Assembly and noise suppressor for firearms

Abstract

An assembly for a firearm ( 10 ) includes a sleeve ( 22 ) connected to the receiver or receiver end of the barrel ( 18 ). The sleeve ( 22 ) extends beyond the discharge end of the barrel ( 18 ) and includes inwardly extending projections ( 42 ) abutting or juxtaposed to a peripheral section ( 44 ) of the discharge end of the barrel ( 18 ). A noise suppressor ( 24, 50 ) threads onto the sleeve ( 22 ). Some of the propellant gases are redirected and cooled by the noise suppressor ( 24, 50 ) in a conventional manner. Some of the propellant gases are redirected into an annulus ( 46 ) between the barrel ( 18 ) and sleeve ( 22 ) where they are cooled and some of their volume is reduced thereby increasing the efficiency of the noise suppressor ( 24, 50 ).

1 . A firearm comprising a receiver having a barrel terminating in a muzzle, the barrel being imperforate on its periphery from the receiver to the muzzle and an assembly comprising
 an imperforate rigid sleeve connected to the firearm at a location adjacent a junction of the barrel and receiver and distant from the muzzle, the sleeve surrounding the barrel and extending from the junction to adjacent the muzzle; and   a noise suppressor rigid with the sleeve having a series of noise suppressing elements, an upstream element being spaced from the muzzle,   there being an annular space between the rigid sleeve and the barrel open to receive propellant gases exiting out of the muzzle.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is a one piece unit and the noise suppressor comprises exactly three separate pieces including an external tubular housing, a removable end cap connected to the tubular housing and having a protrusion extending outwardly beyond an end of the tubular housing and a unitary noise suppressing section including a series of separately made noise suppressing elements fused together to provide a series of gas expansion chambers, the end cap being arranged to couple and uncouple from the housing upon manipulation of the protrusion whereby the end cap may be removed by grasping the same and uncoupling the end cap from the tubular housing to thereby readily disassemble the noise suppressor for cleaning. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is a one piece unit and the noise suppressor comprises exactly two pieces including the tubular housing and one piece comprising an end cap and a unitary noise suppressing section comprising a plurality of separately made noise suppressing elements fused together to provide a series of gas expansion chambers, the end cap having a protrusion extending outwardly beyond an end of the tubular housing, the end cap being arranged to couple and uncouple from the housing upon manipulation of the protrusion whereby the end cap may be grasped to uncouple the end cap from the tubular housing to thereby readily disassemble the noise suppressor for cleaning. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm of  claim 3  wherein the tubular housing comprises a first connector adjacent an inlet end of the noise suppressor for connection to the sleeve and a second connector adjacent an inlet end of the noise suppressor for connection to the end cap/noise suppressing section. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm of  claim 3  wherein the first and second connectors are threads. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve comprises an elongate section made of a material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, stainless steel, carbon steel, titanium alloys, ceramics, ceramic composites and aluminum alloys. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the noise suppressor comprises a tubular housing having an imperforate side wall and providing an entrance end and an exit end and a connector adjacent the entrance end for attachment to a firearm; a multiplicity of separately made noise suppressing elements, inside the housing, each of the noise suppressing elements comprising a baffle having a central opening for passing a projectile from the firearm, the elements being fused together into a unit; and a closure seating against the exit end of the housing and having a protrusion extending outwardly beyond an end of the tubular housing, the end cap being arranged to couple and uncouple from the housing upon manipulation of the protrusion whereby the end cap may be grasped to uncouple the end cap from the tubular housing to thereby disassemble the noise suppressor for cleaning. 
     
     
         8 . The firearm of  claim 7  wherein the connector comprises a first set of threads, wherein the housing comprises a second set of threads adjacent the housing exit end, and wherein the closure being a separate component from the noise suppressor element unit, the closure abutting the exit end of the housing and having a third set of threads mating with the second set of threads. 
     
     
         9 . The firearm of  claim 7  wherein the connector comprises a first set of threads, wherein the housing comprises a second set of threads on an interior of the housing adjacent the entrance end and the noise suppressor element unit comprises a third set of threads mating with the second set of threads on the entrance end of the housing, the closure being of one piece with the baffle unit and abutting the exit end of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The firearm of  claim 7  wherein the closure is fused to the noise suppressor unit. 
     
     
         11 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve extends beyond the muzzle. 
     
     
         12 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve provides an internal abutment rigid with the sleeve abutting a peripheral section of the barrel adjacent the muzzle. 
     
     
         13 . The firearm of  claim 1  wherein the noise suppressor being wholly supported by the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . A noise suppressor for a firearm comprising
 a tubular housing having an imperforate side wall and providing an entrance end and an exit end and a connector adjacent the entrance end for attachment to a firearm;   a multiplicity of noise suppressing elements, inside the housing, each of the noise suppressing elements comprising a baffle having a central opening for passing a projectile from the firearm, the elements being separately made and then fused together into a unit; and   a closure seating against the housing and having a protrusion extending outwardly from an end of the tubular housing sufficiently far for a user to grasp, the closure being arranged to couple and uncouple from the housing upon manipulation of the protrusion;   the noise suppressor comprising no more than three parts whereby it may be readily disassembled, for cleaning, by manipulating the protrusion.   
     
     
         15 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the connector comprises threads. 
     
     
         16 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the connector is adjacent the housing entrance end, wherein the housing comprises a second connector adjacent the housing exit end, and wherein the closure being a separate component from the noise suppressor element unit, the closure abutting the exit end of the housing and having a third connector mating with the second connector. 
     
     
         17 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the connector is adjacent the housing entrance end, wherein the housing comprises a second connector on an interior of the housing adjacent the entrance end and the noise suppressor element unit comprises a third connector mating with the second connector on the entrance end of the housing, the closure being of one piece with the baffle unit and abutting the exit end of the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the noise suppressing elements are welded together. 
     
     
         19 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the closure is fused to the suppressing unit and the noise suppressor comprises exactly two separate pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  wherein the noise suppressor comprises exactly three separate pieces. 
     
     
         21 . The noise suppressor of  claim 14  comprising a structure located at the entrance end of the housing that is concave away from the exit end of the housing for deflecting some propellant gases out of the entrance end of the housing.