Secondary vertical latching lever and secondary horizontal latching lever holsters

• US 6,769,582 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safariland LLC
• Original Assignee: Bianchi Intl (Safariland LLC)
• Inventors: Eerdmans, Carl R., Beletsky, Robert J., Lefeber, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K.
• Application Number:
  US10/199,191
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 224/244, 224/243, 224/245, 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 33/0227 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 holster for a handgun having a trigger guard including a pouch having housing members secured to inside and outside faces of the pouch, the inside face being that closest to the wearer of the holster. A finger-operated, essentially vertical, lever including a blocking end is urged into the space within the trigger guard by means of a spring and is secured to an inside housing member such that it would not be readily apparent or operable by anyone attempting to remove the handgun from the holster. The holster may also include elongated upwardly extending straps and a snap fastener which can be wrapped around the butt of the handgun constituting a thumb break securing device. A second embodiment includes a horizontal double lever arrangement which blocks removal of the trigger guard as described. A third embodiment utilizes a lever pinned to an outside housing member and having a vertical finger-operated button mounted flush with the surface of the outside housing member.

Claims

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

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

an outside guide and an inboard housing secured within said pouch and said inboard housing including a pivotable lever, including a finger-engaging end extending for movement by a finger of the wearer and a blocking end for engagement with the trigger guard of a handgun when positioned in said holster, and said outside guide providing a fixed surface serving as a stop for the trigger guard of a handgun in said holster;

resilient means for urging the blocking end of said lever into a position within the trigger guard such that the trigger guard is captured by said blocking end;

wherein removal of said handgun requires moving said finger-engaging end in opposition to the force of said resilient means into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

2. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

a housing secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

lever means pivotally secured within said pouch and including a finger-engaging end extending for movement by a finger of the wearer and a blocking end for engagement with the trigger guard of a handgun when positioned in said holster, said pivotable lever means comprising a first lever having a finger-engaging end and a contact end, and a second lever having a contact member engaging said contact end and including said blocking end;

resilient means for urging the blocking end of said second lever into a position within the trigger guard such that the trigger guard is captured by said blocking end;

wherein removal of said handgun requires moving said finger-engaging end in opposition to the force of said resilient means into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

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

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

means for securing said inside and outside faces of said pouch together and for spacing said faces;

an inboard guide secured to said inside face providing a fixed surface serving as a stop for the trigger guard of a handgun in said holster;

an outside guide secured to said pouch and cooperating with said inboard guide to provide a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard, said outside guide including a pivotable lever having a finger-engagable end and a blocking end;

a resilient member urging the blocking end of said lever into a position within said trigger guard such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end; and

wherein removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engaging end in opposition to the force of said resilient member into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

4. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

a welt secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

an outside guide and an inboard housing secured to said welt, said inboard housing including a pivotable lever secured to said inboard housing having a finger-engagable end and a blocking end;

a resilient member urging the blocking end of said lever into a position within said trigger guard such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end; and

wherein removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engaging end in opposition to the force of said resilient member into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

5. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

a welt secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

an outboard guide secured to said welt and providing a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard;

an inboard housing secured to said welt;

said inboard housing including a pivotable lever having a thumb engaging end and a blocking end, and a resilient member urging the blocking end of said lever into said cut-out recess such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end; and

wherein the removal of said handgun requires moving of said thumb-engaging end in opposition to the force of said resilient member into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

6. A holster as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pivotable lever is secured to said outboard guide whereby said pivotal lever is engagable by a wearers finger on the outside face of said pouch.

7. A holster as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pivotable lever is secured to said inboard housing whereby said pivotal lever is engagable by a wearer'"'"'s thumb on the inside face of said pouch.

8. A holster as claimed in claim 5 wherein said inside face thereof includes an outward extending strap having a snap fastener member at its end and said outside face includes a vertically extending strap having a mating snap fastener member on its end, said straps constituting a thumb break restraint which, when fastened, restrains removal of said handgun from said holster.

9. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face and an opening at one end for receiving said handgun, said outside face including an integral strap having a fastening member at its end, said inside face having a mating fastener means, said fastening members being capable of being fastened together to hold said handgun in said pouch;

a housing secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

a pivotable lever secured to said housing having a finger-engaging end, a blocking end, and a fulcrum pin secured in said housing between said finger-engaging end and said blocking end of said lever;

resilient means urging the blocking end of said lever into a position within the trigger guard such that the trigger guard is captured by said blocking end;

wherein removal of said handgun requires opening said strap and operating the finger-engaging end of said lever in opposition to the force of said resilient member to move said blocking end away from said trigger guard.

10. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

a welt secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

an outboard guide secured to said welt within said pouch providing a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard and a surface serving as a stop for said trigger guard;

an inboard housing secured to said welt including pivotable levers having a finger-engagable end on one lever and on the second lever a blocking end;

a coil spring urging said blocking end of second lever into a position to capture said trigger guard between said blocking end and said stop;

whereby removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engaging end in opposition to the force of said coil spring into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

11. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

a welt secured to said inside and outside faces of said pouch;

an inboard guide secured to said welt providing a fixed surface serving as a stop for the trigger guard of a handgun in said holster;

an outboard guide secured to said welt and cooperating with said inboard guide to provide a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard;

said outboard guide including a pivotable lever having a finger-engagable end and a blocking end, and a resilient member urging the blocking end of said lever into said cut-out recess such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end; and

wherein the removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engagable end in opposition to the force of said resilient member into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

12. A holster as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pivotable lever is secured to said outboard guide whereby said pivotal lever is engagable by a wearer'"'"'s finger on the outside face of said pouch.

13. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face;

an inboard guide secured to said inside face providing a fixed surface serving as a stop for the trigger guard of a handgun in said holster;

an outboard guide secured to said outside face and cooperating with said inboard guide to provide a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard;

said outboard guide including a pivotable lever having a finger-engagable end and a blocking end, and a resilient member urging the blocking end of said lever into said cut-out recess such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end; and

wherein the removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engagable end in opposition to the force of said resilient member into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.

14. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising:

a pouch having an inside face and an outside face and means for spacing and connecting said inside face and said outside face together;

an inboard guide secured to said inside face providing a cut-out recess for receiving said trigger guard and a fixed surface serving as a stop for the trigger guard of a handgun in said holster; and

an outboard guide secured to said outside face including a pivotable lever having a finger-engagable end, a blocking end and a spring urging the blocking end of said lever into said cut-out recess such that said trigger guard is captured by said blocking end;

wherein the removal of said handgun requires moving of said finger-engagable end in opposition to the force of said spring into a position where said blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard.