Forend-mounted heatshield arrangement for firearms

Abstract

A mounting arrangement for a firearm having a receiver, a barrel and a magazine tube includes an elongated heatshield body having a set of mounting feet provided thereon. A forend assembly includes a U-shaped forend body and a U-shaped bracket arrangement received and retained within the forend body for receiving the magazine tube and connecting the mounting feet to the forend assembly such that an entire length of the heatshield body is mounted in a continuous spaced floating relationship over the barrel to prevent any contact between the heatshield body and the barrel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heatshield mounting arrangement adapted to be used on a &emit having a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly of the receiver and a mounting tube extending forwardly from the receiver beneath the barrel, the mounting arrangement comprising:
 a heatshield body having a retaining structure provided thereon, the heatshield body being adapted to overlie the barrel of a firearm; and   a forend assembly including a forend body adapted to receive the magazine tube and a bracket arrangement constructed to connect the retaining structure of the heatshield body to the forend body and adapted to mount the heatshield body along an entire length thereof in a continuous spaced apart relationship over the barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket arrangement is received and retained within the forend body. 
     
     
         3 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the heatshield body extends. upwardly from the forend assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining structure of the heatshield body includes a set of mounting feet extending from bottom edges of the heatshield body. 
     
     
         5 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the forend body has a U-shaped construction, and a length which is shorter than a length of the heatshield body. 
     
     
         6 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein upper ends of the forend body are constructed with recesses for receiving the mounting feet of the heatshield body. 
     
     
         7 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the bracket arrangement includes a set of spaced apart U-shaped brackets. 
     
     
         8 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein each of the U-shaped brackets has a bottom wall joined to a lower wall of the forend body and a pair of spaced apart sidewalk extending from the bottom wall. 
     
     
         9 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein a that set of fasteners is provided to secure the bottom walls of the U-shaped brackets to the lower wall of the forend body. 
     
     
         10 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the sidewalk of the U-shaped brackets have upper ends provided with throughholes in communication with the recesses formed in the upper ends of the forend body. 
     
     
         11 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein a second set of fasteners is provided to secure the upper ends of the U-shaped brackets with the mounting feet of the heatshield body. 
     
     
         12 . The heatshield mounting arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein outer surfaces of the U-shaped brackets are engaged against an inner surface of the forend body. 
     
     
         13 . A forend assembly adapted to be used in a heatshield mounting arrangement for mounting a heatshield over a barrel of a firearm, the forend assembly comprising:
 an elongated U-shaped forend body having a lower wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalk rising from the lower wall and provided with upper ends adapted to be secured to the heatshield; and   a U-shaped bracket arrangement received and retained within the forend body, the U-shaped bracket arrangement having a lower attachment area secured to the lower wall of the forend body, and an upper attachment area aligned with the upper ends of the forend body and adapted to be connected to the heatshield.   
     
     
         14 . The forend assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the upper ends of the forend body extend inwardly of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         15 . The forend assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a first set of fasteners is provided to secure the lower attachment area of the U-shaped bracket arrangement to the lower wall of the forend body. 
     
     
         16 . The forend assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a second set of fasteners is received in the upper attachment area of the U-shaped bracket arrangement and is adapted to secure the heatshield thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The forend assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the U-shaped bracket arrangement is formed by a set of spaced apart U-shaped brackets having outer surfaces which are engaged against an inner surface of the forend body. 
     
     
         18 . A mounting arrangement for a firearm having a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly from the receiver and a magazine tube extending forwardly from the receiver beneath the barrel, the mounting arrangement comprising:
 an elongated heatshield body having a set of mounting feet provided thereon; and   a forend assembly including a U-shaped forend body and a U-shaped bracket arrangement received and retained within the forend body for receiving the magazine tube and connecting the mounting feet to the forend assembly such that an entire length of the heatshield body is mounted in a continuous spaced floating relationship over the barrel to prevent any contact between the heatshield body and the barrel.   
     
     
         19 . The mounting arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein a continuous unobstructed space is defined between the barrel and the heatshield body along the entire length thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The mounting arrangement of  claim 18 , including a fastener arrangement for securing the U-shaped bracket arrangement within the forend body, and connecting the mounting feet to upper ends of the forend body.