TECHNICAL FIELD

The following disclosure relates to firearm magazine couplers having unique structural features, which facilitate the rapid interchange of coupled magazines and provide other benefits.

BACKGROUND

Magazine couplers are mechanical devices for attaching two or more firearm magazines, often while permitting the insertion of a selected magazine into the well of a firearm. A magazine coupler ideally facilitates rapid interchange of firearm magazines in a manner enabling a user (the firearm operator) to quickly withdraw a first, recently-emptied firearm magazine from the magazine well of a firearm; and subsequently manipulate the magazine coupler to insert a second, fully-loaded firearm magazine into the magazine well in a relatively fluid or seamless manner. Existing magazine couplers often possess fairly simple, rugged designs, which retain two firearm magazines in a side-by-side relationship. For example, in one common design, a magazine coupler includes two C-shaped sections positioned in a back-to-back arrangement, with each C-shaped section dimensioned to extend partially around the body of a firearm magazine when inserted into the coupler. Additional features may also be provided to help securely retain the coupled magazines in their desired positions utilizing, for example, a resilient spring force or a clamp mechanism. Alternative magazine coupler designs have also been proposed and occasionally implemented on a commercial scale, but generally tend to be more fanciful than practical in actual usage scenarios. For example, certain magazine couplers allow the physical attachment of three or more firearm magazines in a spoke-like arrangement, which radiates from a central attachment hub; however, magazine couplers of this type tend to be relatively cumbersome, heavy, and ultimately possess limited real-world utility.

