Pneumatic paintball marker

• US 7,150,276 B1
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack V. Rice
• Original Assignee: Jack V. Rice
• Inventors: Rice, Jack V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Stewart
• Application Number:
  US10/887,742
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 124/41.1, 124/56, 124/49, 124 71- 77
• US Class Current: 124/73
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/62 with pressure supplied by a gas cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/71 Electric or electronic control systems, e.g. for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/722 for controlling gas pressure for loading or feeding only
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/723 for controlling gas pressure for firing the projectile only

Abstract

Paintball marker including a firing chamber having a barrel coupled to one end and a removable back plug coupled to an opposing end, a door surmounting a chamber loading hole disposed between back plug and barrel; a cam coupled to door; an actuator coupled to door cam; a pin valve interposed in a first gas path between a gas source and a passage leading to the chamber, and a trigger coupled to a second gas path between the gas source and actuator for opening the second gas path for actuating the actuator such that the door cam transforms motion of the actuator into pivoting motion of the door from an open position such that a paintball is loaded into the chamber to a closed position and then continuing to actuate the actuator to coact with the pin valve for opening the first gas path for firing the paintball.

Claims

1. A pneumatic paintball marker, comprising in combination:

a housing including an hollow open ended firing chamber having a first open end operatively coupled to a barrel and a second open end closed by a removable back plug;

said firing chamber having a paintball-loading hole in a side wall thereof at a location between said back plug and said barrel;

a door surmounting said firing chamber and slidingly coupled to said housing for providing access to said paintball-loading hole when the door is pivoted to an open position and for sealing said firing chamber when said door is pivoted to a closed position;

a means for camming, said means for camming operatively coupled to said door;

a means for controlling door position, including a linear actuator operatively coupled to said means for camming such that said cam means transforms a linear motion of said linear actuator into a sliding motion of said door for sliding said door from the open to closed position and from the closed to open position;

a pin valve interposed between a source of compressed gas and a bore leading to said firing chamber and located behind said linear actuator for controlling a gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber;

a selectively openable gas path between said source of compressed gas and said linear actuator of said means for controlling door position, and

a trigger operatively coupled to said means for controlling door position, said trigger adapted to open the selectively openable gas path between said source of compressed gas and said linear actuator for moving said linear actuator from a forward to a backward position such that said means for camming transforms linear motion of said linear actuator into sliding motion of said door for sliding said door from the open position such that a paintball is loaded into the firing chamber to a closed position for sealing the firing chamber and then continuing to move said linear actuator backward to a position of impact with said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in an opposite direction of movement of said linear actuator when said trigger is actuated.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said door is pivotally coupled to said housing.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said door is adapted to slide linearly relative to said housing, along a path non-parallel with said barrel.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said door includes a beveled end abutting a beveled end of a driver, said driver operatively coupled to said means for camming and adapted to slide said door.

5. The combination of claim 2, further including means operatively coupled to said door for urging the paintball at least partially into said barrel when said door is pivoted closed.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said door is controlled by said means for controlling door position so that said door is restricted to said closed position when said pin valve is open for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in said opposite direction of movement of said linear actuator when said trigger is actuated.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said door surmounting said firing chamber and pivotally coupled to said housing for providing access to said paintball-loading hole when said door is pivoted to said open position and for sealing said firing chamber when said door is pivoted to said closed position rides within a stepped groove disposed within said housing for restricting said door to rotating between said open and said closed position.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said door is pivotally coupled to said housing about an axis offset from line of firing chamber and barrel.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said means for camming operatively coupled to said door includes a cam slot cut into said door.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said linear actuator is housed within an actuator housing mounted underneath said firing chamber and barrel and wherein said linear actuator is comprised of an elongated member comprised of a ram riding in a bore of a housing at one end and a hammer operatively coupled to an opposing end at a location in alignment for impacting said pin of said pin valve for opening said pin valve when said linear actuator is moved backward to said position of impact with said pin of said pin valve.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said means for controlling door position further includes a manifold mated to a solenoid and operatively coupled to said bore of said housing for directing compressed gas into a forward compartment of said bore for coacting with said ram and holding said ram in an open position and upon trigger activation said solenoid directing compressed gas through the manifold and to a rearward portion of said bore for coacting with said ram for moving said linear actuator from a forward to a backward position such that said means for camming transforms linear motion of said linear actuator into rotational motion of said door for pivoting said door from the open position such that the paintball is loaded into the firing chamber to said closed position for sealing the firing chamber and blocking passage of paintballs therein and then continuing to move said linear actuator backward to said position of impact of said hammer with said pin of said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in an opposite direction of movement of said linear actuator when said trigger is actuated.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said linear actuator further includes a ram operatively coupled to a hammer for impacting a pin of said pin valve for opening said pin valve when said linear actuator is moved backward to said position of impact with said pin of said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in an opposite direction of movement of said linear actuator when said trigger is actuated.

13. A pneumatic paintball marker, comprising in combination:

a housing including an hollow open ended firing chamber extending therethrough and comprised of a first open end, a second open end, and a paintball loading hole disposed in a sidewall thereof at a location between said first open end and said second open end of said firing chamber;

a barrel comprised of an entrance end and an exit end and shaped for receiving and passing a paintball therethrough, said entrance end being operatively coupled to said first open end of said firing chamber;

a removable back plug operatively coupled to said second open end of said firing chamber opposite said first open end for sealing said second open end of said firing chamber during use, said removable back plug removed from said second open end of said firing chamber for allowing cleaning access through said barrel and firing chamber;

a door surmounting said firing chamber and pivotally coupled to said housing for providing access to said paintball-loading hole when the door is pivoted to an open position and sealing said firing chamber when said door is pivoted to a closed position;

a means for camming operatively coupled to said door;

a means for controlling position of said door including a linear actuator operatively coupled to said means for camming such that said cam means transforms a linear motion of said linear actuator into a rotational motion of said door for pivoting said door from the opened to closed position and from the closed to opened position under direction of said means for controlling position of said door;

a valve operatively coupled to said means for controlling position of said door and interposed between a source of compressed gas and a bore leading to said firing chamber for controlling a gas path therebetween under the control of said means for controlling position of said door;

a trigger operatively coupled to said means for controlling position of said door wherein when said trigger is actuated said means for controlling position of said door pivots said door from the open position such that a paintball is loaded into the firing chamber to a closed position for sealing the firing chamber and then subsequently opens said valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel of said pneumatic paintball marker.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein said valve is a pin valve interposed between said source of compressed gas and said bore leading to said firing chamber for controlling said gas path therebetween.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein when said trigger is actuated, said linear actuator moves from a forward to a backward position for pivoting said door from the open position to the closed position and continues to move backward for coacting with said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in a direction opposing the direction of said linear actuator upon trigger actuation.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein when said trigger is actuated, said linear actuator moves from the forward to the backward position for pivoting said door from the open position to the closed position and continues to move backward for coacting with said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in a direction opposing the direction of said linear actuator upon trigger actuation.

17. The combination of claim 16, wherein said means for camming includes an extended cam groove integrally formed within said door.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein said linear actuator includes an elongated connecting rod terminating at one end to a rotatable cap.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein said connecting rod of said linear actuator is operatively coupled to said means for camming by said rotatable cap being received within said cam groove integrally formed within said door.

20. The combination of claim 19, wherein said linear actuator includes a reciprocating hammer operatively coupled to said connecting rod for providing linear motion of said connecting rod wherein when said trigger is actuated, said hammer moves said connecting from a forward to a backward position such that said means for camming transforms a linear motion of said connecting rod into a rotational motion of said door for pivoting said door from the open position to the closed position and wherein when said trigger is actuated said hammer continues to move backward for impacting with said pin valve for opening the gas path between said source of compressed gas and said firing chamber for firing the paintball through and out said barrel in a direction opposing the direction of motion of said hammer and connecting rod.

21. A pneumatic paintball marker, comprising in combination:

a housing including an hollow open ended firing chamber extending therethrough and comprised of a first open end, a second open end, and a paintball loading hole disposed in a sidewall thereof;

a barrel operatively coupled to said first open end;

a removable back plug operatively coupled to said second open end,

a door pivotally coupled to said housing and surmounting said firing chamber loading hole disposed in said sidewall between said back plug and said barrel;

a door cam operatively coupled to said door;

an actuator coupled to said door cam;

a valve operatively coupled to said actuator and interposed in a first gas path between a source of compressed gas and a passage leading to said firing chamber, and

a trigger operatively coupled to a second gas path between the source of compressed gas and said actuator, said trigger adapted to open said second gas path to move said actuator, said door cam adapted to transform motion of said actuator into pivoting motion of said door from an open position in which a paintball is loaded into said firing chamber to a closed position and then continues to move said actuator to coact with said valve for opening said first gas path for firing the paintball.

22. The combination of claim 21, wherein said actuator is a linear actuator and wherein said door cam transforms a linear motion of said linear actuator into a rotational motion of said door for pivoting said door from the open position such that that paintball is loaded into the firing chamber to the closed position.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein said door cam is comprised of an integrally formed groove within said door receiving a rotatable end of a connecting rod of said actuator for transforming linear motion of said linear actuator into rotational motion of said door.