Patent ID: 7210473

Claim:
A paintball marker having a trigger and a flow control valve, wherein the trigger is operatively connected to the flow control valve, the flow control valve including a housing defining an interior, the housing having a first, a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth port, wherein the ports are longitudinally spaced apart, wherein the housing further includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth housing projection extending into the interior longitudinally between the first and second ports, the second and third ports, the third and fourth ports and the fourth and fifth ports respectively, the housing projections having a first, a second, a third and a fourth housing sealing surface thereon respectively, the flow control valve further including an elongate valve spool that is slidably mounted in the housing, the valve spool having a first, a second, a third and a fourth generally ring-shaped spool projection, wherein the spool projections are longitudinally spaced apart, the spool projections having a first, a second, a third and a fourth spool sealing surface thereon respectively for sealing engagement with the housing sealing surfaces, wherein the valve spool is moveable between a first position wherein the second and fourth spool sealing surfaces seal against the second and fourth housing sealing surfaces respectively to permit fluid communication between the third port and the fourth port and between the first port and the second port, and a second position wherein the first and third spool sealing surfaces seal against the first and third housing sealing surfaces respectively to permit fluid communication between the second port and the third port and between the fourth port and the fifth port, wherein the valve spool is engageable by the trigger by at least one of a mechanical and a pneumatic connection for movement to at least one of the first and second positions.