Small Arms Magazine Reducing Side Thrust and Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing small arms magazines suffer from non-uniform thrust forces, increased friction due to complex constructions and lack of dust protection, leading to reduced reliability and operational efficiency, especially in harsh environments.
Innovation Solution
A magazine design featuring a rectangular cross-section tube with angled feed projections, grooves along the wide side walls, and a follower with a cylindrical protrusion, which reduces side thrust and friction by allowing ammunition to be arranged in a staggered order without transmitting force to the magazine walls, and includes cavities to prevent dust accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If diamond-shaped projections and complex rearrangement schemes are used in the magazine, then ammunition feed capability is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex diamond-shaped projections and multi-component rearrangement mechanisms from the magazine design. By removing these unnecessary elements, the design achieves reliable ammunition feeding through a simpler structure with fewer parts that can fail, directly resolving the contradiction between feed capability and construction complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using complex projections to guide ammunition, the patent inverts the approach by using a smooth, simple internal surface that naturally guides ammunition through its own geometry. This inversion from active guidance elements to passive guidance surfaces reduces complexity while maintaining feeding reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components with complex configuration are used in the feeding mechanism, then ammunition rearrangement capability is improved, but resistant forces increase and reliability reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (projections, inserts, followers with rammers) into a unified, integrated feeding structure. This consolidation reduces the number of interfaces and potential failure points, lowering resistant forces and improving reliability while preserving the ability to rearrange ammunition through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific zones within the magazine body that provide different functions: a smooth guidance zone for reliable feeding, and localized structural features that enable ammunition rearrangement. This targeted approach achieves versatility without requiring complex components throughout the entire structure.
3Volume of moving object
If magazine thickness is reduced to compact design, then portability is improved, but friction increases due to ammunition stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of dust and dirt accumulation into a beneficial design feature by incorporating dedicated cavities and channels that capture and isolate contaminants. These features, which might seem to add complexity, actually reduce friction by preventing dust from accumulating on critical friction surfaces, thereby maintaining reliability in compact dimensions.
4Reliability
If complex rearrangement schemes are implemented, then ammunition feed reliability is improved, but resistant forces of rearrangement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning ammunition in an optimized configuration within the magazine body that naturally facilitates feeding. The internal geometry is designed in advance to guide ammunition flow, eliminating the need for complex real-time rearrangement mechanisms and reducing the forces required during operation while maintaining high reliability.
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 design enhances reliability and reduces ammunition feed effort by minimizing friction and preventing dust interference, ensuring consistent operation even in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a spring located between the follower and the magazine base
Implementation Method 2
on the inner surfaces facing the ammunition a ground surface is made
Data Source
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AI summary
The proposed invention relates to firearms, namely, to the box magazines with cartridge followers, and can be used in particular in automatic small weapons. The proposed magazine for small arms comprises box (1), bottom lid (2) with opening, ammunition (3), a magazine follower (4), a coil spring (6), where between the follower (4) and the coil spring (6) a disk (5) with a rectangular through hole (17) is made, which presses the upper end of the coil spring (6) to the follower (4), the ammunition stream separator (7). In addition there are grooves (8) along the wide side walls of the magazine box (1), on the inner surfaces facing the ammunition (3) a ground surface (9) is made, wherein in the lower part of the box of the magazine, on the outer surface there is a triangular ledge (12), and in upper part of magazine box (1) on wide side walls there are rigidly fixed plate inserts (10), on which the feeding projections (14) are made, the polished section (15) and the conical section (16). The magazine follower (4) is made in the form of plate with the middle part (19) and long bent end (20) and short bent end (21), grooves (24) are made on outer surface of long bent end (20)and short bent end (21), at the bottom of the long bent end (20) and the short bent end (21) there is projection (25) for fixing the follower (4) in the magazine box (1), rectangular-section tube (28) is made at the bottom of the middle part (19) in the middle. The stream separator (7) is made in the form of a long plate (29), a side surface.