U.S. patent application number 11/056826 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for combination solid projectile and paintball gun, and solid projectile adapter for paintball gun.
Invention is credited to Louis M. Illuzzi.
Application Number | 20060180134 11/056826 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36814396 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060180134 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Illuzzi; Louis M. |
August 17, 2006 |
Combination solid projectile and paintball gun, and solid
projectile adapter for paintball gun
Abstract
A combination solid projectile and paintball gun includes a main
housing, a trigger, a barrel, a first projectile port, means for
opening and closing the port, and an adapter for attachment to the
gun between the bore and the barrel for feeding and firing solid
projectiles through a second projectile port. There is a compressed
gas line from the main housing to a connection mechanism for
connection to a compressed gas source. A valve is located on the
line and has a closed position and open position, with biasing
means for biasing the valve in its closed position. There is a bore
and piston in the main housing downstream from the valve for
trigger activation and firing either paintballs from the first
port, or liquid-free projectiles of varied shapes from the second
port and adapter. In another embodiment, a solid projectile adapter
connects to the paintball feeding port in place of the paintball
hopper.
Inventors: |
Illuzzi; Louis M.;
(Manalapan, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOUIS M. ILLUZZI
4 CARLISLE COURT
MANALAPAN
NJ
07726
US
|
Family ID: |
36814396 |
Appl. No.: |
11/056826 |
Filed: |
February 11, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/74 ; 102/502;
124/41.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 11/54 20130101;
F41B 11/52 20130101; F41A 9/24 20130101; F41B 11/62 20130101; F41B
11/55 20130101; F41A 9/37 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
124/074 ;
124/041.1; 102/502 |
International
Class: |
F41B 11/00 20060101
F41B011/00; F41F 1/00 20060101 F41F001/00 |
Claims
1. A combination solid projectile and paintball gun, which
compromises: (a.) a main housing, said main housing being connected
to a compressed gas source via a compressed gas line and a source
connection, and having a compressed gas valve on said compressed
gas line, said valve having a closed position and open position,
biasing means for biasing said valve in its closed position, a bore
downstream from said valve, and functionally connected to said
line, a piston contained within said bore, said piston having a
rest position toward said valve and a fire position away from said
valve, means for moving said piston from its firing position to its
rest position and for biasing said piston in its rest position;
(b.) a trigger connected to said valve such that when said trigger
is activated said valve moves to its open position and returns to
its closed position; (c.) a barrel extending outwardly from said
bore and together with said bore, creating a firing path for
shooting a projectile therefrom with compressed gas power; (d.) a
first projectile port connected to said firing path and adapted to
receive sequential paintballs and adapted to connect to a paintball
feeder device; (e.) a projectile port closing and opening means
connectable to said first projectile port; and, (f.) an adapter
connected to said firing path, said adapter having a second
projectile port and adapted to receive sequential liquid-free
projectiles and adapted to connect to a liquid-free projectile
feeder magazine.
2. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 1
wherein said gun further includes a paintball feeder device.
3. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 1
wherein said gun further includes a solid projectile feeder
magazine.
4. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 3
wherein said magazine is a stacking magazine with a spring and
plate adapted to receive a plurality of liquid-free projectiles and
to bias them toward said firing path.
5. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 4
wherein said stacking magazine is a vertical magazine.
6. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 4
wherein said stacking magazine is a banana clip magazine.
7. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 3
wherein said magazine is a rotary magazine.
8. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun claim 7
wherein said rotary magazine is an automatically advancing turret
magazine.
9. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 3
wherein said magazine contains a plurality of liquid-free
projectiles having a shape selected from the group consisting of
bullet-shaped, spherical, elliptical, disc-shaped and
cylindrical.
10. The combination solid projectile and paintball gun of claim 9
wherein said projectiles are made of material selected from the
group consisting of foam, plastic, rubber, wood, cork and
combinations thereof.
11. A solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port, which comprises: an adapter housing having
attachment means adapted to connect directly to a paintball gun
feeder port, having a solid projectile storage area, and having
feeding means for feeding solid projectiles sequentially from said
storage area to said paintball gun feeder port.
12. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port of claim 11 wherein said adapter housing
includes a stacking magazine with a spring and plate adapted to
receive a plurality of soft liquid-free projectiles and to bias
them toward said feeder port.
13. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port of claim 11 wherein said adapter housing
includes a rotary magazine adapted to receive a plurality of solid
liquid-free projectiles and to sequentially feed them to said
feeder port.
14. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port of claim 13 wherein said rotary magazine is
an automatically advancing turret magazine.
15. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port of claim 11 wherein said solid projectile
storage area contains a plurality of solid projectiles that are
made of material selected from the group consisting of foam,
plastic, rubber, wood, cork and combinations thereof.
16. A solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun having a
paintball feeder port, a main housing, a base, a bore located in
said base and extending outwardly with a barrel connection, and
having a removable barrel connectable to said barrel connection,
which comprises: an adapter housing having an adapter barrel, said
adapter barrel having attachment means adapted to connect directly
to a paintball gun barrel connection, said adapter housing having a
solid projectile storage area, and having feeding means for feeding
solid projectiles sequentially from said storage area to said
adapter barrel for shooting from said paintball gun.
17. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun of claim 16
wherein said adapter housing includes a stacking magazine with a
spring and plate adapted to receive a plurality of liquid-free
projectiles and to bias them toward said barrel.
18. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun of claim 16
wherein said adapter housing includes a rotary magazine adapted to
receive a plurality of liquid-free projectiles and to sequentially
feed them to said barrel.
19. The projectile adapter for a paintball gun of claim 18 wherein
said rotary magazine is an automatically advancing turret
magazine.
20. The solid projectile adapter for a paintball gun of claim 16
wherein said solid projectile storage area contains a plurality of
solid projectiles that are made of material selected from the group
consisting of foam, plastic, rubber, wood, cork and combinations
thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to paintball guns that have
been modified to receive adapters to accommodate liquid-free
projectiles, especially of varied shapes other than spherical. The
adapters are of two diverse sorts. One replaces a conventional
paintball gun hopper and feeds the solid projectiles through the
original paintball feed port. The other is a more sophisticated
device that screws or otherwise fits in between a paintball gun
bore tube and a removable barrel. This embodiment can be adapted to
accommodate longer projectiles with diverse shapes and materials of
construction.
[0003] 2. Information Disclosure Statement
[0004] The following patents relate to paintball devices:
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,295 describes a pneumatic assembly
preferably includes a compressed gas storage area, a firing valve,
and a bolt arranged along substantially the same horizontal axis. A
valve retainer, a compressed gas storage area housing, and a bolt
assembly are preferably arranged to form a substantially contiguous
assembly housing. The firing valve is preferably configured to open
when gas pressure is applied to a surface area thereof through a
control valve. The bolt is preferably configured to move to a
closed position before the firing valve is actuated. The control
valve is preferably an electro-pneumatic valve configured to
actuate the firing valve in response to a trigger pull of a
paintball gun.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,791 B2 describes an electrically
operated paintball gun operable to shoot paintballs including a
barrel, a trigger, and a breech connected to a rear end of the
barrel, as well as a bolt moveable in the breech between a rearward
position and a forward shooting position. A pneumatic circuit is
provided to drive the bolt towards the forward position and
includes a control valve in the form of a solenoid valve to receive
gas under pressure and direct it into a chamber at the rear of the
bolt when the gun is shot. An electronic circuit controls the
pneumatic circuit and is operated by an electrical switch operated
by the trigger. A gas valve mechanism is opened by engagement by
the bolt, when the latter is driven forwardly to the shooting
position, to permit the passage of relatively high pressure
propellant has into the barrel to propel a paintball. This valve
mechanism preferably includes a pivotable lever or a metal ball
that normally projects into the bolt chamber and that is engaged
and moved by the bolt when the bolt is driven to its forward
position.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,019 B2 describes a feeder for use with a
paintball gun has an inlet through which paintballs enter, and an
outlet through which they exit. A feed mechanism disposed inside
the feeder frictionally engages the paintballs as the enter and
transports them to the outlet. The feed mechanism may include
rotatable disks. The space between the rotatable disks may be less
than the diameter of the paintballs. At least one of the rotatable
disks may include a material that flexes to accommodate a
paintball. The paintball feeding system may additionally
incorporate a circuit that senses when the gun is fired and
controls the rate at which paintballs are fed into the paintball
gun.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,736 B1 describes an air gun firing
system, working in conjunction with and air gun with a barrel and
comprising: a bullet chamber on the front end of the main body,
connected with the barrel for housing a bullet to be fired through
the barrel; a lock, movable along the axis of the barrel, pushing
the bullet into the bullet chamber, as driven by a lock driver,
enabling the bullet to be fired, with a spring pulling back the
lock; a gas chamber for driving the lock driver, accommodating the
lock driver; a high-pressure gas container; a first pressure
reducing valve; a second pressure reducing valve; and an
electromagnetic valve, controlling flow of low-pressure gas into
the gas chamber. When the electromagnetic valve opens, low-pressure
gas flows into the gas chamber, driving the lock driver. When the
electromagnetic valve closes, the spring pulls back the lock and
the lock driver.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,945 describes and improved paintball and
gun therefor cooperate so that the range of the paintball and its
accuracy are significantly improved. The external surface of the
paintball in contoured so as to increase the frictional interaction
with air, and the barrel of the paintball gun interacts
differentially with the upper and lower hemispheres of the ball so
that significant backspin is imparted to the paintball.
Accordingly, the paintball experiences lift in flight which
substantially increases its range and accuracy. The interaction of
the ball with the barrel may be wholly aerodynamic. The interior of
the paintball is preferably baffled so that paint therein rotates
with the shell, preventing the backspin from being damped out
rapidly.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,832 describes the present invention is a
multiple projectile-shooting air gun. It includes a main housing
having a barrel adapted for receiving a projectile, a handle and a
trigger, as well as a high pressure, inflatable bladder connected
to the main housing, the bladder having an inlet and outlet. There
is also a pressurizing mechanism for providing air pressure to the
bladder to inflate it. The pressurizing mechanism is physically
connected to the housing and functionally connected to the bladder
inlet. There is a bladder deflation valve having an upstream side
and a downstream side, and it is connected to the bladder outlet at
the valve's upstream side, and is connected to the trigger for
opening and closing thereof, and is connected to a projectile
launch port at the valve's downstream side for launching a
projectile upon deflation of at least a portion of the bladder when
it has been inflated. The launch port is located in the barrel of
the main housing and connected to the downstream side of the
bladder deflation valve, and is functionally connected to a launch
tube adapted for receiving and shooting a projectile. The launch
tube is one of a plurality of launch tubes which are located on a
rotating magazine. The magazine advances after each shot to
position the next launch tube with projectile for firing.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,751 describes the cylinder, with an
axial attachment and axially perforated, is fixed in the firearm
casing; a sliding element forms a trigger and housing for the
magazine for the projectiles, the said element being subjected to
the action of a return spring in the direction opposite to that of
the manual action on the trigger; a thrust connection is provided
between the said piston and the said element in order to actuate,
through the travel of the trigger when pressed, the loading of the
spring and, at the end of the said travel, the release of the
piston.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,887 describes a toy air gun featuring a
magazine detachably mounted to the gun for sequentially urging
pellets into a chamber contained therein, a hollow cylinder
provided at the forward end thereof with a nozzle and being
operatively mounted for sliding movement within the gun between a
first position wherein the nozzle is positioned rearwardly of that
part of the chamber into which the pellets are fed and a second
position wherein the nozzle extends within the barrel of the gun,
the cylinder, the inoperative position of a trigger mechanism
formed as a part of the gun holding the piston in its rearward
position, the piston normally being urged t move forwardly within
the cylinder and a slide mechanism operatively mounted to the gun
such that as a child moves same rearwardly, the cylinder is caused
to move rearwardly eventually contracting and forcing the piston
rearwardly eventually contacting and forcing the piston rearwardly
to its cocked position, after which the cylinder returns to its
forward position moving a pellet introduced from the magazine into
the chamber of the gun, after which actuation of the trigger
mechanism releases the piston to move forwardly within the cylinder
forcing air normally contained therein outwardly through the nozzle
causing the pellet to be propelled out of the barrel of the
gun.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,266 describes a gas-operated multiple
shot projectile firing device with a circular and rotatable
magazine which includes a plurality of chambers, each of which
holds a dart-like projectile. A lever is associated with the
projectile device and performs the dual function of cocking the
firing mechanism and rotating the dart-filled magazine such that a
plurality of projectiles can be successively fired upon a single
loading. The device is particularly suited for short range firing
and may be designed for dart projectiles of various calibers.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,121 describes an air gun comprising a
casing, a cylinder slidably mounted in said casing, a tubular
cylinder extension fixed to said cylinder and slidably movable in
said casing into alignment with and adjacent said barrel from a
position spaced from said barrel, said cylinder extension having an
end provided with a resilient ring, said casing having an opening
therein, a magazine detachable secured to said casing in said
opening, a plurality of cartridges in said magazine, each of said
cartridges including a hollow bullet head and a case, said case
having opposite ends, both said ends being open, said bullet head
being detachably secured to said case, said magazine successively
supporting said cartridges in alignment with said barrel and
engageable with said resilient ring on said cylinder extension for
forming an air seal communicating said cylinder with said bullet
head end for movement therewith, a piston in said cylinder, a
piston rod attached to said piston and extending outwardly of said
cylinder, spring means in said cylinder normally urging said piston
towards said extension, releasable means in said casing for holding
said piston rod against movement so as to compress said spring
means, and extractor means mounted on said cylinder extension and
engageable with said case for holding said case against said
resilient ring in communication with said cylinder.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,942 describes a toy gun construction
comprising a gun-shaped casing, a bolt, longitudinally slideable in
said casing and spring biased to a forward position, said bolt
having a trigger-engaging projection depending therefrom, said bolt
serving to propel a pellet from said casing upon its spring being
depressed and released, said casing having opposing
trigger-engaging guideways lying under said bolt, a one-piece
molded trigger element having an elongated substantially flat body
portion with side edges longitudinally slideable along said
guideways and spring biased to a forward position, an integral pull
finger depending from said body portion, an integral post extending
upwardly from said post over the flat body portion, an integral
flat deflectable leaf spring-like finger extending forwardly from
said post over the flat body portion, said deflectable finger being
biased upwardly and having an integral upstanding latch projection
engaging the bolt projection when in its forward position, a cam
projection integrally formed on the spring finger adjacent the
latch projection and means on the casing engageable with said cam
as the trigger is pulled to deflect the spring finger and disengage
its projection from the bolt projection whereby to release the bolt
so as to propel the pellet from the gun.
[0016] Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is
neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention relates to a combination solid
projectile and paintball gun. It includes a main housing, a
trigger, a barrel, a first projectile port, a second projectile
port, means for opening and closing the ports, and an adapter for
attachment to the gun for feeding and firing solid projectiles. By
"solid" is meant having no liquid, and includes dense, hard
materials as well as soft porous materials. These solid projectiles
could be foam, plastic, cork, wood, or other material or
combinations thereof.
[0018] The main housing is connected to a compressed gas source.
There is a compressed gas line from the main housing to a
connection mechanism for connection to the compressed gas source. A
compressed gas valve is located on the line and has a closed
position and open position, with biasing means for biasing the
valve in its closed position. There is a bore in the main housing
downstream from the valve, and functionally connected to the valve
and line to receive compressed gas when the valve is opened. There
is a piston contained within the bore, the piston having a rest
position toward the valve and a fire position away from the valve,
means for moving the piston from its firing position to its rest
position and for biasing the piston in its rest position.
[0019] The trigger is connected to the valve such that when the
trigger is activated, the valve moves to its open position and
returns to its closed position. The barrel is usually removable and
extends outwardly from the bore and together with the bore, creates
a firing path for shooting a projectile therefrom with compressed
gas power.
[0020] The first projectile port is connected to the firing path
and adapted to receive sequential paintballs and adapted to connect
to a paintball feeder device. There is a port closing and opening
means connectable to the first projectile port and the second
projectile port.
[0021] The adapter connects between the bore and the barrel, and
has a second projectile port located in the firing path and it is
adapted to receive sequential liquid-free projectiles and adapted
to connect to a liquid-free projectile feeder magazine. It has a
storage area and feeding mechanism.
[0022] An optional second projectile port closing and opening means
may be included that may be connectable to or connected to the
second projectile port.
[0023] The combination soft projectile and paintball gun of the
present invention includes an attachable, removable paintball
feeder device, e.g. a hopper, for attachment to the first port, and
also includes a liquid-free projectile feeder magazine for
attachment to the second port. The adapter and liquid-free
projectile magazine may be permanently or separably connected to
one another.
[0024] The liquid-free projectile magazine may be a stacking
magazine with a spring and plate adapted to receive a plurality of
soft liquid-free projectiles and to bias them toward the firing
path, e.g., it may be a stacking magazine that is a vertical
magazine or a banana clip magazine. Alternatively, the magazine is
a rotary magazine. It may be a manually operated rotary magazine or
it may be an automatically advancing turret magazine. The magazine
may contain a plurality of liquid-free projectiles having a shape
selected from the group consisting of bullet-shaped, spherical,
elliptical, disc-shaped and cylindrical.
[0025] In another embodiment of the present invention, a
conventional paintball gun includes a novel adapter housing having
attachment means adapted to connect directly to a paintball gun
feeder port. This adapter has a liquid-free projectile storage
area, such as a magazine or turret such as a spring fed, manual
rotary, or automatic turret mechanism and structure and has a
feeding means for feeding the liquid-free projectiles sequentially
from the storage area to the paintball gun feeder port.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The present invention should be more fully understood when
the specification herein is taken in conjunction with the drawings
appended hereto wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a side oblique view of a prior art conventional
paintball gun;
[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates a side oblique view of one embodiment of
a present invention liquid-free projectile adapter wherein the
adapter is connected to the paintball feeder port;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
spring and plate fed banana clip adapter is fitted between the
barrel and main housing bore of the paintball gun and operates
separately from the paintball feeder port;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
gravity fed top clip adapter is fitted between the barrel and main
housing bore of the paintball gun and operates separately from the
paintball feeder port;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
rotary magazine adapter is fitted between the barrel and main
housing bore of the paintball gun and operates separately from the
paintball feeder port;
[0032] FIG. 6 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
spring fed bottom magazine adapter is fitted between the barrel and
main housing bore of the paintball gun and operates separately from
the paintball feeder port;
[0033] FIG. 7 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
banana magazine with integrated barrel;
[0034] FIG. 8 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
gravity fed top angled magazine with integrated barrel;
[0035] FIG. 9 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
turret magazine with compressed air-driven automation for single
advancement with each shot and/or gas assisted firing, and with an
integrated barrel;
[0036] FIG. 10 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
wide bottom, spring fed magazine with integrated barrel;
[0037] FIG. 11 shows a partial cut side view of a present invention
embodiment gun showing functional internal mechanisms and utilizing
a FIG. 9-type turret magazine adapter;
[0038] FIG. 12 shows a side cut view of a present invention gun
with a solid projectile top mounted magazine;
[0039] FIG. 13 a shows a side (profile) view of a present invention
liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 13b shows a perspective view
thereof;
[0040] FIG. 14 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 15 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0041] FIG. 16 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 17 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0042] FIG. 18 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 19 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0043] FIG. 20 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 21 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0044] FIG. 22 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 23 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0045] FIG. 24 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 25 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0046] FIG. 26 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 27 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0047] FIG. 28 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 29 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0048] FIG. 30 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 31 shows a perspective
view thereof;
[0049] FIG. 32 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile, and FIG. 33 shows a perspective
view thereof; and,
[0050] FIGS. 34 through 49 show side cut views of various profiles
and materials of liquid-free projectiles of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art paintball gun 1. It includes
a main housing 3 with a compressed gas source 9 connected to main
housing 3 via compressed gas line 5 and connection 7. Contained
within main housing 3 is a valve (not shown) connected to
compressed gas line 5.
[0052] This gas valve has a closed position and an open position,
as with any conventional or prior art paintball gun. There is a
built in biasing means for biasing the valve in its closed
position. A bore downstream from the valve contains a piston that
has a rest position toward the valve and a fire position away from
the valve. The piston is biased to its rest position, by a spring,
a moving means such as a cocking mechanism, or other known
mechanisms. Trigger 11 is functionally connected to the valve so
that when the trigger is pulled, a burst of pressurized gas expands
to move the piston to its firing position. The piston will allow a
slug of air to travel a relatively short distance at an extremely
high velocity. Paintballs are stored in conventional hopper 13 and
are fed individually into paintball feeder port 15 and hence into
the bore of tube 17. When trigger 11 is pulled, a paintball is
fired through barrel 19. Barrel 19 has threads at upstream end 21
for connection and removal to housing 3's tube 17.
[0053] In FIG. 2, present invention combination solid projectile
and paintball projectile gun 100 includes most of the functional
features at the prior art gun 1 of FIG. 1, except that hopper 13
has been removed and adapter housing 31 with attachment means 33
has been attached in its place. Adapter housing 31 contains a
plurality of solid projectiles 41 that are fed by gravity
individually into paintball feeder port 15 and are subsequently
fired with trigger 11 using the force of a compressed gas source 9.
Adapter housing 31 and solid projectiles 41 may have many
variations without exceeding the scope of the invention, including
vertical top clips, banana clips, and turrets. Likewise, the solid
projectiles may be foam, rubber, cork, wood, metal, plastic or any
other projectible material or combination of materials. Likewise,
it could have many shapes that will fit into the bore and barrel
and be moved by the compressed air of the piston.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows an alternative present invention combination
solid projectile and paintball projectile gun 300. (Identical parts
from the previous Figures are identically numbered in this and many
of the following Figures, and their details need not be repeated.
Further, any known substitute for the prior art components may be
substituted without exceeding the scope of the present invention.)
In this embodiment, paintball feeder port 15 constitutes a first
projectile port and may be opened or closed, depending upon the
intended use. In this Figure it is shown closed and sealed with cap
51. Barrel 19 has been removed and adapter 53, containing a second
projectile port 55 has been screwed into bore tube 17. In kind,
barrel 19 has been screwed into the opposite end of adapter 53 so
that adapter 53 is now connected between tube 17 and barrel 19, as
shown. Adapter 53 includes a feed port 55, a banana clip 59 and
liquid-free projectiles 57.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
gravity fed top clip adapter 61 is fitted between the barrel 19 and
main housing bore tube 17 of the gun 400 and operates separately
from the paintball feeder port. Adapter 61 has a feed port 63 and a
gravity feed top magazine clip 65, with a plurality of projectiles,
such as liquid-free plastic bullet 67.
[0056] FIG. 5 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
rotary magazine adapter 71 is fitted between the barrel 19 and main
housing bore tube 17 of gun 500. It operates separately from the
paintball feeder port. Adapter 71 has its own feed port 73 and a
rotary turret magazine 75, with a plurality of projectiles, such as
liquid-free soft foam bullet 77.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows another present invention embodiment wherein a
spring fed bottom magazine adapter 81 is fitted between the barrel
19 and main housing bore tube 17 of the paintball gun and operates
separately from the paintball feeder port 15. Adapter 81 has a feed
port 83 and a spring and plate feed bottom magazine clip 85, with a
plurality of projectiles, such as liquid-free rubber bullet 87.
[0058] FIG. 7 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
component 700, with banana magazine 701, integrated barrel 705,
internal feed port 703, and attachment threading 707. It may be
inserted onto any paintball gun bore tube for which it may be
designed, i.e., inside diameters and compatible threading.
[0059] FIG. 8 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
component 800, with gravity fed top angled magazine 801, integrated
barrel 805, internal feed port 803, and attachment threading
807.
[0060] FIG. 9 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
component 900, with turret magazine 901 with compressed air-driven
automation for single advancement with each shot. Connected to
compressed air line 911 and shooting line 915 to a main housing
(not shown), is gas line 913, used to advance the turret a single
position after each shot or to assist firing the projectile, or
both. It also includes an integrated barrel 905, internal feed port
903, and attachment threading 907.
[0061] FIG. 10 shows an oblique side view of a present invention
component 110, with bottom magazine 101, integrated barrel 105,
internal feed port 103, and attachment threading 107. It may be
inserted onto any paintball gun bore tube for which it may be
designed, i.e., inside diameters and compatible threading.
[0062] FIG. 11 shows details of one embodiment of a present
invention combination paintball and liquid-free projectile gun
1100, (Identical parts from the previous Figures are identically
numbered in this and the previous Figures, and their details need
not be repeated. Further, any known substitute for the prior art
components may be substituted without exceeding the scope of the
present invention.) In this embodiment, paintball feeder port 15
constitutes a first projectile port and may be opened or closed,
depending upon the intended use. In this Figure it is shown open,
with paintball hopper 13 in place. Barrel 19 has been removed and
turret magazine adapter 75 with its components discussed below, has
been screwed onto the bore tube. In kind, barrel 19 has been
screwed into the opposite end of adapter 75 so that adapter 75 is
now connected between tube 17 and barrel 19, as shown. Adapter 75
includes a feed port, a turret clip and liquid-free projectiles. It
includes a pressurized auxiliary gas line 1131 coming from main
line 5. This main line 5 divides into lines 1113 and 1131, the
first going through the handle to the main conventional firing
system gas chamber 1111, and the second going to an area adjacent
the barrel firing line, behind the turret port for optimum
liquid-free projectile firing. This gun 1100 may have a switch so
that one or the other line may be used to fire, or it may be
designed for both lines to always receive pressurized gas when
fired. (While the drawing shows both the paintball hopper and the
turret in place, one or the other should be removed, capped off,
and/or closed for a desired projectile to be fired.)
[0063] When trigger 11 is pulled, the gas from cylinder 9 exits gas
outlet 1109 and this burst of gas pushes against auxiliary valve
1121, forcing auxiliary valve 1121 forward. Auxiliary valve outlet
1123 line up with gas inlet 1129, allowing compressed gas to flow
into auxiliary valve 1121 through outlet 1123. The exiting gas
propels the solid projectile 1205 out of the gun. As auxiliary
valve 1121 moves forward, it opens one or more exhaust gas vents
1119, allowing gas from outlet 1109 to exit the gun. Auxiliary
valve spring 1125 pushes auxiliary valve 1121 back to its rest
position, sealing off gas inlet 1129 and exhaust port 1119. Gas
exiting outlet 1123 may be ported, and/or gas from auxiliary gas
line 1131 may be ported to advance projectiles in the magazine one
position at a time, sequentially. Likewise, exhaust gas from the
exhaust gas vents 1119 may be used to advance projectiles. Further,
gas from either or both lines 1113 and 1131 may alternatively or
additionally be used to propel the projectiles as well as advance
the turret projectiles up in the turret magazine.
[0064] When the adapter is removed and the gun is reassembled, it
may be used as conventional paintball gun.
[0065] FIG. 12 illustrates another present invention gun 1200, with
parts identical to those in the foregoing Figures identically
numbered. Here, a top mounted magazine adapter 1201 is added to the
end of the firing chamber after the barrel has been removed to
provide projectile feed by gravity, such as projectiles 1203 and
1205. In this embodiment, the identical firing system for the
paintballs is used to project the solid projectiles from adapter
1201.
[0066] FIGS. 11 and 12 show simplified depictions of examples of
modified guns. There are many different bolt, hammer, valving,
intake, feeding exhausting and other functional components and
features that could be used in the alternative without exceeding
the scope of the present invention.
[0067] FIG. 13a shows a side (profile) view of a present invention
liquid-free projectile 120, and FIG. 13b shows a perspective view
thereof. It has a spherical front view and a spherical side view
surface 121, and is indeed a sphere.
[0068] FIG. 14 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 140, and FIG. 15 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 141 and flat
front 143.
[0069] FIG. 16 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 160, and FIG. 17 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 161 and
recessed dome rear 163.
[0070] FIG. 18 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 180, and FIG. 19 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 181, a
hemispherical front 183, and flat back 185.
[0071] FIG. 20 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 202, and FIG. 21 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 201, a
hemispherical front 203, and a recessed back 205.
[0072] FIG. 22 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 220, and FIG. 23 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 221 and conical
front 223 with a flat tip 225.
[0073] FIG. 24 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 240, and FIG. 25 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 241, a recessed
back 243, and a conical flat tipped front 245.
[0074] FIG. 26 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 260, and FIG. 27 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 261, and a
tetragonal cleaved front with flats 263, 267, 269 and 271, and flat
tip 265.
[0075] FIG. 28 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 280, and FIG. 29 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has an ellipsoidal profile 281.
[0076] FIG. 30 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 302, and FIG. 31 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 301 and a
conical front 303.
[0077] FIG. 32 shows a side (profile) view of a another present
invention liquid-free projectile 320, and FIG. 33 shows a
perspective view thereof. It has a cylindrical side 321, a recessed
rear 325, and a conical front 323 with a flat tip 327.
[0078] FIGS. 34 through 49 show side cut views of various profiles
and materials of liquid-free projectiles of the present
invention.
[0079] FIG. 34 shows a liquid-free projectile 340 with a flat front
343, a cylindrical body 341 and a hemispherical recessed rear 345
to enhance the capture of forward air pressure thereon during
firing.
[0080] FIG. 35 shows a liquid-free projectile 350 with a
hemispherical front 353, made of a first material, and a
cylindrical body 351, made of a second material, and a recessed
rear 355 to enhance the capture of forward air pressure thereon
during firing.
[0081] FIG. 36 shows a liquid-free projectile 360 made of a first
material cylindrical body 361, with a cylindrical center 363 made
of a second material.
[0082] FIG. 37 shows a liquid-free projectile 370 with a
hemispherical front 377 with an inner cylinder 375, both made of a
first material, and an outer cylindrical body 371, made of a second
material, with a recessed rear 373 to enhance the capture of
forward air pressure thereon during firing.
[0083] FIG. 38 shows a liquid-free projectile 380 with a flat front
385 and an inner cylinder 383, made of a first material, and an
outer cylindrical body 381, made of a second material.
[0084] FIG. 39 shows a liquid-free projectile 390 with a conical
front 397 and short insert central cylinder 395, both made of a
first material, and a cylindrical body 391, made of a second
material, and a recessed conical rear 393 to enhance the capture of
forward air pressure thereon during firing.
[0085] FIG. 40 shows a liquid-free projectile 402 with a flat front
407, made of a first material, and a cylindrical wide front inner
body 405 and narrow body 403, made of a second material, and a rear
outer cylinder 401 made of a third material.
[0086] FIG. 41 shows a liquid-free projectile 410 with a truncated
conical tip 415 made of a first material, a back portion tip 413,
made of a second material, and a main rear cylinder 411 made of a
third material.
[0087] FIG. 42 shows a liquid-free projectile 420 with an
elliptical front view. It has an inside 421 made of a first
material, and an outside layer or skin 423 made of a second
material.
[0088] FIG. 43 shows a liquid-free projectile 430 with a tapered
flat tip front 437, made of a first material, and a cylindrical
wide front inner body 435 and narrow body 433, made of a second
material, and a rear outer cylinder 431 made of a third
material.
[0089] FIG. 44 shows a liquid-free projectile 440 with an
elliptical front view. It has an inside 441 made of a first
material, and an intermediate layer 443 made of a second material,
and an outside layer or skin 445 made of a third material.
[0090] FIG. 45 shows a liquid-free projectile 450 with a truncated
conical tip 459 made of a first material, an arcuated center tip
portion 457 made of a second material, a back portion tip 455 made
of a third material, and a main rear cylinder 451 with a rear
recess 453, made of a fourth material.
[0091] FIG. 46 illustrates a cut view of a projectile 460 having a
construction of a single material 461.
[0092] FIG. 47 illustrates a cut view of a projectile 470 having a
construction of a first, inner material 473 and a second, outer
material 471.
[0093] FIG. 48 illustrates a cut view of a projectile 480 having a
construction of a first, innermost material 485 and a second,
intermediate material 483, and a third, outer material 481.
[0094] FIG. 49 illustrates a cut view of a projectile 490 having a
construction of a first, innermost material 497 and a second,
intermediate material 495, and a third, intermediate material 493,
and a fourth outer material 491.
[0095] The following is a table which refers to the foregoing
examples of the various projectile shapes and constituents. While
this list is extensive, it is not comprehensive, and is intended to
be illustrative of the present invention projectiles:
TABLE-US-00001 FIGURE ITEM MATERIAL 34 341 Polymer 35 351 Rubber 35
353 Metal 36 361 Foam 36 363 Wood 37 371 Polymer 37 375 Ceramic 38
381 Cork 38 385 Metal 39 391 Wood 39 397 Polymer 40 401 Foam 40 403
Metal 40 407 Ceramic 41 411 Wood 41 413 Ceramic 41 415 Rubber 42
421 Metal 42 423 Polymer 43 431 Rubber 43 433 Cork 43 437 Ceramic
44 441 Metal 44 443 Polymer 44 445 Rubber 45 451 Foam 45 455
Ceramic 45 457 Polymer 45 459 Metal 46 461 Polymer 47 471 Foam 47
473 Metal 48 481 Ceramic 48 483 Cork 48 485 Metal 49 491 Rubber 49
493 Cork 49 495 Polymer 49 497 Metal
[0096] It can now be seen that various combinations of materials
and shapes may be formulated for needs or desires of the user
(sport, indoor, outdoor, law enforcement, painless, stinging,
debilitating, etc.).
[0097] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein. For example, while the magazines and
turrets are shown in the Figures as having a firing chamber
connected to it, the magazine or turret could be separable from its
firing chamber to permit reloading, cleaning, maintenance, and/or
replacement thereof without unscrewing the entire device from the
gun and barrel. Alternatively, the magazine and the firing chamber
could be integral, and loading of projectiles, etc., could be
accomplished via an access area or door. Additionally, present
invention guns could be designed with two separate barrels, e.g.
side-by-side or over-under, one for paintballs and one for the
liquid-free projectiles or fun grenades. As another alternative,
there could be a single attachment that could have separate hopper
portions for each of the paintballs and the solid projectiles with
a gate or valve to permit only one or the other to drop into the
gun for firing.
* * * * *