Barrel attachment for gas gun

• US 20070017498A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kore Outdoor Inc.
• Original Assignee: National Paintball Supply Inc. (Kore Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Finstad, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 124/84
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 21/32 Muzzle attachments or glands F41A21/26, F41A21/30, F41A21/46 take precedence ; for projectile velocity measurements G01P3/665, G01P3/685
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/00 Compressed-gas guns, e.g. air guns; Steam guns

Abstract

This invention is a barrel attachment attachable to the firing end of the barrel of a compressed gas gun and a method of using the same. The barrel attachment allows a user to spin a projectile fired from the gas gun just before it exits the barrel attachment. This spin alters the projectile'"'"'s normally straight trajectory; in other words, it makes the projectile curve. The barrel attachment is adjustable. In the preferred embodiment, the user or shooter can adjust the amount of spin and thereby the amount that the projectile curves by rotating an adjustment sleeve about the barrel attachment, which causes contact pads to protrude into the passage of the barrel attachment. In the preferred embodiment, the user can adjust the direction of curve by rotating the barrel attachment about the gun barrel.

Claims

1. A compressed gas gun barrel attachment comprising:

a cylindrical housing having first and second ends and a through passage therebetween, said first end fittable over a gun barrel;

at least one contact pad;

the housing having at least one aperture therethrough, said at least one aperture dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one contact pad, at least a portion of the contact pad extendible into the through passage.

2. The barrel attachment of claim 1 wherein the at least one contact pad comprises a contact surface that is extendable at least partially into the through passage, said contact surface positionable within the through passage to contact a projectile launched from the gun barrel.

3. The barrel attachment of claim 2 wherein the at least one contact pad further comprises at least one biasing element.

4. The barrel attachment of claim 2 wherein the housing comprises at least two apertures therethrough, said at least two apertures dimensioned to receive at least a portion of at least two contact pads, the contact surfaces having different coefficients of friction.

5. The barrel attachment of claim 2 wherein the housing comprises at least four apertures therethrough, said at least four apertures dimensioned to receive at least a portion of at least four contact pads, and wherein at least one of the contact surfaces has a different coefficient of friction than the others.

6. The barrel attachment of claim 2 wherein the contact surface comprises a scoring member.

7. The barrel attachment of claim 2 wherein the contact surface of the at least one contact pad is comprised of:

silicone, rubber, latex, plastic, composites, wood, textile fabric, Teflon®

, graphite, or a smoothed metal surface.

8. The barrel attachment of claim 3 further comprising an outer adjustment sleeve coaxial with the cylindrical housing, said adjustment sleeve moveable to adjust the amount the at least one contact pad extends into the through passage.

9. The barrel attachment of claim 8 wherein the adjustment sleeve has a frusto-conical shape and the contact pad comprises a sloped main body having first and second ends and wherein axial displacement of the adjustment sleeve, relative to the housing, biases the at least one pad toward the through passage.

10. The barrel attachment of claim 9 wherein the housing further comprises outer threads at its second end, and wherein the adjustment sleeve further comprises inner threads matingly engagable with the outer threads of the housing.

11. The barrel attachment of claim 10 wherein the adjustment sleeve further comprises a securing element to secure the outer sleeve in place.

12. The barrel attachment of claim 11 wherein the securing element is selected from the group consisting of:

a set screw, a pin, a wing nut, a dowel, a hook, a latch and a spring loaded detent.

13. A compressed gas gun barrel attachment comprising:

a cylindrical housing having an outer surface and an inner surface;

first and second ends and a through passage therebetween, said second end fittable over a compressed gun barrel;

wherein said inner surface comprises;

at least one first portion having a first coefficient of friction; and

at least one second portion having a second coefficient of friction different than the first coefficient of friction.

14. The barrel attachment of claim 13 wherein the at least one first portion and at least one second portion are positioned opposite each other.

15. The barrel attachment of claim 14 wherein a projectile exiting the barrel contacts the at least one first portion and the at least one second portion.

16. The barrel attachment of claim 13 wherein the at least one first portion and the at least one second portion are replaceble.

17. A compressed gas gun barrel attachment comprising:

a cylindrical housing having first and second ends and a through passage therebetween, said second end fittable over a gun barrel;

at least four contact pads each having a biasing element;

the housing having at least four apertures therethrough, said at least four apertures dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least four contact pads, each of the at least four contact pads having a contact surface extendable at least partially into the through passage, at least one of the contact surfaces having different coefficients of friction than the others; and

an outer adjustment sleeve coaxial with the cylindrical housing, said adjustment sleeve moveable to adjust the amount the at least one contact pad extends into the through passage.

18. A compressed gas gun barrel attachment comprising:

a cylindrical housing having an outer surface and an inner surface;

first and second ends and a through passage therebetween, said second end fittable over a compressed gun barrel;

wherein said inner surface comprises;

a first portion having a first coefficient of friction; and

a second portion positioned opposite the first portion and having a second coefficient of friction different than the first coefficient of friction, wherein a projectile exiting the barrel contacts the first and second portions.