Patent ID: 8136285

Claim:
A firearm cartridge speed loader, comprising: a shaft assembly having: a cylindrical shaft having a first end and a second end; a stop disposed on the cylindrical shaft between the first and second ends; and an interference wheel disposed on the cylindrical shaft between the stop and the second end of the cylindrical shaft for rotation therewith, the interference wheel having a pair of detents defined therein; a reload cylinder having a plurality of cylinder chambers extending radially about the reload cylinder, the chambers being adapted for receiving firearm cartridges, the reload cylinder having a central bore defined therein, the second end of the cylindrical shaft being rotatably disposed in the bore, the reload cylinder having a face having an arcuate groove defined therein facing the shaft assembly; a rotation-limit assembly disposed between the interference wheel and the reload cylinder, the rotation-limit assembly including: a rotation stop pin extending parallel to the reload cylinder central bore, the stop pin sliding in the arcuate groove to define the limits of rotational angular movements of the shaft assembly; and a detent ball alternately engaging the detents in the interference wheel to lock the angular position of the shaft assembly at the defined limits, the shaft assembly being rotatable between a holding position in which the firearm cartridges are retained in the reload cylinder and a release position in which the cartridges are released from the reload cylinder for loading into a firearm; and a snap ring engaging the second end of the cylindrical shaft to retain the reload cylinder on the shaft assembly.