Pneumatic paintball loader drive

Abstract

A pneumatic drive for an active paintball loader capable of supplying paintballs to a paintball marker at a sufficiently high rate that is coordinated with firing the marker using compressed gas to a provide the motive power.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates generally to a paintball loaders and, more specifically to a pneumatically operated drive mechanism for rotating a drive cone in an active feed paintball loader.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]The sport of paintball war games continues to grow in popularity. During these war games, participants shoot frangible plastic balls full of a liquid dye at their opponents. The games are sometimes intensely competitive, requiring a participant to aim a gun, known also as a marker, at an opponent while pursuing, fleeing, dodging, or running for cover. Participants are excluded from further play once they have been hit and marked by a paintball. Success in the game requires the capability to fire a large number of paintballs in a short amount of time. A participant might discharge between several hundred and one thousand or more paintballs during the typical game lasting only a few minutes. Success...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic mechanism that uses compressed gas to operate the loader drive mechanism. Paintball markers typically carry substantial volumes of compressed gas in cylinders to supply the paintball marker firing mechanism. The cylinders may be recharged following each paintball game thereby providing an easily replenished source of motive power for both the marker and the loader.

[0008]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pneumatically driven, active paintball loader capable of supplying paintballs to the marker at least as rapidly as the marker's firing rate. Many modern paintball markers are capable of firing up to 25 paintballs per second. The present invention receives input from the marker firing mechanism causing the drive to advance, moving paintballs to the marker inlet each time a paintball is discharged.

[0009]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pneumatically driven, active paintball loader capable of supplying a quantity of paintballs to the marker sufficient to allow a participant to continue firing at a high rate for the duration of a paintball war game. A participant might discharge over one thousand paintballs during such a paintball game.

[0010]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pneumatically driven, active paintball loader offering highly reliable performance. Many paintball games continue for only a few minutes during which time participants discharge thousands of paintballs. A participant with a non-functional marker is quickly “marked” and eliminated from the competition.

[0011]It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic mechanism for advancing the drive cone in an active paintball loader that is compatible with a variety of known active loader designs and therefore easily retrofit as an improvement to existing designs.

[0012]It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pneumatically driven, active paintball loader that is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, easily assembled, and simple and effective to use.

Problems solved by technology

One problem now arising in such active paintball loaders occurs when the batteries powering the drive mechanisms become discharged, rending the paintball loader, and indeed the entire marker, effectively inoperable.

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