This disclosure relates to quick, secure, and reliable device attachment. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a quick attachment device for securely coupling a device to a firearm's barrel.
Systems and methods of attaching mechanical components generally fall into two broad categories: quick attach/detach and more secure and permanent attaching mechanisms. It is sometimes advantageous to have a quick attachment mechanism that is both quickly attached/detached and creates a reliable attachment, even under extreme conditions.
It is to be understood that this summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. This summary is exemplary and not restrictive, and it is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is to explain and exemplify certain concepts of the disclosure as an introduction to the following complete and extensive detailed description.
In one aspect, a firearm accessory mounting device is disclosed, comprising a nut, a collar, and a follower substantially captured within the collar. The nut can comprise cam tracks that guide the stem of the follower from an unlocked position to a locked position.
In a further aspect, disclosed is a firearm comprising a muzzle device coupled to a firearm accessory mounting device. The firearm accessory mounting device can comprise threaded surfaces that create a joint between the muzzle device (e.g., on a barrel of a firearm) and a firearm accessory such as a can, which in some aspects can be a silencer. The firearm accessory mounting device can further comprise followers that can engage the muzzle device and can provide a redundant load path to stabilize the joint.
In yet another aspect, disclosed is a method for coupling a firearm accessory mounting device to a muzzle device of a firearm. The firearm accessory mounting device can be threadedly rotated onto threads on the outer surface of the muzzle device. When the torque of the threaded joint between the firearm accessory mounting device and the muzzle device reaches a threshold, a stem on a follower is rotatably engaged by cam tracks that force the follower radially inward to clamp on the muzzle device. In various embodiments, the steps of the method may be performed by hand and/or with the assistance of a tool (e.g., a crescent wrench).
Various implementations described in the present disclosure may comprise additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which may not necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims. The features and advantages of such implementations may be realized and obtained by means of the systems, methods, features particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims or may be learned by the practice of such exemplary implementations as set forth hereinafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain various principles of the disclosure. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures may be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity.
The present disclosure can be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description, examples, drawings, and claims, and their previous and following description. However, before the present devices, systems, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, systems, and/or methods disclosed unless otherwise specified, as such can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.
In various aspects of the present application, it can be desirable to modify barrel 104 of firearm 102 with various modifications or attachments, e.g., with muzzle device 112. For example, attached modifications can comprise chokes (e.g., to focus the discharge of a shotgun), silencers, suppressors, a muzzle break, and/or a flash hider. As used herein, a muzzle device 112 can comprise an attached modification coupled to barrel 104 of firearm 102 and can comprise one or more chokes, silencers, suppressors, muzzle breaks, and/or flash hiders coupled to barrel 104. The attachment between barrel 104 of firearm 102 and the attachment assembly 100 creates a joint 114 that can be secured by a retention device 116. The retention device 116 can selectively be rotated from an unlocked configuration 602 (
As illustrated in
Firearm accessory mounting device 208 can facilitate secure coupling and/or securing of muzzle break 202 (or flash hider 204) to canister 212. The present design of firearm accessory mounting device 208 can facilitate the rapid attachment and/or detachment of firearm accessory mounting device 208 and/or canister 212 from firearm 102. Firearm accessory mounting device 208 can also enhance the securing force generated in the joint 114 to securely couple canister 212 onto firearm 214 (or firearm 102). The firearm accessory mounting device 208 can comprise a plurality of components working together to threadedly engage firearm accessory mounting device 208 to barrel 104 and/or securely attach canister 212.
Firearm accessory mounting device 300 can be configured to provide two mechanisms to secure joint 114, such that a quick attachment can be made and/or secured sufficient to withstand repeated firing of firearm 102 (or firearm 214). First, barrel 104 threadedly couples to an outer surface of muzzle device 112. The muzzle device 112 can provide a threaded connection (e.g., external threads on the outer surface of muzzle device 112) with nut 306 of firearm accessory mounting device 300. Nut 306 can be rotated on muzzle device 112 to threadedly engage firearm accessory mounting device 300 to muzzle device 112. As the torque is increased to a threshold value, because the firearm accessory mounting device 300 is threadedly engaged with the muzzle device 112, nut 306 is rotated to move follower 304 (e.g., one or more followers 310) radially inward to clamp down on muzzle device 112 and/or provide a second engagement mechanism. The torque can firmly and/or securely attach firearm accessory mounting device 300 to barrel 104 and/or reinforce joint 114. Firearm accessory mounting device 300 can function similarly to active spring retention (ASR) devices to securely reinforce joint 114 but can be operated without the conventional spring loading, thus improving the system's manufacturability, reliability, and longevity.
In various aspects, firearm accessory mounting device 300 can be constructed from a variety of materials, such as hardened plastics. E.g., Kevlar, composite fiber reinforced plastic, or other non-metallic materials can be used to construct firearm accessory mounting device 300. In various aspects, firearm accessory mounting device 300 can comprise a metallic structure. For example, one or more components (e.g., collar 302, follower 304, and/or nut 306) of firearm accessory mounting device 300 can comprise hardened steel, hardened stainless steel, and/or other metallics or stainless steels.
One or more followers 304 can be arcuate shaped and/or configured to align radially with outer surface 320 and/or inner surface 322 of collar 302. An inner surface 706 (
In some aspects, when muzzle device threads 308 engage muzzle device 112, the inner surface 706 of follower 304 can comprise a plurality of teeth (e.g., the same or similar as threads 315) to further tighten attachment assembly 100 to muzzle device 112. Teeth 324 on follower 304 can be configured to grip and/or secure firearm accessory mounting device 300 on outer surface of muzzle device 112, such that teeth 324 grip and/or expand radially inward from inner surface 318 of collar 302 to grip outer surface of muzzle device 112, and/or muzzle device 112 can be threadedly engaged with muzzle device threads 308 on the outer surface 320 of collar 302.
As nut 306 is tightened onto muzzle device 112, e.g., through rotation of nut 306, the nut 306 and/or collar 302 will threadedly fasten until a torque to continue further engagement exceeds the torque applied to cam tracks 404. Once this torque is high enough, cam tracks 404 will continue to rotate when the friction between collar 302 and/or nut 306 exceeds the friction within cam tracks 404 and/or arcuate track 504. When this happens, further rotation will cause pin 502 to follow arcuate track 504 and stem 708 will follow cam track 404, forcing follower 304 to extend teeth 324 radially inward towards axial axis 110. Thus, further rotation of nut 306 can secure nut 306 onto muzzle device 112 both through the friction generated within threads at joint 114 formed between collar 302 and nut 306 and also from the friction created between teeth 324 of followers 304 against the outer surface of muzzle device 112. This combination of friction forces in both (e.g., opposed) normal directions on muzzle device 112 may ensure a firm and/or secure attachment at joint 114.
A securing orifice 506 is also shown in the cut-out section of
The upper portion 1106 of nut 306 can have a plurality (e.g., three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more) of linear sections 1110 between a plurality of equal number arcuate sections 1112. Arcuate sections 1112 can comprise a threaded orifice 506a,b for a fastener to threadedly engage and/or secure nut 306 to the radial recess 406 of collar 302. For example,
The description is provided as an enabling teaching of the present devices, systems, and/or methods in their best, currently known aspect. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects described herein while still obtaining the beneficial results of the present disclosure. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present disclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present disclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitation thereof.
As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a quantity of one of a particular element can comprise two or more such elements unless the context indicates otherwise. In addition, any of the elements described herein can be a first such element, a second such element, and so forth (e.g., a first widget and a second widget, even if only a “widget” is referenced).
Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect comprises from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about” or “substantially,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
For purposes of the current disclosure, a material property or dimension measuring about X or substantially X on a particular measurement scale measures within a range between X plus an industry-standard upper tolerance for the specified measurement and X minus an industry-standard lower tolerance for the specified measurement. Because tolerances can vary between different materials, processes and between different models, the tolerance for a particular measurement of a particular component can fall within a range of tolerances.
As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description comprises instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
The word “or” as used herein means any one member of a particular list and also comprises any combination of members of that list. The phrase “at least one of A and B,” as used herein, means “only A, only B, or both A and B”; while the phrase “one of A and B” means “A or B.”
Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the term “monolithic” in the description of a component means that the component is formed as a singular component that constitutes a single material without joints or seams.
To simplify the description of various elements disclosed herein, the conventions of “left,” “right,” “front,” “rear,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “inside,” “outside,” “inboard,” “outboard,” “horizontal,” and/or “vertical” maybe referenced. Unless stated otherwise, “front” describes that end of the seat nearest to and occupied by a user of a seat; “rear” is that end of the seat that is opposite or distal the front; “left” is that which is to the left of or facing left from a person sitting in the seat and facing towards the front; and “right” is that which is to the right of or facing right from that same person while sitting in the seat and facing towards the front. “Horizontal” or “horizontal orientation” describes that which is in a plane extending from left to right and aligned with the horizon. “Vertical” or “vertical orientation” describes that which is in a plane that is angled at 90 degrees to the horizontal.
One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may” unless expressly stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain aspects include, while other aspects do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular aspects or that one or more particular aspects necessarily comprise logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular aspect.
It should be emphasized that the above-described aspects are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described aspect(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and all combinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspects discussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/438,988, filed on Jan. 13, 2023, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63438988 | Jan 2023 | US |