# US 11,079,198 B2 · Latching loader mechanism with gated feed > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,198 B2 - Document ID: US11079198B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/877,659 - Filed: 2020-05-19 - Published: 2020-11-26 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-21 - Assignees: Planet Eclipse UK Limited - Applicants: Planet Eclipse UK Limited - Inventors: Jack Kingsley Wood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079198B2 ## CPC - F41B 11/52: the projectiles being loosely held in a magazine above the gun housing, e.g. in a hopper - F41B 11/50: Magazines for compressed-gas guns; Arrangements for feeding or loading projectiles from magazines - F41B: WEAPONS FOR PROJECTING MISSILES WITHOUT USE OF EXPLOSIVE OR COMBUSTIBLE PROPELLANT CHARGE; WEAPONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (projectiles for fishing, e.g. fish-spears, A01K81/00; sports implements for throwing A63B65/00, e.g. boomerangs A63B65/08; stationary apparatus for projecting sports balls, e.g. tennis balls, A63B69/40; throwing or slinging toys A63H33/18; knives, axes B26B; projectiles or missiles other than those incorporating springs as projecting means F42B6/00) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The loader mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spring-biased gate is a V-shaped spring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The loader mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spring-biased gate is a lever arm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The loader mechanism of claim 1, wherein the feed neck includes a flange having a transverse locking slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The loader mechanism of claim 4, wherein the feed collar further includes a locking slot with a locking cross-bolt slidably residing therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The loader mechanism of claim 5, wherein the locking cross-bolt is configured to slide within the locking slot and the transverse locking slot to lock the feed neck to the feed collar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The loader mechanism of claim 5, wherein the locking cross-bolt includes at least one vertically oriented groove, parallel to paintball path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The loader mechanism of claim 7, wherein the locking slot includes at least one spring biased detent configured and arranged to engage the at least one vertically oriented groove to prevent the locking cross-bolt from sliding within the locking slot. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The loader mechanism of claim 1, wherein the loader is configured and arranged to maintain paintballs therein in any orientation when not disposed in the feed collar. ### Claim 10 A loader assembly for a paintball marker, comprising: a loader having a feed neck having a paintball path; and a feed collar disposed on a feed port of a paintball marker, the feed collar is disposed between the loader and the feed port, the feed neck includes a flange having a transverse locking slot; wherein the feed neck is inserted into the feed collar; wherein the feed collar further includes a locking slot with a locking cross-bolt slidably residing therein; and wherein the locking cross-bolt is configured to slide within the locking slot and the transverse locking slot to lock the feed neck to the feed collar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The loader assembly of claim 10, further comprising, a spring-biased gate 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The loader assembly of claim 11, wherein the feed collar further includes at least one deflection post connected to the feed collar configured and arranged to actuate the spring-biased gate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The loader assembly of claim 12, wherein insertion of the feed neck into the feed collar causes the at least one deflection post to push the spring-biases gate from the first configuration to the second configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The loader assembly of claim 10, wherein the locking cross-bolt includes at least one vertically oriented groove, parallel to paintball path. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The loader assembly of claim 14, wherein the locking slot includes at least one spring biased detent configured and arranged to engage the at least one vertically oriented groove to prevent the locking cross-bolt from sliding within the locking slot.