Pump action marking pellet gun

• US 5,383,442 A
• Filed: 06/10/1992
• Issued: 01/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tippmann Sports LLC (Kore Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dennis J. Tippmann Sr
• Inventors: Tippmann, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Dennis L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US07/896,575
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 124/56, 124/70, 124/71, 124/73, 124/74, 124/76
• US Class Current: 124/76
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 29/02 Scrapers or cleaning rods
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/52 the projectiles being loosely held in a magazine above the gun housing, e.g. in a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/723 for controlling gas pressure for firing the projectile only

Abstract

A compressed powered gun has a receiver with a compressed gas source fastened to one end thereof and an elongated barrel through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged fastened to the other end thereof, A clamp is formed as an integral portion of the receiver and adapted to encircle and be tightened about the barrel near one barrel end to connect the barrel to the receiver, A projectile supply hopper containing a plurality of projectiles supplies projectiles sequentially to the receiver by way of a feed tube which is formed as an integral portion of the receiver, A clamp formed as an integral portion of the feed tube is arranged to encircle and be tightened about a portion of the projectile supply hopper thereby securing the projectile supply hopper to the feed tube portion of the receiver. The gun is has a pump action with a forestock manually movable along the barrel in the direction of elongation thereof to position a projectile from the feed tube in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom. There is a front sight supported on and movable with the movable forestock and a pocket formed in the forestock for receiving and storing a flexible cleaning rod.

Claims

1. A compressed gas powered gun for discharging relatively fragile projectiles and, upon the discharge of one projectile, manually actuable to position another projectile in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom comprising:

a receiver;

a compressed gas source fastened to the receiver;

a projectile supply hopper coupled to the receiver and containing a plurality of projectiles, each projectile having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration;

an elongated barrel connected to the receiver through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged;

means including a user actuable trigger for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel;

means for sequentially aligning projectiles from the supply hopper with the barrel including a feed tube formed as an integral portion of the receiver and a slide portion reciprocable within the receiver between a first position to allow a projectile to pass from the feed tube into alignment with the barrel, and a second position to prevent a projectile from passing from the feed tube into alignment with the barrel; and

a forestock coupled to the slide portion of the means for sequentially aligning and manually movable along the barrel in the direction of elongation thereof to position a projectile from the feed tube in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom.

2. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a clamp formed as an integral portion of the feed tube for securing the projectile supply hopper to the feed tube portion of the receiver.

3. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a clamp formed as an integral portion of the receiver for connecting the barrel to the receiver.

4. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a front sight supported on and movable with the movable forestock.

5. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a flexible cleaning rod and a pocket formed in the forestock for receiving and storing the flexible cleaning rod.

6. A compressed gas powered gun for discharging projectiles and, upon the discharge of one projectile, manually actuable to position another projectile in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom comprising:

a receiver;

a compressed gas source fastened to the receiver;

a projectile supply comprises a hopper containing a plurality of projectiles, each projectile having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration;

an elongated barrel through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged;

a first clamp formed as an integral portion of the receiver and adapted to encircle and be tightened about the barrel near one end thereof to connect the barrel to the receiver;

a feed tube formed as an integral portion of the receiver and a second clamp formed as an integral portion of the feed tube, the second clamp adapted to encircle and be tightened about a portion of the projectile supply hopper thereby securing the projectile supply hopper to the feed tube portion of the receiver;

means including a user actuable trigger for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel; and

means for sequentially aligning projectiles from the supply with the barrel.

7. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for sequentially aligning includes a first slide portion reciprocable within the receiver between a first position to allow a projectile to pass from the projectile supply into alignment with the barrel, and a second position to prevent a projectile from passing from the projectile supply into alignment with the barrel, and further comprising a forestock coupled to the first slide portion of the means for sequentially aligning and manually movable along the barrel in the direction of elongation thereof to position a projectile from the feed tube in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom.

8. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a front sight supported on and movable with the movable forestock.

9. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a flexible cleaning rod and a pocket formed in the forestock for receiving and storing the flexible cleaning rod.

10. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for selectively supplying includes a valve for controlling the release of compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile, a valve opening member which travels in the direction of barrel elongation when released by actuation of the trigger by a user, and an adjustment screw for selectively controlling the quantity of compressed gas supply from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel, the adjustment screw limiting the travel of a valve opening member thereby limiting the quantity of gas allowed to propel the projectile and controlling the velocity of the projectile as it exits the barrel.

11. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for selectively supplying includes an adjustment screw for selectively controlling the quantity of compressed gas supplied from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel, thereby controlling the velocity of the projectile as it exits the barrel, the adjustment screw restricting a gas passing aperture thereby limiting the quantity of gas allowed to propel the projectile.

12. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a bolt passing through the clamp for tightening the clamp and holding the barrel in place within the receiver.

13. A compressed gas powered gun for discharging projectiles and, upon the discharge of one projectile, manually actuable to position another projectile in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom comprising:

a receiver having an integrally formed pistol grip portion;

a compressed gas source fastened to the pistol grip portion of the receiver;

a projectile supply containing a plurality of projectiles, each projectile having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration;

an elongated barrel through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged;

means including a user actuable trigger and a gas passing aperture for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel;

means for sequentially aligning projectiles from the supply with the barrel.

14. A compressed gas powered gun for discharging relatively fragile projectiles and, upon the discharge of one projectile, actuable to position another projectile in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom comprising:

a receiver;

a compressed gas source fastened to the receiver;

a projectile supply coupled to the receiver and containing a plurality of projectiles, each projectile having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration;

an elongated barrel through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged; and

means including a user actuable trigger for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel;

the means for selectively supplying including a gas passing aperture located intermediate the barrel and the compressed gas source and an adjustment screw for variably restricting the size of the gas passing aperture thereby selectively controlling the quantity of compressed gas supplied from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel, and therefor also controlling the velocity of the projectile as it exits the barrel.

15. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 14 wherein the adjustment screw restricts a gas passing aperture thereby limiting the quantity of gas allowed to propel the projectile.

16. A compressed gas powered gun for discharging projectiles and, upon the discharge of one projectile, manually actuable to position another projectile in a location within the gun to be subsequently discharged therefrom comprising:

a receiver;

a compressed gas source fastened to the receiver;

a projectile supply coupled to the receiver and containing a plurality of projectiles, each projectile having a generally circular cross-sectional configuration;

an elongated barrel through which projectiles may be sequentially discharged;

means including a user actuable trigger for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel;

means for sequentially aligning projectiles from the supply with the barrel including first and second slide members reciprocable within the receiver, the first slide member being reciprocable within the receiver between a first position to allow a projectile to pass from the projectile supply into alignment with the barrel, and a second position to prevent a projectile from passing from the projectile supply into alignment with the barrel, and a forestock fixed to the first slide member and manually operable to move along the barrel in the direction of elongation thereof to correspondingly move the first slide member and align a projectile with the barrel; and

means including the manually operable trigger for precluding operation of the forestock after one projectile is aligned with the barrel until the user operated trigger is actuated to expel that one projectile.

17. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 16 further comprising an adjustment screw for selectively controlling the quantity of compressed gas supplied from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel by selectively varying a restriction in a gas passing aperture thereby limiting the quantity of gas supplied to, and controlling the velocity of, the projectile as it exits the barrel.

18. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for selectively supplying compressed gas from the source includes a sear supported on the second slide member for selectively interlocking the first and second slide members together, the sear being responsive to actuation of the trigger to separate the second slide member from the first slide member;

and the means for precluding operation of the means for sequentially aligning projectiles includes means selectively interlocking the sear and trigger to prevent reciprocation of the first and second slide members.

19. The compressed gas powered gun as set forth in claim 18 further comprising an adjustment screw located in the first slide member for selectively controlling the quantity of compressed gas supplied from the source to expel a projectile through the barrel by selectively varying a restriction in a gas passing aperture thereby limiting the quantity of gas supplied to, and controlling the velocity of, the projectile as it exits the barrel.