Patent Publication Number: US-10330417-B2

Title: User configurable and maintainable firearm suppressor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to firearm suppressors and, more particularly, to a user configurable firearm suppressor that may be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning and maintenance. 
     Despite the popularity of current firearm suppressors, a number of problems remain. The cost of each firearm suppressor is relatively high. Currently, each type of firearm uses a different type of suppressor. For example, a 6″ overall length 14.5 ounce welded suppressor is intended to be used with 5.56 mm ammunition only. A 6.7″ pistol silencer may be intended to be used with 9 mm pistol ammunition. This design intent is sometimes unknown to the user, and the user may fire a 5.56 mm rifle round through a 9 mm pistol suppressor which destroys the suppressor and launches the suppressor down range. For a user that has many types of firearms, purchasing the corresponding suppressor for each firearm can be very costly. 
     Additionally, cleaning or servicing the internals of firearm suppressors can be very difficult or impossible. Current suppressors may have end caps that unscrew to access the internal components. However, the threaded end caps loosen in as few as five to ten shots due to vibration. Welded end caps prevent access to the internal components. Threaded mono baffle designs become lead and copper brazed to the tube which also prevents access. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a user configurable firearm suppressor that can be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning and maintenance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a firearm suppressor comprises: a cylindrical body having a first end, a second end, wherein the second end comprises a discharge bore, and an inner surface forming an internal bore, wherein the internal bore comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the inner surface of the proximal portion comprises a taper forming a female frusto-conical surface; a plurality of baffles disposed within the distal portion of the cylindrical body; and a firearm mount interface comprising a receiving bore releasably securable to a firearm, wherein the firearm mount interface is releasably secured to the first end of the cylindrical body. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a firearm suppressor comprises: a cylindrical body having a first end, a second end, wherein the second end comprises a discharge bore, and an inner surface forming an internal bore, wherein the internal bore comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the inner surface of the proximal portion comprises a taper forming a female frusto-conical surface; a firearm mount interface comprising a receiving bore releasably securable to a firearm, wherein the firearm mount interface is releasably secured to the first end of the cylindrical body; and a rifle baffle disposed within the proximal portion of the internal bore and comprising a distal end comprising an outer surface comprising a taper forming a male frusto-conical surface nesting against the female frusto-conical surface. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a section detail view along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a section detail view along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a section detail view along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a rifle baffle of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     A user configurable and maintainable firearm sound suppressor is provided. The suppressor includes a cylindrical body having first end and a second end opposite the first end. The cylindrical body includes an internal bore, the first end includes a receiving bore and the second end includes a discharge bore aligning with one another. The internal bore includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion contains a plurality of baffles, and in some configurations, the proximal portion contains a single baffle with two tapered engagement surfaces. Where the single baffle is present, the distal end taper of the baffle engages the cylindrical body&#39;s taper, and the proximal taper of the baffle engages a tapered surface of a firearm mount interface. The proximal portion includes an open bore suitable for receiving one of a plurality of firearm mount interfaces. The interfaces configure the firearm suppressor in pistol, high power, and magnum powered rifle embodiments. The firearm suppressor allows the user to change configurations to vary length, sound performance, enhance usability, reliability, and safety factors beyond the capabilities of prior art systems to suit the desired host firearm parameters. The present invention may be adaptable to a user&#39;s entire firearms collection. The user configurable and maintainable firearm sound suppressor also includes a novel distal end cap design allowing desirable ease of disassembly for cleaning and maintenance. 
     As mentioned above, the suppresser of the present invention may be utilized with different types of firearms. The suppressor of the present invention confronts several major engineering obstacles. In the pistol configuration, the suppressor is light enough for reliable cycling on semi-automatic tilt-unlocking pistols, and its size is compact for ideal pistol handling. For the rifle configuration, the suppressor is strong, safe, durable and also larger in size to provide optimal sound performance. In order to be maintainable and serviceable, the present invention provides access to internal components, yet does not come apart during use. 
     The cylindrical body includes a double bored tube made of a material with a high strength to weight ratio such as aluminum, titanium, stainless steel and the like. In certain embodiments, the present invention may be made of 17-4PH, which is stainless steel that provides a substantial increase in strength without excessive weight and is relatively low in cost. The double bored tube of the present invention allows the primary baffle used for rifle configurations to be housed in its own bore, taking linear force application away from the pistol baffles in front of it, reducing their yield stress in the assembly. The mounting systems for the rifle configurations add volume, allowing pressure to be halved. In combination with the primary baffle, the rifle configurations increase dwell and further reduce peak pressure reaching the pistol baffles by approximately 75% in total, allowing the pistol baffles to be light enough for pistol use, yet strong enough for use in high power and magnum calibers. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 8 , the present invention includes a firearm suppressor  10 . The firearm suppressor  10  includes a cylindrical body  12  having a first end  14  opposite a second end  16 . The second end  16  includes a discharge bore  18 . A firearm mount interface  32  is releasably secured to the first end  14 . In certain embodiments, the first end of the cylindrical body  12  may include female threads  15  that mechanically fasten to male threads  17  of the firearm mount interface  32 . The firearm mount interface  32  includes a receiving bore  20  that releasably secures to an end of a barrel of a firearm. An internal bore  22  is formed by an inner surface of the cylindrical body  12 . The internal bore  22  includes a proximal portion  24  and a distal portion  26 . The inner surface of the proximal portion  24  includes a taper forming a female frusto conical surface  28 . A plurality of baffles  30  are disposed within the distal portion  26  of the cylindrical body  12 . 
     Each of the baffles  30  of the present invention may include a frusto-conical sidewall  48 . The frusto-conical sidewall  48  includes an apex having an axial bore  50  and a base  52  opposite the apex. The apex is disposed towards the receiving bore  20  and the base  52  is disposed toward the discharge bore  18 . 
     In certain embodiments, the baffles  30  may be removable from the cylindrical body  12 . A ledge  60  is formed on the inner surface of the distal portion  26 . The base of the rearward most baffle  30  abuts against the ledge  60 . The second end of the cylindrical body  12  may also include female threads  15 . A discharge end cap  54  and a lock collar  62  may each include male threads  17  that mechanically fasten to the female threads  15  of the second end  16 . The discharge end cap  54  and the lock collar  62  may include the discharge bore  18 . The inner surface of the discharge end cap  54  includes a taper forming a male frusto-conical surface. The outer surface of the lock collar  62  includes a taper forming a female frusto-conical surface. The baffles  30  are stacked within the distal portion  26 , the lock collar  62  is abutting the forward most baffle  30  and the discharge end cap  54  is tightened against the lock collar  62  so that the male frusto-conical surface is within and abuts against the female frusto-conical surface. The tapered fit removes tolerance, dampens vibration, and locks the discharge end cap  54  in place, preventing the undesired loosening of the discharge end cap  54 . To remove the baffles  30  for cleaning, the discharge end cap  54  and the lock collar  62  are unscrewed from the second end  16 . The baffles  30  may then slide out of the cylindrical body  12 . 
     The cylindrical body  12  of the present invention allows users to interchange between different types of firearm mount interfaces  32 . Therefore, the firearm suppressor  10  of the present invention may be used with different types of firearms. A pistol mount interface  32 A may be secured to the cylindrical body  12 , allowing the firearm suppressor  10  to be used with a pistol. A rifle mount interface  32 B may be secured to the cylindrical body  12 , allowing the firearm suppressor  10  to be used with a rifle. A magnum rifle mount interface  32 C may secured to the cylindrical body  12 , allowing the firearm suppressor  10  to be used with a high powered rifle. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the firearm mount interface  32  may be the pistol mount interface  32 A. The pistol mount interface  32 A may include a housing  34 , a piston  36  and an end cap  38 . The housing  34  may include a plurality of vents, external male threads  17  and internal female threads  15 . The piston  36  may include radially disposed spokes, vents and the receiving bore  20  that releasably secures to a pistol. The end cap  38  may include male threads  17 . The piston  36  fits within the housing  34 . The male threads  17  of the end cap  38  mechanically fasten to the female threads  15  of the housing  34 , securing the piston  36  within the housing  34 . The male threads  17  of the housing  34  mechanically secure to the female threads  15  of the first end of the cylindrical body  12 , attaching the pistol mount interface  32 A to the cylindrical body  12 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , the firearm mount interface may be the rifle mount interface  32 B or the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C. Each of the rifle mount interface  32 B and the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C include a housing  66  having a proximal end  68  and a distal end  70 . The distal end  70  includes a decreased diameter to fit within the first end  14  of the cylindrical body  12 . The outer surface of the distal end  70  includes male threads  17  that mechanically secure to the female threads  15  of the inner surface of the cylindrical body  12 . The proximal end  68  includes female threads  15  that mechanically secure to a rifle barrel or barrel adapter. The housing  66  of the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C has a greater length than the housing  66  of the rifle mount interface  32 B. 
     Each of the rifle mount interface  32 B and the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C may utilize a rifle baffle  40 . The rifle baffle  40  may be the same shape as the other baffles  30  but also includes an elongated base. The elongated base includes a distal end  44  and a proximal end  42 . Each of the distal end  44  and proximal end  42  may include tapers in opposing directions forming male frusto conical surfaces. The rifle baffle  40  fits within the proximal portion  24  of the cylindrical body  12 . The male frusto conical surface of the distal end  44  of the rifle baffle  40  nests within and abuts against the female frusto-conical surface  28  of the proximal portion  24 . 
     As mentioned above, the proximal end  42  of the rifle baffle  40  also includes the male frusto conical surface. The inner surface of the distal end  70  of each of the rifle mount interface  32 B and the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C includes a taper forming a female frusto-conical surface. The male frusto-conical surface of the proximal end  42  of the rifle baffle  40  nests within the female frusto-conical surface of the distal end  70  of the rifle mount interface  32 B and the magnum rifle mount interface  32 C. The opposing tapers of the rifle baffle  40  dampen vibration that would otherwise loosen the threaded connections. The opposing tapers also increase disc friction to prevent rotation of the parts. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.