Thumb rest mechanism for firearms

Abstract

A thumb rest mechanism for a firearm having a frame, providing a thumb rest mount secured to the frame and having a mount member defining a mount surface. A thumb rest being releasably secured to the mount member in engagement with the mount surface and having a thumb engaging surface oriented at a suitable angle for recoil resisting engagement by the thumb of a firearm user and being of roughened character for non-slip engagement by the thumb of the firearm user. A protective plate extending from the thumb rest a protecting the users thumb from contact and potential damage by a moveable firearm component.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A thumb rest for a firearm having a frame, comprising:
 a thumb rest mount;   retainer means securing said thumb rest mount to said frame of said firearm; and   a thumb rest member being provided on said thumb rest mount and defining a thumb rest surface for engagement by the thumb of the firearm supporting hand of a user.   
     
     
         2 . The thumb rest of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said thumb rest mount being of elongate configuration and having a plurality of retainer openings therein;   said retainer means being retainer screws extending through said retainer openings and being threaded into said frame of said firearm;   a mounting projection extending laterally from said thumb rest mount and defining a retainer passage;   a retainer screw extending through said retainer passage and being threaded into said frame of said firearm; and   a thumb rest platform extending from said mounting projection and defining a slip resistant thumb rest surface oriented for engagement by the thumb of a user of said firearm.   
     
     
         3 . The thumb rest of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said thumb rest mount having a mount platform defining a first non-circular geometry;   said thumb rest member defining a second non-circular geometry having rotation inhibiting engagement with said first non-circular geometry; and   a retainer member securing said thumb rest member in rotation inhibiting engagement with said mount platform.   
     
     
         4 . The thumb rest of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said thumb rest mount having a base structure defining retainer openings through which retainer members extend to secure said base structure to said frame of said firearm;   a web member extending from said base structure;   a mount platform being supported by said web member and having a retainer receptacle; and   said thumb rest member being secured to said mount platform by a retainer member engaging said retainer receptacle and said mount platform.   
     
     
         5 . The thumb rest of  claim 4 , comprising:
 said mount platform having a non-circular receptacle defining said first rotation resisting geometry;   said thumb rest member having a non-circular projection defining said second rotation resisting geometry being received in rotation resisting engagement within said non-circular receptacle when said thumb rest member is secured to said mount platform; and   a slip resistant thumb engaging surface being defined by said thumb rest member and being oriented at an inclined position for the comfort of the thumb of a user's firearm supporting hand.   
     
     
         6 . The thumb rest of  claim 3 , comprising:
 said thumb rest mount having a mount plate defining retainer receptacles through which retainer screws extend and retain said thumb rest mount in substantially immoveable relation with said frame;   a web structure extending from said mount plate;   said mount platform being supported by said web structure; and   said thumb rest member being secured in substantially immoveable relation with said mount platform and having a slip resistant surface positioned and oriented for engagement by the thumb of the firearm user.   
     
     
         7 . The thumb rest of  claim 6 , comprising:
 said mount platform being integral with said web structure and being oriented in substantially perpendicular relation with said web structure and defining a substantially planar mounting surface; and   said thumb rest member defining a substantially planar surface having surface-to-surface contact with said substantially planar mounting surface of said mount platform.   
     
     
         8 . The thumb rest of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a thumb protection plate member extending from said thumb rest member and being oriented to prevent contact of a user's thumb with and preventing potential injury to the thumb of the firearm user by a moveable component of said firearm.   
     
     
         9 . The thumb rest of  claim 8 , comprising:
 said base structure having a greater thickness as compared with the thickness of said web member positioning said web member and said thumb rest member in spaced relation with said frame of said firearm to protect the user from injury by a moving part of said firearm.   
     
     
         10 . The thumb rest of  claim 4 , comprising:
 said mount platform defining a non-circular receptacle and having a retainer receptacle intersecting said non-circular receptacle;   said thumb rest member having a non-circular projection being engaged within said non-circular receptacle and establishing a non-rotatable relation between said mount platform and said thumb rest member; and   a retainer member being located within said retainer receptacle and being engaged within said non-circular projection and securing said thumb rest member in substantially non-rotatable assembly with said mount platform.   
     
     
         11 . The thumb rest of  claim 3 , comprising:
 said thumb rest mount defining a generally planar mounting surface engaging said frame of said firearm and being releasably secured to said frame of said firearm by retainers;   said thumb rest member having a substantially planar surface disposed in surface-to-surface engagement with said generally planar mounting surface of said mount platform; and   said mount plate defining a frame engaging surface protruding toward and mounted to said frame of said firearm and positioning said web structure and said thumb rest member in spaced relation with said frame of said firearm.   
     
     
         12 . The thumb rest of  claim 11 , comprising:
 said thumb rest member being releasably and non-rotatably secured to said mount platform and having a slip-resistant thumb engaging surface oriented for comfortable recoil force resisting engagement by the thumb of the firearm support hand of a firearm user.   
     
     
         13 . A thumb rest for a firearm having a frame, comprising:
 a mount base defining a mount surface for engagement with said frame of said firearm and having retainer receptacles receiving retainer members releasably securing said mount plate to said to said frame of said firearm;   a web structure being integral with said mount plate;   a mount platform being integral with said web structure and defining a mount support surface; and   a thumb rest member being releasably and non-rotatably secured to said mount platform and having a thumb engaging surface oriented for comfortable recoil force resisting engagement by the thumb of the firearm support hand of a firearm user.   
     
     
         14 . The thumb rest of  claim 13 , comprising:
 said thumb engaging surface of said thumb rest member being of roughened slip-resistant character minimizing the potential for slippage of the user's thumb by recoil force as the firearm is discharged.   
     
     
         15 . The thumb rest mechanism of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a non-circular receptacle being defined in said mount platform and a retainer opening being defined in said non-circular receptacle;   a non-circular projection matching the geometry of said non-circular receptacle extending from said thumb rest member and being in rotation resisting engagement within said non-circular receptacle and preventing relative rotational movement of said mount platform and thumb rest member; and   a retainer member extending through said retainer opening and securing said non-circular projection within said non-circular receptacle and securing said thumb rest member in supported relation with said mount platform.   
     
     
         16 . The thumb rest of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a retainer opening being defined by said mount platform and being located within said non-circular receptacle;   a retainer receptacle being defined within said non-circular projection; and   a retainer member being extended through said retainer opening into said retainer receptacle and securing said thumb rest member in substantially immoveable assembly with said mount platform.   
     
     
         17 . The thumb rest mechanism of  claim 16 , comprising:
 said mount platform having a substantially planar mount surface;   said non-circular receptacle intersecting said substantially planar mount surface;   said thumb rest member defining a substantially planar surface disposed in surface-to-surface engagement with said substantially planar mount surface; and   said non-circular projection extending beyond said substantially planar surface and into said non-circular receptacle.   
     
     
         18 . A thumb rest for a handgun having a frame, comprising:
 a mounting plate defining retainer openings receiving retainer screws that engage within screw holes of said frame and secure said mounting plate in immovable relation with said frame of said handgun;   a web structure being integral with said mounting plate and having a mount platform being integral with said web structure;   a thumb rest member being secured to said mount platform by a retainer member extending through said mount platform; and   a portion of said mounting plate projecting toward said frame of said handgun and maintaining said web structure and said thumb rest member in spaced relation with said frame of said handgun.   
     
     
         19 . The thumb rest of  claim 18 , comprising:
 a non-circular receptacle being defined in said mount platform;   a non-circular projection extending from said thumb rest member and being of substantially matching cross sectional dimension and configuration as said non-circular receptacle and being in seated rotation inhibiting relation within said non-circular receptacle by said retainer member; and   a retainer member extending through said mounting platform and into said non-circular projection and when tightened securing said non-circular projection within said non-circular receptacle.   
     
     
         20 . The thumb rest of  claim 18 , comprising:
 a thumb protection member extending from said thumb rest member and being oriented to prevent contact of a firearm user's thumb by a moveable component of said firearm during firing activity of said firearm.