Abstract: A valve, possibly for use in a paintball marker, has a longer threaded portion that insures a canister that engages the valve must undergo many twists to become unscrewed from the valve. Alternatively, the valve has an elongated threaded portion with gas bleed channels that extend along a substantial portion of the threading. Still alternatively, the valve may use visual markings along the length of the threaded portion to indicate to a user that the canister is being unscrewed.

Abstract: A pneumatic assembly for a compressed gas gun having a hammer chamber including a hammer conduit, and a hammer with an aperture surrounding at least a portion of the hammer conduit. A compressed gas gun has a breech, a bolt moveable within the breech from a loading position to a firing position, a pneumatic assembly in communication with the breech, the pneumatic assembly comprising a high pressure chamber, and a hammer chamber. A discharge valve is disposed in the pneumatic assembly between the high pressure chamber and hammer chamber. A solenoid valve is provided for selectively supplying compressed gas to the hammer conduit.

Abstract: A paintball marker has an inline cylinder that includes a gas governor that reduces gas flow from a compressed gas source to a valve area when the bolt is in a firing position; this increases efficiency in the marker because only the required air is used to fire the paintball. This bolt operates independent of the valve pin, which increases cycle speed and enables the governor to open and close at an optimum time in the firing cycle. Further, when the bolt/piston is recocking, the gap between the valve pin and governor valve pin enables low pressure gas driving the piston to start pressurizing the cylinder and driving the piston rearwards without resistance from the high pressure gas. The marker also allows a user to remove the inline cylinder without the use of tools, and gives the user a convenient carrying handle for holding the paintball marker, which is commonly called a “snatch grip.

Abstract: A valve, possibly for use in a paintball marker, has a longer threaded portion that insures a canister that engages the valve must undergo many twists to become unscrewed from the valve. Alternatively, the valve has an elongated threaded portion with gas bleed channels that extend along a substantial portion of the threading. Still alternatively, the valve may use visual markings along the length of the threaded portion to indicate to a user that the canister is being unscrewed.

Abstract: An improved paintball feed mechanism for a paintball loader is disclosed, including a drive shaft and a motor for actuating the drive shaft. At least on rigid projection is provided connected to the drive shaft by an elastic member. The elastic member is formed so that it will bend when the rigid projection encounters a jammed or stationary paintball in the paintball loader, thus preventing paintball breakage.

Abstract: A barrel attachment for a paintball gun is provided to impart spin onto a paintball exiting the barrel of the paintball gun thereby providing projectile drop compensation. The attachment is made up of a structure having an elongated aperture with a first end that attaches over the barrel of a paintball gun thereby extending the barrel. A second end of the attachment has an open passage that is disposed at an angle to the centerline of the barrel so that a spin is imparted onto a paintball fired from the gun as it passes through the open passage.

Abstract: A plug sized, shaped and formed to fit securely within the firing end of the barrel of a paintball marker, for blocking misfired or accidentally-fired paintballs. The plug is comprised of a handle and a tip. The tip is comprised of a squeegee located adjacent a terminal end portion of the tip, at least one rib along the length of the tip, a channel along the length of the tip and an energy-absorbing contact edge located adjacent the terminal end portion. The plug is preferably flexible so as to provide for a secure fit within the barrel, to absorb energy from misfired paintballs and to provide for discharge of gas and debris.

Abstract: A paintball marker has an inline cylinder that includes a gas governor that reduces gas flow from a compressed gas source to a valve area when the bolt is in a firing position; this increases efficiency in the marker because only the required air is used to fire the paintball. This bolt operates independent of the valve pin, which increases cycle speed and enables the governor to open and close at an optimum time in the firing cycle. Further, when the bolt/piston is recocking, the gap between the valve pin and governor valve pin enables low pressure gas driving the piston to start pressurizing the cylinder and driving the piston rearwards without resistance from the high pressure gas. The marker also allows a user to remove the inline cylinder without the use of tools, and gives the user a convenient carrying handle for holding the paintball marker, which is commonly called a “snatch grip.

Abstract: A paintball grenade having an outer bladder and an inner bladder. The outer bladder has a first open end, an opposite second open end, and a cavity therethrough. The inner bladder has a closed end and an open end. The inner bladder is capable of being inserted into the outer bladder whereby the open end is adjacent the first open end of the outer bladder, and the closed end is adjacent the second open end of the outer bladder, the inner bladder being filled with a colored liquid. A securing element is used to secure the first open end of the outer bladder and the open end of the inner bladder.

Abstract: An improved paintball gun uses a low-pressure pneumatic sear to hold the firing valve closed against the high pressure gas occupying the other side of the valve. In this manner, only one operation is required between depressing the trigger and the firing of the paintball gun because a double-acting cylinder is not required as an interface between the trigger depression and actuation of the valve. The paintball gun is also substantially faster than existing electro-pneumatic paintball guns because it uses a blow forward bolt, in which higher-pressure gas is held directly behind the bolt and has only one direction to travel during the firing of the paintball gun.

Abstract: The paintball marker has a specially curved discharge port and port within a bolt within the breech for a compressed gas powered gun for the firing of projectiles. The marker has an adjustable volume high pressure chamber that releases compressed gas to fire a paintball.

Abstract: A barrel adaptor for a paintball gun is provided to induce spin onto a paintball exiting the barrel of the paintball gun thereby providing selected projectile drop compensation. The adapter consists of a structure having an elongated aperture with a first end adapted to fit snugly over the barrel of the paintball gun thereby extending the barrel. An exit portion of the adapter forms an open trough-like cavity, wherein the trough-like cavity is generally mal-aligned with the paintball gun barrel such that a spin is imparted upon a paintball fired from the paintball gun barrel as it passes longitudinally through the trough-like cavity and exits therefrom.

Abstract: An active feed paintball loader for supplying paintballs to a paintball marker. The loader includes a container for storing a plurality of paintballs. An outfeed tube on the container is connected to an inlet tube on the marker. The loader further includes a drive shaft, a feeder rotatably disposed in the container for feeding paintballs into the outfeed tube, and a drive spring having first and second ends. The first end is engaged to the feeder to provide a driving force to rotate the feeder within the container. The second end is coupled to the drive shaft. The drive shaft operates to wind the drive spring to maintain sufficient tension on the drive spring to maintain a paintball stack in the outfeed tube. The loader further includes a mechanical drive handle accessible externally of the loader and connected to the drive shaft to manually wind the drive spring.

Abstract: A valve, possibly for use in a paintball marker, has a longer threaded portion that insures a canister that engages the valve must undergo many twists to become unscrewed from the valve. Alternatively, the valve has an elongated threaded portion with gas bleed channels that extend along a substantial portion of the threading. Still alternatively, the valve may use visual markings along the length of the threaded portion to indicate to a user that the canister is being unscrewed.

Abstract: A valve body is provided defining housing a moveable valve spool having a first end and a second end. The valve spool forms a gas balance chamber within the valve body. The valve spool has an end for closing an opening in the valve body. A channel running through the valve spool provides communication with the second end of the valve spool and the gas balance chamber. The second end of the spool valve is adapted to have an effective surface area greater than the effective surface area of the gas balance chamber.

Abstract: A pneumatic assembly for a compressed gas gun having a hammer chamber including a hammer conduit, and a hammer with an aperture surrounding at least a portion of the hammer conduit. A compressed gas gun has a breech, a bolt moveable within the breech from a loading position to a firing position, a pneumatic assembly in communication with the breech, the pneumatic assembly comprising a high pressure chamber, and a hammer chamber. A discharge valve is disposed in the pneumatic assembly between the high pressure chamber and hammer chamber. A solenoid valve is provided for selectively supplying compressed gas to the hammer conduit.

Abstract: A valve assembly according to the present invention includes a valve housing having a first end and a second end. A selectively closeable flow path runs through the valve housing. A valve body is disposed in the valve housing. The valve body is moveable from a first position closing the flow path to a second position opening the flow path. The valve body has a channel therethrough. A secondary chamber is provided adjacent the valve body in communication with the channel. An exhaust port is provided in communication with the secondary chamber. A solenoid is provided adjacent the secondary exhaust port, the solenoid adapted to selectively open the secondary exhaust port. A compressed gas gun employing the valve assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A system for securing a paintball container to a harness is provided comprising a harness having a magnetic portion or magnetically attractable insert, and an item of paintball sport equipment having a magnetic portion or magnetically attractable insert, wherein the item of paintball sport equipment is held securely to the harness via magnetic attraction.

Abstract: A closure system according to the present invention comprises a lid and an associated opening defined in an upper surface of the paintball sport item. At least one of the lid and the upper surface includes at least one of a first magnetic portion having a first magnetic polarity or a first magnetically attractable insert. The other of the lid and the upper surface of the paintball sport item include at least one of a second magnetic portion or a second magnetically attractable insert, the at least one second magnetic portion or the second magnetically attractable insert positioned to magnetically engage one of the at least one first magnetic portion and the first magnetically attractable insert when the lid is in a closed position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a ball feed mechanism for use in a paintball loader. The ball feed mechanism includes a feeder which conveys or impels balls toward a feed neck, and a drive member which is concentric with the impeller. The feeder is coupled to the drive member through a spring. The spring is configured to store potential energy which is used to rotate the feeder and, thus, drive the balls toward the feed neck. An electric motor is used to rotate the drive member to wind the spring. The feed mechanism includes sensors which detect the motion of the feeder and the drive member. A controller determines the spring tension based on the relative motion of the feeder and drive member, and actuates a motor when necessary.