The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 16, 1999
James T. Christopher, Garland, TX (US);
Albert G. Schilling, Garland, TX (US);
Odyssey Paintball Products, Inc., Garland, TX (US);
Abstract
A rapid feed paintball loader for use upon a conventional paintball gun. The rapid feed paintball loader includes a container for holding a plurality of paintballs. At a bottom portion of the container is a rotatable drive cone having a plurality of vertical fins. Each fin spirals outwardly from a center axis of the drive cone. In addition, each fin forms a gap with an adjacent fin large enough to accommodate a paintball. At the bottom of the container is an exit tube which exits from the bottom portion of the container and leads to an inlet tube of the paintball gun. A portion of the exit tube is sloped at an angle equivalent to the slope of a top surface of the drive cone. A catch arm is mounted on an interior surface of the container adjacent to the sloped exit portion of the exit tube. The catch arm is mounted at a height which is above the top surface of the fins, and which is approximately equal to the radius of a paintball. During the operation of the paintball loader, a plurality of paintballs are placed in the interior space of the container. The paintballs fall into the gaps of the drive cone. The rotating drive cone pushes the paintballs toward the first opening. The catch arm then forces the paintball located in the gap into the exit tube for delivery to the paintball gun.