Patent ID: 7343909

Claim:
A drive assist mechanism for use with an active feed paintball loader comprising: a drive shaft longitudinally positioned along a center axis and rotatable about the center axis; a drive member mounted on the drive shaft and rotatable about the center axis in coordination with the drive shaft; a feeder secured to the drive shaft and independently rotatable about the center axis relative to the drive member; a spring located between the drive member and the feeder, the spring adapted to maintain constant tension on the feeder when the drive shaft rotates in a feeding direction; a spring housing secured to the drive shaft to rotate in coordination with the drive shaft, the spring housing being positioned beneath the feeder to form an enclosed chamber with the feeder to house the spring; and a manual drive handle secured to the drive shaft and extending externally from the loader, the manual drive handle being rotatable about the center axis in coordination with the drive shaft; wherein rotation of the feeder with respect to the drive member causes winding and unwinding of the spring, the winding of the spring creating potential energy in the spring that is used to rotate the feeder.