Sound suppressor with replaceable components

A sound suppressor having a housing and a baffle. The housing is integrally formed and has an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bore. The bore of the housing is defined by the inner surface of the housing and extends longitudinally. A serial number for the sound suppressor is provided on the outer surface of the housing. The baffle is removable from the housing and has an annulus. The annulus of the baffle is in communication with the inner surface of the housing when the baffle is at least partially disposed within the bore of the housing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to sound suppressors for firearms, and more particularly to firearm sound suppressors having replaceable components.

BACKGROUND

Firearm sound suppressors can absorb and reduce the audible frequencies and vibrations that result from the rapid expansion of gases leaving the muzzle of the firearm as a projectile exits. This is accomplished by temporarily containing and diverting the rapidly expanding gases and other combustion by-products that are emitted from the muzzle of the firearm in inner chambers of the sound suppressor.

Over time, inner components of the sound suppressor can become damaged by the projectile and/or combustion by-products. However, most high caliber sound suppressors typically have either a mono core design or are welded together. As a result, the damaged components within the sound suppressor cannot be easily repaired or replaced without damaging an outer housing of the sound suppressor. The outer housing of the sound suppressor typically contains a serial number, which the owner of the sound suppressor registers a governmental agency and pays a fee associated with the registration. If the serial number changes during the repair of the sound suppressor, the owner registers the new serial number with the governmental agency and pays the fee for a second time.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are sound suppressors for firearms. According to a first embodiment, the sound suppressor has a housing and a baffle. The housing is integrally formed and has an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bore. The bore of the housing is defined by the inner surface of the housing and extends longitudinally. A serial number for the sound suppressor is provided on the outer surface of the housing. The baffle is removable from the housing and has an annulus. The annulus of the baffle is in communication with the inner surface of the housing when the baffle is at least partially disposed within the bore of the housing.

According to a second embodiment, the sound suppressor has a housing, an end piece, and a baffle. The housing has a bore that extends longitudinally from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing. The end piece has a lip and a bore. The bore of the end piece extends longitudinally from a first end of the end piece to a second end of the end piece. The lip abuts the first end of the housing. The baffle has an axial bore. The baffle abuts the second end of the end piece.

According to a third embodiment, the sound suppressor has a housing, an end piece, a plurality of baffles, and a front cap. The housing is integrally formed and has an outer surface, and inner surface, and a bore. The bore of the housing is defined by the inner surface of the housing and extends longitudinally from a first end of the housing to a second end of the housing. The first end of the housing and the second end of the housing having screw thread. A serial number for the sound suppressor is provided on the outer surface of the housing. The end piece has a lip, screw thread, and a bore. The screw thread on the end piece can engage the screw thread on the first end of the housing. The bore of the end piece extends longitudinally from a first end of the end piece to a second end of the end piece. Each baffle of the plurality of baffles has an annulus and an axial bore. The front cap has screw thread and a bore. The screw thread of the front cap can engage the screw thread on the second end of the housing. The bore of the front cap extends from a first end of the front cap to a second end of the front cap. The end piece, the plurality of baffles, and the front cap are removable from the housing. The lip of the end piece abuts the first end of the housing, the annulus of one baffle from the plurality of baffles abuts the second end of the end piece, and the annulus of another baffle from the plurality of baffles abuts the first end of the front cap when the end piece and the front cap are threaded to the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A sound suppressor10for a firearm is illustrated inFIGS. 1-2. The sound suppressor10includes an end piece20, a housing30, a baffle core40, and a front cap50that are coaxially aligned so that a projectile (not shown) can enter the sound suppressor10through a bore25in a first end21of the end piece20and exit the sound suppressor10through a bore53in a second end52of the front cap50.

Occasionally components of the end piece20, the baffle core40, and/or the front cap50need to be repaired or replaced. The sound suppressor10is designed so that the damaged component can be repaired or replaced while leaving the housing30, which can contain a serial number35, intact. The serial number35can be etched into, affixed to, or printed onto an outer surface34of the housing30.

The housing30can be integrally formed and have a substantially circular tubular configuration extending longitudinally from a first end31to a second end32. The housing30can be implemented using other configurations, such as rectangular, triangular, or polygonal. An inner surface33of the housing30defines a bore38that extends from the first end31of the housing30to the second end32of the housing30. Screw threads36,37can be formed on or in the inner surface33near opposing ends of the housing30. The screw thread36near the first end31of the housing30engages complementary screw thread23formed on or in an outer surface24of the end piece20to secure the end piece20to the housing30. The screw thread37near the second end32of the housing30can be comprised of two sections, one section to engage the baffle core40and the other section to engage the front cap50as will be explained. Other engagement mechanisms can be used to secure the end piece20, the baffle core40, and the front cap50to the housing30.

Similar to the housing30, the end piece20can have a substantially tubular configuration, although other configurations can be used. When the end piece20is disposed within the bore38and secured to the housing30, the first end31of the housing30can abut a lip28that extends radially from the end piece20. The lip28can be integrally formed near the screw thread23of the end piece20.

The first end21of the end piece20can be configured to attach to a firearm (not shown) so that the bore25in the first end21is in communication and aligned with a bore (not shown) in a firearm. The bore25in the first end21is also in communication with a bore26that extends through the end piece20so that the projectile can continue through the end piece20unobstructed. The bore26is defined by the inner surface27of the end piece20. Because of the size difference, a shoulder39is formed between the bore25and the bore26. As illustrated, the shoulder39is positioned near and transverse to the screw thread23of the end piece20.

A second end22of the end piece20is spaced longitudinally from the first end21of the end piece20. The second end22of the end piece20is configured such that the second end22fits within the housing30and the outer surface24of the end piece20is flush against the inner surface33of the housing30when the sound suppressor10is assembled. One way of accomplishing this is to have the diameter of the inner surface33of the housing30approximately the same size or slightly larger than the diameter of the outer surface24of the end piece20. The distance between the second end22and the lip28of the end piece20can be approximately 25% to 50% of the length of the housing30.

When assembled, the baffle core40is disposed within the bore38of the housing30. The baffle core40includes a plurality of baffles41-43, which attenuate and capture the flow of combustion gases associated with firing the projectile through the sound suppressor10. Although three baffles41-43are shown, the number and physical characteristics of the baffles41-43can vary. Of the three baffles41-43, baffle41is positioned closest to the first end31of the housing30, and baffle43is positioned closest to the second end32of the housing30. Baffle42is positioned between baffle41and baffle42. Each baffle41-43can have an axial bore44, a frusto-conical section45, and an annulus46. As shown, the apexes of frusto-conical sections45of the baffles41-43are disposed toward the bore25in the end piece20. Each axial bore44is large enough and coaxially aligned to accommodate passage of the projectile through the baffle core40. Each annulus46is connected to its respective frusto-conical section45and can be extend longitudinally in either direction. As shown, the annulus46of baffle41extends from its frusto-conical section45in a direction that is away from the bore25, and the annulus46of baffle42extends from its frusto-conical section45in a direction that is toward the bore25. The annulus46of baffle43extends from its frusto-conical section45in both directions.

The baffles41-43can be formed by casting, machining, or stamping and are manufactured so as to ensure a precise fit between the outer circumference of the annuli46and the circumference of the inner surface33of the housing30. By closely fitting the annuli46to the inner surface33of the housing30, expanding gases, combustion by-products, and sound energy can be prevented from passing between the annuli46and the housing30, which thereby increases the effectiveness that the sound suppressor10can suppress noise and muzzle flash.

The baffles41-43can be spaced apart by one or more spacers47. The spacers47can be formed as a separate unit or integrally formed as part of a baffle41-43. As illustrated, one spacer47is positioned between baffle42and baffle43. The spacer47has the same configuration as the housing30so that the outer circumference of the spacer47is flush against the inner surface33of the housing30. Cumulatively, the length of any spacers47and the annuli46of the baffles43can be approximately 25% to 75% of the length of the housing30.

The baffles41-43can be provided with ports or relief sections48that assist in dissipating combustion gases and sound energy. As illustrated, there are four ports48. Two of the ports48are formed on the frusto-conical sections45of baffles41-42. The other two ports48are formed in the axial bore44of baffle41. The baffles41-43can also be provided with screw thread49that is complementary to the screw thread37of the housing30. The screw thread49is used to secure the baffle core40to the housing30. As illustrated, the screw thread49is provided on baffle43. Other engagement mechanisms can be used to secure the baffle core40to the housing30.

The front cap50has a disk-like configuration and can be solid with the exception of the bore53that extends longitudinally between a first end51and the second end52. The bore53is sized so that the projectile can pass through it unobstructed. An outer surface54of the front cap50can be provided with screw thread55that is complementary to the screw thread37of the housing30. If screw thread49is used to secure the baffle core40to the housing30, the front cap50can be a jam nut to help prevent the baffle core40from unscrewing when the sound suppressor10is in use.

The sound suppressor10is assembled by inserting the second end22of the end piece20into the bore38at the first end31of the housing30until the lip28of the end piece20abuts the first end31of the housing30. The screw thread23of the end piece20can be engaged with the screw thread36of the housing30. The baffle core40is inserted into the bore38at the second end32of the housing30until the baffle core40is adjacent to the second end22of the end piece20. The annulus46of the baffle41closest to the first end31of the housing30may abut the second end22of the end piece20. The screw thread49of the baffle core40can be engaged with the screw thread37of the housing30. The front cap50can then be inserted into the bore38at the second end32of the housing30. The annulus46of the baffle43furthest from the first end31of the housing may abut the first end51of the front cap50. The screw thread55of the front cap50can be engaged with the screw thread37of the housing30. Once assembled, any spacers47, the annuli46of the baffles43, and the end piece20can cover the entire inner surface33of the housing30to protect the housing30from the expanding gases and other combustion by-products that are emitted by the firing of the projectile.

To disassemble the sound suppressor10, a tool such as a wrench can be used to disengage the screw thread55of the front cap50from the screw thread37of the housing30and remove the front cap50from the bore38of the housing30. The baffle core40can then be removed from the bore38of the housing30after disengaging the screw thread49of the baffle core40from the screw thread37of the housing30. The end piece20can also be removed from the bore38of the housing30after disengaging the screw thread23of the end piece20from the screw thread36of the housing30. Once disassembled, damage to the end piece20, the baffle core40, and/or the front cap50can be repaired before the sound suppressor is re-assembled as previously described.