Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SILENCER WITH EXPANSION CHAMBERS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD
THEREOF
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention at hand relates to the field of silencers for firearms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION/TECHNICAL STATUS
Silencers for firearms serve the purpose of reducing the noise emissions
resulting from the
expansion of gases escaping from the barrel's muzzle, the so-called muzzle
blast. Silencers are
usually attached by being screwed on by a thread of the barrel or tube of the
gun. In some
cases, they are alternatively connected factory-set with the weapon.
The noise reduction is desirable in some areas of use: examples of usage
purposes of silencers
include hunting in populated areas or avoiding alarming the wild animals. In
addition, they
preserve the hearing health of police and military forces.
Conventional silencers share some common characteristics. For one, they
consist of several
individual pieces, which are held together by a sleeve or a piece of pipe.
These items are
typically made of different materials. In addition, traditional silencers are
turned and milled
by means of conventional manufacturing processes.
A traditional silencer is, for example, known from the German patent DE 17 03
420 B2. A
multipart silencer, which has several expansion chambers divided by inserts,
is visible there.
In particular, several inserts which support each other are surrounded and
held together by a
piece of pipe.
The above features of conventional silencers have some disadvantages. The
construction
method, which uses numerous individual items and partially different
materials, drives up
both the production costs and the weight. One construction method involving
several
individual parts is also susceptible to developing interference vibrations and
assembly
failures. Production by means of turning and milling limits the geometry of
the silencer, in
particular the geometry of the sound-absorbing elements.
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TASK
The invention at hand is based on the task of, at least partially, reducing
the above-mentioned
disadvantages of conventional silencers.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The above problem is solved by a device and a manufacturing process in
accordance with
independent patent claims. The dependent claims describe preferred designs.
The invention
consists of a firearms silencer, in short: silencer.
The invented device includes a main body. This main component is formed as one
single
piece centred around a central longitudinal axis, and features at least one
expansion chamber,
which is in a coaxial form in relation to the central longitudinal axis.
A production process for the layered, i.e. many-coated, structure is the
objective of the
invention as a compact, light, material or cost-saving construction method, or
the
development of new geometries and designs for application to inventions.
The central longitudinal axis matches in an ideal way the path of a projectile
shot from a
mounted gun.
The main component, which can be produced as one single piece, is a single
piece in that it is
preferably made of a homogeneous material and/or requires no assembly steps
involving
several components, as is the case with conventional silencers.
The expansion chambers are hollow spaces which allow room for the expansion of
gases in
the main component. These gases leak from the muzzle of a firearm. Without a
silencer
mounted on the muzzle, the uncontrolled expansion of these gases leads to the
muzzle blast.
The silencers which conform to the invention include at least one expansion
chamber which is
formed to be coaxial to the central longitudinal axis. Expansion chambers can
be designed as
sound guide spaces. The term expansion chamber should not be understood as a
description of
a particular geometry.
In general, co-axial components, chambers, etc. do not necessarily have to be
rotationally
symmetrical around the corresponding axis in the sense of the invention at
hand. Expansion
chambers aligned coaxially to the central longitudinal axis justify an at
least partly structural
alignment.
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Preferably, the main component defines at least two expansion chambers which
are formed
coaxially in relation to the central longitudinal axis.
The main body is preferably also made of layers aligned along the line of the
central
longitudinal axis.
The main body can preferably be produced using one of the following
manufacturing
processes, so it can be aligned with the central longitudinal axis: a 3D
printing process, a
stereo-lithography method, a selective laser sintering process, a casting, or
a stamping
process. A selective laser sintering process is particularly preferred during
which materials,
for example a metal, is selectively sintered by a laser, i.e. bound together
and compacted. This
procedure is preferably carried out in layers. After sintering the material of
one layer, the
unsintered raw material of each following layer is applied and then laser-
sintered in turn. Due
to symmetry and structural considerations, it is especially advantageous to
make the silencer
layer by layer along the line of a central longitudinal axis, which
corresponds to the firing
channel.
The main body component preferably defines at least one of the following
elements: an
outside wall, which limits at least one expansion chamber on the outside;
walls aligned
coaxially along the central longitude which limit at least one expansion
chamber; baffles, at
least some of which are perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;
supporting structures at
least some of which are located coplanar to the central longitudinal axis; a
thread or an
interface allowing the silencer to be connected to the barrel of the firearm;
a muzzle opening;
and a firing channel that runs along the central longitudinal axis through the
main body.
Marked with a trade mark or company logo, an exterior wall can serve as an
external symbol
of the suppressor. In addition, it can provide easier handling for the user.
The user grasps the
external wall to attach the silencer onto the firearm.
Walls, baffles and support structures can each serve to provide stable stasis
and/or to direct
the flow of the expanding gases.
A thread can provide the simple, rapid, gas leak-proof and/or secure
connection with a
firearm. This connection can be made either directly or indirectly. This
connection can be
made directly with the barrel of the firearm. Alternatively, or in addition,
this connection can
be achieved indirectly using a suitable adapter or a different interface to
connect the silencer
with the barrel of a firearm, such as, for example, with the quick-clamping
style. The muzzle
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opening serves to eject the projectiles from the silencer. A firing channel
provides both an
unobstructed path for the projectiles and the primary direction of flow by
expanding gases.
It is preferable for at least one of the expansion chambers to be curved. This
makes possible,
among others things, the redirection and/or trajectories of the expansion
chambers with twists,
curves, etc. This supplies several advantages to the invention. For the same
length of the
silencer, longer lengths of expansion chambers become possible. Turbulence is
reinforced by
radii curvature, which can result in a strong reduction of the muzzle blast.
Long expansion
chambers also increase the limiting surface of the expansion chamber, thereby
also
strengthening the absorption effect.
With this invention, curvatures of the expansion chambers can be designed in
various forms
as desired. These curvatures may include components or parts installed in one
or more of the
following directions: azimuth, radially, or axially. The above-mentioned
directions refer
preferably to the essentially cylindrical silencer. The specialist is well-
acquainted with
cylindrical geometries for use with cylindrical coordinate systems. The three
dimensions are
described here using an azimuthal, radial or axial unit vector. A curvature
can be expressed
locally by a tangent vector. Within the cylindrical coordinate system, the
tangential vector can
be deconstructed into components or pieces with regard to the unit vectors
cited. Accordingly,
a curvature component in the azimuth direction is oriented around the central
longitudinal
axis. A curvature component aligned radially is oriented away from the central
axis. A
curvature component oriented in the axial direction is situated along or
parallel to the central
longitudinal axis. Sample curvatures oriented in one or more of the above
directions are
discussed in the performance examples.
Alternatively or in addition, at least one of the expansion chambers can have
a tapering and/or
widening at its cross section. Based on the invention, tapering and/or
broadening of the cross-
section can be used to control the expansion of gases. This type of
construction leads to
increased or reduced flow velocities, and this can have impact on the damping
of the muzzle
blast.
Preferably, one or more expansion chambers can open into in a sound absorption
area. Such a
sound absorption area can take various forms. Inventive forms of sound
absorption areas
include manufactured porous areas and areas using a foam structure. In
addition or
alternatively, a sound absorption area can take the shape of a bag-like end of
an elongated
expansion chamber. The expansion energy of the expanding gas or noise
generated by the gas
expansion is absorbed wholly or in part by such sound absorption areas. The
ratio of
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absorbent surface to expansion volume can be optimized by having the expansion
chambers
branch out or be long.
The best way is to have one or more expansion chambers open toward an outside
wall of the
main body. Such openings to an outside wall allow some of the expanding gases
to escape
into the environment after passing through one or more expansion chambers. By
decreasing
the expansion energy in the expansion chamber(s) (through absorption,
turbulence, etc.) the
report resulting from the gases flowing out is at least reduced or even
completely suppressed.
Apertures of expansion chambers which open to an outside wall of the main body
can be
formed at various points along the outer wall. In particular, it is
conceivable, for example,
given an essentially cylindrical main body, for these openings to appear at
one or both faces
of the cylinder or on the lateral surface of the cylinder.
It is preferred that one or more expansion chambers are open along the central
longitudinal
axis. This opening can be formed so that it leads into the firing channel. In
particular, this
opening may be situated opposite the direction of fire. According to such an
invention and to
what is preferred for the design, it is possible to increasingly mitigate the
expanding gases by
repeatedly passing them through the - or the same - expansion chambers.
In addition or alternatively, several of the expansion chambers can unite as
they make their
way. This can be advantageous, for example, if one or a few expansion chambers
open to an
outside wall or are oriented along the central longitudinal axis. In this or
other cases, other
expansion chambers can unite in their pathway with the expansion chambers with
openings,
so that the gases that are expanding in them can also escape through these
openings. This can
lead among other things to a more compact design and/or weight saving compared
with a
design without any uniting of expansion chambers.
In addition or alternatively, at least one of the expansion chambers can
branch out along its
pathway. This is advantageous, for example, if the expanding gases in a single
expansion
chamber should be redirected to two destinations. These destinations may
include, among
others, one or more of the above-cited sound absorption areas, one or more of
the above-cited
openings to the outside wall, and/or one or more openings to the central
longitudinal axis. For
example, the branching of an expansion chamber, where a branch has an opening
to the
exterior wall, and a second branch has an opening to the central longitudinal
axis, is most
advantageous. Other combinations of the above pathways are available to
experts and
correspond just as well to the invention.
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In addition, the preferred arrangement of expansion chambers is as helices
coaxial to the
central longitudinal axis. In this process particularly, two expansion
chambers can be arranged
as a double helix, three expansion chambers as a triple helix, etc.
Furthermore, an arrangement of expansion chambers, where several of them
surround each
other each other in a concentric layout, is preferred. Thus, a compact and
materials-saving
construction can be achieved once again. For example, a broad distribution of
expansion
chambers of different lengths can produce such a nested construction. This
causes the routes
or volumes the expanding gases must pass through in the expansion chambers to
be broadly
distributed. In addition or alternatively, any reductions toward the central
longitudinal axis
can be made in reverse order. More information will be provided, for example,
by the
following preferred designs.
An invention procedure for the production of a firearms silencer includes
building material
along a central axis for one single-piece main component, so that at least one
expansion
chamber is situated coaxially with regard to the central longitudinal axis.
It is preferred that the building-up of the material is carried out layer by
layer along the central
longitudinal axis. What is particularly preferred is that the production of
each layer is done
perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis in a two-dimensional grid. What
is especially
preferred is that this two-dimensional grid proceeds along Cartesian or polar
coordinates.
In addition or alternatively, the production is carried out using a single raw
material. This
starting material is particularly preferred to be a metal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows two cross-sections, which are parallel to the central axis, of
one of the first
designs for the invention.
Fig. 2 shows two cross-sections, which are parallel to the central axis, of a
second design for
the invention.
Fig. 3 shows two cross-sections, which are parallel to the central axis, of a
third design for the
invention.
Fig. 4 shows two cross-sections, which are parallel to the central axis, of a
fourth design for
the invention.
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Fig. 5 shows two cross-sections, which are parallel to the central axis, of a
fifth design for the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXECUTIONS OF THE DESIGN
Hereafter the invention will be discussed in more detail based on the
executions of the design
presented in the illustrations; in all illustrations, essentially functionally
identical elements
will have the same reference signs.
Fig. I shows a first execution of a silencer 10 conforming to the invention.
In so doing, Fig.
IA provides atop view of a longitudinal section of the silencer 10, and Fig.
1B the same
longitudinal section of the silencer 10 in foreshortened view. Both partial
illustrations show
the same features that are consequently also marked with the same reference
signs and will
likewise be described below.
The silencer 10 incorporates a main body/component 12. The main body 12 can be
manufactured along a central longitudinal axis 14.
The main body 12 is essentially cylindrical and defined by its shape and
geometry, among
other things by an outside wall 30. The outside wall 30 essentially describes
a cylinder barrel,
two faces with cut-outs for the thread 37 and muzzle opening 39, as well as
rounded edges at
the transition between the cylinder barrel and face surfaces.
The thread 37 is the screw type which is connected either indirectly or
directly with a barrel of
a gun. The thread 37 is connected to the muzzle opening 39 by a firing channel
that extends
through the main body 12 and along the central longitudinal axis 14. The inner
structures, in
particular the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 of the silencer 10, are
defined by the main
body 12; these expansion chambers serve to reduce the muzzle blast of a
projectile fired by
this firearm.
One of the things this sample execution of the design as shown carries out for
this purpose
includes the invention features of walls, support structures, tapering of
expansion chambers,
curvatures of expansion chambers, uniting expansion chambers, expansion
chambers
surrounding each other, as well as openings to the firing tube.
The walls 3 I, 32 serve as a sample illustration of walls extending coaxially
to the central
longitudinal axis; they are defined by the main body 12 and limit the
expansion chambers. In
this way, the wall 31 limits the expansion chamber 26 toward the outside. Wall
32 limits the
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expansion chamber 24 outward and the expansion chamber 26 toward the inside.
The other
depicted expansion chambers 20, 22 have walls which are not separately named
here for
reasons of economy of representation.
The sample support structures 35, 36, each of which extends respectively in a
manner that is
coplanar to the central longitudinal axis, serve to stabilize stasis and/or to
direct the flow
direction of expanding gases.
The expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 also show changes in their cross
sections, especially
the tapering.
In addition, there is a curvature of the expansion chamber at the transition
between the
muzzle-side part of each expansion chamber and the threaded-side part of each
expansion
chamber. The above-mentioned features of tapering and curvature of the
expansion chambers
are designed to improve noise reduction.
In addition, the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 are open toward the firing
tube /barrel. The
common opening to the firing tube /barrel is marked with reference sign 44.
These expansion
chambers merge in close proximity to this opening. In the case at hand, the
merging of
multiple expansion chambers serves to produce a single opening 44.
In addition, the illustrated sample version shows that the expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26
surround one another. This construction method, which resembles matryoshka
dolls - or
nested assemblies, serves to produce both compact construction and to allow
the resulting
expansion chambers to have different lengths and different sized volumes. In
the case at hand,
expansion chamber 26 is the outermost expansion chamber, whereas expansion
chamber 20
forms the innermost expansion chamber.
When in operation, the silencer 10 is connected to the barrel of a firearm
either indirectly or
directly with the help of the thread 37 (not shown). After a projectile has
been fired, it passes
through the firing channel along the central longitudinal axis, through the
main
component/body and to the muzzle opening 39. In addition, gases travel this
route and into
the suppressor. Conforming to the invention, some of these gases then expand
in the
expansion chambers; their expansion can be partially controlled to largely
prevent an
explosive expansion, which would result in a muzzle blast.
The gases thus flow through the firing channel from the thread 37 to the
muzzle opening 39
and, during the course of this flow, are partially absorbed in each of the
expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26. The part flowing through each of the expansion chambers is re-
directed along
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this expansion chamber opposite the direction of the shot to the opening 44,
where a repeated
flow begins through the firing tube. This redirection can be carried out
multiple times. Thus
only a fraction of the expanding gases gradually escapes in each instance
through the muzzle
opening 39, and conforming to the invention, there is no, or at the very least
a significantly
reduced, muzzle blast.
Fig. 2 shows a second design version of a silencer 10 conforming to the
invention. In so
doing, Fig. 2A shows the top view of a longitudinal section of the silencer
10, and Fig. 2B
shows the same longitudinal section of the silencer 10 in foreshortened view.
Both partial
illustrations display the same features that are consequently also marked with
the same
reference signs and will likewise be described below.
The silencer 10 incorporates a main body component 12. The main body component
12 can
be manufactured along a central longitudinal axis 14.
The main body component 12 is essentially cylindrical and is defined by its
shape and
geometry, among other things by an outside wall 30. The outside wall 30 is
essentially made
up of a cylinder barrel, two faces with cut-outs for the thread 37 and muzzle
opening 39, as
well as rounded edges at the transition between the cylinder barrel and face
surfaces.
The screw-type thread 37 is connected either indirectly or directly with the
barrel of a gun.
The thread 37 is connected to the muzzle opening 39 by a firing channel that
extends through
the main body/component 12 and along the central longitudinal axis 14. The
inner structures,
in particular the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 of the silencer 10, are
defined by the main
body/component 12; these expansion chambers serve to reduce the muzzle blast
of a
projectile fired by this Firearm.
The sample design version shows implements for this purpose, among other
things, the
features of the walls, support structures, tapering of expansion chambers,
curvatures of
expansion chambers, expansion chambers surrounding each other, as well as
openings for the
firing tube, all of which conform to the invention.
The walls 31, 32 serve as a sample illustration of walls extending coaxially
to the central
longitudinal axis; they are defined by the main body 12 and limit the
expansion chambers.
The wall 31 limits the expansion chamber 22 outwards, and the expansion
chamber 20 toward
the inside. Wall 32 limits the expansion chamber 24 outward and the expansion
chamber 26
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toward the inside. The other illustrated expansion chambers also have walls
that are not
individually named for reasons of economy of representation.
The sample support structures 35, 36, each of which extends respectively in a
manner that is
coplanar to the central longitudinal axis, serve to stabilize stasis and/or to
direct the flow
direction of expanding gases.
The expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 also show changes in their cross
sections, especially
the tapering. Each of the expansion chambers show a part extending essentially
diagonally to
the central longitudinal axis 14 in a relatively large cross-section, as well
as one part
extending essentially parallel to the central longitudinal axis 14 in a
relatively small cross-
section. A reduction of the cross-section is thus located at the transition
point between the two
said parts, i.e. a tapering.
In addition, a curvature of the expansion chamber is evident at the transition
between the part
which is primarily diagonal in every expansion chamber and the part which is
parallel to the
central longitudinal axis 14 of each expansion chamber. In the case at hand,
the curvature has
predominantly axial components, as well as, in part, radial and azimuthal
components. The
azimuthal, i.e. helix-like components are determined here among other things
by the form and
pathway of the supporting structures. Two examples of support structures have
been assigned
the reference signs 35, 36. The above-mentioned features of tapering and
curvature of the
expansion chambers are designed to improve noise reduction.
Moreover, the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 open into the firing channel.
Each
expansion chamber has an individual opening to the firing channel. The one for
the expansion
chamber 24 is referred to by its reference sign 44.
In addition, the illustrated sample version shows that the expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26
surround one another. This method of construction along the lines of
matryoshka - or nested
arrangement - serves to keep construction compact and to allow the expansion
chambers to be
of varying lengths. In the case at hand, expansion chamber 20 is the outermost
expansion
chamber, whereas expansion chamber 26 forms the innermost expansion chamber.
In operation, the silencer 10 is attached to the barrel of a firearm (not
shown) by means of the
thread 37. After a projectile has been fired, it passes through the firing
channel along the
central longitudinal axis, through the main component/body and to the muzzle
opening 39. In
addition, gases travel this route and into the suppressor. Conforming to the
invention, some of
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these gases then expand in the expansion chambers; their expansion can be
partially
controlled to largely prevent an explosive expansion, which would result in a
muzzle blast.
The gases thus flow through the firing channel from the thread 37 to the
muzzle opening 39
and, during the course of this flow, are partially absorbed in each of the
expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26. The portion of these gases flowing into and along each
expansion chamber the
direction of the shot to an opening, e.g. opening 44 in the case of expansion
chamber 24, is
directed, where a partially backward-directed flow through the firing channel
begins. Thus
only a fraction of the expanding gases gradually escapes in each instance
through the muzzle
opening 39, and conforming to the invention, there is no, or at the very least
a significantly
reduced, muzzle blast.
Fig. 3 shows a third design version of a silencer 10 conforming to the
invention. Fig. 3A
shows the top view of a longitudinal section of the silencer 10 and Fig. 3B
the same
longitudinal section of the silencer 10 in foreshortened view. Both partial
illustrations show
the same features that are consequently also marked with the same reference
signs and will
likewise be described below.
The silencer 10 incorporates a main body/component 12. The main body/component
12 can
be manufactured along a central longitudinal axis 14.
The main body/component 12 is essentially cylindrical and defined by its shape
and
geometry, among other things by an outside wall 30. The outside wall 30
essentially includes
a cylinder barrel, two faces with cut-outs for the thread 37 and muzzle
opening 39, as well as
rounded edges at the transition between the cylinder barrel and face surfaces.
The screw-type thread 37 is connected either indirectly or directly with the
barrel of a gun.
The thread 37 is connected to the muzzle opening 39 by a firing channel that
extends through
the main body/component 12 and along the central longitudinal axis 14. The
inner structures,
in particular the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 of the silencer 10, are
defined by the main
body/component 12; these expansion chambers serve to reduce the muzzle blast
of a
projectile fired by this firearm.
The illustrated version incorporates for this purpose among other things the
invention features
of walls, support structures, tapered expansion chambers, curved expansion
chambers,
branching expansion chambers, openings to the firing channel, openings to the
outside wall,
sound absorption areas, as well as expansion chambers surrounding each other.
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The walls 31, 32 serve as a sample illustration of walls extending coaxially
to the central
longitudinal axis; they are defined by the main body 12 and limit the
expansion chambers.
The other illustrated expansion chambers also have walls that are not
individually named for
reasons of economy of representation.
The sample support structures 35, 36, each of which extends respectively in a
manner that is
coplanar to the central longitudinal axis, serve to stabilize stasis and/or to
direct the flow
direction of expanding gases.
The expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 also show changes in their cross
sections, especially
the tapering. It can be seen that each of the expansion chambers has a part
which extends
essentially perpendicularly to the central longitudinal axis 14 and has a
relatively large cross
section; also evident is a part that is essentially parallel to the central
longitudinal axis 14 and
has a relatively small cross section. A reduction of the cross-section is thus
located at the
transition point between the two said parts, i.e. a tapering.
In addition, a curvature of every expansion chamber is evident at the
transition between the
part which is essentially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 14
and the part which
runs parallel to the central longitudinal axis 14. In the case at hand, the
curvature has
predominantly axial and azimuthal components, and in part some radial
components. Two
examples of support structures have been assigned the reference signs 35, 36.
The above-
mentioned features of tapering and curvature of the expansion chambers are
designed to
improve noise reduction.
In addition, the expansion chambers have branches, so that the gases expanding
in them can
flow to different destinations. These destinations include opening to the
firing channel,
openings to the outside wall, as well as sound absorption areas. In
particular, the expansion
spaces 20, 22, 24, 26 open into the firing channel. Each expansion chamber has
an individual
opening to the firing channel. The one for the expansion chamber 24 is
referred to by its
reference sign 44. In addition, the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 are open
to the exterior
wall. Reference signs 42 43 are used to refer to two sample openings. Also,
some sound
chambers have sound absorption spaces. Reference sign 40 refers to an example
of a sound
absorption area.
In addition, the illustrated sample version shows that the expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26
surround one another. This method of construction along the lines of
matryoshka - or nested
arrangement - serves to keep construction compact and to allow the expansion
chambers to be
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of varying lengths. In the case at hand, expansion chamber 26 is the outermost
expansion
chamber, whereas expansion chamber 20 forms the innermost expansion chamber.
In operation, the silencer 10 is attached to the barrel of a firearm (not
shown) by means of the
thread 37. After a projectile has been fired, it passes through the firing
channel along the
central longitudinal axis, through the main component/body and to the muzzle
opening 39. In
addition, gases travel this route and into the suppressor. Conforming to the
invention, some of
these gases then expand in the expansion chambers; their expansion can be
partially
controlled to largely prevent an explosive expansion, which would result in a
muzzle blast.
The gases thus flow through the firing channel from the thread 37 to the
muzzle opening 39
and, during the course of this flow, are partially absorbed in each of the
expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26. The part flowing through each expansion chamber is directed
along this
expansion chamber in the opposite direction of the shot. Along their route,
these gases, which
expand in the expansion chambers, encounter the branching and merging of the
chambers. On
the one hand the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 merge so that the gases
flow into a
common area. On the other hand, this common space branches out. At this point
the
expanding gases flow partly to a sound absorption area 40, partly to one of
several openings
42, 43 in the outer wall 30, or to one of several openings 44, 45 to the
firing channel. Thus
only a fraction of the expanding gases gradually escapes in each instance
through the muzzle
opening 39, and confonning to the invention, there is no, or at the very least
a significantly
reduced, muzzle blast. A part of the expanding gases passes through one of the
openings 42,
43 from the silencer. Some of the expanding gases once again, or repeatedly,
are directed
through one of the openings 44, 45 through the firing channel. In addition,
some of the
expansion energy is absorbed in sack-like cul-de-sacs in the expansion
chambers, in the sound
absorption area 40. Due to the large number of curvatures,
tapering/distribution and branches,
turbulence also arises in the gases' flow behaviour; this leads to the
expansion energy
dissipating even further.
Fig. 4 shows a fourth version of the invention silencer 10. Here, Fig. 4A
shows the top view
of a longitudinal section of the silencer 10 and Fig. 4B the same longitudinal
section of the
silencer 10 in foreshortened view. Both partial illustrations show the same
features that are
consequently also marked with the same reference signs and will likewise be
described below.
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The silencer 10 incorporates a main body/component 12. The main body/component
12 can
be manufactured along a central longitudinal axis 14.
The main body 12 is essentially cylindrical and defined by its shape and
geometry, among
other things by an outside wall 30. The outside wall 30 essentially includes a
cylinder barrel,
two faces with cut-outs for the thread 37 and muzzle opening 39, as well as
rounded edges at
the transition between the cylinder barrel and face surfaces.
The screw-type thread 37 is connected either indirectly or directly with the
barrel of a gun.
The thread 37 is connected to the muzzle opening 39 by a firing channel that
extends through
the main body/component 12 and along the central longitudinal axis 14. The
inner structures,
in particular the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 of the silencer 10, are
defined by the main
body/component 12; these expansion chambers serve to reduce the muzzle blast
of a
projectile fired by this firearm.
For the same purpose, the illustrated version implements the invention's
features of, among
other things, curved expansion spaces, tapering and broadening, support
structures, as well as
openings to the firing channel.
The expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 exhibit changes in their cross section.
As seen from
the top view, each of the expansion chambers has an essentially u-shaped
longitudinal section.
Each of the legs of the U shows a different cross-section. Thus on the one
hand a curvature,
and on the other broadening, or extension are manifest at the transition
between the legs. In
this case the curvature features predominantly axial and radial components.
Two examples of support structures have been assigned the reference signs 35,
36. The
above-mentioned characteristics of tapering/broadening and curved expansion
chambers serve
to improve noise reduction.
Moreover, the expansion chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 open into the firing channel.
Each
expansion chamber has an individual opening to the firing channel. The one for
the expansion
chamber 24 is referred to by its reference sign 44.
In addition, in the sample version shown, it is evident that in the present
case the expansion
chambers 20, 22, 24, 26 do not surround each other, but are arranged
sequentially along the
direction of the shot.
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CA 02923024 2016-03-04
The sample support structures, 35, 36, that at least partly extend in a
coplanar manner to the
central longitudinal axis, serve to stabilize static and/or the direction of
the flow of the
expanding gases.
In operation, the silencer 10 is attached to the barrel of a firearm (not
shown) by means of the
thread 37. After a projectile has been fired, it passes through the firing
channel along the
central longitudinal axis, through the main component/body and to the muzzle
opening 39. In
addition, gases travel this route and into the suppressor. Conforming to the
invention, some of
these gases then expand in the expansion chambers; their expansion can be
partially
controlled to largely prevent an explosive expansion, which would result in a
muzzle blast.
The gases thus flow through the firing channel from the thread 37 to the
muzzle opening 39
and, during the course of this flow, are partially absorbed in each of the
expansion chambers
20, 22, 24, 26. The portion of gases which flows into each individual
expansion chamber is
directed along this expansion chamber. Along their path in the expansion
chambers, the
expanding gases encounter curvatures and cross-section changes. Thus only a
fraction of the
expanding gases gradually escapes in each instance through the muzzle opening
39, and
conforming to the invention, there is no, or at the very least a significantly
reduced, muzzle
blast. Due to the large number of curvatures, tapering/distribution and
branches, turbulence
also arises in the gases' flow behaviour; this leads to the expansion energy
dissipating even
further.
Fig. 5 shows a fifth version of a silencer 10 falling under the invention. In
so doing, Fig. 5A
shows the top view of a longitudinal section of the silencer 10, and Fig. 5B
the same
longitudinal section of the silencer 10 in foreshortened view. Both partial
illustrations show
the same features that are consequently also marked with the same reference
signs and will
likewise be described below.
The silencer 10 incorporates a main body/component 12. The main body/component
12 can
be manufactured along a central longitudinal axis 14.
The main body/component 12 is essentially oblong and is defined by its shape
and geometry
by, among other things, an outside wall 30. However, the outside wall 30, in
contrast to the
above sample versions, does not describe a cylindrical shape in the case at
hand. Also, central
longitudinal axis 14 does not run through the geometric center; instead, it is
offset upwards.
CA 02923024 2016-03-04
This design version illustrates the structural flexibility of the invention,
something which goes
hand in hand with its production conforming to the invention.
The illustrated version implemented for this purpose includes, among other
things, the
invention features of tapering the expansion chambers, curvatures of expansion
chambers, the
merging of expansion chambers, expansion chambers surrounding each other,
sound
absorbing areas and openings to the outside wall.
The tapering of expansion chambers are based on the expansion chamber 24, 26
as illustrated.
The use of multiple curved expansion chambers is represented by the expansion
chamber 22,
resulting in an unusually long expansion chamber. A merging of two expansion
chambers is
shown as an example for the expansion chambers 20 and 22. In addition, it is
evident from the
illustrated version that the expansion chamber 22 surrounds the expansion
chambers 24 and
26. The use of sound absorption areas is demonstrated in the example of the
expansion
chamber 26 with its sound absorption area 40. Expansion chamber 22 also
includes an
opening 42 to the outside wall 30 of the main body 12.
In operation, the silencer 10 is connected (not shown) to the firearm by a
tube placed in the
area of the expansion chamber 20. After a projectile is fired, it passes along
the central
longitudinal axis through the firing channel, through the main body and then
to the muzzle
opening 39. In addition, gases travel this route and into the suppressor.
Conforming to the
invention, some of these gases then expand in the expansion chambers; their
expansion can be
partially controlled to largely prevent an explosive expansion, which would
result in a muzzle
blast.
The gases thus flow through the firing channel to the muzzle opening 39, and,
along the way
are partially redirected through each expansion chamber 20, 22, 24, 26. Thus
in each case,
only a fraction of the expanding gases gradually escapes through the muzzle
opening 39 and
the opening 42 to the exterior wall; and in accordance with the invention,
there is no, or at the
very least a significantly reduced, muzzle blast.
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REFERENCE SIGNS
Firearms silencer 10
Main body 12
Longitudinal axis 14
Expansion chamber 20, 22, 24, 26
Outside wall 30
Wall 31, 32
Baffles 33, 34
Support structure 35, 36
Thread 37
Muzzle Opening 39
Sound absorption area 40
Opening to the exterior wall 42, 43
Opening to the firing channel 44, 45
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