Self-lockingly fastened components in a recoil environment

Abstract

In various embodiments, an apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising an assembly an assembly to operate in a recoil environment in which the assembly is mounted on a device that produces or transmits recoil; wherein at least one part of the assembly is self-lockingly fastened to a mating part, the mating part comprising another part of the assembly, a reciprocating part of a recoil-producing device, or another part of the recoil-producing device; the self-lockingly fastened parts including a threaded opening, and a non-threaded opening over the threaded opening, the non-threaded opening defining: a tapered opening to form a locking taper, or a tapered counter opening arranged to make taper-to-taper contact with a corresponding taper defined by a rotatably-driven part, wherein the threaded hole is arranged to mate with threading defined by the rotatably-driven part. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an assembly to operate in a recoil environment in which the assembly is mounted on a device that produces or transmits recoil;   wherein at least one part of the assembly is self-lockingly fastened to a mating part, the mating part comprising another part of the assembly, a reciprocating part of a recoil-producing device, or another part of the recoil-producing device;   the self-lockingly fastened parts including a threaded opening defining self-locking threads, and a non-threaded opening defining:
 a tapered opening to form a locking taper, or 
 a tapered counter opening arranged to make taper-to-taper contact with a corresponding taper defined by a rotatably-driven part, wherein the threaded hole is arranged to mate with threading defined by the rotatably-driven part. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which:
 the at least one part of the assembly is self-lockingly fastened to the mating part in more than one way, or   in which the threaded opening and the non-threaded opening are part of a locating counter opening dimensioned to slip-fittingly receive a corresponding non-threaded length of the rotatably-driven part to align a center axis of the rotatably-driven part with a center axis of the threaded opening.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the self-lockingly fastened parts defines the threaded opening and another part of the self-locking fastened parts defines at least a portion of the tapered counter opening. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatably-driven part that defines the self-locking threads comprises a sleeve nut. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein one of the self-lockingly fastened parts defines a threaded post for the sleeve nut, or has a threaded fastener mounted therein for receiving the sleeve nut. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein an exterior of the sleeve nut defines the corresponding taper to make taper-to-taper contact with the tapered counter opening, and wherein an interior of the sleeve nut defines the self-locking threads. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the tapered opening to mate with a tapered surface defined by an exterior of a castle nut, wherein the threaded opening is defined by an interior of the castle nut. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein one of the self-lockingly fastened parts defines the threading to mate with the self-locking threads defined by an interior of the castle nut. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one part of the assembly comprises an optic or a bracket, wherein the non-threaded opening extends through the optic or bracket and below a surface located below the optic or bracket. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatably-driven part comprises a rotatably driven-fastener, and wherein the threaded opening and the non-threaded opening are part of a same fastener opening to receive the rotatably driven-fastener;
 wherein the fastener opening includes a top section and a bottom section located below the top section in the fastener opening; and   wherein the bottom section defines the threaded opening and the top section defines the non-threaded opening.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the fastener opening comprises a locating counter opening dimensioned to slip-fittingly receive a corresponding non-threaded length of the rotatably driven-fastener to align a center axis of the rotatably driven-fastener with a center axis of the fastener opening. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the locating fastener opening includes a non-threaded non-tapered opening located between the threaded opening and the non-threaded, or
 wherein one of the non-threaded non-tapered opening or the tapered counter opening is dimensioned to slip-fittingly receives the corresponding part of the rotatably-driven fastener and another part of the non-threaded non-tapered opening or the tapered counter opening is clearance fit with a head or shoulder of the rotatably driven fastener.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an assembly to operate in a recoil environment in which the assembly is mounted on a device that produces or transmits recoil;   wherein at least one part of the assembly is self-lockingly fastened to a mating part, the mating part comprising another part of the assembly, a reciprocating part of a recoil-producing device, or another part of the recoil-producing device;   the self-lockingly fastened parts including a threaded opening, and a non-threaded opening over the threaded opening, the non-threaded opening defining:
 a tapered opening to form a locking taper, or 
 a tapered counter opening arranged to make taper-to-taper contact with a corresponding taper defined by a rotatably-driven part, wherein the threaded hole is arranged to mate with threading defined by the rotatably-driven part. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , in which the threaded opening and the non-threaded opening are part of a locating counter opening dimensioned to slip-fittingly receive a corresponding non-threaded length of the rotatably-driven part to align a center axis of the rotatably-driven part with a center axis of the threaded opening. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein one of the self-lockingly fastened parts defines the threaded opening and another part of the self-locking fastened parts defines at least a portion of the tapered counter opening. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the rotatably-driven part comprises a nut. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the corresponding taper is defined by a head of the rotatably-driven part, wherein the threading is defined by a threaded length below the head. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a reciprocating-part mounted assembly to operate in a recoil environment;   wherein at least one part of the reciprocating-part mounted assembly is self-lockingly fastened to a mating part, the mating part comprising a slide, a bolt carrier, or another reciprocating part of the recoil-producing device;   the self-lockingly fastened parts including a threaded opening, and a non-threaded opening over the threaded opening, the non-threaded opening defining:
 a tapered opening to form a locking taper, or 
 a tapered counter opening arranged to make taper-to-taper contact with a corresponding taper defined by a rotatably-driven part, wherein the threaded hole is arranged to mate with threading defined by the rotatably-driven part. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the rotatably-driven part comprises a nut. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein one of the self-lockingly fastened parts defines the threaded opening and another part of the self-locking fastened parts defines at least a portion of the tapered counter opening.