EP2191223A2 - Controlled-unaided surge and purge suppressors for firearm muzzles - Google Patents
Controlled-unaided surge and purge suppressors for firearm muzzlesInfo
- Publication number
- EP2191223A2 EP2191223A2 EP08874639A EP08874639A EP2191223A2 EP 2191223 A2 EP2191223 A2 EP 2191223A2 EP 08874639 A EP08874639 A EP 08874639A EP 08874639 A EP08874639 A EP 08874639A EP 2191223 A2 EP2191223 A2 EP 2191223A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- suppressor
- housing
- firearm
- ejector
- mixer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A21/00—Barrels; Gun tubes; Muzzle attachments; Barrel mounting means
- F41A21/30—Silencers
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F41—WEAPONS
- F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
- F41A21/00—Barrels; Gun tubes; Muzzle attachments; Barrel mounting means
- F41A21/32—Muzzle attachments or glands
- F41A21/34—Flash dampers
Definitions
- the present invention deals generally with firearms. More particularly, it deals with noise and flash suppressors for firearm muzzles.
- the first two core elements are: the precursor blast; and a main blast set up by the expanding gases.
- the precursor blast consists of mostly air with a small amount of propellant and the main blast is made up of spherical pressure waves that quickly overtake the fired projectile. Both of these blasts are sources of low frequency noise that carry very far distances.
- the third core element is the highly visible gas flash which follows the blast.
- a gas flash occurs because air mixes with the fuel rich propellants and the high temperatures from the blast waves. The result of this mixture forms a gas flash which is greatly increased in the secondary flow region that occurs away from the muzzle of a firearm.
- a gas flash When a gas flash forms, it occurs in three parts: primary, intermediate, and secondary flashes.
- the primary flash forms at the muzzle in the supersonic flow region and is very small.
- An intermediate flash occurs directly behind the projectile, but in front of the Mach disk leading any supersonic flow region. (Not all firearms have supersonic discharge flows.)
- the secondary flash is the most severe, and it occurs downstream of the firearm muzzle, and after the normal shock resulting from the muzzle gas over-expansion. The large flash seen when firing a projectile is actually the secondary flash.
- the over-expanded gas results in the normal shock or Mach disk, which causes the secondary flash and a significant portion of the noise.
- the important point is that the key physics of this type of flow structure is common in propulsion aerodynamics, and can be used to generate performance correlations for use in developing more efficient suppressor designs.
- Ejectors are well-known and documented fluid jet pumps that draw flow into a system and thereby increase the flow rate through that system.
- Mixer/ejectors are short compact versions of such jet pumps that are relatively insensitive to incoming flow conditions and have been used extensively in highspeed jet propulsion applications involving flow velocities near or above the speed of sound. See, for example, U.S. Patent 5,761,900 to Walter M. Presz, Jr., which also uses a mixer downstream of a gas turbine nozzle to increase thrust while reducing noise from the discharge.
- Dr. Presz is a co-inventor in the present application.
- An ejector is a fluid dynamic pump with no moving parts.
- Ejectors use viscous forces to lower the velocity and energy of a jet stream by ingesting lower energy flow which can lead to flow characteristics that may augment thrust, cool exhaust gases, suppress jet infrared signature, and importantly to ballistic applications, reduce attendant noise and flash.
- Mixers improve the performance characteristics of ejectors by inducing stirring, or axial vortices, that promote rapid mixing of the high velocity primary jet with the cooler, and sometimes heavier, ingested gas; thus resulting in more compact devices. Numerous patented products have derived from this concept.
- the mixer/ejector concept is well accepted within the aviation and jet propulsion community as an extremely efficient solution to aircraft noise and exhaust temperature suppression.
- Applicants have developed an improved firearm suppressor through the use of advanced mixer/ejector concepts. By recognizing and analyzing the blast and plume characteristics, inherent in ballistic discharges, Applicants have created a new two-step controlled unaided surge and jmrge system (nicknamed "CUSPS") for firearm suppressors.
- CUSPS unaided surge and jmrge system
- This new CUSPS approach attends to the blast surge effects by controlling the flow expansion into the suppressor, and attends to the flash effects by controlling inflow and outflow gas purging.
- the CUSPS suppressor rapidly reduces the pressure energy associated with a firearm muzzle blast before it exits the suppressor, thereby reducing noise and muzzle flash.
- the blast surge is mitigated through a rapid, divergent nozzle volume increase and thereafter through a series of vent holes strategically located around the suppressor outer wall.
- the vent holes preferably converge towards the outside of the CUSPS.
- the holes could be contoured with divergent or convergent/divergent area distributions.
- a two-stage supersonic mixer/ejector is used in the CUSPS suppressor to control or eliminate the Mach disk, while rapidly mixing and diluting the propellant with ambient air.
- CUSPS suppressor will generate the following benefits: lower noise; hide or eliminates flash; integrate cooling and self-cleaning; maintain firearm accuracy at longer distances; and lessen the amount of powder residue inside barrels.
- FIGS. 1A-1D labeled "Prior Art", illustrate four examples of prior firearm suppressors: conventional silencers (FIG. IA); silencers with absorbent material (FIG. IB); silencers with two-stage divergent diffuser (FIG. 1C); and silencers with three-stage divergent diffusers (FIG. ID).
- FIG. 2A is a perspective view, with portions broken away and removed, of an alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor having a housing, a lobed mixer nozzle at a projectile entrance location, a "straight" expansion chamber inside the housing, and vent openings or holes distributed in the housing;
- FIG. 2B is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a swirl nozzle at the projectile entrance location instead of the lobed nozzle of FIG. 2 A;
- FIG. 2C is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a slotted nozzle at the projectile entrance location instead of a swirl nozzle or a lobed nozzle;
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor showing a divergent round nozzle at the projectile entrance location before the entrance lobed nozzle, and a single-stage ejector formed by the vent openings distributed on the suppressor outer surface;
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer shroud system detached from a divergent round entrance nozzle forming a two-stage ejector;
- FIG. 5 A is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer shroud system detached from an entrance mixer nozzle forming a two-stage mixer/ejector;
- FIG. 5B shows the same two-stage mixer/ejector system of FIG. 5 A, but with vent holes added to the exit port location of the suppressor;
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer/ejector system detached from the divergent entrance nozzle forming a three-stage ejector system;
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer/ejector system detached from the divergent entrance nozzle, forming a three-stage ejector system, and a convergent-divergent supersonic diffuser in an expansion chamber of the suppressor;
- FIG. 8A shows a perspective views, with portions broken away, of Applicants' preferred CUSPS embodiment: a detachable suppressor with two expansion chambers; a first-stage mixer/ejector in a first expansion chamber comprising a lobed nozzle at the entrance to the first expansion chamber, a lobed ejector, and vent holes to draw in outside air; a second-stage mixer/ejector comprising a lobed nozzle which extends into a second expansion chamber where vent holes are placed to draw in outside air; and a convergent- divergent diffuser as part of the suppressor exit port; [0033] FIG. 8B shows the same system, as in FIG. 8 A, but with slotted nozzles replacing the lobed nozzle;
- FIG. 8C shows the same system, as in FIG. 8B, but with a round convergent nozzle at the entrance of the second expansion chamber;
- FIG. 9 shows an integrated barrel CUSPS with ejector vent holes before the barrel exit and surrounding the barrel
- FIG. 1OA shows an integrated barrel CUSPS having a different shaped housing
- FIG. 1OB is a right-hand end view of FIG. 1OA showing the housing is oval.
- FIGS. 2A-10A show alternate embodiments of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor for firearms. Like elements in the drawings use the same element numbers.
- the CUSPS is a detachable firearm suppressor comprising: a. a tubular housing 102, removably affixed to and axially aligned with the muzzle end of a firearm barrel 103, wherein the housing 102 has vent openings 104 radially and longitudinally distributed in its outer surface or wall, and the housing 102 contains: i. a projectile entrance port 105, adjacent the terminus, that allows the blast wave and exit gas from a discharged firearm to expand inside the housing 102; ii.
- a projectile exit port 114 and internal support structure at its terminus wherein the preferred exit port is an exit hole 115 in the housing which is significantly larger than the bore (i.e. hole) 105 of the barrel 103; and iii. a one-stage mixer/ejector in an expansion chamber 113, comprising a lobed mixer nozzle 116 at the projectile entrance location 105 and a lobed ejector 117, wherein the mixer/ejector is adapted in size and shape to use the kinetic energy of the firearm's exit gases to pump external or ambient air in and through the suppressor vent holes 104 for cooling and/or cleaning the suppressor (and to a lesser degree cool the gun's muzzle end), and wherein contours of internal lobes for the mixer 116 and ejector 117 interact within the tubular housing 102 to mix ingested ambient air, drawn in through the vent holes 104, with the firearm's exit gases to reduce firearm noise and flash; iv.
- expansion chamber 113 allows the mixed and pumped air and firearm's exit gases to expand within the chamber to increase pressure loss and reduce noise; v. a round divergent nozzle 122, at the projectile entrance port 105, having a divergent area distribution adapted in size and shape to reduce flow over-expansion and shock formation, thus reducing flash; and vi. a convergent-divergent diffuser 124, or alternately (though not preferred) a contoured nozzle at the suppressor exit 125 to maximize ejector pumping efficiencies.
- the preferred embodiment also includes a second-stage mixer/ejector system comprising: a lobed nozzle 127 which surrounds an end of the lobed ejector nozzle 117 and extends downstream into a second chamber 128; and vent holes 104 in the second chamber to draw in outside air.
- a second-stage mixer/ejector system comprising: a lobed nozzle 127 which surrounds an end of the lobed ejector nozzle 117 and extends downstream into a second chamber 128; and vent holes 104 in the second chamber to draw in outside air.
- vent holes 104 are preferably convergent. They narrow towards the outside of the suppressor.
- FIG. 2A depicts an alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor having a housing 102, a lobed mixer nozzle 116 at a projectile entrance location, a "straight" expansion chamber 130 with a constant diameter inside the housing, vent openings or holes 104 distributed in the housing; and slots or holes 114 at the suppressor exit plane.
- FIG. 2B depicts an alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a swirl nozzle 132 at the projectile entrance location, instead of Applicants' preferred lobed nozzle, and vent holes 104 distributed in the housing 102.
- FIG. 2C depicts another embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a slotted nozzle 140 at the projectile entrance location, instead of a swirl nozzle 126 or a lobed nozzle 116, and vent holes 104 distributed in the housing 102.
- FIG. 3 depicts another embodiment of Applicant's CUSPS suppressor with a lobed nozzle 116 attached to a round divergent nozzle 122 at the projectile entrance allocation and vent holes 104 distributed in the housing 102.
- FIG. 4 depicts another alternate embodiment of Applicants' preferred CUSPS suppressor with a mixer shroud system 150, detached from a divergent round entrance nozzle
- FIG. 5A depicts another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer shroud 150 attached to the mixer nozzle 116 forming a two-stage mixer/ejector system 180 with vent openings 104 to draw in outside air.
- FIG. 5B shows the same mixer/ejector system of FIG. 5 A, but with vent holes
- FIG. 6 depicts another alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor.
- This embodiment includes a mixer/ejector system 190 detached from the convergent entrance nozzle 152 forming a three-stage ejector system, and vent openings 104 distributed in the housing 102.
- FIG. 7 depicts an alternate embodiment of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor with a mixer/ejector system 190 detached from the divergent entrance nozzle 122, forming a three- stage ejector system, vent openings 104 distributed in the housing's outer wall, and a convergent-divergent supersonic diffuser 204 in the expansion chamber 206 of the suppressor.
- FIGS. 8B and 8C depict additional embodiments of Applicants' CUSPS suppressor, in which: FIG 8B shows the same system, as in FIG. 8 A, but with slotted nozzles (like 140 in FIG. 2C) replacing the lobed nozzles 116; and FIG. 8C shows the same system, as in FIG. 8B, but with a round convergent nozzle 218 at the entrance of the second expansion chamber 128; [0052]
- FlG. 9 shows an integrated barrel CUSPS, similar to the preferred embodiment, with ejector vent holes 104 before the barrel exit and surrounding the barrel 103.
- CUSPS has lobed internal nozzles 1 16, 117, it could instead have slotted rounded internal nozzles. Both types have divergent area distributions to minimize flow overexpansion and reduce noise and flash.
- Tubular housing 102 need not be circular in cross section. Its major axis is preferably horizontal (i.e., co-axial with the firearm barrel 103, or alternatively vertical (not shown), or in between (not shown). [0055] Experimental and analytical analyses of the preferred CUSPS embodiment
- the CUSPS can reduce the noise induced by the firearm's muzzle blast wave, reduce the radiant flash caused by the propellant gases and ingest ambient air to both cool the suppressor and purge it of residual gases, thereby increasing its useful life span.
- the preferred CUSPS embodiment 100 will reduce the blast wave induced noise at three feet from the muzzle exit by 20 db or more, make the gas flash visually undetectable to an observer at any distance greater than 1000 muzzle diameters, and have an indefinite useful lifetime if properly maintained.
- the entrance and lobed nozzle 116 serves to control and reduce the static pressure of the gases exiting the muzzle while the vent holes 104 first dissipate the blast wave from the muzzle gases and thereafter ingest ambient air to purge, dilute and cool the residual gases.
- the ejector 117 lobes assist and amplify the air ingestion process, stir the ingested air into the muzzle gases to enhance their cooling and reduce the strength of the shock waves produced, which are further assisted by the convergent/divergent diffuser 127. Applicants believe their other disclosed embodiments will do the same.
- the internal diameter of Applicants' preferred suppressor housing 102 is between two and ten muzzle external diameters to accommodate the range of propellant gases used in the firearm.
- the CUSPS suppressor length is set between three and ten times its internal diameter to tailor its sound reduction to a desirable level.
- FIGS. 1OA and 1OB an alternate configuration for the tubular housing 102 of the preferred CUSPS embodiment 100.
- the housing employs a non-circular cross-section, here an oval.
- vent holes 104 are established to assure sufficient dilution of the muzzle gases to reduce flash and purging of the residual gases.
- the entrance divergent nozzle's exit diameter and length are established using classic gas dynamic principals to produce isentropic, or near isentropic, expansion of the muzzle gases into the suppressor.
- exit nozzle diameter and length are established using classic gas dynamic principals to produce isentropic, or near isentropic, expansion of the muzzle gases out of the suppressor.
- the mixer lobes, slots, tabs or swirl vanes have longitudinal, azimuthal and/or radial dimensions approximately equal to the radial dimensions of the entrance nozzle exit diameter and the suppressor internal diameter.
- the ejector diameter is set between that of the entrance nozzle exit diameter and the suppressor internal diameter.
- Each of Applicants' embodiments can be thought of as a firearm suppressor comprising: a. a suppressor housing, with vent holes; extending from the muzzle end of a firearm barrel; and b. means for controlling and reducing the static pressure of muzzle gases exiting the muzzle of a discharged firearm while dissipating a blast wave from the muzzle gases and thereafter ingesting ambient air through the vent holes to purge, dilute and cool the residual gases, wherein the means comprises at least one mixer/ejector stage in the housing.
- a method for firearms, and other guns comprising: a. attaching a suppressor onto the muzzle end of a firearm, whereby the suppressor is co-axial with a barrel of the firearm. b. controlling and reducing the static pressure of muzzle gases exiting the muzzle of a discharged firearm, via at least one mixer/ejector in the firearm suppressor, while dissipating a blast wave from the muzzle gases and thereafter ingesting ambient air through the vent holes to purge, dilute and cool the residual gases.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US99428007P | 2007-09-18 | 2007-09-18 | |
PCT/US2008/010806 WO2009151428A2 (en) | 2007-09-17 | 2008-09-17 | Controlled-unaided surge and purge suppressors for firearm muzzles |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2191223A2 true EP2191223A2 (en) | 2010-06-02 |
EP2191223B1 EP2191223B1 (en) | 2011-11-23 |
Family
ID=42126081
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP08874639A Not-in-force EP2191223B1 (en) | 2007-09-18 | 2008-09-17 | Firearm suppressor |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP2191223B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE534880T1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2700203A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2009151428A2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10429146B2 (en) | 2016-01-17 | 2019-10-01 | Ascendance International, LLC | Firearm suppression device |
US10458737B2 (en) | 2018-03-06 | 2019-10-29 | Steven H. Schwartzkopf | Firearm suppressor including thermal energy absorbing elements manufactured from porous metal |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8167084B1 (en) | 2010-03-01 | 2012-05-01 | Fn Manufacturing, Llc | Sound suppressor |
WO2014076356A1 (en) | 2012-11-15 | 2014-05-22 | Sako Oy | Firearm suppressor |
WO2014197380A1 (en) * | 2013-06-02 | 2014-12-11 | Richard Christiansen | Methods and systems for concealing light |
EP3227607B1 (en) * | 2014-12-04 | 2020-01-15 | ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company | Fluid injection nozzle for fluid bed reactors |
US10746491B2 (en) | 2016-01-17 | 2020-08-18 | Ascendance International, LLC | Firearm suppression device |
WO2023219527A1 (en) * | 2022-05-11 | 2023-11-16 | Денис Эрнестович ЛЬВОВ | Method for braking a supersonic gas flow |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH154851A (en) * | 1929-07-10 | 1932-05-31 | Miglioramento Armi Soc It | Process for the suppression of flames and smoke coming out of guns during firing and device for carrying out this process. |
FR825016A (en) * | 1936-11-07 | 1938-02-22 | Machine guns and other firearms upgrades | |
US2363563A (en) * | 1942-11-18 | 1944-11-28 | Neal L Vinson | Air-cooled gun barrel |
US5761900A (en) * | 1995-10-11 | 1998-06-09 | Stage Iii Technologies, L.C. | Two-stage mixer ejector suppressor |
-
2008
- 2008-09-17 EP EP08874639A patent/EP2191223B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2008-09-17 WO PCT/US2008/010806 patent/WO2009151428A2/en active Application Filing
- 2008-09-17 AT AT08874639T patent/ATE534880T1/en active
- 2008-09-17 CA CA2700203A patent/CA2700203A1/en not_active Abandoned
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO2009151428A2 * |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10429146B2 (en) | 2016-01-17 | 2019-10-01 | Ascendance International, LLC | Firearm suppression device |
US10458737B2 (en) | 2018-03-06 | 2019-10-29 | Steven H. Schwartzkopf | Firearm suppressor including thermal energy absorbing elements manufactured from porous metal |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2009151428A2 (en) | 2009-12-17 |
WO2009151428A3 (en) | 2010-02-18 |
EP2191223B1 (en) | 2011-11-23 |
CA2700203A1 (en) | 2009-12-17 |
ATE534880T1 (en) | 2011-12-15 |
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