Removable barrel and hand guard for modular rifles

Abstract

A system for connecting a barrel to an upper receiver of a modular rifle, the upper receiver having an upper receiver extension. The system comprises an upper receiver coupler having a first opening for receiving the upper receiver extension, which is removably secured in the first opening. The system includes a barrel coupler and a gas tube for attaching to a forward segment of the barrel, extending rearwardly along the barrel, passing through a second opening of the barrel coupler and coupled to a gas port that extends from the upper receiver and into the upper receiver coupler. The gas tube is shorter than the barrel. The barrel passes through and is removably secured within a third opening of the barrel coupler; passes through the first opening of the upper receiver coupler and into the upper receiver extension. The upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler are removably connected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit for use with a modular weapon having a barrel and an upper receiver, the upper receiver defining a gas port and a barrel opening, the kit comprising:
 an upper receiver coupler for attaching to the upper receiver;   a barrel coupler;   one or more first components for removably attaching the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler;   the barrel for passing through a first opening of the barrel coupler, through a second opening of the upper receiver coupler, and into the barrel opening in the upper receiver;   one or more second components for securing the barrel within the first opening of the barrel coupler;   a gas key extending from the upper receiver and received within a third opening of the receiver coupler; and   a gas tube connected to the barrel, extending rearwardly along the barrel, passing through a fourth opening in the barrel coupler and connected to the gas key.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the modular weapon comprises a modular rifle. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the one or more second components for securing the barrel within the first opening of the barrel coupler comprise threaded members threadably engaged in the barrel coupler and urged against the barrel. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1  the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver extension, the barrel opening defined therein, the upper receiver extension received within the second opening of the upper receiver coupler, the kit further comprising a nut for attaching the upper receiver coupler to the upper receiver extension with the nut having internal threads for threadably engaging external threads of the upper receiver extension. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the one or more first components comprise one or more latches disposed on one of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler for capturing one or more respective capture devices disposed on an other of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5  wherein the one or more latches comprise first and second hooks spaced apart at 180 degrees along a circumference of the barrel coupler, and wherein the one or more capture devices comprise a first pin and a second pin spaced apart at 180 degrees along a circumference of the upper receiver coupler, the first and second pins for capturing respective first and second hooks. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 5  wherein the one or more latches each comprises a hook operated by a lever, and the one or more capture devices each comprise a pin, and wherein application of a force on the lever moves the hook to removably capture the pin. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the one or more first components comprise:
 first and second pins attached to the barrel coupler; 
 first and second shafts each having a first end attached to and rotatable about respective first and second pins; 
 first and second heads attached to a second end of respective first and second shafts; and 
 the first and second shafts captured within respective first and second recesses of the upper receiver coupler and held within the respective first and second recesses by the respective first and second heads exerting a force directed against a surface of the upper receiver coupler. 
 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1  the barrel coupler further comprising a threaded member extending from a front surface of the barrel coupler for threadably engaging a hand guard such that the hand guard surrounds at least a segment of the barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein one of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler comprises an alignment pin for engaging an alignment opening in an other of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler when the upper receiver coupler is removably attached to the barrel coupler. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of barrels of differing lengths, a forward end of the gas tube for attaching to one of the plurality of barrels with a gas block. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 1  the gas key further comprising a bolt carrier attachment interface for attaching to the upper receiver and a gas tube attachment interface for attaching to the gas tube. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12  the gas tube attachment interface comprising a tubular segment protruding forwardly out from the upper receiver, the tubular segment received within the third opening of the receiver coupler and comprising the gas tube attachment interface for attaching to the gas tube. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of claim the gas tube shorter than the barrel. 
     
     
         15 . A system for connecting a barrel to an upper receiver of a modular rifle, the upper receiver comprising an upper receiver extension, the system comprising:
 an upper receiver coupler defining a first opening therethrough for receiving the upper receiver extension, the upper receiver extension removably secured within the first opening;   a barrel coupler;   a gas tube for attaching to a forward segment of the barrel, extending rearwardly along the barrel, passing through a second opening of the barrel coupler and for coupling to a gas port disposed in the upper receiver;   the barrel for passing through and removably secured within a third opening of the barrel coupler, the barrel further passing through the first opening of the upper receiver coupler and for receiving within the upper receiver extension; and   a component for removably connecting the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  a length of the gas tube less than a length of the barrel. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the gas port comprises a gas key further comprising a bolt carrier attachment interface for attaching to a bolt carrier of the upper receiver and a gas tube attachment interface for coupling to the gas tube, the gas tube attachment interface further comprising a tubular segment protruding forwardly out from a fourth opening of the receiver coupler, the tubular segment comprising the gas tube attachment interface for attaching to the gas tube. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the barrel is removably secured within the third opening of the barrel coupler by a plurality of threaded members threadably engaged in the barrel coupler and urged against the barrel. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the component for removably attaching the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler comprises one or more latches disposed on one of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler for capturing one or more respective pins disposed on an other of the upper receiver coupler and the barrel coupler. 
     
     
         20 . A weapon comprising:
 an upper receiver defining a gas port and a barrel opening, the barrel opening extending through a threaded upper receiver extension;   a barrel;   an upper receiver coupler, the threaded upper receiver extension extending through a first opening defined in the upper receiver coupler;   a threaded component for threadably engaging and attaching the threaded upper receiver extension to the upper receiver coupler and thereby to the upper receiver;   a barrel coupler defining a second opening for receiving the barrel, the barrel secured within the second opening and into the barrel opening in the upper receiver extension;   a gas tube having a length less than a length of the barrel;   a gas key having a first end attached to the upper receiver and a second end extending into a third opening defined in the receiver coupler;   a forward end of the gas tube attached to a forward end of the barrel;   a rearward end of the gas tube extending through a fourth opening in the barrel coupler and attached to the second end of the gas key for creating a continuous gas flow path from the forward end of the barrel to the upper receiver; and   the upper receiver coupler attached to the barrel coupler.