Pistol Frame Rail Segmentation for Double-Stack Magazine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Redesigning a semiautomatic pistol to accommodate a double-stack magazine poses challenges, including the need for wider components and a larger cutout in the slide to maintain structural integrity and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The pistol features a frame with frame rails and a slide with rail passages that include upward-facing elongated ledge surfaces to engage the frame rails, allowing for a selected overlap amount. This design accommodates a double-stack magazine while maintaining the slide's coupling to the frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a double-stack magazine is used to increase capacity, then magazine capacity is improved, but the width of the magazine increases requiring redesign of surrounding components
Solution Approach 1:
The frame rails are segmented into multiple sections (first set forward of magazine well, second set rearward of magazine well) with different engagement characteristics. This segmentation allows each rail section to be optimized independently for its specific function while accommodating the wider double-stack magazine.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the frame rails have different properties - the first set of frame rails forward of the magazine well has different engagement features than the second set rearward of the magazine well. This local differentiation allows the structure to adapt to the wider magazine width in specific regions while maintaining overall integrity.
2Shape
If a larger cutout is made in the slide to accommodate the wider magazine, then magazine width is improved, but structural integrity and reliability of slide-frame coupling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rail passages are segmented with different overlap amounts at different sections. The ledge surfaces have varying widths and overlap characteristics along their lengths, allowing the slide to accommodate the wider magazine cutout while maintaining sufficient structural engagement with the frame rails at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rail passage ledge surfaces have different widths and overlap amounts at different locations along the slide. This local variation in geometry allows the slide to have a larger overall cutout for the magazine while maintaining adequate structural integrity and coupling reliability at specific engagement points.
3Strength
If frame rails are positioned immediately forward and rearward of the magazine well to maintain coupling, then structural integrity is improved, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame rail configuration is segmented into two distinct sets positioned at different locations relative to the magazine well. This segmentation provides multiple structural support points that enhance overall integrity while allowing each segment to be independently optimized for its specific structural role.
Data Source
AI summary
A pistol comprises a frame having a grip defining a magazine well and frame rails with a slide connected to the frame to reciprocate with respect to the frame between a forward battery position and a rearward recoil position. The slide defines rail passages configured to engage the frame rails, and the rail passages include upward facing elongated ledge surfaces configured to engage the frame rails with a selected overlap amount. The ledge surfaces have a plurality of different regions along their lengths with the different regions having different overlaps. The ledge surfaces may have a greater overlap at end portions, and a lesser overlap amount at an intermediate portion, with the intermediate position being proximate the magazine well, and preferably a portion of at least one of the frame rail ends remains engaged with at least one of the frame rails during motions between battery and recoil positions.