BOLT ASSEMBLY AND FIRING VALVE

Abstract

A bolt assembly for a pneumatic paintball gun preferably includes a bolt front, a firing valve, and a bolt back. The bolt back preferably includes a valve chamber and a pneumatic passage connecting the valve chamber to an input/output port. The bolt front is preferably connected to a forward end of the bolt back in communication with the valve chamber. The firing valve is preferably arranged in the valve chamber. A plurality of bolt ports can be arranged in the bolt back in fluid communication with the valve chamber to transfer compressed gas to and from a compressed gas storage chamber. In a forward position, compressed gas can be supplied to a rearward portion of the valve chamber from the input/output port through the pneumatic passage. The firing valve can be biased forward by the pneumatic pressure and be seated within a valve seat formed in a rearward end of the valve front. The pneumatic pressure preferably further deforms an edge of the firing valve and fills the compressed gas storage chamber. In a rearward position, compressed gas is preferably vented from the rearward portion of the valve chamber through the input/output port. The firing valve is preferably driven rearward by the compressed gas in the compressed gas storage chamber and unseated from the valve front. Compressed gas is thereby permitted to escape through the bolt front and fire a paintball from the paintball gun. The rearward end of the firing valve can preferably seat in the rearward portion of the firing valve chamber to plug the pneumatic passage and prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area from escaping through the input/output port.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a bolt assembly and firing valve arranged in a pneumatic housing, such as a paintball gun body, according to one embodiment incorporating principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the bolt assembly and firing valve of FIG. 1, shown with the bolt in an rearward (e.g., open or loading) position;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the bolt assembly and firing valve of FIG. 1, shown with the bolt disposed in a forward (e.g., closed) position with a firing valve in a non-firing position;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of the bolt assembly and firing valve of FIG. 1, shown with the firing valve in a open (e.g., firing) position;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the firing valve of the bolt and firing valve assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional side view of a paintball gun body having a firing valve constructed according to an alternative embodiment incorporating principles of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bolt and firing valve assembly for a pneumatic device, comprising: a bolt assembly comprising a bolt having a firing port arranged through a forward end of the bolt; anda firing valve slidably arranged within a firing valve chamber in the bolt assembly and configured to prevent a flow of compressed gas into the firing port when the bolt is open and to permit a flow of compressed gas into the firing port when the bolt is closed.

2. A pneumatic housing configured to slidably receive the bolt and firing valve assembly of claim 1.

3. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an input/output port arranged in a rearward portion of the bolt assembly, wherein the input/output port receives compressed gas from a supply port and directs it to a firing valve chamber when the bolt is in an open position.

4. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 3, wherein the firing valve is a pneumatically-operated firing valve configured to receive compressed gas from the input/output port to keep the firing valve closed when the bolt is open.

5. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 4, wherein the input/output port is configured to vent compressed gas from the firing valve chamber when the bolt is in a closed position.

6. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 5, wherein compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area acts on the pneumatically-operated firing valve to open the firing valve when the bolt is closed.

7. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the firing valve comprises: a forward seal configured to prevent compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area from entering the firing port when the firing valve is in a closed position; anda rearward seal configured to block a supply of compressed gas into the compressed gas storage area when the firing valve is in an open position.

8. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 7, wherein the firing valve further comprises a unidirectional flow mechanism to permit compressed gas to flow in one direction past the unidirectional flow mechanism and prevent compressed gas from flowing in an opposite direction.

9. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 8, wherein the unidirectional flow mechanism comprises a flexible edge of the firing valve configured to permit unidirectional flow of compressed gas past the edge toward the compressed gas storage area.

10. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area acting on the flexible edge urges the firing valve toward the open position when a supply of compressed gas is removed from the rearward seal of the firing valve.

11. A bolt and firing valve assembly for use in a pneumatic gun, comprising: a bolt having a bolt front and a bolt back, wherein a rearward portion of the bolt front is rigidly connected to a forward portion of the bolt back;a firing valve arranged in a firing valve chamber, wherein said firing valve chamber is arranged in the forward portion of the bolt back proximal to the rearward end of the bolt front; anda pneumatic passageway communicating compressed gas between the firing valve chamber and an input/output port of the bolt and firing valve assembly.

12. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the firing valve is a pneumatically-operated firing valve, and wherein compressed gas in the firing valve chamber behind the firing valve urges the firing valve to a closed position when the bolt and firing valve assembly is in a first position.

13. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 12, wherein compressed gas in the firing valve chamber behind the firing valve is vented when the bolt and firing valve assembly is in a second position, and wherein compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area operates on a forward portion of the firing valve to urge the firing valve rearward when the compressed gas behind the firing valve is vented.

14. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said firing valve is further configured to permit compressed gas to flow from the firing valve chamber into a compressed gas storage chamber when the firing valve chamber is pressurized.

15. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said firing valve comprises a first seal and a flexible outer edge, wherein the first seal is configured to sealingly engage the rearward portion of the bolt front to prevent compressed gas from entering the bolt front when the bolt and firing valve assembly is in a first position, and wherein the flexible outer edge permits a flow of compressed gas from the firing valve chamber into a compressed gas storage chamber when the firing valve chamber is pressurized.

16. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 15, wherein said firing valve is configured to move rearward in response to compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber acting on a forward portion of the flexible outer edge when the firing valve chamber behind the firing valve is depressurized, and wherein compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber is permitted to exit through the bolt front when the firing valve moves rearward and the first seal disengages from its sealing engagement with the rearward portion of the bolt front.

17. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 16, wherein said firing valve further comprises a second seal configured to seal off the pneumatic passageway to prevent compressed gas from the compressed gas storage chamber from escaping through the pneumatic passageway when the firing valve moves rearward to release compressed gas through the bolt front.

18. A bolt and firing valve assembly for a pneumatic projectile launching device, said bolt and firing valve assembly comprising: a bolt assembly configured to slide between a rearward and a forward position in a projectile launching device to perform a loading operation of the projectile launching device;one or more internal pneumatic passageways formed within the bolt assembly and configured to permit the flow of compressed gas from a compressed gas source into a compressed gas storage area of the projectile launching device; anda firing valve arranged within an internal chamber in the bolt assembly, said firing valve configured to slide between a first and a second position within the internal chamber to prevent compressed gas from exiting the bolt assembly through a firing port when the firing valve is in the first position and to permit compressed gas to exit the bolt assembly through the firing port when the firing valve is in the second position.

19. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 18, wherein the firing valve is a pneumatically-operated firing valve configured to receive a supply of compressed gas on a first end thereof to urge the firing valve to the first position, and further configured to receive a supply of compressed gas on a second end thereof to urge the firing valve to the second position when the supply of compressed gas to the first end thereof is removed.

20. A bolt and firing valve assembly according to claim 19, wherein said firing valve comprises a unidirectional valving member that permits the flow of compressed gas from a supply port past the firing valve into the compressed gas storage area but prevents the flow of compressed gas from the compressed gas storage area to the supply port.