Firearm Magazine Base Pad with Spring-Driven Detent Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard firearm magazine base pads are prone to durability issues, unintended disengagement, and loss of securing mechanisms during rapid reloads, leading to potential catastrophic failure and inefficiencies in cleaning and reassembly.
Innovation Solution
A base pad with a securing mechanism that automatically locks onto the magazine tube's sidewall without using pins, clips, or doors, utilizing a spring-driven ball or set screw to ensure secure attachment and easy disengagement, preventing unintentional separation and allowing for quick cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a standard base pad with a simple groove configuration is used, then the base pad can be easily manufactured and installed, but it is prone to unintended disengagement and durability issues during rapid reloads
Solution Approach 1:
The base pad is divided into functional segments: a body portion with grooves for magazine tube engagement and a separate securing mechanism (screw or detent) that actively locks the assembly. This segmentation allows the simple groove structure to remain easy to manufacture while the added securing component provides enhanced reliability during rapid reloads.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing mechanism (screw or detent) is pre-configured to engage with the magazine tube before rapid reloading begins. This preliminary engagement ensures that the base pad remains securely attached during the high-stress conditions of rapid fire and reload operations, preventing unintended disengagement while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is added to prevent unintended disengagement, then the base pad attachment reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The securing mechanism is designed to be self-securing through simple user actions. A screw mechanism allows the user to tighten and lock the base pad in place, while a detent mechanism automatically engages and locks when the magazine tube is inserted. These self-service features provide reliable attachment security without requiring complex automated systems or multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing mechanism uses simple, inexpensive components such as a small screw or a detent ball that can be easily replaced if needed. This approach provides reliable attachment security through a simple, low-cost mechanism rather than a complex, expensive system, aligning with the principle of using simple, replaceable components for critical functions.
3Productivity
If the base pad is designed for quick disengagement to facilitate cleaning, then the reloading efficiency improves, but the attachment security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The securing mechanism transitions between two dynamic states: a locked state during firing that provides secure attachment, and an unlocked state during cleaning that allows quick disengagement. The screw mechanism can be quickly unscrewed, and the detent mechanism can be easily depressed to release the lock. This dynamic design enables the base pad to provide both attachment security during operation and quick disengagement for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The base pad undergoes periodic cycles of secure attachment during firing and quick disengagement for cleaning. The securing mechanism is designed to easily transition between these periodic states, allowing the user to quickly unlock and remove the base pad for cleaning, then rapidly re-secure it for the next firing sequence. This periodic action optimizes both productivity during reloading and reliability during firing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, durable, and efficient attachment and disengagement mechanism that prevents accidental separation, reduces the risk of lost or damaged components, and facilitates rapid reloading and cleaning processes.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a spring-driven ball or set screw to ensure secure attachment and easy disengagement
Data Source
AI summary
An improved base pad for a firearm magazine that more securely attaches to the bottom of a magazine tube in a manner which is easier and faster to attach or remove therefrom when cleaning the magazine. The improved base pad has a body member with a pair of ends and a pair of sides. The sides each have a groove configured to slidably receive, preferably snugly, the lips at the bottom of a standard magazine tube. One end of the base pad has an outwardly extending section with an upwardly facing, generally planar face. A securing mechanism at the outwardly extending section has an upwardly disposed projection that selectively engages one wall of the magazine tube to secure the base pad thereto when in its engaged position and allows removal of the base pad when in a disengaged position. In a preferred embodiment, the securing mechanism is a detent device.