This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/429,858 filed Jan. 5, 2011 and entitled “SUPPRESSOR SYSTEM FOR FIREARMS,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Cartridges contain powder that generates a rapidly expanding gas when combusted. When the cartridge is fired, the rapid expansion of the gas generates pressure that drives a bullet from the chamber and out of the muzzle. As the gas exits the muzzle of the firearm to the environment, the gas further expands thereby generating a report, which can be extremely loud.
Suppressors reduce the report of a firearm by controlling how the gas is exhausted. In particular, the expansion gas changes directions and expands over a larger distance and thus a longer period of time. It may be desirable to securely couple the suppressor to the muzzle. It may also be desirable to allow interchangeability whenever possible while still providing safety.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.
In at least one example, a suppressor system includes at least one inner core having a core bore defined therein, the core bore having a nominal core bore diameter. The inner core also includes a core coupling portion. A plurality of muzzle brakes each includes a bore having a nominal brake bore diameter. Each muzzle brake includes a brake-coupling portion. The inner core is configured to allow the brake-coupling portions of muzzle brakes, having nominal brake bore diameters that are equal to or less than the nominal core bore diameter, to couple to the core-coupling portion and to prevent the brake-coupling portions of muzzle brakes, having nominal brake diameters that are greater than the nominal core diameter, from coupling to the core-coupling portion.
In other examples, a suppressor system includes at least one inner core having a core-coupling portion and further including a core bore and a brake receiving recess defined therein. The core bore has a nominal core bore diameter. A plurality of muzzle brakes each have a brake bore defined therein. Each of the muzzle brakes also includes a protrusion and a brake-coupling portion. Muzzle brakes that have nominal brake bore diameters that are equal to or less than the nominal core bore diameter have protrusions sized to be sufficiently received within the brake receiving recess to allow the core-coupling portions to engage the brake-coupling portions to thereby couple the inner core to the muzzle brakes.
A suppressor system includes a first inner core. A first core bore is defined in the first inner core and has a first nominal core bore diameter. A first brake receiving recess is also defined in the first inner core that has a first recess length. A first brake coupling portion associated with the first brake receiving recess. The suppressor system also includes a second inner core. A second core bore is defined in the second inner core and has a second nominal core bore diameter. The second nominal core bore diameter is smaller than then the first nominal core bore diameter. A second brake receiving recess is also defined in the second inner core that has a second recess length. A second brake coupling portion associated with the second brake receiving recess. The second recess length is shorter than the first recess length. A first muzzle brake has a first brake bore defined therein having a first nominal brake bore diameter. The first nominal brake bore is equal to or less than the first nominal core bore diameter and a first protrusion configured to be received within the first brake receiving recess to allow the first inner core to couple to the first muzzle brake. A second muzzle brake is configured to couple to the second inner core and having a second brake bore defined therein having a second nominal brake bore diameter, the second nominal brake bore being equal to or less than the second nominal core bore diameter, and a second protrusion configured to be received within the second brake receiving recess to allow the second inner core to couple to the second muzzle brake, wherein the second protrusion is of a length to be received within the first brake receiving recess to allow the second muzzle brake to couple with the first inner core and the first protrusion of a length to prevent the first muzzle brake from coupling with the second inner core.
To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Suppressor assemblies are provided herein that are configured to cooperate with exhaust gases generated by firing cartridges from a rifle to generate tightening forces that act to tighten the coupling of the suppressor assembly to the associated rifle. In at least one example, these rotational forces may be in the same direction in which some component of the suppressor system is rotated to couple the suppressor system 200 to the muzzle of the barrel of the rifle. In some examples, the suppressor system includes an inner core that couples the suppressor assembly to the muzzle of the barrel of a firearm. In particular, in some examples the inner core may couple to a muzzle brake that in turn is coupled to or integrated with the muzzle of the barrel.
In at least one example, a suppressor assembly may include a plurality of muzzle brakes that allow for selected compatibility. In particular, muzzle brakes may be configured to allow a given muzzle brake to couple with inner cores having bores of the same or larger diameters while preventing coupling of that muzzle brake to inner cores with bores having smaller diameters than the muzzle brake. Such a configuration can allow interchangeability of the suppressor assembly with various rifles while minimizing incompatible coupling of inner cores and muzzle brakes (and the associated barrels).
Regardless of the type of firearm to which the suppressor system 200 may be coupled, the action 110 is operated to ignite powder in a cartridge to generate pressurized gases that propel the projectile from the barrel 120. As the bullet exits the barrel 120, the pressurized gas rapidly expands generating a report. The report can be very loud without the suppressor system 200 coupled to the barrel 120, depending on the charge of the cartridge. As will be discussed in more detail hereinafter, the suppressor system 200 is configured to control the speed and direction of exhaust gas to reduce the report of firing the rifle 100.
The suppressor system 200 is configured to be removably coupled to a muzzle 122 of the barrel 120. In at least one example, the suppressor system 200 is removably coupled to the muzzle 122 by rotating some portion of the suppressor system 200 relative to the muzzle 122. For example, some portion of the suppressor system 200 may be rotated in a clockwise manner to thread the suppressor system 200 onto the muzzle 122, though it will be appreciated that other coupling configurations are possible.
One such exemplary configuration is shown in
As illustrated in
The muzzle brake 230 may be at least partially received within and threadingly coupled to the inner core 210, as will be discussed in more detail at appropriate points hereinafter. The muzzle brake 230 may be threadingly coupled to or integrated with a muzzle of a barrel as desired.
As illustrated in
With continuing reference to
The inner core 210 is configured to change the direction and speed of exhaust gasses that enter the suppressor 200. In the illustrated example, the inner core 210 includes channels defined therein that form core baffles 215. The core baffles 215 are configured to interact with exhaust gasses passing through the inner core 210 in such a manner as to rotate the inner core 210 in the same direction the suppressor 200 rotates to couple the suppressor 200 to the muzzle 122 (
The core baffles 215 or other components may be configured as desired to provide the rotational forces described above. Still referring to
In the example shown in
As further shown in
In the illustrated example, intersections between the axial edge 217B and the transverse edges 216A, 216B may be radiused such that the intersections are rounded. For example, the intersections may each be rounded with a 0.25 inch radius or greater. It will be appreciated that the other configurations may be implemented to provide the functionality of directing the exhaust gas to rotate the inner core 210 in the desired direction.
As illustrated in
The interior coupling portion 218 is configured to couple with the coupling portion 234 on the muzzle brake 230 to thereby couple the inner core 210 to the muzzle brake 230. In the illustrated example, the interior coupling portion 218 and the coupling portion 234 are configured to be threadingly coupled. Accordingly, the interior coupling portion 218 may include interior threads and the exterior coupling portion 234 may include exterior threads.
When the muzzle brake 230 is coupled to the inner core 210, the bores 214, 231 are aligned. With the bores 214, 231 thus aligned, exhaust gases from the muzzle 122 of the barrel 120 are directed toward bore 214 of the inner core 210. A portion of the gasses directed through the bore 214 will be directed laterally through the core baffles 215 where the transverse edges 216A, 216B direct the gasses to the axial edges 217A, 217B (
Various physical phenomena may occur to cause the gasses to exert rotational forces on the inner core 210. For example, the differentially configured axial edges 217A, 217B may cause the gasses to exert differential forces on the edges, thereby causing the gasses to exert rotational forces on the inner core 210. In at least one, example, the inner core 210 may be configured to cause these forces to act to tighten the inner core 210 to the muzzle brake 230. Such a configuration may help ensure the suppressor system 200 will remain coupled to the associated firearm. As will now be discussed in more detail, inner cores and muzzle brakes may be provided that allow for compatibility of inner cores with muzzle brakes with the same or smaller nominal bore diameters while minimizing unintended use of inner cores with muzzle brakes with larger nominal bore diameters.
In general, the first end (proximate the muzzle of an associated rifle) of an inner core is internally threaded while the first end of a muzzle brake is externally threaded. In the example illustrated in
Allowing the inner core 210 to thus couple to both the muzzle brake 230, shown in
In particular,
In particular,
In such an example, protrusion 234 may have a length that prevents the coupling portion 218′ of the inner core 210′ from engaging the coupling portion 236 on the muzzle brake 230, thereby preventing the inner core 210′ from properly coupling to the muzzle brake 230. In particular, the end of the protrusion 234 may abut against the second end of the protrusion-receiving recess 212′. The abutment may maintain some portion of the muzzle brake 230 exterior to the inner core 210′, such as to maintain the coupling portion 236 exterior to the brake-receiving recess 212′.
Maintaining the coupling portion 236 exterior to the brake-receiving recess 212′ maintains the coupling portion 218′ separated from the coupling portion 236. In the illustrated example, this contact prevents the threads associated with each of the coupling portions 218′, 236 from threading together. Preventing the threads from thus engaging may prevent proper coupling of the muzzle brake 230 and the inner core 210′, thus helping reduce the likelihood that muzzle brakes will be used with inner cores having smaller nominal bore sizes.
In several examples, including those illustrated in
As seen in
As shown in
In at least one example, the symbols 222 may be machined into the sleeve 222. Such a configuration may allow an operator to readily determine if an inner core 210/sleeve 210 assembly may be properly coupled at a glance by comparing, the number of symbols 222 on the sleeve 220 to the number of brake baffles 238 on the muzzle brake 230. If the number of brake baffles 238 on the muzzle brake 230 is equal to or less than the number of symbols 222 on the sleeve 220, the inner core 210 (to which the sleeve 220 is secured) may be properly coupled to the muzzle brake 230.
It will be appreciated that the muzzle brakes and the inner cores may have any configuration that allows inner cores to couple with muzzle brakes having the same or smaller nominal bore diameters while preventing coupling of muzzle brakes to inner cores having smaller nominal bore diameters. In the example shown in
In the example illustrated in
However, as shown in
The suppressor system 200 may be further configured to help reduce the potential for coupling inner cores to muzzle brakes with larger bore diameters than the bore diameters of the inner cores. For example, as shown in
In the examples shown and discussed above, two bore sizes are shown with the exemplary muzzle brakes and inner cores. It will be appreciated that any number of bore sizes may be implemented, such as by providing protrusions and brake-receiving recesses of appropriate sizes. Further, any number of brake baffles may be provided to correspond to any number of nominal bore sizes or calibers as desired.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4716809 | A'Costa | Jan 1988 | A |
5698810 | Rose | Dec 1997 | A |
6722254 | Davies | Apr 2004 | B1 |
20080083321 | Dueck et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120167749 A1 | Jul 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61429858 | Jan 2011 | US |