Holster with trigger guard retention device

• US 5,855,305 A
• Filed: 10/01/1996
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R.E.D. Nichols & Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R.E.D. Nichols & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Nichols, Richard E. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sholl, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US08/721,572
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 224/244, 224/243, 224/193, 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 33/0263 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 retention device or clip for retaining a handgun trigger guard in a holster has a first end wall for securing against a rear end wall of the holster, a pair of flexible side walls projecting forwardly from the first end wall and a flexible third wall projecting forwardly from the first end wall at a location spaced below the side walls and extending at right angles to the side walls. Each side wall has a free end or ear biased inwardly towards the ear of the other side wall for extending into the trigger guard of a gun seated in the holster. The third wall acts as a rest for a lower edge portion of the trigger guard after it is pushed below the side walls, and also biases the trigger guard upwardly into engagement with the side walls for added security.

Claims

1. A handgun holster, comprising:

a holster body having a handgun receiving cavity with an upper open end for receiving a handgun, a lower end, a forward end, and a rear end;

a trigger guard retention device for receiving the trigger guard of a handgun inserted in the cavity, the device having a first end wall secured against the rear end of said cavity, the first end wall having opposite sides, a pair of flexible side walls projecting forwardly from the respective opposite sides of said end wall, each side wall having a free end biased inwardly towards the free end of the other side wall for projecting into a trigger guard of a handgun inserted in the cavity, and a third wall projecting forwardly from the end wall at right angles to the pair of side walls with a space between the side walls and third wall, the third wall being flexible; and

said third wall comprising a rest for the lower end portion of the trigger guard when the free ends of the side walls project into the trigger guard, and further comprising biasing means for biasing said trigger guard into engagement with said side walls, whereby said retention device resists withdrawal of the handgun from said cavity.

2. The holster as claimed in claim 1, including a spacer member at the rear end of said cavity at a location spaced below said third wall of said retention device.

3. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the side walls of said retention device are formed integrally with said first end wall.

4. The holster as claimed in claim 3, wherein the side walls and third wall are formed integrally with said first end wall to provide a one-piece retention device.

5. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end wall of the retention device has at least one opening and the rear end of said holster has an opening aligned with said one opening, and a fastener member extends through said aligned openings to secure the retention device at a predetermined position in said cavity.

6. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention device has an upper open end for receiving the trigger guard of a handgun inserted downwardly into said holster, and said side walls taper inwardly from the upper end towards the third wall to define a spacing of gradually reducing width between said side walls.

7. The holster as claimed in claim 6, wherein said side walls taper inwardly from the first end wall towards the forward end of said holster, whereby the side walls define a chamber of gradually reducing width in two directions.

8. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third wall bends upwardly towards the free ends of said side walls in a direction extending from said first end wall.

9. The holster as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third wall has a free end bent downwardly away from the free ends of said side walls.

10. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holster body is formed from a piece of material having a fold defining said rear end, and the first end wall of said retention device is secured to said fold.

11. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holster body comprises an elongate, rigid spine having a central channel and forming the rear end of said cavity, and a separate holster body member forming said forward end and opposite sides of said cavity, the opposite sides of said body member being secured to opposite sides of said spine, and said retention device being secured in said channel.

12. The holster as claimed in claim 11, wherein the side walls have upper edges, each upper edge having a notch, and the channel has a lug on each side projecting into the channel and engaging in a notch in a respective side wall of said retention device.

13. A trigger guard retention device for a handgun holster, comprising:

a first end wall for securing to an end wall of a handgun holster;

a pair of flexible side walls projecting from the end wall to form a channel for receiving the trigger guard of a handgun inserted into the holster, the channel having an upper end, a lower end, and a forward open end, and each side wall having a free end biased inwardly towards the free end of the opposite side wall and comprising means for engagement in a trigger guard opening;

each side wall having an upper end having a notch; and

a third wall spaced below the lower end of the channel and projecting at right angles to the side walls to form a stop for a lower end portion of a trigger guard when the free ends of the side walls engage in the trigger guard opening, the third-wall being flexible and comprising means for biasing the trigger guard into engagement with the side walls, said third wall being deflectable to permit release of said trigger guard from said retention device.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least the side walls are formed integrally with said first end wall.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the side walls and third wall are formed integrally with said first end wall to form a unitary device.

16. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first end wall has at least one opening for receiving a fastener for securing the device to an end wall of a holster.

17. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein each side wall is tapered inwardly in a direction from the first end wall to the forward end of the channel to form a channel of gradually tapering width in cross-section.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein each side wall is tapered inwardly from the upper end to the lower end of the channel and the forward end of the channel is of correspondingly tapering width towards the lower end of the channel.

19. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the free ends of the side walls comprise ears having a rounded periphery formed at the lower end of the channel.

20. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said walls each have a smooth inner surface.

21. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the third wall bends upwardly towards the free ends of said side walls in a direction away from said first end wall.

22. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the third wall has a free end bent downwardly away from said side walls.