Ammunition Magazine Basepad Extension with Removable Floor Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing basepad extensions for ammunition magazines require complex assembly or tools for removal of the magazine spring and follower, and can lead to damage or misplacement of parts, especially when attempting to access the interior for cleaning or maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A basepad extension with a removable floor or bottom closure plate that slides between open and closed positions, allowing for easy insertion or removal of the follower and magazine spring without disassembly, and a multi-function locking mechanism to secure the basepad extension to the magazine body, enabling tool-free assembly and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the basepad extension is slid into engagement with the magazine body while the spring is compressed, then the basepad extension can be installed, but this requires a challenging level of manual dexterity or can result in damage to the magazine's spring
Solution Approach 1:
The basepad extension is divided into two separate parts: the basepad body and the floor plate. The floor plate can be removed independently to access the spring and follower without requiring compression of the spring or disassembly of the entire basepad extension from the magazine body.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor plate is extracted as a separate removable component from the basepad extension assembly. This allows direct access to the spring and follower by simply removing the floor plate, eliminating the need to compress the spring or remove the entire basepad extension.
2Strength
If a metal pin engagement mechanism is used to secure the basepad extension, then the basepad can be retained, but this concentrates force against a single point at the bottom end of the magazine tube which can lead to deformation when dropped
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement mechanism is segmented into multiple contact points distributed around the circumference of the magazine tube flange, rather than concentrating force at a single point. This distributes the retention force and reduces stress concentration that could cause deformation.
3Ease of operation
If the bottom end of the basepad extension is made openable to access the interior, then the spring and follower can be accessed, but this may require separation of multiple parts that can be dropped, misplaced, or lost
Solution Approach 1:
The basepad extension is segmented into the basepad body and a removable floor plate, providing a controlled single-point access mechanism. This avoids the need to separate multiple small parts while still allowing easy access to the spring and follower for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Only the floor plate at the bottom of the basepad extension is made removable, while the rest of the basepad extension remains intact and attached to the magazine body. This provides localized access without requiring separation of multiple components, reducing the risk of parts being lost.
4Reliability
If a complex assembly mechanism or tool is required for assembly or disassembly, then secure retention can be achieved, but this increases device complexity and requires additional tools
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-operating through a simple lever action on the floor plate, which automatically engages and disengages the retention lugs without requiring external tools or complex assembly procedures. The user simply manipulates the floor plate lever to lock or unlock the basepad extension.
Data Source
AI summary
A magazine extension for attachment to an open bottom of a magazine tube having a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls, and a flange on at least each of the sidewalls at the bottom. The extension includes an extension body having open first and second ends and forward and rear walls. The first open end of the extension body is slidably attachable to the sidewall flanges at the bottom end of a magazine tube. A bottom closure member is removably slidably attached to the open second end of the body and movable between open and closed positions. A latch member is slidably attached to a wall of the extension body to move toward and away from the magazine tube and open ends of the extension body. The latch member releasably secures the extension body to the magazine tube when moved toward the magazine tube and first open end of the extension body.