Abstract:
Provided is a firearm, comprising a receiver; a barrel; an upper handguard, a lower handguard, an upper barrel clamp and a lower barrel clamp, configured to be affixed to the receiver, wherein the upper barrel damp and the lower barrel clamp are configured to be fastened together, affixing the upper barrel clamp and the lower barrel clamp to the barrel at a back-end of barrel; and wherein the upper handguard and lower handguard slide onto and are configured to be affixed to the upper barrel clamp and the lower barrel clamp, thus affixing the upper handguard and the lower handguard to both the barrel and the receiver such that the upper and lower handguards attach to the barrel solely at the back-end of the barrel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    The present subject matter relates to the field of firearms and an integration means, and more particularly to hand guard that is angularly adjustable relative to the firearm receiver and barrel. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A constant goal for firearms operators is to improve the accuracy of their firearms. Handguards may be provided that enable a user to hold a firearm without touching the barrel, which may become too hot to handle when the firearm is used. Current handguards attach to a barrel at two points, i.e., at both the front and back of the handguard. This configuration prevents the barrel from “free-floating,” which affects the accuracy of the firearm. A handguard attached at two points may cause a difference in the rate at which a handguard and the barrel heat resulting in a deflection of the barrel. In addition, any pressure applied to the handguard, such as bracing the handguard with a strap or against another object, may deflect the barrel. Further, a barrel has a natural frequency that may be affected by a handguard, causing the barrel to vibrate inconsistently and therefore affecting a bullet&#39;s trajectory. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The claimed subject matter, while generally applicable to firearms and not limited in scope to any single type of firearm, for purposes of description will be herein described as relating to an AK-47 type rifle. The design of the AK-47 type rifle is intended for reliability, simplicity, and ease of manufacture. The configuration of an AK-47 type rifle includes easy to disassemble components for field stripping, cleaning, and maintenance. 
         [0004]    Provided is a firearm, comprising a receiver, a barrel, an upper handguard, a lower handguard, an upper barrel clamp and a lower barrel clamp, configured to be affixed to the receiver, wherein the upper barrel clamp and the lower barrel clamp are configured to be fastened together, affixing the upper barrel clamp and the lower barrel clamp to the barrel at a back-end of barrel; and wherein the upper handguard and lower handguard slide onto and are configured to be affixed to the upper barrel clamp and the lower barrel clamp, thus affixing the upper handguard and the lower handguard to both the barrel and the receiver such that the upper and lower handguards attach to the barrel solely at the back-end of the barrel. 
         [0005]    This summary is not intended as a comprehensive description of the claimed subject matter but, rather, is intended to provide a brief overview of some of the functionality associated therewith. Other functionality, features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    A better understanding of the claimed subject matter can be obtained when the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments is considered in conjunction with the following figures. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an AK-47 type rifle with a handguard configured in accordance with the claimed subject matter. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a handguard, first introduced in  FIG. 1  including both an upper and lower handguard configured in accordance with the claimed subject matter. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are illustrations of the upper and lower handguards of  FIG. 2 . assembled from two (2) different perspectives. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 5-7  are illustrations of a wedge clamp comprised of a floating wedge and a. draw wedge in conjunction with a lower barrel clamp and an upper barrel clamp, all of which were shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of a guide tube support, first introduced in  FIG. 2 , in greater detail. 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of a guide tube, first introduced in  FIG. 2 , in greater detail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The claimed subject matter, while generally applicable to firearms and not limited in scope to any single type of firearm, for purposes of description ill be herein described as relating to an AK-47 type rifle. Numerous configurations of the AK-47 type rifle are commercially available throughout the world. The typical AK-47 type rifle is well known and will not be described in substantial detail herein and will be hereinafter referred to as a rifle. 
         [0014]    Turning now to the figures.  FIG. 1  is an illustration of an AK-47 type rifle  100  with a handguard configured in accordance with the claimed subject matter. The various components of rifle  100  include a buttstock  102 , a trigger  104  a trigger guard  106 , a receiver  108 , a receiver cover  110 , a rear sight  112 , an upper hand guard  114 , a lower hand guard  116 , a gas block  118 , a barrel  120 , a front sight  122  and a muzzle  124 . Components  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 ,  122 ,  124  and  126  are used as examples throughout the Specification and  FIGS. 2-9 . It should be understood that rifle  100  also includes many other components but only some are illustrated for the sake of simplicity. In addition, some components that are obscured in this illustration are revealed in subsequent figures. Throughout the Specification the end of rifle  100  at barrel  120  is referred to as the “front” or “muzzle-end” of rifle  100  and the end at buttstock  102  is referred to as the “back-end” or “butt-end” of rifle  100 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a handguard  150 , including both upper handguard  114  and lower handguard  116 , both first introduced in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , configured in accordance with the claimed subject matter.  FIG. 2  includes an upper barrel clamp  152  and a lower barrel clamp  154  and guide tube support  156  for a supporting guide tube  158 . A wedge clamp  160  that includes a floating wedge  161  and a draw wedge  162  are also illustrated. Wedge clamp  160 , floating wedge  161  and draw wedge  162  including their use and configuration, are described in more detail below in conjunction with  FIGS. 3-9 . 
         [0016]    Components for the assembly of handguard  150  are also illustrated, including various bolts  164  and  165 , washers  166  and rivets  168 . The use and configuration of bolts  164  and  165 , washers  166  and rivets  168  should be familiar to those with skill in the relevant arts. Also included in  FIG. 2  are ventilation holes  169  in both upper handguard  114  and lower handguard  116 . Although ventilation holes  169  are shown along both sides and the length of both upper handguard  114  and lower handguard  116  only four (4) are labeled for the sake of simplicity. It should be understood that the orientation of the elements of  FIG. 2  are reversed from the orientation of rifle  100  ( FIG. 1 ) of  FIG. 1 . In other words, the end of handguard  150  with wedges  161  and  162  would be facing the back, or back-end, of rifle  100 . 
         [0017]    Several features of  FIG. 2  provide advantages over a typically configured rifle, as explained in more detail below. Briefly, since handguard  150  is attached to barrel  120  by upper barrel clamp  152  and lower barrel clamp  154 , which are situated further from muzzle  124  than typical handguard clamps, handguard  150  does not heat as much as a typical handguard while rifle  100  is in operation. It should be understood that the barrel of a rifle heats up faster at the muzzle-end because fired bullets are traveling fastest in barrel  120  at that point and thus create more friction heat. Ventilation holes  169  also provide a cooling effect on handguard  150 . In addition, guide tube support  156  is loosely coupled to guide tube  158  so that guide tube  158  and gas block  118  ( FIG. 1 ), into which guide tube  158  fits, neither exert any significant force on barrel  120  nor conduct significant heat to handguard  150 . Further, the fact that clamps  152  and  154  are situated further from muzzle  124  than typical clamps, optimizes barrel float for an improvement in the accuracy of rifle  100 . A sling socket (not shown) may be attached to lower handguard  116  to enable a strap to be attached to handguard  150  rather than gas block  118 , which also improves barrel float and prevents pressure on a sling (not shown) from exerting pressure on barrel  120 . Other features are explained below in conjunction with  FIGS. 3-9 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are illustrations of upper hand guard  114  and lower handguard  116  of  FIG. 2 , assembled into handguard  150  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) from two (2) different perspectives. The orientation of handguard  150  in  FIG. 3  is the same as the orientation in  FIG. 2 , showing handguard  150  from a perspective of the side and back. The orientation of handguard in  FIG. 4  is from the bark-end of rifle  100  ( FIG. 1 ). Also included in  FIGS. 3 and 4  are upper clamp  152 , lower clamp  154  and wedges  161  and  162 , illustrated in relation to handguard  150  and each other. In addition, upper barrel clamp  152  and lower barrel clamp  154  are shown affixed to handguard  150 . When handguard  150  is slid into place, lower barrel clamp  154  and upper barrel clamp  152  are clamped around barrel  120  ( FIG. 1 ). Floating wedge  161  and draw wedge  162  are slid into place in receiver  108  ( FIG. 1 ) and affixed therein such that handguard  150  becomes affixed to both barrel  120  and receiver  108 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  also shows the position of guide tube support  156  within upper handguard  114 . Although not shown in  FIG. 4 , guide tube  158  fits into, and is loosely coupled to guide tube support  156 . Guide tube support  156 , guide tube  158 , gas block  118 , a bolt carrier (not shown) and an operating rod with a piston (not shown), which pass through guide tube  158 , are typically referred to as a bolt carrier assembly. The use and makeup of a typical bolt carrier assembly should be familiar to those with skill in the relevant arts. The manner in which clamps  152  and  154  are affixed to barrel  120  and handguard  150  is affixed to clamps  152  and  154  is explained in more detail below in conjunction with  FIGS. 8-9 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 5-7  are illustrations of floating wedge  161  and draw wedge  162  in conjunction with upper barrel clamp  152  and lower barrel clamp  154 , all of which are described in conjunction with  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , from different perspectives.  FIG. 5  shows clamps  152  and  154  and wedges  161  and  162  from the top.  FIG. 6  shows clamps  152  and  154  and wedges  161  and  162  from the back-end of rifle  100 .  FIG. 7  shows clamps  152  and  154  and wedges  161  and  162  from a side and top perspective. 
         [0021]    Also visible in  FIG. 5  are two holes  174  in upper barrel clamp  152 . Corresponding threaded holes (not shown) in lower barrel clamp  154  enable bolts  165  ( FIG. 2 ) to secure upper barrel clamp  152  to lower barrel clamp  154 , pinching barrel  120  between clamps  152  and  154 , thereby securing the assembled clamps to barrel  120 . 
         [0022]    In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , draw wedge  162  is illustrated with two threaded holes  175  and a channel  176 . Bolts  164  ( FIG. 2 ) pass through corresponding holes  182  in lower barrel clamp  154  and corresponding holes (not shown) in wedge  161 , visible in  FIG. 7 , and are threaded into holes  175  in wedge  162  thus drawing wedges  161  and  162  together and causing expansion of wedges  161  and  162  within receiver  108 . Relative radial and axial movement between lower barrel clamp  154 , wedges  161  and  162  and around barrel  120  enable handguard  150  to be correctly positioned with respect to receiver. Channel  176 , a corresponding hole  184 , visible in  FIG. 7 , in lower clamp  154 , provide an opening (not shown) in receiver  108  into which an accessory, such as but not limited to a cleaning rod (not shown), may be stored. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , handguard  150  slides onto upper barrel clamp  152  and lower barrel clamp  154  such that, when upper barrel clamp  152  and lower barrel clamp  154  are secured to barrel  120  and lower barrel clamp  154  is secured to receiver  108  by wedges  161  and  162 , handguard  150  is secured to both barrel  120  and receiver  108 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of guide tube support  156 , first introduced in  FIG. 2 , in greater detail.  FIG. 8  shows guide tube support  156  from a side perspective. Two holes  188  are used to attach guide tube support  156  to upper hand guard  114  ( FIGS. 1-4 ), typically with rivets, screws or any other suitable attachment mechanism (not shown). 
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of guide tube  158 , first introduced in  FIG. 2 , in greater detail. Guide tube  158  includes a muzzle or front end  192 , which fits onto gas block  118  ( FIG. 1 ) and a back end  194  that fits into guide tube support  156  ( FIGS. 2 and 8 ). A slot  196  in back end  194  of guide tube  158  serves to align guide tube  158  onto rivets or other attachment mechanisms (not shown) through one of holes  188  that hold the guide tube support  156  onto upper hand guard  114 . The alignment of slot  196  prevents guide tube  158  from rotating, within hand guard  150  ( FIGS. 24 ). Guide tube  158  also includes vent holes  198 , which direct hot gas vented by gas block  118  onto barrel  120  ( FIG. 1 ). The heat of the hot gas is thus dispersed by barrel  120  over a broad area. In this manner, the hot gas is prevented from blowing directly onto handguard  150 , enabling handguard  150  to remain cooler than otherwise. 
         [0025]    Guide tube support  156  is configured so that guide tube  158  ( FIG. 2 ) may “float” inside guide tube support  156 . In other words, guide tube support  156  provides support for guide tube  158  and sealing guide tube  158  within guide tube support  156  without unduly restricting the ability of guide tube  158  to have small movements thus mitigating any deflection of barrel  120  ( FIG. 1 ) of rifle  100  ( FIG. 1 ) by pressure on handguard  150 . In addition, guide tube  158  is able to have a small amount of back and forth movement in guide tube support  156  due to the loose coupling, while still able to guide an operating rod assembly (not shown). 
         [0026]    Other embodiments of the subject matter may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the subject matter and fall within the spirit and scope thereof it is to be understood that the subject matter is not limited to the specific features; shown and described since the means herein disclosed comprise only some of the forms of putting the subject matter into effect. The above detailed description constitutes only sonic of the preferred embodiments. The subject matter is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the claims.