Procedure and device for feeding balls into the projectile chamber of a handgun

Abstract

The procedure for feeding balls ( 14 ) to the projectile chamber ( 11 ) of a handgun ( 1 ), in particular to the projectile chamber of a paintball weapon, whereby the balls ( 14 ) are fed by means of a motor from a ball container ( 3 ), through a feeder tube ( 2 ) into a projectile chamber ( 11 ), is characterized by the fact that the motor is controlled as a function of the movement of the balls ( 14 ) in the feeder tube ( 2 ). The feeding of the balls ( 14 ) to the projectile chamber ( 11 ) is controlled in accordance with the procedure which is the subject of the invention. The invention has the advantage that the motor is controlled as a function of the actual conditions prevailing inside the feeder tube ( 2 ).

1 . A procedure for feeding balls into the projectile chamber of a handgun, in particular into the projectile chamber of a paintball weapon, whereby the balls are fed by means of a motor from a ball container through a feeder tube into a projectile chamber, characterized in that the motor is controlled as a function of the movement of the balls in the feeder tube.  
     
     
         2 . A procedure according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a sensor puts out status reports regarding the presence of balls in the feeder tube.  
     
     
         3 . A procedure according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the motor is switched on for a start-up period as soon as the sensor reports a first change in status following a resting phase.  
     
     
         4 . A procedure according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the start-up period is longer than the first period of ball movement that triggers the first change in status.  
     
     
         5 . A procedure according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the start-up period is at least twice as long as the first period of ball movement that triggers the first change in status.  
     
     
         6 . A procedure according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the length of the start-up period is between 60 ms and 100 ms.  
     
     
         7 . A procedure according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the motor continues to operate during a working period for each further change in status reported by the sensor following the first change in status.  
     
     
         8 . A procedure according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the working periods are longer than the further periods of ball movement that trigger the associated further changes in status.  
     
     
         9 . A procedure according to  claim 8 , characterized in that when the balls move by the breadth of one ball in the feeder tube, the sensor reports two changes in status.  
     
     
         10 . A procedure according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the length of the working periods is between 20 ms and 60 ms.  
     
     
         11 . A procedure for feeding balls to the projectile chamber of a handgun, in particular the projectile chamber of a paintball gun, whereby the balls are fed by means of a motor from a ball container through a feeder tube into a projectile chamber, characterized in that the motor is controlled as a function of the movement of the balls in the feeder tube, and that the motor remains in operation for a run-on time after the balls have come to a rest relative to the feeder tube following a burst of fire, and that the drive energy supplied by the motor during the run-on period is stored in a spring element.  
     
     
         12 . A procedure according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the run-on time is limited to a maximum duration.  
     
     
         13 . A procedure according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the maximum duration of the run-on time is between 170 ms and 400 ms.  
     
     
         14 . A procedure according to  claim 13  characterized in that the amount of drive energy supplied during the run-on time that exceeds the storage capacity of the spring element is dissipated via a slip clutch.  
     
     
         15 . A procedure according to  claim 11 , characterized in that when the device is started up, the motor is switched on for a preparatory period of time in order to create a resting state, and that the preparatory period of time is sufficiently long for the feeder tube to be completely filled with balls.  
     
     
         16 . A procedure according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the end of the preparatory time period is determined by a change in status reported by the sensor.  
     
     
         17 . A procedure according to  claim 15 , characterized in that during the resting state a ball is present in front of the sensor.  
     
     
         18 . A procedure according to  claim 15 , characterized in that during the resting state no ball is present in front of the sensor.  
     
     
         19 . A device for feeding balls to the projectile chamber of a handgun, especially to the projectile chamber of a paintball gun, comprising a ball container, a feeder tube between the ball container and the projectile chamber and a motor-driven feeder to convey balls from the feeder container into the feeder tube, characterized in that it comprises a control unit and that the control unit controls the motor as a function of the movement of balls in the feeding tube.  
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that it comprises a sensor for monitoring the movement of the balls in the feeder tube.  
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the sensor comprises a light barrier.  
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that the sensor is arranged close to the end of the feeder tube pointing towards the projectile chamber.  
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that it comprises a storage spring to store the drive energy of the motor.  
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that it comprises a slip clutch between the motor and the feeder.  
     
     
         25 . A procedure according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the length of the start-up period is between 70 ms and 90 ms.  
     
     
         26 . A procedure according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the length of the working periods is between 30 ms and 50 ms.  
     
     
         27 . A procedure according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the maximum duration of the run-on time is between 320 ms and 360 ms.