Spring assist for launch from compressed gas gun

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority of, U.S. conventional patent application Ser. No. 10/313,465, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/185,203, filed Jun. 27, 2002, which claims priority of prior U.S. conventional patent application Ser. No. 09/528,482, filed Mar. 17, 2000, which claims priority of prior provisional applications, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/125,302, filed Mar. 19, 1999, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/138,323, filed Jun. 9, 1999, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to compressed gas-powered guns and more specifically to guns for firing marker projectiles such as “paint balls.” The use of marking guns is well-known. Within a marking gun, there is employed a projectile which is generally in the shape of a sphere. This projectile is constructed of a thin wall which will readily break upon impact against a target. Typical material for the wall of the projectile would be a gelatin. Within the wall of the projectile is contained a quantity of a liquid such as a colored paint. Typical paint colors would be blue, green or yellow.

2. Related Art

Compressed gas powered guns for the firing of projectiles have long been used. Of more recent use, such guns have been made for the firing of spherical and fragile projectiles containing a colored marking fluid, such projectiles commonly being referred to as “paint balls.” Such guns are typified by other inventions of the Inventor, namely U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,758, showing a compressed gas powered gun. Problems associated with such guns include: dangerously high pressure build-up within the gun, potentially damaging the gun and endangering the user; a mechanical limitation on the cycle time of the firing mechanism, limiting the firing rate of the gun; excessive shock and recoil resulting from reciprocal movement of the hammer into the firing and recocked positions.

This present invention is a spring in a compressed gas powered gun, which spring simultaneously operates on the actuator for a firing valve in a compressed gas storage chamber and the bolt in a breech in launching a projectile from a compressed gas powered gun. The spring assists the action of low pressure gas on a hammer and slider which actuate the firing valve. Also, because the bolt for launching the projectile is connected by a pin to the hammer and slider, the spring also assists in the acceleration and movement of the bolt. This assistance of the spring on the hammer/slider and the bolt results in increased firing rate, and increased reliability and consistency of shots.