Device using a pneumatically-actuated carrier to eject projectiles along a trajectory

Apparatus for imparting a desired trajectory to a projectile, comprising:

• (a) a tubular member defining an inner space, said tubular member having a front end and a rear end, the front end being open;
• (b) a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being coupled to the inner space through a port at the rear end of the tubular member via a fluid path that is sealed by a valve that is electromagnetically controlled;
• (c) a compressor having an intake and exhaust, said exhaust being coupled in fluid communication with the inlet of the chamber, and said intake being coupled in fluid communication with the inner space adjacent to the rear end of the tubular member, said compressor developing a charge of compressed air within the chamber;
• and
• (d) a projectile carrier disposed within said tubular member, said projectile carrier having a firing position in which it is disposed in front of the port at the rear of the tubular member, such that when said valve opens, the projectile carrier is initially accelerated toward the front end of the tubular member by the charge of compressed air, thereby imparting kinetic energy to a projectile that is disposed in front of the projectile carrier, so that the projectile is ejected from the front end of the tubular member along the desired trajectory.

A device for ejecting a projectile, the device comprising:

• (a) a barrel defining an inner space and having a closed end, and an open end through which the projectile is ejected;
• (b) a chamber in which a charge of a compressed fluid having a pressure substantially greater than ambient air pressure is developed, said chamber being selectively coupled in fluid communication with the inner space of the barrel, so that the charge of compressed fluid is selectively released into the inner space of the barrel;
• and
• (c) a projectile carrier disposed generally adjacent to the closed end of the barrel when in a firing position, the projectile carrier remaining unattached to a projectile and having a cross-sectional size sufficiently close to that of the barrel so as to move freely along the inner space of the barrel, while accelerating an unattached projectile conveyed by the projectile carrier through the inner space when the charge of compressed fluid is selectively released into the barrel behind the projectile carrier, said projectile carrier imparting kinetic energy to the unattached projectile when the projectile carrier is forced from its firing position by the charge of compressed fluid and ejecting the unattached projectile from the barrel.

A method for propelling a projectile along a trajectory, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a tubular member for directing the projectile out from an open end of the tubular member;
• (ii) a projectile carrier having a cross-sectional size substantially equal to that of the tubular member;
• (iii) a projectile having a cross-sectional size less than that of the tubular member;
• and
• (iv) a charge of compressed fluid;
• (b) loading the projectile into the tubular member so that the projectile is adjacent to but not attached to the projectile carrier;
• (c) positioning the projectile carrier in a firing position within the tubular member;
• and
• (d) rapidly releasing the charge of compressed fluid into the tubular member so that the compressed fluid acts on the projectile carrier and accelerates the projectile carrier and the projectile through the tubular member, said projectile being thus propelled from the tubular member along the trajectory.

A method for propelling a projectile along a trajectory, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a tubular member for directing the projectile out from an open end of the tubular member;
• (ii) a projectile having a cross-sectional size less then that of the tubular member;
• (iii) a projectile carrier having a cross-sectional size substantially equal to that of the tubular member, wherein the projectile carrier has one of a raised rim and at least one spring clip to receive and retain the projectile within the projectile carrier, thereby generally preventing the projectile from disengaging form the projectile carrier if the tubular member is tilted downwardly with its open end disposed below the horizontal, until a charge of compressed fluid is released;
• and
• (iv) a charge of compressed fluid;
• (b) loading the projectile into the tubular member so that the projectile is adjacent to the projectile carrier;
• (c) positioning the projectile carrier in a firing position within the tubular member;
• and
• (d) rapidly releasing the charge of compressed fluid into the tubular member so that the compressed fluid acts on the projectile carrier and accelerates the projectile carrier and the projectile through the tubular member, said projectile being thus propelled from the tubular member along the trajectory.

A method for propelling a projectile along a trajectory, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a tubular member for directing the projectile out from an open end of the tubular member;
• (ii) a projectile having a cross-sectional size less then that of the tubular member;
• (iii) a projectile carrier having a cross-sectional size substantially equal to that of the tubular member;
• and
• (iv) a charge of compressed fluid that is developed using a compressor having an intake and an exhaust, said intake being coupled in fluid communication with a volume of the tubular member that is disposed behind the projectile carrier;
• (b) loading the projectile into the tubular member so that the projectile is adjacent to the projectile carrier;
• (c) positioning the projectile carrier in a firing position within the tubular member by energizing the compressor to create a partial vacuum in the volume of the tubular member that causes the projectile carrier to be moved through the tubular member and into the firing position;
• and
• (d) rapidly releasing the charge of compressed fluid into the tubular member so that the compressed fluid acts on the projectile carrier and accelerates the projectile carrier and the projectile through the tubular member, said projectile being thus propelled from the tubular member along the trajectory.

A method for propelling a projectile along a trajectory, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a tubular member for directing the projectile out from an open end of the tubular member;
• (ii) a projectile having a cross-sectional size less then that of the tubular member;
• (iii) a projectile carrier having a cross-sectional size substantially equal to that of the tubular member;
• and
• (iv) a charge of compressed fluid that is disposed within a chamber, the chamber being in fluid communication with the tubular member along a path that is sealed with a valve;
• (b) loading the projectile into the tubular member so that the projectile is adjacent to the projectile carrier;
• (c) positioning the projectile carrier in a firing position within the tubular member;
• and
• (d) rapidly releasing the charge of compressed fluid into the tubular member by opening the valve, so that the compressed fluid acts on the projectile carrier and accelerates the projectile carrier and the projectile through the tubular member, said projectile being thus propelled from the tubular member along the trajectory.

A method for propelling a projectile along a trajectory, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a tubular member for directing the projectile out from an open end of the tubular member;
• (ii) a projectile having a cross-sectional size less then that of the tubular member;
• (iii) a projectile carrier having a cross-sectional size substantially equal to that of the tubular member;
• and
• (iv) a charge of compressed fluid;
• (b) loading the projectile into the tubular member so that the projectile is adjacent to the projectile carrier;
• (c) positioning the projectile carrier in a firing position within the tubular member;
• (d) rapidly releasing the charge of compressed fluid into the tubular member so that the compressed fluid acts on the projectile carrier and accelerates the projectile carrier and the projectile through the tubular member, said projectile being thus propelled from the tubular member along the trajectory;
• and
• (e) determining a velocity of the projectile as it is ejected from the tubular member.