FIREARM MUZZLE ACCESSORY COUPLING DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A firearm muzzle accessory coupling device, system and method. The coupling device provides a front alignment taper and an intermediate outer diameter providing a plurality of successively alternating clearance recesses and pattern threaded lugs, wherein each lug provides a unique outward thread. The muzzle accessory provides a mounting interface socket having a plurality of successively alternating socket clearances and pattern threaded socket lugs along an inner circumference of a through bore. Each socket lug providing an inward thread dimensioned and adapted to receive the unique outward threaded muzzle accessory, thereby effectuating a plurality of compatible mating axial orientations between the coupling device and the firearm muzzle accessory.

Claims

1. A firearm coupling device comprising: a body extending between a rear portion and a sealing alignment taper; an outer surface of the body having a plurality of successively alternating lugs and clearance recesses; and each said lug having a plurality of threads axially spaced apart by a pitch, each thread defining a helix angle about the outer surface, wherein the helix angle is inconsistent with said pitch.

2. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, wherein each said thread has a radial start point corresponding to an associated lug clearance position.

3. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, wherein each said thread is coextensive with the lug.

4. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, wherein each said thread is lug clearance isolated from the threads of adjacent lugs of the plurality of lugs.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, further comprising a through bore circumscribed by the body.

8. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, wherein the rear portion comprises a tool receiving feature.

9. The firearm coupling device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of successively alternating lug clearance recesses and pattern threaded lugs comprises three of each of the lugs and the clearance recesses, wherein each lug and each clearance recess have a corresponding radial length.

10. A firearm coupling device comprising: a body extending between a threaded barrel end receiving feature and a sealing alignment taper; an outer surface of the body having a plurality of successively alternating lug clearance recesses and threaded lugs, wherein each said clearance recess and each said threaded lug, respectively, has a corresponding radial length, and wherein each said threaded lug is radially isolated by adjacent ones of the clearance recesses; each said lug having a plurality of threads axially spaced apart by a pitch, each thread defining a helix angle about the outer surface, wherein the helix angle is inconsistent with said pitch, wherein each said thread has a patterned geometry, the patterned geometry comprising: a radial start point about a center of the body, each said start point relative to an axial position corresponding with a position of an associated lug clearance about said center of the body; and a through bore circumscribed by the body, whereby the patterned geometry enables fitment to a mating device geometry in a plurality of axial orientations.

11. A system of coupling a muzzle accessory to a firearm comprising: a firearm coupling device of claim 1; the muzzle accessory having a through bore extending through a receiving portion and a sealing taper; and an inner surface of the receiving portion having a plurality of successively alternating socket clearance recesses and patterned threaded socket lugs, wherein the plurality of successively alternating socket clearance recesses and pattern threaded socket lugs are dimensioned to operatively associate with the plurality of successively alternating clearance recesses and lugs of the body in such a way as to permit bayonet insertion of the muzzle accessory body and rotation into contact between the sealing alignment taper and the sealing taper, enabling a plurality of axial mounting orientations between said firearm coupling device and the muzzle accessory.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the muzzle accessory is a silencer booster piston.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention [[quick disconnect silencer interface]] comprising a Nielsen device piston (NDP) or booster piston insert (BPI) and barrel end coupler (BEC);

[0017] FIG. 2 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the NDP or BPI of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the NDP or BPI of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of the NDP or BPI of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the BEC of FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the BEC of FIG. 1—it should be understood that even though FIG. 6 may appear to show left hand threads and that the piston 3 in FIG. 3 appears to show right hand threads, the appropriate, cooperating handedness of threading is to be used; and

[0022] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a Glock 17 with the thread attached BEC of FIG. 6 permitting mounting of a silencer 4 in cutaway view that was adapted to be mounted by retrofitting it with the NDP of BPI of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention may include firearm muzzle accessory coupling device, system and method.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 7 for definitional establishment, as used herein, the word “forward” or “front” corresponds with the firing direction of the firearm—i.e., the cartridge (in the breech or “rear” end of the barrel 17) fires with projectile exiting the “forward” or “front” side of each of the parts in assembly.

[0026] The outside diameter is defined as outer circumference of parts coaxially surrounding the inside diameter defined by the bore 18 permitting the passage of the projectile fired from the barrel 17 of the firearm 5 when the parts representing an embodiment of the invention are in assembly, such as seen in FIG. 7.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 7, the present invention pertains to a novel firearm mounting coupler 1 capable of mating with a bore comprising a novel mating interface 2. In one embodiment the mating interface 2 may be natively manufactured into a sound suppressor 4 or into a separate suppressor assembly interface or interfacing component, such as a Nielsen device or recoil booster piston 3 hereinafter referred to as the piston 3. The coupler 1, interfacing piston 3, and sound suppressor 4 each have through bores 18 which in assembly are generally coaxial with the barrel 17 of a firearm 5, permitting the passage of a projectile fired from the mated barrel, 17 of firearm, 5.

[0028] The coupler 1 features an internal thread 6 allowing it to be mounted to the threaded end of a barrel 17 of a firearm 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a portion of the diameter of the coupler 1 has a plurality of generally symmetrical lugs 8, and an equal number of generally symmetrical clearance recesses 9. The lugs 8 each receive an axially patterned thread 11, as shown in FIG. 6. Each lug 8 is threaded in a pattern relative to a corresponding lug clearance axial position about the center of the diameter. Each thread 11 is lug clearance isolated, with its functional geometry beginning and ending on an individual lug 8.

[0029] The patterned hread 11 may be a number of different industry patterns such as UNF or ACME, or STUB ACME, and may have a helix which is different from the pitch typically associated to the thread profile size chosen, such as a 16TPI UNF pitch profile with a 0.100 inch per 360 degree rotational helix rather than the typical 1/16 or 0.0625 inch per rotation helix typically accompanying a 16TPI pitch, conventional thread. These atypical helix-to-pitch patterned threads are possible without violating their profile on the diameter, because each threaded lug 8 has its own unique radially patterned thread, with functional geometry beginning and terminating on that individual lug 8. Atypical profile pitch to rotational helix angles may be desirable to create manufacturing tolerance allowing successful production of interchangeable parts. In this way, the coupler 1 features a novel thread type, and a novel interfacing method created by the sum of a plurality of separately pattern threaded lugs 8, because the same thread helix—unlike the prior art, single point lathe, or rotary tap threaded designs—does not cut the full circumference, which would represent all of the interrupted lugs 8 as have been cut by one shared thread helix in all prior art suppressors utilizing threaded lugs and clearance recesses.

[0030] The coupler 1 may include a tool receiving feature or plurality of tool-receiving features such as the wrench flats 7 allowing the coupler 1 to be securely installed to the firearm 5. A portion of the diameter of the coupler 1 forward of the threads defines an alignment taper 10 also capable of providing a gas seal in assembly to protect the threads from combustion debris and to promote proper function of the attached sound suppressor or muzzle device. The coupler 1 may also serve a secondary purpose as a muzzle device such as a flash suppressor, muzzle brake, or compensator. The coupler 1 shown in FIG. 1 shows a miniature cone type flash suppressor 12. The coupler 1 may also receive a mating interface accessory that itself provides a function traditionally associated with a muzzle device, such as a muzzle brake.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, for the sake of this description, the firearm 5 in FIG. 7 has been configured with installation of the coupler 1 to the threaded barrel 17 of the firearm 5 and suppressor 4 has been configured for novel function by replacement of the prior art piston with a piston 3 wherein the interface bore 2 of the invention is integrated into the piston 3. The novel interface bore 2 of piston 3 features recesses 13 which permit the lugs 8 of coupler 1 to bayonet into the bore 2 of piston 3, until the tapers 10 and 16 are nearly engaged. In the instance of the three threaded lug assembly shown, a 60 degree turn at this point permits the three, patterned and lug clearance isolated outside diameter threads 11 on the coupler 1 to engage the mirrored, three patterned receiving, lug clearance isolated internal threads 15 on lugs 14, pulling the sealing alignment taper 10 on coupler 1 into contact with the sealing alignment taper 16 of the interface bore 2. The contact between sealing alignment tapers 10 and 16 removes tolerance and applies a friction/compression fit permitting no vibration to occur. At this point the piston 3 of silencer 4 is securely attached to the coupler 1 and thus the barrel 17 of the firearm 5. The firearm 5 is now in a firing configuration for use with the suppressor 4, and the respective bores 18 of the barrel 17, coupler 1, piston 3, and suppressor 4 are in alignment, permitting the passage of the bullet fired from the firearm 5. It should be noted that the silencer using the piston 3 and coupler 1 shown can be securely attached in the entire plurality of—in this case three, 120 degree—orientations afforded by the device as shown in the drawings. This multiple orientation interrupted mounting method requires a maximum of 120 degrees or one third of a revolution to align clearance and bayonet the shown interface, and 60 degrees or one sixth of a rotation to tighten the suppressor in any of the plurality of mounting orientations afforded. This novel method creates the fastest mounting interface in the history of silencers.

[0032] The design of the present invention may include the following considerations. Conceptually, the firearm coupling device of the present invention may embody three threads which are identical on three different lobes, but which in this case do not share the same single helical path like a conventional single point or shared slaved multiplied pitch and multiple helix like a multiple-index single point thread. If they were a normal single index tapped hole, one would only have one of three indexing positions that would actually mount the silencer because the two wrong indexes would not bring the tapers together.

[0033] For instance, if the outward threads of the firearm coupling device were a multiple index (three index) thread, say 1/16″ (16 UNF TPI profile insert), the manufacturer would have to cut a 3/16″ helix or pitch to allow the three lobes to have threads that would allow three index positions. That coarse helix angle would not be ideal because it would not lock up securely that coarse as there would be little friction and mostly just forward pressure at the taper. Accordingly, the inventors used a 16UNF insert to cut 0.100″ helix patterned threads—three individual threads to comprise the mount in this case. The inventors want the violated conventional industry pitch to be dependent, in order to protect the threads regardless of the cut—e.g., a 1/10 stub acme with 0.100″ pitch, which would actually be the normal pitch, albeit still the patterned thread, comprised of three lug clearance isolated threads with individual indexes relational to each respective isolating lug clearance. The 1/10 at 0.100″ helix could work in another application with a larger diameter interface, but wouldn't work in the confines of a three quarter inch piston shaft diameter. The 1/10 at 0.100 helix would still be a patterned thread, and not a multiple index single point thread.

[0034] In manufacturing, the inventors thread-milled the lobes, each with the same geometry at three different positions, violating thread profile to pitch relationship without cutting through the other threads and destroying them as would happen using three conventional threads at different positions. This thread does not have a name—at least none was found by the inventors—and thus had to be invented for this application to support the mounting system invention. For example, it is not supported by Mastercam™—which is one of the most advanced CAM softwares on the planet. (which supports single point, single helix thread milling, and multiple index single point threads like the 16UNF with 3/16″ helix described above). The inventors had to employ Solidworks™ CAD depict a spline and Mastercam to contour mill a spline to program the thread milling operation. Mastercam tried to output it in facets because it would not recognize the 3D move as an arc, and the inventors had to scratch that, depict a flat arc, output the arc in G12.1 polar co-ordinate interpolation, in smooth arc motion, using a protractor, math, and a screen overlay from Cimco backplotting software to apply correct Z axis moves to the G12.1 arcs to make the helical moves smooth to support the thread because polar coordinate interpolation works on 90 degree quadrants and the inventors had more than 90-degrees of cutter motion in the path. The toolpath wouldn't output G12.1 helical moves without ceasing to recognize the arcs and splitting the moves into straight line facets. The inventors then duplicated the derived operation at 120-degree intervals. That work was development related to the present invention, which was the lightbulb idea that this novel pattern of three threads and the taper would work and enable the mounting system to provide the novel function revolutionizing firearm silencer mounting, especially for pistol silencers, the other work was figuring out how to manufacture it without tools designed with specific intent to support the manufacture of the geometries.

[0035] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.