Feed elbow for compressed gas gun and method of using same

Abstract

An adapter for releasably connecting a hopper to a gas gun is provided. The adapter includes a body with a clamp ring securable to an outlet tube of the hopper. An inlet passage through the body of the adapter includes a clamp ring end in communication with the clamp ring and a breech end alignable with a breech opening of the gas gun. The adapter further includes a mounting element connected to the body. The mounting element includes an interior portion for receiving a segment of a rail system of the gas gun. A locking device is positioned adjacent the mounting element and is configured to releasably secure the mounting element to the rail system of the gas gun in a locked position. A method of using the adapter is also provided.

1 . An adapter for releasably connecting a hopper to a gas gun, the adapter comprising: 
 a body with a clamp ring securable to an outlet tube of the hopper;    an inlet passage through the body comprising a clamp ring end in communication with the clamp ring and a breech end alignable with a breech opening of the gas gun;    a mounting element connected to the body, the mounting element comprising an interior portion for receiving a segment of a rail system of the gas gun; and    a locking device positioned adjacent the mounting element configured to releasably secure the mounting element to the rail system of the gas gun in a locked position.    
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the locking device further comprises: 
 a housing comprising a substantially longitudinal axis, a closed end, and an open end;    a spring disposed within the housing along the longitudinal axis toward the closed end of the housing;    a latch substantially disposed within the housing along the longitudinal axis toward the open end of the housing, the latch comprising a spring end in contact with the spring and a button end extending from the housing adjacent the open end; and    a cap comprising an aperture, the cap mounted to the open end of the housing thereby containing the latch and the spring within the housing,    wherein the button end of the latch extends along the longitudinal axis through the aperture of the cap.    
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 2 , wherein the latch further comprises a locking element extending longitudinally along an exterior surface of the latch adjacent the mounting element.  
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a channel extending longitudinally along an internal surface of the housing for receiving the locking element of the latch.  
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 4 , wherein the mounting element comprises an aperture configured to receive the locking element of the latch.  
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 5 , wherein the aperture extends between the interior portion of the mounting element and the interior surface of the housing, adjacent the channel, in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing.  
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 5 , wherein the spring is biased to maintain the latch toward the open end of the housing, thereby maintaining the button end of the latch extending from the housing adjacent the open end and the locking element disposed within the aperture of the mounting element to secure the mounting element to the rail system of the gas gun in the locked position.  
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 7 , wherein the locking element is disposed between rails of the rail system of the gas gun to maintain the mounting element in the locked position.  
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 7 , wherein the button end of the latch is movable to displace the latch toward the closed end of the housing to compress the spring toward the closed end of the housing, to displace the locking element of the latch from the aperture of the mounting element into the channel of the housing to release the mounting element from the rail system of the gas gun to an unlocked position.  
     
     
         10 . The adapter of  claim 9 , wherein the locking element is releasable from between the rails of the rail system of the gas gun to release the mounting element to the unlocked position.  
     
     
         11 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the a clamp ring is flexible to receive hopper outlet tubes of varying diameters.  
     
     
         12 . The adapter of  claim 11 , wherein the clamp ring comprises an adjustable fastening device to secure the clamp ring to the outlet tube of the hopper.  
     
     
         13 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper comprises a paintball hopper and the gas gun comprises a paintball gun.  
     
     
         14 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter further comprises a feed elbow for delivering ammunition from the hopper to the gas gun.  
     
     
         15 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter comprises polymeric material.  
     
     
         16 . A method of releasably connecting a hopper to a gas gun, the method comprising the steps of: 
 securing a clamp ring of an adapter to an outlet tube of the hopper;    manually depressing a button end of a latch of the adapter, thereby configuring an interior portion of a mounting element of the adapter to receive a segment of a rail system of the gas gun;    sliding the adapter along the rail system of the gas gun;    substantially aligning a breech end of an inlet passage of the adapter with a breech opening of the gas gun; and    releasing the button end of the latch of the adapter, thereby securing the adapter to the rail system in a locked position.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of releasing the button end of the latch of the adapter causes a locking element of the latch be disposed between adjacent rails of the rail system of the gas gun.  
     
     
         18 . A method of releasing a hopper from a gas gun, the method comprising the steps of: 
 actuating a latch of an adapter, the adapter releasably connecting the hopper to the gas gun, thereby releasing the adapter from a rail system of the gas gun in an unlocked position; and    sliding the adapter along the rail system to disconnect a breech end of an inlet passage of the adapter from a breech opening of the gas gun.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of actuating includes manually depressing a button end of a latch of an adapter, displacing a locking element of the latch from between adjacent rails of the rail system of the gas gun.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of removing a clamp ring of the adapter from an outlet tube of the hopper.