# US 11,125,528 B2 · Multipurpose bleed-off port for a paintball marker

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,125,528 B2
- Document ID: US11125528B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/296,950
- Filed: 2019-03-08
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2021-09-21
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-23
- Assignees: Planet Eclipse UK Limited
- Applicants: Planet Eclipse UK Limited
- Inventors: Jack Kingsley Wood
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11125528B2

## CPC

- F41B 11/52: the projectiles being loosely held in a magazine above the gun housing, e.g. in a hopper
- F41B 11/721: for controlling gas pressure for both firing the projectile and for loading or feeding
- F41B 11/62: with pressure supplied by a gas cartridge
- F41B 11/724: for gas pressure reduction
- 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 present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method of directing a portion of a pressurize gas flow through a port in the breech after is leaves a bolt in a projectile launching device, such as a paintball marker, to perform additional functions in parallel with launching the projectile from the launching device. For example, the additional function can be a mechanism to prevent, or free, any potential bottlenecks of projectiles at that location when using a gravity fed hopper, for example. An agitating device is at least partially disposed in the outlet of a hopper. A bolt, having key groove or gas port, is configured to bleed air to a port in the breech that is used to fire a loaded projectile, the air is provided from a pressurized air source. An actuator moves the agitating device when air is bled through the key groove and the port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A projectile launcher with a gas port, the projectile launcher comprising;
a breech;
a bolt, partially disposed in the breech, the bolt is configured to advance a projectile to a firing position;
a pressurized gas source;
the gas port being disposed in the breech, between a face of the bolt and the projectile when the projectile is in the breech, the gas port is configured and arranged to bleed gas that is used to fire a projectile loaded in the breech; and
ancillary equipment that is configured to be actuated by the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port,
wherein the ancillary equipment comprises a mechanical actuator, the mechanical actuator being directly adjacent to the gas port.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The projectile launcher of claim 1, wherein the ancillary equipment is directly actuated by the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The projectile launcher of claim 1, further comprising a pneumatic sensor which can be actuated by the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The projectile launcher of claim 3, wherein the pneumatic sensor is configured and arranged to indirectly actuate the ancillary equipment as a function of the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The projectile launcher of claim 3, further comprising a controller configured and arranged to prevent an additional firing of the projectile launcher until the pneumatic sensor is actuated by the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port.

### Claim 6

A projectile launcher with a gas port, the projectile launcher comprising,
a breech;
a bolt configured to advance a projectile to a firing position;
a pressurized gas source configured to fire a projectile loaded in the breech;
the gas port downstream of the pressurized gas source and disposed through the breech between a face of the bolt and the projectile, when the projectile is loaded in the breech, the gas port being configured and arranged to bleed gas released from the pressurized gas source; and
ancillary equipment configured to be actuated by the pressurized gas that is bled through the gas port,
wherein the ancillary equipment comprises a mechanical actuator, the mechanical actuator being directly adjacent to the gas port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The projectile launcher of claim 6, wherein the ancillary equipment is directly actuated by the pressurized gas.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The projectile launcher of claim 6, further comprising a pneumatic sensor which can be actuated by the pressurized gas.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The projectile launcher of claim 8, wherein the pneumatic sensor is configured and arranged to indirectly actuate the ancillary equipment as a function of the pressurized gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The projectile launcher of claim 8, further comprising a controller configured and arranged to prevent an additional firing of the projectile launcher until the pneumatic sensor is actuated by the pressurized gas.