Patent Publication Number: US-10317161-B2

Title: Sporting rifle with sound suppressor

Description:
A sporting rifle with sound suppressor, of the type that comprises at least a stock, a trigger mechanism and a barrel partially covered over by an over-moulded or over-injected material, defining therefore by said over-moulded or over-injected material a first area or housing for the mounting of a sound suppressor following up or alongside the barrel and a second area wrapping at least part of the barrel, characterised in that the sound suppressor comprises: an inlet in which the barrel is situated comprising a support of a diameter equal to the second area on which it is fitted, with perforations that connect said second area with the first area or housing and an outlet that comprises an attached stop. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     In the state of the art, various rifles are known, in which the barrel and the silencer or suppressor are, in turn, covered exteriorly by an over-moulding. 
     In fact, all these patents belong to the applicant&#39;s firm. 
     Thus, European Patent 2112452 (ES2345012) “FIREARM OR SPORTS GUN WITH SILENCER” filed in 2008 is known, it refers to a rifle that comprises a trigger mechanism, an over-moulded or over-injected barrel, a chamber, which is characterised in that it comprises an over-moulded or over-injected sound suppressor on the mentioned barrel. 
     Also it is known European Patent 2677267 (ES2531858) “METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A BULL BARREL EQUIPPED WITH SILENCER AND SILENCER EQUIPPED BULL BARREL THUS OBTAINED”, filed in 2011, which refers to a procedure for manufacturing a barrel model “bull barrel” with sound suppressor and barrel “bull barrel” with obtained sound suppressor that comprises: the following steps: a first step in which a tube that defined two ends, a first and second, with an inner diameter greater than the barrel outside diameter, fixed to a wedge by its first end, a second step in which a muzzle that ends in a hood is fixed to the second end of the tube, with said muzzle comprising at least one lateral aperture and at least one first hoop that fits into the tube sealing the second tube end with stops that define channels in the hood, which connect the outside with the muzzle interior, being the mentioned stops at the end of the referred tube travel, a third step in which the barrel is fixed to the muzzle and the wedge, defining a space or cavity between the tube and the barrel and a fourth step in which the configuration of the third step is inserted into a moulding machine that over-moulds it, with the exception of the barrel entrance end, giving it the desired form, with said over-moulding penetrating into the tube by the channels up to the referred first hoop. 
     Finally, it should be mentioned the PCT Application WO2013104811 “METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OF A BARREL FOR COMPRESSED AIR OR CO2 RIFLES AND BARREL OBTAINED BY SAID METHOD”, filed in 2012, which refers to a procedure for the manufacture of a barrel for compressed air of CO2 rifles, which comprises a hollow tube, through the interior of which circulates a pellet, with an inlet end and an outlet end, characterized in that it comprises: a first step in which the tube is inserted into a moulding machine and fixing elements or supports are introduced, fixing the tube and leaving it overhanging, centred, stable, inside the moulding machine and a second step in which the tube is over-moulded, with the exception of the tube inlet end, giving it the desired form. 
     BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Since some years ago the actual applicant&#39;s firm has been patenting and marketing rifles with barrels and over-moulded silencers or sound suppressors that are exteriorly formed a single part. 
     This invention affects the sound suppressor system or silencer. 
     Thus, the inventors have applied the procedure of the manufacture disclosed in EP2345012, seeking a product similar to that one obtained in EP2677267, but without employing the internal profile and thus, saving the costs of this profile and lighten the rifle. 
     Obviously this is a rifle that does not fulfil the same function as the two previously mentioned ones, which are intended for another type of sportsman. 
     Thus, it is achieved a forward suppressor on the one hand, and a backward sound suppressor on the other, but being between the barrel&#39;s and the over-moulding walls. 
     Furthermore, being the cover manufactured with the actual sound suppressor together in one of its preferred embodiments, its installation is easier and more reliable. 
     One objective of this invention is a sporting rifle with sound suppressor, of the type that comprises at least a stock, a trigger mechanism and a barrel partially covered over by an over-moulded or over-injected material, defining therefore by said over-moulded or over-injected material a first area or housing for the mounting of a sound suppressor following up or alongside the barrel and a second area wrapping at least part of the barrel, characterised in that the sound suppressor comprises: an inlet in which the barrel is situated comprising a support of a diameter equal to the second area on which it is fitted, with perforations that connect said second area with the first area or housing and an outlet that comprises an attached stop. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to facilitate the description, this description is accompanied by four sheets of drawings that represent a practical embodiment, which is cited as a non-limiting example of the scope of this invention: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the barrel, 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-section view along line II-II of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed view of  FIG. 2 , specifically of the sound suppressor, and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the sound suppressor. 
     
    
    
     SPECIFIC EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THIS INVENTION 
     Firstly, it is understood that when employing the term “over-moulding”, it also covers the “over-injected” option and is used to facilitate the reading and clarity of the description. 
     Thus,  FIG. 1  shows a barrel  1 , an over-moulded material  2 , a muzzle  10  and gas outlets  12  provided in the over-moulding  2 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the barrel  1 , the over-moulded material  2 , a first area  3  or housing, a sound suppressor  4  with a stop  9  and a second area  8 . 
       FIG. 3  represents the barrel  1 , the over-moulded material  2 , the first area  3 , the second area  8 , the sound suppressor  4  with a support  7  and support means  15 , the stop  9 , the muzzle  10 , gas outlets  11  of the sound suppressor  4 , guides or internal walls  13  and fixing means  14 . 
     Lastly,  FIG. 4  is a drawing of the sound suppressor  4  in two parts,  16 ,  17 , with an inlet  6  and an outlet  5 , the support  7 , with perforations  18 , the stop  9 , the muzzle  10 , gas outlets  11  of the sound suppressor  4 , fixing means  14  and support means  15 . 
     Firstly, it is indicated that the over-moulding of this rifle may be accomplished in various ways, merely as examples, the two of them are indicated, the over-moulding barrel  1  and the sound suppressor  4  or the over-moulding barrel  1  and allowing the over-moulding  2  to dry, thereby defining the housing  3  suitable for subsequently inserting the sound suppressor  4  into it. 
     The sporting rifle with the sound suppressor comprises a stock, a trigger mechanism (not illustrated) and the barrel  1 , partially covered by the over-moulded material  2 . 
     The sound suppressor  4  has the first area  3  configured by the over-moulding  2 . 
     The second area  8  is also configured around the part of barrel  1 , that wraps around it, between over-moulding  2  and barrel ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     The sound suppressor  4  comprises the inlet  5  wherein the barrel  1  is situated and which comprises the support  7  of a diameter equal to the second area  8  on which it is fitted, with the perforations  18  that connect said second area  8  with first area or housing  3 . 
     These perforations  18  perform the function of configuring second area  8  as an additional sound suppressor. When sound reaches the inlet  5  of the sound suppressor, some portion of the sound moves backwards throughout the perforations  18  towards said second area, thus damping the sound, suppressing the sound in general. 
     The firing will continue forwards and will be reduced by passing through the sound suppressor  4  until its outlet through the stop  9 . The stop  9  is attached into the sound suppressor  4 , therefore the parts are reduced and it is facilitated that the stop  9  is always built in. 
     Optionally, the sound suppressor  4  comprises the muzzle  10  with gas outlets  11  ( FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 ), which coincide with gas outlets  12  provided in the over-moulding  2  that covers the sound suppressor  4  ( FIG. 1 ). This enables the gas outlet to be increased and improves the rifle reliability. 
     Furthermore optionally it is provided that gas outlets  11  on the sound suppressor  4  comprise guides  13  or interior walls. This is done in order to increase barrel resistance. It is often employed the muzzle  10  zone to provide force to articulate barrel  1  in “break barrel” or articulated barrel types, therefore, said guides  13  are arranged to prevent the fractures. 
     Optionally there are provided fastening means  14  (pins, screws, etc.), which pass through over-moulding  2  and are positioned in the sound suppressor  4  to fix it. This is done in order to prevent movements caused by gas pressure in the recoil outlet. 
     In order to improve the positioning of the barrel  1  with respect to the sound suppressor  4 , there is an option for support means  15  on the actual sound suppressor  4  provided in the inlet  5  after support  7 . Therefore, when the sound suppressor  4  is introduced inside the first area  3 , said support means  15  will assist in the correct positioning of sound suppressor  4  with respect to the barrel  1 . 
     The sound suppressor  4  may be manufactured in two parts  16 ,  17 , either symmetrical or asymmetrical (as in the example of  FIG. 4 ), facilitating the manufacturing processes of the same, or in a single part as well. 
     This invention patent describes a new sporting rifle with sound suppressor. The examples mentioned here do not limit this invention and thus, can have various applications and/or adaptations, all of which are within the scope of the following claims.