Paintball marker
A paintball marker has a pressurized gas source; a trigger that opens a trigger pilot valve assembly in communication with the pressurized gas source; a fill valve assembly in communication with the trigger pilot valve and the pressurized gas source; and a firing chamber in communication with the fill valve assembly comprising a bolt that releases pressurized gas to fire a paintball when a pressure in the firing chamber reaches a critical firing pressure.
1 . A paintball marker comprising:
a pressurized gas source;
a trigger that opens a trigger pilot valve assembly in communication with the pressurized gas source;
a fill valve assembly in communication with the trigger pilot valve and the pressurized gas source;
a firing chamber in communication with the fill valve assembly comprising:
a bolt that releases pressurized gas to fire a paintball when a pressure in the firing chamber reaches a critical firing pressure.
2 . The paintball marker of claim 1 wherein the trigger pilot valve assembly comprises:
a trigger pilot valve chamber that receives a volume of gas received from the pressurized gas source through a trigger pilot valve chamber inlet, said trigger pilot valve chamber having a trigger pilot valve chamber outlet; and
a trigger pilot valve poppet that is movable between a seated position in which the trigger pilot valve poppet prevents pressurized gas from escaping from the trigger valve chamber and an unseated position in which the trigger pilot valve poppet allows pressurized gas to escape from the pilot valve chamber to the fill valve assembly.
3 . The paintball marker of claim 2 , further comprising:
a follower that is activated by pulling the trigger and upon activation moves the trigger pilot valve poppet to the unseated position.
4 . The paintball marker of claim 3 , wherein the follower moves between a depressed position corresponding to activation and a rest position to which the follower is biased and comprises:
a protrusion that contacts the trigger when the trigger is pulled;
a pin, in communication with the protrusion that, when the trigger is pulled, contacts the trigger pilot valve poppet and in so doing, moves the trigger pilot valve poppet to the unseated position.
5 . The paintball marker of claim 4 , wherein the pin extends within, is axial within, and is smaller than, the trigger pilot valve chamber outlet.
6 . The paintball marker of claim 5 , wherein the trigger pilot valve chamber outlet comprises a trigger pilot valve chamber outlet tapered lip that contacts the trigger pilot valve chamber poppet when the trigger pilot valve chamber outlet poppet is in the seated position.
7 . The paintball marker of claim 1 , wherein the fill valve assembly comprises:
a fill valve chamber that receives a volume of gas received from the pressurized gas source through the fill valve chamber inlet, said fill valve chamber having a fill valve chamber outlet; and
a fill valve poppet that is movable between a seated position in which the fill valve poppet prevents pressurized gas from escaping from the trigger valve chamber and an unseated position in which the trigger pilot valve poppet allows pressurized gas to escape from the pilot valve chamber to a firing chamber.
8 . The paintball marker of claim 7 , further comprising a fill valve piston that moves from a rest to a release position under pressure from air from the trigger pilot valve assembly.
9 . The paintball marker of claim 8 , wherein the fill valve piston comprises a piston pin that contacts the trigger pilot valve poppet and in so doing moves the trigger pilot valve poppet to the unseated position.
10 . The paintball marker of claim 9 , wherein the piston pin extends within, is axial within, and is smaller than, the fill valve chamber outlet.
11 . The paintball marker of claim 10 , wherein the fill valve chamber outlet comprises a fill valve chamber outlet tapered lip that contacts the fill valve chamber poppet when the fill valve chamber outlet poppet is in the seated position.
12 . The paintball marker of claim 1 , wherein the bolt is biased towards a rear of the marker, and is movable towards a front of the marker when pressurized gas is received in the firing chamber from the fill valve assembly;
wherein movement of the bolt towards a front of the marker expands the volume of the firing chamber;
and wherein further build-up of gas pressure within the firing chamber results in firing a paintball when a pressure in the firing chamber reaches a critical firing pressure.
13 . The paintball marker of claim 12 , wherein the bolt comprises a forward-biased spool slidably contained axially therein;
wherein when additional pressure builds within the firing chamber when the volume of the firing chamber expands, said additional pressure drives the spool toward the rear of the marker until the pressure in the gas chamber reaches a critical firing pressure, at which point the spool is driven so far toward the rear of the marker that the spool opens a passage through the bolt through which the pressurized gas can escape, said escaping gas firing a paintball from the marker.
14 . The paintball marker of claim 13 wherein the forward bias of the spool is adjustable.
15 . The paintball marker of claim 14 , wherein the forward bias of the spool is adjustable by hand.
16 . The paintball marker of claim 14 , wherein the forward bias of the spool is adjustable using a hand tool.
17 . The paintball marker of claim 14 , wherein the forward bias of the spool is an adjustable spring.