Cylinder retaining mechanism

1. A cylinder retaining mechanism for a firearm, comprising:

a frame having a firing bore;

a cylinder having an outwardly extending ejector rod assembly, said cylinder including a longitudinal bore formed therein;

a yoke having an ejector bore through which said ejector rod assembly is disposed, said yoke being operatively connected to said frame for selective pivoting between a first position and a second position wherein said cylinder is thereby selectively pivoted between said first position in which said longitudinal bore is aligned with said firing bore, and said second position in which said longitudinal bore is not aligned with said firing bore;

a biasing mechanism disposed in said frame, said biasing mechanism having an engaging portion; and

an engaging cavity formed in said yoke for selectively accommodating said engaging portion when said yoke is in said first position, wherein said engaging portion is not accommodated in said engaging cavity when said cylinder is in its second position.

2. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

said biasing mechanism is spring biased; and

said engaging portion is a substantially spherical member.

3. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a yoke stud fixed to said frame, said yoke being operatively mounted to said yoke stud for selective pivoting between said first and said second positions.

4. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

said cylinder defines a plurality of said longitudinal bores formed therein, each of said longitudinal bores being selectively aligned with said firing bore.

5. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

said ejector rod assembly includes an arbor portion about which said cylinder is rotatably mounted.

6. A cylinder retaining mechanism for a firearm, comprising:

a frame having a firing bore;

a cylinder having a longitudinal bore formed therein;

a yoke pivotally connected to said frame, said yoke being operatively connected to said cylinder for selectively pivoting said cylinder between a first position in which said longitudinal bore is aligned with said firing bore, and a second position in which said longitudinal bore is not aligned with said firing bore;

a biasing mechanism housed in said frame, said biasing mechanism having an engaging portion; and

an engaging cavity formed in said yoke for selectively accommodating said engaging portion when said cylinder is in said first position, wherein said engaging portion is not accommodated in said engaging cavity when said cylinder is in its second position.

7. The cylinder retaining mechanism for a firearm according to claim 6 , wherein:

said biasing mechanism is spring biased; and

said engaging portion is a substantially spherical member.

8. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a yoke stud fixed to said frame, said yoke being operatively mounted to said yoke stud for selective pivoting between said first and said second positions.

9. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 6 , further comprising:

an ejector assembly extending through a center portion of said cylinder, said ejector assembly including a protruding portion extending from said cylinder; and

an ejector bore formed in said yoke, wherein said protruding portion extends through said ejector bore such that pivoting of said yoke causes pivoting of said cylinder.

10. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 6 , wherein:

said cylinder defines a plurality of said longitudinal bores formed therein, each of said longitudinal bores being selectively aligned with said firing bore.

11. The cylinder retaining mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein:

said ejector rod assembly further includes an arbor portion housed in said center portion of said cylinder, and about which said cylinder is rotatably mounted.

12. A firearm, comprising:

a frame having a firing bore;

a cylinder having a longitudinal bore, said cylinder being operatively connected to said frame such that said cylinder selectively pivots between a first position in which said longitudinal bore is substantially aligned with said firing bore, and a second position in which said longitudinal bore is not substantially aligned with said firing bore;

a yoke pivotally connected to said frame and operatively connected to said cylinder;

a cylinder retaining mechanism for selectively retaining said cylinder in said first position, said cylinder retaining mechanism includes a biasing member that is integrally mated with said frame; and

wherein said biasing member interacts with said yoke when said cylinder is in said first position but does not interact with said yoke when said cylinder is in said second position.

13. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein:

said yoke is pivotally connected to said frame and operatively engaging said cylinder such that pivoting of said yoke causes said cylinder to pivot between said first position and said second position.

14. The firearm according to claim 13 , wherein:

said cylinder retaining mechanism includes a cavity formed in said yoke; and

said biasing member releasably engages said cavity when said cylinder is in said first position.

15. The firearm according to claim 12 , wherein:

said biasing member is a spring biased ball.

16. The firearm according to claim 15 , wherein:

said cylinder includes a plurality of longitudinal bores formed therein; and

each of said plurality of bores are selectively aligned with said firing bore.

17. The firearm according to claim 13 , further comprising:

an ejector assembly extending through a center portion of said cylinder, said ejector assembly including a protruding portion extending from said cylinder; and

an ejector bore formed in said yoke, wherein said protruding portion extends through said ejector bore to operatively connect said yoke with said cylinder.

18. A method of selectively retaining a cylinder having a longitudinal bore within a frame of a firearm, said frame defining a firing bore, said method including the steps of:

operatively connecting said cylinder to said frame such that said cylinder selectively pivots between a first position in which said longitudinal bore is substantially aligned with said firing bore, and a second position in which said longitudinal bore is not substantially aligned with said firing bore;

pivotally connecting a yoke to said frame, said yoke being operatively connected to said cylinder;

selectively retaining said cylinder in said first position via a cylinder retaining mechanism, said cylinder retaining mechanism including a biasing member that is integrally mated with said frame; and

orientating said biasing member such that said biasing member interacts with said yoke when said cylinder is in said first position but does not interact with said yoke when said cylinder is in said second position.

19. The method of selectively retaining a cylinder having a longitudinal bore within a frame of a firearm, according to claim 18 , said method further including the steps of:

operatively engaging said cylinder such that pivoting of said yoke causes said cylinder to pivot between said first position and said second position.

20. The method of selectively retaining a cylinder having a longitudinal bore within a frame of a firearm, according to claim 19 , said method further including the steps of:

forming a cavity portion of said cylinder retaining mechanism in said yoke; and

releasably engaging said biasing member in said cavity when said cylinder is in said first position.