Handgun holster having a trigger guard retainer latch

• US 5,810,221 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safariland LLC
• Original Assignee: Bianchi Intl (Safariland LLC)
• Inventors: Beletsky, Robert J., Lefeber, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory M.
• Application Number:
  US08/786,554
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 224/242, 224/243, 224/244, 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 33/0245 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 holster for a handgun having a trigger guard is formed of material such as leather or the like which is folded upon itself to make a pocket with an opening at the top. A pair of openings are located on opposite sides of the pocket adjacent the position of the trigger guard when the handgun is in the pocket. A retainer member of low friction material having resilient arms and clamp members with inwardly extending projections is fastened in the holster such that the arms and clamp members extend through the openings. When the handgun is placed in the holster, the trigger guard pushes past the projections on the clamp members which then latch around the trigger guard securing the handgun in the holster. Various embodiments of trigger guard retainer latch each include a bracket structure which is movable either to a first position where the bracket prevents outward movement of the arms and clamp members to thereby prevent release of the trigger guard or to a second position where the bracket is moved away from the arms and clamp members to permit the trigger guard to be pulled through the clamp members. In two embodiments, the bracket is pivotally moved away from or toward the arms and in other embodiments a slide mechanism is movable to block or to permit movement of the arms and clamp members.

Claims

1. A holster for a handgun including a trigger guard comprising:

a body formed to define a pocket for holding said handgun with an opening for the entrance and exit of the handgun;

a support secured to said body;

a trigger guard retainer including a resilient clamp attached to said support for retaining said trigger guard, said clamp having resistance to bending such that said handgun is prevented from being removed from said holster unless force is supplied sufficient to deflect said clamp and pull said trigger guard past said clamp;

a finger operated latch including a bracket having a pair of spaced clamp adjacent said resilient arms pivotally attached to said support for movement between a first position adjacent said clamp to prevent said clamp from deflecting to prevent removal of said handgun from said pocket and a second position wherein said clamp is permitted to deflect to permit removal of said handgun; and

said support including a groove for receiving said trigger guard and slots for receiving and holding said spaced arms when said bracket is in said first position.

2. A holster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bracket is secured to said support by means of a pivot pin and further includes a finger tab on the opposite side of said pivot pin from said spaced arms for movement of said bracket from said first position to said second position.

3. A holster for a handgun including a trigger guard comprising:

a support secured to said body including a groove for receiving said trigger guard;

a body formed to define a pocket for holding said handgun with an opening for the entrance and exit of the handgun;

a trigger guard retainer secured to said body including a pair of resilient clamp members including a pair of outwardly extending arms having inwardly extending projections secured to said support for retaining said trigger guard, said clamp members having sufficient resistance to bending to prevent the weight of the handgun from deflecting said clamp members and permitting the trigger guard to pass said clamp members when said holster is inverted;

a finger operated bracket attached to said support including a pair of spaced arms adjacent said resilient arms pivotally attached to said support for movement between a first position adjacent said clamp members to prevent said clamp members from deflecting to prevent removal of said handgun from said pocket and a second position wherein said clamp members are permitted to deflect to permit removal of said handgun; and

said support further including slots for receiving and holding said spaced arms when said bracket is in said first position.

4. A holster as claimed in claim 3 wherein said body includes at least one opening adjacent said trigger guard, and said bracket is accessible through said opening for manual movement of the bracket by the wearer of the holster from said first position to said second position.

5. A holster as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bracket is secured to said support by means of a pivot pin and further includes a finger tab on the opposite side of said pivot pin from said spaced arms for movement of said bracket from said first position to said second position.

6. A holster for a handgun as claimed in claim 3 wherein a portion of said bracket extends out of said pocket for movement from said first position to said second position by the wearer of said holster.

7. A holster for a handgun including a trigger guard comprising:

a body formed to define a pocket for holding said handgun with an opening for the entrance and exit of the handgun;

a support secured to said body;

a trigger guard retainer including a resilient clamp having a pair of outwardly extending arms having inwardly extending projections attached to said support for retaining said trigger guard, said clamp having resistance to bending such that said handgun is prevented from being removed from said holster unless force is supplied sufficient to deflect said clamp and pull said trigger guard past said clamp;

a latch including a bracket having a pair of spaced arms adjacent said resilient arms pivotally attached to said support for movement between a first position adjacent said clamp to prevent said clamp from deflecting to prevent removal of said handgun from said pocket and a second position wherein said clamp is permitted to deflect to permit removal of said handgun; and

said body including at least one opening adjacent said trigger guard, and said bracket is accessible through said opening for manual movement of the bracket by the wearer of the holster from said first position to said second position.