GB2288007A - Silencer for weapons - Google Patents

Description

2288007 1 TITLE Silencer for Weapons This invention relates to a silencer

for a weapon which is arranged on a mounting device which is separate from the weapon barrel itself.

The construction and mode of action of silencers, particularly for small arms and hand-held firearms, are known from DE-OS 1 553 874, DE-OS 2 127 877, US 3,713,362 and US 4,576,083 for example. Essentially, in the known silencers, a throttled expansion of the propellant gases through the projectile outlet opening on the front face wall of the silencer is achieved by means of several chambers arranged behind each other and sealed-off from the outside. Appropriately, wire grids are arranged in the chambers, which are intended to bring about either an absorption of the energy of the propellant gases or an extensive reflection of the pressure waves in the interior of the chambers (see DE-OS 2 127 877 for example). Generally speaking the individual silencers are fixed directly to the weapon and adapted to the sound emission of the weapon in question, so that they can seldom be used with different weapons.

The arrangement of known silencers directly on the 2 muzzle of the barrels of large-calibre weapon systems (combat tanks, armoured infantry combat vehicles, armoured anti-aircraft vehicles or artillery systems) has not proved satisfactory in practice since because of the large weapon calibre and the associated noise generation, the silencers must be of correspondingly large dimensions and thus also have a correspondingly heavy weight. To protect the public from noise in the case of firing practice on corresponding firing ranges an attempt was therefore made to deaden the sound only after it had been created, by means of sheds, earthworks, plants and the like, for example. Such structures are, however, very complicated in terms of construction and/or not very effective.

It has already been proposed to fix the silencer not on the weapon barrel itself as in the case of smallcalibre arms but to arrange it on a separate silencer carriage mechanically decoupled from the barrel weapon, the carriage preferably being constructed in such a way that the silencer can be guided synchronously with the movement of the barrel (P 43 17 673. 9).

This application also assumes that the particular silencer used is strictly assigned to a particular weapon system so that a change of weapon system automatically requires the replacement of the silencer and, if i applicable, of the carriage also.

One of the objects of this invention is therefore to provide a silencer, particularly for large-calibre weapons, which brings about a substantial reduction of the sound radiation, is simply constructed and can be used with different weapon systems which may have correspondingly different frequency spectra of the sound.

According to this invention there is provided a silencer for weapons which is in use arranged on a mounting device which is separate from the weapon barrel and which comprises a tubular hollow body for positioning in front of the = zle of the weapon barrel and into which the weapon barrel partially projects through a front face wall, said body having an axial projectile channel and an opening in a rear face wall opposite the front face wall for passage therethrough of the projectile, a material absorbing sound being arranged around the projectile channel in the hollow body for sound silencing purposes, wherein the silencer comprises a vessel of boiler-shape which is formed of at least two module parts with a separate damper insert on which the sound-absorbing material is arranged, located in each said module.

In this invention the arrangement is essentially based on the concept of using as a silencer a vessel 4 comprising a boiler-shaped container of corresponding dimensions which is configured either in one piece or from at least two interconnected parts forming modules, a damper insert on which the sound-absorbing materials are arranged being located in each module.

The damper inserts preferably have compartments forming recesses in which the actual material absorbing the sound is located. Each individual compartment can be equipped with different materials and in different configurations according to the requirement regarding damping (variation of the gas permeability) and strength. In particular the sound-absorbing material can comprise a fibre mesh of arbitrary or defined fibre orientation and wound in a coil shape, such as barbed wire, wire mesh, expanded mesh or fibres embedded in a polymer matrix.

It has proved advantageous to arrange the damper inserts interchangeably in the vessel so that the silencer can be optimally matched to the weapon system in question by exchanging the damper inserts.

In respect of the usually very high stresses imposed on the vessel in the area of large-calibre weapons close to the muzzle, it has also proved particularly advantageous that the first module facing the weapon surrounds the muzzle area of the weapon barrel in such a way that the propellant charge gases moving laterally - 5 from the barrel muzzle expand in this part and the energy of the lateral flow of gases which is formed is destroyed by the absorbers arranged in this part of the structure.

The high-energy initial expulsion of gases produced after the projectile has left the barrel, however, principally expand in the second vessel part, the energy of these gases being absorbed there. It is, however, a prerequisite for this that the depth of penetration of the barrel in the first module part and/or the openings of the projectile channel in the front faces of the vessel parts facing each other are selected in such a way that the initial gases are coupled into the second module largely unhindered.

In order substantially to reduce the intensity of the initial gases the second vessel part must be relatively long. It has therefore proved advantageous to construct this part of individual modules also so that the relevant damper inserts with the absorption coils can also be correspondingly short.

Securing means may be provided in order to ensure that the modules can be assembled quickly and in a durable manner. For this purpose, on their front faces the modules preferably have flanges which are conical on one side and which are held together positively by means of a tightening strap forming a securing means that is bi-conical on the inside. A tightening strap can comprise two or more segments which are connected in an articulated manner and which are pre- tensioned by means of a tension lever or tension jacks. A play-free fit of the tightening strap and a minimal gap between the flanges is achieved by means of this arrangement.

Irrespective of the calibre the damper inserts can be flexibly suspended on the housings of the modules with springs, rubber bearings, shock absorbers or by a practical combination of these elements. This flexible, damped suspension brings about a great reduction of the forces that are transferred to the silencer housing and thus, if applicable, to the carriage or the base.

Further and preferred features and advantages of this invention are described by way of example with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings and wherein:

Figure 1 shows the side view of a silencer according to this invention comprising a vessel formed of three parts with the muzzle end of a weapon barrel indicated diagrammatically, Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through a silencer with a damper insert which has absorber material wound coaxially round 7 the projectile channel, Figure 3 shows a cross-section on III-III through the silencer shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows in a perspective view an absorber made of expanded mesh, Figure 5 shows in diagrammatic form a longitudinal section along a section line shown as V-V in Figure 6, through a silencer with several absorbers arranged in columnar form which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, Figure 6 shows a cross-section through the silencer shown in Figure 5, and Figure 7 shows a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a silencer for a weapon barrel which is provided with a muzzle brake.

Referring to the drawings and as shown in Figure 1, 1 is a silencer which is mounted on a platform 2 and into which the muzzle end 3 of a weapon barrel 4 projects. The silencer 1 comprises a vessel best described as a boiler-shaped container 5 which is composed of three parts or modules 6, 7 and 8 in which corresponding absorbers 9 to 14, which are described in greater detail below, are located.

Modules 6, 7 and 8 comprise a metal or plastic 8 housing such as glass-fibre reinforced plastic 15 to 17 in each case and have flanges on their front faces. The modules 6 to 8 are positively interconnected with the aid of tightening straps 18, 19 which are placed over the adjacent flanges in each case.

The tightening strap 19 can, however, also be replaced by a screwed flange in connection as the modules 7, 8 are rarely separated in practice.

On the side facing the weapon the silencer 1 has a front face wall 20 as well as a rear face wall 21, opposite the front face wall, with an opening 22 through which the projectile, after passing through a projectile channel 23 in the interior of the silencer 1, leaves.

The first module 6 is designed in such a way that it essentially surrounds the muzzle region 3 of the weapon barrel 4. The propellant charge gases flowing laterally out of the muzzle when a projectile is fired need to expand in the silencer and the energy of the lateral gases arising through the superposition of the gases and the detonation wave front should be largely destroyed by the corresponding absorbers 9, 10.

In contrast, the particularly high-energy front wave of gases 24 forming after a projectile is fired through the impact of the gases on the detonation wave principally expands in the second and third modules 7 and T t.

- 9 8 and the energy of these gases is absorbed thereby the absorbers 11 to 14. In this case it is, however, a prerequisite that the depth of penetration of the barrel 4 in the first module 6 and/or the openings 25, 26 in the front faces 27, 28 facing each other of the modules 6, 7, are selected in such a way that the front wave of gases 24 is also coupled into the subsequent module 7 largely unhindered (as the transition from the front to the lateral bank of gases is approximately between 40 and 500 with respect to the projectile trajectory, the angle of aperture a (Figure 1) determining the diameters of the openings 25, 26 should therefore be approximately 1000).

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the module 6 shown in Figures 1 to 6. In the interior a damper insert 30 is provided according to this invention, which contains several support rings 33, a series of support ribs 31 and 32 and a number of radial supports 33a, so that several compartment-shaped recesses 34, 35 are thus produced. The soundabsorbing material 36, 37 is located in these recesses 34, 35. For reasons of greater clarity Figure 2 shows only two recesses with sound- absorbing material therein. In the embodiment shown the sound-absorbing material is barbed wire which is wound round the support ribs 31, 32 (see also Figure 3). The permeability - and hence the heat transfer and - the potential throughflow of the gases - can be varied by means of both the number of plies per layer and the design of the absorber material.

An expanded mesh has also proved particularly suitable as an alternative absorber material to barbed wire (see Figure 4). Among other things expanded meshes have the advantage that they have high stability in the axial direction, are simple to wind from a technical manufacturing point of view and are commercially available in virtually all applicable mesh widths.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the support ribs 31, 32 have a series of segment-shaped openings 38, 39 of correspondingly high acoustic permeability, through which the propellant charge gases reach the soundabsorbing material 36, 37. These support ribs can be formed from suitable profiles of different materials, so that an energy breakdown of the sound waves takes place as soon as the sound waves are coupled into the absorber chamber.

Alternatively the support ribs 31, 32 and the support rings 33 can be replaced by perforated tubes. The permeability of the tubes is matched to the energyabsorbing material 36, 37.

It has proved advantageous if the sound-absorbing material 36, 37 does not completely fill the compartmentshaped recesses. Rather, the gas conveyed through the A.

11 - absorbers 37 should first abate in the free chambers and then flow through the absorber 36.

To achieve a reduction of the forces which act on the mounting platform 2 (Figure 1) through the silencer 1, it is of advantage if the damper inserts of the modules 6 to 8 are at least partially flexibly connected to the appropriate housing 15 to 17 of the modules 6 to 8 by means of springs, rubber bearings or the like. In Figure 2 the corresponding flexible bearings are provided with the reference numerals 40 to 43.

Instead of winding a corresponding absorber material round the damper inserts 30, the absorber material can also comprise a series of individual coils which have a columnar construction, several coil columns being arranged coaxially round the projectile channel- In this case the ribs of the damper inserts can be configured as shims with corresponding recesses for the coils, for example.

A coil arrangement of this kind has the advantage that either the damper inserts with the coils or the entire silencer and/or the corresponding module can be divided in the longitudinal direction 100 and the coils and/or damper inserts are interchangeable in a simple manner in this way. Furthermore this provides the possibility of dividing the silencer in the longitudinal 12 direction for use in the context of training.

Figures 5 and 6 show a corresponding embodiment of an arrangement with a total of 16 coils in diagrammatic form. In this case the silencer designated as 45 comprises two modules 46, 47 for example. In the modules several coil columns 48 to 55 are arranged round the projectile channel 56 and for reasons of greater clarity the damper inserts are not shown in this case.

Figure 7 shows the embodiment of a silencer 57 for a weapon in which the barrel 58 has a muzzle brake 59. Because of the high proportion of gases which escape laterally, in this case not only is at least one additional module 61 arranged in the direction of the projectile channel on the module 60 surrounding the barrel muzzle but a further two modules 62, 63 are arranged laterally with respect to the module 60. These modules have corresponding absorbers 64, 65 whose construction and function correspond to the absorbers described above.

In all the illustrations the dimensions of the boiler-shaped container and/or the modules are only shown diagrammatically and not to scale in relation to the dimensions of the weapon barrels. In a preferred embodiment in which three modules according to Figure I were used, the relevant module length was 2.45 m and the 13 relevant maximum module diameter 3 m. Such silencers were successfully used on firing ranges to silence largecalibre weapons. A reduction of the detonation pressures of between 18 and 20 dB in the high-frequency range was achieved.

This type of silencer, with the same construction as that described above but with smaller dimensions for module length and module diameter, was also successfully used with automatic weapons.

Further silencing can be achieved by applying structural sound insulating materials directly to the walls of the module on the inside or outside. A wire mesh, rubber, PUR foams or sandbags are suitable for external application for example. Bitumen can be advantageously applied from inside.

14

Claims (1)

1. Silencer for weapons which is in use arranged on a mounting device which is separate from the weapon barrel and which comprises a tubular hollow body for positioning in front of the muzzle of the weapon barrel and into which the weapon barrel partially projects through a front face wall, said body having an axial projectile channel and an opening in a rear face wall opposite the front face wall for passage therethrough of the projectile, a material absorbing sound being arranged around the projectile channel in the hollow body for sound silencing purposes, wherein the silencer comprises a vessel of boiler-shape which is formed of at least two module parts with a separate damper insert on which the sound-absorbing material is arranged, located in each said module.

   2. Silencer for weapons which is in use arranged on a mounting device which is separate from the weapon barrel and which comprises a tubular hollow body for positioning in front of the muzzle of the weapon barrel and into which the weapon barrel partially projects through a front face wall, said body having an axial projectile channel and an opening in a rear face wall opposite the f.

   front face wall for passage therethrough of the projectile, a material absorbing sound being arranged around the projectile channel in the hollow body for sound silencing purposes, wherein the silencer comprises a vessel of boiler-shape which is formed of at least two module parts with a separate damper insert on which the sound-absorbing material is arranged, located in each said module, the first module facing the weapon barrel surrounding the muzzle end of the weapon barrel and the end faces facing each other of the first and of the second module in the direction of fire having openings forming the projectile channel which are selected in such a way that the high-energy front wave of gases formed on firing reaches the second module largely unhindered.

   3. Silencer according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the modules have a flange in each case on their front faces facing each other which flanges can be positively interconnected through securing means preferably tightening straps or screw connections.

   4. Silencer according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the damper inserts are interchangeably arranged in the modules.

   16 - 5. Silencer according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the damper inserts are flexibly fixed to the metal hous ings.

   6. Silencer according to any one of Claims I to 5, wherein the damper inserts have compartmented recesses arranged around the projectile channel and in which recesses a fibre mesh of metal or plastic is wound in a coil shape as sound-absorbing material.

   7. Silencer according to Claim 6, wherein each compartmented recess can be filled with one material or different materials to produce the required damping and strength.

   8. Silencer according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein the fibre mesh only partially fills the compartmented recesses so that the expanding gases can abate within these recesses.

   9. Silencer according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the fibre mesh comprises barbed wire, wire mesh, expanded mesh or fibres which are embedded in a polymer matrix.

   Y - 17 10. Silencer according to any one of Claims 6 to 9, wherein the fibre mesh is wound coaxially round the projectile channel.

   11. Silencer according to any one of Claims 6 to 9, wherein several coils of the fibre mesh constructed in columnar form are arranged coaxially round the projectile channel.

   12. Silencer according to any preceding claim wherein the silencer or individual modules of the silencer are arranged in the longitudinal direction in a divisible manner.

   13. Silencer according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein to silence weapons whose barrels have a muzzle brake, further modules are arranged connected with the first module on the weapon barrel side and laterally at the level of the muzzle brake, further modules being arranged in the direction of the projectile channel so that the corresponding gases leaving the muzzle brake laterally can expand in the said further modules.

   14. Silencer according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein structural noise insulating materials are applied 18 directly from the inside or outside and are arranged on the walls of the modules.

   15. Silencer for a weapon constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.

   16. In combination a barrel weapon, a silencer according to any preceding claim positioned adjacent the muzzle, and a mounting therefor.