Integral Ammunition Reservoir with Lateral Loading Aperture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of semi-automatic firearms like the M16 and AR-15 rifles is prone to magazine misinsertion issues, leading to damage and misfires due to the need for a separate removable magazine, which can be lost or damaged during loading.
Innovation Solution
An integral or non-removable ammunition reservoir with a lateral loading aperture and a follower system that allows for loading cartridges without disassembling the rifle, featuring a pull channel, follower spring, and feed lip mechanism for reliable and robust ammunition feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a separate removable magazine is used for loading ammunition, then the firearm can be quickly reloaded by simply inserting a magazine, but the magazine may be misinsertion, damaged, or lost during loading operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the magazine with the firearm body by providing an integral feeding device that is non-removable. The ammunition well is formed as part of the receiver structure, eliminating the separate magazine component that causes misinsertion and damage issues while maintaining rapid reloading capability through the integrated design
2Area of stationary object
If a narrow magazine well is used to receive magazines, then the firearm structure remains compact, but the user easily misses the magazine well during insertion causing damage to feed lips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the magazine insertion problem entirely by eliminating the separate magazine and its insertion requirement. The integral feeding device with lateral loading aperture allows direct loading into the ammunition well without the need for a magazine well, thereby removing the source of misinsertion damage
3Manufacturing precision
If cartridges are loaded through the action (receiver) requiring disassembly, then the loading path is direct, but the firearm must be opened and partially disassembled which reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares the loading path in advance by providing a pre-formed lateral loading aperture and integrated ammunition well. This preliminary structural preparation allows direct cartridge insertion without requiring disassembly or opening the action, enabling quick loading while maintaining proper alignment through the pre-designed feed path
Data Source
AI summary
Weapon and rifle systems and methods with integral or non-removable ammunition well or reservoir are described. A lower receiver for an M16 type weapon or rifle system is described with an aperture for loading one or more cartridges into an ammunition well or reservoir formed as part of the lower receiver, a pull channel, a follower pull coupled to the pull channel, a follower adapted for retraction by the follower pull, a bottom cover to the ammunition well or reservoir, wherein the pull channel and follower pull are capable of retracting the follower past the aperture for loading one or more cartridges into the ammunition well or reservoir. Also described is a weapon or rifle system using the lower receiver described herein and a method for loading a weapon or rifle system using the lower receiver as described herein.