Balanced firing valve for air gun

1. A substantially-balanced firing valve for a pneumatic gun, comprising:

a valve stem arranged through a compressed gas storage area of the pneumatic gun, said compressed gas storage area configured to store a quantity of high-pressure compressed gas for a firing operation of the pneumatic gun;

a valve plug arranged on an end of the valve stem and configured to seal an air port arranged to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to a breech of the pneumatic gun;

a piston arranged on an opposite end of the valve stem, wherein the piston is configured to receive a quantity of low-pressure compressed gas from a solenoid or mechanical actuating valve to initiate the firing operation of the pneumatic gun; and

an air through-port arranged through the valve stem from the valve plug to the piston and configured to communicate high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation through the air through-port to the piston to assist in closing the valve plug during a firing operation of the pneumatic gun.

2. A firing valve according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring configured to bias the firing valve in a closed position.

3. A firing valve according to claim 1 , further comprising an air chamber configured to bias the firing valve in a closed position.

4. A firing valve according to claim 1 , wherein the firing valve is substantially completely balanced with no appreciable force biasing the firing valve in either an open or a closed position.

5. A firing valve according to claim 1 , further comprising a cylinder that communicates with the compressed gas storage area and surrounds the valve stem to stabilize forward and rearward movement of the valve stem.

6. A firing valve according to claim 5 , further comprising an O-ring arranged on the valve stem within the cylinder, wherein the O-ring is sized to counterbalance a force acting on the valve plug from the compressed gas storage area.

7. A firing valve according to claim 6 , wherein the O-ring is approximately about 0.400 inches in diameter.

8. A firing valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve plug is approximately about 0.420 inches in diameter or larger.

9. A firing valve according to claim 1 , wherein the high-pressure compressed gas in the compressed gas storage area is between approximately about 500 psi and 2500 psi.

10. A firing valve according to claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure compressed gas is between approximately about 100 psi and 250 psi.

11. A pneumatic gun comprising:

a body having a breech in communication with a barrel;

a compressed gas storage area configured to house a quantity of high-pressure compressed gas;

an air port configured to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to the breech to fire a projectile through the barrel during a firing operation of the pneumatic gun; and

a firing valve configured to control the release of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to the breech, said firing valve comprising:

a valve stem arranged through the compressed gas storage area;

a valve plug arranged on a forward end of the valve stem and configured to seal the air port when closed;

a piston arranged on the valve stem, wherein the piston is configured to receive a quantity of low-pressure compressed gas to initiate the firing operation of the pneumatic gun; and

an air through-port arranged through the valve stem and configured to communicate high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation through the air through-port to the piston to assist in closing the valve plug during a firing operation of the pneumatic gun.

12. A pneumatic gun according to claim 11 , further comprising:

an O-ring arranged on the valve stem within a cylinder in communication with the compressed gas storage area of the pneumatic gun, wherein the O-ring is sized to counterbalance a force acting on the valve plug.

13. A pneumatic gun according to claim 12 , wherein the valve plug is approximately 0.420 inches in diameter or larger.

14. A pneumatic gun according to claim 13 , wherein the O-ring is approximately about 0.400 inches in diameter or larger.

15. A pneumatic gun according to claim 11 , wherein the high-pressure compressed gas in the compressed gas storage area is between approximately about 500 psi and 2500 psi, and wherein the low-pressure compressed gas acting on the piston is approximately between about 100 psi and 250 psi.

16. A method of operating a pneumatic gun, said method comprising:

supplying compressed gas to a compressed gas storage area, wherein a valve stem is arranged through the compressed gas storage area of the pneumatic gun, and wherein said compressed gas storage area is configured to store a quantity of high-pressure compressed gas for a firing operation of the pneumatic gun;

causing a valve plug arranged on the valve stem to seal an air port that is configured to communicate compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to a breech of the pneumatic gun during the firing operation;

directing a quantity of low-pressure compressed gas from a solenoid or mechanical actuating valve to a piston arranged on the valve stem, wherein the piston initiates the firing operation of the pneumatic gun in response to the force created by the low-pressure compressed gas; and

directing high-pressure compressed gas from the firing operation through an air through-port arranged through the valve stem from the valve plug to the piston to assist in closing the valve plug quickly after a firing operation of the pneumatic gun.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the valve plug is approximately 0.420 inches in diameter or larger.

18. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising balancing a pressure acting on the valve stem from the compressed gas storage area using an O-ring, wherein the O-ring is approximately about 0.400 inches in diameter.

19. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the high-pressure compressed gas in the compressed gas storage area is between approximately about 500 psi and 2500 psi.

20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the low-pressure compressed gas is between approximately about 100 psi and 250 psi.