GB2162292A

GB2162292A - Air guns

Info

Publication number: GB2162292A
Application number: GB8517107A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DAYSTATE Ltd
Current assignee: DAYSTATE Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-12
Filing date: 1985-07-05
Publication date: 1986-01-29
Also published as: GB8517107D0; GB8417826D0; GB2162292B

Abstract

A gun for firing projectiles, such as paint capsules for use in game warfare or for marking of animals, has a barrel (10) and a breech (14) with bolt (16). A store (32) of compressed air is provided within a housing (26) of the gun, and a valve member (34) is operable by a trigger (70) to release air from the store (32) into the barrel (10) through a passage (42) in an end block (28) and aligned apertures (22, 24) in the barrel (10) and breech (14) respectively. The compressed air expands in the barrel (10) to eject the capsule. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Capsule gun This invention is concerned with apparatus for firing projectiles, particularly guns which are adapted to fire capsules of, for example, paint.

Guns for firing paint capsules have previously been proposed for use in game warfare or for marking of animals etc. and have used carbon dioxide as an operating medium. However, the use of carbon dioxide cylinders is not allowable in the United Kingdom without a relevant firearms certificate and requirement for this is disadvantages in respect of a gun for the non-combative purposes desired.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for firing a projectile, the apparatus comprising barrel means for locating a projectile therein, means providing for delivery of compressed air to the barrel means, and trigger means operable to control the delivery of the compressed air to the barrel means for firing of the projectile.

Preferably the apparatus includes means for storing a supply of compressed air, and valve means for controlling passage of the compressed air from the supply to the barrel means, the trigger means being operable to move the valve means between a closed position and an open position enabling passage of the compressed air to the barrel means sufficient to fire the projectile.

The store means may be rechargeable with compressed air. For recharging valve means may be provided at a location in the store means remote from the control valve means.

Preferably also there is provided an integral housing, and the store means comprises a compartment defined within the housing. Alternatively the store means comprises a container which is removably mounted in the apparatus.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the single figure of the accompanying drawing which shows a sectional side elevation of part of an apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the part of a gun shown therein includes a barrel 10 having an open outer end 1 2 and an inner end mounted in a breech 14 in which is slidably located an operating bolt 16. At the inner end of the barrel 10 there is provided a ring seal 1 8 whereby, in an innermost position of the bolt 1 6 as shown in the drawing, a shoulder 20 on the bolt 1 6 engages with the seal 1 8 to create a sealing effect between the bolt 1 6 and the barrel 10. Adjacent to the inner end the barrel 10 is provided with a radially extending aperture 22 aligned with an aperture 24 in the breech 1 4 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The breech 14 is mounted on a housing 26 which is of tubular elongate form and extends parallel to and below the barrel 10. Within the housing 26 there is provided a block 28 at a location substantially below the inner end of the barrel 10 and an end block 30 closes the outermost end of the housing 26. The blocks 28, 30 define therebetween a compartment which can act as a store 32 for an operating medium in the form of compressed air.

Within the block 28 there is defined a stepped bore 33 and a valve member 34 within the bore 33 is biassed by a compression spring 36 against a shoulder 38 of the bore 33 to prevent compressed air entering an exit section 40 of the bore 33. A radial passage 42 through the block 28 communicates with the exit section 40 and also with the aligned apertures 22, 24 in the barrel 10 and breech 14 respectively. The valve member 34 has an operating rod 44 extending through the exit section 40 and a further reduced diameter section 46 of the bore 33 to externally of the block 28.

The end block 30 similarly is provided with a stepped bore 48, a valve member 50, and a compression spring 52 biassing the valve member 50 against a shoulder 54 of the bore 48 whereby to close communication between the bore 48 and externally of the end block 30. An annular seal 56 is provided between the end block 30 and the inner face of the housing 26 and also an annular seal 58 is similarly provided between the block 28 and the inner face of the housing 26.

At the other end of the housing 26 there is provided an end cap 60 which seats in a recess one end of a compression spring 62, the other end of the latter being located within a recess 64 in an operating member 66. The latter has a recessed operating end 68 which can engage with the externally projecting rod 44 of the valve member 34. A trigger 70 is pivotally mounted on the housing 26, externally underneath the latter, and is biassed by a compression spring 72 to a position wherein a nose 74 projects through an aperture 76 in the wall of the housing 26 and can engage against a shoulder 78 defined by the operating part 68 of the member 66 when the latter is forced against the compression of the spring 62 whereby the trigger 70 can latch the operating member 66 in a nonoperative position (not shown in the drawing).

When a supply of compressed air is available in the store 32 and a projectile, for example in the form of a paint capsule, is located in the breech 14 by means of with drawal of the bolt 1 6 to enable entry of a capsule from a laterally positioned magazine (not shown), the gun is then ready for firing, with the operating member 66 in a latched condition. Operation of the trigger 70 will then release the operating member 66 which is forced by the spring 62 to move into engagement with the rod 44 and thus push the latter with the valve member 34 off the shoulder 38 such that the valve is opened and compressed air can pass through the exit section 40, the passage 42 and the aligned apertures 22, 24. The compressed air expands in the barrel 10 to eject the paint capsule at a desired velocity.Any suitable arrangement may be provided to move the operating member 66 back to a position where it is latched by the trigger 70 and this action can be made automatic if desired, for example by utilising compressed air from the store 32.

The store 32 of compressed air can be recharged by displacing the valve member 50 and allowing air to enter into the store 32. On recharging it is desired that air is pressurised in the store 32 to a a pressure of 2500 Ibs/in2. Such a store of compressed air is capable of firing forty capsules without appreciable loss of velocity. This is possible because the higher the pressure of air in the store 32 the more quickly is the valve member 34 returned to a closed condition on disengagement of the operating member 66, so that a small volume of air at high pressure is then available for firing. As the pressure of air remaining in the store 32 reduces, subsequent use of the gun is such that a longer time elapses before the valve member 34 is returned to its closed position, so that a larger volume of air at less pressure is then made available for firing.Consequently sufficient air is available for the firing of up to forty capsules. It is also anticipated that the gun may be used with a six or seven shot magazine.

In an alternative arrangement (not shown) the store of compressed air is in the form of a removable container having an externally threaded end for engagement in an internally threaded end of the gun housing, which thus does not define any internal storage compartment.

There is therefore provided a gun adapted to fire paint capsules and the like which does not require a firearms certificate and therefore can be made readily available. The gun is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use without any breaking of the barrel for loading, which is necessary with certain other guns of this type which have been previously proposed.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the invention. For example the configuration and structure of the various components may differ from that described and shown and also the trigger arrangement may differ from that described and shown.

The operating bolt within the breech may be operated from one side of the breech by means of an appropriate projection located through a side slot, and a capsule magazine may be provided at the opposed side of the breech for loading therein.

Claims

1. Apparatus for firing a projectile, the apparatus comprising barrel means for locating a projectile therein, means providing for delivery of compressed air to the barrel means, and trigger means operable to control the delivery of the compressed air to the barrel means for firing of the projectile.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for storing a supply of compressed air, and valve means for controlling passage of the compressed air from the supply to the barrel means, the trigger means being operable to move the valve means between a closed position and an open position enabling passage of the compressed air to the barrel means sufficient to fire the projectile.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the store means is rechargeable with compressed air.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, for recharging, valve means is provided at a location in the store means remote from the control valve means.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein there is provided an integral housing, andthe store means comprises a compartment defined within the housing.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a pair of spaced apart blocks mounted in the housing define the compartment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the store means comprises a container which is removably mounted in the apparatus.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the container has an externally threaded part to engage in an internally threaded part of the apparatus.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the store means is capable of storing sufficient compressed air for the firing of forty projectiles.

1 0. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the barrel means is aligned with a breech in which is siidably located an operating bolt.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 0, wherein an aperture in a wall of the breech adjacent to the barrel means provides for delivery of compressed air to the latter.

1 2. Apparatus for firing a projectile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

1 3. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.