Handgun holster with trigger guard restraint

• US 5,100,036 A
• Filed: 03/06/1991
• Issued: 03/31/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safariland LLC
• Original Assignee: Safariland LLC
• Inventors: Rogers, William H., Clifton, Norman E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sholl, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US07/665,097
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 224/244, 224/243, 224/911, 224/193
• US Class Current: 224/244
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0209 Pouch or pocket like containers for small arms covering all or most of the small arm
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0245 Skeleton-holsters, e.g. contacting only a minimal part of the small arm, e.g. contacting the muzzle, ejection port, chamber, trigger guard or hammer
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0263 having a locking system for preventing unauthorized or accidental removal of the small arm from the holster F41C33/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/04 Special attachments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/911 Handgun holder formed of leather, fabric, or other flexible material

Abstract

A restraining device in a holster has a rigid body portion and two upwardly extending oppositely facing wall members with a cavity in each and forming a channel receiving a handgun trigger guard, a pair of cam-shaped restraining members having two lobes and a pivot pin therebetween for movement on generally parallel axes within respective cavities. One lobe is spring biased to extend inwardly of channel when empty and pushed outwardly of channel when such guard is seated in channel; and the other lobe is retracted into its cavity when empty so trigger guard may pass between opposed lobes and extend inwardly of such guard when seated in channel. Forward handgun dislodgment is prevented and a vertical draw is needed when such pins are generally horizontal to overcome frictional handgun-holster contact to remove handgun above partially closed lower front. Restraining members, being caged within cavities, provide enhanced strength from handgun removal in the forward direction. When pivot pins are generally vertical, handgun must be slightly rotated forward so guard bottom passes pins and then withdrawn.

Claims

1. In a handgun holster adapted to permit withdrawal of a handgun having a trigger guard from said holster by a generally vertical upward movement of a handgun, said holster having with respect to a wearer an inner wall, an outer wall, a front, a back, a top, a bottom, an inside, an outside, and a means for suspending said holster from a belt worn by a wearer, the improvement which comprises a handgun restraining device attached to said inside of said holster at said back adjacent said top, said restraining device being an elongated article having a solid rigid body portion and two upwardly extending vertical side wall members attached to opposite sides respectively of said body portion and having upper free ends, said side walls and said body portion forming a channel adapted to receive and seat therein a trigger guard of a handgun, said upper free ends each including a spring biased cam-shaped restraining member having two lobes and pivotable about an axis passing therebetween, one said lobe being biased to extend inwardly into said channel when the holster is empty and to be pushed outwardly into a cavity in said side wall when the trigger guard is seated in said channel, and another said lobe being biased to be retracted into said cavity of said side wall when the holster is empty and to extend inwardly of the trigger guard when the trigger guard is seated in the channel.

2. The holster of claim 1 wherein said upper free ends are semiflexible toward and away from each other.

3. The holster of claim 2 which additionally comprises an adjustment screw passing through both said free ends and said body portion and adapted to be tightened to reduce the flexibility of said free ends and to increase frictional engagement with a handgun positioned between said side wall members.

4. The holster of claim 1 which additionally includes a rounded tongue extending forwardly from said body portion to function as a guide to direct a muzzle of a handgun and thus the trigger guard into said channel when the handgun is being holstered.

5. The holster of claim 1 which additionally includes a ledge spacedly below said channel on said body portion facing said front and adapted to receive and to seat a corresponding ledge on a handgun.

6. The handgun holster of claim 1 wherein each said cam-shaped member one said lobe fits closely within said cavity and extends generally horizontally, and spring means biasing said one lobe inwardly.

7. The handgun holster of claim 6 wherein said side wall members include lower ends, and means mounting said lower ends to said body portion spacedly below said channel.

8. The holster of claim 1 which has an open top, an open bottom, and said front is open from said top downwardly to adjacently above said bottom.

9. The holster of claim 1 further comprising a pivot pin connecting each said restraining member to respective said side wall members and a compression spring between each said one leg and said side wall member to which each said one leg is attached via its said pivot pin.

10. The holster of claim 9 wherein said pivot pin extends substantially horizontally.

11. The holster of claim 9 wherein said pivot pin extends substantially vertically.

12. The holster of claim 1 wherein said axis is substantially horizontal.

13. The holster of claim 1 wherein said axis is substantially vertical.

14. In a holster adapted to permit withdrawal of a handgun having a trigger guard from said holster by a generally vertical upward movement of a handgun, said holster having with respect to the wearer an inner wall, an outer wall, a front, a back, a top, a bottom, an inside, an outside, and means for suspending said holster from a belt worn by a wearer, the improvement which comprises a handgun restraining device attached to said inside of said holster adjacent said back and top, said restraining device being an elongated article having a solid rigid body portion and two upwardly extending vertical side wall members having lower ends attached to opposite sides respectively of said body portion and forming a channel adapted to receive and seat a trigger guard of a handgun, said upper free ends each including a spring biased cam-shaped restraining member having two lobes, pivot means attaching each said restraining member for movement on generally parallel axes, a first of said lobes of each said restraining member being biased to extend inwardly of said channel when said holster is empty and to be pushed outwardly into a cavity formed within a side wall member when a trigger guard of a handgun is seated in said channel, and a second of said lobes of each said restraining member being biased and retracted into said cavity of said side wall when said holster is empty to permit a trigger guard to pass between opposed said first lobes of said restraining members and to extend inwardly of a trigger guard when a trigger guard is seated in said channel to releasably restrain a trigger guard and handgun in said holster.

15. The holster of claim 14 wherein said upper free ends are semiflexible toward and away from each other.

16. The holster of claim 15 further comprising an adjustment screw passing through both said free ends and said body portion and adapted to be tightened to reduce the bendability of said free ends thus increasing the force required to withdraw a handgun from said holster.

17. The holster of claim 14 further comprising a rounded tongue extending forwardly from said body portion to guidingly direct a muzzle of a handgun and thus a trigger guard into said channel when a handgun is being holstered.

18. The holster of claim 14 further comprising a ledge spaced downwardly from said channel and disposed on said body portion facing said front and adapted to receive and to seat a cooperating ledge of a handgun.

19. The holster of claim 14 wherein each said second lobe is substantially rectangular and each said first lobe is substantially triangular.

20. The holster of claim 14 wherein said pivot means includes a pair of pins respectively attached to said side walls and passing through respective said restraining members.

21. The holster of claim 20 wherein said pins extend substantially horizontally.

22. The holster of claim 20 wherein said pins extend substantially vertically.

23. The holster of claim 14 wherein each said first lobe includes a portion to inhibit dislodgment of a handgun from said holster in a forward direction without prior vertical draw of a handgun.

24. The holster of claim 23 wherein each said first lobe includes a surface portion for permitting withdrawal of a holstered handgun in substantially a vertical draw which overcomes friction between a handgun and said restraining device, other parts of said holster and a weight of a handgun.

25. The holster of claim 24 wherein said top and bottom are open and said front is open from said top downwardly to a position adjacently above said bottom whereby a handgun is initially drawn vertically to clear a lower portion of said front and thence can be pivoted to a shooting position through said open front.

26. The holster of claim 14 wherein said pivot means includes a pair of spaced pivot pins connecting between each said restraining member and said side wall members, said device further including a pair of compression springs respectively positioned between said side wall members and said second lobes to bias said second lobes inwardly toward each other when said holster is empty and thus to bias said first lobes outwardly.

27. The holster of claim 14 wherein said axes are substantially horizontal.

28. The holster of claim 14 wherein said axes are substantially vertical.