Ammunition Loader For Revolvers

Abstract

A revolver loading kit including a clip for holding a plurality of cartridges by their bases and a receiver for the cartridge clip conveniently worn on the user's belt, and including means for holding the cartridges in predetermined positional relationship whereby the clip and cartridges can be removed from the receiver and the cartridges simultaneously introduced into the cylinder of a revolver precisely and quickly, the receiver having a readily releasable retainer for holding the clip in position.

Description

The invention relates to a revolver loading kit which is adapted to utilize a cartridge holding clip such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,353, granted July 28, 1959 to Hunt. That patent discloses a flat bottomed cup of resilient material, the outside bottom surface of the cup having a plurality of recesses each adapted to receive the butt end of a cartridge, the recesses being circularly arranged to hold the cartridges in position for ready introduction into the cylinder of a revolver.

Various means have been devised heretofore for holding a flexible cartridge clip of the above identified patent. Some of them hold the cartridge clips in pairs but are so constructed that access to both clips of a pair is inconvenient and awkward as well as time-consuming.

It is highly important to provide means whereby the cartridges are safely carried by the user, such as a law enforcement officer, yet where said cartridges can be quite rapidly and easily made available for reloading of the revolver. The ability to reload quickly may mean the difference between the life or death of a law enforcement officer in certain dangerous situations.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide loading means for revolvers wherein one or more, preferably two, clips can be securely held but are maintained in position for quick and ready access and the cartridges are maintained in position for registry with the chambers of a revolver cylinder.

It is another object to provide revolver loading means wherein the cartridges are maintained in position for ready removal and insertion into a revolver cylinder but also wherein the cartridge clips and the cartridges carried thereby are held securely against displacement.

The above and other objects will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing:

SUMMARY OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of an invention with portions broken away and with the retaining straps unfastened;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 with a retainer strap shown in released and fastened positions in full and broken lines respectively;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view looking upwardly at an angle beneath a receiver for a pair of cartridge clips.

The loader includes an outer body 6 which preferably is of a somewhat flexible material, such as a leather or a suitable plastic. It includes a rear panel 8 having a pair of clip-retaining tongues 10 extending upwardly therefrom and as shown in FIG. 2 capable of being bent over as in the broken line position to extend in front of a pocket 12 which has an open top 14 and is supported by and extends outwardly from the vertical panel 8. The tongues 10 are preferably provided with snap members 16 which are adapted to be pressed over cooperating snap members 18 on the front face of the pocket 12.

To reinforce the panel 8 there is provided a shorter rectangular piece of material 20. On the upper outer face of the piece 20 is a horizontally elongated strip 22 coinciding with the upper edge of the reinforcing piece 20 and providing a downwardly disposed abutment or shoulder 24. The pieces 20 and 22 are secured along their upper edges to the rear vertical panel 8 by a line of stitching 26. The lower edges of the reinforcing piece 20 and the panel 8, together with an edge of the pocket 12, are secured together by stitching 28. It is preferred that the panel 8, reinforcing piece 20, strip 22 and pocket 12, be made of a leather which is fairly stiff so that the structure will hold its shape under reasonably rough usage.

Mounted within the pocket 12 in the body 6 is a cartridge clip receiver shown in FIG. 4 and indicated in its entirety at 30. The receiver may conveniently be and preferably is, molded in one piece from a suitable shock resistant plastic. It includes a vertical rear wall 32 and a horizontal upper wall 34. It also includes a pair of receiver wells 36. Each well 36 is horizontally circular in cross section, and in the center of each is an upwardly extending post 38.

A cartridge clip 39 is shown positioned on the open top of each well 36 and the cartridges 40 held by said clip extends into the well 36 and lies about the upstanding post 38. The post 38 keeps the cartridges positioned in a proper circular array so that they will slip into the chambers of a revolver cylinder. Obviously, the inside wall 41 of each well 36 retains the cartridges against spreading outwardly from their desired position.

As was disclosed in the above identified U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,353, the clip 39 is provided with a frusto-conical skirt 42 which serves as a handle. The finger of the user can be inserted in the skirt and the latter grasped between the finger and thumb on the outside of the skirt. Since it is round, it can be grasped quickly without having to handle it in any particular position. When the clip 39 with its bullets 40 are removed from the receiver and the bullets inserted in the chambers of a revolver cylinder, the clip 39 can be tipped relative to the bullets and said clip will be stripped from the butt ends of the cartridges. Thus, all six chambers of the revolver are loaded simultaneously.

The receiver 30 is inserted in the pocket 12 with the upper edge of the rear receiver wall 32 positioned beneath the shoulder or abutment 24 defined by the bottom edge of the horizontal back strip 22. Preferably, the receiver 30 is additionally secured in the pocket 12 by means of a suitable epoxy resin 44.

The kit is preferably mounted upon the trousers' belt of the user, the vertical rear panel 8 being provided with suitable slots 46 through which the belt can be threaded.

It will be seen that I have provided revolver loading means which will safely and securely hold one or more sets of rounds of ammunition for a revolver while at the same time, provide ready access to the additional loads to permit rapid reloading. Not only is this critical in cases where the police officer is in a position of peril, but it is also highly important in shooting competition where rapid reloading is desirable.

It will of course be understood that various changes can be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A revolver loading device including a cartridge clip having means for releasably holding a plurality of ammunition cartridges by their butt ends in a circular array with free outer ends to coincide with the chambers in a revolver cylinder, wherein the improvement comprises:

a clip carrier having a body member with means for securing it to a belt;

a cartridge clip receiver comprising a cylindrical receptacle of a depth sufficient to accommodate the lengths of the cartridges with which it is to be used;

inner means in said clip receiver for holding the free outer ends of said plurality of cartridges outwardly in their circular array;

outer means embodied in the clip receiver circumscribing the cartridges against undesirable outward displacement;

means securing the receiver to said body member;

said clip receiver having an open end of a size to engage the edge of the cartridge clip; and

means on said body member for releasably holding the cartridge clip in position relative to the clip receiver.

2. The structure in claim 1, and an upwardly open pocket secured to and supported by said member; and

said cartridge clip receiver being secured in said upwardly open pocket.

3. The structure in claim 1, and said body member comprising a vertical panel having means for securing it to a belt;

a pocket having a wall extending outwardly from said vertical panel;

the panel comprising the rear wall of the pocket;

the upper portion of said panel extending above the pocket and having a portion providing a horizontally downwardly disposed abutment adjacent the top of the outwardly extending pocket wall;

a cartridge clip receiver in said pocket;

the receiver including an open-topped cylindrical receptacle;

an axial projection extending upwardly from the bottom of the receptacle to lie in the circular array of cartridges;

the spaces between the axial projection and the wall of said receptacle being sufficient to accommodate cartridges of a given caliber;

a receptacle supporting plate in said pocket in front of said panel and having an upper edge underlying said abutment to retain the plate and receptacle in said pocket;

said panel having cartridge clip retaining means extending forwardly therefrom in upwardly spaced relation to said cartridge clip receiver a distance sufficient to overlie and retain the cartridge clip; and

means on said retaining means releasably securing it in cartridge clip retaining position.

4. A revolver loading device including a cartridge clip having means for releasably holding a plurality of ammunition cartridges by their butt ends in circular array so their free ends will coincide with the chambers in a revolver cylinder, wherein the improvement comprises:

a carrier having a rear panel with a rear side and a front side and having an open-topped pocket secured thereto and extending outwardly from the front side thereof;

a cartridge clip having cartridge retaining means;

a cartridge clip receiver including a cylindrical receptacle of a depth to accommodate the lengths of ammunition cartridges with which it is to be used;

said receiver also having a rear portion engaging the front side of said panel and means on said panel engaging the rear member of the receiver and retaining the receiver in said pocket;

the cartridge clip being located in an inverted position on the top of the receiver with its cartridge retaining means facing downwardly into the receiver.

5. The structure in claim 4, and the front side of said panel having a downwardly facing abutment;

the rear portion of said receiver having a portion lying beneath said downwardly facing abutment and retaining the receiver against displacement from said pocket.

6. The structure in claim 4, and said panel having cartridge clip retaining means extending forwardly therefrom in upwardly spaced relation to the cartridge clip receiver a distance sufficient to overlie and retain the cartridge clip; and

means on said retaining means releasably securing it in cartridge clip retaining position.