Mechanical guns and projectors – Element – Magazine
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-25
2004-05-25
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Element
Magazine
C124S048000, C124S049000, C124S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739323
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to paint ball guns and, more particularly, to paint ball feed mechanisms that automatically feed paint balls or markers into the firing chamber of a paint ball or marking gun.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
Ammunition power feed mechanisms supply projectiles, in this case paint balls or markers, into the chamber or firing mechanism of a paint ball or marking gun for firing. Specifically, such ammunition power feed mechanisms positively feed or deposit a projectile into the chamber without the need for manual intervention. Semi-automatic and fully-automatic paint ball guns are the type that use such feed mechanisms. It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a paint ball or marking gun with an automatic feed mechanism that deposits a paint ball or marker into the firing chamber.
Additionally, malfunctions of these feed mechanisms, however, can significantly reduce the firing rate, effectiveness, and reliability of the paint ball gun. In particular, misfeeds, such as a projectile only partially loading into the gun chamber, may cause the gun to “jam” and require the chamber to be manually cleared before reuse. This, of course, is a time consuming process. Furthermore, such misfeeds may cause damage to the gun. Ammunition power feed mechanisms, therefore, should be reliable and convenient to use.
Accordingly, an illustrative embodiment disclosed herein provides a paint ball gun. The paint ball gun comprises an actuator, a paint ball advance assembly, a bias member, and a paint ball feed assembly. The actuator is coupled to the paint ball gun and is configured to advance in coordination with the paint ball gun being fired. The paint ball advance assembly is coupled to the actuator and moves in response to movement of the actuator. The bias member is engageable with the actuator to create a return force on the actuator. The return force moves the actuator opposite the direction of the advance. The paint ball feed assembly is in operable communication with the paint ball advance assembly which engages the paint ball to feed the paint ball into the paint ball gun. This occurs when the bias member moves the advance opposite the advance to move the paint ball advance assembly.
Other illustrative embodiments may include the engaging member extending from the paint ball gun which is caused to move by firing the paint ball gun. The engaging member may also be engageable with the actuator to advance same as the engaging member moves. The paint ball feed assembly may comprise a priming member that is attached to the paint ball advance assembly. The paint ball feed assembly may also comprise a load member assembly which may be attached to the paint ball advance assembly such that the load member assembly loads a paint ball into the paint ball gun. The load member assembly may comprise a plurality of spaced-apart, coaxially-aligned extending members. The paint ball advance assembly may be a ratchet assembly. The ratchet assembly may comprise a wheel in communication with the paint ball feed assembly, a first pawl to communicate motion from the actuator to the wheel, and a second pawl to selectively prevent motion of the wheel.
Another illustrative embodiment of the paint ball gun disclosed herein provides a chamber, a piston, a spring member, a fluid source, a reciprocating lever, a wheel, a spring pawl, and a paint ball guide member. The chamber is attached to the paint ball gun. The piston is disposed in the chamber. The spring member is in communication with the piston to bias the piston in a first direction. The fluid source provides a force against the piston in a second direction that opposes the first direction. The reciprocating lever is coupled to the piston, and comprises a pawl. The wheel has a plurality of teeth disposed thereon configured to receive the pawl of the reciprocating lever such that as the piston moves in the second direction the pawl engages one of the plurality of teeth to cause the wheel to rotate in a first rotational direction. The spring pawl engages another of the plurality of teeth to prevent rotation of the wheel in a second rotational direction, which is opposite the first rotational direction, when the piston is moving in the second direction. The paint ball guide is configured to feed a paint ball into the paint ball gun. The fluid from the fluid source enters the chamber, moving the piston in the second direction, causing the pawl of the reciprocating lever to engage one of the plurality of teeth of the wheel. The bias of the spring member moves the piston in the first direction such that the engagement between the pawl and one of the plurality of teeth moves the wheel in the first rotational direction to cause the guide member to move to feed the paint ball into the paint ball gun.
Another illustrative embodiment of the paint ball gun comprises a chamber, a piston, a ratchet mechanism, a coupling member, and a paint ball guide member. The chamber is attached to the paint ball gun. The piston is disposed in the chamber and is movable within the chamber in first and second directions, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. The ratchet mechanism is in communication with the piston. The coupling member extends from and is coupled to the ratchet mechanism. The paint ball guide member is coupled to the coupling member, wherein the paint ball guide is configured to feed a paint ball into the paint ball gun. A force acts on the piston to move same in the second direction to engage the ratchet mechanism. After depletion of the force, the piston moves in the first direction to cause the paint ball guide member to move and feed the paint ball into the paint ball gun.
Other illustrative embodiments may include the paint ball guide member comprising a priming member coupled to the coupling member. The paint ball guide member may also comprise a load member assembly. The load member assembly may comprise a plurality of spaced-apart paddles. The ratchet mechanism may comprise a wheel in communication with a paint ball feed assembly, a first pawl to communicate motion from the piston to the wheel, and a second pawl to selectively prevent motion of the wheel.
Another illustrative embodiment of the paint ball gun disclosed herein comprises a magazine and a ball guide member. The magazine is attached to the paint ball gun and is configured to contain at least one paint ball. The magazine is also in operable communication with a firing mechanism portion of the paint ball gun by an opening adjacent both the magazine and the firing mechanism. The ball guide member is coupled to and extends from the gun. The ball guide member extends into the magazine to direct the paint ball into the firing mechanism through the opening.
Other illustrative embodiments may include the magazine comprising a plurality of paddle assemblies and the assemblies being coaxially aligned. The magazine may comprise a plane flooring at its lowermost extent. The plurality of paddles may have a space between at least a pair of the plurality of paddles, wherein the space is configured to receive the ball guide member.
Another illustrative embodiment of the paint ball gun comprises an automatic paint ball feed mechanism comprising a magazine having a paddle wheel assembly configured to move at least one paint ball into the paint ball gun. The paddle wheel assembly comprises a plurality of coaxially-aligned paddle members such that each of the plurality of paddle members comprises at least two paddle blades. The paint ball gun also comprises a ball guide member that guides a paint ball moved by the paddle wheel assembly.
Other illustrative embodiments may include, the magazine comprising a plane flooring adjacent one of the plurality of paddle members. In addition, the plurality of paddle members may have a space between at least a pair of the plurality of paddle members such that the space is configured to receive the ball guide member.
Another illustrative embodiment of the paint ball gun comprises a misfed paint ball clearing apparatus. The p
Barnes & Thornburg
Ricci John A.
Tippmann Pneumatics, Inc.
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