Compensator for muzzle climb

A lift compensator having a longitudinal axis and adapted to be mounted in an operating position coaxially on a gun barrel adjacent to the muzzle end, said compensator comprising an element having a sidewall extending longitudinally of said axis and having a plurality of vent means in said sidewall spaced circumferentially around said axis and arranged for communicating with and discharging combustion gases from the barrel transversely of said axis when at said operating position, and means for effecting a reaction force to compensate for transverse muzzle reaction when the gun is fired comprising deflector means associated with selected vent means and extending from said sidewall into the path of the gases discharged transversely from the associated vent means for redirecting said gases in a predetermined different direction transversely of said axis,

• said compensator adapted for use with a gun having a plurality of flash suppressing ports spaced circumferentially around said barrel adjacent to its muzzle end and communicating with the barrel for discharging combustion gases transversely of said barrel, said vent means being arranged for selective communication with said ports for venting said gases therefrom transversely of said barrel when at said operating position,
• said element of said compensator comprising a tubular element having said vent means therein, said element having port restricting means between at least two of said vent means and selectively aligned with said ports for restricting gas flow through the ports aligned therewith,
• said port restricting means comprising at least one port restricting portion spacing a pair of vent means and terminating at said pair of vent means in circumferentially spaced edges, said deflector means comprising a pair of deflectors associated with said edges respectively and extending circumferentially and radially outwardly from said edges for entering into the path of transversely discharged gases from said pair of vent means, said two circumferentially spaced edges comprising generally radially extending walls of said pair of vent means, said deflectors diverging from the radially outer portions respectively of their associated walls, each deflector radially overlying at least partially the adjacent one of said two vents.

A lift compensator comprising a tubular element adapted to be mounted in an operating position on a gun barrel adjacent to the muzzle end with the tubular sidewall of said element extending longitudinally of the barrel axis, said tubular sidewall having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vent means arranged for communicating with and discharging combustion gases from the barrel transversely of said axis when at said operating position, and means for effecting a reaction force to compensate for muzzle reaction transverse to said axis when the gun is fired comprising deflector means associated with selected vent means and extending into the path of gases discharged transversely of said axis from the associated vent means for redirecting the latter gases in a different direction transversely of said axis, said vent means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced vents in said tubular sidewall, each vent having circumferentially spaced edges in the outer periphery of said tubular sidewall, said deflector means including at least one gas deflector associated with at least one of said vents, said one deflector being integral with said tubular sidewall adjacent to only one of the circumferentially spaced edges of said one associated vent and diverging circumferentially and radially outwardly therefrom into the path of the gases discharged transversely from said one vent for redirecting said gases in said different direction.