Air shutoff valve for a hopper gun

A new air shutoff valve for a hopper gun for on/off control of inlet air synchronized to existing on/off control of texture coating and the like in a hopper spray gun having a conventional male quick disconnect air inlet fitting which feeds pressurized air into an inlet end of a longitudinally rearwardly movable trigger actuated air stem for propelling the texture coating mixture and the like onto a surface to be coated, the air shutoff valve for a hopper gun comprising:

• a tubular valve stem disposed within the air stem of the hopper gun such that an open first end of the valve stem lies within the male quick disconnect air fitting proximal the inlet aperture of the fitting, the valve stem having at least one air inlet port through a wall thereof proximal the first end thereof, the valve stem also having an open second end;
• and
• a valve control element for controlling airflow into the hopper gun by selectively obstructing the inlet aperture of the male quick disconnect air fitting, the valve control element comprising a resilient conical frustum-shaped plug having a large end diameter larger than the inside diameter of the male fitting inlet aperture and a small end diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the male fitting inlet aperture, the plug being disposed partially within the inlet end of the male fitting such that the large end lies outside the inlet aperture whereby pressurized air attempting to enter the fitting will seat the plug against the inlet aperture to stop the airflow, the small end of the plug being fixedly connected to the first end of the valve stem such that the plug projects longitudinally therefrom and prevents pressurized air from flowing therethrough, the large end of the plug being smaller than the inside diameter of a female quick disconnect air supply fitting mated to the male fitting to allow the plug and first end of the valve stem to enter the female fitting when the valve stem is forced rearwardly by the rearwardly moving trigger actuated hopper gun air stem whereby the at least one air inlet port of the valve stem is moved into the air stream allowing the pressurized air to flow through the valve stem and out the second end thereof to enter the hopper gun air stem for propelling the texture coating mixture and the like.