Firearm Suppressor Baffle

Abstract

A firearm suppressor baffle and related constructions. The baffle includes a forward disk portion, and a rearward tubular portion. The tubular portion acts to impede gas flow from an expansion chamber into the projectile's path of travel. This tube may be fitted with secondary baffles to create multiple gas-expansion chambers, accessible only through holes cut into the tubular protrusion or the baffles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/568,663 filed 5 Nov. 2017.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is related to flow reduction baffles and specifically to firearms suppressor baffle design. A firearm muzzle suppressor or silencer is a device mounted to the muzzle of a firearm which reduces the sound report and muzzle flash of the firearm by impeding the flow of the gases exiting the barrel.

A typical suppressor is constructed from a cylindrical tube containing a series of baffles separating chambers. These baffles may be constructed from one continuous piece of material (monocore), or a series of discrete baffles (a baffle-stack suppressor). The first chamber and baffle are commonly referred to as the blast chamber and blast baffle respectively.

It is desirable to create a baffle that uses the chamber space more effectively, allowing for larger chambers, lighter suppressors, and improved sound suppression. The present invention allows for the design of a suppressor having these desirable features while also being simpler to machine than contemporary monocore or baffle-stack suppressors.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention in its simplest form is a baffle for use in a firearm suppressor assembly. The baffle disk is formed to segment a suppressor body into compartments situated linearly along the bore axis of the attached firearm. The baffle may also be placed as to form the front end cap (the end cap that is not proximal to the muzzle of the firearm) of the suppressor. A hole is placed concentrically with the bore of the firearm to allow passage of the projectile. This hole need not be located in the center of the baffle, in such a case where the suppressor body is not a cylindrical tube or the body of the suppressor is not intended to be located concentrically with the bore of the firearm.

A tubular protrusion (which may be referred to as a blast tube to simplify the description of the invention) extends from the baffle disk in the direction of the muzzle of the firearm. The internal diameter of said protrusion is sufficient to allow the passage of the firearm's projectile. This protrusion extends concentrically with the bore of the firearm a large portion of the distance to the firearm muzzle, or previous baffle disk, as appropriate. The optimal length of said protrusion is dependent on many factors (including but not limited to the number of total baffles, the calibre of the firearm, and the intended weight of the complete suppressor). The length of said protrusion is sufficient to create a chamber between said protrusions' outer diameter and the suppressor main body, said chambers' opening being towards the end of the suppressor attached to the muzzle of the firearm.

Said disk and tubular protrusion may be described as constituting a primary baffle.

The present invention also consists of a modification to said primary baffle. The blast tube of the above baffle may be fitted with a secondary disk or cup (or multiple such disks or cups) that further segments the interior of the suppressor body into chambers. These disks may be flat, or sloped or curved. Said disks may extend fully to the wall of the suppressor body, or they may extend only part way. Said cups may have their face that is located perpendicularly to the bore axis shaped like the above disks. Said cups are shaped such that they extend away from the muzzle of the firearm and connect to either the end cap of the suppressor, a primary baffle (as described above) or the next cup in a stack of cups, similarly to a conventional suppressor baffle stack.

Hole are cut into the center blast tube of the primary baffle such that gases may flow into the chambers formed by said secondary disks. In this way, the benefits of a conventional baffle stack are attained with only simply constructed secondary disks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a perspective rear view of the firearm suppressor baffle.

FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view of a complete suppressor assembly constructed with two chambers and two baffles.

FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of a complete suppressor assembly constructed with a single chamber and baffle.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective rear view of the the internal components of a suppressor constructed with a single primary baffle, and two secondary disks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the firearm suppressor baffle in a rear perspective view. The baffle disk 11 is shown with the tubular protrusion 12 extending away from the disk in the direction towards the firearm. Said tubular protrusion (referred to as the blast tube) is hollow and open on both ends. When assembled into a complete suppressor attached to a firearm, the end of the tubular protrusion 13 is proximal to the muzzle. When the firearm is discharged and the projectile passes from the near end of the baffle to the far end 14, a portion of the discharged gasses will not enter the blast tube 12 and instead expand into the chamber around it. In this way the report of the firearm is suppressed.

The baffle disk 11 is shown as flat and concentrically aligned with the bore axis. The baffle disk could be non-circular, irregularly shaped, slanted, conical, or have some combination of these features.

FIG. 2 shows a possible complete suppressor depicted in a cutaway view. The host firearm attaches to the suppressor via its barrel 21. The barrel is attached to the rear endcap 22 of the suppressor body. Said endcap is affixed inside the suppressor outer body 23, in this case, a tube. This suppressor is constructed with two of the present invention 24 and 25, the second of which functions as the front endcap of the suppressor 26. The baffle disks are attached to the suppressor body via one of many methods (including threading, welding, and glueing). The tubular portion of the invention creates a chamber 27 between the suppressor body and the path of travel of the projectile. A similar chamber 28 is created in the frontward section of the suppressor. While the projectile passes through and exits out the front of the suppressor 31, the gases expand into these two chambers.

Some of the possible features of the invention are depicted. A sloped flange 29 acting to perturb airflow is connected to the first baffles' opening. A tiered set of steps 30 acting to perturb airflow is shown connected to suppressors' barrel side end cap. The baffle disk need not be flat nor attached to the tubular protrusion at 90 degrees, as shown in the second baffle 25.

FIG. 3 depicts a suppressor constructed more simply than the suppressor shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the barrel of the firearm 41 is attached to the rear endcap 42 of the suppressor assembly. Said endcap is attached to the suppressor main body 43. In this suppressor assembly, there is only a singular instance of the present invention 44, which creates a large interior expansion chamber 45, and also acts as the end cap of the suppressor 46. Also shown in this figure is a simple ring construction 47 for perturbing airflow attached to the baffle's tubular protrusion 44.

FIG. 4 depicts a suppressor constructed using three secondary baffles 54, 55, and 56 affixed to an blast tube 53. There is a space 52 between said blast tube and the muzzle side suppressor end cap 51 sufficient to allow gasses to expand into the large chamber surrounding the blast tube. The baffle disk 57 attached to this blast tube acts as the front end cap of the suppressor. Gasses that pass through the internal portion of the blast tube are allowed to expand into the three chambers created by the secondary baffles via a number of holes 58 placed in the blast tube.

Claims

1. A firearm suppressor baffle constructed of a disk (or other shape fitted to a suppressor body) from which a tubular protrusion (the blast tube) extends; wherein:

the baffle disk separates chambers within a suppressor assembly, a hole in the disk permits the passage of a projectile, the disk being shaped in any manner that allows it to be connected to the walls of the suppressor outer body;

the tube defines an axis concentric with the muzzle of a firearm along which a projectile can pass, the space between the tubular protrusion and the suppressor outer body defines a chamber for the expansion of gasses, a gap between the tube and any previous feature of the suppressor in the direction of the firearm's muzzle allows gasses to enter the chamber for the expansion of gasses.

2. The baffle of claim 1, wherein a ring is attached to the end of the tubular protrusion on the side proximal to the firearm's muzzle, the ring being either flat, sloped, or contoured on one or both sides.

3. The baffle of claim 1, wherein tiered or sloped components attached to the muzzle-side end cap of the suppressor and surround or partially surround the gap between the tube and the muzzle-side end cap.

4. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the tube is threaded or fluted internally or externally.

5. The baffle of claim 1, wherein secondary chamber creating disks are attached to the tubular protrusion, and gas is permitted to enter these secondary chambers by holes or slots in the tubular protrusion or the secondary disks.