Rifle with noise damper

Abstract

A rifle barrel having a sound suppressor and a rifle comprising such a barrel. Material disposed over the rifle barrel and extending longitudinally and distally from a proximal end of the rifle barrel defines a housing. The housing surrounds at least a majority of the sound suppressing element, which is connected to the rifle barrel solely by containment within the housing. The sound suppressing comprises an acoustic labyrinth formed by a plurality of components disposed together along a longitudinal plane coextensive with an axis of the rifle barrel.

1 . A rifle having a rifle barrel and a sound suppressor, the rifle comprising:
 a structure defining a housing comprising an over-molded or over-injected material disposed over the rifle barrel and extending longitudinally and distally from a proximal end of the rifle barrel such that the structure and the rifle barrel form a single, integral piece, the portion of the housing extending longitudinally and distally from the proximal end of the rifle barrel consisting of the over-molded or over-injected material; and   a sound suppressing element comprising an acoustic labyrinth insert positioned within the housing such that the housing surrounds at least a majority of the acoustic labyrinth insert, the acoustic laybrinth insert defining a passage that comprises a longitudinal extension of a bore of the rifle barrel, the sound suppressing element having a radial structure outward from such passage consisting of the acoustic labyrinth insert and the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppressing element is disposed adjacent the proximal end of the rifle barrel. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the housing entirely surrounds the sound suppressing element. 
     
     
         5 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppressing element has a plurality of partitions that at least partly define the acoustic labyrinth insert. 
     
     
         6 . The rifle of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover on a distal end of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The rifle of  claim 1 , further comprising a sight affixed to the structure. 
     
     
         8 . The rifle of  claim 7 , wherein the sight is a front sight. 
     
     
         9 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the structure is in direct contact with the rifle barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the material disposed over the rifle barrel comprises material over-molded or over-injected onto to rifle barrel. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the material over-molded or over-injected onto to rifle barrel is in direct contact the rifle barrel. 
     
     
         13 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppressing element comprises a plurality of parts assembled together. 
     
     
         14 . The rifle of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of parts defines a longitudinal central passage therebetween that comprises a longitudinal extension of a bore of the rifle barrel. 
     
     
         15 . The rifle of  claim 1 , wherein the structure is coupled to the rifle barrel to provide no movement therebetween. 
     
     
         16 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A rifle having a sound suppressor, the rifle comprising a rift product formed by a process comprising the steps of:
 forming a structure on a rifle barrel, including over-molding or over-injecting material over the rifle barrel so that the structure comprises a housing, the structure and the rifle barrel form an integral assembly, the housing of the structure extends longitudinally and distally from a proximal end of the rifle barrel, and the portion of the housing extending longitudinally and distally from the proximal end of the rifle barrel consisting of the over-molded or over-injected material;   inserting a an acoustic labyrinth insert inside the housing of the structure such that the structure houses and radially surrounds at least a majority of the acoustic labyrinth insert and couples the acoustic labyrinth insert to the rifle barrel, and the acoustic laybrinth insert defines a passage that comprises a longitudinal extension of a bore of the rifle barrel, the sound suppressing element having a radial structure outward from such passage consisting of the acoustic labyrinth insert and the housing.   
     
     
         37 . The rifle of  claim 36 , wherein the housing entirely surrounds the sound suppressing element. 
     
     
         38 . The rifle of  claim 37 , wherein a portion of the over-molded or over-injected material is in direct contact with the rifle barrel. 
     
     
         39 . The rifle of  claim 37 , wherein the sound suppressing element comprises a plurality of parts assembled together. 
     
     
         40 . The rifle of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of parts consists of two parts. 
     
     
         41 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The rifle of  claim 36 , further comprising a cover on a distal end of the housing.