EP1864073B1 - Fastening system for fixing a component to a small arm and small arm comprising such a system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening system for fixing a component (21), especially a hand guard, in the area of the barrel (3) of a small arm and to a small arm comprising such a fastening system, comprising a sleeve (5) which surrounds the barrel (3) and is stationary in relation to the axis of the bore (4), and a device (33) with which a surface area of the component (21), referred to in the following as the inner surface area (29) and facing the sleeve (5), can be brought in contact with an opposite outer surface area (5', 5'') of the sleeve (5). In this manner, the component can be fixed to the arm in a reproducible manner and may comprise, e.g., fixing rails (25, 27, 31) or the like interfaces on which aiming mechanisms or the like are mounted. The component (21) preferably surrounds at least partially or almost completely the barrel (3) and the sleeve (5) and is supported on the weapon body (1) in a rotationally fixed manner.

Description

The invention relates to a clamping system of a firearm for fixing a component in the area of the barrel of the handgun and equipped with such a clamping system handgun with: a surrounding the barrel, in particular tubular sleeve which is fixed relative to the axis of the soul. The component addressed here is preferably a weapon part which can be installed and removed, for example the handguard of the handgun which at least partially surrounds the barrel and the sleeve and which is supported on the housing against rotation. The component can also be a weapon itself, such as a grenade launcher.

It is assumed here of a position of the handgun, which corresponds to the normal attack and firing position; ie with horizontal run and thus horizontal axis of the soul (central axis of the barrel) and with downward-pointing handle, with the mouth pointing forward. Information such as above, below, right, left and front and rear are given from the perspective of a weapon holding the weapon in the stop.

Older disc rifles often have a separate forend. This sometimes has a holder for attaching a hand rest, but not strictly reproducible Precision of their location needed. Although the forend is usually fitted by hand and sits tight on the gun, so that the hand rest does not wobble. Nevertheless, this attachment of the forearm to the weapon is too inaccurate, as that could attach about a target device to him - also because the wood of the forearm works too much.

It is also common to attach two legs or the like to the forearm. In this case, the barrel regularly does not touch the shaft, even if the barrel is subjected to thermal expansion. When using a plastic shaft while eliminating the problems associated with the work of the wood problems. Nevertheless, you can attach any target device o. The like. To the forearm; not even if it should be reproducibly attached to the weapon. The plastic shaft springs namely, which can lead to unbearable inaccuracies.

In automatic handguns, especially in rapid-fire guns or submachine guns, there is a very particular problem in the heating of the barrel. Also, tolerances for series production must be taken into account, since manual precision production is out of the question, even if the forearm is usually formed separately. He is therefore usually, i. if you take an average of the manufacturing tolerances, a little loose attached to the weapon. Otherwise, a fore-end could no longer be attached to the weapon when the maximum manufacturing tolerances are reached.

The fore-end of such weapons is also known as "hand protection". Namely, it protects the hand from touching the barrel, which can become very hot in the course of a rapid fire series and then inflict significant burns when touched. With gas pressure loaders, he also protects the shooter's hand from the hot flue gases from the gas piston.

Such a hand guard is usually made of metal or, for better heat insulation, preferably made of plastic or composite materials.

Moreover, it is known to attach the barrel by means of a union nut interchangeable with the weapon.

Lately, such weapons are equipped with additional equipment to increase their field of application, in particular their accuracy. In addition, since modern weapons have a high shot precision, they should in principle also be equipped with a device to accommodate such accessories. Such reception facilities would make it easier for the troop to assemble Ordonnanzwaffen with additional equipment and allow in the case of civilian weapons their subsequent equipment.

As receiving devices for additional devices, e.g. Prism rails with a relatively large cross-section known to run parallel to the longitudinal direction. The large cross-section favors the exact reproducible attachment of an additional device. Transverse grooves ensure the positionally accurate fastening of the devices and prevent them from shifting under the firing load in the longitudinal direction. Very common is the so-called Picatinny rail.

Such a rail can now be mounted or formed on the housing, where there is a firm connection to the screwed barrel, if the housing is stiff enough. But it is also common to attach or train such rails on the hand guard itself; especially when devices are to be mounted that require an unobstructed "field of vision" to the front, such as headlights, grenade launcher o. Like ..

Known examples of attachment of the forearm or its parts are the US Pat. No. 3,751,841 . US Pat. No. 6,606,812 B1 . US 6 618 976 B1 . US 4,328,633 A. and DE 298 12 829 U1 removable.

especially the US 3,751,841A , which forms a basis for claim 1, describes a clamping system of a firearm for fixing a component in the region of the barrel of the firearm.

Target devices o. The like. However, are not attached to the hand guard, because this is necessarily loosely attached to the weapon and thus the necessary reproducibility of the position of the target device is not available relative to the barrel. Therefore, aiming devices, night vision devices, rangefinders with target electronics, etc. are still attached to the weapon case. This in turn often requires the prior removal of existing target means to make room for the desired attachment. As a result, the weapon is not universal, but ultimately only as a special weapon with limited application area usable.

Among other things, the invention is intended to remedy this disadvantage as far as possible. In particular, it should provide a tensioning system by means of which a hand guard, an additional weapon, such as a grenade launcher, or other the functionality of the weapon promoting component - as independent of a warming or required for its attachment tolerance game - on the weapon always sufficiently accurate reproducibly maintains its direction. Preferably, this component should also be easy / quick to mount / demountable on the weapon (e.g., for cleaning or replacement with another such component).

The term "component" is intended here to denote any device which more or less surrounds the barrel of the weapon in the forearm region, or is oriented in a specific manner to this, approximately parallel. It may be a hand guard in the true sense, but also a pure mounting rail support (eg support of Picatinny rails, STANAG, PCAPs, etc.) or combination components that fulfill both functions, grenade launcher o. The like .. Der The term also encompasses other system components that more or less embrace the barrel of the weapon or are oriented in a predetermined manner, such as interfaces to a weapon Bipod, a mount or a bayonet, and integrated sighting devices (target optics, laser, lamps or the like) and associated controls, or such devices or assemblies without interface.

The above object is achieved by the subject matter of claim 1, ie the fact that the clamping system of the type mentioned having means with one or more of the sleeve facing (r) surface area / e, called inner surface area / e, the component respectively with a this / these opposite outer surface area / s of the sleeve is brought into abutment.

It is already known to surround the barrel with a sleeve ( US 1,370,118 ), but this measure serves to transmit recoil to the buttstock, not just the hand guard, and therefore requires a physical connection between the transferring sleeve and the recoil-causing barrel. In addition, the German rifle Mod. 1888 is mentioned.

In the following, the sake of simplicity is only spoken of a hand guard, as this is a preferred embodiment (claim 4) of the component. However, the invention then always includes another component of the aforementioned type.

The approximately cuff-like hand guard is thus pushed over the sleeve, is aligned approximately parallel to this and is partially radially on this. The sleeve in turn surrounds the barrel, possibly with an air gap, ie without contact. At its rear side, however, it can be designed as a nut, by means of which the barrel is replaceably attached to the weapon. However, the sleeve is always so long that the hand guard at least partially abuts her when he is brought by the device in Appendix.

When firing, the heat generated is dissipated through the air gap between the sleeve and the barrel. Although it also expands the sleeve, but only delayed and to a lesser extent. The longitudinal direction of the outer surface of the sleeve remains but preserved or is possibly moved parallel. The tensioning system deforms the hand protection at best insignificantly.

A thermal expansion of the sleeve also does not jam the hand guard, since the sleeve only partially defines the hand guard in the longitudinal direction (fixed-floating principle). The handguard is therefore not bent in heat.

The expert need only to ensure that the possibly existing (s) Picatinny rail (s) on the outer surface of the handguard parallel to the investment line - or to the longitudinal direction of the contact surface - between hand guard and sleeve runs or run; and that always the same lines or areas of hand guard and sleeve contact each other, so investment line or area. The dimensions of the hand guard, however, may vary within the dimensions due to tolerance, thermal expansion and / or wear as the tensioning system compensates for such dimensional changes.

By simple means it is thus ensured that a hand guard and mounted mounting rail (s) always maintain / maintain its (respective) angular position (s) relative to the axis of the soul, even if the hand guard has been removed in between; and also when the gun is hot shot. Thus, once the mounting rails have been given an angular position parallel to the axis of the soul, they retain them as well. Thus, target devices on the hand guard can be attached without a direct connection between the Hand guard, which carries the mounting rail for the target device, and must pass the barrel.

The inner surface of the hand guard is preferably cylindrical or prismatic, since such a hand guard is inexpensive and easy to produce in mass production. It is therefore expedient to form a straight, continuous longitudinal edge on the sleeve or to provide the sleeve with a cylindrical or prismatic outer surface on which rests the inner surface of the hand guard.

The clamping device of the clamping system is arranged as a clamping device between the sleeve and the hand guard. It presses in its clamping position, the opposing inner and outer surface portions of the hand guard and the sleeve against each other, so that the hand guard is fixed to the sleeve as a whole (claim 5).

Preferably, especially for a realization of the invention in gas pressure superchargers, the clamping device is arranged between hand guard and sleeve and designed so that - with respect to the sleeve - the diametrically opposed by her collared hand protection Innenflächen- and sleeve outer surface segments and in their Clamping position between the hand guard and sleeve spreads (claim 6).

Advantageously, an expansion body takes over the fixation of the hand guard, wherein the spreader is arranged on the clamping device and the power transmission between the sleeve and hand protection causes (claim 7).

Preferably, the clamping device has a rotatable shaft parallel to the sleeve iw, which is arranged between the sleeve and the hand guard and carries an eccentric. This eccentric forms the expansion body (claim 8). Here is arranged the shaft with the eccentric on that side of the sleeve, which is approximately opposite to the clamping position against each other depressed surface section pair of handguard and sleeve. The eccentric allows easy clamping and relaxing the clamping device, so that the hand guard can be placed and removed almost any number of times. In this case, the eccentric in the longitudinal direction of the barrel have a considerable length, so that the hand guard is securely held without being locally deformed.

The eccentric could wedged in a clamping position with its eccentric part from the inside between sleeve and handguard. However, it is preferred that the eccentric on its eccentricity radially opposite side merges into the shaft substantially flush. The latter takes in clamping position such a rotational position that the eccentric is supported against the sleeve and so the shaft bends resiliently. In this case, in the clamping position, at least one clamping region of the shaft abuts on the inside of the handguard and thus results in a surface contact. In this way, a high clamping force can be generated, which provides the appropriate grip of the hand guard, but only a very low surface pressure, because the force is transmitted over a relatively large contact zone between hand protection inside and sleeve outside. In the release position, the shaft is rotated relative to its clamping position, and the eccentric is either loosely against the sleeve or releases it (claim 9).

It is advantageous if the eccentric between the respective clamping region forming shaft ends of the shaft carrying it is arranged so that the shaft in the clamping position Blattfederähnlich the clamping force between the sleeve and hand guard builds and accordingly the power flow between the sleeve center, eccentric shaft ends and Hand protection runs. The eccentric can be fixed on the shaft, but is preferably integrally connected to the shaft. This ensures that the eccentric never changes its angular position with respect to the shaft (claim 10).

Preferably, the sleeve has on its one radial side at least two projections, which are also arranged offset in the axial direction (claim 8). If the spreader or the eccentric is arranged on the radially opposite side and axially located approximately between the two projections, the hand guard is clamped so that it does not bend even at high clamping forces. On the one hand, it supports itself on the one hand in the region of the sleeve ends on the sleeve projections, on the other hand, on the other hand, the two clamping regions arranged on the shaft ends are approximately diametrically opposed. In addition, the mounting rails give the hand guard an additional bending stiffness. Finally, the person skilled in the art knows the forces applied by the clamping device and therefore knows what degree of clamping is still permissible, taking into account the manufacturing tolerances, in order to securely hold the hand guard and the rails fastened to it in their desired position.

It is particularly advantageous that the sleeve projections are formed as annular beads (claim 12). Such annular beads, in particular with cylindrical outer surfaces, support, with appropriate inner surface of the hand guard, this area from, so that it can not be violently deformed when the gun falls down about.

The shaft could have a receptacle, so that a hexagon wrench o. The like. May be placed to rotate. Preferably, however, the shaft is connected to its rotation with a lever or connected, the foot end iw extends radially from the shaft to the outside (claim 13). The lever can be welded, for example. He remains however on the shaft and has with its head a sufficiently large distance from the shaft in order to adjust this.

The lever may preferably be shaped so that it puts around in its clamping position to the sleeve or the hand guard herin its clamping position around the sleeve or the hand guard, but protrudes with his head from this, so that he without special tool in its release position can be pivoted (claim 14).

The lever can be anywhere on the shaft, such as at the front or in the middle. However, it is preferred that it is arranged in the region of the rear shaft end and behind it, more precisely at the rear end of the shaft, a bearing pin is formed. The journal engages in laterally leading recesses of a housing, preferably of the weapon housing, and thereby centered before the shaft (claim 15). The rear end of the shaft is thus guided in the immediate vicinity of the lever so that by means of the lever large forces can be exerted on the shaft, without that the shaft overloaded their front bearing excessively or even so far from their position, so that they no longer runs parallel to the sleeve.

Advantageously, the shaft extends in a recess in the inside of the hand guard. This recess may be, for example, an inner side of a Picatinny rail integrated in the hand guard. Especially in the case of the shaft with rear journal, it is sufficient and preferred that the front end of the shaft is supported in the clamping position of the shaft on the hand guard or a built-in Picatinny rail. The walls of such a Picatinny rail in hand protection namely sufficient for fixing the front end of the shaft completely.

The front end of the shaft therefore does not need to be mounted opposite the sleeve. Nevertheless, it is preferred that in the front end of the shaft, a groove is inserted, in which a spring clip is seated, which extends in a further annular groove in the front end of the sleeve and thereby couples the shaft to the sleeve (claim 16). However, the spring clip does not serve as a solid support, since it can indeed spring out radially from the annular groove or can be pivoted in the circumferential direction to the sleeve. The spring clip is mainly used to hold the shaft with the hand guard removed. As a result, the journal formed on the rear end of the shaft remains in its abutment on the housing even with the hand guard removed. So the wave can not fall down. Because it is held in front of the spring clip and the back of the abutment.

It has been stated that it is sufficient in principle, when the hand guard is clamped only in the radial direction. In order to keep the hand guard but also at high, axially acting loads (eg recoil) firmly and accurately positioned on the weapon, while allowing unhindered thermal expansion, it is preferred that near the rear end of the shaft another eccentric sits in the Clamping position of the shaft, engages in a recess in the hand guard, preferably radially (claim 17). In the clamping position, the clamping device thus fastened one end of the hand guard positively to the weapon, but allows a free stretching and contraction of the other, not further attached hand guard. However, removal of the hand guard from the weapon is impossible as long as the hand guard is clamped. The above recess in the hand guard is otherwise preferably formed continuously, so that you can see from the outside, whether the (further) eccentric engages in the recess or not. This simplifies the production and the eccentric pushes out any dirt in the recess when locking.

The described holder of the hand guard can be applied to any handguard. Because of the described advantages of the holder, it is preferred if the hand guard on its outer side at least one mounting rail, in particular a Picatinny rail has (claim 15). Then it is also particularly advantageous that the recess on the inside of the hand guard forms the inside of a mounting or Picatinny rail on which the shaft ends exercise their clamping force (claim 19).

The clamping device is characterized by handling safer, that it can be locked in its clamping position (claim 20). A user of the weapon overcomes a noticeable locking resistance during locking and thus recognizes alone during handling - without further control would be required - whether the clamping device is properly locked and the hand guard is fixed. This is achieved via a corresponding design of the active surface pairings between sleeve and locking element (eccentric) or between hand guard and locking element (clamping ranges of the shaft) (claim 21).

The invention also includes a handgun equipped with the clamping system described above (claim 22).

- Fig. 1

die Seitenansicht des vorderen Teils eines Schnellfeuergewehres ohne Handschutz mit einer Klemmeinrichtung des erfindungsgemäßen Spannsystems,

- Fig. 2

einen Längsschnitt durch einen Teil des in Fig. 1 dargestellten Gewehrabschnitts, in der Lösestellung der Klemmeinrichtung, und mit aufgesetztem Handschutz,

- Fig. 3

einen Längsschnitt wie in Fig. 2, aber in Klemmstellung der Klemmeinrichtung,

- Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt längs Linie IV - IV in Fig. 2,

- Fig. 5

einen Querschnitt längs Linie V - V in Fig. 3 und

- Fig. 6 und 7

eine Fig. 5 entsprechende Darstellung mit einer alternativen Ausführung von Exzenter und Welle.

The clamping system according to the invention and the handgun equipped therewith will be described in more detail by means of embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Showing:

- Fig. 1

the side view of the front part of a rapid-fire rifle without hand guard with a clamping device of the clamping system according to the invention,

- Fig. 2

a longitudinal section through a part of in Fig. 1 shown rifle section, in the release position of the clamping device, and with attached hand protection,

- Fig. 3

a longitudinal section as in Fig. 2 , but in clamping position of the clamping device,

- Fig. 4

a cross section along line IV - IV in Fig. 2 .

- Fig. 5

a cross section along line V - V in Fig. 3 and

- Fig. 6 and 7

a Fig. 5 corresponding representation with an alternative version of eccentric and shaft.

The drawings show a gas pressure-loading weapon comprising a supporting base block 1, which is the housing or is firmly connected thereto. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity, the block will be simply referred to as "housing 1" hereinafter. In the housing 1, a barrel 3 with the axis of the soul 4 by means of a Vielnutprofils 7 (FIG. Fig. 2 ) and attached by means of an over-pushed sleeve 5, which is screwed like a union nut by means of a thread 9 with the housing 1. On the top of the housing 1, a Picatinny rail 23 is formed.

Further forward, a gas cylinder housing 11 is pushed over the barrel 3 and secured with transverse pins 13. The gas cylinder housing 11 is connected via a gas passage, which passes through the wall of the barrel 3, with a parallel to the barrel 3 gas cylinder. Gas duct and gas cylinder are not in the drawing shown. A piston rod 15, parallel to the barrel 3, which is pushed forward by a spring (not shown) and moves rearwardly during firing, acts on the shutter carrier to move the plug head 17 (FIG. Fig. 2 and 3 ) and to accelerate it to open to the rear against the force of a closing spring (not shown).

The sleeve 5 surrounds the barrel 3 at a distance and pushes it over a shoulder and a race 19 firmly against the housing 1. The thread 9 provides this the necessary pressure force. Thus, the sleeve 5 initially forms a thermal insulation, since it produces no physical connection to the barrel 3 over almost its entire length. But especially important is the fact that the vibration behavior of the barrel 3 does not change, no matter what may be grown on the outside of the sleeve 5.

The inner surface of the sleeve 5 is largely cylindrical. The outer surface of the sleeve 5 can be inscribed in a circular cylinder which only touches the front and rear end of the sleeve. In between, the outer surface of the sleeve is constricted and thus forms over most of its length a cylindrical surface over which the front and rear end of the sleeve protrude in an annular manner, specifically by the same radial dimension. These two sleeve ends are configured as annular beads 5 ', 5 "with a cylindrical peripheral surface.

The hand guard 21 ( Fig. 2 . 3 . 4 and 5 ) consists of a suitable material, such as plastic, metal, a plastic with metal inserts or, a suitable composite material, and is integrally formed, for example as an injection molded part, casting, extruded profile, milled or welded construction. It has cylindrical inner surface segments 29, 29 '( Fig. 5 . 6 and 7 ), with which he the annular beads 5 ', 5 "of the sleeve. 5 includes radially. The tolerance and heat clearance against the outer surface of the annular beads 5 ', 5 "is such that the hand guard 21 is easily pushed onto the weapon without resistance Fig. 4 this is indicated by an annular gap 6 which is shown in an exaggerated manner and which extends between the annular beads 5 ', 5 "and the inner surface segments 29, 29' with the hand guard 21 loosely pushed in. The upper inner surface segments 29 sit on the annular beads 5 'when the hand guard 21 is pulled downwards, 5 "of the sleeve 5 and there remains only a residual gap 6 'between the lower inner surface segments 29' and the annular beads 5 ', 5" ( Fig. 5 . 6 and 7 ).

In the illustrated embodiment, the top of the hand guard 21 is formed as a Picatinny rail 25. This snaps flush with the Picatinny rail 23 on the housing 1. For this purpose, i. for alignment of the hand guard 21 (including the Picatinny rail 25) in the circumferential direction on the sleeve 5, the hand guard has a projecting beyond its rear end face nose 48, which engages in a correspondingly shaped groove 49 in the Picatinny rail 23. The region of the hand guard 21 which forms the upper Picatinny rail 25 is hollowed out from below, which may be necessary for production-related reasons, so that the hand guard 21 has essentially uniform wall thicknesses. In this upper cavity of the hand guard 21 of the gas cylinder, the associated linkage and its suspension (not shown).

The seat of the inner surface segments 29, 29 'of the hand guard 21 on the annular beads 5', 5 "of the sleeve 5 would be sufficient in itself to give the hand guard 21 the necessary support for its normal use, but not its firm, exactly reproducible Alignment to reach the axis of the soul 4. In unfavorable tolerances between annular beads 5 ', 5 " and the inner surface segments 29, 29 ', the hand guard 21 either on the weapon can not be mounted because its interior either has too small a diameter, or he sits too loosely on the annular beads 5' and 5 ", because he is cooling when running 3 a exposed to strong sunlight.

To remedy this problem and to give the hand guard 21 a clearly reproducible seat on the weapon, a clamping device 33 is provided which anchors the deferred hand guard 21 exactly on the weapon, but without hindering the necessary thermal expansion in any direction.

The clamping device 33 has a substantially parallel to the barrel 3 extending shaft 35 which sits in the interior of a formed as a lower Picatinny rail 27 portion of the hand guard 21. Said interior is between the lower inner surface segments 29 '. The shaft 35 is thus accommodated analogously to the throttle linkage 15 in a cavity of a trained as a Picatinny rail hand guard section. However, the bottom of the interior of the lower Picatinny rail 27 is not rounded like this but flat, for reasons which will be explained later.

The hand guard 21 also has two lateral picatinny rails 31 ( Fig. 5 ).

The shaft 35 has in its two end regions in each case a thickening 35 'and 35 ". From its rear end projects a bearing pin 39 which is coaxial with it and which sits in a receptacle provided with vertical play in the weapon housing 1. In front of this bearing journal 39 is laterally attached to the shaft 35, a lever 37. In its clamping position - Fig. 5 and 7 - The lever 37 runs outside the sleeve 5 and the hand guard 21 around and stands with its bent-out end 38 next to the upper Picatinny rail 25 from; here, on the, seen from behind, left side of the weapon. There, this lever end can be detected at any time - even during the aiming - with the left eye, so that it immediately catches the eye when the lever 37 should not be properly about the hand guard (in the closed position) ( Fig. 4 and 6 ). The cranked end 38 can also be operated with a strap loop when locking or unlocking the clamping device 33, if higher forces are to be applied, as is possible with pure manual operation.

The front end portion of the shaft 35 terminates in a pin-like projection having an annular groove at its root. This annular groove is located radially adjacent to an annular groove which is introduced into the outside of the front annular bead 5 'of the sleeve 5. A spring clip 41, preferably in the form of two, merging circular arcs, each of which is open at its top, is pushed into the annular grooves. When the hand guard 21 is removed, the spring clip 41 holds the shaft 35 so that it can not fall down.

The shaft 35 is formed in its center as an eccentric 43, the eccentricity of the opposite side has a wide flattening, which merges into the shaft 35. The eccentric 43 is mounted and formed so that it is in its clamping position, so when the lever 37 is applied to the hand guard 21 ( Fig. 5 ), is directed against the sleeve 5 and presses against this and thereby the shaft 35 a little outwards (down) bends. The flattening of the eccentric portion is designed so that when tensioned, ie located in the clamping position shaft 35 exerts no force on the handguard. In the exemplary embodiment, a gap remains between the eccentric portion of the shaft and the inner side of the hand guard 21 opposite it.

The two wave thickenings 35 ', 35 ", however, are pressed downwards by the bending stress of the shaft 35 to the bottom of the interior of the lower Picatinny rail 27 and pull the upper inner surface segments 29 onto the cylindrical outer surfaces of the annular beads 5' and 5" The shaft 35 acts as a tensioned leaf spring via the eccentric 43. The hand guard 21 is thus coupled in a defined position to the sleeve 5. For this purpose, the receptacle in the housing 1 centers the bearing journal 39 laterally with sufficient vertical play, so that the rear shaft thickening 35 'is centered. The spring clip 41 permits a corresponding vertical clearance for the front shaft thickening 35 'The lateral centering may also be effected additionally via the lateral inner surfaces of the inner space associated with the lower Picatinny rail 27 the diameter of the wave thickening 35 ', 35 "are tuned.

The clamping position is in Fig. 3 shown, it is clearly seen that the shaft 35 is slightly bent down and press the thickenings 35 ', 35''against the bottom of the lower Picatinny rail 27 associated interior. In the release position of Fig. 2 the eccentric is laterally rotated and the shaft 35 springs back to its original position. The release or clamping position is in cross section in the 4 and 5 shown.

In the clamped state, the hand guard 21 is thus always fixed in the same angular position relative to the axis of the soul and retains this angular position even with thermal expansion. The front shaft thickening 35 'holds the hand guard 21, but hinders its thermal expansion only insignificantly. In the release position, however, the hand guard 21 can easily be withdrawn forward or pushed from the front.

For further securing in the axial direction is an eccentric nose 45 at the rear end of the shaft between the lever 37 and the thickening 35 "( Fig. 3 ) arranged. This nose extends radially beyond the thickening 35 ", in the direction of the side opposite the eccentric 43. Radially opposite, a collar segment 46 is formed, which is received between the rear end face of the sleeve 5 and the housing 1, and thus the shaft If the lever 37 is folded and thus the shaft 35 is rotated from the release position to the clamping position, the nose 45 dips down into a (eg radial) recess 47 in the hand guard 21. By engaging the nose 45 in the recess 47 is thus also the hand guard 21 positively fixed in the axial direction.

• An die Hülse 5 ist der Handschutz 21 radial gekoppelt, und zwar über seine radialen Stützflächen, d.h. seine oberen Innenoberflächensegmente 29, die sich auf den Ringwülsten 5' und 5" der Hülse 5 radial abstützen. Dies wiederum wird mit Hilfe der gespannten Welle 35 erzielt, deren mittiger Exzenter 43 radial gegen die Hülse 5 drückt und deren beide verdickte Endbereiche 35', 35" radial gegen die Innenoberfläche des Handschutzes 21 drückt.
• Die axiale Kopplung zur Aufnahme, insbesondere Rückstoßkräften, erfolgt über die Nase 45 in der Aussparung 47 und das Kragenelement 46.
• Und die Ausrichtung in Umfangsrichtung erfolgt über die Nase 48 und deren Aufnahme bzw. Nut 49.

Thus the three above-described couplings of the mechanical hand guard 21 to the weapon are constructively separated from each other:

• The hand guard 21 is radially coupled to the sleeve 5 via its radial support surfaces, ie, its upper inner surface segments 29, which are radially supported on the annular beads 5 'and 5 "of the sleeve 5. This in turn is achieved by means of the tensioned shaft 35 whose central eccentric 43 presses radially against the sleeve 5 and whose two thickened end portions 35 ', 35 "press radially against the inner surface of the hand guard 21.
• The axial coupling for receiving, in particular recoil forces, via the nose 45 in the recess 47 and the collar member 46th
• And the orientation in the circumferential direction via the nose 48 and the receiving or groove 49th

An existing conventional weapon, which has no inventive sleeve for barrel mounting, but this only the usual union nut, at any time by the inventive use of a sleeve, a clamping device and a component, in particular hand protection - each of the described type - be converted into a weapon according to the invention as far as the gas linkage permits). Thus, existing weapons can be converted into a universal weapon (automatic rifle, submachine gun, light machine gun, etc.), on whose fore-end aiming devices or the like can be attached, which must have a precisely reproducible angular position relative to the weapon. In the case of target devices, the hand guard with a Picatinny rail acts as an interface. However, the clamping system according to the invention also allows the attachment and their exact reproducible alignment of other components to run, such as another weapon, without such an interface.

In the embodiment described above, the coupling between the sleeve 5 and the hand guard 21 via the cylindrically extending outer surfaces of the sleeve annular beads 5 ', 5''and the corresponding cylindrical inner surface segments 29 of the hand guard 21. In a non-illustrated embodiment, the Hand protection inside also have flat surfaces, which touch the annular beads along axially extending lines of contact from the outside like a roof or the periphery of the annular beads 5 ', 5 "tangent-like. Conversely, the outer surfaces of the annular beads also polygonal (edge profile in the axial direction), about the nature of the outer surfaces a nut, and the inner surfaces of the handguard be cylindrical, which in turn forms areas of the hand protection inner surface line-like support at the edges. Of course, the mutually associated support surfaces of sleeve and handguard / component can also be configured more or less complementary to each other.

The acting on the sleeve 5 effective surface of the eccentric 43 is formed so that the eccentric 43 initially slides with its pivoting in its clamping position with a rounding on the sleeve 5 and then in the clamping position with a flattened portion of the sleeve 5, so that when jamming a locking resistance in the transition from the rounded to the flattened area is noticeable. Such a flattening can also alternatively or additionally be provided on the thickened shaft ends 35 ', 35 ", which are then in the clamping position with the flattened region at the bottom of the lower Picatinny rail 27 or at the bottom of a recess extending there in the hand guard 21 nestle. For this purpose, then the bottom is preferably flat, in order to enhance the desired locking effect yet.

6 and 7 illustrate an embodiment in which the latching effect is obtained by the fact that the eccentric 43 does not point exactly upwards in its final clamping position, but in a sense has already exceeded its zenith. When locking the eccentric 43 passes through shortly before the final position, first in Fig. 6 shown position in which the shaft 35 is maximally tensioned, and is in the transition to the final clamping position ( Fig. 7 ) relaxed again. This tactile relaxation, similar to a toggle mechanism, causes the desired detent action. The effective surface of the eccentric need not be made flattened. Again, the residual gap 6 'is shown oversubscribed.

In another embodiment (not shown), the central shaft portion, which is supported on the sleeve, is concentric with the shaft axis and the shaft ends are provided with eccentrics which press against the bottom (the inner space above the lower Picatinny rail) of the hand guard Total pull down. In a further embodiment, in the clamping position of the shaft whose middle region also abut the above ground of the hand guard, while the shaft ends are supported on the sleeve ends.

Claims (22)

1. A fastening system of a firearm for fixing a component (21), for instance a slip-on hand guard (21), in the area of the barrel (9) of the small arm, having:

   a sleeve (5), particularly a ring-shaped sleeve, which surrounds the barrel (3) at a distance therefrom and is fixed in relation to the axis of the bore (4), and which produces no physical connection to the barrel over almost its entire length, and

   a device (33), with which a surface area facing the sleeve (5), as an inner surface area (29), of the component (21) can be brought into contact with an opposite outer surface area ( 5' , 5") of the sleeve (5).
2. A fastening system according to Claim 1,
   in which the component (21) at least partially or almost completely surrounds the barrel (3) and the sleeve (5).
3. A fastening system according to Claim 1 or 2,
   in which the component (21) is supported on a housing, in particular on the weapon housing (1), to prevent rotation.
4. A fastening system according to Claim 3,
   in which the component is the hand guard (21).
5. A fastening system according to one of the preceding Claims,
   in which the device (33) is a clamping device (33) that is disposed between the sleeve (5) and the component (21) and can be moved into a clamping position, and that in its clamping position forces the mutually opposite inner (29) and outer surface areas (5, 5") of the component (21) and of the sleeve (5) towards each other.
6. A fastening system according to Claim 5,
   in which the clamping device (33) is disposed roughly diametrically opposite the inner surface areas (29) of the component (21) and the outer surface areas (5', 5") of the sleeve that are forced towards each other thereby, and in its clamping position expands between the sleeve and the component (21).
7. A fastening system according to Claim 6,
   in which the clamping device (33) comprises an expansion member (43).
8. A fastening system according to Claim 7,
   in which the clamping device (33) comprises a rotatable shaft (35) substantially parallel to the sleeve (5), which shaft runs between the sleeve (5) and the component (21) and bears a cam (43) forming the expansion member (43).
9. A fastening system according to Claim 8,
   in which the cam (43) on its side opposite its eccentric portion makes a substantially flush transition into the shaft (35), and in its clamping position is rotated with the shaft (35) so that it is supported against the sleeve (5) and resiliently twists the shaft (35) so that a fastening area (35', 35") of the shaft (35) exerts a clamping force on the component (21), which force clamps its inner surface area(s) (29) radially on the outer surface area(s) (5', 5") of the sleeve (5), and the cam (43), in a release position in which the shaft is twisted in relation to the clamping position, releases the sleeve (5), and the fastening area (35', 35") does not exert any clamping force on the component (21).
10. A fastening system according to Claim 9,
    in which in each case a fastening area (35', 35") is provided at each shaft end and the cam (43) is connected to the shaft (35) between these ends, in particular in one piece.
11. A fastening system according to one of the preceding Claims,
    in which the outer surface area(s) of the sleeve coming into contact with the inner surface area(s) (29) of the component (21) comprise or are at least two projections (5', 5") disposed on the same radial side of the sleeve (5) and shifted in the axial direction.
12. A fastening system according to Claim 11,
    in which the projections are designed as annular rings (5', 5"), in particular circumferential annular rings with a preferably cylindrical periphery.
13. A fastening system according to one of Claims 8 to 12,
    in which the shaft (35) is adjustable by means of a lever (37), the bottom end of which extends substantially radially outwards from the shaft (35).
14. A fastening system according to Claim 13,
    in which the lever (37) in its clamping position follows the perimeter of the sleeve (5) and of the component (21) respectively, butts against it/them and comprises a radially protruding top end.
15. A fastening system according to Claim 14,
    in which the lever (37) is disposed at the rear end of the shaft (35), and at this shaft end there is disposed a bearing pin (39), which engages in a corresponding recess of a housing, in particular the weapon housing (1), which recess laterally guides the bearing pin.
16. A fastening system according to one of Claims 8 to 15,
    in which the front ends of the sleeve (5) and the shaft (35) each comprise a groove for receiving a common spring clip (41), which couples the front shaft end to the front sleeve end.
17. A fastening system according to one of Claims 8 to 16,
    in which in the area of the rear shaft end an additional cam (45) is seated, which in the clamping position of the shaft (35) engages in a recess (47) in the component (21).
18. A fastening system according to one of the preceding Claims,
    in which the component (21) comprises at least one mounting rail, in particular a Picatinny rail (25, 27, 31), on its outside.
19. A fastening system according to Claim 17,
    in which the fastening area (35', 35") of the shaft (35) exerts the clamping force on the inside of the mounting rail.
20. A fastening system according to one of the preceding Claims,
    in which the clamping device (33) can be snapped into its clamping position.
21. A fastening system according to Claim 20,
    in which the effective surface combination between the sleeve (5) and the clamping device (33) and/or between the component (21) and the clamping device (33) is designed such that during the transition from the release position into the clamping position a perceptible resistance has to be overcome.
22. A small arm having a fastening system according to one of the preceding Claims.

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