Automatic Magazine Ejection via Modified Bolt Catch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semi-automatic rifle magazine systems require manual intervention to remove empty magazines, disrupting continuous firing as users must stop to replace magazines, leading to inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
An automatic magazine ejection system that includes a modified bolt catch with a bolt stop portion and external portion, a release switch, and a pivotable catch, allowing the magazine to be automatically ejected after the last round is fired, enabling seamless magazine replacement without interrupting firing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard magazine catch assembly is used, then the magazine can be securely held in place during firing, but the user must manually remove the magazine when empty, causing interruption in firing
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic magazine ejection through the interaction of the follower, modified bolt catch, and release switch. When the magazine is empty, the follower contacts the bolt stop portion, triggering the bolt catch to pivot and disengage the magazine catch lever, which automatically ejects the magazine without user intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the follower's position as feedback to detect when the magazine is empty. The follower's contact with the bolt stop portion signals the empty state, which triggers the automatic ejection sequence through the modified bolt catch mechanism
2Reliability
If the magazine catch holds the magazine securely, then reliable magazine retention is achieved, but automatic detection and ejection of empty magazines requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt catch is modified to serve multiple functions: it still secures the magazine during firing through the magazine catch lever, but also detects empty magazine status through the follower contact with the bolt stop portion, and triggers automatic ejection by pivoting to disengage the lever. This consolidates retention, detection, and ejection functions into a single modified component
Solution Approach 2:
The detection mechanism (follower contact) and ejection mechanism (bolt catch pivoting) are merged into the existing magazine catch assembly. The modified bolt catch integrates the bolt stop portion reception, pivoting motion, and magazine catch lever control into one unified component structure
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic magazine ejection system is disclosed. The automatic magazine ejection system comprises a modified bolt catch, a release switch, and a pivotable magazine catch. The modified bolt catch pivots from a first position to a second position. When in the second position the bottom of an external part of the modified bolt catch moves toward the firearm. The release switch is connected to the modified bolt catch. The bottom of the release switch engages the end of the pivotable magazine catch to pivot the end of the magazine catch out of the magazine well and permit the automatic removal of the magazine. If the release switch is slid to an “off” position then the bottom of the release switch does not engage the pivotable magazine catch when it moves and the magazine is not removed from the magazine well.