Handgun holster with internal retention device

• US 5,419,474 A
• Filed: 10/15/1993
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michaels of Oregon Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Michaels of Oregon Company (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Marx, Thomas A., Salyards, Monte C.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US08/138,059
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 224/192, 224/193, 224/242-245, 224/253, 224/911, 224/912
• US Class Current: 224/244
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0227 having a strap or other restraining element only covering the hammer or a part of the upper part of the small arm
• 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: Y10S 224/911 Handgun holder formed of leather, fabric, or other flexible material

Abstract

A handgun holster has a body that includes inner and outer sides. A catch projects into a handgun receiving pocket toward the inner side. The catch extends within and engages the trigger guard of a handgun carried in the pocket, preventing the handgun from being removed from the pocket. A part of the inner side or a resiliently movable structure associated with the inner side is moveable away from the end of the catch in response to outward pressure, to provide clearance for the trigger guard to pass by the catch so that the handgun can be removed from the holster only when the handgun is manipulated appropriately by the wearer. The catch includes a cam surface so that the trigger guard will slide past the catch when the handgun is placed into the holster.

Claims

1. A handgun holster for securely holding a handgun including a trigger guard, the holster comprising:

(a) a holster body having a front portion and including an outer side and an inner side each having a respective rear portion said rear portions opposite said front portion and adapted to be adjacent said trigger guard when a handgun is held in said holster;

(b) spacer means for spacing apart said rear portions and defining a trigger guard position above said spacer means and between said rear portions;

(c) a catch located in a fixed position and stationary with respect to said outer side and having an end projecting toward said inner side within said trigger guard position and proximate said spacer means, said catch also having a rear surface facing rearwardly away from said front portion of said holster body, and a bottom surface, each of said rear and bottom surfaces being oriented transversely of said holster and substantially normal to said rear portion of said outer side;

(d) a movable guide associated with said inner side, located opposite said catch and alongside a trigger guard path between said catch and said rear portion of said inner side, said movable guide normally being located in a first position closer to said end of said catch and obstructing said trigger guard path, so as to prevent a trigger guard from moving past said end of said catch while said movable guide is located in said first position, and being movable to a second position spaced further from said end of said catch, in which said guide does not obstruct said trigger guard path; and

(e) resilient means for urging said movable guide toward said first position.

2. The holster of claim 1 wherein said movable guide includes a resiliently compressible guide body.

3. The holster of claim 2 wherein said inner side defines an opening and said resiliently compressible guide body extends through said opening.

4. The holster of claim 1, including a backing plate spaced apart from said inner side, said inner side defining an opening, and said movable guide including a resiliently compressible guide body attached to said backing plate and extending through said opening toward said catch.

5. The holster of claim 1 wherein said movable guide is a guide plate of stiff yet resiliently flexible material located adjacent said inner side.

6. The holster of claim 5 wherein said inner side defines an opening, said guide plate being movable resiliently away from said catch into said opening.

7. In combination with a handgun having a trigger guard, the trigger guard having a radial thickness and a lateral width, a handgun holster for securely holding said handgun, the holster comprising:

(a) a holster body having a front portion and including an outer side having a rear portion and an inner side having a rear portion said rear portions being opposite said front portion and adapted to be adjacent said trigger guard when a handgun is held in said holster, said inner side having a normal position with respect to said outer side;

(b) connecting means for interconnecting said rear portions and partially defining an upwardly open pocket for receiving said handgun with said trigger guard located between said rear portions of said outer and inner sides; and

(c) a catch located fixedly and stationary with respect to said outer side and having an end projecting toward said inner side to a position inside said trigger guard when said handgun is located in said pocket, said catch being located within said pocket and proximate said connecting means and having respective bottom and rear surfaces extending transversely of said holster and spaced apart from said connecting means by a distance at least equal to said radial thickness, said rear surface facing rearwardly away from said front portion of said holster body and toward said rear portions, a part of said inner side having a normal location spaced apart from said end of said catch a distance less than said lateral width and said part of said inner side being resiliently movable away from said end of said catch to provide clearance, between said end and said part of said inner side, at least as great as said lateral width, for passage of said trigger guard past said catch when said part of said inner side is moved away from said end of said catch, and said holster including means for continuously urging said part of said inner side toward said outer side.

8. The holster of claim 7, wherein said front portion interconnects said outer and inner sides, said holster further including an externally located frame of resiliently stiff sheet material extending around said front portion of said body and along said outer and inner sides, respective portions of said outer and inner sides being attached to said frame.

9. The holster of claim 8 wherein said catch is fastened to said frame and extends through said outer side into said pocket.

10. The holster of claim 8, further comprising spacer means for providing clearance between said frame and said inner side to enable said part of said inner side to be moved away from said end of said catch.

11. The holster of claim 8, further comprising a belt loop connected with said frame so as to support said holster.

12. The holster of claim 7 wherein said connecting means includes a welt holding said rear portions apart from each other by a distance at least equal to said lateral width of said trigger guard, said welt defining surface means for supporting said trigger guard when said handgun is located in said pocket and engaged by said catch.

13. The holster of claim 7 wherein said catch includes an upwardly facing cam surface oriented and located to engage said trigger guard and thus direct said trigger guard toward said inner side and around said end of said catch as said handgun is moved downwardly into said pocket.

14. The holster of claim 13 wherein said trigger guard has an inner surface, said bottom and rear surfaces of said catch extending substantially normal to said outer side and engaging said inner surface of said trigger guard and retaining said handgun in said pocket of said holster, until said handgun is manipulated to urge said trigger guard toward said inner side and thereby move said part of said inner side far enough away from said end of said catch to create clearance for said trigger guard between said inner side and said end of said catch.

15. The holster of claim 7 wherein said connecting means and said catch are an integral structure.

16. The holster of claim 7 wherein said body is of molded synthetic plastic sheet material.

17. The holster of claim 7 wherein said body is of leather.

18. The holster of claim 7 wherein at least said inner side of said body comprises a plurality of layers of flexible material overlying one another, at least one of said layers being resiliently compressible.

19. The holster of claim 7, wherein said part of said inner side includes a guide plate of stiff yet resiliently flexible material.