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. 27, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2003
Michael J. Yokota, San Diego, CA (US);
Joseph A. Landry, Spring Valley, CA (US);
Lester Broersma, San Diego, CA (US);
JT USA, Inc., Chula Vista, CA (US);
Abstract
An ammunition magazine for dispensing uniformly-sized spherical projectiles such as paintballs into a gun adapted to shoot said projectiles has a generally oblong, closed container having a channel defined in its bottom from a distal axial end to an outlet port located in a lowermost, median portion of the container. The proximal portion of the container floor defines a slanted platform which extends above and beyond the outer port so that projectiles are urged by the platform toward the distal end of the channel from where they roll under the platform and into the outlet port. A helicoidal stirring arm projects from a distal area of the platform obliquely over the exposed part of the channel. The steering arm is driven by an electrical motor controlled by a switch conveniently mounted on the side of the magazine. The arm spins in a ball-uplifting direction to break any jamming of the balls above the channel. The outlet port extends into a tubular section having radial fins which allow the escape of blown-back gases between the tubular section and the internal wall of the gun projectile inlet.