US2792760A - Combination flash eliminator and stabilizer for a firearm - Google Patents

Description

. A. HAMMER 2,792,760 COMBINATION FLASH ELIMINATOR AND STABILIZER FOR A FIREARM May 21, 1957 Filed March 26, 1954 INVENTOR. Alexunfle r Humm ET A TTOR NE Y5 COMBINATION FLASH ELIMINATOR AND STABELIZER FOR A FIREARM Alexander Hammer, Springfield, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 419,117

6 Claims. (Cl. 89-14) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and'used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to muzzle attachments for firearm barrels and is more particularly directed to a combined flash eliminator, silencer and stabilizer.

In the design of military weapons, considerable efforts have been expended in various attempts to eliminate the smoke and flash normally present at the muzzle end of the barrels during automatic fire. While the problem of smoke accumulation has been virtually eliminated by the use of modern types of smokeless powders, the prior art has not met with the same degree of success in the concealment or elimination of flash during relatively long bursts of sustained fire. Although numerous attempts have been made to eliminate flash by providing means for cooling the muzzle end of the barrel to a temperature substantially below the ignition point of the unburnt particles of powder which customarily accompany the gases evolved upon the discharge of each cartridge, it has invariably been found impossible to provide the requisite drop in temperature over the relatively short length of the customary muzzle attachment. Accordingly, present attempts at reducing the flash have been directed toward breaking up the shock waves produced by the discharge gases immediately upon emergence thereof from the muzzle of the firearm barrel. While this approach to the problem has met with far greater success than the flash hiders previously employed in theart, elimination of all of the flash during sustained fire has not as yet been achieved because the temperatures at the muzzle end of the barrel remain above the ignition point of the unburnst powder particles.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved device for attachment to the muzzle end of afirearm barrel which will effectively cool the discharge gases passing therethrough to a temperature below the flash point of the powder utilized in the particular ammunition employed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a muzzle attachment of the aforesaid type capable of imparting a vortex flow to the discharge gases passing therethrough while simultaneously diluting such gases with air from the atmosphere.

Still another object of the present invention lies in providing an improved device for attachment to the muzzle end of a firearm barrel which will effectively disperse the shock waves created by the passage ofthe dis charge gases through the barrel. 7

Another object of this invention is to incorporate in a flash eliminator for attachment to the muzzle end of a firearm barrel the dual functions of substantially reducing the temperature of the discharge gases passing therethrough and of dispersing the shock waves created by the passage of the gases through the barrel.

f It is a specific object of. this invention to'provide a simple yet efl'icient flash eleminatorof the aforesaid type.

, 2,792,760 Patented M-ay -2i1-, 1957 which will also act as a stabilizer, a recoilvcheck, and a silencer without the necessity for further adjustment or any replacement of parts.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the muzzle attachment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the spiral vane mounted in the conical nozzle;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the attachment mounted to the muzzle end of a firearm barrel;

Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the muzzle attachment showing the openings by which atmospheric air is sucked therethrough; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of an alternate form for the front end of the muzzle attachment.

As illustrated in the drawings, the flash eliminator of the present invention essentially comprises a forwardly converging conical nozzle 12 and a spiral Vane 13 fitted therein. The rear end of nozzle 12 is provided with a cylindrical portion 14 in which a mounting bracket 15 is secured by any suitable means such as screws 16. Bracket 15 is provided with an interiorly threaded hub portion 17 engageable with a mating threaded portion at the muzzle end of a firearm barrel 18. Extending radially outward from hub portion 17 are a plurality of webbed spokes 19 each terminating in an arcuate flange 2% adapted to mate with the interior periphery of cylindrical portion 14 of nozzle 12. Suitable threaded holes 21 are provided in flanges 20 to receive screws 16 upon passage thereof through suitable holes 27 in cylindrical nozzle portion 14. Vane 13 is preferably formed from a ribbonlike strip of metal spirally wound to fit snugly within the forwardly tapering interior of nozzle 12 and is adapted to be retained therein by contact with the front face of mounting bracket 15. The number of turns of spiral vane 13 depend, of course, upon the size of nozzle 12 and the extent to which the discharge gases must be cooled. Although vane 13 is shown in the drawings with a clockwise spiral, it should be understood that the direction in which the surface is spiraled can be counterclockwise as Well. In any event, the spiral configuration of vane 13 forms a longitudinal cylindrical hole 22 through nozzle 12 of slightly greater diameter than the bore of barrel 18 and in axial alignment therewith. The spaces between spokes 19 define openings 23 as best shown in Fig. 4 leading into the interior of nozzle 12 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

During automatic fire, the discharge gases evolved upon the explosion of the cartridges pass through barrel 18 and upon issuance from the muzzle end thereof expand in the larger volume afforded by the interior of nozzle 12 and thereby impinge with substantial force upon the rearmost surfaces of vane 13. As a result of the path of movement imparted to the forwardly moving high velocity gases by the spiral configuration of vane 13, such path being hereinafter referred to as vortex flow, the hot gases which are traveling adjacent to and through axial hole 22 tend to slow down while those gases traveling adjacent to the interior Wall surface of nozzle 12 tend to speed up. The frictional contact effected by the difierences in the rotational velocity of adjacent layers of the discharge gases increase thetemperature thereof to an appreciably greater extent at the outer peripheries of the vortex flow than at the inner core thereof so that the faster moving gases adjacent the wall surfaces of nozzle 12 absorb heat from the slower moving gases as they travel through hole 22; l Sincethehotdischarge gasesare subje'ctedto. this 'refrigerating'eft'ect' along the entire length of nozzle 12, the decrease in temperature between the rear and front ends thereof is of an appreciable extent.

At the same time, the high velocity forward movement of the discharge gases along the sinuoussurfaces of spiral vane 13 creates a suction effect which draws in air from outside of barrel 18 through the openings 23 between spokes 19 of mounting bracket 15. In continuous automatic fire, this suction effect is sufiicient to cause the atmospheric air to join in the vortex flow of the discharge gases and effect an appreciable dilution thereof. The considerably lower temperature of the air being sucked in tends to further cool the discharge gases passing through hole 22 in addition to prevent excessiveheating of the wall surfaces of nozzle 12. As a result of the refrigerating effect of the vortex flow and the cooling effect of the atmospheric air, the temperature gradient between the muzzle end of barrel 18 and the front end of nozzle 12 amounts to as much as which, in the majority of firearms, is sufficient to reduce the temperature below the ignition point of the unburnt particles of powder.

The amount of atmospheric air sucked into openings 23 at the rear end of nozzle 12 can be considerably increased by extending the conically converging front end walls thereof to form a conically diverging portion as best shown at 24 in Fig. 5. This is accomplished as a result of the additional vacuum effect produced by the controlled expansion of the discharge gases upon exit from hole 22 and entry into diverging portion 24 of nozzle 12.

Moreover, it is well known that the shock waves which accompany the discharge gases duringv their passage through barrel 18 contribute substantially to the amount of flash which customarily appears at the muzzle end thereof. Accordingly, the configuration of vane 13 has been designed to provide an effective means of breaking up these shock waves while the discharge gases are forced into the aforementioned vortex flow. This is essentially due to the fact that the sinuous surfaces of spiral vane 13 change direction simultaneously in three dimensions and therefore disperse the shock waves by reflecting each fragmentary portion thereof in a different path.

Another beneficial result produced by the aforementioned.

dispersion of the shock waves is the substantial reduction of the loud report customarily created by the inevitable expansion thereof upon exit from the muzzle end of the barrel or any device attached thereto.

It is also aparent that the forward thrust of the high velocity discharge gases on the surfaces of vane 13 and the conical wall surfaces of nozzle 12 is counter to the recoil thrust of the firearm. In fact, experiments have shown that this opposing thrust of the attachment provides as much as a 50% decrease in the recoil energy of the firearm during continuous fire. In addition, this forward thrust of the discharge gases can be employed to substantially counteract the tendency of the muzzle end of the barrel to climb upwardly during sustained fire as the entire firearm pivots about the operators shoulder as a fulcrum. This can be readily accomplished by drilling suitable bleeder ports 25 in the walls 'ofnozzle 12 in. the locations best adapted to dissipate the undesirable outward thrust of the discharge gases. The lateral whip normally imparted to the muzzle end of the barrel as a result of the torque created by the passage of the bullets through the helical rifling therein can be similarly reduced by compensating bleedcr ports 26. In this respect, it will be noted that where vane 13 is spiraled in a counterclockwise'direction, the vortex flow imparted to the discharge gases aids substantially in reducing the lateraltwhip of the firearm barrel. If desired a plurality of holes 25 and 26 can be drilled through the walls of nozzle 12 and then suitably plugged to leave. open only those required to compensate for the vertical and lateral move-.

4. ments imparted to the barrel of the particular firearm on which the attachment of the present invention is em'-' ployed. If the attachment is changed to another firearm, holes 25 and 26 may be plugged or unplugged in accordance with the relative changes in the firing characteristics thereof.

Accordingly, there is here provided an eflicient, sturdy attachment for the muzzle end of firearm barrels which although constructed of but two major parts isadapted not only to suppress and eliminate the visible flash normally existing during continuous fire but to act as a silencer, recoil check, and stabilizer as well.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. A flash eliminator for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow conical nozzle, bracket means for securing said nozzle to the muzzle end of the barrel, spiral means within said conical nozzle for imparting a refrigerating. vortex flow to the discharge gases issuing from the barrel, and passage means in the rear end of said conical nozzle for admitting atmospheric air into the interior thereof in response to the vacuum created by the vortex flow for further cooling the discharge gases passing therethrough in addition to the interior wall surfaces of said nozzle and said spiral means.

2. A flash eliminator for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow conical nozzle, bracket means in the rear end of said nozzle for mounting said nozzleto the muzzle end of the barrel, spiral means within said conical nozzle, having a sinuous surface for imparting a refrigerating vortex flow to the discharge gases issuing from the barrel and for simultaneously breaking up the shock waves formed by the gases during passage through the barrel, said sinuous surface being arranged to limit the hollow interior of said nozzle to an axial cylindrical bore, and passage means in the rear end of said nozzle for admitting'atmospheric air therein in response to the vacuum created by the vortex flow.

3. A flash eliminator for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow conical nozzle having an exit at the smaller end thereof of greater diameter than the bore of the barrel, and a rectangular strip spirally wound within the interior of said nozzle to form a cylindrical bore therethrough in axial alignment with the bore of the barrel.

4. A flash eliminator for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow conical nozzle terminating at the smaller end thereof in a diverging conical portion, bracket means fixedly secured in the rear end of said nozzle for attachment thereof to the muzzle end of the barrel, spiral means in said nozzle terminating at the origin of said diverging front end portion thereof, said spiral means having a sinuous surface for imparting a refrigerating vortex flow to the discharge gases issuing from the barrel and for simultaneously breaking up the shock waves formed by the gases during passage through the barrel, said sinuous surface cooperating with the converging walls of said nozzle to form :a cylindrical bore therethrough in axial alignement with the bore of the barrel, said bracket means having passages therethrough for admitting atmospheric air into said nozzle and against said sinuous surface of said spiral means in response to the vacuum createdby the vortex flow and the expansion of the discharge gases upon entry into the larger volume afiorded by said diverging conical portion at the front end of said nozzle.

5. A combination flash eliminator, recoil check, and stabilizer for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow-conica-l nozzle terminating at the smaller end, thereof in an opening substantially equivalent in diameter to the bore of the barrel, a bracket secured in the rear end of said nozzle and having a threaded hub portion for mounting said nozzle to the muzzle end of the barrel, a spiral member cooperating with said nozzle to form an axial cylindrical bore therethrough in longitudinal alignment with the bore of the barrel and of slightly greater diameter relative thereto, said spiral memher having a sinuous surface for imparting a refrigerating vortex flow to the high velocity discharge gases issuing from the barrel and thereby reducing the temperatures thereof below the ignition point of the powder in the ammunition employed, said sinuous surface cooperating with the conical walls of said nozzle to receive the forward thrust of the discharge gases thereon for reducing the recoil energy of the firearm, said conical nozzle having a plurality of ports therein located so as to bleed the discharge gases therefrom in a direction opposite the upward lift and lateral whip imparted to the muzzle end of the firearm barrel for producing a stabilizing elfect thereon during continuous fire.

6. A combination flash eliminator and silencer for a firearm barrel comprising a forwardly converging hollow conical nozzle terminating at the smaller end thereof in an opening substantially equivalent in diameter to the bore of the barrel, a mounting bracket secured in the rear end of said nozzle and having a threaded hub portion and a plurality of radial spokes extending outwardly therefrom, means on said hub portion for mounting said nozzle to the muzzle end of the barrel, a spiral member cooperating with said nozzle to form an axial cylindrical bore therethrough in longitudinal alignment with the bore of the barrel and of slightly greater diameter relative thereto, said spiral member having a sinuous surface exposed to the high velocity gases issuing from the barrel to impart a vortex flow thereto for effecting cooling of the central inner portion of the spiraling mass of gases, said sinuous surface cooperating with the conical walls of said nozzle to reflect the shock waves formed by the discharge gases during the passage thereof through the bore of the barrel whereby the resulting dispersal thereof eliminates the flash and noise which accompanies continuous fire, said spokes on said hub portion defining passages therebetween for admitting atmospheric air against said sinuous surface in response to the suction created by the vortex flow for cooling the outer portion of the spiraling gases and the interior Wall surfaces of said nozzle to assist in reducing the temperature of the discharge gases below the flash point of the powder utilized in the ammunition employed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,363 Fiala May 25, 1920 1,605,393 Cutts Nov. 2, 1926 1,667,186 Bluehdorn Apr. 24, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 125,158 Great Britain Apr. 17, 1919

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