# US 5,699,781 A · Rapid fire compressed air gun > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,699,781 A - Document ID: US5699781A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/699,431 - Filed: 1996-08-19 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1995-05-15 - Assignees: Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc. - Inventors: Lonnie G. Johnson; John T. Applewhite - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699781A ## CPC - F41B 11/54: the projectiles being stored in a rotating drum magazine - F41B 11/681: Pumping or compressor arrangements therefor - 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 An air compressed gun (159) is provided having a stock (11), a barrel (12), a trigger (13) and a manual air pump (14). The gun also has a magazine (18) having a series of barrels (26) for holding several projectiles (P). An actuator (161) indexes the magazine with each shot of the gun and automatically controls bursts of pressurized air. The actuator has a manifold (162) having an inlet opening (163), an outlet opening (164) and a firing opening (166), and a piston (168) mounted within the manifold which directs the flow of air therethrough for sequential firing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rapid fire compressed air gun comprising: a magazine in which a plurality of projectiles may be loaded; a pressure tank; pump means for compressing air in said pressure tank; pneumatic control means for controlling the sequential release of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said magazine, said control means includes an elongated manifold having a firing opening in fluid communication with said magazine, an inlet opening in fluid communication with said pressure tank and longitudinally spaced from said firing opening, and an outlet opening longitudinally spaced from said firing opening and said inlet opening, a first piston positioned within said manifold for reciprocal movement between a pressurizing position and a firing position, said first piston having a first seal and a second seal spaced from said first seal, and pressure sensitive pneumatic piston actuation means in fluid communication with said outlet opening for actuating said first piston between said pressurizing position and said firing position in response to pressurized air from said manifold and adapted to contain a supply of pressurized air therein, trigger means for controlling the flow of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said pneumatic control means; whereby with the first piston in its pressurizing position the first and second seals are positioned to isolate the inlet and outlet openings therebetween and the second seal is positioned between the outlet opening and the firing opening, so that pressurized air from the pressure tank passes into the manifold through the inlet opening and from the manifold to the pneumatic actuating means through the outlet opening for pressurized actuation of the first piston to its firing position, and with increased pressure the actuation means moves the first piston in its firing position so that the first and second seals isolate the inlet opening therebetween and the outlet opening is in fluid communication with the firing opening, so that the supply of pressurized air flows from the pneumatic actuation means through the outlet opening into the manifold and subsequently out of the manifold through the firing opening into the magazine for firing the projectile therein. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 1 wherein said pneumatic actuation means comprises a pressure cylinder in fluid communication with said outlet opening, a second piston mounted for reciprocal movement within said pressure cylinder between a first position and a second position, biasing means for biasing said second piston toward said first position, and coupling means for coupling said second piston to said first piston. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 2 wherein said coupling means comprises a spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 1 wherein said pneumatic actuation means includes a pressure cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 1 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 2 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing, said indexing means comprises a finger coupled to said second piston sized and shaped to engage said magazine. ### Claim 7 A rapid fire compressed air gun comprising: a pressure tank adapted to contain pressurized air; air pump means for pressurizing said pressure tank; a magazine adapted to hold a plurality of projectiles; and sequential control means for controlling the sequential flow of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said magazine, said sequential control means including a manifold having a firing opening adjacent one end of said manifold in fluid communication with said magazine, an outlet opening adjacent said firing opening, and an intake opening in fluid communication with said pressure tank and positioned adjacent said outlet opening distally from said firing opening, a piston mounted within said manifold having a first seal and a second seal spaced from said first seal, said piston being movable between a pressurizing position with said first and second seals sandwiching said inlet and outlet openings and said second seal positioned between said outlet opening and said firing opening, and a firing position with said first and second seals sandwiching said inlet opening and said second seal positioned between said inlet opening and said outlet opening so as to allow fluid communication between said outlet opening and said firing opening, pneumatic actuation means in fluid communication with said manifold through said outlet opening for reciprocal actuation of .said piston and adapted to contain a supply of pressurized air therein, and trigger means for controlling the flow of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said manifold; whereby with the piston in the pressurizing position pressurized air from the pressure tank passes through the inlet opening into the manifold, through the outlet opening into the pneumatic actuation means to cause the actuation means to move the piston to its firing position, and with actuation of the piston by the actuation means to its firing position pressurized air within the pneumatic actuation means passes back into the manifold through the outlet opening and from manifold to the magazine through the firing opening for firing the projectile therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 7 wherein said pneumatic actuation means comprises a pressure cylinder in fluid communication with said outlet opening, a second piston mounted for reciprocal movement within said pressure cylinder between a first position and a second position, biasing means for biasing said second piston toward said first position, and coupling means for coupling said second piston to said sequential control means piston. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 8 wherein said coupling means comprises a spring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 7 wherein said pneumatic actuation means includes a pressure cell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 7 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 8 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing, said indexing means comprises a finger coupled to said second piston sized and shaped to engage said magazine. ### Claim 13 A rapid fire compressed air gun comprising: a pressure tank adapted to contain pressurized air; air pump means for pressurizing said pressure tank; a magazine adapted to hold a plurality of projectiles; and sequential control means for controlling the sequential flow of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said magazine, said sequential control means including a manifold having a first end and a second end, said manifold communicating at its first end with said magazine through a firing opening and communicating at its second end with said pressure tank through an inlet opening, said manifold also having an outlet opening, a piston mounted in said manifold with said piston being slidable within said manifold between a first position adjacent said first end of said manifold for closing off communication between said outlet opening and said firing opening and for allowing communication between said inlet opening and said outlet opening and a second position adjacent said second end of said manifold for opening up communication between said outlet opening and said firing opening, pneumatic actuation means in fluid communication with said manifold through said outlet opening for reciprocal actuation of said piston between said first position and said second position, said pneumatic actuation means being adapted to contain a supply of pressurized air therein, and trigger means for controlling the flow of pressurized air from said pressure tank to said manifold; whereby with the piston in the first position pressurized air from the pressure tank passes through the inlet opening into the manifold, through the outlet opening into the pneumatic actuation means to cause the actuation means to move the piston to its second position, and with actuation of the piston by the actuation means to its second position pressurized air within the pneumatic actuation means passes back into the manifold through the outlet opening and from manifold to the magazine through the firing opening for firing the projectile therein. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The rapid firing compressed air gun of claim 13 wherein said piston includes a first seal and a second seal spaced from said first seal, and with said piston in said first position said first and second seals sandwich said inlet and outlet openings and said second seal is positioned between said outlet opening and said firing opening, and with said piston in said second position said first and second seals sandwich said inlet opening and said second seal is positioned between said inlet opening and said outlet opening allowing fluid communication between said outlet opening and said firing opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 13 wherein said pneumatic actuation means comprises a pressure cylinder in fluid communication with said outlet opening, a second piston mounted for reciprocal movement within said pressure cylinder between a first position and a second position, biasing means for biasing said second piston toward said first position, and coupling means for coupling said second piston to said sequential control means piston. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 15 wherein said coupling means comprises a spring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 13 wherein said pneumatic actuation means includes a pressure cell. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 13 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The rapid fire compressed air gun of claim 15 further comprising indexing means for sequentially positioning projectiles in said magazine for firing, said indexing means comprises a finger coupled to said second piston sized and shaped to engage said magazine. ### Claim 20 A compressed air toy gun for firing projectiles comprising: a movably magazine adapted to hold a plurality of projectiles, an air pump, a pneumatic indexer in fluid communication with said air pump and coupled to said magazine, an air pressure chamber in fluid communication with said air pump, said air pressure chamber having an exit in fluid communication with said magazine, a release valve in fluid communication with said air pressure chamber opening, said release valve being operable between an open configuration allowing air to pass from said pressure chamber to said magazine and a sealed position preventing air from passing from said pressure chamber to said magazine, a trigger coupled to said release valve, whereby with the release valve in its sealed position the air pump is operated to pressurize air which is delivered to and used to operate the pneumatic indexer so as to index the magazine and which is delivered to the air pressure chamber, and whereby the actuation of the trigger causes the release valve to move to its open configuration allowing the pressurized air within the pressure chamber to pass into the magazine for launching the projectile therein. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The compressed air toy gun of claim 20 further comprising a pressure tank in fluid communication with said air pump and said air pressure chamber. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The compressed air toy gun of claim 20 wherein said magazine is rotatable and said indexing means rotates said magazine. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The compressed air toy gun of claim 22 wherein said magazine is configured to hold elongated toy darts. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The compressed air toy gun of claim 21 wherein said pneumatic indexer is configured to be actuated in rapid sequence with continued actuation of said trigger and wherein the pressurized air within the pressure tank is used to actuate the pneumatic indexer.