Barrel flexing mitigation assembly

Abstract

The invention provides a barrel flexing mitigation assembly (10), which is suitable for reducing barrel deflection, particularly in long range rifle barrels, such as those used in target shooting, hunting or sniper applications. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly (10) comprises a tubular shaft (20) extending coaxially with a rifle barrel (12) for defining an exoskeleton (20) within which at least part of the barrel (12) is encased; and a tubular barrel stabiliser (22) which is snug-fitted over the barrel (12), such that it is radially positioned between the barrel (12) and the tubular exoskeleton (20).

Claims

1. A barrel flexing mitigation assembly adapted for mitigating flexing of a barrel of a rifle during a firing process, wherein the rifle includes a stock, an action having a breech bolt carrier assembly, and a barrel terminating in a muzzle, the barrel flexing mitigation assembly comprising: an elongate, tubular shaft extending coaxially with the barrel from the muzzle to the stock, such that the tubular shaft defines a rigid exoskeleton within which the entire rifle is encased and within which all moving parts, including the breech bolt carrier assembly, slide; and an elongate, tubular barrel stabiliser which is snug-fitted with a matching interface geometry and engaged to fit over at least a portion of the barrel, such that the tubular barrel stabiliser is radially positioned between the barrel and the tubular exoskeleton and stabilises the barrel into radial contact with the exoskeleton; the barrel flexing mitigation assembly being such that the exoskeleton and barrel stabiliser jointly mitigate and absorb radial displacement of the barrel while a projectile is being fired.

2. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the barrel stabiliser includes: a tubular body which is snug-fitted over the barrel such that the tubular body engages an exterior wall surface of the barrel, and at least one spacer radially extending from the tubular body and dimensioned for pressing against an interior wall surface of the exoskeleton, the barrel flexing mitigation assembly being such that a radial chambers is defined between the tubular body of the barrel stabiliser and the exoskeleton.

3. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to claim 2, wherein the barrel stabiliser includes: a number of spacers that radially extend between the tubular body and the exoskeleton such that the spacers frictionally engage the tubular body with the exoskeleton, wherein the spacers are positioned at regular intervals along a length of the tubular body such that a radial chamber is formed between each set of neighbouring spacers, the tubular body and the exoskeleton.

4. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the barrel stabilisers is operatively associated with a securing assembly to secure the barrel stabiliser onto an exterior wall surface of the barrel so as to prevent axial displacement of the barrel stabiliser in use, the securing assembly being located coaxially with and on opposite sides of the barrel stabiliser.

5. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the barrel stabiliser is heat conductive such that the barrel stabiliser serves as a heat sink, adapted to disperse heat away from the barrel during firing.

6. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tubular exoskeleton is a rigid metal exoskeleton adapted to provide strength and rigidity to the barrel, the exoskeleton having any cross-sectional profile including circular, rectangular, square, hexagonal, octagonal, triangular or variations thereof.

7. A rifle including a stock, an action having a breech bolt carrier assembly, a barrel terminating in a muzzle and a barrel flexing mitigation assembly, wherein the barrel flexing mitigation assembly comprises: an elongate, tubular shaft extending coaxially with the barrel from the muzzle to the stock, such that the tubular shaft defines a rigid exoskeleton within which the entire rifle is encased and within which all moving parts, including the breech bolt carrier assembly, slide; and an elongate, tubular barrel stabiliser which is snug-fitted with a matching interface geometry and engaged fit over at least a portion of the barrel, such that the tubular barrel stabiliser is radially positioned between the barrel and the tubular exoskeleton and stabilises the barrel into radial contact with the exoskeleton; the barrel flexing mitigation assembly being such that the exoskeleton and barrel stabiliser jointly mitigate and absorb radial displacement of the barrel while a projectile is being fired.

8. The rifle according to claim 7, wherein the rifle the barrel is a full-length, rifled barrel.

Description

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(1) Without wishing to be bound thereto, the invention will now further be described and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings in which—

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a rifle including a first embodiment of the barrel flexing mitigation assembly of the invention in which the exoskeleton encases only the rifle barrel;

(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the butt plate, stock and action of the rifle of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the rifle of FIG. 1, illustrating the exoskeleton and barrel stabiliser approximate the muzzle;

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a rifle including a second embodiment of the barrel flexing mitigation assembly of the invention in which the exoskeleton encases the entire rifle;

(6) FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the butt plate, stock and action of the rifle of FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the rifle of FIG. 4, illustrating the exoskeleton and barrel stabiliser approximate the muzzle; and

(8) FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the exoskeleton and support of the barrel flexing mitigation assembly of FIG. 4.

(9) A barrel flexing mitigation assembly according to the invention is generally designated by referenced numeral [10]. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly [10] is used on a rifle [8] and is adapted for mitigating flexing of a rifle barrel [12] during a firing process, wherein the rifle [8] includes a stock [14], an action [16] and a barrel [12] terminating in a muzzle [18]. The barrel flexing mitigation assembly [10] comprises an elongate, tubular shaft [20] extending coaxially with the barrel [12] at least between the muzzle [18] and the action [16] such that it defines a rigid exoskeleton within which at least part of the barrel [12] is encased; and an elongate, tubular barrel stabiliser [22] which is snug-fitted with high precision over at least a portion of the barrel [12], such that it is radially positioned between the barrel [12] and the tubular exoskeleton [20] and stabilises the barrel [12] into radial contact with the exoskeleton [20]. The arrangement is such that the exoskeleton [20] and barrel stabiliser [22] jointly mitigate and absorb radial displacement of the barrel [12] while a projectile is being fired.

(10) The barrel stabiliser [22] is fitted over at least a portion of the barrel [12] which is closest to the muzzle [18]. In particular, and as illustrated in the accompanying examples, the barrel stabiliser [22] is configured such that it extends approximately one third the length of the barrel [12] closets to the muzzle [18]. It will, however, be appreciated that the barrel stabiliser [22] can extend the length of the barrel [12] between the muzzle [18] and the action [16].

(11) The barrel stabiliser [22] includes a tubular body [24] which is snug-fitted over the barrel [12] such that it engages an exterior wall surface [26] of the barrel [12]; and at least one spacer [28] radially extending from the tubular body [24] and dimensioned for pressing against an interior wall surface [30] of the exoskeleton [20], the arrangement being such that a radial chamber [32] is defined between the tubular body [24] of the barrel stabiliser [22] and the exoskeleton [20]. Preferably, the barrel stabiliser [22] includes a number of spacers [28] that radially extend between the tubular body [24] and the exoskeleton [20], the spacers [28] being positioned at regular intervals along the length of the tubular body [24], such that a radial chamber [32] is formed between each set of two neighbouring spacers [28], the tubular body [24] and the exoskeleton [20].

(12) The barrel stabiliser [22] is operatively associated with securing means [34.1; 34.2] for securing the barrel stabiliser [22] onto the exterior wall surface [26] of the barrel [12] so as to prevent axial displacement of the barrel stabiliser [22] in use. The securing means [34.1; 34.2] is located coaxially with and on opposite ends of the barrel stabiliser [22]. The securing means [34.1; 34.2] includes first locking means [34.1] located intermediate the barrel stabiliser [22] and the action [16]; and second locking means [34.2] located intermediate the barrel stabiliser [22] and the muzzle [18]. The first locking means [34.1] includes a barrel flange [36] which is complimentarily machined frictionally to engage the exterior wall surface [26] of the barrel [12]; and a locking seal [38] located intermediate the barrel flange [36] and the barrel stabiliser [22], such that the barrel stabiliser [22] is seated against the first locking means [34.1] for preventing axial displacement of the barrel stabiliser [22] towards the action [16] in use. The second locking means [34.2] includes a threaded lock nut [40] which is screwed into a complimentarily threaded end of the exoskeleton [20] and a locking seal [42] located intermediate the lock nut [40] and the barrel stabiliser [22], such that the second locking means [34.2] is seated against the barrel stabiliser [22] for preventing axial displacement of the barrel stabiliser [22] towards the muzzle [18] in use. In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the threaded lock nut [40] is replaced with a threaded silencer engaging nut [48].

(13) The barrel stabiliser [22] is heat conductive such that it serves as a heat sink, adapted to disperse heat away from the barrel [12] during firing.

(14) In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tubular exoskeleton [20] extends coaxially with the barrel [12] from the muzzle [18] to the stock [14], such that it defines a rigid exoskeleton [20] within which the entire rifle [8] is encased and within which all moving parts, such as the breach bolt carrier assembly [46], slides.

(15) The exoskeleton [20] provides for the possibility to optimize barrel [12] weight, which is the heaviest component of a rifle [8], as it allows for reducing barrel [12] dimensions to an absolute minimum required to remain within predetermined strength profiles as determined by pressure versus displacement ratios. In other words, where barrel [12] stability is currently achieved by increasing barrel diameter to provide heavy barrel configurations with free floating barrels, such as those required for precision rifles, the proposed invention diverts in the opposite direction by proposing instead to decrease barrel diameter and to support the barrel [12] in a non-free-floating assembly [10] against a radially extending exoskeleton [20].

(16) It will be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims.