Paintball marker having unitary regulated pressure and utilizing a spring to load paintballs

Abstract

A paintball gun that operates entirely under a single stage of gas pressure and uses fewer parts thereby resulting in lower manufacturing costs and higher reliability without any significant impact on its firing sequence rate. The paintball gun employs a mechanical spring to reset the ram. Resetting of the ram by a mechanical spring being returned to a less compressed condition, does not appear to have any significant effect on firing and reloading sequence rates as compared to resetting the ram with pneumatic operation. Employing a mechanical spring to reset the ram, reduces the complexity of the pneumatic valve. The less complex pneumatic valve can readily operate under higher gas pressure such as up to 300 psig thereby making it unnecessary to have a second stage of pressure.

1 . A paintball gun having a body forming an air chamber to which there is an inlet for attachment to a compressed air source, an electric circuit-controlled pneumatic valve controlling air flow from the air chamber into a paintball firing chamber and a ram controlling an air chamber exhaust valve for releasing compressed air into the firing chamber for propelling a paintball toward a remote target, the ram also controlling a bolt to open the firing chamber for loading another paintball for subsequent firing from the gun; the paintball gun comprising: 
 a spring for returning said ram to its ready position after said paintball is fired from said firing chamber; and    a pressure regulator for generating a unitary pressure of compressed air for both activating said ram and firing a paintball from said firing chamber.    
   
   
       2 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 1  wherein said spring is configured to be compressed during activation of said ram.  
   
   
       3 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 1  wherein said unitary pressure exceeds 150 psig.  
   
   
       4 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 1  wherein air pressure applied to activate said ram is substantially equal to the air pressure used to fire a paintball from said firing chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 1  further comprising a quick-vent exhaust valve for rapidly releasing air from the ram after a paintball has been fired.  
   
   
       6 . The paintball gun recited in  claim 1  wherein said pneumatic valve comprises a poppet valve capable of operating at pressures exceeding 150 psig.