This invention relates to gun and rifle sound suppressors or silencers. More particularly, this invention relates to such sound suppressors or silencers which incorporate special configurations of and arrangements of interior blast reflecting and channeling baffles.
Variously configured gas reflecting and channeling baffles and partitions are known to be mounted within the typically cylindrical hollow interior of a gun muzzle sound suppressor. Many known configurations of such baffles provide a marginal or deficient level of sound suppression. The instant inventive gun muzzle sound suppressor achieves enhanced and superior levels of sound suppression by providing specially configured bell or cone shaped baffles and by uniquely arranging such baffles in a linear series of segments within the suppressor's hollow interior.
The instant inventive sound suppressor device or implement is intended to serve as or function as an attachable and detachable auxiliary component of a pistol, a revolver, or a rifle. In a preferred embodiment, the instant inventive sound suppressor provides female helical threads at its breachward end for easy attachments to and detachments from a firearm's externally helically threaded muzzle. Such female threads constitute a gun muzzle attachment adapter.
A major structural component of the instant inventive gun muzzle sound suppressor comprises a plurality of or series of bell configured baffles which are also referred to herein as bells. In a preferred embodiment, such plurality of bells comprises a breachward-most bell and at least a second bell which is held at a longitudinally adjacent position with respect to the breachward-most bell. The breachward-most bell, in combination with the at least second bell, forms a linear bell series, such series extending muzzlewardly along the suppressor's central longitudinal axis.
In a preferred embodiment, each of the bell components of the inventive suppressor includes a relatively narrow throat opening at its breachward end and includes a relatively wide mouth opening at its muzzleward end. The throat of the at least second bell preferably extends breachwardly into the mouth of the breachward-most bell, and each bell necessarily has an annular wall which extends circumferentially about the suppressor's central longitudinal axis. Bullets fired through the suppressor pass successively through the bells' throats and mouths to emit at a muzzle opening.
The radially outer surface of the circumferentially extending wall of the breachward-most bell is preferably bowed radially inwardly and muzzlewardly so that such surface approximates a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of obverted ellipsoid surfaces, obverted paraboloid surfaces, and hyperboloid surfaces.
In contrast with the radially inwardly and muzzlewardly bowed radially outer surface of the breachward-most bell, the radially outer surface of the at least second bell is suitably substantially conic, such surface being configured as a portion of the surface of a geometric cone.
In the preferred embodiment, the suppressor further comprises a plurality of third bells which extends muzzlewardly in a linear series from the at least second bell. Each bell among the plurality of third bells is preferably configured substantially identically with the at least second bell.
A further structural component of the instant inventive gun muzzle sound suppressor comprises a first cylindrical housing or a radially inner cylindrical housing. In the preferred embodiment, the series of bells is securely and fixedly mounted within a hollow interior space defined by such radially inner cylindrical housing. Also in such embodiment, each bell is formed wholly with such inner cylindrical housing, the bells' annular mounts or supports residing at the peripheral edges or lips of the bells' mouths.
The radially inner cylindrical housing is preferably longitudinally segmented, and each bell's wholly formed connection with such housing preferably resides at one of such segments. Where the radially inner housing includes the preferred segmentation, a second housing or radially outer housing is preferably provided, such outer housing slidably receiving and supporting a longitudinally stacked array or series of the inner housing's segments. The inner housing's segments preferably further comprise pluralities of helical vanes. Such vanes are preferably fixedly attached to and extend radially outwardly from the outer surfaces of the radially inner housing segments. Such vanes form helical gas passage channels residing between the inner and outer housings. Radially outer ends of the helical vanes preferably contact the inner surface of the outer housing, allowing the vanes to securely and substantially centrally mount the inner housing's segments within the hollow interior of the outer housing.an
Each of the inner housing's segments necessarily has a longitudinal end and a breachward end, and in such stacked array or series, such ends abut or contact each other, the points of abutting contact constituting or forming annular seam components of the inner housing.
In operation of the instant inventive gun muzzle sound suppressor, a bullet may be fired from an attached weapon, such bullet passing longitudinally and muzzlewardly through the bells' throat and mouth openings. A portion of the expanding volume of gas following the bullet's passage initially impinges against the bowed radially outer surface of the breachward-most bell, and the remaining portions of such gas pass muzzlewardly through the throat of the breachward-most bell. Such remaining portions of the gas successively impinge against the substantially conic radially outer surfaces of the suppressor's muzzleward series of bells.
A reconfiguration of the instant invention's bells to alternatively breachwardly position one of the conic bells has been observed to produce a suppressor which performs markedly less effectively in terms of sound suppression. The preferred embodiment of the instant invention produces enhanced gun muzzle sound suppression by radially inwardly and muzzlewardly bowing the radially outer surface of the circumferentially extending wall of the breachward-most bell, and by conically configuring the radially outer surfaces of the muzzlewardly successive bells within the suppressor.
The segmented configuration of the suppressor's inner housing component advantageously allows an operator to select the number of segments and baffles which will be slidably received within the outer housing.
Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of a gun muzzle sound suppressor which incorporates structures as described above, and which arranges those structures in manners described above for the achievement of beneficial functions described above.
Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the instant invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Drawing
Referring to
Referring in particular to
In contrast with the concavely bowed outer surface 18 of the breachward-most bell or cone 2, the suppressor's at least second bell 4 has a radially outer surface 17 which is configured as a portion of the surface of a regular geometric cone.
A further structural component of the instant inventive gun muzzle sound suppressor comprises at least a first cylindrical housing or radially inner housing whose multiple segments are designated by Reference Numerals 22 and 22s. As can be seen in
For purposes of example and explanation, two of such seam components are specifically identified in
A plurality of third bell configured or conical baffles 24 is preferably provided, such third bells being arranged in a muzzlewardly extending or longitudinally extending linear series, such series extending from the at least second bell 4. In the preferred embodiment, each bell 24 among the plurality of third bells is configured substantially identically with the at least second bell 2. The further segments 22s of the at least first cylindrical housing incorporate and provide individual or one to one mounting support to such third bells 24.
Where the at least first cylindrical housing 22,22s includes the preferred linear series of segments, a second or radially outer housing 26 is preferably provided. Such outer housing 26 advantageously nestingly receives and supports the segments which comprise the inner cylindrical housing 22,22s. In the preferred embodiment, the inside diameter of the second or outer cylindrical housing 26 is greater than the outside diameter of the first cylindrical housing 22,22s, such differential in diameters advantageously creating a gas passage annulus 28 therebetween.
In a preferred embodiment, a multiplicity of gas channeling vanes or baffles 30 are disposed within the gas passage annulus 28, such vanes preferably both extending helically about the longitudinal axis 5 and extending along the outer housing's inner surface. In such embodiment, radially inner bases of the helical vanes 30 are formed wholly with or constitute continuations of the segments of the inner cylindrical housing 22,22s. Where such vanes 30 are provided, they constitute components of the he radially inner housing and of such housing's segments 22 and 22s.
Referring simultaneously to
Following a threaded installation of the blast choking ring 46, as indicated in
Following such inner housing segment insertions, the segments may freely slide muzzlewardly to assume the longitudinal series configuration depicted in
Upon achieving series configuration of the inner housing's segments, the radially outer ends of the vanes 30 continue to contact the inner surface of the outer housing 26, such contacts securely centrally positioning the segments within the hollow space of the outer housing 26.
Thereafter, a muzzleward portion of a provided ring configured gun muzzle adapter 34 may be initially slidably inserted muzzlewardly into the breachward opening of housing 26. To facilitate further mounting of the gun muzzle adapter 34, the breachward end of the housing 26 presents helical threads 32 which are gauged to mate with external helical threads 31 formed about the gun muzzle adapter 34. A muzzleward extension sleeve component 40 of the gun muzzle adapter 34 includes a multiplicity of gas passage slots 41 which function similarly with slots 50 at the muzzle end of the suppressor. Upon screw tightening of the gun muzzle adapter 34 by engagement of a wrench (not depicted within views) with wrench jaw sockets 36, the extreme muzzleward end of the gun muzzle adapter 34 advantageously presses the series of bells 2, 4, and 24 muzzlewardly against the shoulder 47 of the blast choking ring 46.
As a final assembly step, the suppressor 1 may be screwed onto a muzzle of a firearm (not depicted within views) through use of muzzle mounting screw threads 38. Helical threads 38 are commonly right handed in order to match common right handed threads which are applied to silencer adapted gun muzzles. Where threads 38 are right handed, threads 31, 32, 43, and 44 are preferably left handed so that threaded detachment of the suppressor 1 from such gun muzzle will not unscrew the threaded mounts of the adapter 34 and the ring 46.
In operation of the instant inventive sound suppressor, referring simultaneously to
Immediately following the muzzleward passage of such bullet, a substantial portion of blast gases may impinge against the radially inwardly and muzzlewardly bowed outer surface 18 of the breachward-most bell 2. A portion of such impinging gases reflects breachwardly while another portion of such gases continues muzzlewardly, passing through slots 41.
Blast gases which are shunted through slots 41 travel circumferentially, muzzlewardly, and helically along the annulus 28, the movement of such gas being dampened or buffered by the helically extending baffles 30. At the extreme muzzleward end of the annulus 28, and at the extreme muzzleward ends of the helical channels formed by vanes 30, such shunted portion of the expanding gas finally passes radially inwardly through slots 50 to emerge into the suppressor's final or muzzleward conical space 52. Such gases may then emit through muzzle opening 48. Accordingly, the annulus 28 and helical baffles 30 function as a gas pressure relief shunt or bypass which advantageously reduces breachward reflections of gases at bell surfaces 18 and 17. Such reduction of breachward reflection of gas beneficially minimizes the tendency of such reflected gases to interfere with a mechanically automated cartridge chambering function which may commonly be performed by the weapon's breach mechanism.
A separate portion of the expanding gas which explosively follows the above described fired bullet may initially pass through the suppressor's breachward-most throat opening 6, such gas thereafter impinging against the conical surface 17 of the at least second bell 4. Successively diminishing portions of such expanding gases pass through the throats of the third bells 24 to impinge against next successive conical radially outer surfaces.
The pressure and velocity of the bullet trailing gas which finally enters space 52 via combined passages through annulus 28 and through the throats of the bells is low and is markedly reduced. Accordingly, the instant inventive suppressor effectively reduces blast sounds emitting from muzzle opening 48 while minimizing breachward reflections of gas along the bore of the weapon's barrel.
Referring to the alternative configuration of Drawing
While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications to the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.
This application constitutes a continuation in part pursuant to 37 CFR 1.78(d) and 37 CFR1.53(b) (2) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/951,292, entitled “Gun Muzzle Sound Suppressor” and filed in the USPTO on Nov. 18, 2020. The benefit of and priority from said '292 application are hereby claimed. The inventors and applicants of said '292 application and those of the instant continuation in part application are the same. This continuation in part application is filed during the pendency of, and prior to any abandonment of said '292 application.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16951292 | Nov 2020 | US |
Child | 18206207 | US |