Firearm having an integral compensator

Abstract

A Glock compensator integral with a barrel, and a slide assembly allow escaping gases to dampen recoil associated with firing a Glock firearm. The Glock barrel is removed from the front of the firearm allowing for the integrated compensator at the front of the firearm. Various features, including a lock design, debris port, swept back side ports, height offset, nose ring design and mass-reducing rear cutout, result in an efficient and effective integrated compensator suitable for 4.sup.th and 5.sup.th generation Glock firearms. The compensator and barrel may be fabricated from the same piece of billet. A pair of side rails may be positioned and configured to slidably receive a slide assembly.

Claims

1. A firearm comprising: a slide assembly; a compensator and barrel fixedly joined to one another forming a single unit compensator and barrel assembly, said single unit compensator and barrel assembly removably joined to said slide assembly via said barrel, said single unit compensator and barrel assembly removable from said slide assembly via a front of said slide; and wherein said compensator has a front upper edge and rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge is lower than said rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge and rear upper edge are beveled to generate and force gases through a Prandtl-Meyer Expansion Fan at a front of the firearm for pulling a firearm muzzle forward to reduce rearward recoil.

2. The firearm of claim 1 wherein said compensator includes a swept back side port on each side thereof, said swept back side ports configured to direct escaping gases rearward to dampen recoil associated with firing said firearm.

3. The firearm of claim 1 wherein said single unit compensator and barrel is manufactured from the same piece of billet.

4. The firearm of claim 1 wherein said single unit compensator and barrel assembly comprises a separate compensator and separate barrel joined to one another permanently.

5. A firearm comprising: a slide assembly; a compensator and barrel combination wherein said compensator is integral with, and unremovable from, said barrel, said compensator and barrel combination removably joined to said slide assembly via said barrel, said compensator and barrel combination removable via a front of said slide assembly; and wherein said compensator has a front upper edge and rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge is lower than said rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge and rear upper edge are beveled to generate and force gases through a Prandtl-Meyer Expansion Fan at a front of the firearm for pulling a firearm muzzle forward to reduce rearward recoil.

6. The firearm of claim 5 wherein said compensator includes a swept back side port on each side thereof, said swept back side ports configured to direct escaping gases rearward to dampen recoil associated with firing said firearm.

7. The firearm of claim 5 wherein said single compensator and barrel assembly is manufactured from the same piece of billet as a single unit.

8. The firearm of claim 5 wherein said single unit compensator and barrel assembly comprises a separate compensator and separate barrel joined to one another permanently.

9. A firearm comprising: a barrel; a slide assembly configured to receive said barrel; and a compensator having a front upper edge and rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge is lower than said rear upper edge wherein said front upper edge and rear upper edge are beveled to generate and force gases through a Prandtl-Meyer Expansion Fan at a front of the firearm for pulling a firearm muzzle forward to reduce rearward recoil.

10. The firearm of claim 9 wherein said compensator is integral with said barrel.

11. The firearm of claim 10 wherein said barrel is removable from said slide assembly via a front of said slide assembly thereby allowing the firearm to accommodate said integral compensator.

12. The firearm of claim 10 wherein said compensator and barrel are manufactured from the same piece of billet.

13. The firearm of claim 10 wherein a separate compensator and separate barrel are joined to one another permanently.

14. The firearm of claim 9 wherein said compensator and barrel form a single compensator and barrel assembly, said single compensator and barrel assembly removably joined to said slide assembly via said barrel, said barrel removable via a front of said slide assembly thereby allowing the firearm to accommodate the single compensator and barrel assembly.

15. The firearm of claim 14 wherein said single compensator and barrel assembly is manufactured from the same piece of billet as a single unit.

16. The firearm of claim 14 wherein said single unit compensator and barrel assembly comprises a separate compensator and separate barrel joined to one another permanently.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrates generation 4 and 5 Glock firearms, respectively;

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a slide and barrel assembly having an integrated compensator according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a locking design according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(4) FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a side view of a slide and barrel/compensator interface according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(5) FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate views of a cutout near an interface of the barrel and slide according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(6) FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate views of a swept back side compensator port according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(7) FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate views of a compensator height offset according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(8) FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate views of a compensator bottom according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(9) FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate views of a nose ring according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(10) FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate views of a mass-reducing cutout according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 11 illustrates a view of a firearm with the barrel and compensator unit integrated therein according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(12) FIG. 12 illustrates an upper view of an alternative barrel/compensator assembly according to the embodiments of the present invention;

(13) FIG. 13 illustrates a side view of an alternative barrel/compensator assembly with slide according to the embodiments of the present invention; and

(14) FIG. 14 illustrates an underside of an alternative barrel/compensator assembly with slide according to the embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.

(16) The components of the present invention may be made using any suitable materials including, but not limited to, alloys, composites, metals, polymers, ceramics, plastics and combinations thereof. The components of the present invention may be fabricated using any suitable technique including, but not limited to, milling, machining, molding, 3D printing and combinations thereof.

(17) FIGS. 1A and 1B show generation 4 and 5 Glock firearms 5, 10 of the type with which the embodiments of the present invention may be used. FIG. 1A also depicts the basic parts of a handgun comprising the slide 15, front sight 20, barrel 25, trigger guard 30, trigger 35, magazine release 40, frame/grip 45, slide lock 50 and rear sight 55. A magazine 60 is inserted into the grip 45 in a conventional manner.

(18) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a slide and barrel assembly 100 having an integrated compensator according to the embodiments of the present invention. In broad terms, the slide and barrel assembly 100 includes a slide 110, barrel 120 and compensator 130 with the barrel 120 and compensator 130 being a single unit. In this embodiment, the barrel 120 is removed via the front of the slide 110 allowing for the integration of the compensator 130. In one embodiment, the compensator 130 is manufactured from the same piece of billet as the barrel 120 hence a single unit. Alternatively, the compensator 130 and barrel 120 may be separate pieces. A front sight dovetail 115 in the compensator 130 accepts a front sight for the firearm.

(19) FIG. 3 shows a side view of a locking design 150 according to the embodiments of the present invention. As shown, the compensator 130 mechanically locks up to the slide 110 based on an angled relationship between the two.

(20) FIGS. 4A and 4B show a side view of a slide and barrel/compensator interface 160 according to the embodiments of the present invention. As shown, the interface 160 comprises various points of contact between the slide 110 and barrel 120 (not shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B). A first point of contact 160-1 is near a top portion of the slide 110; a second point of contact 160-2 is at a top and bottom of an intermediary vertical portion of the slide 110; a third point of contact 160-3 is below the intermediary portion of the slide 110 and angling forward; and a fourth point of contact 160-4 is at a front of the slide 110 above the nose ring 250.

(21) FIGS. 5A and 5B show views of a cutout 170 near the interface of the barrel 120 and slide 110 according to the embodiments of the present invention. The cutout 170 permits debris to escape. The cutout 170 also functions to eliminate any pinching effect on the user as the barrel 120 and slide 110 separate slightly during firing. While only one cutout 170 is shown, an identical cutout is positioned on the opposite side of the firearm.

(22) FIGS. 6A and 6B show views of a swept back side compensator port 180-1 (port 180-2 is visible in FIG. 8A albeit the swept back portion is not visible) according to the embodiments of the present invention. The swept back nature of the compensator ports 180-1, 180-2 forces gases rearward thereby dampening rearward recoil.

(23) FIGS. 7A and 7B show views of a compensator height offset between a front edge 190 and rear edge 195 of upper compensator port 200 provides several benefits. In one embodiment, the front edge 190 and rear edge 195 are beveled to create additional efficiencies. A first benefit is that the height offset increases efficiency and effectiveness of the compensator 130. A second benefit is that the height offset eliminates a hard edge thus preventing the firearm from snagging on objects. A third benefit is that the height offset forces gases through a Prandtl-Meyer Expansion Fan at the front of the gun thereby pulling the muzzle forward to further reduce rearward recoil.

(24) FIGS. 8A and 8B show views of a compensator bottom 135 according to the embodiments of the present invention. As shown, the bottom 135 of the compensator 130 is below the bottommost surface of the barrel bore 205 providing more efficiency and accuracy. In one embodiment, the bottom 135 is formed by a ball-mill cut.

(25) FIGS. 9A and 9B show views of a nose ring 250 according to the embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 10A and 10B show views of a mass-reducing cutout 255 according to the embodiments of the present invention. The cutout 255 serves to decrease reciprocating mass associated with the recoil.

(26) FIG. 11 shows a view of a firearm 300 with the barrel and compensator unit 310 integrated therewith according to the embodiments of the present invention. As shown, the barrel and compensator unit 310 mates with a slide assembly 320 and includes a barrel 325 and compensator 330.

(27) FIG. 12 shows an upper view of an alternative barrel/compensator assembly 400. With this embodiment, the barrel/compensator assembly 400 includes a pair of longitudinal slide rails 405-1, 405-2 configured to act as contact interfaces with corresponding portions of a slide 410 (shown in FIGS. 13 and 14). The slide 410 is configured to translate along the longitudinal rails 405-1, 405-2 as needed. FIG. 13 shows a side view of the barrel/compensator assembly 400 with the slide 410 in position according to the embodiments of the present invention.

(28) FIG. 14 shows a view of an underside of the barrel/compensator assembly 400 and slide 410 according to the embodiments of the present invention. As highlighted, a total interface area 415 includes the contact points along the longitudinal rails 405-1, 405-2 and a square area 420 proximate thereto. The total interface area 415 represents the contact portion between the barrel/compensator assembly 400 and the slide 410.

(29) Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.