Firearm handguard attachment and alignment system

Abstract

A system for attaching and/or aligning a handguard on a firearm is provided. The system may include a handguard. The system may also include a barrel nut having driven splines and a gear arranged on the handguard with drive splines that mesh with the drive splines of the barrel nut, wherein rotation of the gear draws the handguard toward an upper receiver of the firearm. The system may also include a pair of alignment fingers projecting rearwardly, each from a respective first and second wedge part, toward and along sides of the upper receiver, and the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver and thereby maintain rotational orientation of the handguard relative to the upper receiver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver, a barrel, and a handguard, the system comprising:  
       a barrel nut having driven splines on an exterior surface of the barrel nut, wherein the barrel nut is arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver; and  
       a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear in one direction moves the handguard toward the upper receiver. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the handguard includes a proximal end at which the handguard is attached to the firearm, and a longitudinal split is formed in the proximal end of the handguard, the longitudinal split extending along a longitudinal axis of the handguard, and wherein the gear is at least partially arranged in the longitudinal split. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the handguard includes a pair of tabs and the longitudinal split extends between the pair of tabs, the pair of tabs having a first pair of aligned openings within which the gear is at least partially arranged, and the pair of tabs having a second pair of aligned openings within which a fastener assembly is at least partially arranged for clamping the handguard.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener assembly configured to pull together opposite sides of the handguard. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the handguard includes a proximal end at which the handguard is attached to the firearm, and a longitudinal split is formed in the proximal end of the handguard, and wherein the fastener assembly extends at least partially across the longitudinal split. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, after rotating the gear to move the handguard toward the upper receiver, the fastener assembly is tightened to clamp the handguard onto the barrel nut and/or the upper receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gear comprises an internally threaded insert, and the system further comprises a threaded fastener that threads into the internally threaded insert, wherein the drive splines are arranged on an exterior surface of the internally threaded insert. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein driven splines of the barrel nut extend circumferentially around the exterior surface barrel nut. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein drive splines of the gear extend longitudinally along the exterior surface of the gear in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of the gear. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alignment mechanism configured to maintain the handguard in a desired rotational position relative to the upper receiver. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the alignment mechanism comprises: 
 a pair of alignment fingers projecting rearwardly toward and along each side of the upper receiver, wherein, when the handguard is assembled on the firearm, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the handguard includes a proximal end at which the handguard is attached to the firearm, and the handguard further includes a cavity at the proximal end and a hole extending into the cavity, and wherein the alignment mechanism further comprises: 
 a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger of the pair of alignment fingers, the first wedge part having an elongated opening;   a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger of the pair of alignment fingers, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in the cavity of the handguard;   an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part; and   wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the hole in the handguard through which the adjustment screw extends is a laterally elongated guide opening. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the handguard includes an accessory rail and the cavity is arranged beneath the accessory rail, wherein the adjustment screw is a countersunk adjustment screw, and the laterally elongated guide opening is formed in the accessory rail and configured to receive the countersunk adjustment screw such that the countersunk adjustment screw is flush with a surface of the handguard when tightened. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, when the handguard is secured relative to the barrel and the upper receiver, the barrel extends distally through and is free floating within the handguard. 
     
     
         16 . A system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver, a barrel, and a handguard, the system comprising:  
       a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening; 
       a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in a cavity at a proximal end of the handguard, and the handguard includes a hole that extends into the cavity; 
       wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;  
       an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part; and 
       wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a barrel nut having driven splines on an exterior surface of the barrel nut, wherein the barrel nut is arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver; and    a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear moves the handguard toward the upper receiver.   
     
     
         18 . A system for securing and aligning a handguard relative to a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:  
       an attachment mechanism configured to attach the handguard to the firearm, the attachment mechanism comprising: 
 a barrel nut having driven splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the barrel nut is arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver; and 
 a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear in one direction moves the handguard toward the upper receiver; and 
 an alignment mechanism configured to maintain the handguard in a desired rotational position relative to the upper receiver, the alignment mechanism comprising: 
 a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening; 
 a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in a cavity at a proximal end of the handguard; 
 wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the firearm, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;  
 an adjustment screw that extends through an opening in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part, wherein the opening in the handguard extends into the cavity of the handguard; and 
 wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened. 
 
 
     
     
         19 . A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:  
       an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm; 
       a barrel nut arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver, wherein driven splines are arranged on an exterior surface of the barrel nut; and  
       a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear moves the handguard toward the upper receiver. 
     
     
         20 . A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:  
       an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm, wherein the proximal end of the handguard includes a cavity and the handguard further includes a hole that extends into the cavity; 
       a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening; 
       a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in the cavity of the handguard; 
       wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;  
       an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part; and 
       wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened. 
     
     
         21 . A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:  
       an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm, wherein the proximal end of the handguard includes a cavity and the handguard further includes a hole that extends into the cavity; 
       a barrel nut arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver, wherein driven splines are arranged on an exterior surface of the barrel nut;  
       a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear moves the handguard toward the upper receiver; 
       a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening; 
       a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in the cavity of the handguard; 
       wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;  
       an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part; and 
       wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.