This invention relates to accessories for firearms.
More particularly, the present invention relates to hand guards that may include one or more accessory rails.
It is understood that hand-held firearms require some type of handgrip so that the operator can hold the firearm as it is fired. Also, many accessories are available that aid in the proper and/or enhanced operation of firearms and some type of platform or mounting structure is generally provided or available as an accessory for this function. Further, many firearms are operated as automatic or semiautomatic and have a tendency to heat extensively so that handgrips attached directly to the barrel can produce hand burns for the operator if great care is not taken. In addition, anything attached directly to the barrel of a firearm can have a tendency to alter the barrel slightly and any alterations can adversely affect the accuracy of the firearm.
As understood by those skilled in the art, firearms of the type discussed herein generally include a receiver a stock attached to one end of the receiver and a barrel attached to the other end of the receiver. In most instances the barrel screws into an opening in the receiver and includes a barrel nut adjacent the receiver for assembling the barrel into the receiver. In most instances, handgrips or hand guards and accessory mounting devices are attached to the barrel. Further, the operator must grip the firearm on or adjacent the barrel to stabilize the firearm during operation. Thus, hand guards generally surround at least portions of the barrel to provide the operator a place to grip the firearm and to protect the hand from the heat of the barrel.
One of the main problems that arises is the weight that hand guards and accessory mounting devices add to the firearm. Clearly, the hand guards and accessory mounting devices must be constructed ruggedly and to withstand heavy use. In the prior art, hand guards are constructed of a plurality of components that are fixed together around the barrel, generally by screws or the like. Because the prior art hand guards are formed with multiple components, they must be constructed with larger and heavier areas or portions (e.g. mating edges, etc.) that are adapted to allow the components to be fixed together.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hand guard assembly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hand guard assembly that is relatively light weight.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hand guard assembly and that may include one or more accessory mounting devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hand guard assembly that is simpler to manufacture and to install.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hand guard assembly that is relatively cool and that enhances air flow over the underlying barrel.
Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the instant invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided is a hand guard assembly for a firearm including a barrel. The assembly includes a tubular unitary body mounted to surround a portion of the barrel substantially coaxially and in a transversely spaced relationship. The tubular body includes a plurality of air flow openings formed therethrough. The hand guard assembly may also include any one of a top rail formed as a unitary portion of the tubular body and extending rearwardly along an upper portion of a receiver of the firearm, side accessory rails formed as a unitary portion of the tubular body and on opposed sides of the tubular body, and a bottom accessory rail formed as a unitary portion of the tubular body and on a bottom surface of the tubular body.
In a preferred method of fabricating the assembly, the body and any included accessory rails are extruded as a unitary structure. Also, portions of material are removed from the accessory rails to define the air flow openings as well as opposed longitudinally extending side grooves, the side grooves defining external reference surfaces for mounting accessories, a longitudinally extending central groove formed midway between the opposed side grooves and defining internal reference surfaces for mounting accessories, a plurality of transverse ribs with adjacent ribs being separated by crosscuts, and a plurality of pocket cuts formed intermediate the transverse ribs and along the central groove. The removal of the material also substantially reduces the weight and thermal mass.
Specific objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Turning now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is directed to
Referring now to
In the event that one or all of side accessory rails 15, bottom accessory rail 16, and top rail 18 are used without tubular body 20, they may be attached to a firearm by means of another hand guard system or by structure other than a hand guard, e.g. attachment rings, rails, or other mounting devices. In this disclosure, structure mounting one or all of side accessory rails 15, bottom accessory rail 16, and top rail 18 is included in the term “mounting structure”, which is intended to include any structure mounting one or all of side accessory rails 15, bottom accessory rail 16, and top rail 18 on a firearm, including tubular body 20. Further, one or all of side accessory rails 15, bottom accessory rail 16, and top rail 18 and the mounting structure for the rail or rails in included in the term “hand guard assembly” as used in this disclosure.
Hand guard 14 is a unitary structure including accessory rails, and material removed to greatly reduce weight without affecting strength. In this disclosure the term “unitary” denotes a construction in which all of the components are formed integrally or as a single piece. Longitudinal slots/openings 22 are formed in body 20 intermediate side accessory rails 15 and bottom accessory rail 16 to reduce weight and promote airflow between body 20 and barrel 10. Due to the unitary nature of hand guard 14 with associated rails, removal of material does not substantially weaken the overall structure.
With continued reference to
The air path is illustrated with reference to
Turning now to
Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.
This application is a divisional application of currently U.S. application Ser. No. 11/174,270, filed 29 Jun. 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,363,741 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/585,746, filed 6 Jul. 2004.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1357208 | Payne | Oct 1920 | A |
2110165 | Moore | Mar 1938 | A |
2124075 | Moore | Jul 1938 | A |
2437548 | Patchett | Mar 1948 | A |
2467372 | De Permentier | Apr 1949 | A |
2816484 | Grages | Dec 1957 | A |
3051057 | Ivy | Aug 1962 | A |
4651455 | Geiser, Jr. | Mar 1987 | A |
6508159 | Muirhead | Jan 2003 | B1 |
20030010186 | Muirhead | Jan 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60585746 | Jul 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11174270 | Jun 2005 | US |
Child | 12110304 | US |