Firearm sound suppressor

Abstract

A suppressor for reducing muzzle blast and noise of firearms. The suppressor can include a baffle tube including a stack of baffle modules that are removably coupled to one another, and an optional blast baffle, end cap and end cap insert. The stack can be independently supported from both bullet entry and exit ends of the tube, with the stack under tension and the tube under compression. Two or more tubes of can be joined with one another at ends having corresponding sealing flanges, which also can center the tubes relative to one another. A blast baffle can separate pressurized gas into a first pathway through the baffle stack and a second pathway between the baffle modules and the baffle tube. The baffle tube and/or an expansion chamber tube can include a rearward end cap that is removable and replaceable with an over the barrel expansion tube.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A suppressor for a firearm, comprising:
 an elongate baffle tube having a bullet entry end, an opposing bullet exit end and a longitudinal axis, the elongate baffle tube having a bullet pathway extending longitudinally therethrough from the bullet entry end to the bullet exit end, the elongate baffle tube including an inner sidewall;   a forward end cap joined with the elongate baffle tube adjacent the bullet exit end, the forward end cap defining a forward end cap bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway;   a first baffle module disposed adjacent the forward end cap, the first baffle module defining a first baffle module bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway; and   a second baffle module disposed adjacent the first baffle module, the second baffle module defining a second baffle module bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway;   wherein the first baffle module and second baffle module are removable from the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         2 . The suppressor of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a separately constructed expansion chamber tube removably coupled to the elongate baffle tube adjacent the bullet entry end of the elongate tube, the expansion chamber tube including an expansion chamber tube flange corresponding to an elongate baffle tube flange included at the bullet entry end of the elongate baffle tube,   wherein the expansion chamber tube flange is forcibly engaged with the elongate baffle tube flange to provide a sealed joint between the expansion chamber tube and the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         3 . The suppressor of  claim 2  comprising:
 a compression nut threadably engaged with at least one of the elongate baffle tube and the expansion chamber tube to force the expansion chamber tube flange into sealing engagement and concentricity with the elongate baffle tube flange. 
 
     
     
         4 . The suppressor of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the expansion chamber tube extends rearward from the bullet entry end of the elongate baffle tube,   wherein the compression nut extends over an exterior surface of the elongate baffle tube and over a threaded exterior surface of the expansion tube adjacent the bullet entry end of the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         5 . The suppressor of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the expansion chamber tube includes a threaded first end that is threadedly engaged by a compression nut to force the expansion chamber tube flange into sealing engagement and concentricity with the elongate baffle tube flange,   wherein the expansion chamber tube includes a second threaded end distal from the first end to which a rearward end cap is threadedly secured.   
     
     
         6 . The suppressor of  claim 2  comprising:
 a plurality of baffle modules disposed in the elongate baffle tube, with no baffle module disposed in the expansion chamber tube, 
 wherein the elongate baffle tube flange is tapered to flare outward as the elongate baffle tube tapered flange extends toward the bullet exit end. 
 
     
     
         7 . The suppressor of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a blast baffle joined with the second baffle module, the blast baffle defining a blast baffle bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway, the blast baffle bullet opening forming a first gas pathway, the blast baffle including a ring defining a secondary port that is radially offset from the blast baffle bullet pathway and the longitudinal axis,   wherein the secondary port is in fluid communication with a second gas pathway that is defined between the inner sidewall and an outer wall of the second baffle module distal from the first gas pathway,   whereby gases impinging the blast baffle are diffused by the blast baffle into the first gas pathway coinciding with the bullet pathway, and into the second gas pathway through the secondary port and between the inner sidewall of the baffle tube and outer wall of the second baffle module.   
     
     
         8 . The suppressor of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the second gas pathway is a helical gas pathway defined in at least one of the inner sidewall and the outer wall of the second baffle module.   
     
     
         9 . The suppressor of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the blast baffle includes an inner core and the ring includes a plurality of webs that extend to the inner core,   wherein the secondary port is defined between adjacent ones of the plurality of webs,   wherein the ring is configured to engage the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         10 . The suppressor of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the blast baffle includes an inner core joined with the ring,   wherein the inner core includes a first portion that defines a first blast baffle bore, the first portion transitioning at a transition region to a second portion that defines a second blast baffle bore, the second blast baffle bore of a larger internal dimension than the first blast baffle bore.   
     
     
         11 . The suppressor of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first gas pathway extends through the first blast baffle bore and the second blast baffle bore, inside the first portion and the second portion,   wherein the second gas pathway extends outside the first portion and the second portion, and between the second portion and the inner wall of the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         12 . The suppressor of  claim 1  comprising:
 an expansion chamber tube joined with the elongate baffle tube adjacent the bullet entry end of the elongate baffle tube; 
 an over the barrel expansion tube joined with the expansion chamber tube, the over the barrel expansion tube configured to be positioned over a barrel of a firearm to which the suppressor is attached, and configured to extend rearward from a muzzle of the firearm a preselected distance while the elongate baffle tube is configured to extend forward of the muzzle, 
 wherein the over the barrel expansion tube is removably coupled to the expansion chamber tube so that the over the barrel expansion tube can be replaced with a rearward end cap to close the expansion chamber tube, 
 whereby a user can selectively utilize the suppressor with or without the over the barrel expansion chamber. 
 
     
     
         13 . The suppressor of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the over the barrel expansion tube includes an inner tube configured for placement adjacent the barrel and an outer tube disposed outward and around the inner tube.   
     
     
         14 . The suppressor of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the inner tube is threadably joined with the expansion chamber tube adjacent a muzzle interface of the expansion chamber tube,   wherein the inner tube is threadably joined with the outer tube at a rearward portion of the outer tube, distal from the muzzle interface.   
     
     
         15 . The suppressor of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the over the barrel expansion tube includes a first tapered sealing flange,   wherein the expansion chamber tube includes a second tapered sealing flange,   wherein the over the barrel expansion tube is threadably coupled to the expansion chamber tube so that when tightened, the first tapered sealing flange sealingly engages the second tapered sealing flange, thereby joining the over the barrel expansion tube with the expansion chamber tube at a sealed joint.   
     
     
         16 . The suppressor of  claim 1  comprising:
 an expansion chamber tube joined with the elongate baffle tube adjacent the bullet entry end of the elongate baffle tube, 
 wherein the expansion chamber tube includes an exterior diameter that is greater than an exterior diameter of the elongate baffle tube. 
 
     
     
         17 . A suppressor for a firearm comprising:
 an elongate baffle tube having a bullet entry end, an opposing bullet exit end and a longitudinal axis, the elongate baffle tube having a bullet pathway extending longitudinally therethrough from the bullet entry end to the bullet exit end, the elongate baffle tube having an inner wall;   a baffle module disposed in the elongate baffle tube between the bullet entry end and the bullet exit end, the baffle module including an exterior and an interior, the exterior including a threaded exterior connector interface, the interior including a threaded interior connector interface, the baffle module defining an baffle module bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway, the baffle module including a first baffle module portion that defines a first baffle module bore, the first portion transitioning to a second baffle module portion that defines a second baffle module bore, the second baffle module bore of a larger internal dimension than the first baffle module bore,   wherein a gas pathway is defined between the second baffle module portion and the inner wall of the elongate baffle tube.   
     
     
         18 . The suppressor of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the first baffle module portion includes a bullet entry opening,   wherein a stepped cone is disposed adjacent and surrounding the bullet entry opening on the exterior,   wherein the second baffle module bore includes an internal dimension that is greater than an outermost dimension of the stepped cone.   
     
     
         19 . The suppressor of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the gas pathway is in the form of a helical groove defined by the second baffle module portion, along an external wall thereof.   
     
     
         20 . A suppressor for a firearm, comprising:
 an elongate baffle tube having a bullet entry end, an opposing bullet exit end and a longitudinal axis, the elongate baffle tube having a bullet pathway extending longitudinally therethrough from the bullet entry end to the bullet exit end;   a forward end cap threadably joined with the elongate baffle tube adjacent the bullet exit end, the forward end cap defining an end cap bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway and including a threaded forward end cap outer connector interface;   a first baffle module disposed adjacent the forward end cap, the first baffle module defining a first baffle module bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway;   a second baffle module disposed adjacent the first baffle module, the second baffle module defining a second baffle module bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway; and   a blast baffle joined with the second baffle module, the blast baffle defining a blast baffle bullet opening aligned with the bullet pathway,   wherein the forward end cap is sufficiently tightened relative to the bullet exit end of the elongate baffle tube so that a compression force is borne by the elongate baffle tube and a corresponding tension force is borne by the first baffle module, the second baffle module and the blast baffle,   wherein the forward end cap, the first baffle module, the second baffle module, and the blast baffle are supported at both the bullet entry end and the bullet exit end of the elongate baffle tube.