Firearm having nonmetallic components and an ambidextrous cylinder release lever
View Patent ↗A polymeric revolver including a frame, a cylinder mounted in a rectangular aperture in the frame, a cylinder retaining mechanism and a cylinder releasing mechanism is provided. The cylinder retaining mechanism includes two assemblies: (1) an extractor, locking bolt and locking bolt retainer that house an extractor rod spring, and (2) a ratchet hub driver, hub drive center pin and central pin plate that house a ratchet drive spring. The two assemblies are biased toward one another forming a locking engagement of the extractor and the ratchet hub driver. The locking engagement is enhanced by a star-shaped configuration of grooves and ridges on the extractor and ratchet hub driver, respectively. The cylinder releasing mechanism includes a cylinder release lever that actuates the hub drive center pin and ratchet hub driver out of locking engagement with the extractor, and an ambidextrous thumb piece that facilitates access to the cylinder release lever.
1. An ambidextrous thumb piece for a cylinder release mechanism of a firearm having a frame with a rear surface, sides that abut the rear surface and grooves disposed along each side, the ambidextrous thumb piece comprising:
an elastically deformable U-shaped body having ends and opposing ridges that extend from the ends;
wherein the ambidextrous thumb piece snap fits to the frame by engaging the grooves with the opposing ridges of the ambidextrous thumb piece; and
whereby reciprocation of the ambidextrous thumb piece on the frame causes the ambidextrous thumb piece to actuate the cylinder release mechanism.
2. The ambidextrous thumb piece of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one of the opposing ridges of the ambidextrous thumb piece defines a carve out; and
wherein the at least one of the opposing ridges engages the cylinder release mechanism along the carve out.
3. The ambidextrous thumb piece of claim 1 ,
wherein the ambidextrous thumb piece is substantially flush with the rear surface of the frame.
4. The ambidextrous thumb piece of claim 1 ,
wherein the ambidextrous thumb piece has contours or texturing.
5. The ambidextrous thumb piece of claim 1 ,
wherein the ambidextrous thumb piece extends laterally across the rear surface of the frame when snap-fit to the frame.