U.S. patent application number 15/954918 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-25 for barrel nut attached handguard.
The applicant listed for this patent is ZEV Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to James E. Reid.
Application Number | 20180306551 15/954918 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63853785 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180306551 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reid; James E. |
October 25, 2018 |
BARREL NUT ATTACHED HANDGUARD
Abstract
A handguard for attachment to a standard AR-pattern firearm
upper receiver. A barrel nut has a substantially cylindrical outer
surface with an annular groove. A handguard sleeve has an end
opening configured to slide over the outer surface of the barrel
nut, a channel with a bottom guide surface, and a substantially
transverse cross bore positioned to at least partially intersect
the end opening to align with the annular groove when the handguard
sleeve is positioned on the barrel nut. A pair of wedge members are
sized to be received in the channel and connected by at least one
wedge fastener configured to adjustably move the wedge members
together. When the barrel nut is attached to an upper receiver, the
handguard sleeve is attached to the upper receiver by sliding the
end opening over the barrel nut and inserting a cross bolt fastener
in the cross bore and a portion of the annular groove. The wedge
members are pulled together by adjusting the wedge fastener,
compressing them between the barrel nut and handguard sleeve.
Inventors: |
Reid; James E.; (Tenino,
WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ZEV Technologies, Inc. |
Oxnard |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63853785 |
Appl. No.: |
15/954918 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62487010 |
Apr 19, 2017 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 3/66 20130101; F41A
21/485 20130101; F41C 23/16 20130101; F41A 21/48 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41C 23/16 20060101
F41C023/16; F41A 3/66 20060101 F41A003/66; F41A 21/48 20060101
F41A021/48 |
Claims
1. A handguard for attachment to a standard AR-pattern firearm
upper receiver, comprising: a barrel nut having a substantially
cylindrical outer surface shape with an annular groove positioned
between axial ends thereof; a handguard sleeve having an end
opening configured to slide over the outer surface of the barrel
nut, a channel with a bottom guide surface, and a substantially
transverse cross bore positioned to at least partially intersect
the end opening and to align axially with the annular groove when
the handguard sleeve is positioned on the barrel nut; a pair of
wedge members sized to be received in the channel and connected by
at least one wedge fastener configured to adjustably move the wedge
members together; and a cross bolt fastener, wherein, when the
barrel nut is attached to an upper receiver, the handguard sleeve
is attached to the upper receiver by sliding the end opening over
the barrel nut, inserting the cross bolt fastener in the cross bore
and a portion of the annular groove, and adjusting the wedge
fastener to pull the wedge members together, compressing them
between the barrel nut and handguard sleeve.
2. The handguard of claim 1, wherein the wedge members have a
curved surface substantially corresponding to the outer surface
shape of the barrel nut.
3. The handguard of claim 1, wherein the wedge members include
clearance channels positioned to allow passage of the cross bolt
fastener.
4. The handguard of claim 1, wherein the barrel nut includes a tool
feature.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/487,010, filed Apr. 19, 2017, and incorporates
the same herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to a firearm barrel handguard that
attaches to an upper receiver by way of the barrel nut to allow a
free-floating barrel.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Various structures and methods have been used to attach a
handguard to a standard AR-pattern upper receiver, including some
that secure the handguard to the barrel nut. However, unless mated
with a proprietary design upper receiver, these typically involve
the handguard having a longitudinal split that is drawn together to
clamp it to the barrel nut. Such clamping requires flexing a
portion of the handguard material, which can distort or weaken
it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a handguard attached to a
barrel nut in which a pair of internal wedges are drawn together
inside, but independent of, the handguard to secure it in
place.
[0005] The handguard can be attached to a standard AR-pattern
firearm upper receiver. It provides a barrel nut that has a
substantially cylindrical outer surface with an annular groove. A
handguard sleeve has an end opening configured to slide over the
outer surface of the barrel nut, a channel with a bottom guide
surface, and a substantially transverse cross bore positioned to at
least partially intersect the end opening to align with the annular
groove when the handguard sleeve is positioned on the barrel nut. A
pair of wedge members are sized to be received in the channel and
connected by at least one wedge fastener configured to adjustably
move the wedge members together. When the barrel nut is attached to
an upper receiver, the handguard sleeve is attached to the upper
receiver by sliding the end opening over the barrel nut and
inserting a cross bolt fastener in the cross bore and a portion of
the annular groove. The wedge members are pulled together by
adjusting the wedge fastener, compressing them between the barrel
nut and handguard sleeve.
[0006] Other aspects, features, benefits, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent to a person of skill in the
art from the detailed description of various embodiments with
reference to the accompanying drawing figures, all of which
comprise part of the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts
throughout the various drawing figures, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded isomeric view of a handguard and
barrel nut according to an embodiment of the present invention,
along with a standard AR-pattern upper receiver, barrel, and barrel
extension;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric exploded view of a rear
portion of the handguard, wedge members, and threaded
fasteners;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric partially exploded view
thereof with the wedge members in place in the handguard;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the being assembled onto an
upper receiver to which a barrel and barrel nut have been
installed;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an isometric view with the handguard shown in
phantom to illustrate placement of the wedge members and threaded
fasteners;
[0013] FIG. 6 is fragmentary side elevation view of the handguard
assembled to a standard AR-pattern upper receiver;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along
line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and,
[0015] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along
line 8-8 of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] With reference to the drawing figures, this section
describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction
and operation. Throughout the specification, reference to "one
embodiment," "an embodiment," or "some embodiments" means that a
particular described feature, structure, or characteristic may be
included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the
phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in some
embodiments" in various places throughout this specification are
not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore,
the described features, structures, and characteristics may be
combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In view
of the disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more
of the specific details or with other methods, components,
materials, or the like. In some instances, well-known structures,
materials, or operations are not shown or not described in detail
to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments.
[0017] Referring first to FIG. 1, therein in is shown a standard
AR-pattern upper receiver 10, a standard barrel 12 with a barrel
extension 14 and a handguard assembly 16 according to an embodiment
of the present invention. The barrel 12 and barrel extension 14 are
assembled in the ordinary way, and then attached to the upper
receiver 10 using a barrel nut 18 configured according to one
aspect of this embodiment of the invention.
[0018] The barrel nut 18 has a substantially cylindrical outer
surface 20 with an annular grove 22 positioned at a region between
forward and rear ends. As used herein, "substantially cylindrical"
could include a polygonal shape making the surface a series of
relatively small flat surfaces that would function as a curved
surface. The forward end may include a tool feature, such as
notches 24 (in the general configuration of a castle nut), interior
or exterior flats, or other known features to accept a tool (not
shown) for tightening and/or removing the barrel nut 18. The barrel
nut 18 secures the barrel 12 and barrel extension 14 to the upper
receiver by threaded engagement with a forward threaded portion 26
of the upper receiver in the ordinary and well-known manner.
[0019] Referring now also to FIG. 2, a handguard sleeve 28 includes
interior surfaces 30 at a rear portion thereof configured (such as
with a curve) to closely receive the substantially cylindrical
surfaces 20 of the barrel nut 18. The handguard sleeve 28 may be
made, for example, of extruded or machined metal, such as an
aluminum alloy, or of a composite material, such as carbon fiber
reinforced epoxy resin. It may optionally include a variety of
attachment features, including but not limited to a MIL-STD 1913
(Picatinny) attachment rail 32, other attachment openings 34 (for
example, to accept KeyMod.TM. or M-LOK.TM. patterned accessories),
and/or vent openings 36 to allow heat from the barrel 12 to
escape.
[0020] A pair of clamping wedges 38, 40 are provided and each may
have a curved surface 42 configured to substantially match the
curvature of the substantially cylindrical outer surface 20 of the
barrel nut 18 and the curved surfaces 30 on the interior of the
handguard sleeve 28. Flat wedge surfaces (not shown) could be used,
but may udersirably reduce the area of contact with the barrel nut
18. The handguard sleeve 28 has a channel (shown positioned at the
bottom) with side and bottom alignment surfaces 44, 46 configured
to receive the clamping wedges 38, 40 in a slightly laterally
spaced-apart position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. One of the
clamping wedges (in the illustrated embodiment, the left clamping
wedge 38) includes one or more spaced-apart threaded openings 48.
The opposite clamping wedge (in the illustrated embodiment, the
right clamping wedge 40) includes one or more unthreaded bores 50
that are positioned to correspond to the threaded openings 48 in
the opposite clamping wedge 38. Likewise, the handguard sleeve 28
may include one or more oversized openings 52 corresponding in
alignment with the unthreaded bores 50 and threaded openings 48
when the clamping wedges 38, 40 are positioned within the channel
against the alignment surfaces 44, 46. The oversized openings 52
are sized to allow threaded fasteners 54 (including enlarged heads)
to pass freely therethrough. The unthreaded bores 50 of the right
clamping wedge 40 are sized to allow the threaded portions (but not
the enlarged heads) of the threaded fasteners 54 to pass freely
there through. The threaded fasteners 54 threadingly engage the
threaded openings 48 in the left clamping wedge 38. The enlarged
heads of the fasteners 54 in the oversized openings 52 can keep the
wedge members 38, 40 in place in the handguard sleeve 28 during
further assembly.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, after the barrel 12 has been secured to
the upper receiver 10 with the barrel nut 18, the handguard sleeve
28 with clamping wedges 38, 40 positioned against the alignment
surfaces 44, 46 and threaded fasteners 54 in place can be slid over
the barrel 12 and barrel nut 18, into contact with the upper
receiver 10. As previously described, the curved surfaces 30 on the
interior of the handguard sleeve 28 and curved surfaces 42 on the
clamping wedges 38, 40 are configured to correspond to and closely
fit the substantially cylindrical outer surface 20 of the barrel
nut 18.
[0022] According to another feature of this embodiment, the wedge
members 38, 40 may include laterally corresponding notches or
clearance channels 56. When the wedge members 38, 40 are positioned
in the handguard sleeve 28, these clearance channels are aligned
with a cross bore 58 in the handguard sleeve 28. As shown in FIGS.
2 and 3, the cross bore 58 can be situated, for example, axially
between the oversized openings 52. One side (as illustrated, the
right side) may include a recess to receive the head of a threaded
cross bolt fastener 60 (FIG. 4). The opposite side of the cross
bore 58 may be threaded to receive the threads of the cross bolt
fastener 60. When inserted, the cross bolt fastener 60 will pass
through the clearance channels 56 of the wedge members 38, 40 and
partially intersect the substantially cylindrical opening in the
rear end of the handguard sleeve 28.
[0023] When the handguard sleeve 28 is slid into place against a
forward end of the upper receiver 10, the cross bore 58 and
clearance channels 56 of the wedge members 38, 40 will be aligned
with the annular groove 22 in the substantially cylindrical outer
surface 20 of the barrel nut 18. This allows the cross bolt
fastener to be inserted through the cross bore 58, clearance
channels 56, and interlock with the annular groove 22, preventing
axial displacement of the handguard sleeve 28. This is illustrated
in FIG. 7. The cross bolt fastener 60 may be threaded and secured
into place without need to compress or flex the handguard sleeve
28. At the bottom of the handguard sleeve 28 is a convenient place
to locate the cross bore 58 and to position the cross bolt fastener
60. However, it could be located at the top or side, which would
eliminate the need for the clearance channels 56 in the wedge
members 38, 40. It could also be located forward or to the rear of
the oversized openings 52 and threaded fasteners 54. In such case,
a corresponding forward/rear relocation of the annular groove 22 on
the barrel nut 18 would be required.
[0024] The threaded fasteners 54 then may be tightened to draw the
clamping wedges 38, 40 together. Referring now also to FIG. 5,
where the position of the handguard sleeve 28 is shown in phantom,
moving the clamping members 38, 40 together forces them against and
compresses them between the outer surface 20 of the barrel nut 18
and the bottom guide surface 46 of the channel in the handguard
sleeve 28, securing it against rotational displacement. This is
illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0025] While one or more embodiments of the present invention have
been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications
and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the
true spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing is
intended only to be illustrative of the principles of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will
readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not intended to
limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown
and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be included and considered to fall within the scope
of the invention, defined by the following claim or claims.
* * * * *