Handguard with Timing Pin

Abstract

A handguard is attached to a M16/M4 family firearm by sliding the handguard onto the barrel nut, rotating the handguard relative to the barrel nut and then positioning a timing pin in one of the scallops of the barrel nut sprocket to lock the handguard in position. The back of the hand guard has grooves and ridged matching the barrel nuts teeth and sprockets. Rotating the handguard causes the teeth to enter into slots in the ridges to thereby prevent the handguard from pulling free. A clamping mechanism in the handguard can clamp onto the barrel nut. The addition of friction bushings attached to the inside of the handguard and behind the barrel nut sprocket can provide for even stronger retention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handguard for a firearm, the firearm comprising a barrel nut attaching a barrel to a receiver, wherein the barrel nut comprises a barrel nut sprocket, and wherein the barrel nut sprocket comprises a plurality of teeth and a plurality of scallops between the teeth, the handguard comprising:
 a handguard body having a front end and a back end wherein the back end comprises a plurality of grooves and ridges, wherein a plurality of the teeth enter into a plurality of the grooves when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end, and wherein a plurality of the ridges enter into a plurality of the scallops when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end;   a plurality of slots in the ridges wherein at least one of the teeth enter into at least one of the slots when the handguard is rotated relative to the barrel nut after the barrel nut sprocket is inserted into the back end, and wherein the at least one of the teeth that is in at least one of the slots prevents the barrel nut sprocket from sliding out of the back end;   a timing pin assembly comprising a timing pin and a pin tab;   two clamp jaws and a gap, wherein the timing pin assembly is retained relative to the two clamp jaws such that the timing pin is located in one of the scallops and prevents the handguard from rotating relative to the barrel nut;   a clamp bolt wherein tightening the clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut;   a front bolt wherein the front bolt passes through the two clamp jaws and wherein the front bolt retains the timing pin assembly relative to the two clamp jaws; and   a friction bushing wherein the friction bushing is positioned behind the barrel nut sprocket and attached to and inside the handguard, and wherein the friction bushing prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard.   
     
     
         2 . A handguard for a firearm, the firearm comprising a barrel nut attaching a barrel to a receiver, wherein the barrel nut comprises a barrel nut sprocket, and wherein the barrel nut sprocket comprises a plurality of teeth and a plurality of scallops between the teeth, the handguard comprising:
 a handguard body having a front end and a back end wherein the back end comprises a plurality of grooves and ridges, wherein a plurality of the teeth enter into a plurality of the grooves when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end, and wherein a plurality of the ridges enter into a plurality of the scallops when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end; and   a plurality of slots in the ridges wherein at least one of the teeth enter into at least one of the slots when the handguard is rotated relative to the barrel nut after the barrel nut sprocket is inserted into the back end, and wherein the at least one of the teeth that is in at least one of the slots prevents the barrel nut sprocket from sliding out of the back end.   
     
     
         3 . The handguard of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a timing pin assembly comprising a timing pin and a pin tab; and 
 two clamp jaws and a gap between the two clamp jaws, wherein the timing pin is retained between the two clamp jaws, wherein the timing pin is located in one of the scallops and prevents the handguard from rotating relative to the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         4 . The handguard of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a timing pin assembly comprising a timing pin and a pin tab; and 
 two clamp jaws and a gap between the two clamp jaws, wherein the timing pin assembly is retained relative to the two clamp jaws such that the timing pin is located in one of the scallops and prevents the handguard from rotating relative to the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         5 . The handguard of  claim 4  further comprising a clamp bolt wherein tightening the clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut. 
     
     
         6 . The handguard of  claim 5  further comprising a front bolt wherein the front bolt passes through the two clamp jaws and wherein the front bolt retains the timing pin assembly relative to the two clamp jaws. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a friction bushing wherein the friction bushing is positioned behind the barrel nut sprocket and attached to and inside the handguard, and wherein the friction bushing prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard. 
     
     
         8 . The handguard of  claim 2  further comprising a clamp bolt and two clamp jaws wherein tightening the clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a friction bushing wherein the friction bushing is positioned behind the barrel nut sprocket and attached to and inside the handguard, and wherein the friction bushing prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard. 
     
     
         10 . The handguard of  claim 9  further comprising a clamp bolt and two clamp jaws wherein tightening the clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising two friction bushings wherein the two friction bushings are positioned behind the barrel nut sprocket, wherein the two friction bushings are attached to and inside the handguard and diagonally opposed to one another, and wherein the friction two bushings prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard. 
     
     
         12 . A method for attaching a handguard to a firearm, the firearm comprising a barrel nut attaching a barrel to a receiver, wherein the barrel nut comprises a barrel nut sprocket, and wherein the barrel nut sprocket comprises a plurality of teeth and a plurality of scallops between the teeth, the method comprising the steps of:
 sliding the handguard onto the barrel nut wherein the barrel nut sprocket enters a back end of the handguard, wherein the back end comprises a plurality of grooves and ridges, wherein a plurality of the teeth enter into a plurality of the grooves when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end, and wherein a plurality of the ridges enter into a plurality of the scallops when the barrel nut sprocket enters the back end; and   rotating the handguard relative to the barrel nut after sliding the handguard onto the barrel nut wherein the handguard comprises a plurality of slots in the ridges, wherein at least one of the teeth enter into at least one of the slots when the handguard is rotated relative to the barrel nut, and wherein the at least one of the teeth that is in at least one of the slots prevents the barrel nut sprocket from sliding out of the back end.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 retaining a timing pin in the handguard wherein the handguard holds the timing pin in one of the scallops and prevents the handguard from rotating relative to the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 retaining a timing pin assembly relative to two clamp jaws, wherein the handguard comprises the two clamp jaws, wherein the timing pin assembly comprises a timing pin and a pin tab, wherein the timing pin is located in one of the scallops and prevents the handguard from rotating relative to the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of:
 tightening clamp bolt wherein tightening the clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of:
 passing a front bolt through the two clamp jaws wherein the front bolt retains the timing pin assembly relative to the two clamp jaws. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of:
 attaching a friction bushing inside the back end and behind the barrel nut sprocket wherein the friction bushing prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 clamping the handguard to the barrel nut wherein the handguard comprises two clamp jaws wherein tightening a clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 attaching a friction bushing inside the back end and behind the barrel nut sprocket wherein the friction bushing prevents the barrel nut from pulling free of the handguard. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of:
 clamping the handguard to the barrel nut wherein the handguard comprises two clamp jaws wherein tightening a clamp bolt causes the two clamp jaws to draw together and causes the handguard to clamp onto the barrel nut.