Patent ID: 9513082
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: F41B

Claim Text:
1. A paintball transfer apparatus for feeding paintballs into a paintball marker, the paintball transfer apparatus comprising: a housing having an outer wall with an inner surface, the outer wall defining a cavity within the housing in which paintballs are capable of being stored, the housing having an upper end and a lower end; a path formed on the inner surface of the outer wall, the path being shaped to guide paintballs, the path comprising a helical path portion; an input port opening defined at a first end of the path so that paintballs may pass into the path through the input port opening; an exit port defined at a second end of the path adjacent to the upper end of the housing, the exit port being configured so that a paintball may exit the path through the exit port; a cylindrical roller, having an outer surface and an inner surface, positioned within the cavity and being configured to rotate about a roller axis; the inner surface of the roller defining a chamber with an open top end to receive paintballs downwardly thereinto the chamber by gravity and a bottom open end; the bottom open end being disposed above the lower end of the housing; the bottom open end of the roller being in communication with the input port opening at the first end of the path to permit movement of paintballs from the chamber in the roller into the path by gravity; the paintballs being movably secured between the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing and the outer surface of the roller; a drive mechanism for rotating the roller; wherein the drive mechanism causes rotation of the roller relative to the housing, thereby causing paintballs located between the inner surface of the outer wall of the housing and the outer surface of the roller to travel upwardly along the path against the forces of gravity and out through the exit port.