Abstract: A paintball gun loader. The loader is used in a closed-bolt paintball gun. The loader provides a paintball contact surface that moves in oscillating fashion in response to movement of the bolt to load individual paintballs into the gun while the gun loading port is open, which occurs as the gun cycles when fired. The loader includes a spring element that limits the force exerted on the paintball being loaded, even in case of a jam when the paintball contact surface is urged toward the paintball. In one embodiment, a pivotally mounted flexible lever arm having a paintball contact surface oscillates through an angular range of motion in response to a cam surface of the bolt engaging a cam follower on the the loader. In such embodiment, the cam follower is urged toward the cam surface of the bolt, which in turn biases the paintball contact surface toward an open, paintball receiving position.

Abstract: A normally closed valve assembly for a pneumatic gun includes a main valve that is opened by impact of a hammer, and a user-adjustable flow controller. The main valve controls the release of compressed gas and opens briefly when the gun is fired. One portion of the released compressed gas propels a projectile from the gun, and another portion recocks the gun in preparation for another firing. The flow controller adjustably restricts the flow of compressed gas provided for recocking the gun, and thereby varies the force applied in recocking the hammer. The gun user is able to adjust the recocking of the gun to achieve reliable recocking, and avoid an excessive level of recocking force that could damage the gun or a projectile to be propelled by the gun. The adjustment is performed from the exterior of the gun, while the flow controller remains in place within the gun.

Abstract: A paintball gun loader. The loader is used in a closed-bolt paintball gun. The loader provides a paintball contact surface that moves in oscillating fashion in response to movement of the bolt to load individual paintballs into the gun while the gun loading port is open, which occurs as the gun cycles when fired. The loader includes a spring element that limits the force exerted on the paintball being loaded, even in case of a jam when the paintball contact surface is urged toward the paintball. In one embodiment, a pivotally mounted flexible lever arm having a paintball contact surface oscillates through an angular range of motion in response to a cam surface of the bolt engaging a cam follower on the the loader. In such embodiment, the cam follower is urged toward the cam surface of the bolt, which in turn biases the paintball contact surface toward an open, paintball receiving position.

Abstract: A removable projectile magazine for paintball guns has a cylindrical, spring loaded housing with an opening at one end for receiving and ejecting paintballs. The end also has a one-way valve consisting of a plurality of flexible fingers subtending a hemispherical shape. The fingers permit insertion of paintballs into the housing but prohibit removal of the paintballs therefrom when the housing is not received on a gun. When received on paintball gun, a de-activating member forces the resilient fingers apart allowing the paintballs to exit from the housing.

Abstract: A semiautomatic pneumatic gun is provided incorporating a reciprocatable striker-barrel which performs the normal functions of a barrel and a striker, sliding during firing from a cocked position in response to the urging of a striker power spring to impact upon a normally closed valve, which impact releases compressed gas for propelling a projectile from the gun and for recocking the gun. A slidable bolt serves to transfer the impact of the striker-barrel to the valve, and functions as a piston moving in a cylindrical recocking chamber in response to the urging of gas released by the valve to move the striker-barrel back to the cocked position.

Abstract: A pneumatic gun incorporating a striker (50) moving in response to the urging of a compressed power spring (77) from a cocked position in a striker chamber (46) to impact on a primary valve assembly (80) and thereby effect the release of compressed gas for propelling a projectile from the gun and for recocking the striker (50) is disclosed. The primary valve assembly (80) incorporates a single full-pressure main valve (87) for regulating the release of all compressed gas, and a unidirectional low pressure secondary valve (88) for providing a portion of the compressed gas released by the main valve to the striker chamber (46) for urging the striker (50) to move back to the cooked position.