Suppressed upper receiver group having locking suppressor with through brake

Abstract

A suppressed upper receiver group for a firearm having a suppressor mounted to the barrel thereof. The suppressor has a tubular housing defining primary and secondary flow paths for propellant gas processing, diverting a portion of the propellant gas to the secondary flow path for pressure control. A number of baffle members are arranged in spaced relation within the housing and define serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers. A suppressor mounting adapter is connected with the barrel and has a propellant gas processing section having a propellant flow bore and extends completely through the housing and has a flash retarding tip projecting through a discharge opening of the housing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for processing the gunpowder residue laden propellant gas of a sound and flash suppressed firearm having a group having a barrel having a threaded muzzle end and defining a barrel bore, comprising:
 connecting to said barrel a generally cylindrical sound and flash suppressor device having a generally cylindrical tubular housing having a longitudinal axis and front and rear ends and defining a front wall, said generally cylindrical tubular housing having a plurality of baffle members axially spaced therein defining serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers within said generally cylindrical tubular housing; and   connecting a suppressor mounting adapter to said barrel, said suppressor mounting adapter having an integral propellant gas processing section within said generally cylindrical sound and flash suppressor device with said suppressor mounting adapter and propellant gas processing section extending completely through said generally cylindrical tubular housing and having an integral flash reducing projection extending forwardly of said front wall;   said propellant gas processing section defining a flow bore aligned with said barrel bore and defining abruptly oriented passages communicating propellant gas of said barrel bore with said serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers in a manner causing the dense gunpowder particulate to continue through said flow bore thus separating the dense gunpowder particulate and preventing the dense gunpowder residue from entering said serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers and causing substantial buildup on said plurality of baffle members.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 securing said suppressor mounting adapter to said threaded muzzle of said barrel;   assembling a suppressor housing adapter within said generally cylindrical tubular housing thus creating a housing assembly;   connecting said generally cylindrical tubular housing with said suppressor mounting adapter; and   releasably attaching said housing assembly with said suppressor mounting adapter, rotating said housing assembly on said suppressor mounting adapter and making up a releasable thread connection of said suppressor housing adapter and said suppressor housing adapter.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 said step of releasably attaching said housing assembly with said suppressor mounting adapter being rotation of said housing assembly on said suppressor mounting adapter until said releasable thread connection becomes tight; and   locking said housing assembly against loosening counter-rotation.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said step of locking comprising:
 forcing movement of flexible spring locking fingers of said housing mounting adapter from normal release positions to rotation preventing locking engagement with said suppressor mounting adapter, upon release of said forcing movement said flexible spring locking fingers returning to said normal release positions, permitting rotation of said housing assembly for loosening and removal from said suppressor mounting adapter.   
     
     
         5 . A suppressed upper receiver group for a firearm, comprising:
 an upper receiver having a barrel mounted thereto, said barrel defining a barrel bore and having a threaded muzzle end;   an elongate tubular housing having front and rear ends and having a propellant gas discharge wall at said front end thereof having a primary propellant gas discharge opening, said elongate tubular housing defining a propellant gas processing chamber therein, said elongate tubular housing having a primary flow path therein;   a plurality of baffle members being positioned in spaced relation within said elongate tubular housing and defining serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers between said baffle members; and   a suppressor mounting adapter being threadedly connected with said threaded muzzle end of said barrel and having an integral propellant gas processing section having a propellant flow bore aligned with said barrel bore and extending longitudinally through said elongate tubular housing, said integral propellant gas processing section having a flash retarding tip projecting through said opening of said wall of said elongate tubular housing, said propellant gas processing section and said serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers collectively defining said primary flow path and having lateral passages from said propellant flow bore to said plurality of propellant gas processing chambers and being oriented so that the dense gunpowder residue particulate contained within said propellant gas is conducted through said propellant flow bore past said lateral passages and is substantially excluded from said plurality of propellant gas processing chambers thus substantially preventing dense gunpowder residue from striking and building up on said baffle members.   
     
     
         6 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 5 , comprising:
 a housing mounting adapter being secured within said rear end of said elongate tubular housing and having an internal thread section; and   an external thread section being defined by said suppressor mounting adapter and being engaged with said internal thread section of said housing mounting adapter, permitting threaded attachment of said elongate tubular housing to said suppressor mounting adapter.   
     
     
         7 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 6 , comprising:
 spaced tapered annular external sealing surfaces being defined by said suppressor mounting adapter and having said external thread section of said suppressor mounting adapter located therebetween;   spaced tapered annular internal sealing surfaces being defined within said housing mounting adapter and having said internal thread section of said housing mounting adapter located therebetween; and   complete threading of said elongate tubular housing to said suppressor mounting adapter establishing sealing engagement of said spaced tapered annular internal and external sealing surfaces and isolating said external and internal thread sections from contamination by gunpowder residue.   
     
     
         8 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 6 , comprising:
 a locking mechanism being provided on said housing mounting adapter and being actuatable from a normal non-locking position to a locking position to secure said housing mounting adapter and said elongate tubular housing against inadvertently becoming loose or separating from said suppressor mounting adapter during use of the firearm; and   a lock actuating member selectively engaging and moving said locking mechanism from said non-locking position to said locking position.   
     
     
         9 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 8 , comprising:
 said locking mechanism being a plurality of moveable spring locking fingers normally having non-locking positions with respect to said suppressor mounting adapter and a locking thread on said housing mounting adapter; and   said lock actuating member being a locking ring having an thread engaging said locking and having a lock moving portion, upon locking movement of said locking ring said lock moving portion engaging said moveable spring locking fingers members and moving said spring locking fingers into locking engagement with said suppressor mounting adapter, upon movement of said lock moving portion toward said non-locking position said plurality of spring locking fingers returning to said non-locking positions thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 9 , comprising:
 an annular locking rim being located on said suppressor mounting adapter and having an annular ratcheted external surface; and   annular ratcheted internal surfaces being define by each of said spring locking fingers and establishing locking engagement with said annular ratcheted external surface of said annular locking rim at said locking positions of said spring locking fingers preventing loosening rotation of said housing mounting adapter and said generally cylindrical tubular housing   
     
     
         11 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 5 , comprising:
 an internal wall surface being defined by said generally cylindrical tubular housing;   An annular rim being supported in forwardly spaced relation by said housing mounting adapter and defining an annular bypass chamber within said generally cylindrical tubular housing, said annular rim defining a plurality of bypass ports communicating said annular bypass chamber with said propellant gas processing chamber;   said baffle members having generally cylindrical external walls and having external spacer members engaging said generally cylindrical internal wall surface of said and defining an annular space establishing a secondary flow path between said generally cylindrical tubular housing and said generally cylindrical external walls, said secondary flow path being in communication with said annular bypass chamber;   a plurality of bypass ports being defined in said propellant gas discharge wall of said generally cylindrical tubular housing and being in communication with said secondary flow path and conducting discharge of propellant gas to said secondary discharge ports substantially simultaneously with discharge of propellant gas from said primary flow path.   
     
     
         12 . A suppressed upper receiver group for a firearm, comprising:
 an upper receiver having a barrel mounted thereto, said barrel defining a barrel bore and having a threaded muzzle end;   an elongate tubular housing having a propellant gas discharge wall defining a propellant gas discharge opening, said elongate tubular housing defining a propellant gas processing chamber therein;   a plurality of baffle members being positioned in spaced relation within said elongate tubular housing and defining serially arranged propellant gas processing chambers between said baffle members; and   a suppressor mounting adapter being connected with said barrel and having an integral propellant gas processing section having a propellant flow bore aligned with said barrel bore and extending longitudinally through said elongate tubular housing, said integral propellant gas processing section having a flash retarding tip projecting through said propellant gas discharge opening of said elongate tubular housing.   
     
     
         13 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a housing mounting adapter being secured within said elongate tubular housing and having an internal thread section; and   an external thread section being defined by said suppressor mounting adapter and being engaged with said internal thread section of said housing mounting adapter, permitting threaded attachment of said elongate tubular housing to said suppressor mounting adapter.   
     
     
         14 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 13 , comprising:
 spaced tapered annular external sealing surfaces being defined by said suppressor mounting adapter and having said external thread section of said suppressor mounting adapter located therebetween;   spaced tapered annular internal sealing surfaces being defined within said housing mounting adapter and having said internal thread section of said housing mounting adapter located therebetween; and   complete threading of said elongate tubular housing to said suppressor mounting adapter establishing sealing engagement of said spaced tapered annular internal and external sealing surfaces and isolating said external and internal thread sections from contamination by gunpowder residue.   
     
     
         15 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a locking mechanism being provided on said housing mounting adapter and being actuatable from a normal non-locking position to a locking position to secure said housing mounting adapter and said elongate tubular housing against inadvertently becoming loose or separating from said suppressor mounting adapter during use of the firearm; and   a lock actuating member selectively engaging and moving said locking mechanism from said non-locking position to said locking position.   
     
     
         16 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 15 , comprising:
 said locking mechanism being a plurality of moveable spring locking fingers normally having non-locking positions with respect to said suppressor mounting adapter and a locking thread on said housing mounting adapter; and   said lock actuating member being a locking ring having an thread engaging said locking and having a lock moving portion, upon locking movement of said locking ring said lock moving portion engaging said moveable spring locking fingers members and moving said spring locking fingers into locking engagement with said suppressor mounting adapter, upon movement of said lock moving portion toward said non-locking position said plurality of spring locking fingers returning to said non-locking positions thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 16 , comprising:
 an annular locking rim being located on said suppressor mounting adapter and having an annular ratcheted external surface; and   annular ratcheted internal surfaces being define by each of said spring locking fingers and establishing locking engagement with said annular ratcheted external surface of said annular locking rim at said locking positions of said spring locking fingers preventing loosening rotation of said housing mounting adapter and said generally cylindrical tubular housing.   
     
     
         18 . The suppressed upper receiver group of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a primary flow path being defined within said generally cylindrical tubular housing by said baffle members, said plurality of propellant gas processing chambers, said suppressor mounting adapter, said integral propellant gas processing section and said propellant flow bore and terminating at said flash retarding tip;   an internal wall surface being defined by said generally cylindrical tubular housing;   An annular rim being supported in spaced relation by said housing mounting adapter and defining an annular bypass chamber within said generally cylindrical tubular housing, said annular rim defining a plurality of bypass ports communicating said annular bypass chamber with said propellant gas processing chamber;   said baffle members having generally cylindrical external walls and having external spacer members engaging said generally cylindrical internal wall surface of said and defining an annular space establishing a secondary flow path between said generally cylindrical tubular housing and said generally cylindrical external walls, said secondary flow path being in communication with said annular bypass chamber; and   a plurality of bypass ports being defined in said propellant gas discharge wall of said generally cylindrical tubular housing and being in communication with said secondary flow path and conducting discharge of propellant gas to said secondary discharge ports substantially simultaneously with discharge of propellant gas from said primary flow path.