Barrel nut mounted mounting structure for a rifle accessory item and system comprising same

Abstract

A main body of a rifle accessory mounting apparatus comprises an accessory mounting structure having opposing end portions and a barrel nut engaging structure connected to a first one of the end portions of the accessory mounting structure. An end face of the accessory mounting structure defines a front end face of the main body and an end face of the barrel nut engaging structure defines a rear end face of the main body. A central passage of the main body extends through the accessory mounting structure and the barrel nut engaging structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A main body of a rifle accessory mounting apparatus, comprising:
 an accessory mounting structure having opposing end portions;   a barrel nut engaging structure connected to a first one of the end portions of the accessory mounting structure, wherein an end face of the accessory mounting structure defines a front end face of the main body and an end face of the barrel nut engaging structure defines a rear end face of the main body; and   a central passage of the main body extends through the accessory mounting structure and the barrel nut engaging structure.   
     
     
         2 . The main body of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face of the barrel nut engaging structure, wherein the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape.   
     
     
         3 . The main body of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a barrel nut shoulder engaging lip within the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess the barrel nut engaging structure includes, wherein the barrel nut shoulder engaging lip is substantially circular in shape.   
     
     
         4 . The main body of  claim 3  wherein:
 the accessory mounting structure is cylindrically shaped; 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially concentric with the central passage of the main body; and 
 the barrel nut shoulder engaging lip is substantially concentric with the central passage of the main body. 
 
     
     
         5 . The main body of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fastener receiving passages extending through the barrel nut engaging structure, wherein each one of the fastener receiving passages extends substantially parallel to the central passage of the main body.   
     
     
         6 . The main body of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a fastener clearance recess within an exterior side face of the accessory mounting structure, wherein the exterior side face extends between the front end face of the main body and the barrel nut engaging structure and wherein the fastener clearance recess extends substantially perpendicular to the central passage of the main body.   
     
     
         7 . The main body of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of fastener receiving passages extending through the barrel nut engaging structure, wherein each one of the fastener receiving passages extends substantially parallel to the central passage of the main body.   
     
     
         8 . The main body of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face of the barrel nut engaging structure; and   a barrel nut shoulder engaging lip within the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess;   wherein the accessory mounting structure is cylindrically shaped;   wherein the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape;   wherein the barrel nut shoulder engaging lip is substantially circular in shape; and   wherein the barrel nut shoulder engaging lip and the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess are each substantially concentric with the central bore of the main body.   
     
     
         9 . The main body of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a fastener clearance recess within an exterior side face of the accessory mounting structure, wherein the exterior side face extends between the front end face of the main body and the barrel nut engaging structure and wherein the fastener clearance recess extends substantially perpendicular to the central passage of the main body.   
     
     
         10 . A rifle accessory mounting apparatus, comprising:
 a main body having an accessory mounting structure and a barrel nut engaging structure connected to the accessory mounting structure, wherein an end face of the accessory mounting structure defines a front end face of the main body and an end face of the barrel nut engaging structure defines a rear end face of the main body, and wherein a central passage of the main body extends through the main body between the front and rear end faces thereof; and   a barrel nut securing member having a main body attachment structure integral therewith, wherein the main body attachment structure is alignable with an engagement member attachment structure of the barrel nut engaging structure for enabling a shoulder of a barrel nut to be securely engaged between the barrel nut engaging structure and the barrel nut securing member when the shoulder of the barrel nut is positioned between the barrel nut engaging structure and the barrel nut securing member.   
     
     
         11 . The rifle accessory mounting apparatus of  claim 10  wherein:
 the barrel nut engaging structure includes a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face thereof; and 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape. 
 
     
     
         12 . The rifle accessory mounting apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the barrel nut securing member is semi-circular in shape. 
     
     
         13 . The rifle accessory mounting apparatus of  claim 12  wherein:
 the main body attachment structure includes a plurality of the fastener receiving passages; and 
 the engagement member attachment structure includes a plurality of fastener receiving passages extending therethrough substantially parallel to the central passage of the main body. 
 
     
     
         14 . The rifle accessory mounting apparatus of  claim 10  wherein:
 the barrel nut engaging structure includes a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face thereof; 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape; 
 the barrel nut engaging structure includes a barrel nut shoulder engaging lip within the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess thereof; and 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape. 
 
     
     
         15 . The rifle accessory mounting apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the main body is a one-piece unit. 
     
     
         16 . A rifle accessory system, comprising:
 a mounting apparatus main body including an accessory mounting structure having opposing end portions and a barrel nut engaging structure connected to a first one of the end portions of the accessory mounting structure such that an end face of the accessory mounting structure defines a front end face of the mounting apparatus main body and an end face of the barrel nut engaging structure defines a rear end face of the mounting apparatus main body, wherein a central passage of the mounting apparatus main body extends through the accessory mounting structure and the barrel nut engaging structure; and   a rifle accessory main body having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein a central passage of the rifle accessory extends therethrough between the first and second end portions thereof, wherein the first end portion of the rifle accessory defines a main body engaging collar configured for having the accessory mounting structure of the mounting apparatus main body engaged therein, and wherein the main body engaging collar and the accessory mounting structure are jointly configured such that a centerline axis of the rifle accessory central passage remains substantially aligned with a centerline axis of the accessory mounting structure central passage when the accessory mounting structure of the mounting apparatus main body is engaged within the main body engaging collar.   
     
     
         17 . The rifle accessory system of  claim 16  wherein:
 the barrel nut engaging structure includes a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face thereof; and 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape. 
 
     
     
         18 . The rifle accessory system of  claim 16  wherein:
 the main body attachment structure includes a plurality of the fastener receiving passages; and 
 the engagement member attachment structure includes a plurality of fastener receiving passages extending therethrough substantially parallel to the central passage of the main body. 
 
     
     
         19 . The rifle accessory system of  claim 16  wherein:
 the rifle accessory main body is a one-piece unit; and 
 the main body engaging collar includes a slot therein extending from an end face at the first end portion of the rifle accessory toward the second end portion of the rifle accessory. 
 
     
     
         20 . The rifle accessory system of  claim 19  wherein:
 the barrel nut engaging structure includes a barrel nut shoulder receiving recess within the end face thereof; 
 the barrel nut shoulder receiving recess is substantially circular in shape; 
 the main body attachment structure includes a plurality of the fastener receiving passages; and 
 the engagement member attachment structure includes a plurality of fastener receiving passages extending therethrough substantially parallel to the central passage of the main body.