Patent ID: 7269099

Claim:
An air gun comprising: a body having a first and a second end; a port disposed proximate said second end of said body, said port having an outlet open to the atmosphere and an inlet; an operating chamber disposed proximate said first end of said body, said operating chamber in fluid communication with an air supply; a firing chamber disposed proximate said second end of said body, said firing chamber adapted to be in fluid communication with said inlet of said port and said operating chamber; and a shuttle disposed between said operating chamber and said firing chamber, said shuttle including: a shuttle flange disposed within said operating chamber, said shuttle having a first and a second region disposed on opposite sides of said shuttle flange, said first and said second region having a first and a second radial cross-sectional area, respectively; a firing shuttle flange adapted to selectively open said firing chamber to said port and seal said firing chamber form said port; and a shuttle nose region proximate said shuttle flange and extending beyond said operating chamber towards said first end of said body wherein a return force urges said shuttle from an unloaded position to a loaded position, and wherein a magnitude of said return force proportionate to the difference between said first and said second cross-sectional thickness of said shuttle.