Patent Publication Number: US-2021190449-A1

Title: Sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system for firearms or similar devices

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to noise suppression, and more particularly, to a sound suppressor with an integrated ablative injection system for firearms or similar devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A suppressor, known colloquially as a silencer, is a device attached to the barrel of a firearm for the purpose of reducing the noise generated when the weapon is fired. There are generally three factors associated with the use of a firearm that work together to generate sound. The first factor is the speed of the bullet as it exits the firearm. If the bullet is traveling faster than the speed of sound, it will generate a small sonic boom which is responsible for the easily recognizable ‘crack’ of a bullet as it is fired. This sound may be eliminated via the use of sub-sonic ammunition. The second factor is the rapid expansion of propellant gasses as they exit the firearm and the resultant collision with the ambient air. Typical firearm noise suppressors employ a system of baffles to slow down and disrupt the flow of these gasses as they pass through them with the goal of making the expansion and subsequent collision with the surrounding air less violent and therefore, quieter. The final factor is the heat contained within these propellant gasses. As these hot gasses exit the firearm, the heat contained within increases the reaction with the ambient air to create a much louder sound than would be present with the rapid expansion of gasses alone. While the heat-transmission properties of metal baffles can work to remove a measurable amount of heat from the gasses, the use of an ablative medium and works to further improve the heat-reducing capabilities of the suppressor as a whole according to the general gas equation. This invention improves upon prior art by increasing the ability of the ablative material to remove heat from these propellant gasses by placing it in a specific position within the device where it will have the greatest heat-reducing effect. Further, this invention solves a secondary problem whereas prior art required the suppressor to be disassembled in order to accurately introduce the ablative material into the device in a position where its heat-reducing capabilities would be most effective. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system for firearms or similar devices includes a hollow elongate body made of an appropriate material and shape of such strength and characteristics so as to make it capable of withstanding the significant pressures exerted by the propellant gasses, having a projectile entry via a proximal threaded base cap featuring an opening into which the barrel is affixed, an interior space through which the projectile and propellant gasses pass and a distal threaded end cap opposite of the projectile entry featuring an opening through which the projectile and propellant gases exit. The elongate body contains within a blast chamber, being in fluid communication with the barrel of the firearm, through which the projectile passes along a longitudinal centerline and into which propellant gas enters and expands. Subsequent to the blast chamber, the elongate body contains a plurality of individual serially placed baffles creating a longitudinal pathway through which the projectile passes and further creating a multitude of chambers designed to slow and disrupt the flow of propellant gasses within the elongate body. The device features an injection port, affixed to which is a valve or fitting through which an ablative media, such as an amorphous solid, gel or liquid, is injected and optionally features an open-ended tube, closed-ended perforated tube or coil, or a perforated blast chamber insert through which said ablative media is introduced into the blast chamber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The several accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale and are provided herein to further the explanation of the present invention. More specifically: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring a base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected into the blast chamber in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring a base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and additionally featuring an open-ended tube through which the ablative material passes as it is injected into the blast chamber in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 a    is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring a base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and additionally featuring an open-ended tube through which the ablative material passes as it is injected into the blast chamber with a representation of the injected ablative material in situ within the blast chamber in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring a base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and additionally featuring a closed-ended perforated tube from which the ablative material is distributed into the blast chamber in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring a base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and additionally featuring a closed-ended perforated coiled tube from which the ablative material is distributed into the blast chamber in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring an elongate body with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and from which the ablative material is distributed into the blast chamber in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system featuring base end cap with an injection port and fitting affixed through which the ablative material is injected and additionally featuring a perforated inner blast chamber through which the hot propellant gasses will make contact with the injected ablative media in accordance with a sixth exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system, in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, are disclosed. Reference is made to  FIGS. 1-5 , where  FIG. 1  illustrates a cross-sectional view of firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system  1  which includes a hollow elongate body  100  made of an appropriate material and shape of such strength and characteristics so as to make it capable of withstanding the significant pressures exerted by the propellant gasses, having a projectile entry via a proximal threaded base cap  105  featuring an opening onto which the barrel is affixed  115 , an interior space into which the projectile and propellant gasses pass  140  and a distal threaded end cap  110  opposite of the projectile entry  115  featuring an opening through which the projectile and propellant gases exit  120 . The elongate body  100  contains within a blast chamber  125 , being in fluid communication with the barrel of the firearm, through which the projectile passes along a longitudinal centerline A and into which propellant gas enters and expands. Subsequent to the blast chamber  125 , the elongate body  100  contains a plurality of individual serially placed baffles  130  creating a longitudinal pathway  140  through which the projectile passes along a longitudinal centerline A and further creating a multitude of chambers  135  designed to slow and disrupt the flow of propellant gasses within the elongate body  100 . The base cap  105  features an injection port  145 , affixed to which is a valve or fitting  150  through which an ablative media, such as an amorphous solid, gel or liquid, is injected into generally the elongate body  100  and more specifically, into the blast chamber  125 , in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the device. 
     The use of any ablative media follows the general gas equation which declares: “the state of an amount of gas is determined by its pressure, volume, and temperature”. For years, users of firearm noise suppressors have used various techniques to introduce an ablative media into noise suppression devices to reduce the temperature of the propellent gasses. These techniques include dipping the device into a bucket of water, squirting water into the projectile exit or removing the suppressor from the firearm, introducing the ablative media into the muzzle end of the device and then, reinstalling the device onto the firearm. These techniques are inefficient and time-consuming. For example, water evaporates relatively quickly so using it as an ablative requires the user to introduce the ablative immediately before firing the weapon. Further, the heat generated when a weapon is fired is transferred to the suppressor making subsequent removal of the hot suppressor dangerous and difficult. The use of an injectable ablative media, such as an amorphic solid, gel or water, as depicted with this device, solves these problems. An appropriate ablative media may be injected many hours, or even days, prior to the weapon being fired without worry that the ablative will evaporate or drip out. Further, when required, additional ablative media may be injected into a hot suppressor with no danger of the user being burned by the suppressor body. Any injectable ablative media, such as water, wire-pulling lubricant, KY Jelly, petroleum jelly, anti-freeze or the like may be employed with this device. 
     The opening  120  in the distal end cap  110  may optionally be sealed by inserting a replaceable flat, circular baffle made from a polypropylene, polyurethane or similar material between the end cap  110  and the most distal baffle in the series of plurally placed baffles  130 . This sealing baffle will prevent the ablative from being exposed to the ambient air and will work to offset evaporation. The sealing baffle will be pierced when the first projectile passes through. 
     Although it is not detailed in  FIG. 1 , the proximal base cap  105  would further include an appropriate attachment structure configured to attach the firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system  1  via complementary structure associated with the muzzle end of the firearm. 
     In accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the firearm sound suppressor with integrated ablative injection system  1 ,  FIG. 1  depicts the invention with a plurality of individual serially placed baffles  130  which create a longitudinal pathway  140  through which the projectile passes along a longitudinal centerline A and further creating a multitude of chambers  135  designed to slow and disrupt the flow of propellant gasses within the elongate body  100 . The exemplary baffles shown in  FIGS. 1-5  should be viewed as representative of the requirement to employ any method to slow and disrupt the flow of gasses through the device. Additional embodiments of the device may use a monolithic baffle manufactured of a single piece of appropriate material or it may employ a plurality of individual serially placed baffles of a different design from the ones depicted herein. 
     The second exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 2  differs from first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the inclusion of an open-ended tube  155  through which the ablative material passes as it is injected into the blast chamber. This tube allows for the placement of the ablative media further into the blast chamber  125 . The open-ended tube  155  shown in  FIG. 2  may be bent or otherwise shaped in a manner so as to more accurately place the ablative media into a position where its heat-absorption capabilities will be most effective and the placement of the open-ended tube  155  shown in  FIG. 2  should be viewed as exemplary. 
       FIG. 2 a    is identical to  FIG. 2  with the addition of a representation of an amorphous solid ablative media  160  in situ within the blast chamber  125  to show one example of how the ablative media  160  may be positioned. As stated above, the open-ended tube  155  may be bent or otherwise shaped in a manner that will place the ablative media into a position where its heat-absorption capabilities will be most effective and  FIG. 2 a    is used to exemplify one possible location for the ablative media  160 . 
     The third exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 3  differs from the first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the inclusion of a perforated closed-ended tube  165  from which the ablative material is distributed into the blast chamber  125 . This perforated closed-ended tube  165  shown in  FIG. 3  may be bent or otherwise shaped in a manner so as to more accurately distribute the ablative media into a position within the blast chamber  125  where its heat-absorption capabilities will be most effective. In this embodiment, the perforated closed-end tube is designed so the ablative media will be distributed over a larger area within the blast chamber  125  as compared to the open-ended tube  155  as depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
     The fourth exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 4  differs from the first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the inclusion of a coiled perforated closed-ended tube  170  from which the ablative material is distributed throughout the blast chamber  125 . This coiled perforated closed-ended tube  165  shown in  FIG. 4  circles around the longitudinal pathway  140  so as to more effectively distribute the ablative media into a position within the blast chamber  125  where its heat-absorption capabilities will be most effective. In this embodiment, the coiled perforated closed-end tube is designed so the ablative media will be distributed over a much larger area within the blast chamber  125  as compared to the closed-ended tube  165  as depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     It is of note that the second, third and fourth embodiments of the device detailed herein all share identical characteristics as depicted in the first embodiment and can be transformed into any of the other depicted embodiments by adding/swapping any of the ablative distribution tubes  155 ,  160  or  165 . 
     The fifth exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 5  differs from the first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the removal of the injection port  145  and valve or fitting  150  from the proximal base cap  105  and the addition of one or more injection port  175 , affixed to which is a valve or fitting  180 , directly to the elongate body  100  from which the ablative material is distributed into the blast chamber  125 . In this embodiment, the injection port(s)  175  may be positioned at such locations on the elongate body  100  so at to position the ablative media within the blast chamber  125  where its heat-absorption capabilities will be most effective. 
     The sixth exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 6  differs from the first exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the inclusion of a perforated inner blast chamber  185 , featuring a plurality of perforations or holes  190  through which the hot propellant gasses will make contact with the injected ablative media. This exemplary embodiment will allow for a greater volume of ablative material to be introduced into the elongate body  100 , via the valve or fitting  150  and injection port  145 , with the purpose of filling the interior void  195  between the internal blast chamber  185  and the inner wall of the elongate body  100 . 
     It should be noted that the sixth exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 6  and described above may be modified by removing the valve or fitting  150  and injection port  145  from the base cap  105  and/or with the addition of one or more valve(s) or fitting(s)  180  and injection port(s)  175  to the wall of the elongate body  100 . 
     The foregoing description of these exemplary embodiments are presented herein for the purposes of illustration and description and are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Several modifications and variants are possible in light of this disclosure and it will be understood that the certain modifications and variations of the features described above with respect to those exemplary embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by this description. Rather, it shall only be limited by the claims appended hereto. Subsequent applications claiming priority to this application may claim the disclosed subject matter in a different manner and generally may include any set of one or more limitations as variously disclosed or otherwise demonstrated herein.