Handgun holster with a lockable trigger guard restraint

• US 5,275,317 A
• Filed: 09/12/1991
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• 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:
  US07/757,944
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 224/244, 224/243, 224/911
• 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 lockable restraining device in a holster has a rigid body portion and two upwardly extending oppositely facing wall members forming a channel therebetween to receive a handgun trigger guard, a pivotable cam member in at least one wall member having two lobes; a first lobe being pivotable to extend inwardly of the channel when the holster is empty and being pivotable outwardly of the channel when the trigger guard of the handgun is seated in the channel; and a second lobe being pivoted outwardly of the channel when the holster is empty and being pivotable inwardly of the trigger guard when the gun is seated in the holster; and a locking means engagable with the cam to prevent it being pivoted and a finger operable member to unlock the locking means.

Claims

1. A handgun holster having a lockable trigger guard restraining device adapted to selectively prevent withdrawal of a handgun having a trigger guard from said holster, 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 forming a channel adapted to receive and seat therein a trigger guard of a handgun, at least one of said upper ends including a pivotable cam member having two lobes, a first said lobe being adapted to extend inwardly into said channel when the holster is empty and to be pivoted outwardly to permit seating of the trigger guard in said channel, and a second said lobe being positioned outwardly of said channel when the holster is empty and to extend inwardly of the trigger guard when the trigger guard is seated in said channel;

an automatic locking means to prevent said cam from pivoting when said second lobe is extended inwardly of said trigger guard said locking means including a finger operable member to unlock said locking means.

2. The holster of claim 1 wherein said cam member is V-shaped and pivotable about the apex of said V with said second lobe being spring-biased to be outwardly of said channel.

3. The holster of claim 2 wherein said automatic locking means includes an outwardly projecting nodule on the portion of said second lobe away from said channel, and said finger operable member including a lever means adapted to be pivoted from a position bearing against said nodule to a position bearing against said nodule to a position not touching said nodule.

4. The holster of claim 3 wherein said lever means comprises a pivotable lever arm with a finger contact portion extending upwardly from said vertical side wall member next to the body of the wearer to an upper end above the top of the holster, and a cam nodule contact portion extending downwardly behind said second lobe and said nodule, said lever arm being pivotable to move forward and rearward with respect to the wearer.

5. The holster of claim 3 wherein said lever means includes a pair of mutually pivotable lever arms, one of which is movable from a position bearing against said nodule to urge said second lobe inside the trigger guard to a position free of touching said nodule, and the other of which is connected to a vertically movable plunger extending upwardly of the top of said holster.

6. The handgun holster of claim 1 wherein said cam member is C-shaped with said two lobes being the two ends of said C and said locking means including a prong member and a recess in said cam member adapted to receive said prong member therein which prevents pivoting of said cam member when inserted in said recess.

7. The handgun holster of claim 6 wherein said prong member is spring biased toward being inserted into said recess.

8. The holster of claim 5 wherein said movable plunger is located on the side of the holster next to the body of the wearer.

9. The holster of claim 1 further comprising a spring means biased to urge said first lobe to extend inwardly into said channel.

10. The holster of claim 6 wherein said prong member is movable by the vertical movement of a plunger rod extending upwardly of the top of said holster from the side next to the wearer.

11. The holster of claim 1 wherein said cam pivots about a pin which is positioned substantially horizontal.

12. The holster of claim 6 wherein said two lobes of said cam are spaced apart sufficiently to form a notch which functions as a seat for said trigger guard when said handgun is fully inserted into said holster.

13. A handgun holster having a lockable and releasable trigger guard restraining device adapted to selectively prevent withdrawal of a handgun having a trigger guard from said holster, 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 including a rigid body portion and two upwardly extending vertical side wall members attached to opposite sides respectively of said body portion forming a channel adapted to receive and seat therein a trigger guard of a handgun, said wall members having upper end portions, a pivotable cam member having two lobes and being attached to one said wall member, a first said lobe being adapted to extend inwardly into said channel when said holster is empty and to be pivoted outwardly to permit seating of a trigger guard in said channel, and a second said lobe being positioned outwardly of said channel when said holster is empty and to extend inwardly of a trigger guard when a trigger guard is seated in said channel, an automatic locking means to prevent said cam from pivoting when said second lobe is extended inwardly of a trigger guard to lock same in said holster, said locking means including a finger operable member to selectively unlock said locking means to release a trigger guard to permit withdrawal of a handgun.

14. The holster of claim 13 wherein said cam member is generally V-shaped and pivotable about the apex of said V with said second lobe spring biased to be outwardly of said channel.

15. The holster of claim 14 which additionally comprises an outwardly projecting nodule on a portion of said second lobe away from said channel, said finger operable member including a lever means adapted to be pivoted from a position bearing against said nodule to a non-bearing position.

16. The holster of claim 15 wherein said lever means includes a pivotable lever arm with a finger contact portion extending upwardly from said vertical side wall member next to a body of a wearer to an upper end above said top of said holster, and a cam nodule contact portion extending downwardly behind said second lobe, said lever arm being pivotable to move forward and rearward with respect to a wearer.

17. The holster of claim 15 wherein said lever means includes a pair of mutually pivotable lever arms, one of which is movable from a position bearing against said nodule to urge said second lobe inside a trigger guard to a non-bearing position, and another of which is connected to a vertically movable plunger extending upwardly of said top of said holster.

18. The holster of claim 17 wherein said movable plunger is located adjacent said inner wall of said holster next to a body of a wearer.

19. The handgun holster of claim 13 wherein said cam member is C-shaped with said two lobes forming ends of said C-shaped member, locking means including a prong member and a recess in said cam member adapted to receive said prong member therein which prevents pivoting of said cam member when said prong member is inserted in said recess.

20. The handgun holster of claim 19 wherein said prong member is spring biased toward said recess.

21. The holster of claim 19 wherein said prong member is movable by vertical movement of a plunger rod extending upwardly of said top of said holster from adjacent said inner wall of said holster next to a wearer.

22. The holster of claim 19 wherein said two lobes of said cam are spaced apart sufficiently to form a notch which functions as a seat for a trigger guard when a handgun is fully inserted into said holster.

23. The holster of claim 13 further comprising spring means biased to urge said first lobe to extend inwardly into said channel.

24. The holster of claim 13 wherein said cam pivots about a pin which is positioned substantially horizontal.

25. The holster as defined in claim 13 further comprising another pivotable cam member having two lobes and being attached to another said wall member.

26. The holster of claim 25 further comprising a pair of pins respectively mounting said cam members to respective said wall members.

27. The holster of claim 26 wherein said pins are substantially parallel and extend generally horizontally.

28. The holster of claim 26 wherein said pins are substantially parallel and extend generally vertically.