Mounting Configuration to Mount a Rail Segment and Accessories to a Hand Guard of a Firearm

Abstract

A hand guard comprising a hand guard body; a plurality of keys formed in the hand guard body, each of the keys comprising a hole portion and a slot portion intersecting the hole portion; each of the keys have a longitudinal axis; and each of the keys are arranged with the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around a circumference of the hand guard body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand guard comprising:
 a hand guard body;   a plurality of keys formed in the hand guard body, each of the keys comprising a hole portion and a slot portion intersecting the hole portion;   each of the keys have a longitudinal axis; and   each of the keys arranged with the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around a circumference of the hand guard body.   
     
     
         2 . The hand guard of  claim 1  wherein:
 the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around the circumference of the hand guard body is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         3 . The hand guard of  claim 2  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least one group, the at least one group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the circumference line maintaining a substantially constant axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         4 . The hand guard of  claim 3  wherein:
 all of the keys of the at least one group of keys are substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         5 . The hand guard of  claim 3  wherein:
 all of the keys of the at least one group of keys have a same orientation of the hole portion and the slot portion of the keys. 
 
     
     
         6 . The hand guard of  claim 3  wherein:
 all of the keys of the at least one group of keys are substantially identical. 
 
     
     
         7 . The hand guard of  claim 3  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least two groups, the at least two groups comprising a first group and a second group; 
 the first group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a first circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the first circumference line maintaining a substantially constant first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the first circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body; and 
 the second group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a second circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second circumference line maintaining a substantially constant second axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the second circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second axial position axially spaced from the first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         8 . The hand guard of  claim 3  wherein:
 the first group of keys and the second group of keys are adjacent groups; and 
 the first group of keys and the second group of keys have opposite orientations. 
 
     
     
         9 . A hand guard of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one rail segment mounted to the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         10 . A firearm comprising:
 a hand guard comprising a hand guard body;   a plurality of keys formed in the hand guard body, each of the keys comprising a hole portion and a slot portion intersecting the hole portion;   each of the keys have a longitudinal axis; and   each of the keys arranged with the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around a circumference of the hand guard body.   
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 10  wherein:
 the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around the circumference of the hand guard body is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 11  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least one group, the at least one group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the circumference line maintaining a substantially constant axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 12  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least two groups, the at least two groups comprising a first group and a second group; 
 the first group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a first circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the first circumference line maintaining a substantially constant first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the first circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body; and 
 the second group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a second circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second circumference line maintaining a substantially constant second axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the second circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second axial position axially spaced from the first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing a hand guard for a firearm, the method comprising:
 attaching the rail segment to a hand guard body, wherein the hand guard body comprises
 a plurality of keys formed in the hand guard body, each of the keys comprising a hole portion and a slot portion intersecting the hole portion; 
 each of the keys have a longitudinal axis; and 
 each of the keys arranged with the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around a circumference of the hand guard body. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 attaching the rail segment to a hand guard body further comprises
 passing a retaining portion of at least one nut through the hole portion of one of the keys; 
 inserting an oblong portion of the at least one nut in the slot portion of the one of the keys; and 
 mechanically engaging the retaining portion of the at least one nut with the hand guard body to inhibit separation of the rail segment from the hand guard body. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 attaching the rail segment to a hand guard body further comprises
 passing a retaining portion of a first nut through the hole portion of a first key of the keys, and passing a retaining portion of a second nut through a hole portion of a second key of the keys; 
 inserting an oblong portion of the first nut in the slot portion of the first key, and inserting an oblong portion of the second nut in the slot portion of the second key; and 
 mechanically engaging the first nut retaining portion with the hand guard body to inhibit separation of the rail segment from the hand guard body, and mechanically engaging the second nut retaining portion with the hand guard body to inhibit separation of the rail segment from the hand guard body. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein:
 the longitudinal axis of each of the keys extending around the circumference of the hand guard body is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least one group, the at least one group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the circumference line maintaining a substantially constant axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein:
 the plurality of keys are provided in at least two groups, the at least two groups comprising a first group and a second group; 
 the first group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a first circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the first circumference line maintaining a substantially constant first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the first circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body; and 
 the second group extending around the circumference of the hand guard body along a second circumference line extending around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second circumference line maintaining a substantially constant second axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body as the second circumference line extends around the circumference of the hand guard body, the second axial position axially spaced from the first axial position of the longitudinal axis of the hand guard body.