Patent Publication Number: US-8528691-B1

Title: Silencer for firearm

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to firearms and, more particularly, is concerned with a silencer for a firearm. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Silencers for firearms have been described in the related art, however, none of the related art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 7,931,118 dated Apr. 26, 2011, Cronhelm disclosed a baffle for sound suppression. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,587,969 dated Sep. 15, 2009, Silvers disclosed an asymmetric firearm silencer with coaxial elements. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,015,908 dated Sep. 13, 2011, Kline, et al., disclosed a firearm silencer and methods for manufacturing and fastening the silencer onto a firearm. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,467 dated Jul. 3, 2007, Melton disclosed a sound suppressor. In U.S. Pat. No. D 415,812 dated Oct. 26, 1999, Andrews, Jr., et al., disclosed a firearms noise suppressor. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,924 dated Apr. 29, 1986, Taguchi disclosed a silencer for firearms. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,426 dated Jul. 11, 2006, White disclosed a sound suppressor. 
     While these firearm silencers may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a silencer for use on a conventional firearm wherein the silencer has a monolithic core which is machined from a single piece of metal or the like. The core is mounted in a tubular cover on the barrel of the firearm in the conventional manner. The silencer has a plurality of baffles which are disposed at opposite acute angles measured from a perpendicular line to the longitudinal axis of the silencer so that the baffles are disposed in an opposite configuration. Each of the baffles has serrated faces on both faces of the baffle and is supported by a rib disposed on the lateral midline of each baffle. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved silencer for use on a conventional firearm. A further object of the present invention is to provide a baffle having a monolithic core machined from a single piece of metal or the like. A further object of the present invention is to provide baffles having opposite angular dispositions and having serrations on both faces thereon. A further object of the present invention is to provide a rib support on the lateral midline of each baffle. A further object of the present invention is to provide a baffle which can be easily used by an operator. A further object of the present invention is to provide a silencer which can be easily and relatively inexpensively manufactured. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention shown in operative connection. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the core of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the core of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the core of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of portions of the present invention taken from  FIG. 3  as indicated. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
           10  present invention     12  cover     14  core     16  firearm     18  barrel     20  threads     22  fastener     23  slot     24  threads     26  end     28  threads     30  baffle     32  bullet aperture     34  expansion space     36  front end cap     38  exit aperture     40  rear end cap     41  shoulder     42  rib     44  threads     46  upper portion     48  lower portion     50  left side portion     52  right side portion     54  front surface portion     56  rear surface portion     58  serration/striation     60  sloping face     62  central axis     64  perpendicular line       

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail at least one embodiment of the present invention. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the present invention to the particular embodiments described herein since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appended claims.  FIGS. 1 through 6  illustrate the present invention wherein a silencer/sound suppressor for a firearm is disclosed. 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 , therein is shown the present invention  10  being a silencer/sound suppressor having an outer tubular casing or cover  12  for receiving internally therein the core  14  of the present invention for being mounted onto the barrel of a conventional firearm  16  wherein the end of the barrel  18  has external threads  20  thereon so that the mating internal threads  44  of the core are screwed onto the threads  20 . The cover is then placed over the core  14  so that the cover is securely held to a firearm  16  using a fastener  22 , e.g., a spanner nut, having internal threads  24  thereon for being attached to barrel-like extension end  26  of the core having external mating threads  28  for receiving the fastener  22  so that the cover and core are secured onto the barrel  18  of the firearm  16 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , therein is shown the present invention  10  mounted onto a barrel  18  of a conventional firearm  16 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , therein is shown a monolithic core  14  having a plurality of effectively sized, shaped and spaced-apart disk-like baffles  30  each having a bullet aperture  32  therein with effectively sized expansion spaces  34  shown inside the core between each of the baffles; each baffle has an upper portion  46 , lower portion  48 , left and right side portions  50 ,  52  and front and rear surface portions  54 ,  56  and a plurality of serrations/striations  58  thereon formed by the bit of the 3D tool path milling machine. A sloping inner face or surface  60  is shown on each end cap  40 ,  36 . Also shown is a front end cap  36  along with an exit aperture  38  and a rear end cap  40  wherein the diameter of the exit aperture is sized to be about 65 thousandths of an inch greater than the diameter of the bullet and a shoulder  41  is provided for receiving the rear end of the tubular cover. Also shown are left and right side ribs  42  which are attached to the left and right side portions  50 ,  52  of baffles  30  along a lateral midline of each of the baffles. Other previously disclosed elements may also be shown. 
     Turning to  FIG. 4 , therein is shown a monolithic core  14  having a plurality of baffles  30  each having a bullet aperture  32  therein with inner expansion spaces  34  shown between each of the baffles. Also shown is a front end cap  36  along with an exit aperture  38  and a rear end cap  40 . Also shown is one side ribs  42  which is attached to a side portion of baffles  30  along a lateral midline of the baffle. 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , therein is shown a monolithic core  14  having a plurality of baffles  30  each having a bullet aperture therein with inner expansion spaces  34  shown between each of the baffles; each baffle has an upper portion  46 , lower portion  48 , left and right side portions and front and rear surface portions  54 ,  56  and a plurality of serrations thereon. Also shown is a front end cap  36  along with an exit aperture  38  and a rear end cap  40 . Also shown are the side ribs  42  which are attached to the left and right side portions of baffles  30  along a lateral midline of the baffle. The silencer  10  has a plurality of baffles  30  which are disposed at opposite acute angles to each other, the angle being measured from a line  64  perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis  62  of the core of the silencer so that the baffles are disposed in an opposite angular configuration to each adjacent baffle and/or the sloping faces  60  (not shown, see  FIG. 3 ). 
     Turning to  FIG. 6 , therein is shown rib  42  and baffle  30  to illustrate the monolithic construction of the present invention wherein there is no joint, i.e., jointless/seamless, at the point of connection between the rib and baffle. 
     The following general discussion makes reference to  FIGS. 1-6 . The present invention  10  discloses a monolithic core/baffle  14 ,  30  design for a firearm sound suppressor formed from a billet core. This means that it is machined from bar stock with no casting or welding. It is made completely from machining it from one piece of metal or other suitable material. The pyramid shape is made using a 3D tool path milling machine, with the bit of the tool leaving rippled striations or serrations  58  covering each baffle  30  on both sides, thus continuing to increase the surface area and providing obstructions that the gas has to encounter repeatedly. With each encounter, the gas continues to slow significantly. These features, along with the following features, make the present invention  10  different from conventional silencers. 1) There is no welding of the baffles  30  into the monolithic core  14 . The baffles  30  are designed to be incorporated directly into the monolithic core  14  which improves performance and gives the added benefit of simplicity. 2) When the weapon is fired, the gas has to move through the monolithic core  14  and it is forced to encounter the ripples/serrations  58  on both sides of each baffle  30 . 3) The rib  42  support for the baffles  30  being on the side adds strength and allows the gas to flow directly to the outer tube  12 . The effectiveness of this suppressor can be seen easily by the lack of a muzzle flash and can be heard due to minimization of substantially all of the noise. 4) Any pair of baffles  30  are arranged in a “V” pattern so that when the baffles are viewed from a side elevation view such as  FIG. 5 , any pair of baffles will have a “V” shape with the vertex of the “V” being disposed either upwardly or downwardly, i.e., each pair of baffles will have a configuration or “V” orientation opposite to the adjacent pair of baffles. This allows for increased strength of the suppressor and lets the gas come into contact with the each of the sides of the baffles  30  which forces the gas to encounter more surface area inside the monolithic core before the projectile and gas exit the silencer. 5) The core  14  is made by utilizing a 3D tool path as opposed to other designs which are merely straight through cuts.