Granted Patent B2

US 12,729,930 · App. 18/048,623 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Michael Allyn Miller (Tenino, WA); Richard Olsen (Rainier, WA)

Assignee: Killer Innovations, Inc.

F41C23/16F41A21/485

Abstract

Claims (87)

1 . A handguard system of a firearm, the handguard system comprising:

a barrel nut configured to secure a barrel to the firearm, the barrel nut comprising a radial profile that forms first, second and third recessed rings at spaced apart longitudinal positions of the barrel nut with respect to a proximate end of the handguard, wherein the first, second and third recessed rings each comprises respective sloping portions, the respective sloping portions comprising a longitudinal section of the barrel nut having a progressively decreasing diameter;

a handguard comprising first, second and third pathways, the pathways being transversely disposed relative to the handguard and offset longitudinally along the handguard; and

a first adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the first pathway, a second adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the second pathway, and a third adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the third pathway, wherein:

the first adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprising:

a first wedge member, wherein the first wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a first flat wedge surface, a first curved wedge surface, and a first planar wedge adjustment surface at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first wedge member;

a second wedge member; and

a first biasing member configured to:

couple the first wedge member to the second wedge member; and

incrementally bias the first wedge member toward the second wedge member, which second wedge member is in a fixed position, upon actuation of the first biasing member, such that the first wedge member and the second wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the first recessed ring,

wherein first biasing member is positioned transversed to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the first wedge member in a first direction; and

the second adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprises:

a third wedge member, wherein the third wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a second flat wedge surface, a second curved wedge surface, and a second planar wedge adjustment surface at the first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the third wedge member;

a fourth wedge member; and

a second biasing member configured to:

couple the third wedge member to the fourth wedge member; and

incrementally bias the third wedge member toward the fourth wedge member, which fourth wedge member is in a fixed position, upon actuation of the second biasing member, such that the third wedge member and the fourth wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the second recessed ring,

wherein the second biasing member is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the third wedge member in a second direction, opposite the first direction; and

the third adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprises:

a fifth wedge member, wherein the fifth wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a third flat wedge surface, a third curved wedge surface, and a third planar wedge adjustment surface at the first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the fifth wedge member;

a sixth wedge member; and

a third biasing member configured to:

couple the fifth wedge member to the sixth wedge member; and

incrementally bias the fifth wedge member toward the sixth wedge member, which is in a fixed position, upon actuation of the third biasing member, such that the fifth wedge member and the sixth wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the third at the third recessed ring,

wherein the third biasing member is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the fifth wedge member in the first direction.

2 . The handguard system of claim 1 , wherein, within the longitudinal section of sloping portion of each of the first, second and third recessed rings, the diameter transitions from a greater diameter at a position further from the upper receiver to a lesser diameter at a position closer to the upper receiver.

3 . The handguard system of claim 2 , wherein:

the handguard further comprises a longitudinally disposed channel that geometrically corresponds to the barrel nut; and

the pathway is configured to intersect with the channel at a direction substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the channel.

4 . The handguard system of claim 3 , wherein the first wedge member and the second wedge member of the adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism are configured to tighten about the barrel nut in communication with the channel upon actuation of the biasing member.

5 . The handguard system of claim 4 , wherein the pathway comprises a first section joined to a second section by a middle section, the first section configured to receive the first wedge member, the second section configured to receive the second wedge member, and the biasing member configured to pass through the middle section.

6 . The handguard system of claim 5 , wherein the first wedge member comprises an asymmetrical outer profile with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first wedge member and the first section of the pathway comprises a corresponding cutout profile with respect to a longitudinal axis of the pathway such that the first wedge member can only be received by the first section of the pathway at a preferred orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pathway and further with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handguard.

7 . The handguard system of claim 6 , wherein the asymmetrical outer profile of the first wedge member comprises at least one flat wedge surface and at least one curved wedge surface.

8 . The handguard system of claim 1 , further comprising a divider disposed about the pathway, the divider configured to restrict travel of the first wedge member about the pathway and with respect to the second wedge member such that tightness of the barrel nut with respect to the first wedge member and the second wedge member is limited.

9 . The handguard system of claim 8 , wherein the divider is integral to the handguard.

10 . The handguard system of claim 8 , wherein the divider is integral to the adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism.

11 . The handguard system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first wedge member comprises a tapped wedge;

the second wedge member comprises a bore nut; and

the biasing member comprises a screw, the tapped wedge comprising a tapped hole corresponding to a thread pattern of the screw such that the tapped wedge can be

biased toward the bore nut by tightening the screw when the screw is engaged within the tapped hole of the tapped wedge.

12 . The handguard system of claim 11 , wherein:

the first section of the pathway comprises a tapped wedge cutout corresponding to the geometry of the tapped wedge;

the second section of the pathway comprises a bore nut cutout corresponding to the geometry of the bore nut; and

the middle section of the pathway comprises a hollow diameter providing for travel of the screw within the middle section.

13 . The handguard system of claim 11 , wherein:

the tapped wedge and the bore nut are configured to engage the barrel nut at a direction substantially normal to the barrel nut; and

the bore nut comprises a recess configured to receive a head of the screw from a position external to the handguard.

14 . A handguard system of a firearm, the handguard system comprising:

a handguard comprising first and second pathways, the pathways being transversely disposed relative to the handguard and offset longitudinally along the handguard;

a handguard comprising a transversely disposed pathway;

a barrel nut configured to secure a barrel to the firearm, the barrel nut comprising a radial profile that forms first, second and third recessed rings at spaced apart longitudinal positions of the barrel nut with respect to a proximate end of the handguard, wherein the first second and third recessed rings each comprises respective sloping portions, the respective sloping portions comprises a longitudinal section of the barrel nut having a progressively decreasing diameter; and

a first adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the first pathway, a second adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the second pathway, and a third adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism disposed in the third pathway, wherein:

the first adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprises:

a first wedge member, wherein the first wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a first flat wedge surface, a first curved wedge surface, and a first planar wedge adjustment surface at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the first wedge member;

a second wedge member; and

a first biasing member configured to:

couple the first wedge member to the second wedge member;

incrementally bias the first wedge member toward the second wedge member upon actuation of the first biasing member, such that the first wedge member and the second wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the first recessed ring,

wherein first biasing member is positioned transversed to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the first wedge member in a first direction;

the second adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprises:

a third wedge member, wherein the third wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a second flat wedge surface, a second curved wedge surface, and a second planar wedge adjustment surface at the first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the third wedge member;

a fourth wedge member; and

a second biasing member configured to:

couple the third wedge member to the fourth wedge member;

incrementally bias the third wedge member toward the fourth wedge member upon actuation of the second biasing member, such that the third wedge member and the fourth wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the second recessed ring,

wherein the second biasing member is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the third wedge member in a second direction, opposite the first direction; and

the third adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism comprises:

a fifth wedge member, wherein the fifth wedge member has an asymmetrical outer profile that comprises a third flat wedge surface, a third curved wedge surface, and a third planar wedge adjustment surface at the first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the fifth wedge member;

a sixth wedge member; and

a third biasing member configured to:

couple the fifth wedge member to the sixth wedge member; and

incrementally bias the fifth wedge member toward the sixth wedge member, which is in a fixed position, upon actuation of the third biasing member, such that the fifth wedge member and the sixth wedge member tighten about the barrel nut at the third at the third recessed ring,

wherein the third biasing member is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the barrel nut, urging the fifth wedge member in the first direction.

15 . The handguard system of claim 14 , wherein:

the first wedge member comprises a first tapped wedge;

the second wedge member comprises a first bore nut;

the first biasing member comprises a first screw, the first tapped wedge comprising a tapped hole corresponding to a thread pattern of the first screw such that the first tapped wedge can be biased toward the first bore nut by tightening the first screw when engaged within the tapped hole of the first tapped wedge;

the third wedge member comprises a second tapped wedge;

the fourth wedge member comprises a second bore nut; and

the second biasing member comprises a second screw, the second tapped wedge comprising a tapped hole corresponding to a thread pattern of the second screw such that the second tapped wedge can be biased toward the second bore nut by tightening the second screw when engaged within the tapped hole of the second tapped wedge.

16 . The handguard system of claim 14 , wherein:

the handguard further comprises a longitudinally disposed channel, the channel configured to geometrically correspond to the barrel nut; and

the first and second pathways are each configured to intersect with the channel at a direction substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the channel.

17 . The handguard system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first wedge member and the second wedge member of the first adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism are configured to tighten about the barrel nut in communication with the channel upon actuation of the first biasing member; and

the third wedge member and the fourth wedge member of the second adjustable barrel nut locking mechanism are configured to tighten about the barrel nut in communication with the channel upon actuation of the second biasing member.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (47)