Muzzle brake

[0001] This invention relates to muzzle brakes for firearms, and more particularly to a muzzle brake with improved combat effectiveness.

[0002] Muzzle brakes for firearms typically include various baffles, ports and vents to reduce recoil and muzzle rise when firing the firearm. Many such muzzle brakes, when used in a combat situation, tend to direct concussion from combustion gases back to the shooter and personnel to the side of the shooter at a level that detracts from combat effectiveness. Further, it does not appear that these and other known muzzle brakes have effectively compensated for muzzle rise (i.e. upward movement of the muzzle) or sideward movement of the muzzle upon firing of the firearm, particularly as concerning sideward movement to the right for a right-hand shooter and to the left for a left-hand shooter.

[0003] The muzzle brake of the present invention includes structural features that affect the flow characteristics of the combustion gases, for reducing concussion to the shooter and to personnel to the sides of the shooter, as well as for directionally countering upward and sideward movement of the firearm's muzzle upon the firing of the firearm.

[0004] According to one aspect of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a muzzle brake for a firearm having a barrel with a muzzle extending along a longitudinal axis, the muzzle brake comprising: a generally cylindrical body adapted for attachment to the muzzle, the body including an axial passageway forwardly of and communicating with the muzzle when attached thereto; a high pressure first chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway for receiving combustion gases from the muzzle resulting from firing of the firearm; and a second chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway forwardly of the first chamber for receiving gases from the first chamber, the second chamber including a rear wall and a forward wall for deflecting gases in the second chamber, the second chamber including two opposing side openings in the body between the rear wall and the forward wall for laterally venting gases from the second chamber, the forward wall configured along the side openings for eliminating rearward deflection from the forward wall of a portion of the gases in the second chamber. The forward wall is preferably truncated along the second chamber's side openings for effecting such forward wall configuration.

[0005] The preferred embodiment of the muzzle brake further includes: a third chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway forwardly of the second chamber for receiving gases from the second chamber, the third chamber including a forward wall for deflecting gases in the third chamber, the third chamber including two opposing side openings in the body between the second chamber's forward wall and the third chamber's forward wall for laterally venting gases from the third chamber, the third chamber's forward wall configured along the third chamber's side openings for eliminating rearward deflection of a portion of the gases in the third chamber. The forward wall of the third chamber is preferably truncated along the third chamber's side openings for effecting such forward wall configuration.

[0006] According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the muzzle brake's high pressure first chamber includes at least one port for venting a portion of the gases in the first chamber to directionally counter upward and sideward movement of the muzzle when the firearm is fired. The at least one port preferably transversely extends along opposite sides of the top of the muzzle brake body with the center of such at least one port being transversely offset from the top of the muzzle brake's body. A first port may be offset from and to one side of the top of the body, and a second port offset from and to the opposite side of the top of the body by a transverse distance greater than the transverse distance by which the first port is offset. Alternatively, a single port (e.g. a slotted port) may transversely extend along both sides of the top of the muzzle brake's body, with the center of the port being transversely offset from the top of the muzzle brake's body.

[0007] According to a further aspect of the preferred embodiment of the muzzle brake of the present invention, the second chamber (and/or the third chamber) may include at least one gas diverting surface between its rear wall and its forward wall, and the at least one gas diverting surface may longitudinally divide the chamber. In this respect, the second chamber (and/or the third chamber) may include a floor between the rear wall and the forward wall, the floor being upwardly curved toward the axial passageway. The chamber may further include a ceiling between the rear wall and the forward wall, the ceiling being downwardly curved toward the axial passageway.

[0008] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a muzzle brake for a firearm having a barrel with a muzzle extending along a longitudinal axis, the muzzle brake comprising: a body adapted for attachment to the muzzle, the body including an axial passageway forwardly of and communicating with the muzzle when attached thereto; a high pressure chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway for receiving combustion gases from the muzzle resulting from firing of the firearm, the high pressure chamber including at least one port for venting a portion of the gases in the high pressure chamber to directionally counter upward and sideward movement of the muzzle when the firearm is fired; and a second chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway forwardly of the first chamber for receiving gases from the high pressure chamber, the second chamber including a forward wall upon which gases in the second chamber may impinge.

[0009] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a muzzle brake for a firearm having a barrel with a muzzle extending along a longitudinal axis, the muzzle brake comprising: a body adapted for attachment to the muzzle, the body including an axial passageway forwardly of and communicating with the muzzle when attached thereto; and a chamber in the body extending along the axial passageway for receiving combustion gases from the muzzle resulting from firing of the firearm, the chamber including a forward wall for deflecting gases in the chamber, the chamber including two opposing side openings in the body and at least one gas diverting surface between the two opposing side openings. The at least one gas diverting surface preferably longitudinally divides the chamber, and may include a floor upwardly curved toward the axial passageway, and may further include a ceiling downwardly curved toward the axial passageway.

[0022] Turning to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 a preferred embodiment of a muzzle brake 20 comprising a generally cylindrical body 22 having an axial passageway 24 forwardly of and communicating with a threaded bore 26 for threadedly securing the muzzle brake 20 to the threaded muzzle 28 of a firearm barrel 30 (see, in particular FIGS. 6 and 9). When the firearm is fired by a shooter, a bullet travels along the longitudinal bore 31 of the barrel 30, along the axial passageway 24 of the secured muzzle brake 20, and exits through an exit bore 60 at the muzzle brake's front end.

[0023] As used herein, the word “front” or “forward” corresponds to the firing direction of the firearm represented by the firearm barrel 30 (i.e., to the right as shown in FIGS. 1, 4-6, 9 and 10); “rear” or “rearward” corresponds generally to the direction opposite the front or forward direction; “longitudinal” means the direction along or parallel to the longitudinal axis a of the muzzle brake 20, or to the longitudinal axis a′ of the firearm barrel 30; and “axial” means along the longitudinal axis a or a′.

[0024] The axial passageway 24 extends along the muzzle brake's longitudinal axis a and includes a first chamber 32 forwardly of the threaded bore 26 and adjacent to the barrel's muzzle 28 when the muzzle brake 20 is attached to the muzzle 28. The chamber 32 receives the combustion gases from the muzzle 28 resulting from a firing of a bullet from the firearm, and may be referred to as a pressure or high pressure chamber. The high pressure chamber 32 communicates with the muzzle brake's forward portion through an axial bore 34 of diameter preferably smaller than the diameter of the pressure chamber 32 but sufficiently large to permit passage therethrough of the fired bullet.

[0025] The pressure chamber 32 preferably includes at least one directional port for venting a portion of the high pressure combustion gases in such manner as to directionally counter upward and sideward movement of the firearm muzzle 28 when the firearm is fired. The one or more ports are arranged such that they transversely extend along both sides of the top (represented by the longitudinal crest line 35) of the body 22 with their effective center transversely offset from the top 35 of the body 22, i.e. the effective center of the one or more ports is transversely offset from a twelve o'clock or top dead center of the muzzle brake body 22 when the firearm with attached muzzle brake 20 is held in a firing position with the barrel 30 horizontally extended.

[0026] In the example shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 7, the pressure chamber 32 includes two ports 36 and 38, each on opposite sides of the longitudinal top 35 of the body 22 and transversely offset therefrom by different distances, as represented in FIG. 4 by the transverse distances from the longitudinal axis a and, in FIG. 7, by the rotational angles α and β from a vertical line intersecting the longitudinal axis a. While gases venting from both ports 36 and 38 counter muzzle lift when the firearm is fired, the greater offset of the right port 36 as compared to the left port 38 (as well as the greater diameter or cross-sectional area of the right port 36) causes the differentially vented gases through the ports to counter right sideward movement of the muzzle when the firearm is fired by a right-hand shooter. To counter left sideward movement for a left-hand shooter, the offset distances or differential cross-sectional area of the ports would be reversed, i.e. the left port 38 offset and/or diameter would be greater than the right port 36 offset and/or diameter.

[0027] In the muzzle brake example shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first chamber 32 includes a port 40 which may be configured as a transverse slot, the port 40 transversely extending along both sides of the top of the body 22, with the center of the port 40 being transversely offset from the top 35 of the body 22. The amount of the offset from the center of the port 40 from a vertical line intersecting the longitudinal axis a (i.e., from the top 35) is indicated in FIG. 11 by the angle γ, and the directional flow of the combustion gases exiting through the offset port 40 counters muzzle lift as well as muzzle sideward movement when the firearm is fired by a right-hand shooter. Of course, the direction of the offset of the transverse port 40 would be reversed for a left-hand shooter.

[0028] The front portion of the muzzle brake body 22 includes at least one and preferably two further chambers extending along the axial passageway 24 forwardly of the pressure chamber 32. As shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 9, a second chamber 42 is defined between a transverse rear wall or baffle 44 (which may also comprise the forward wall of the first chamber 32) and a transverse forward wall or baffle 46, the walls 44, 46 preferably being generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis a. The rear and forward walls 44 and 46 respectively include coaxial bores 34 and 50 of the axial passageway 24 and through which the fired bullet travels.

[0029] The second chamber 42 receives combustion gases from the first chamber 32 through the first chamber bore 34, the directions of the gases being represented in FIG. 9 by the direction arrows. Some of these gases continue through the axial bore 50 in the second chamber's forward wall 46, while some of these gases impinge upon the rearwardly facing surface of the forward wall 46 and deflect therefrom, some gases rebounding and forwardly deflecting from the forwardly facing surface of the rear wall 44. The gases impinging upon the rearwardly facing surface of the forward wall 46 provide a forward force to the muzzle brake 20 for countering recoil of the firearm from the firing of the bullet, while much of the gases are laterally vented-outwardly through two opposing side openings 52, 54 extending between the spaced-apart walls 44, 46 of the second chamber 42, one such side opening 52 being through one side of the body 22 and the other such side opening 54 being through the opposite side of the body 22.

[0030] The third chamber 56 extends along the axial passageway 24 forwardly of the second chamber 42. The third chamber 56 is defined between a transverse rear wall or baffle which preferably comprises the forward wall 46 of the second chamber 42, and a transverse forward wall or baffle 58, the walls 46, 58 preferably being generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis a. The third chamber's forward wall 58 includes the axial bore 60 of the axial passageway 24 and through which the fired bullet exits.

[0031] The third chamber 56 receives combustion gases from the second chamber 42 through the axial bore 50 in the forward wall 46 of the second chamber 42. Some of these gases continue through the exit bore 60 in the third chamber's forward wall 58, while some of these gases impinge upon the rearwardly facing surface of the forward wall 58 and deflect therefrom, some gases rebounding and generally forwardly deflecting from the forwardly facing surface of the third chamber's rear wall 46. The gases impinging upon the rearwardly facing surface of the forward wall 58 provide a forward force to the muzzle brake 20 for countering recoil of the firearm from the firing of the bullet, while much of the gases are generally laterally vented outwardly through two opposing side openings 62, 64 extending between the spaced-apart walls 46, 58, one such side opening 62 being through one side of the body 22 and the other such side opening 64 being through the opposite side of the body 22.

[0032] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the forward wall of at least one and preferably both of the second and third chambers 42, 56 are configured along the respective side openings 52, 54 and 62, 64 for eliminating generally rearward deflection from the rearwardly facing surfaces of the forward walls 46, 58 of portions of the gases respectively in the second and third chambers 42, 56.

[0033] For example, in the preferred embodiment of the muzzle brake 20, the forward wall 46 of the second chamber 42 is truncated along the respective forward edges of the second chamber's side openings 52 and 54. As specifically illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the truncated edges 48 of the wall 46 may be effected by removing the portions of the peripheral edges or segments 49 (shown in phantom) of the forward wall 46 that would otherwise laterally project from the side openings 52 and 54. The gases which would normally be deflected generally rearwardly (represented in FIG. 9 by the dashed direction arrows) from the portions of the forward wall 46 if not for the truncations would, because of the truncations, be directed generally forwardly (represented by the solid direction arrows through the truncated segments 49) from the side openings 52, 54 of the second chamber 42, thereby reducing concussion at and to the sides of the shooter's position.

[0034] Further, in the preferred embodiment of the muzzle brake 20, the forward wall 58 of the third chamber 56 is truncated along the respective forward edges of the third chamber's side openings 62 and 64. As specifically illustrated in FIG. 9 and similarly to the illustration of FIG. 8, the truncated edges 57 of the third chamber's forward wall 58 may be effected by removing the portions of the peripheral edges or segments 59 (shown in phantom) of the forward wall 58 that would otherwise laterally project from the side openings 62 and 64. The gases which would normally be deflected generally rearwardly (represented in FIG. 9 by the dashed direction arrows) from the portions of the forward wall 58 if not for the truncations would, because of the truncations, be directed generally forwardly (represented by the solid directional arrows through the truncated segments 59) from the side openings 62, 64 of the third chamber 56, thereby further reducing concussion at and to the sides of the shooter's position.

[0035] According to another aspect of the present invention, at least one and preferably both of the second and third chambers include at least one gas diverting surface between the chamber's rear wall and its forward wall, for influencing the gases vented from the chambers' side openings to be dispersed over a large lower pressure area.

[0036] For example, the second chamber 42 may include a floor 66 between the rear wall 44 and the forward wall 46 (i.e., between the side openings 52, 54), the floor 66 being upwardly curved toward the axial passageway 24 (i.e., toward the longitudinal axis a), preferably forming a longitudinally extending apex 67 extending between and approaching the axial bores 44 and 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6 and 9 and best shown in FIG. 8. The second chamber 42 further includes a ceiling 68 between the second chamber's rear wall 44 and its forward wall 46, the ceiling 68 being downwardly curved toward the axial passageway 24 (i.e., toward the longitudinal axis a), preferably forming a longitudinally extending nadir 69. Although not fully understood, it is believed that turbulence of the gases in the second chamber 42 is increased as the gases engage the concave floor and ceiling surfaces 66, 68 tending to longitudinally divide the second chamber 42, dissipating energy from the gases exiting through the side openings 52, 54.

[0037] Similarly, the third chamber 56 may include a floor 70 between the third chamber's rear wall 46 and its forward wall 58, the floor 70 being upwardly curved toward the axial passageway 24, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6 and 9 and similarly to the showing in FIG. 8. The third chamber 56 further includes-a ceiling 72 between the third chamber's rear wall 46 and its forward wall 58, the ceiling 72 being downwardly curved toward the axial passageway 24. It is believed that turbulence of the gases in the third chamber 56 is increased as the gases engage the concave floor and ceiling surfaces 70, 72 tending to longitudinally divide the third chamber 56, dissipating energy from the gases exiting through the side openings 62, 64.

[0038] Thus, there have been described preferred embodiments of a muzzle brake for firearms, the muzzle brake including structural features that affect the flow characteristics of the combustion gases for reducing concussion to the shooter and to personnel to the sides of the shooter, as well as for directionally countering upward and sideward movement of the firearm's muzzle upon firing of the firearm. Other embodiments of the present invention, and variations of the embodiments presented herein, may be developed without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the invention should be limited only by the scope of the claims listed below.