AGD patents a new hopper

[fallout11]

Yes, that's right kiddies.
Tom and crew have patented a new hopper design (actually, an update/refinement to their 2000 hopper patent):

http://airsoldier.com/~haveblue/tech/patents/US006609511.pdf

Scroll on down to Figure 3 for the idea.
Figures 1 & 2 show how it's done presently with most hoppers.....

The patent was filed in 2001, and approved late last year (2003)

This design, which straddles the body of the paintball gun, below the barrel, and feeds using a centerline 'conveyor' system, with multiple ball locations to store stacked/queued balls, and is operated by electronic sensors.
One could see this as a refinement of the warp feed, except with a hopper built in. Just what the doctor asked for!

See here for such requests:
http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=108073
http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125279


As neat a concept as this is (and I like it!), I feel I have seen this before somewhere.....

You see, I own an Advanced Tactical Systems (ATS) series marker, which already uses an under the barrel hopper and chain conveyor system to queue and load balls in the chamber.
Only, it is mechanically operated by the marker's bolt, rather than electronically operated via sensors.

The 1995/1998 patent for the excellent AT series guns:

http://airsoldier.com/~haveblue/tech/patents/US005771875.pdf

[Halliday]

Neat. At first I was like, "Wow a conveyer belt." Then "Uh.. a Rev?" Then "Oh cool!"

Look at it. That could make "blimps" a thing of the past.

[phantomhitman]

that is a great idea. make the holder below to-or equal to, the barrel. then force feed them up.

[Patron God of Pirates]

If I'm not mistaken that hopper requires a gun which is (ULP!) bottom feed!!

Plus it doubles as a rifle style foregrip. People will tell you that is the best for aiming.

Tom,

You can put me on the pre-order list now. And throw me on the list for the bottom feeding gun while your at it.

[fallout11]

A small hose section, with a warp-feed style body, or the old powerfeed (in the bottom) would work.

But yes, a bottom-fed gun (like the ATS series) would be even better.....

Tom has given several indications that a "revolutionary" new marker design might be in the works....

[SlartyBartFast]

Neat idea and I saw th e patent a long time ago.

but, the best way would be to put the internals of a Warp and Halo in there.

[hostage]

lol I was suprised to see my name as one of the posters lol! I vaugly remember making that post.
-Hostage

[vf-xx]

eheheheheheheheeeee......



I know why they renewed it....

I know I know...... Can't tell.. ARG!!!

[fallout11]

This approach is far superior to the operation/mechanics of a halo and warp.

This is a relatively NEW patent.
It was only approved in August, 2003 (7 months ago).

I am concerned that ATS's prior patent will negate us from ever seeing this as an AGD product (marketed), though.
Maybe not.

[deadeye9]

It does look alot like the ATS magnum loader:

http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/tsoog/magnm1.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/tsoog/magnm2.jpg

[fallout11]

That is exactly my point, Deadeye9. =)
Nice magnum loader, btw.

Now don't get me wrong, the ATS system works magnificently. And if Tom can improve it, and make it work for other guns by means of an electronics/sensor package, more power to him. I'd by one for my mag.

[MicroMiniMe]

Well if Toms intention is to use the direct feed of a HPA tank straight to the valve and allowing the valve/firing components to be reduced in size. This would let the size of the gun still be about the same as it is now with the ability to have a hopper system enshrouding the whole marker being included in that size. It would look like a large feed system with a gripframe on back and a barrel coming out the front, with everything else internalized almost. It might allow the injected carbon fiber parts to be used again internally. There might be little space for color anodized aluminum and back to the days of 'ugly' guns.
By I would indeed buy in a hearbeat a gun system that is still compact and relatively lightweight even if its in composite materials in drab colors. Assuming this would have AGD exceptional quality and performance.

[coolcatpete]

crazyness tom siad hoppers were out of the question
Pete

[Woogie12]

Bullpup markers!

[RenagadeOfFunk]

claps hands...yes yes YES!!! ...don't stop....






...the great ideas ;)

[fallout11]

I always liked 'ugly', drab guns.
So long as they work well.
Tom recently made some comments on this forum that "the next gun he made would be the gun he would make for himself", and it would not be flashy/pretty.
Hmmm....

Carbon fiber and composites would definitely be the way to go.
Good thinking, Microminime.
This system, combined with some of the other features Tom has been hinting at, makes sense, and might show up in AGD's next marker.

It certainly would have a lot going for it that way:
No regulator
No snorkle/blimp
Integrated feed system
Coordinated loading/firing cycle
Smaller overall package size
Very light weight
And faster than a speeding bullet

[mag-hatter]

wow it covers like...........half the gun haha. thats going to suck for people with pretty guns which they want to show off

[fcpchop]

wow thats awesome, i can't wait to see a prototype. Heh, Tom said that he didn't want to make hoppers, that sneaky devil :)

[thei3ug]

YOU HAVE A MAGNUM LOADER.

NOOOOOOOOOO.

Getting one of those was a prerequisite for me to get an AT85 back in the long agos...

Oh, I was so saddened when they never came to market.

I was guna send it in to tussing, get his rock and LP mod done, have a 2x trigger made... oh, it was gunna be beautiful.

And stupid magnum loader. Ugh.

I mean, come on, a nelson semi with a built in electronic hopper, I would have been in heaven!

[Fred]

from what I've heard from people who got the Tussing mods, and what I've heard from Gumby, who pretty much IS ATS... the newer AT series markers have been updated a lot, and the tussing mod is pretty much useless unless you have an OLD TS-1 model... which ATS just might update, who knows?

ATS markers are LIGHT, like crazy light. i couldn't believe it the first time i picked one up.

---Fred

[hostage]

lol god i had that same idea about a year ago lol!
-Hostage

[Jack & Coke]

http://www.imageshack.us/img1/7248/JNC-agd-hopper-01.jpg

http://www.imageshack.us/img1/9825/JNC-agd-hopper-02.jpg

http://www.imageshack.us/img2/7139/JNC-agd-hopper-03.jpg

http://www.imageshack.us/img1/7789/JNC-agd-hopper-04.jpg

[FreakBaller12]

what do you think the weight of this beast is going to be?
I am curious as to how this thing will work without being way to heav y. The weight of a warp compared?

What about the ball capacity? and bps. I think they will be pretty high, both of them. So the weight might be pretty high but make up for it in speed.

Well that's what I think.

[LudavicoSoldier]

Yay for a warpfeed with onboard magazine! Sign my arse up!

[Lord_Whoopass]

Hmmm... I think Tom has this up his sleeve to add on to the Tac-One... AND/OR he could put it on his new Flagship marker... hmmm the possibilitys are endless... YAY!! cant wait...

[nicad]

for some reason I have seen something just like this before.. in person.
What is the relationship of this patent with that of Simon's?

[Kellen_p8nt]

im a litte shocked. I have been po ndering soemthing quite like this for a bit except it would straddle the body and integrate with the breech.

this is definetly cool but has some problems mainly in how many balls can something like that hold.

and hen u load it from a pod the balls might take some time to get jostled into place.


i dunno its a cool idea.

and a bottom loading gun would definetly revolutionize the market, in conjunction with this. However i doubt it would sell well. But as someone said earlier "Toms Gun". The god of guns. the gun that will shoot faster than anything we have ever concieved in our wildest fantasies. Pretty doesnt matter ad shouldnt. Its in speed, strength, accuracy, efficiency, and comfort that we should place our emphasis.



just my 78 cents

[LudavicoSoldier]

As long as the loader holds as much as a halo/revy/eggy, possibly a little more (pod and a half?) im sure people wont have a problem with it in terms of capacity. As long as there is a decent sized and efficiantly operating loading port, I'll be happy.

[Lohman446]

What if you made a stock out of the loader, moved the HPA tank some, and had a half a case capacity or so... think of the backmen then.

[Kellen_p8nt]

the stock with paint is an interesting idea. But holding a half a cse of paint is going to create balance issues. A half case hopper is going to weigh a great deal more than your average tank.

also doing it like that would necessitate a bottom loading style, since the hose could get in the way of your trigger hand or off hand if it was feeding to vert of side style bodies.

but where to put the tank? on the back would kinda suck(speaking as a backman) since that remote is kinda annoying when your trying to manuever your marker around.

The problem realy doesnt lie in the tank and hopper itself. Those are very easy to change the shape or size of and could very easily be located in diffrent areas as per the marker allows.

thats the problem. Paintball has a very clearly set standard on the functionality of marker, not many guns dare venture to break the industry style. SOmebodyneeds to shake things up. And i wouldnt be a damned bit surprised if in the next year AGD whips out some amazing marker that isnt your regular marker, and doesnt fit any constraints.

Of course if we wanna complain about size, we can wait 30 more years till we put instant small air compressors on our guns (tribute to dave from SoCal).

[thei3ug]

Originally posted by Fred
from what I've heard from people who got the Tussing mods, and what I've heard from Gumby, who pretty much IS ATS... the newer AT series markers have been updated a lot, and the tussing mod is pretty much useless unless you have an OLD TS-1 model... which ATS just might update, who knows?

ATS markers are LIGHT, like crazy light. i couldn't believe it the first time i picked one up.

---Fred

i would have done it just to put a palmer reg on the at85... I'm a geek.

[fallout11]

I expect to see the tank as/in the stock on Tom's new gun.

The weight of the tank would balance that of the below-the-barrel hopper well, making it a non-issue.

[Creative Mayhem]

That would be an awesome addition to a scenario mag. Couple that with a Tac One body... hella cool looks and great feed for sure ;) Put me down for one:D

[B.A.M.]

looks kool. does any1 no when these are schedual to come out and how much they will cost.

[fallout11]

It will be at least mid-2005 before we see a new AGD marker, per Tom Kaye.
Waaaaaayyyy to early to be speculating on price, much less even what it will look like, or will incorporate as features.