Barrel nut assemblies

Abstract

A barrel nut assembly for a firearm includes a main body and a coupler attached to a rear of the main body. The coupler may attach to an upper receiver. The main body can be clocked in a plurality of rotational positions when securing the barrel nut assembly relative to the upper receiver.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is related to and claims priority benefit from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 763,196 (“the '196 application”), filed on Feb. 25, 2025. The '196 application, is hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The field of the invention relates to barrel nut assemblies for firearms, particularly barrel nut assemblies designed to secure a barrel relative to a firearm while providing attachment provisions for a handguard.BACKGROUND

[0003] Many modern firearms are designed with a threaded portion at the forward end of the upper receiver. The threaded portion allows for a barrel nut to secure a barrel that extends forward from the upper receiver. Such barrel nuts may also include provisions for mounting or attaching a handguard on a forward side of the upper receiver. Many of these products follow traditional designs based on industry standards and / or military specification (milspec). In addition, many traditional products require consumable parts, such as shims or spacers, to be installed on the appropriate upper receiver.

[0004] To improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce installation complexity, it may be desirable to design new barrel nut assemblies that include multiple components and can be adjusted for multiple configurations.SUMMARY

[0005] The terms “invention,”“the invention,”“this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

[0006] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a barrel nut assembly for a firearm comprises: a main body; and a coupler attached to a rear of the main body, wherein: the coupler attaches to an upper receiver; and the main body can be clocked in a plurality of rotational positions when securing the barrel nut assembly relative to the upper receiver.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm with a m barrel nut assembly according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of a main body of the barrel nut assembly of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the main body of FIG. 3A.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a coupler of the barrel nut assembly of FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

[0013] Although the illustrated embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 illustrate components of rifle or carbine style firearms, the features, concepts, and functions described herein are also applicable (with potential necessary alterations for particular applications) to handguns, rifles, carbines, pistols, shotguns, or any other type of firearm. Furthermore, the embodiments may be compatible with various calibers including rifle calibers such as, for example, 5.56×45 mm NATO, 0.223 Remington, 7.62×51 mm NATO, 0.308 Winchester, 7.62×39 mm, 5.45×39 mm; pistol calibers such as, for example, 9×19 mm, 0.45 ACP, 0.40 S&W, 0.380 ACP, 10 mm Auto, 5.7×28 mm; and shotgun calibers such as, for example, 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, 0.410 gauge, 10 gauge, 16 gauge.

[0014] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a firearm 1 may include a barrel nut assembly 100 attaches to an upper receiver 11 to secure a barrel 50 in position. When assembled with the upper receiver 11, the barrel 50 is arranged such that the flange 52 is disposed against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. The flange 52 may be part of a barrel extension 51, an integral component of the barrel 50, and / or any other relevant configuration. In some embodiments, the barrel nut assembly100 pushes the flange 52 from the front such that the flange 52 is sandwiched between the barrel nut assembly 100 and the upper receiver 11.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the barrel nut assembly 100 may include a coupler 101 and a main body 111. In some embodiments, the main body 111 includes a central opening 112, a forward array of holes 113, a rear array of holes 114, a threaded portion 115, a plurality of tool interface portions 116, a rear surface 117, and a step surface 118 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B). In some embodiments, the main body 111 may include one or more holes at the tool interface portion(s) 116. For example, as shown in the drawings, the holes may oval or rectangular with rounded ends. The hole(s) may reduce weight of the main body 111, allow more efficient cooling (heat transfer) of the barrel 50, and / or any other relevant advantage. The coupler 101 may include a central opening 102, a forward threaded portion 103, a rear threaded portion 104, an outer surface 105, at least one tool interface portions 106, and a forward surface 107.

[0016] When assembled, the rear surface 117 of the main body 111 is disposed against the flange 52 of the barrel 50 such that tightening the barrel nut assembly 100 will push the flange 52 against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. The threaded portion 115 of the main body 111 is designed to engage and attach to the forward threaded portion 103 of the coupler 101. Similarly, the rear threaded portion 104 of the coupler 101 is designed to engage and attach to the threaded portion 12 of the upper receiver 11. In some embodiments, the threaded portion 115 and the forward threaded portion 103 include left-hand threads. The rear threaded portion 104 and the threaded portion 12 of the upper receiver 11 may include right-hand threads. In some embodiments, when the barrel nut assembly 100 is installed, the forward array of holes 113 and / or the rear array of holes 114 allow for a handguard to be attached to the firearm 1 (handguard is not shown in the drawings for clarity). As shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, each array may include 16 holes. However, each array may include any appropriate number of holes including as few as 1. In other embodiments, each array includes 2 holes, 3 holes, 4 holes, 5 holes, 6 holes, 7 holes, 8 holes, 9 holes, 10 holes, 11 holes, 12 holes, 13 holes, 14 holes, 15 holes, or any appropriate number of holes.

[0017] Conventional barrel nuts are typically a single part that is threaded onto the upper receiver. However, to adjust the location of the handguard attachment holes, the installation would require shims, spacers, and / or removal of material from the forward surface of the upper receiver. The barrel nut assembly 100 overcomes these disadvantages by allowing the main body 111 to be adjusted and clocked relative to the upper receiver such that the attachment of a handguard can be accomplished without shims, spacers, and / or removal of material from the forward surface of the upper receiver.

[0018] The process of installing the barrel nut assembly 100 may include threading the coupler 101 and the main body 111 together for maximum thread engagement such that forward surface 107 contacts or is immediately adjacent to the step surface 118. The barrel nut assembly 100 would then be threaded onto the upper receiver 11 such that the rear threaded portion 104 engages the threaded portion 12 to secure the barrel 50 relative to the upper receiver 11. Before final installation, the necessary final positions for the forward array of holes 113 and / or the rear array of holes 114 would be determined. These positions are based on the configuration of the handguard. For example, some handguards would need hole(s) oriented straight down (6 o'clock), oriented laterally (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock), or any other relevant configuration. To adjust the location of the holes, the main body 111 should be turned clockwise relative to the coupler 101 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). Turning the main body 111 this direction will move the main body 111 away from the coupler 101 (due to left-hand threads). It may be necessary to hold the coupler 101 in a static position during this operation. After moving the main body 111, the full barrel nut assembly 100 should be turned clockwise relative to the upper receiver 11 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). When the barrel nut assembly 100 is properly adjusted for the desired handguard, the final step is to tighten the barrel nut assembly 100 to the appropriate torque specification. The final tightening step includes using a tool (e.g., a wrench) on one or more of the tool interface portions 116 to turn the main body 111 counter-clockwise relative to the coupler 101 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). Due to the left-hand threads, this step causes the rear surface 117 of the main body 111 to press the flange 52 against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. In some embodiments, it may be necessary to hold the coupler 101 in a static position. For example, a tool may grip the outer surface 105 and / or a tool may engage the at least one tool interface portion 106 (e.g., an armorer's tool). As shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, the outer surface 105 may include a plurality of grooves, protrusions, or other relevant texture feature for grip.

[0019] In some embodiments, the configuration of the coupler 101 and the main body 111 have significant advantages over conventional barrel nuts. For example, the adjustability of the assembly means that the main body 111 can be constructed with far fewer handguard attachment holes (e.g., the forward array of holes 113 and the rear array of holes 114) compared to conventional configurations. This reduced number of holes greatly simplifies and reduces machining time, labor, and cost.

[0020] The parts of any of the components described herein may be formed of materials including, but not limited to, thermoplastic, carbon composite, plastic, nylon, polyethylene, polyetherimide, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, high strength aluminum alloy, tool steel, other plastic or polymer materials, other metallic materials, other composite materials, or other similar materials. Moreover, the components of the devices described herein may be attached to one another via suitable fasteners, which include, but are not limited to, screws, bolts, rivets, welds, over-molding, co-molding, injection molding, or other mechanical or chemical fasteners.

[0021] Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described, are possible. Similarly, some features and sub-combinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0012]The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

[0013]Although the illustrated embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 illustrate components of rifle or carbine style firearms, the features, concepts, and functions described herein are also applicable (with potential necessary alterations for particular applications) to handguns, rifles, carbines, pistols, shotguns, or any other type of firearm. Furthermore, the embodiments may be com...

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is related to and claims priority benefit from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 763,196 (“the '196 application”), filed on Feb. 25, 2025. The '196 application, is hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The field of the invention relates to barrel nut assemblies for firearms, particularly barrel nut assemblies designed to secure a barrel relative to a firearm while providing attachment provisions for a handguard.BACKGROUND

[0003] Many modern firearms are designed with a threaded portion at the forward end of the upper receiver. The threaded portion allows for a barrel nut to secure a barrel that extends forward from the upper receiver. Such barrel nuts may also include provisions for mounting or attaching a handguard on a forward side of the upper receiver. Many of these products follow traditional designs based on industry standards and / or military specification (milspec). In addition, many traditional products require consumable parts, such as shims or spacers, to be installed on the appropriate upper receiver.

[0004] To improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce installation complexity, it may be desirable to design new barrel nut assemblies that include multiple components and can be adjusted for multiple configurations.SUMMARY

[0005] The terms “invention,”“the invention,”“this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

[0006] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, a barrel nut assembly for a firearm comprises: a main body; and a coupler attached to a rear of the main body, wherein: the coupler attaches to an upper receiver; and the main body can be clocked in a plurality of rotational positions when securing the barrel nut assembly relative to the upper receiver.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm with a m barrel nut assembly according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1.

[0009] FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of a main body of the barrel nut assembly of FIG. 1.

[0010] FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the main body of FIG. 3A.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a coupler of the barrel nut assembly of FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

[0013] Although the illustrated embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 illustrate components of rifle or carbine style firearms, the features, concepts, and functions described herein are also applicable (with potential necessary alterations for particular applications) to handguns, rifles, carbines, pistols, shotguns, or any other type of firearm. Furthermore, the embodiments may be compatible with various calibers including rifle calibers such as, for example, 5.56×45 mm NATO, 0.223 Remington, 7.62×51 mm NATO, 0.308 Winchester, 7.62×39 mm, 5.45×39 mm; pistol calibers such as, for example, 9×19 mm, 0.45 ACP, 0.40 S&W, 0.380 ACP, 10 mm Auto, 5.7×28 mm; and shotgun calibers such as, for example, 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, 0.410 gauge, 10 gauge, 16 gauge.

[0014] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a firearm 1 may include a barrel nut assembly 100 attaches to an upper receiver 11 to secure a barrel 50 in position. When assembled with the upper receiver 11, the barrel 50 is arranged such that the flange 52 is disposed against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. The flange 52 may be part of a barrel extension 51, an integral component of the barrel 50, and / or any other relevant configuration. In some embodiments, the barrel nut assembly100 pushes the flange 52 from the front such that the flange 52 is sandwiched between the barrel nut assembly 100 and the upper receiver 11.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the barrel nut assembly 100 may include a coupler 101 and a main body 111. In some embodiments, the main body 111 includes a central opening 112, a forward array of holes 113, a rear array of holes 114, a threaded portion 115, a plurality of tool interface portions 116, a rear surface 117, and a step surface 118 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B). In some embodiments, the main body 111 may include one or more holes at the tool interface portion(s) 116. For example, as shown in the drawings, the holes may oval or rectangular with rounded ends. The hole(s) may reduce weight of the main body 111, allow more efficient cooling (heat transfer) of the barrel 50, and / or any other relevant advantage. The coupler 101 may include a central opening 102, a forward threaded portion 103, a rear threaded portion 104, an outer surface 105, at least one tool interface portions 106, and a forward surface 107.

[0016] When assembled, the rear surface 117 of the main body 111 is disposed against the flange 52 of the barrel 50 such that tightening the barrel nut assembly 100 will push the flange 52 against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. The threaded portion 115 of the main body 111 is designed to engage and attach to the forward threaded portion 103 of the coupler 101. Similarly, the rear threaded portion 104 of the coupler 101 is designed to engage and attach to the threaded portion 12 of the upper receiver 11. In some embodiments, the threaded portion 115 and the forward threaded portion 103 include left-hand threads. The rear threaded portion 104 and the threaded portion 12 of the upper receiver 11 may include right-hand threads. In some embodiments, when the barrel nut assembly 100 is installed, the forward array of holes 113 and / or the rear array of holes 114 allow for a handguard to be attached to the firearm 1 (handguard is not shown in the drawings for clarity). As shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, each array may include 16 holes. However, each array may include any appropriate number of holes including as few as 1. In other embodiments, each array includes 2 holes, 3 holes, 4 holes, 5 holes, 6 holes, 7 holes, 8 holes, 9 holes, 10 holes, 11 holes, 12 holes, 13 holes, 14 holes, 15 holes, or any appropriate number of holes.

[0017] Conventional barrel nuts are typically a single part that is threaded onto the upper receiver. However, to adjust the location of the handguard attachment holes, the installation would require shims, spacers, and / or removal of material from the forward surface of the upper receiver. The barrel nut assembly 100 overcomes these disadvantages by allowing the main body 111 to be adjusted and clocked relative to the upper receiver such that the attachment of a handguard can be accomplished without shims, spacers, and / or removal of material from the forward surface of the upper receiver.

[0018] The process of installing the barrel nut assembly 100 may include threading the coupler 101 and the main body 111 together for maximum thread engagement such that forward surface 107 contacts or is immediately adjacent to the step surface 118. The barrel nut assembly 100 would then be threaded onto the upper receiver 11 such that the rear threaded portion 104 engages the threaded portion 12 to secure the barrel 50 relative to the upper receiver 11. Before final installation, the necessary final positions for the forward array of holes 113 and / or the rear array of holes 114 would be determined. These positions are based on the configuration of the handguard. For example, some handguards would need hole(s) oriented straight down (6 o'clock), oriented laterally (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock), or any other relevant configuration. To adjust the location of the holes, the main body 111 should be turned clockwise relative to the coupler 101 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). Turning the main body 111 this direction will move the main body 111 away from the coupler 101 (due to left-hand threads). It may be necessary to hold the coupler 101 in a static position during this operation. After moving the main body 111, the full barrel nut assembly 100 should be turned clockwise relative to the upper receiver 11 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). When the barrel nut assembly 100 is properly adjusted for the desired handguard, the final step is to tighten the barrel nut assembly 100 to the appropriate torque specification. The final tightening step includes using a tool (e.g., a wrench) on one or more of the tool interface portions 116 to turn the main body 111 counter-clockwise relative to the coupler 101 (when looking from the muzzle toward the upper receiver 11). Due to the left-hand threads, this step causes the rear surface 117 of the main body 111 to press the flange 52 against the forward surface 13 of the upper receiver 11. In some embodiments, it may be necessary to hold the coupler 101 in a static position. For example, a tool may grip the outer surface 105 and / or a tool may engage the at least one tool interface portion 106 (e.g., an armorer's tool). As shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, the outer surface 105 may include a plurality of grooves, protrusions, or other relevant texture feature for grip.

[0019] In some embodiments, the configuration of the coupler 101 and the main body 111 have significant advantages over conventional barrel nuts. For example, the adjustability of the assembly means that the main body 111 can be constructed with far fewer handguard attachment holes (e.g., the forward array of holes 113 and the rear array of holes 114) compared to conventional configurations. This reduced number of holes greatly simplifies and reduces machining time, labor, and cost.

[0020] The parts of any of the components described herein may be formed of materials including, but not limited to, thermoplastic, carbon composite, plastic, nylon, polyethylene, polyetherimide, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, high strength aluminum alloy, tool steel, other plastic or polymer materials, other metallic materials, other composite materials, or other similar materials. Moreover, the components of the devices described herein may be attached to one another via suitable fasteners, which include, but are not limited to, screws, bolts, rivets, welds, over-molding, co-molding, injection molding, or other mechanical or chemical fasteners.

[0021] Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described, are possible. Similarly, some features and sub-combinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0012]The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

[0013]Although the illustrated embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4 illustrate components of rifle or carbine style firearms, the features, concepts, and functions described herein are also applicable (with potential necessary alterations for particular applications) to handguns, rifles, carbines, pistols, shotguns, or any other type of firearm. Furthermore, the embodiments may be com...

Claims

1. A barrel nut assembly for a firearm comprising:a main body; anda coupler attached to a rear of the main body, wherein:the coupler attaches to an upper receiver; andthe main body can be clocked in a plurality of rotational positions when securing the barrel nut assembly relative to the upper receiver.

2. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a threaded portion disposed at a rear of the main body.

3. The barrel nut assembly of claim 2, wherein the threaded portion comprises left-hand threads for attaching the main body to the coupler.

4. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises at least one array of holes for attachment of a handguard.

5. The barrel nut assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one array of holes for attachment of a handguard comprises a forward array of holes and a rear array of holes.

6. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein a rear surface of the main body extends through the coupler to push a barrel against the upper receiver.

7. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a plurality of tool interface portions.

8. The barrel nut assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of tool interface portions each comprise at least one hole.

9. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupler comprises a forward threaded portion and a rear threaded portion.

10. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupler comprises an outer surface with a plurality of grooves.

11. An adjustable barrel nut assembly for a firearm comprising:a body; andat least one array of holes for attachment of a handguard, wherein:the body can be clocked in a plurality of rotational positions when securing the adjustable barrel nut assembly relative to the firearm.

12. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 11, wherein the body comprises a main body and a coupler attached to a rear of the main body.

13. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein the coupler attaches to an upper receiver of the firearm.

14. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein:the main body comprises a threaded portion disposed at a rear of the main body; andthe threaded portion comprises left-hand threads for attaching the main body to the coupler.

15. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein the main body comprises at least one array of holes for attachment of a handguard.

16. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one array of holes for attachment of a handguard comprises a forward array of holes and a rear array of holes.

17. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein a rear surface of the main body extends through the coupler to push a barrel against the upper receiver.

18. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein the main body comprises a plurality of tool interface portions.

19. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein the coupler comprises a forward threaded portion and a rear threaded portion.

20. The adjustable barrel nut assembly of claim 12, wherein the coupler comprises an outer surface with a plurality of grooves.

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