover being disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0040] FIG. 25 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle in an extended position;

[0041] FIG. 26 shows an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0042] FIG. 27 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0043] FIG. 28 shows an end view similar to that of FIG. 27, but with the handle retracted;

[0044] FIG. 29 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0045] FIG. 30 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier;

[0046] FIG. 31 shows a number of ammunition carriers with ammunition carriers disposed thereon stacked for storage, with one of the ammunition carriers being locked.

[0047] FIG. 32 shows an ammunition carrier cover disposed on an ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0048] FIG. 33 shows the ammunition carrier cover of FIG. 31 disposed on an ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0049] FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle extended of FIG. 31;

[0050] FIG. 35 shows the ammunition carrier cover of FIG. 34 with the handle retracted;

[0051] FIG. 36 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle extended;

[0052] FIG. 37 shows an end view of the ammunition carrier cover and ammunition carrier with the handle retracted;

[0053] FIG. 38 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover disposed on the ammunition carrier; and

[0054] FIG. 39 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier with the ammunition carrier cover disposed thereon.

[0055] It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein or covered by the appended claims will include all of the aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

[0057] Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,”“one configuration,”“an embodiment,” or “a configuration” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment, etc. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather the element may be included in other or all embodiments discussed herein.

[0058] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details may be provided, such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0059] Before the present invention is disclosed and described in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood that terminology contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the claims.

[0060] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, singular forms such as “a,”“an,” and “the” may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a bracket” may include an embodiment having one or more of such brackets, and reference to “the target plate” may include reference to one or more of such target plates.

[0061] As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing nearly all of the length of a lumen would be substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the lumen had a slit or channel formed along a portion thereof. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.

[0062] As used herein, the term “generally” refers to something that has characteristics of a quality without necessarily being exactly that quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical would be at least as vertical as horizontal, i.e. would extend 45 degrees or greater from horizontal. Likewise, something said to be generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a consistent diameter in every direction.

[0063] As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.

[0064] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and / or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member.

[0065] Concentrations, amounts, proportions and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5 but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range, or the characteristics being described.

[0066] Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a side view of an ammunition carrier, generally indicated at 4. The ammunition carrier 4 may include a housing 8 which may be formed by spaced apart sidewalls 8a and 8b (FIG. 3). The sidewalls 8a and 8b , may be spaced apart sufficiently to hold a plurality of boxes of ammunition in a row between the sidewalls. (See FIGS. 9 and 10). The sidewalls 8a and 8b may be made of aluminum or other metals or of durable plastics so as to protect boxes of ammunition disposed in the housing from being damaged by tree limbs or other impacts as they are being transported.

[0067] Along the bottom of the housing 8 may be a bottom plate 12 and a plurality of feet 16. Extending upwardly from the housing 8 may be one or more arms 20 and a handle 24. As will be explained in additional detail below, the arms may slide relative to dividing walls within the housing 8 to allow the handle 24 to retract as is shown in FIG. 2. The housing 8 may include a recess 28 or other shaped feature to facilitate access to the handle 24 when it is disposed in a retracted position.

[0068] Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 in an extended position. This may be accomplished by one or more dividing walls 32 which extend between a first housing side wall 8a and a second housing side wall 8b. The dividing walls 32 may include one or more slots 36. One or more nut and bolt 40 maybe attached to the arms 20 attached to the handle 24 so that the bolts are able to slide in the slots 36 and thereby allow the arms to slide relative to the dividing walls 32 to thereby allow the arms to move up and down. In a preferred embodiment that arms 20 are able to move up and down without interfering with ammunition disposed adjacent the arms and between the first housing sidewall 8a and the second housing sidewall 8b.

[0069] Both the dividing walls 32 and the arms 20 may include corrugated portions 44 to provide the structural integrity to the arms and dividing walls. The corrugated portions may also allow the arms 20 and the dividing walls 32 to nest within one another. The dividing walls 32 may include a dividing wall flange 48 to facilitate attachment of the dividing wall to the housing side walls 8a and 8b. It will be appreciated that the ammunition carrier could be made from steel, aluminum or other metal. Alternatively, the ammunition carrier could be formed from a thermoplastic or other durable, moldable material. The dividing walls may attach to the housing side walls 8a and 8b by a variety of methods including fasteners such as rivets, nails or screws, adhesives or welding.

[0070] Disposed on the ends of the housing side walls 8a and 8b maybe a pair of side wall end flanges 52 to thereby form a partially enclosed chamber 60 between a dividing wall 32 and the flanges 52. The opening 56 left by the flanges 52 may be used to facilitate the placement and removal of ammunition boxes in the partially enclosed chamber 60.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a similar view to that shown in FIG. 3, but with the handle 24 having been pushed down so that the arms 20 slide along the dividing walls 32 in the housing 8 While the ammunition carrier 4 may be a variety of sizes depending on the type of ammunition that needs to be carried, one embodiment designed for carrying shotgun shells may have the first housing sidewall 8a and the second housing sidewall 8b being spaced apart approximately 4.25 to 4.5 inches. Toward the ends, the partially enclosed chamber 60 may be formed to extend approximately 2.75 inches to 3.5 inches away from the adjacent dividing wall 32. This would allow two boxes of shotgun shells to be disposed in the partially enclosed chamber 60 one on top of the other. The base plate 12 extends far enough below the enclosed chamber 62 prevent the boxes of shotgun shells from passing out of the bottom of the housing 8.

[0072] In contrast, the space between the dividing walls 32 may be between 8 and 10.5 inches so that three boxes of shotgun shells can be placed on a surface between the dividing walls. Due to the height of the housing 8, another row of three boxes could be placed thereon. With two additional boxes in the partially enclosed chamber 60 ammunition carrier 4 is able to carry 10 boxes of shotgun shells while the user is able to carry the entire load with one hand holding the handle 24. In contrast, the boxes which are used to hold ten boxes of shotgun shells are often difficult to carry, especially if one is also carrying a shotgun or other equipment at the same time. While the ammunition carrier 4 can be made in multiple different sizes to accommodate specific sized boxes of shotgun shells or other types of ammunition, in one presently preferred embodiment the total length of the housing from the flanges 52 to opposing flanges 52 is about 17 inches long. This allows for the depth of five boxes for 3.5-inch shotgun shell disposed in the housing and the thickness of the dividing walls 32.

[0073] Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown in end view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the arm 20 extended out of the housing 8 and retracted into the housing, respectively. The slots 36 in the dividing wall 32 can be seen, as can the bolts 40 which extend through the arm 20 and through these slots 30 with the shaft of the bolts passing through the slots. It will be appreciated that the relative structures could be reversed so that the arm 20 has slots therein and the dividing walls 32 have bolts 40 attached thereon so that the arms can slide along the dividing walls as these slots move along the shaft of the bolts. Dispose near the top of the arm 20 maybe a fastener 63, such as a bolt or rivet, to attach the handle (not shown in FIG. 5) to the arm 20.

[0074] Turning now to FIG. 7 there is shown at top view of the ammunition carrier 4 including the housing 8, the arms 20, and the handle 24. The handle 24 is attached to the arm 20 via the fastener 64. It will be appreciated that other types of attachment mechanisms can be used, including adhesives, welds, and the formation of the handle 24 and the arms 20 from a single piece of material. The top view in FIG. 7 also shows how the base plate 12 may be formed so as to leave the bottom area of the partially enclosed chamber 60 open so as to facilitate removal of a box of shotgun shells from the partially enclosed chamber.

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4. The feet 16 may be seen as well as the base plate 12 and the portions of the side walls 8b and 8b which extend beyond the base plate, and which may end in the housing end flanges 52. It should be understood that the openings 56 and the partially open bottom of the partially enclosed chamber 60 could be replaced by a continuous wall at the end or a longer base plate 12 so long as the boxes of ammunition may be inserted into and removed from the partially enclosed chambers 60.

[0076] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier 4. Five boxes of ammunition 68 are disposed ammunition carrier 4, with one each in the partially enclosed chambers 60 at either end of the ammunition carrier 4, and three in the central chamber 72 defined between the dividing walls 32 and sidewalls 8a and 8b. It will be appreciated the handle 24 may be in the way when placing or removing boxes of ammunition in the central chamber 72. Thus, it is typically desirable to have the handle 24 in the extended position when adding or removing ammunition boxes from the central chamber 72.

[0077] While five boxes 68 are shown in FIG. 9, the housing 8 may be designed sufficiently tall that two boxes of ammunition 68 may be disposed on top of one another as shown by the dashed lines representing boxes of ammunition 68 within the housing 8 as shown in FIG. 10. It will be appreciated that travelling to a location where the ammunition is to be used often involves travelling over rough terrain either in a car or walking. The housing 8 securely holds the ammunition boxes 68 and the ammunition contained therein better than simply carrying it in a thin cardboard box, as 10 packs are often sold in.

[0078] Turning now to FIG. 11, there is shown a side view of an alternate ammunition carrier 4. Many of the structures in this embodiment are similar or the same as those discussed with respect to the prior embodiment and are therefore provided with the same reference numbers. Those structures will not be discussed in detail for the sake of brevity in the application.

[0079] Adjacent to the recess 28, if such is provided, the ammunition carrier 4 may include a bracket 76 which may be disposed on the side of a housing sidewall, such as housing sidewall 8a. As will be discussed momentarily in additional detail the bracket may be used to secure an ammunition carrier cover (not show) to the housing 8. FIG. 12 shows a similar view of the ammunition carrier with the handle 24 in a retracted position.

[0080] FIGS. 13 and 14 show an upper perspective view of the ammunition carrier similar to that discussed with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 and are thus numbered accordingly. The two noticeable differences between FIGS. 3-4 and 13-14- are 1) that the bottom plate 12 extends a greater distance into the partially enclosed chamber 60, with a portion extending right up to the flanges 52, and 2) the brackets 76 which are disposed on the outsides of the housing 8. The bottom plate 12 may include a small, rounded opening at its end to facilitate removal of shotgun shell boxes from the partially enclosed chamber 60.

[0081] The brackets 76 may include a projection 80 having a hole therein, and an anchoring flange 84 disposed there-above to facilitate the attachment of a cover (not shown) to the housing 8 to protect any boxes of ammunition contained therein.

[0082] FIGS. 15 and 16 show end views of the ammunition carrier 4 with the arm 20 extended and retracted, respectively. The brackets 76 are placed on both sides of the housing 8 so that the projections 80 extend outwardly from the housing and the anchoring flanges 84 are positioned thereabove. The projections 80 may include holes 88 which may be used to secure a lock for holding a cover on the housing. The remaining structures in FIGS. 15 and 16 are similar to those shown and discussed with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6 and that description is incorporated by reference.

[0083] FIG. 17 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier 4 of FIG. 11. The portions of the drawing, which are substantially the same as FIG. 7, are numbered accordingly and the description contained with reference there too is equally applicable with respect to FIG. 17. The brackets 76 are disposed on either side of the housing and maybe positioned at a center point along the side walls 8a and 8b. Additionally, the bottom plate 12 extends somewhat further than the bottom plate 12 shown in FIG. 7 but may still be left with an opening adjacent opening 56 to facilitate placement and removal of boxes of ammunition. FIG. 18 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4, as well as the brackets 76 discussed previously. It will be appreciated that the brackets 76 maybe placed along the side walls 8a and 8B of the housing 8 at virtually any location. Additionally, while a single bracket 76 is shown on each side of the housing, additional brackets could also be used to provide more retention spots for a cover.

[0084] Turning now to FIG. 19, there is shown an upper perspective view of a cover generally indicated at 100. The cover 100 may include a top 104 which is sized to fit over the top opening in the housing (not shown). Thus, the top 104 may include one or more flanges 106 to extend downwardly and run along the side walls of the housing. In the top may be an opening 108 which may have a central portion 112 which may be sufficiently wide for a user to stick in their hand and engage the handle of the ammunition carrier when the cover 100 is disposed thereon. The opening may also include one or more end portions 116 which are designed to allow the arms attached to the handle to be raised while the cover remains on the ammunition carrier.

[0085] Positioned adjacent to the end portions 116 may be a plurality of recesses 118. The recesses 118 are shown as generally round depressions which are sized and shaped to receive feet (such as feet 16 shown in FIG. 18). This allows a number of ammunition carriers to be stacked on top of one another for storage as shown in FIG. 39. While the various drawings show the feet as being generally cylindrical, it will be appreciated that the feet could be formed of a variety of different shapes and that the recesses 118 may be shaped accordingly to receive the feet.

[0086] At either end of the top 104 may be an end piece 120. The end piece 120 may be formed integrally with the top 104 or may be attached to the top by a retainer 122. The retainer 122 may be a ring, a clip, or a piece of rope or other flexible attachment member. The end piece 120 may have lateral portions 124 and a central portion 128. The lateral portions 124 may be recessed from the central portion 128 so that the lateral portions may be slid behind the flanges 52 (FIG. 18) at the end of the housing 8 (FIG. 18), while the central portion 1 / 28 extends into the opening 56 (FIG. 18) between the flanges.

[0087] The cover 100 may also include a cam lock 132. The cam lock 132 may include one or more arms 136 and a body 140. The body 140 may include an engagement wall 144 and a projection slot 148 which interact with the bracket 76 (FIG. 16) and its projection 80 (FIG. 16) to secure the cover 100 to the housing 8 (FIG. 16). Specifically, the projection may extend through the projection slot 148 so that the projection extends beyond the body 140. The hole in the end of the projection may be used by a lock to hold the body on the projection.

[0088] Turning now to FIG. 20, there is shown an end view of the cover 100 including the top 104 and one end piece 120 attached to the top by retainers 122. The lateral portions 124 and central portion 128 of the end piece 120 are also visible. The corrugated nature of the junction between the lateral portions 124 and the central portion 128 provides rigidity to the end piece 120 along its length while providing some flexibility between the lateral portions and the central portion.

[0089] Also shown in FIG. 20 are cam locks 132 with cam lock arms 136 being pivotably attached at one end to the top 104 of the cover 100 and an opposing end pivotally attached to the body 140. The engagement wall 144 is barely visible next to a cam engagement arm 152 in FIG. 20 and the projection slot cannot be seen.

[0090] Turning now to FIG. 21, there is shown a front view of the cover 100 including the top 104 with a flange 106 extending downwardly. Attached along the flange 106 may be the cam lock arms 136 to hold the cam lock 132 to the top 104 of the cover 100. The cam lock arms 136 may be attached to the body 140 slightly below the cam engagement arms 152. The cam engagement arms 152 are disposed adjacent to the engagement wall 144 so that when a user presses inwardly on the body 140 the cam engagement arms engage the body of the ammunition carrier to ensure a forceful connection between the engagement wall 144 and the anchoring flange 84 (FIG. 16) on the bracket 76 (FIG. 16). Also seen in FIG. 21 is the projection slot 148 through which the and the end pieces 120. FIG. 22 shows a top view of the cover 100 which has been labeled with numerals consistent with the discussion regarding FIGS. 19 through 21.

[0091] FIG. 23 shows the cover, generally indicated at 100, mounted on the ammunition carrier, generally indicated at 4. The top 104 has the flange 106 extending downwardly over the top of the side wall 8a of the housing 8. The cam lock 132 is extending downwardly with the engagement wall 144 nested under the anchoring flange 84 while the projection 80 extends through the projection slot 184 so that the cover 100 is locked on to the ammunition carrier 4 by the cam lock 132.

[0092] Also shown in FIG. 23 how are the end pieces 120 which barely extend beyond the flanges 52 at the ends of the housing 8. The handle 24 is extending outwardly and the arms 20 passed through the openings (not visible) in the top. FIG. 24 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 23, but with the handle retracted below the top 104.

[0093] FIG. 25 shows an upper perspective view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. The handle 24 is in an extended position so that the arms 20 extend through the end portions 116 of the opening 108 in the top 104. The engagement wall 144 of the cam lock 132 is engaging the anchoring flange 84 of the bracket which is obscured by the body 140 of the cam lock 132.

[0094] In FIG. 25 it can also be seen how the end pieces 120 engage the ends of the housing 8 with the lateral portions of the sides being disposed inside of the flanges 52 of the housing and with the center portion extending into the opening between the flanges. FIG. 26 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 25 with the handle 24 retracted through the opening 108 so that a number of ammunition carriers 4 can be stacked atop another by placing the feet 16 of one ammunition carrier into the recesses 118 in the top 104 of the cover 100. With the cam lock 132 engaging the bracket on the housing 8 the projection 80 extends through the projection slot 148 and reveals the hole 88 in the projection. This enables a lock to be slid through the hole 88 to thereby lock the cover 100 on the ammunition carrier 4.

[0095] FIG. 27 shows an end view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4 and locked in place with the cam locks 132. The body 140 may include lever arms 156 to provide additional leverage on the cam lock 132 as it forces engagement between the engagement wall 144 and the anchoring flange 184. FIG. 28 shows substantially the same view as FIG. 27 but with the handle and arms in a retracted position.

[0096] FIG. 29 shows a top view of the cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. On the ends, the flanges 52 of the housing are visible, as is the central portion 128 of the end piece 120. The central portion 112 of the opening 108 is disposed above the handle 24 to facilitate extension or retraction of the handle, while the end portions 116 of the opening 108 show the arms 20 and the dividing walls 32. The space between dividing walls 32 and between the dividing walls and the end pieces 120 leave voids for placing of multiple boxes of ammunition, while the cover 100 proves a surface facilitate stacking multiple ammunition carriers on top of one another as shown in FIG. 31.

[0097] FIG. 30 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 4 with the cover 100 disposed thereon. Of the top of the cover the only portions which are visible are the flanges 106 and a small portion at each end where the bottom plate 12 terminates. FIG. 30 does provide a good view of how the lateral portions 124 of the end pieces 120 are positioned behind the flanges 52 while the central portion 128 of the end pieces 120 may extend beyond the flanges in the area there between.

[0098] The ammunition carrier 4 provides a convenient way to carry a large number of shotgun shells or other ammunition which both protects the ammunition and keeps is readily available for the user to access. It also allows the ammunition to be protected during travel and to be easily stored when not in use. It will be appreciated that the ammunition carrier can be made in various dimensions to accommodate common ammunition box sizes.

[0099] Turning now to FIG. 31, there is an end view of four ammunition carriers 4 in a typical storage configuration in which the ammunition carriers are stacked. On each ammunition carrier 4, the cam locks 132 are fasted down to hold the cover 100 to the housing 8. In the upper left most ammunition carrier 4a, a pair of locks 160 and 164 are mounted on the projections 80 so that the cover 100 cannot be removed, thereby preventing children and the like from accessing the contents of the ammunition carrier, while avoiding the necessity of loading and unloading boxes of ammunition between a safe or other security storage container and a transporter. Multiple different types of locks can be used, such as a combination lock 160, a padlock 164, etc.

[0100] FIG. 32 shows an ammunition carrier cover 100 disposed on an ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended and FIG. 33 shows the same view with the handle retracted. While the bottom plate (not shown) and dividing walls (not show) can be attached to the housing sidewalls 8a via welding or adhesives, the housing sidewalls may also have openings 170 to facilitate attachment of the structures via rivets, screws or the like. Additionally, while the cam lock 132 may leave a portion of the projection exposed for receiving a lock to prevent opening of the cam lock, a locking member 174 may also be formed as part of the cam lock so that separate locks are not needed.

[0101] FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of the ammunition carrier cover 100 and ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended. FIG. 35 shows the same view with the handle retracted. The holes 170 are visible in the housing sidewall 8a and the cam lock 132 with the locking member 174 are also visible. It will be appreciated that the other parts of the ammunition carrier 4 and the ammunition carrier cover 100 may be similar to the other embodiments discussed above.

[0102] FIGS. 36 and 37 show end views of the ammunition carrier cover 100 and ammunition carrier 4 with the handle 24 extended and retracted respectively. Other than the locking member 174 built into the cam lock 132, the device is substantially the same as the previously discussed embodiments and are numbered accordingly.;

[0103] FIG. 38 shows a top view of the ammunition carrier cover 100 disposed on the ammunition carrier 4. The lockable cam locks 132 are shown on either side. The remaining parts shown are similar to the prior embodiments. Likewise, FIG. 39 shows a bottom view of the ammunition carrier 24 and the ammunition carrier cover 100 with the lockable cam locks being shown on both sides.

[0104] Thus, there is disclosed an ammunition carrier and a cover which may be used with the same. It will be appreciated that the images shown herein show embodiments of applications of the general principles of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0056]Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

[0057]Reference in the specification to “one embodi...

Claims

1. An ammunition carrier having a housing sized to receive a plurality of boxes of ammunition housing having a first sidewall and a second sidewall and a plurality of dividing walls disposed between to segment the housing into a plurality of chambers.

2. The ammunition carrier according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of dividing walls includes a first dividing wall and the ammunition carrier further comprising a handle and an arm, the arm being attached to and slidably engaged with the first dividing wall so that sliding the arm along the engagement wall moves the handle from an extended position to a retracted position.

3. The ammunition carrier of claim 2, wherein the first dividing wall has one or more slots formed therein and wherein a bolt attached to the arm slides within the slot.

4. The ammunition carrier of claim 3, wherein the plurality of dividing walls includes a second dividing wall spaced apart from the first dividing wall, and wherein the ammunition carrier includes a second arm attached to the handle and wherein the second dividing wall has a plurality of slots formed therein and wherein the second arm has a bolt attached there, the bolt being slidable within the slot.

5. The ammunition carrier of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall have flanges at opposing ends thereof and wherein the flanges on the first sidewall extend toward the flanges on the second side wall.

6. The ammunition carrier of claim 5, wherein the housing further includes a bottom plate forming a bottom of the housing and wherein the bottom plate stops short of the flanges to leave an opening in the bottom of the housing adjacent the flanges.

7. The ammunition carrier of claim 1, wherein at least one dividing wall of the plurality of dividing walls includes a corrugated section.

8. The ammunition carrier of claim 7, further comprising a handle and at least one arm attached to the handle, and wherein the at least one arm includes a corrugated portion which nests in the corrugated portion of the dividing wall.

9. The ammunition carrier of claim 1, wherein the housing has an open top and further comprising a cover having a top for partially covering the open top of the housing.

10. The ammunition carrier of claim 9, wherein the cover includes flanges which extend downwardly along the sidewalls, and a pair of end pieces which engage the sidewalls of the housing.

11. The ammunition carrier of claim 10, wherein the sidewalls have flanges disposed at ends of the sidewalls and therein the end pieces of the cover engage the flanges of the sidewalls.

12. The ammunition carrier of claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one bracket and wherein the cover has at least one cam lock for engaging the bracket to hold the cover to bracket.

13. The ammunition carrier of claim 12, wherein the bracket includes a projection and wherein the cam lock includes a projection slot and wherein the projection of the bracket extends through the projection slot.

14. The ammunition carrier of claim 13, wherein the projection has a hole disposed therein for receiving a lock to prevent removal of the cam lock from the projection.

15. The ammunition carrier of claim 12, wherein the cam lock includes a locking member for selectively preventing the cam lock from being opened.

16. The ammunition carrier of claim 1, wherein each of the sidewalls of the housing include flanges which extent toward the other sidewall and further comprising a cover, the cover having end pieces with a lateral portion and a central portion and wherein the lateral portions are disposed adjacent the flanges on an inside of the housing and wherein the central portion extends beyond the flanges while disposed between the flanges.

17. A device for carrying ammunition, the device comprising:a housing having a retractable handle and a plurality of voids disposed therein for receiving boxes of ammunition;a cover mountable on the housing the cover having at least one cam lock disposed thereon for securing the cover to the housing; anda locking member for selectively locking the cam lock to the housing.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the locking member is formed as part of the cam lock.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the housing has a projection extending therefrom, the projection having a hole, wherein the cam lock has a projection hole through which the projection extends through the projection hole.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the projection has a hole and further comprising a lock having a member extending through the hole in the projection.

Images