Sidearm handgun holster-mounted surveillance recorder carrier vessel

• US 5,546,124 A
• Filed: 06/12/1995
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank C. Scerbo III
• Original Assignee: Frank C. Scerbo III
• Inventors: Scerbo, Frank C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US08/489,380
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148-59, 348/373, 348/375, 348/376, 360/5, 224/911, 224/912, 224/227, 224/914
• US Class Current: 348/158
• 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 33/029 combined with electronic devices, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/046 Webbing, harnesses, belts or straps for wearing holsters
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19632 Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19634 Electrical details of the system, e.g. component blocks for carrying out specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/911 Handgun holder formed of leather, fabric, or other flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/914 Carrier for handcuffs, blackjack, club, or other equipment carried by policeman

Abstract

A composite of an audio and/or video recorder mounted and securable on a handgun holster having a holster-mounted recorder-activation switch activatable of the recorder upon withdrawal of the handgun from the holster, remaining activated until return of the handgun to the holster. Other weapon holsters also each with a recorder activation switch in each holster are activateable when the weapon is withdrawn, mounted in parallel electrical circuitry with the handgun-activation switch, for additional weapons such as mase and a baton.

Claims

1. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device adaptable for ready access and exposure to surrounding evidentiary recordable data when mounted on a body-worn sidearm weapon-mounting support structure and concurrently extending through a substantially vertical side-slit of a police-like jacket or coat when the coat or jacket is concurrently worn, comprising in combination:

1) a sidearm handgun-holster including a) a first side-face portion with a first outer surface thereof positioned to face substantially inwardly toward a first location of a side of a trunk of a person when wearing a sidearm weapon-mounting support structure for mounting a handgun-holster, the first outer surface having oppositely-directed first forward and first trailing portions, b) a second side-face portion with a second outer surface thereof positioned to face substantially outwardly toward a second location away from the side of the trunk of the person wearing a sidearm weapon-mounting support structure, the second outer surface having oppositely-directed second forward and second trailing portions, c) a forwardly-facing portion with a third outer surface thereof positioned to face substantially forwardly of the trunk of the person wearing a sidearm weapon-mounting support structure, the forwardly-facing portion being intermediate between and continuous with and interconnecting said first forward portion and said second forward portion, and d) said first trailing portion and said second trailing portion being connected to one another forming (i) a handgun-receivable receptacle and handgun mounting-space thereof and (ii) a handgun access-port to and from the handgun-receivable receptacle, of a access-port size and shape for alternately mounting and withdrawing therethrough a handgun, the handgun-receivable receptacle, mounting space thereof and the handgun access-port jointly forming a handgun-holster alternately mountably-receivable and withdrawable of a handgun, and e) holster-mounting structure mountable of the handgun-holster onto a sidearm weapon-mounting support structure;

     2) a surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure a) mounted on said sidearm handgun-holster and b) forming a surveillance and recording means retainer-unit and a retainer unit first port thereof adapted for alternately mounting and withdrawal of a surveillance and recording means and providing associated mounting space for a portable surveillance and recording means, said associated mounting space being of a first size and shape receivable of and transportable of a portable surveillance and recording means for alternately turning on and off recording mechanism thereof of evidentiary events occuring within detectable distances of the recording means, c) a port closure means for alternately non-access and access to and from said associated mounting space, and d) the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit including a retainer unit second port of a second size and shape i) insufficiently large for insertion therethrough of a portable surveillance and recording means for alternately turning on and off recording mechanism thereof of evidentiary events occuring within detectable distances and sufficient for detection therethrough of recordable evidentiary events occuring within detectable distances thereof, and ii) sufficiently large for detection therethrough of recordable evidentiary events occuring within detectable distances thereof by a portable surveillance and recording means for alternately turning on and off recording mechanism thereof of evidentiary events.

2. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, including said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure and including a circuitry means for providing battery power to and for being operatively connected to a surveillance and recording unit when a surveillance and recording unit is mounted within said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, said circuitry means being mounted on at-least one of said sidearm handgun-holster, said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure and said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure.

3. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which a semiautomatic on-off switch means for alternately activating and deactivating a surveillance and recording means, is mounted on at-least one of said sidearm handgun-holster and said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, such that withdrawal of a handgun from said sidearm handgun-holster activates said surveillance and recording means and insertion of a handgun into said sidearm handgun-holster deactivates said surveillance and recording means, whenever concurrently said surveillance and recording means is mounted with said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure.

4. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said retainer unit second port is positioned in said first forward portion.

5. The surveillance and recording unit mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said retainer unit second port is of a dimensional size sufficiently large as to provide outside access to activation and control means for turning on and for operating multiple functions of a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said retainer-unit.

6. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said retainer unit includes a third port of a dimensional size sufficiently large as to provide outside access to activation and control means for turning on and for operating multiple functions of a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said retainer-unit.

7. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which at least one of said surveillance and recording means retainer-unit and a retainer unit first port structure includes said port closure means for alternately non-removeably locking a surveillance and recording means into the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit during periods of intended activation of a surveillance and recording means, and removably unlocking the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit for permitting removal of a previously utilized surveillance and recording means, during period of loading or reloading a replacement surveillance and recording means into the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit.

8. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said port closure means includes at-least one tamper-proof screw which when mounted locks the locking means, and when dismounted, unlocks said locking means.

9. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said port closure means includes at-least one tamper-proof screw which when mounted locks the locking means, and when dismounted, unlocks said locking means.

10. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, including said surveillance and recording means which comprises:

a) a recording means for recording at-least one of audio and video signals, for providing interior space for containing a recording substrate therein and for intermittent alternate code-locking and unlocking a recording substrate detainably within said space; and

b) said recording substrate alternately insertable into and removable from said space, said recording substrate being recordable of signals that are at-least one of audio and video signals.

11. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device of claim 1, including a combination audio and video recorder.

12. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, in which said circuitry means includes a wired circuit, and further includes battery means for providing direct current to and through said circuitry means through said wired circuit to said surveillance and recording means, the battery means being mounted on at-least one of said handgun holster and said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure.

13. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 12, in which said circuitry means includes a power off-on circuitry switch in series with said wired circuit, for alternately turning on and off direct electric current electrical power to said surveillance and recording means.

14. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 13, including a weapon-mounting case containable of an additional on-off switch for closing operatively electrical power circuit from said battery means and power circuitry of said surveillance and recording means, the additional on-off switch being turned-on by withdrawal of a weapon mounted in the weapon-mounting case being withdrawn from the weapon-mounting case.

15. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, including a circuitry means for providing battery power to and for being operatively connected to a surveillance and recording unit when a surveillance and recording unit is mounted within said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, said circuitry means being mounted on at-least one of said sidearm handgun-holster and said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure.

16. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 15, including said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure and including a circuitry means for providing battery power to and for being operatively connected to a surveillance and recording unit when a surveillance and recording unit is mounted within said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, said circuitry means being mounted on at-least one of said sidearm handgun-holster, said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure and said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure.

17. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 16, in which a semiautomatic on-off switch means for alternately activating and deactivating a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, is mounted on at-least one of said sidearm handgun-holster and said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure, such that withdrawal of a handgun from said sidearm handgun-holster activates said surveillance and recording means and insertion of a handgun into said sidearm handgun-holster deactivates said surveillance and recording means, whenever concurrently said surveillance and recording means is mounted with said surveillance and recording unit-mountable vessel-forming structure.

18. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 17, in which said retainer unit second port is positioned in said first forward portion.

19. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 18, in which said retainer unit second port is of a dimensional size sufficiently large as to provide outside access to activation and control means for turning on and for operating multiple functions of a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said retainer-unit.

20. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 19, in which said retainer unit includes a third port of a dimensional size sufficiently large as to provide outside access to activation and control means for turning on and for operating multiple functions of a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said retainer-unit.

21. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 20, in which at least one of said surveillance and recording means retainer-unit and a retainer unit first port structure includes said port closure means for alternately non-removeably locking a surveillance and recording means into the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit during periods of intended activation of a surveillance and recording means, and removably unlocking the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit for permitting removal of a previously utilized surveillance and recording means, during period of loading or reloading a replacement surveillance and recording means into the surveillance and recording means retainer-unit.

22. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 21, in which said port closure means includes at-least one tamper-proof screw which when mounted locks the locking means, and when dismounted, unlocks said locking means.

23. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 1, including said surveillance and recording means.

24. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 23, in which said surveillance and recording means includes sound-recording and video mechanisms.

25. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device of claim 23, in which said surveillance and recording unit means includes automatic time recording means for recording exact time when recording is initiated onto a substrate by the surveillance and recording unit means.

26. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 23, in which said surveillance and recording means includes a sound-recording mechanism.

27. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 26, in which said surveillance and recording means comprises:

a) a recording means for recording at-least one of audio and video signals, for providing interior space for containing a recording substrate therein and for intermittent alternate code-locking and unlocking a recording substrate detainably within said space; and

b) said recording substrate alternately insertable into and removable from said space, said recording substrate being recordable of signals that are at-least one of audio and video signals.

28. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 27, in which said circuitry means includes a wired circuit, and further includes battery means for providing direct current to and through said circuitry means through said wired circuit to said surveillance and recording means, the battery means being mounted on at-least one of said handgun holster and said sidearm weapon-mounting support structure.

29. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 28, in which said circuitry means includes a power off-on circuitry switch in series with said wired circuit, for alternately turning on and off direct electric current electrical power to said surveillance and recording means.

30. The surveillance and recording unit-mountable handgun-holster device of claim 29, including a weapon-mounting case containable of an additional on-off switch for closing operatively electrical power circuit from said battery means and power circuitry of said surveillance and recording means, the additional on-off switch being turned-on by withdrawal of a weapon mounted in the weapon-mounting case being withdrawn from the weapon-mounting case.

31. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device adaptable for ready access and recording activation to timey record surrounding evidentiary recordable data when mounted on a body-worn weapon-mounting support structure, comprising in combination:

1) at least one weapon-transportable vessel-means for transporting a weapon and for mounting on a weapon-mounting support structure; and

     2) a surveillance and recording means-retainer-unit means for mounting at least one of a) an audio recorder and b) a combination audio and video recorder, onto at-least one of said weapon-transportable vessel means; and

     3) a circuitry means for providing battery power to and for being operatively connected to a surveillance and recording unit when a surveillance and recording unit is mounted on at least one said weapon-transportable vessel-means and on said surveillance and recording means-retainer-unit means; and

     4) a semiautomatic on-off switch means for alternately activating and deactivating a surveillance and recording means when mounted within said surveillance and recording unit means, mounted on at-least one of said weapon-transportable vessel-means and said surveillance and recording unit means, such that withdrawal of a weapon from said at-least one of said weapon-transportable vessel-means and said surveillance and recording unit means, activates said surveillance and recording means and insertion of a handgun into said at-least one of said weapon-transportable vessel means and said surveillance and recording unit means, deactivates said surveillance and recording means, whenever concurrently said surveillance and recording means is mounted within said surveillance and recording means-retainer-unit means.

32. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device of claim 31, in which said surveillance and recording unit means includes automatic time recording means for recording exact time when recording is initiated onto a substrate by the surveillance and recording unit means.

33. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device of claim 31, including a plurality of said weapon-transportable vessel-means, said plurality being in parallel circuitry to one-another such that each of said plurality is separately activateable and deactivateable.

34. A surveillance and recording unit-mountable weapon-carrying device of claim 33, including a combination audio and video recorder.