Silencer for firearm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10480888-B2
Application number	US-201816015496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A silencer assembly for a firearm in one embodiment includes a support tube and plurality of baffles defining combustion gas expansion chambers. A coupling member including a ratchet mechanism removably mounts the silencer on a muzzle device on a firearm barrel. The ratchet mechanism comprises first and second arrays of teeth each disposed on the coupling member. The first array is infinitely rotatable on the coupling member when not coupled to the muzzle device and locks in rotational position when the coupling member is coupled to the device. The second array is rotationally fixed in position on the coupling member. In one embodiment, the muzzle device and coupling member have interlocking rotational stops which prevent the first array of teeth from rotating when the coupling member is coupled to the muzzle device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A quick-coupling silencer assembly for a firearm, the assembly comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a muzzle device configured for attachment to a muzzle end of a firearm barrel, the muzzle device including a first rotational stop;
a support tube having a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of baffles arranged in a longitudinal stack and supported by the support tube, the baffles defining a plurality of gas expansion chambers;
a coupling member attached to the proximal end of the support tube and having a second rotational stop engageable with the first rotational stop of the muzzle device, the coupling member rotatably securing the support tube to the muzzle device;
a ratcheting mechanism comprising a freely rotatable first array of radial teeth disposed on the coupling member and a second array of radial teeth disposed on the coupling member in a fixed rotational position;
a biasing member biasing the second array of radial teeth into engagement with the first array of radial teeth;
wherein the first array of radial teeth is infinitely rotatable in opposing directions when the coupling member is not secured to the muzzle device, and wherein the first array of radial teeth is locked in rotational position when the coupling member is secured to the muzzle device.

2. The silencer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotational stops engage when the coupling member is secured to the muzzle device which locks the first array of radial teeth in rotational position.

3. The silencer assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first rotational stop is disposed proximate to a rear end of the muzzle device and the second rotational stop is disposed proximate to a rear end of the coupling member.

4. The silencer assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the first rotational stop comprises an external longitudinal groove formed on an exterior annular surface of the muzzle device and the second rotational stop comprises an internal longitudinal spline disposed inside a rearwardly open cavity of the coupling member.

5. The silencer assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the second rotational stop is disposed on a ratchet ring disposed and freely rotatable on the rear end of the coupling member.

6. The silencer assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the ratchet ring is mounted on a tubular adapter threadably attached to the support tube at a front end of the adapter, and the adapter is threadably attached to the muzzle device at a rear end of the adapter.

7. The silencer assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the ratchet ring is coupled to the coupling member via a retention ring.

8. The silencer assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the first array of radial teeth is disposed on the ratchet ring.

9. The silencer assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the second array of radial teeth is disposed on a detent ring attached to the coupling member in a fixed rotational position, the detent ring axially movable in a reciprocating manner.

10. The silencer assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the biasing member is a wave spring engaged with the detent ring to bias the second array of radial teeth into the first array of radial teeth.

11. The silencer assembly according to claim 1 , where the baffles comprise a blast baffle coupled directly to the support tube and plurality of primary baffles each comprising an annular mounting sleeve and a skewed cone projecting axially rearward from the mounting sleeve, the cone defining an oblong central opening concentrically aligned with the longitudinal axis for receiving a projectile therethrough, the oblong central opening being obliquely angled to the longitudinal axis.

12. The silencer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the baffles are supported in a cantilevered manner from the support tube and are exteriorly exposed.

13. The silencer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the muzzle device is a muzzle brake.

14. A quick-coupling silencer assembly for a firearm, the assembly comprising:
a longitudinal axis;
a muzzle device configured for attachment to a muzzle end of a firearm barrel;
a support tube assembly including proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal stack of baffles defining a plurality of gas expansion chambers;
an annular adapter threadably coupling the support tube assembly to the muzzle device;
a ratchet ring movably coupled to the annular adapter and comprising first radial teeth, the ratchet ring being freely and infinitely rotatable on the adapter when the adapter is not coupled to the muzzle device;
a detent ring disposed on the adapter and comprising second radial teeth, the detent ring locked in rotational position on the coupling member;
an annular biasing member biasing the second radial teeth of the detent ring into engagement with the first radial teeth of the ratchet ring which collectively defines a ratchet mechanism;
wherein the ratchet ring is lockable in rotational position when the adapter is coupled to the muzzle device and the detent ring rotates with the adapter.

15. The silencer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the detent ring comprises a lock tab which engages the adapter to lock the detent ring in rotational position.

16. The silencer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the muzzle device includes a plurality of first rotational stop elements and the ratchet ring includes a plurality of second rotational stop elements engaged therewith when the adapter is coupled to the muzzle device which locks the ratchet ring in rotational position.

17. The silencer assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the first rotational stop elements comprise one of a longitudinal channel and spline and the second rotational stop elements comprise the other of the longitudinal channel and spline.

18. The silencer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein ratchet ring is movably coupled to the adapter by a retention ring which engages a circumferential groove on the ratchet ring.

19. A method for installing a silencer on a firearm, the method comprising:
providing a silencer comprising a support tube with array of stacked baffles and an annular coupling adapter attached to a rear end of the silencer;
axially moving the silencer rearward a first distance onto the muzzle device while applying a rearward pushing force on the silencer;
engaging an abutment surface of a toothed ratchet ring disposed on the coupling adapter with a mating abutment surface on the muzzle device while applying the rearward pushing force on the silencer, the ratchet ring being freely rotatable on the coupling adapter;
rotating the silencer while applying the rearward pushing force, the ratchet ring and coupling adapter rotating with the silencer;
automatically axially aligning a rotational stop on the ratchet ring with a mating rotational stop on the muzzle device via rotating the silencer;
slideably engaging the rotational stops of the ratchet ring and muzzle device, the engagement rotationally locking the ratchet ring in position on the muzzle device such that the ratchet ring no longer rotates with rotation of the silencer and coupling adapter;
axially moving the silencer rearward a second distance while applying the rearward pushing force on the silencer; and
threadably engaging the coupling adapter with the muzzle device.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising a spring-biased toothed detent ring rotationally engaged with the toothed ratchet ring, the detent ring rotationally locked to the

Assignees

• Sturm Ruger & Co

Inventors

• Barrett Jonathan

Classifications

• F41A21/28

  Gas-expansion chambers; Barrels provided with gas-relieving ports (F41A1/06, F41A13/08 {and F41A21/36} take precedence) · CPC title

• F41A21/30 Primary

  Silencers · CPC title