Airgun projectile carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11098976-B2
Application number	US-202016794038-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

Projectile carriers are provided. In one aspect, a projectile carrier has a storage area with a breech opening and a bolt opening aligned with the breech opening along a first axis, a plurality of projectile drivers positioned in the storage area are biased to move in a first direction within the storage area along a path that passes between the breech opening and the bore opening. A stop is positioned to stop movement of the projectile drivers in the first direction when one of the projectile drivers is positioned substantially aligned at the first axis. The projectile drivers have a block that prevents a projectile from exiting the bolt opening. The projectile drivers are sized and can be moved in a second direction to allow a bolt to drive a projectile along the first axis through the breech opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile carrier comprising:
a frame defining a storage area with a breech opening and a bolt opening aligned with the breech opening along a first axis;
a carousel positioned and rotatable within the storage area;
a plurality of projectile drivers defined within the carousel and biased to move in a first direction within the storage area along a path that passes between the breech opening and the bolt opening; and
a stop projecting from the frame and positioned to stop movement of the projectile drivers in the first direction when one of the projectile drivers positions a projectile substantially aligned with the first axis,
wherein each projectile driver of the plurality of projectile drivers further comprises a block located between the projectile and the bolt opening with the block extending toward the stop so that a separation between the block and the stop is less than a size necessary for the projectile to move from the one of the projectile drivers through the bolt opening and wherein each projectile driver has a separation offset sized to permit movement of the projectile carrier in a second direction along the path sufficient to permit a bolt to enter projectile driver without moving the projectile from a position determined by the stop.

2. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block has an arcuate shape that tapers axially from a portion of a projectile driver that applies a bias against the projectile to move the projectile in a first direction along the path.

3. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block comprises a semi-circular block.

4. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block extends over less than 20 percent of a perimeter of a projectile driver of the plurality of projectile drivers.

5. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block comprises multiple nodes.

6. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block has a semi-circular configuration.

7. The projectile carrier of claim 1 , wherein the block has a tapered edge confronting the bolt opening, with the tapered edge being configured so that a force applied on an axis generally parallel to the first axis and against a taper of the tapered edge urges the projectile carrier at the bolt opening to move in a second direction to an extent sufficient to allow a bolt to enter a projectile driver defined by the plurality of projectile drivers to advance a projectile in the projectile carrier from the projectile carrier through the breech opening.

8. A projectile carrier comprising
a frame defining a storage area with a breech opening and a bolt opening aligned with the breech opening along a first axis;
a carousel positioned and rotatable within the storage area; and
a plurality of projectile drivers defined within the carousel each having a portion of a length along the first axis with a leading surface and a trailing surface that is biased to drive a projectile located between the leading surface and trailing surface in a first direction along a path that passes between the breech opening and the bolt opening and a bolt portion to a stop projecting from the frame that positions the projectile for movement along the first axis and each having a bolt passageway portion that is substantially similar in size to that of the projectile at a bolt passageway offset from the first axis when the projectile is positioned between the stop and the trailing surface,
wherein the leading surface and the trailing surface are separated by a separation offset in the portion that is greater than the bolt passageway offset so that the projectile carrier can be moved in a second direction along the path to align the bolt passageway with the first axis without causing the projectile drivers to move the projectile from the stop.

9. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , wherein the bolt passageway has a tapered edge confronting the bolt opening, with the tapered edge being configured so that a force applied on an axis generally parallel to the first axis and against a taper defined by the tapered edge urges the projectile carrier to move in a second direction to an extent sufficient to allow a bolt to enter the portion to advance a projectile in the projectile carrier from the projectile carrier through the breech opening.

10. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , wherein the bolt passageway has an arcuate blocking edge that tapers axially from a portion of a projectile driver that applies a bias against the projectile to move the projectile in a first direction along the path.

11. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , wherein the bolt passageway further comprises a semi-circular blocking edge.

12. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , wherein the bolt passageway has a blocking edge extends over less than 20 percent of a perimeter of a projectile driver of the plurality of projectile drivers.

13. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , wherein the bolt passageway has a blocking edge comprising multiple nodes.

14. The projectile carrier of claim 8 , the bolt passageway has a blocking edge that has a semi-circular configuration.

Assignees

• Crosman Corp

Inventors

• Call Kenneth A

Classifications

• F41B11/54 Primary

  the projectiles being stored in a rotating drum magazine · CPC title