US 11,079,198 B2 · Latching loader mechanism with gated feed

Abstract

The latching/locking loader mechanism of the present invention provides a quick-release latch mechanism where a user can unlock and lock the attachment of the loader to the paintball gun quickly and easily without the use of tools. The latching/locking mechanism stays locked or unlocked without further use of tools. A spring-biased gate is provided in the path of the paintballs, namely, in the feed neck of the loader. When the loader is installed on the paintball marker, via a feed collar, deflection posts on the feed collar push the gate out of the paintball path in the feed neck of the loader so that paintballs may freely pass from the storage chamber of the loader and then into the breech of the paintball marker. When not installed on a feed collar, the gate blocks the path of paintballs.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A loader mechanism, comprising:

a loader having a feed neck having a paintball path;
a spring-biased gate pivotally connected to the feed neck and partially disposed in the paintball path in a first configuration and, in a second configuration, not in the paintball path;
and
a feed collar disposed on a paintball marker, the feed collar including at least one deflection post connected to the feed collar configured and arranged to actuate the spring-biased gate, wherein the at least one deflection post extends substantially parallel to the paintball path;
wherein insertion of the feed neck into the feed collar causes the at least one deflection post to compress the spring-biased gate to pivot from the first configuration to the second configuration, and
wherein the paintball path extends perpendicular to a breech of the paintball marker.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Latching loader mechanism with gated feed

Life of this patent

Latching loader mechanism with gated feed

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15