Patent ID: 7757423

Claim:
A mounting assembly for attaching an accessory to a dovetail rail interface on a firearm, said mounting assembly comprising: a body having a lower portion and an upper portion, said lower portion configured to engage a first side of said dovetail rail, said upper portion configured to receive and retain said accessory; a boss formation extending outwardly from a side of said body and including an opening therein; a clamping assembly configured to releasably engage a second side of said dovetail rail, including, a foot portion positioned adjacent a bottom surface of said boss formation, said foot portion including a cam surface; an actuator arm extending outwardly from said foot portion; a shaft extending upwardly through said opening in said boss formation, a terminal end of said shaft being threaded; a spring received around said shaft adjacent the top surface of said boss formation; a cap nut threadedly received on said terminal end of said shaft such that said spring is captured between a bottom surface of said cap nut and a top surface of said boss formation, and further such that rotation of said cap nut adjusts the initial compression of said spring, said cap nut having a plurality of indexing formations on a side surface thereof; a spring biased indexing pin slidably received in a bore in said actuator arm adjacent said cap nut, said indexing pin being configured and arranged to engage said indexing formations on said side surface of said cap nut and thereby positively index and maintain a position of said cap nut on said threaded shaft said cap nut further having a stop shoulder having a ramped surface configured and arranged for sliding engagement with said indexing pin when said cap nut is rotated in a clockwise direction and further having a flat edge configured and arranged for locking engagement with said indexing pin when said cap nut is rotated in a counterclockwise direction; and a buffer pad pivotally attached adjacent a bottom surface of said lower portion and adjacent said clamping assembly, wherein movement of said clamping assembly to releasably engage said dovetail rail causes said foot portion to clamp said buffer pad against said second side of said dovetail rail.