Granted Patent B1

US 12,723,839 · App. 19/567,965 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Tai-lai Ding (Northville, MI); Cody M. Schulz (Commerce Township, MI)

Assignee: Leapers, Inc.

F41C23/16

Abstract

Claims (58)

1 . An apparatus configured to secure a handguard to a barrel nut of a firearm, the apparatus comprising:

a handguard including an elongated interior configured to fit over a barrel and a barrel nut of a firearm, the barrel including a barrel axis, the handguard including a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall, with a first bridge slot defined by the first sidewall, the first bridge slot extending to the elongated interior and longitudinally along the handguard, the handguard including a horizontal midline bisecting the handguard into an upper portion and a lower portion located below the horizontal midline, the horizontal midline being parallel to a horizontal plane when the apparatus is secured to a firearm held in an upright, ready to shoot orientation;

a first shoulder extending from the first sidewall and configured to receive a vertically extending first fastener that extends transversely to the horizontal midline from the upper portion of the handguard, downward past the horizontal midline, to the lower portion of the handguard;

a barrel nut including a horizontal midline bisecting the barrel nut into an upper portion and a lower portion, the barrel nut including a periphery, the barrel nut defining a first registration groove around the periphery of the barrel nut, the barrel nut sized to be positioned in the handguard a interior adjacent the barrel;

a first connector bridge disposed in the first bridge slot, the first connector bridge including a first ramped surface configured to engage the first registration groove in the lower portion of the barrel nut below the midline of the barrel nut, the first connector bridge oriented for engagement by the first fastener such that when the first fastener is tightened, the barrel nut is clamped between the first ramped surface and the elongated interior of the handguard a second connector bridge opposite the first connector bridge; and

a second fastener distal from the first fastener,

wherein the first connector bridge and the second connector bridge are in the lower portion, and

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener extend in both the upper portion and the lower portion.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first fastener is a first bolt having a head and a threaded shaft and a length that extends along a fastener longitudinal axis,

wherein the length spans above and below the midline of the barrel nut when the first fastener engaged the first bridge connector.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first fastener is a first bolt having a first head and a first threaded shaft terminating at a first distal end and a first length that extends along a first fastener longitudinal axis,

wherein the handguard includes a picatinny rail,

wherein the first head is adjacent the picatinny rail and the first sidewall of the handguard,

wherein the first distal tip is threaded into the first connector bridge.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the first connector bridge is distal from the picatinny rail, on an opposite side of the midline of the barrel nut.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising:

a second fastener that is a second bolt having a second head and a second threaded shaft terminating at a second distal end and a second length that extends along a second fastener longitudinal axis,

wherein the second head is adjacent the picatinny rail and the second sidewall of the handguard, opposite the first sidewall,

wherein the second distal tip is threaded into a second connector bridge opposing the first connector bridge.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 ,

wherein both the first fastener and the second fastener extend above and below the midline.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first registration groove defined by the barrel nut includes a first forward wall, a first bottom wall, and a first rearward wall,

wherein the first ramped surface is disposed between the first forward wall and the first rearward wall so as to impair at least one of forward movement and rearward movement of the handguard relative to the barrel nut.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the barrel nut includes an interior thread configured to thread to an external thread of a receiver of a firearm,

wherein the barrel nut first registration groove extends 360 degrees around the barrel axis,

wherein the barrel nut includes a plurality of lands distal from the first registration groove, the plurality of lands configured to be engaged by a tool for rotation of the barrel nut relative to the receiver to secure the barrel to the receiver with the barrel nut.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first connection bridge includes a first base from which the first ramped surface extends,

wherein a second ramped surface extends from the first base distal from the first ramped surface,

wherein the first ramped surface includes a first curved surface corresponding to a first complimentary curved surface of the first registration groove.

10 . An apparatus for securing a handguard to a barrel nut of a firearm, comprising:

a barrel nut configured to be joined with a firearm receiver, the barrel nut having an outer surface that requires no indexing relative to the firearm receiver, the barrel nut defining a first registration groove extending around a longitudinal axis of the barrel nut;

a handguard including a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall, the handguard defining a first fastener opening configured to receive a first fastener, the handguard defining a first lateral opening extending through the first sidewall, the handguard including a horizontal midline bisecting the handguard into an upper portion and a lower portion located below the upper portion when the apparatus is secured to a firearm held in an upright, ready to shoot orientation;

a first connector bridge disposed in the lower portion and within the first lateral opening, the first connector bridge including a first contact surface shaped to mate with the first registration groove of the barrel nut;

a second fastener extending from the upper portion to the lower portion;

a second connector bridge in the lower portion engageable with the barrel nut; and

a picatinny rail disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall,

wherein the first fastener is oriented vertically, transverse to the horizontal midline, and configured to bias the first connection bridge into engagement with the barrel nut at the first registration groove, and

wherein the first fastener extends from the upper portion of the handguard, past the horizontal midline, to the lower portion of the handguard.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 ,

wherein tightening of the first fastener clamps the barrel nut between the first connection bridge and the handguard, thereby securing the handguard to the barrel nut without requiring rotational indexing of the barrel nut relative to the firearm.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 ,

wherein the first contact surface is concave and conforms to a portion of the first registration groove.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 ,

wherein the first contact surface is a ramped surface sized to fit between a forward wall and a rearward wall of the first registration groove and prevent fore to aft sliding of the handguard relative to the barrel nut.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 ,

wherein the barrel nut includes a horizontal midline bisecting the barrel nut into an upper portion and a lower portion,

wherein the first registration groove extends within the upper portion and the lower portion,

wherein the first contact surface engages the first registration groove in the lower portion.

15 . The apparatus of claim 10 ,

wherein the first fastener extends along the first sidewall,

wherein the second fastener extends along the second sidewall with the picatinny rail between the first fastener and the second fastener,

wherein the second fastener engages the second connector bridge.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (49)