US2903810A

US2903810A - Thumb rest for a revolver

Info

Publication number: US2903810A
Application number: US564485A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Lewis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-02-09
Filing date: 1956-02-09
Publication date: 1959-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1976-09-15

Description

Sept. 15, 1959 w. E. LEWIS 2,903,810

REST FOR A REVOLVER Filed'Feb. 9, 1956 &

INVENToR.

j Zll@ Patented Sept. 15, 1959 2,903,810 THUMn REST Eon A REVOLVER William E. Lewis, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application February 9, 1956, .serial No. 554,485

4 claims. (ci. 42-71) This invention relates to a device adapted to improve the accuracy of revolver-shooting. It is recognized by expert marksmen that the thumb of the hand which holds a pistol or revolver should not surround or partially surround the revolver grip but rather should extend along the frame generally parallel to the barrel. In such position, the thumb lacks support from below.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a revolver with a support for the thumb extending -in the approved position along the side of the frame and generally parallel to the barrel. A further object of my invention is to produce a 4thumb-support which can be readily applied to or removed from the revolver and which will not interfere with the operation of shooting the revolver or withdrawing it from the holster. Still another object of the invention is to produce a thumbsupport which will be adjustable to accommodate the position of the support to the hand of the individual user.

In carrying out the invention, I form the support to lie against the side of the revolver frame between the grip and cylinder, at least the upper portion of the support being thick enough to provide a thumb-rest of adequate width. The support is formed with a relatively thin iin at its rear end to enter between the stock and frame of the revolver and to be clamped in place by the mea-ns ordinarily employed in securing the stock to the frame. In addition, the support has other provisions which, by engagement with other elements of the revolver, serve to locate the support in a definite position on the frame. In one form of the invention, the support is made in two pieces, one of which is secured in xed position to the revolver in the manner just indicated while the other is adjustable in position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of a one-piece thumb-support;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a revolver with the thumbsupport of Fig. l attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view of the revolver with the thumb-rest in position;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig.. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a support provided with an adjustable thumb-rest; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

The thumb-support shown in Fig. l comprises a base 10 having at its rear end a thin iin 11 providing a shoulder 12 formed to iit against the upper end of the stock 13 of a revolver when the tin 11 is interposed between the stock and the frame 14 of the revolver. Revolver frames are commonly formed with a guard 15 which overlies the rear ends of the cartridge chambers in the cylinder 16, and the front of the support is formed, as indicated at 17 to fit against at -least the upper portion of such guard, thereby providing a bearing for the front end of the support. In addition, most revolver frames are provided with a stop 18 projecting laterally from the Z frame beneath the rear end `of the cylinder 16; and the front portion of the support is desirably provided with a notch 2l) which, by engaging such stock, provides further means for locating `the support in the plane of the revolver frame.

Toprovide means in addition to the stock 13 for holdling the support against the frame, I may employ the ordinary thumb-piece 22 which controls the latch that is released in opening of the revolver. As will be clear from Fig. 5, such thumb piece is secured to an element -23 ofthe latch mechanism by means of a screw 24, and the frame 1.4 is slotted to permit-the forefand-aft of the 'thnmbipiece and latch element necessary in controlling the latch. The thumb-support is provided at its front with a deep notch 25 coextensive with the slot in the revolver frame; and along the sides and rear end of such notch the base 10 is relieved, as indicated at 26, to receive the thumb-piece 22 and accommodate its movement. In most revolvers, when the thumb-piece is secured to the latch-element 23, its body is spaced outwardly from the side of the frame 14 by a distance suficient to permit reception of the web left by the relief 26 in the base 10i; but if such space does not exist, a washer or spacer may be interposed between the thumbpiece and the latch-element 23. The thumb-piece, by overlapping the sides of the notch 25, provides an additional means for retaining the support inposition against the side of the frame 14.

The thumb support of Fig. l may be made as a single plastic molding or, preferably, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as a two-piece construction comprising a sheet-metal base 28 to which the remainder of the support is secured by cementing. Above the relief 26, the support is thickened to provide a thumb-rest 29. The front edge of the body 10 below the relief 26 is desirably chamfered as indicated at 31 in Fig. 4 so as to eliminate any abrupt shoulder which would interfere with movement of the revolver into or out of a holster.

In the modied form of thumb-support illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, I employ a base in the form of a sheetmetal plate 35 which iits beneath the stock 13 and is formed at its front end for locating engagement with the :guard 15 and stop 18 as in the case of the support shown in Fig. l. The plate 35 is also provided with a notch 36 corresponding in location and purpose to the notch 25 of Fig. l, and the sides of such notch are overlapped by the thumb-piece 22 to cooperate with the stock 13 in holding the thumb-support in position.

Near the fro-nt upper corner of the plate 35 there is rigid with it an outwardly projecting frustoconical boss 38 received in a recess of complementary shape provided in a thumb-rest 39. A screw 40 extending through the thumb-rest 39 and into the boss 38 holds the thumb-rest and plate 35 together. By loosening the screw 40, the thumb-rest can be adjusted to different angular positions about the axis of the boss 38; and when the screw 40 is again tightened, the taper of the boss 38 will provide a tight lit securing the thumb-rest in its adjusted position.

In iboth constructions shown, the thumb-rest provides support for the thumb and improves accuracy of shooting. The support does not intefere in any way with operation or handling of the revolver. The device can be -made to iit any standard revolver and can be l'applied or removed by removing and re-applying the screw which holds the stock in place.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a revolver having a frame, a thumb-support having a base secured to said frame at one side thereof, a thumb-rest, and means for securing said thumb-rest to said base in any of Ia plurality of tilted positions for disposing said thumb-rest at the desired angle of tilt with respect to the axis of the revolver barrel.

2. The combination of claim 1 with the addition that said base is provided with a circular lug projecting from the -fbase laterally of the frame, said thumb-rest having a circular opening receiving said lug.

3. The combination of claim 2 with the addition that said lug is fnustoconical, said opening being shaped complementarily to said lug, said securing means comprising a screw passing through said thumb-rest into said lug and adapted when tightened to draw the Wall of said opening into gripping engagement with the lug.

4. In `combination with a revolver having -a frame, a grip portion including a stock removably secured to a side of said irame, a latch, a latch-operating thumb- .piece Slidable along said frame and spaced outwardly therefrom, and one or more elements projecting laterally `from said yframe in advance of said stock; a thumb-support having a body extending along the side of said frame between said stock and said projecting elements, the rear References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.142,016 Birk Aug. 14, 1945 140,028 Galand June 17, 1873 209,444 Ballard Oct. 29, 1878 1,940,362 McClarin Dec. 19, 1933 1,962,775 Jones .Tune 12, 1934 2,654,174 Hansen Oct. 6, 1953