Muzzle attachment system

Abstract

A muzzle attachment system for a firearm includes a muzzle attachment having a first engagement means, and a muzzle distal portion including a second engagement means, the second engagement means being complementary with the first engagement means. The first and second engagement means cooperate to releasably secure the muzzle attachment to the muzzle distal portion. The first and second engagement means preferably include complementary coarse threaded engagement portions, an annular grooved surface having a plurality of grooves, a grooved surface engagement mechanism, and first and second position stops that abut to form a gas seal. The muzzle distal portion is preferably a flash suppressor, including at least two elongated ports substantially equally skewed from normal relative to a firing axis of the firearm, and substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the flash suppressor.

1 . A muzzle attachment system for a firearm, the attachment system comprising:
 a tool-less muzzle attachment having a female coarse threaded engagement means, and one of an annular grooved surface and a grooved surface engagement mechanism formed on an end of the muzzle attachment; and   a muzzle distal portion having a male coarse threaded engagement means complementary with the female coarse threaded engagement means, and the other of the annular grooved surface and the grooved surface engagement mechanism;   wherein the male and female coarse threaded engagement means include a single set of complementary gas sealing surfaces, said complementary gas sealing surfaces being tapered and positioned on respective distal ends of the male and female coarse threaded engagements means;   wherein the male and female coarse threaded engagements means cooperate to releasably secure the muzzle attachment to the muzzle distal portion;   wherein said male and female coarse threaded engagement means have approximately four or less threads such that approximately four or fewer rotations of said muzzle attachment are required to secure said muzzle attachment to said muzzle distal portion and to establish a single gas seal; and   wherein the annular grooved surface has a plurality of grooves extending radially outward relative to a firing axis of the firearm.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the male and female coarse threaded engagement means include, respectively, a first and a second position stop, the first and second position stops engaging prior to over-tightening of the female and male coarse threaded portions, thereby preventing over-tightening. 
     
     
         4 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 3 , wherein said first and second position stops are the gas sealing surfaces that abut to form a gas seal, the gas seal substantially preventing gases exiting the muzzle distal portion from reaching the female and male coarse threaded portions. 
     
     
         5 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the muzzle distal portion is a flash suppressor, the flash suppressor including at least two elongated ports substantially equally skewed from normal relative to a firing axis of the firearm, the at least two elongated ports being substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the flash suppressor. 
     
     
         6 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 5 , wherein the flash suppressor includes four elongated ports substantially equally skewed from normal relative to a firing axis of the firearm, the four ports being substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the flash suppressor. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the annular grooved surface is formed on an end of the muzzle attachment substantially perpendicular to a firing axis of the firearm and the muzzle distal portion carries the grooved surface engagement mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 8 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism includes a toothed-washer having at least one tooth, the at least one tooth being complementary with any of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         10 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 9 , wherein the toothed-washer includes at least two teeth substantially evenly distributed on the toothed-washer. 
     
     
         11 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 10 , wherein the toothed-washer includes four teeth substantially evenly distributed on the toothed-washer. 
     
     
         12 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 9 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism further includes a biasing means for biasing the toothed-washer toward the annular grooved surface. 
     
     
         13 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 12 , wherein the biasing means includes a wave spring. 
     
     
         14 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 12 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism further includes a retaining ring for retaining the biasing means and the toothed-washer in position around the muzzle distal portion. 
     
     
         15 . The muzzle attachment system of  claim 14 , wherein an annular groove is formed around the circumference of the muzzle distal portion, and the retaining ring snap-fits into the annular groove. 
     
     
         16 . A muzzle distal portion for use in a muzzle attachment system, the muzzle distal portion comprising:
 a male coarse threaded engagement means for engagement with a tool-less muzzle attachment;   one of an annular grooved surface having a plurality of radially extending grooves and a grooved surface engagement mechanism for engaging a complimentary other of the annular grooved surface and the grooved surface engagement mechanism on the muzzle attachment; and   a single gas sealing surface configured to sealingly contact the muzzle attachment;   wherein said gas sealing surface is tapered and positioned on a distal side of the male coarse threaded engagement means; and   wherein said male coarse threaded engagement means includes approximately four or less threads such that approximately four or fewer rotations of said muzzle attachment are required to secure said muzzle attachment to said muzzle distal portion to establish a single gas seal.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 16 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism includes a toothed-washer having at least one tooth, the at least one tooth being complementary with any of a plurality of grooves in the complementary annular grooved surface. 
     
     
         19 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 18 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism further includes a biasing means for biasing the toothed-washer toward the annular grooved surface. 
     
     
         20 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 19 , wherein the grooved surface engagement mechanism further includes a retaining ring for retaining the biasing means and the toothed-washer in position around the muzzle distal portion. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 16 , wherein the muzzle distal portion has an accommodating portion, the toothed-washer and the biasing means being arranged around the accommodating portion, and the male coarse threaded portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the accommodating portion, such that the toothed-washer and the biasing means are retained between the retaining ring and the male coarse threaded portion. 
     
     
         23 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 16 , wherein the engagement means includes a position stop for engaging a complementary position stop on the muzzle attachment, the position stop on the muzzle distal portion adapted to form a gas seal when abutting the complementary position stop on the muzzle attachment. 
     
     
         24 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 16 , wherein the muzzle distal portion is a flash suppressor, the flash suppressor including at least two elongated ports substantially equally skewed from normal relative to a firing axis of the firearm, the at least two elongated ports being substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the flash suppressor. 
     
     
         25 . The muzzle distal portion of  claim 24 , wherein the flash suppressor includes four elongated ports substantially equally skewed from normal relative to a firing axis of the firearm, the four ports being substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the flash suppressor. 
     
     
         26 . A tool-less muzzle attachment for use in a muzzle attachment system, the muzzle attachment comprising:
 a female coarse threaded engagement means for engagement with a muzzle distal portion;   one of an annular grooved surface having a plurality of radially extending grooves and a grooved surface engagement mechanism for engaging a complimentary other of the annular grooved surface and the grooved surface engagement mechanism on the muzzle distal portion; and   a single gas sealing surface configured to sealingly contact the muzzle distal portion;   wherein said gas sealing surface is tapered and is positioned on a distal side of the female coarse threaded engagement means; and   wherein said female coarse threaded engagement includes approximately four or less threads such that approximately four or fewer rotations of said muzzle attachment are required to secure said muzzle attachment to said muzzle distal portion to establish a gas seal.   
     
     
         27 . The muzzle attachment of  claim 26 , wherein the engagement means includes an annular grooved surface on the muzzle attachment for engaging a complementary grooved surface engagement mechanism on the muzzle distal portion. 
     
     
         28 . The muzzle attachment of  claim 27 , wherein the annular grooved surface is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to a firing axis of a firearm when attached to the muzzle distal portion. 
     
     
         29 . The muzzle attachment of  claim 26 , wherein the engagement means includes a position stop for engaging a complementary position stop on the muzzle attachment, and wherein the position stop on the muzzle attachment is the gas sealing surface adapted to form a gas seal when abutting the complementary position stop on the muzzle distal portion. 
     
     
         30 . The muzzle attachment of  claim 29 , wherein the muzzle attachment at least partially defines an interior volume and the position stop is arranged between the interior volume and the female coarse threaded engagement means.