Valve assembly for a projectile launching system

A valve assembly, comprising:

• a housing assembly defining an expansion chamber therein configured to receive a pressurized gas source and defining a central bore, the expansion chamber having a distal portion distal of the central bore and a proximal portion proximal of the central bore;
• a bolt with a first bolt end, a second bolt end and an intermediate bolt body arranged therebetween, the first bolt end comprising a main body defining a first bolt surface and having a radially outer bolt surface, wherein the bolt is slidably positioned in at least part of the expansion chamber and movable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing assembly, the bolt having a longitudinal through hole extending from the first bolt end to the second bolt end, the bolt having a first bolt lip at the first bolt end and a second bolt lip distal of the first bolt lip and a circumferential groove immediately proximal to the second bolt lip, wherein a seal is arranged in the circumferential groove and is configured to contact an inner surface of the central bore when arranged therein;
• a spring arranged on the intermediate bolt body and engaging the second bolt lip at a proximal end thereof and a distal surface of distal portion of the expansion chamber at a distal end thereof;
• at least one radially disposed through hole extending from the radially outer bolt surface to the longitudinal through hole and arranged between the first bolt lip and the second bolt lip, wherein the translation of the bolt relative to the housing assembly from the first position to the second position fluidly couples the expansion chamber with the at least one radially disposed through hole;
• an orifice configured to allow a passage of a gas from the proximal portion of the expansion chamber to the first bolt surface to advance the bolt along the central bore;
• a stem coupled to the housing assembly, wherein the stem is configured to at least partially sit within the longitudinal through hole of the bolt when the bolt is in the first position;
• and
• a sealing member having a first sealing member position sealing the orifice from the proximal portion of the expansion chamber and a second sealing member position fluidly coupling the orifice and the proximal portion of the expansion chamber,
• wherein, when the sealing member is in the second position, gas passes through the orifice to act on the first bolt surface to advance the bolt along the central bore and when the seal arranged in the circumferential groove moves out of the central bore, gas from the distal portion of the expansion chamber passes proximally of the seal and to and through the plurality of radially disposed through holes and distally through the bolt.

A valve assembly, comprising:

• a housing defining an expansion chamber and having a central bore at a proximal end for receiving a first end of a bolt and a bolt bore at a distal end for receiving a second end of the bolt, the housing defining an orifice arranged at a proximal end of the central bore and providing fluid communication between a proximal portion of the central bore and the expansion chamber;
• the bolt arranged in the housing and configured to articulate within the central bore and the bolt bore from a first position to a second position, the bolt comprising:
• a longitudinal through hole extending throughout a length thereof;
• a first seal arranged on the first end and configured for sealingly engaging the central bore;
• a second seal arranged on the second end and configured for sealingly engaging the bolt bore;
• and
• a plurality of radially disposed through holes extending therethrough to the longitudinal through hole within the bolt;
• and
• a seal configured to selectively seal the orifice.