U.S. patent application number 10/825002 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-07 for secondary vertical latching lever and secondary horizontal latching lever holsters.
Invention is credited to Beletsky, Robert J., Eerdmans, Carl R., Lefeber, Anthony G..
Application Number | 20040195282 10/825002 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46301185 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040195282 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beletsky, Robert J. ; et
al. |
October 7, 2004 |
Secondary vertical latching lever and secondary horizontal latching
lever holsters
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
blocking lever pinned to an outside housing member and having a
vertical finger-operated button mounted flush with the surface of
the outside housing member. A fourth embodiment includes a similar
blocking lever with a finger-operated lever extending out of the
pouch and positioned for actuation by a wearer's middle finger and
inhibiting actuation by a wearer's trigger finger.
Inventors: |
Beletsky, Robert J.;
(Fallbrook, CA) ; Eerdmans, Carl R.; (Fallbrook,
CA) ; Lefeber, Anthony G.; (Temecula, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John E. Wagner, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF JOHN E. WAGNER
3541 Ocean View Boulevard
Glendale
CA
91208
US
|
Family ID: |
46301185 |
Appl. No.: |
10/825002 |
Filed: |
April 14, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10825002 |
Apr 14, 2004 |
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10199191 |
Jul 19, 2002 |
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6769582 |
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60308050 |
Jul 25, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
224/244 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41C 33/0263 20130101;
F41C 33/0227 20130101; F41C 33/0209 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/244 |
International
Class: |
F41C 033/02 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising: a
pouch having an inside panel and an outside panel; a housing
secured in said pouch; said housing including a slot for receiving
said trigger guard and a fixed stop for said trigger guard; a
pivotable lever having a finger-engageable end and a blocking
projection, said finger-engaging end being positioned relative to
said pouch such that said finger-engaging end is spaced away from
the wearer's trigger finger; and a resilient device for urging said
blocking projection into a space within said trigger guard when
said handgun is in said holster such that said trigger guard is
captured by said blocking projection; wherein removal of said
handgun requires moving of said finger-engaging end in opposition
to the force of said resilient device into a position where said
blocking projection cannot engage said trigger guard.
2. A holster as claimed in claim 1 wherein a fulcrum device is
secured to said housing on one side of said slot and said lever is
secured to said housing by said fulcrum device.
3. A holster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivotable lever is
a first-class lever.
4. A holster as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivotable lever is
a second-class lever.
5. A holster as claimed in claim 2 wherein said resilient device is
positioned on said one side of said slot and contacts said lever on
the same side of said fulcrum device as said blocking
projection.
6. A holster as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fulcrum device is
secured to said housing at the end of said lever and said resilient
device and said blocking projection are positioned between said
fulcrum device and said finger-engagable end.
7. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising: a
pouch having an inside panel and an outside panel; a housing
secured to said inside and outside panels; a lever device pivotally
secured within said housing including a finger-engaging end
positioned such that said finger-engaging end is spaced away from
the trigger finger of the wearer and a blocking end for engagement
with the trigger guard of a handgun when positioned in said
holster; a resilient device urging said 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 device into a position where said
blocking end cannot engage said trigger guard; and wherein said
trigger-engaging end of said lever is essentially inaccessible to
the wearer's trigger finger in normal drawing of the handgun.
8. A holster as claimed in claim 7 wherein said resilient device is
positioned within said housing.
9. A holster as claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing is secured
to said outside panel with a fastener.
10. A holster as claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing comprises
an inside guide and an outside guide, said lever device being
pivotally secured to said outside guide and said inside guide
including a fixed surface constituting a stop for said trigger
guard.
11. A holster as claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing comprises
an inside guide and an outside guide, said lever device being
pivotally secured to said inside guide and said outside guide
including a fixed surface constituting a stop for said trigger
guard.
12. A holster as claimed in claim 11 wherein said inside guide and
said outside guide cooperate to define a slot for receiving the
trigger guard of said handgun.
13. A holster for use with a handgun having a trigger guard, a grip
region, and a barrel-containing region, said holster comprising: a
pair of generally planar body members joined at their periphery to
form a pouch therebetween; a pair of spaced slots through said body
members to define a path for a wearer's supporting belt and to hold
the holster adjacent to a wearer's body for close carrying of a
handgun and concealment purposes; the improvement therein in
comprising: a housing and a guide in said pouch, said guide
defining a slot for receiving a handgun trigger guard; a lever in
said housing including a finger-engaging end and a trigger guard
blocking end; means for pivoting said lever within said slot to
engage and release the blocking end of the trigger guard; spring
means for biasing said blocking end into engagement with the
trigger guard; the finger-engaging end extending out of the pouch
defined by said body members away from the trigger guard when a
handgun is located in said pouch, such that the trigger finger of
the wearer is inaccessible to the trigger guard region of the
handgun while normally operating the finger-engaging end of the
lever.
14. A holster in accordance with claim 13 and wherein the
finger-engaging end of said lever spaced away from the wearer's
trigger finger and positioned for actuation by other fingers.
15. A holster for a handgun having a trigger guard comprising: a
pouch having an inside part and an outside part; a housing secured
to said inside part and an outside guide secured to said outside
part; said housing and said outside guide cooperating to define a
slot for receiving said trigger guard, said housing including a
pivotable lever having a finger-engageable end and a blocking
projection and said outside guide including a fixed surface serving
as a stop for said trigger guard; said finger-engaging end being
positioned relative to said pouch for engagement by a wearer's
middle finger; and a resilient member in said housing urging the
blocking projection of said lever into a position within said
trigger guard when said handgun is in said holster, such that said
trigger guard is captured by said blocking projection; 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 projection cannot engage said trigger
guard.
16. A holster as claimed in claim 15 wherein said finger-engaging
end is substantially inaccessible to the wearer's trigger finger
during normal withdrawing of said handgun.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
10/199,191 filed Jul. 19, 2002, which claims benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/308,050 filed Jul. 25,
2001, and hereby claims the benefit of the embodiments therein and
of the filing date thereof and is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] From the earliest days in the development of the handgun
holster, the need has been recognized for the holster to include a
retention component to provide the user with some assurance that
the handgun will not fall out, be dislodged or be subject to
unauthorized removal. Classically, a holster flap or strap has
acted as such a primary restraint. Both of these types have proved
effective.
[0003] It has since been recognized that supplementary restraints
are desirable. One of the earliest important supplementary
restraints, in addition to a strap or flap, appeared in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,630,420 to John E. Bianchi on Dec. 28, 1971, in which the
handgun is restricted from withdrawal by a pocket which engages the
handgun cylinder and a spring which together restrain the handgun
from being drawn upward and allow drawing of the handgun only
through a forward slot in the holster body.
[0004] For semi-automatic weapons, which have no cylinder, a
variety of secondary restraints have been utilized. The most common
approach has been to engage the trigger guard when the handgun is
in place in the holster to be drawn only by disengaging a trigger
guard release. Examples of such secondary restraints are
illustrated in the following U.S. patents:
1 4,256,243 Bianchi et al. Mar. 17, 1981 4,277,007 Bianchi et al.
Jul. 07, 1981 5,129,562 J. E. Bianchi Jul. 14, 1992 5,199,620
Beletsky Apr. 06, 1993 5,246,153 Beletsky Sep. 21, 1993 5,918,784
Serpa Jul. 06, 1999 6,085,951 R. Beletsky et al. Jul. 11, 2000
[0005] These patents illustrate the intense efforts which have gone
into development of secondary trigger guard-type restraints, yet
continuing improvements are underway.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Faced with this state of the art, we have produced some
simple, yet effective, secondary retention device holster designs
providing automatic engagement upon holstering the handgun, one
employing a vertical thumb release and others using a horizontal
finger release for withdrawal of the handgun.
[0007] In the first embodiment, a spring loaded pivoted lever
within an inboard housing is employed as the secondary restraint.
The lever is pivoted about a generally horizontal shaft or pin at
approximately the lever's midpoint constituting a first class type
lever. A concealed spring, preferably a coil spring, is located
within the inboard portion of the holster body and biases the
trigger guard engaging portion of the lever into a restraining
position within the trigger guard of the handgun when it is in
holstered position.
[0008] The secondary retention device of this invention is
preferably employed in a thumb break-type holster and is located
below the thumb break. This allows a continuing motion of the thumb
downward to first disengage the primary retention strap at the
thumb break, and then to continue downward to engage the operating
end of the secondary retention device, press it inward, release the
trigger guard, and allow smooth drawing of the handgun by an upward
arm and hand movement.
[0009] In an alternate embodiment, a two-lever system is used. The
two levers reside in the inboard housing. These horizontal levers
are fulcrumed with vertical pins. The user applies finger pressure
to the end of a first lever, which pivots about a first fulcrum and
contacting a second lever, which rotates about a second fulcrum.
The second lever houses a compression coil spring, which pushes the
second lever outward to catch the gun's trigger guard. As the first
lever rotates the second lever, the projection that engages the
trigger guard rotates inward. With this projection rotated inward,
the user may withdraw the gun upwardly. When the user releases the
first lever, the spring causes the levers to return to their
original rested position. When the user returns the gun to the
holster, the levers automatically move to catch the trigger guard
when it is lowered to its home position.
[0010] The boss or projection includes a tapered outer edge to
allow the trigger guard to displace the lever out of the way upon
holstering a handgun and a planar inner edge for blocking
withdrawal of the handgun unless the lever is depressed. The first
lever is easily actuated by movement of the middle finger of the
hand during the grasping of the handgun grip. If the holster is of
the thumb break type, the actuation of the trigger guard retention
release is nearly simultaneous with the thumb release of the
thumbbreak strap.
[0011] An additional embodiment utilizes a finger-operated latching
lever positioned on the outside of the holster. The accessible
surface of the lever is, or may be, made smoothly flush with the
outside surface of the holster body, which tends to minimize the
chance of inadvertent or unauthorized operation of the latching
lever.
[0012] A further embodiment utilizes a similar lever arrangement in
connection with a type of holster known as concealment or pancake
holster. Such holsters are made as flat as possible with no welt or
a welt of minimum thickness and normally includes slots through
which a wearer's belt is fed, holding the holster quite flat
against the wearer's waist. Some earlier prior art efforts to
produce a pancake holster with a blocking lever to secure the
handgun in place have resulted in less effective design because, in
actuating a blocking lever with the first or trigger finger to
release the handgun, the trigger finger continued directly into the
trigger guard, prematurely contacting the trigger.
[0013] The holster embodiment described herein is designed with the
finger-operated end of the blocking lever extending out of the
holster at such a position that only the wearer's middle finger (or
possibly ring finger) is in position to contact the finger-operated
end of the blocking lever. With the wearer's middle finger in the
normal position during withdrawal of the handgun, it would be
extremely awkward or almost impossible to attempt to operate the
blocking lever with the trigger finger. Although the configuration
for avoiding inadvertent, premature operation of the trigger by the
trigger finger by positioning the finger-operated end at the
blocking lever for operation by the middle finger is described in
connection with a concealment-type holster, it is applicable to
other types of holsters as well.
[0014] All of these embodiments can provide simple, effective,
secondary retention features to most belt worn holsters and
possibly other types of holsters, as well.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] This invention may be more clearly understood with the
following detailed description and by reference to the drawings in
which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a thumb break-type strap
holster incorporating the invention and showing its outside face
and a secondary handgun restraint, vertical lever type;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the holster of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along
line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of the holster
of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a top view of the holster of FIGS. 1-4 taken along
line 5-5 of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to
FIG. 3 as a handgun is being withdrawn from the holster of FIG.
1;
[0022] FIG. 7 is an outer side elevational view of an alternative
embodiment holster showing its outside face and a horizontal lever
type secondary restraint;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the holster of FIG.
7;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along
line 9-9 of FIG. 8 with a handgun partly shown in phantom;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken
along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 11-11
of FIG. 9 with a handgun in a holstered position;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 11 with
the secondary restraint released and the handgun being withdrawn
from the holster of FIG. 7;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken
along line 13-13 of the holster of FIG. 9 during release of the
secondary restraint;
[0029] FIG. 14 is an outer side elevational view of a further
embodiment having an outside latching lever holster and a
semi-automatic handgun shown partly in phantom;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the holster of FIG. 14 taken
along line 15-15 of FIG. 14;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a top view partly in section of the holster of
FIGS. 14 and 15;
[0032] FIG. 17 is an inner side elevational view of a concealment
or pancake holster incorporating an inside latching lever of the
first class handgun withdrawal restraint with a semi-automatic
handgun shown partly in phantom;
[0033] FIG. 18 is a side view of the holster of FIG. 17;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a bottom view, partly in section, of the holster
of FIGS. 17 and 18 with a semi-automatic handgun holstered;
[0035] FIG. 20 is an inner side view of a concealment or pancake
holster incorporating an inside second class lever handgun
withdrawal restraint and a holstered semi-automatic handgun;
[0036] FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG.
20;
[0037] FIG. 22 is a drawing of an individual in the process of
beginning to draw a handgun from the concealment or pancake holster
of FIGS. 17-19; and
[0038] FIG. 23 is a drawing similar to FIG. 22 but showing the
handgun partly drawn from the holster of FIGS. 17-19.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 1, a holster 10, with a conventional
thumb break strap and a secondary retention device is shown,
including a body 11 and a belt loop member 12, which is preferably
of a molded plastic, such as nylon. The holster's belt loop 12 is
on a belt 14. A handgun 16 shown in phantom is inserted into the
holster 10. The body 11 may be of leather, leather-like material or
of woven material, such as ballistic nylon. Secured to and forming
part of holster 10 is a welt 18 shown in dashed lines. All the
holsters shown and described herein are right-hand designs.
Left-hand designs would be mirror images of those shown.
[0040] Holster 10 in the preferred form is a folded leather or
synthetic pouch having an outside face 20, a front face 22, which
is the folded over part adjacent to the gun sight and the top of
the handgun barrel or slide, an inside face 24 (FIG. 2) and a rear
surface which, in this case, includes the edge of welt 18 to which
the edges of outside face 20 and inside face 24 are secured,
preferably by stitching to close the holster 10. Secured to welt
18, by means of one or more screws or rivets 26, is an inboard
housing 28 and an outboard guide 102 which may be of metal, such as
aluminum, although it could be of another durable material, such as
steel or acetyl delrin. Above the inboard housing 28 a portion of
the secondary restraint lever 34 may be seen.
[0041] FIG. 2 is a view from the rear of holster 10. As will be
seen from this view, an inboard housing 28 is positioned adjacent
inner surface of inside face 24 of holster 10 and includes a
thumb-operated lever 34 which is pivotally secured to inboard
housing 28 by means of a pin 36 (FIGS. 3 and 6).
[0042] Stitched to inside face 24 is an additional stiffening layer
30 which provides an additional support for attaching belt loop 12
as well as a second leather or synthetic layer for supporting a
thumb break snap fastener 32. Outside face 20 includes a strap 38
carrying the mating part 32M of snap fastener 32. Thus, inside face
24 as combined with stiffening layer 30 combines with strap 38 and
snap fastener 32 to form a thumb break. An extension of strap 38
wraps over the top of handgun 16 to prevent its removal from
holster 10 until the strap is released. This is the conventional
thumb break holster operation.
[0043] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.
In this view, it will be seen that the inboard housing 28 includes
a thumb-operated lever 34 which is pivoted on a pin 36. Lever 34 is
urged by means of a resilient member in the form of a compression
spring 40 in a direction to force its contact projection or boss 42
into the space within the trigger guard 44 of handgun 16. When
handgun 16 is seated in holster 10 with thumb break fastener 32
secured, it is held in place both by the thumb break and by the
contact boss 42 of lever 34. The lever 34 is accessible for
operation only from the region between the holster body and the
belt loop 12. The user's thumb moves to open the thumb break, and
in a continuing downward movement operates the lever 34 to release
the handgun.
[0044] To withdraw handgun 16 requires that thumb break fastener 32
be opened with the operator's thumb, which is then moved to lever
34, moving lever 34 in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 3 to
release contact boss 42 from trigger guard 44 before handgun 16 can
be pulled out of the holster.
[0045] Also shown in FIG. 3 is a second screw 46 which fastens welt
18, inboard housing 28, outboard guide 102, and inside face layer
24 together.
[0046] FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 4-4 of
FIG. 3. This view shows that welt 18 has a cut out 48 at its upper
end to receive the trigger guard 44 of handgun 16. The inboard
housing 28 is shown along with lever 34. Pivot pin 36 and coil
spring 40 are shown in phantom.
[0047] FIG. 5 is a top view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and
shows inboard housing 28 and outboard guide 102 as seen from the
top, including lever 34 shown in its normal position where contact
boss 42 is urged by spring 40 into the space for the trigger guard.
Pivot pin 36 is shown in dashed line.
[0048] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but
showing the lever 34 being operated by the thumb of an operator,
rotating the contact boss 42 of lever 34 away from the trigger
guard area against the force of spring 40. This releases the
trigger guard 44 and permits handgun 16 to be removed from holster
10.
[0049] An alternative embodiment of the invention, with a
horizontal lever mechanism, is shown in FIGS. 7-13. Referring now
to FIG. 7, a holster 60, which may be similar to holster 10 or it
may be made of a trilaminate with an outer cover of a strong
fabric, such as ballistic nylon, is suspended from a belt 62 by
means of a molded belt loop member 64, which may be similar to or
the same as belt loop member 12 of FIG. 1. A handgun 66, shown in
phantom, is carried in the holster 60 and is held in the holster by
means of a thumb break which, although of fabric instead of
leather, is essentially the same as that described above. An
inboard housing 68 is secured to a welt 70 by means of a pair of
screws 72, 74, welt 70 being fastened between inboard housing and
an outboard guide 103 (FIG. 10).
[0050] FIG. 8 is a view of holster 60, as seen from the rear. This
view shows a fabric outside face 76, a similar fabric inside face
78 and the molded belt loop member 64 secured to inside face 78.
Inboard housing 68 is shown, including a lever 80.
[0051] FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8
and shows lever 80, which is secured to inboard housing assembly 68
by means of a pivot pin 85. A projection 82 on a second lever 108
extends within the trigger guard 84 of handgun 66.
[0052] FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9
and shows the inboard housing 68 and lever 80 as seen from above.
This view shows lever 80 in its normal position resting against
lever 108 with a compression spring 86 urging projection 82 into
the space within trigger guard 84. It will be observed that the
outboard guide 103 has a ledge 88 which serves as a stop for
trigger guard 84 as handgun 66 is placed in the holster 60.
[0053] FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9
and shows inboard housing 68 secured to inner face 78 with
projection 82 of lever 108 urged into the space behind trigger
guard 84 by spring 86, to hold the gun in position.
[0054] FIG. 12 is the same view as FIG. 11 but showing projection
82 of lever 108 moved clear of the trigger guard 84 and permitting
handgun 66 to be removed from holster 60. In this view, the spring
86 is compressed.
[0055] FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing that the
operator has moved lever 80 in the direction shown by the arrow of
FIG. 10 causing lever 80 to pivot around pin 85 moving lever 108 to
compress spring 86, and moving the projection 82 out of the space
through which the trigger guard must move to release handgun 66
from holster 60.
[0056] From the foregoing, it will be seen that the structures
described above provide simple and straightforward secondary
latches for securing a handgun in a holster in addition to the
well-known thumb break. The structure is durable and uncomplicated
and, with either embodiment, easy and natural for a user to
operate. Note that the outboard guides 102 and 103 serve both to
locate the handgun in a position to restrain the handgun in place
but also prevent any twisting motion of the handgun that could
defeat the retention.
[0057] A third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS.
14-16 utilizes a finger-operated latching lever positioned on the
outside of the holster. FIG. 14 shows a holster 110 which, in its
preferred form, is a folded leather or synthetic pouch having an
outside face 120, a front face 122, an inside face 124 (FIG. 15),
and a rear surface which includes a welt 118 to which the edges of
outside face 120 and inside face 124 are secured, such as by
stitching to close holster 110.
[0058] Secured to welt 118 by means of one or more screws or rivets
126 is an inboard guide member 128 and an outboard guide 130 which
may be of metal, such as aluminum, although it could be of another
durable material, such as steel or acetyl delrin. A handgun 116 is
shown positioned in holster 110, including a trigger guard 144.
Also visible in this view is a lever 134 positioned in a cut out
136 of outboard guide 130. Lever 134 is supported on a dowel pin
138 carried in outboard guide 130 and best seen in FIGS. 15 and
16.
[0059] FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG.
14. As seen in this view, the inside face 124 is carried next to
the wearer W. A belt-loop member is not shown but could well be
identical to belt loop member 12 of FIG. 2 and secured to the belt
112 of wearer W. In this view, the lever 134 is shown pivotable on
dowel pin 138 between a first position where the lever tip 140
blocks trigger guard 144, and a second position where lever tip 140
is moved out of the trigger guard space enabling the handgun 116 to
be withdrawn from holster 110. Set in small wells or depressions in
outboard guide 130 and lever 134 is a coil spring 146 which urges
lever tip 140 into the space blocking trigger guard. To release
handgun 116, the wearer W applies finger pressure to the surface
134S of lever 134, rotating the lever against the force of coil
spring 146 to move lever tip 140 clear of trigger guard 144.
[0060] FIG. 16 is a top view of holster 110 with handgun 116
removed. Visible in this view are outside face 120, inside face
124, outboard guide 130, and inboard guide 128. The lever 134 is
shown with fulcrum, dowel pin 138 shown in dotted lines to indicate
that it is concealed within outboard guide 130.
[0061] The embodiment of FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 has been shown and
described as applied to a holster which does not employ a strap and
thumb break arrangement like that described in connection with
FIGS. 1 and 2 or FIGS. 7 and 8; however, it will be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that such additional restraint means can
readily be adapted to the holster of FIGS. 14, 15, and 16.
[0062] An additional embodiment of the present invention utilizes a
housing and blocking lever similar to those described above in
combination with a significantly different type of holster known as
a concealment holster. This embodiment is also applicable to many
other types of holsters, including paddle holsters and other
holsters for revolvers as well as semi-automatic handguns. A
pancake-type concealment holster 150 is shown in FIGS. 17, 18, and
19 and includes two generally planar body members including an
inside or rear panel 152 (FIG. 18) and a front or outside panel
154, these panels being separate members which are sewn together to
form a pouch for receiving a handgun 156. Spaced slots 153 and 155
are cut in panels 152 and 154 to provide for attaching holster 150
to a wearer's belt and to hold the holster adjacent to a wearer's
body.
[0063] Secured to the inside of holster 150 is an inboard housing
158, best seen in FIG. 18, which includes a guide or slot 160
forming a trigger guard region and a surface 162 located to form a
stop for the trigger guard 164 of handgun 156. Carried in inboard
housing 158 is a lever 166 of FIGS. 17 and 19 pivotally mounted on
a pin 168. Lever 166 includes a blocking projection or end 166B and
a finger-operated end 166A extending out of front and rear body
panels 152 and 154 away from trigger guard 164. A slide and a
barrel-containing region are shown at numeral 167.
[0064] As is more clearly shown in the top view, FIG. 19, lever 166
pivots around a pin 168 serving as a fulcrum device from a first
position, shown in solid outline in which the blocking projection
166B extends into the space behind the trigger guard 164 to a
second position in which blocking projection 166B is moved out of
the way of the trigger guard. Lever 166 is urged toward its
blocking position by means of a coil spring 170. When handgun 156
is placed in holster 150, trigger guard 164 is directed into slot
160 and is pushed past blocking projection 166B, which then snaps
behind the front part of trigger guard 164, effectively capturing
it so that handgun 156 cannot be pulled directly out of holster
150.
[0065] To remove handgun 156 from holster 150, the wearer must
grasp the grip of the handgun, while at the same time pressing the
finger-operated end 166A of lever 166 to cause lever 166 to rotate
around pin 168 against the force of spring 170, moving the blocking
projection 166B away from trigger guard 164. The lever 166 is
positioned so that the finger-operated end 166A is conveniently
accessed with the wearer's middle finger but the first or trigger
finger is essentially inaccessible to the trigger guard region of
the handgun, as is illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23, described
below.
[0066] FIG. 20 is an inner side elevational view of an alternative
embodiment of pancake holster from that of FIGS. 17-19; and FIG. 21
is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 20. The holster
180 of FIGS. 20 and 21 is shown with a semi-automatic handgun shown
in normal, holstered position and the holster includes an inside
panel 182, and an outside panel 184 sewn together to provide the
handgun-holding pocket for receiving a handgun 186. Slots 188 and
190 are provided for attaching holster 180 to a wearer's belt.
[0067] Secured between panels 182 and 184 are an inside guide 192
and an outside guide 194, which define a slot for receiving the
trigger guard 195 of handgun 186. Inside guide 192 carries on its
lower end, a dowel pin 196 serving as a fulcrum supporting a lever
200 able to pivot over a limited range against the force of a coil
spring 198. Lever 200 includes a projection or cleat 202 which,
under the urging of coil spring 198, is moved into a position
within trigger guard 195 where it engages the trigger guard of the
holstered handgun and prevents handgun 186 from being removed from
holster 180. It will be recognized that holster 180 of FIGS. 20 and
21 differs from holster 150 of FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 in that lever
200 is a second class lever. Lever 166 of FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 is a
first class lever. The finger-operated end 204 of lever 200 is
positioned for operation by the wearer's middle finger, as
described above.
[0068] FIG. 22 shows an individual I with his right hand on the
grip of handgun 156 preparing to remove it from holster 150 of
FIGS. 17-19. It will be noted that the individual's first or
trigger finger TF lies along a small recess 151 on the outside of
the holster generally paralleling the slide or barrel of a
holstered handgun and away from the trigger guard 164, while the
middle finger MF is positioned to press against the finger-operated
end 166A of lever 166. It is also possible for the individual's
ring finger to reach end 166A, but the trigger finger is too remote
from the lever end 166A to operate it, while the individual
normally grasps the grip of the handgun.
[0069] FIG. 23 is a drawing showing the individual having partly
removed the handgun 156 and with his middle finger MF pressed
against finger-operated end 166A of lever 166 to keep lever 166 in
a position where its blocking end 166B is clear of trigger guard
164. The trigger finger TF is effectively spaced from the handgun
trigger until the handgun is nearly fully withdrawn from the
holster. This feature eliminates the trigger finger from being
pressed inward to operate any release lever and inadvertently
entering the finger guard, while releasing the handgun
restraint.
[0070] The above-described embodiments of the present invention are
merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered
limiting. The scope of the present invention instead shall be
determined from the scope of the following claims including their
equivalents.
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