Barrel attachment for gas gun

• US 7,603,998 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kore Outdoor Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kee Action Sports LLC (Kore Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Finstad, Mark T.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/478,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 124/73, 124/74, 124/81, 124/83, 124/84, 124/85
• US Class Current: 124/81
• 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, the first end fittable over a gun barrel, the housing having at least one aperture therethrough;

at least one contact pad, the at least one contact pad comprising a contact surface that is selectively extendable through the at least one aperture and at least partially into the through passage, the contact surface positionable within the through passage to contact a projectile launched from the gun barrel; and

,

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

2. The barrel attachment of claim 1 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.

3. The barrel attachment of claim 2 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.

4. The barrel attachment of claim 3 wherein the adjustment sleeve further comprises a securing element to secure the outer sleeve in place.

5. The barrel attachment of claim 4 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.

6. The barrel attachment of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact pad comprises at least one biasing element.

7. A compressed gas gun barrel attachment comprising:

a cylindrical housing having first and second ends and a through passage therebetween, the 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, the 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, the adjustment sleeve moveable to adjust the amount the at least one contact pad extends into the through passage.