Barrel nut assembly and method to attach a barrel to a firearm using such assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506711-B2
Application number	US-201313738894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A fixture for use with AR15/M16 type firearms is provided herein. The fixture is made up of several parts that when used in conjunction with one another mitigate the transfer of torque from the barrel nut to the firearms receiver during barrel installation. The fixture affords the user a method and apparatus that holds the barrel in alignment with the firearm receiver and secures the barrel against rotational movement during installation of a barrel nut or similar device. The fixture may be configured to work with the legacy AR15/M16 type barrel nut, as well as other designs as disclosed herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barrel nut assembly apparatus comprising:
a barrel nut assembly for connecting a firearm barrel to a receiver of a firearm, said barrel nut assembly including:
a barrel nut which is generally cylindrical in shape and defines a generally longitudinally extending bore extending between a back end of said barrel nut to a front end of said barrel nut, said bore having internal threads to be secured at the back end to an externally threaded front end of the receiver, the front end of said bore being configured to receive a rear end portion of a firearm barrel therein; and
a locknut having external threads that engage with the internal threads on the barrel nut bore, enabling the locknut to be received within and connected to the barrel nut, said locknut being configured to compressively engage and secure said firearm barrel in position against said receiver as said locknut is screwed into the barrel nut and secured with a preset torque value, a rotational orientation of said barrel nut about the barrel being independent of torque applied to said locknut; and
a wrench with a body having an opening at one end with a plurality of teeth projecting from said opening configured to engage with grooves formed on a forward face of said locknut, the wrench being used to rotate and secure said locknut against an annular flange of the firearm barrel; and
a fixture configured to receive the receiver of the firearm and the barrel nut and restrain both from rotational movement while said locknut is being torqued.

2. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a mandrel is secured to said fixture, said mandrel has a portion at one end configured to engage with, and be received by, an extension portion of said firearm barrel.

3. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said opening is configured to receive at least a portion of said barrel during installation of said locknut.

4. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the opening of the wrench comprises a C-shaped opening.

5. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising an inner periphery about one end of the C-shaped opening.

6. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of teeth project outwardly from a forward edge of the inner periphery.

7. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of teeth are generally perpendicular to a face of one side of the wrench.

8. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body of the wrench comprises an aperture.

9. The barrel nut assembly apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises two halves interconnected by pivot rods.

10. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises a cutout about its forward face, wherein the cutout has two opposite sides and a bottom that form three sides of a square.

11. The barrel nut assembly of claim 10 , wherein a fourth side of the square is recessed for accommodating a bushing on the barrel nut.

12. The barrel nut assembly of claim 11 , wherein when the fixture is in a closed position, the cutout captures a squared off section of a flange on the barrel nut.

13. The barrel nut assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises removable inserts between a first half and a second half when in a closed position.

14. The barrel nut assembly of claim 13 , wherein the removeable inserts define a forward face and a cutout.

15. The barrel nut assembly of claim 14 , wherein the forward face comprises the cutout and is adapted to receive a squared off section of a flange on the barrel nut.

16. The barrel nut assembly of claim 13 , wherein the removeable inserts are adapted to conform to an exterior profile of the barrel nut.

17. The barrel nut assembly of claim 13 , further comprising additional removeable inserts which define an interior adapted to conform to an exterior of an upper receiver.

18. The barrel nut assembly of claim 13 , wherein the removeable inserts are coupled to the first half and the second half of the fixture by one or more screws.

19. The barrel nut assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first half and the second half of the fixture are coupled together by a hinge.

20. The barrel nut assembly of claim 19 , wherein the hinge comprises one or more hinge pins.

Assignees

• Lwrc Int Llc
• Lwrc Int Llc

Inventors

• Gomez Jesus S

Classifications

• F41A21/48 Primary

  Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels · CPC title

• Y10T29/49895

  Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"] · CPC title

• F41A5/26

  Arrangements or systems for bleeding the gas from the barrel (F41A5/20 - F41A5/24 take precedence) · CPC title