Switching device for a tandem-type magazine feeding system

Claim 1

IN A FIREARM, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING A RECEIVER HAVING A MAGAZINE WELL, A BOLT DISPOSED IN SAID RECEIVER FOR RECIPROCATION BETWEEN A BATTERY AND A RECOIL POSITION, A BARREL WITH CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING A CARTRIDGE FOR DISCHARGE, A MAGAZINE FOR A PLURALITY OF CARTRIDGES INSERTABLE INTO SAID MAGAZINE WELL, A FRONT COMPARTMENT IN SAID MAGAZINE FOR RECEIVING A DOUBLE STACK OF THE CARTRIDGES, A REAR COMPARTMENT IN THE MAGAZINE FOR RECEIVING A DOUBLE STACK OF THE CARTRIDGES, A FOLLOWER DISPOSED IN SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT FOR BIASING THE CARTRIDGES THEREIN TO A FEEDING POSITION RELATIVE THERETO, SAID FOLLOWER INCLUDING A FLAT PLATFORM, A POSITIONER MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM SO AS TO BE PIVOTALLY DISPLACED TO ONE OF TWO ALTERNATE POSITIONS FOR LOCATING THE CARTRIDGES IN THE DOUBLE STACK ALTERNATELY IN TWO ROWS AND TO BE PIVOTALLY DISPLACEABLE BY THE CARTRIDGE TRANSFERRED FROM SAID REAR COMPARTMENT TO SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE WITH SUCH TRANSFER AND A FLAT FORMED ON THE BASE OF SAID POSITIONER, MAGAZINE SPRING SEATED AGAINST SAID PLATFORM FOR BIASING THE CARTRIDGES IN SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT TOWARD THE FEEDING POSITION RELATIVE THERETO AND A TRANSVERSE SECTION OF SAID MAGAZINE SPRING ARRANGED FOR JOINT CONTACT WITH SAID PLATFORM AND SAID FLAT FOR BIASING SAID POSITIONER TO A VERTICALLY UPRIGHT POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM, MEANS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT FOR BIASING THE CARTRIDGE THEREIN TO A FEEDING POSITION RELATIVE THERETO, A RAMMER DISPOSED ON THE BOLT FOR SUCCESSIVELY TRANSFERRING THE CARTRIDGES FROM THE FEEDING POSITION IN THE FRONT COMPARTMENT INTO THE CHAMBER RESPONSIVE TO RECIPROCATION OF SAID BOLT, A FEED PAWL DISPOSED ON SAID BOLT FOR SUCCESSIVELY TRANSFERRING THE CARTRIDGES FROM THE FEEDING POSITION IN SAID REAR COMPARTMENT TO THE FEEDING POSITION IN SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT, AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY MEANS INCLUDING A DEPRESSOR ARRANGED FOR CONTACT BY THE LEADING ONE OF THE CARTRIDGE IN SAID REAR COMPARTMENT TO DEPRESS THE LEADING CARTRIDGE FROM THE FEEDING POSITION THEREIN WHEN SAID MAGAZINE IS INSERTED INTO THE MAGAZINE WELL AND A LEVER ARRANGED IN COOPERATION WITH SAID DEPRESSOR AND SAID FOLLOWER IN SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT FOR RELEASING THE LEADING ONE OF THE CARTRIDGES IN SAID REAR COMPARTMENT TO THE FEEDING POSITION THEREIN WHEN THE NEXT TO THE LAST ONE OF THE CARTRIDGES IN SAID FRONT COMPARTMENT IS TRANSFERRED INTO THE CHAMBER AND DISCHARGED.