U.S. patent application number 12/460419 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-20 for locking holster with thumb drive.
Invention is credited to Steve Avila, Tom Crawford, Howard Schultz, Bryce Wegner.
Application Number | 20110011904 12/460419 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43450042 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110011904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schultz; Howard ; et
al. |
January 20, 2011 |
Locking holster with thumb drive
Abstract
A rigid holster for retaining a pistol or handgun of specific
design configuration has a locking pin that engages into the
trigger guard ring area when the handgun is contained in the
holster, thus retaining the handgun in place. To release the gun a
user pushes a thumb pad which slides forward to release the locking
pin. Other release mechanisms are disclosed.
Inventors: |
Schultz; Howard; (Spanaway,
WA) ; Wegner; Bryce; (Puyallup, WA) ;
Crawford; Tom; (Gig Harbor, WA) ; Avila; Steve;
(Edgewood, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS M. FREIBURGER
P.O. BOX 1026
TIBURON
CA
94920
US
|
Family ID: |
43450042 |
Appl. No.: |
12/460419 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/244 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41C 33/0263
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/244 |
International
Class: |
F41C 33/02 20060101
F41C033/02 |
Claims
1. A holster with a gun retention lock, comprising: a rigid holster
having an interior conforming to a particular handgun configuration
to receive and cover substantially a gun barrel, trigger and
trigger guard of a handgun, leaving the gun handgrip exposed for
gripping, a retention lever pivotally mounted on one side of the
holster, on a pivot axis at an intermediate position on the lever
and generally parallel to a gun barrel when contained in the
holster, the retention lever having one end with a locking pin
positioned to extend into an area generally circumscribed by the
trigger guard of the gun when contained in the holster so as to
prevent removal of the handgun, when the lever is pivotally rocked
to a gun retention position, and having an opposite end with a cam
surface, a spring biasing the retention lever toward the gun
retention position, and a slide piece slidably mounted on the
holster for a sliding path such that a remote end of the slide
piece engages with the cam surface of the retaining lever when
pushed in a forward direction toward the gun barrel, and the slide
piece having a back end with a thumb pad positioned to be near a
user's thumb when a user grips the handgrip of a gun contained in
the holster, whereby a user can grip the gun handgrip while
engaging his thumb against the thumb pad in the same motion and
pushing the slide piece forward to engage the cam to pivot and rock
the retention lever to a release position in which the locking pin
is retracted out laterally from the trigger guard of the handgun,
allowing the handgun to be pulled out of the holster.
2. The holster of claim 1, wherein the holster has a pair of slide
guides closely positioned around the slide piece to facilitate
linear sliding movement of the slide piece, generally parallel to
the orientation of a gun barrel when contained in the holster.
3. The holster of claim 1, wherein the holster is formed in two
sections, one at each end of left and right sides of the holster,
and wherein the sections are fixed together at a top side extending
parallel to a gun barrel such that at a bottom side opposite the
top side the two sections are adjustable as to separation, and
including at least one elastomeric bushing between the two sections
at said bottom side, and a threaded fastener secured through the
bushing to both sections and allowing adjustment of tension drawing
the two sections together, to facilitate adjustment of tightness of
the holster in fitting over a handgun.
4. The holster of claim 3, including two said elastomeric bushings
spaced apart along a line parallel to the gun barrel.
5. A holster with a gun retention lock, comprising: a rigid holster
having an interior conforming to a particular handgun configuration
to receive and cover substantially a gun barrel, trigger and
trigger guard of a handgun, leaving the gun handgrip exposed for
gripping, a locking pin or protrusion mounted on one side of the
holster for movement thereon, the locking pin having two positions,
a gun retention position in which the locking pin extends into an
area generally circumscribed by the trigger guard of the gun when
contained in the holster so as to prevent removal of the handgun,
and a release position wherein the locking pin is retracted from
the trigger guard area, a spring biasing the locking pin toward the
gun retention position, a slide piece slidably mounted on the
holster for a sliding path generally parallel to a gun barrel when
contained in the holster such that a remote end of the slide piece
can be pushed in a forward direction generally toward the gun
barrel, and the slide piece having a back end with a thumb pad
positioned to be near a user's thumb when a user grips the handgrip
of a gun contained in the holster, and retraction means associated
with the locking pin and the remote end of the slide piece, for
causing the locking pin to be retracted to the release position
when the slide piece is pushed forward via the thumb pad, whereby a
user can grip the gun handgrip while engaging his thumb against the
thumb pad and in the same motion pushing the slide piece forward to
cause the retraction means to move the locking pin to the release
position in which the locking pin is retracted out laterally from
the trigger guard of the handgun, allowing the gun to be pulled out
of the holster.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] The invention concerns weapons, and particularly a pistol or
handgun holster. In particular, the invention relates to a safety
gun retention for a rigid handgun holster, requiring a release by
the hand of a user prior to retrieving the handgun.
[0002] Rigid pistol or handgun holsters, formed of plastic material
and custom-fitted to a particular handgun, are in wide use with
police and also tactical military personnel. The holster fits
closely over the barrel, trigger and trigger guard of a handgun,
leaving the handgun handle or handgrip exposed for gripping. As
examples, see European Patent No. EP 1589314, showing a holster
with a releasable U-shaped restraining strap that extends over the
outer end of the gun. See also the SERPA holster shown on
Blackhawk.com, and also in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,784. The latter
holster has a gun restraint with a protrusion that enters the
trigger guard area of the gun, on a pivoted lever, the lever being
released by pushing an exposed end inward with an index finger of
the user. This pulls the protrusion out from the region of the
trigger guard and allows the pistol or handgun to be below the
holster. A problem with the index finger-released retention device
is the direction of motion required to release the device, i.e.
perpendicular to the direction in which the hand reaches for the
gun, and at a point somewhat remote from the gun handgrip. Further,
the index finger reaches forward to the trigger area, and some
users tend to keep the index finger in place after pushing in the
release button, thus leaving the finger dangerously close to the
trigger as the gun is pulled free of the holster and the finger can
fall onto the trigger and discharge the gun accidentally. See also
U.S. published application No. 2006/0226185, showing a similar
pivoted-lever-operated gun retention device, operated by a
thumb-driven mechanism but requiring a pivoting, swinging motion of
a lever by the thumb, rather than a direct sliding motion as in the
invention described below.
[0003] An object of the invention is to provide a rigid pistol or
handgun holster with a safety retention device that is smoothly and
directly operated by a thumb of the user as he puts his hand over
the gun handgrip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In the rigid holster of the invention, a locking pin,
preferably on the end of a rocker arm, engages into the trigger
guard area when the pistol or handgun is contained in the holster,
the pin being spring-loaded to this position and retaining the
holster in place. To release the gun from the holster a user pushes
a thumb pad positioned adjacent to the pistol handgrip, which
pushes a slide piece or push rod forward to release the locking
pin. The thumb pad can be pushed in the same motion in which the
user grips the gun handgrip.
[0005] In a preferred embodiment the lock and release mechanism
comprises a rocking lever or rocker arm with the pin or protrusion
at its lower end, rocking on an axis parallel to the barrel of the
gun. The opposite end of this rocking lever has a taper or cam
surface, which rotates the lever to a pin-retracting position when
the push rod secured to the thumb pad slides forward over this cam
surface. The end of the push rod may be tapered as well. Thus, when
the user grips the gun handgrip the thumb of the gripping hand can
be directly in position to engage the thumb pad and slide the push
rod or slide piece forward as the gun is gripped, allowing the
locking mechanism to be released in the same motion with the
gripping of the gun.
[0006] It is among the objects of the invention to reliably retain
a handgun in a dedicated rigid holder, requiring a deliberate
release of the lock device prior to removal of the handgun. In
particular, the invention achieves this such that a user can
release the retention device and grip the handgrip of the pistol in
essentially a single motion, pushing a thumb pad inwardly, for fast
retrieval of the gun. These and other objects, advantages and
features of the invention will be apparent from the following
description of a preferred embodiment, considered along with the
accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a rigid pistol or
handgun holster according to the invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from an opposite side.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a view of the inner side of the holster, with a
cover removed, and illustrating a preferred form of mechanism for
locking retention and release of the handgun.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the holster with a cover plate
removed and a pistol contained in the holster, and demonstrating
release of the pistol's retention using a thumb latch.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the handgun
released and partially removed.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the holster, without a handgun, and
revealing some details of the gun retention.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a sectional view, in a slight angle of
perspective, showing the inside of the holster at the side having
the retention mechanism.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a rigid holster 10 of the invention. The
holster has an inner side 12 (here, the left side) which is to be
against the wearer/user, and on this side is a thumb pad 14 for
releasing a pistol or handgun retention lock by pushing the thumb
pad and attached slide piece 16 inward (generally down, as worn). A
cover plate 18 covers the mechanism for locking and releasing from
the holster a pistol or handgun, not shown in this view, via the
trigger guard of the gun.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a view showing the opposite, outer side 20 of the
holster of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows the handgun holster 10 from the inner side 12
and with the cover 18 removed, revealing one preferred mechanism 22
for retention and release of a pistol or handgun. See also FIGS. 4
and 5, demonstrating use of this mechanism. The handgun 24 (FIGS. 4
and 5) is retained by a retention pin 26 that protrudes through an
opening 28 in the outer side of the holster as shown in FIG. 3, to
engage in the space 30 circumscribed the trigger guard 32 of the
handgun (FIG. 5). This protruding pin 26 can be better seen in the
end view of FIG. 6. The locking pin 26 is on the lower end of a
retention lever 34, which is pivoted on a pivot axis at 36. The
pivot axis is generally parallel to the path of the gun in this
embodiment, i.e. parallel to the path of insertion and removal of
the gun in the holster. At the upper end of the retention lever 26
is a cam surface 38. This cam surface is partially engaged by the
far end of the slide piece 16, which is retained by two preferably
integral slide brackets 42 and 44 in the form of the invention
illustrated. As illustrated, the thumb pad 14 forms an enlarged end
of the slide piece 16.
[0017] A torsion spring (not shown) urges the locking pin or
protrusion 26 toward the locked, retaining position. This torsion
spring is advantageously located at the pivot axis 36, which has an
internal pivot pin (not shown). One end of the torsion spring is
secured to or engages the retention lever 34 to urge the lower end
26 through the opening 28, while the other is anchored on the
holster body structure.
[0018] As can be seen from FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the user can easily
grip the handle or handgrip 46 of the pistol or handgun with his
right hand 48 in the case shown (a left handed model is as a mirror
image of what is shown here), such that the user's thumb 50 engages
against the thumb pad 14. With-the same motion to grip the handgun
the thumb pad is pushed to slide the slide piece 16 forward, to
engage the cam (tapered) surface 38 of the retention lever to push
this end of the lever back into the holster and thus to displace
the lower end, with the locking pin 26, outwardly. This releases
the gun, to be pulled out of the holster, as shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] The locking pin or protrusion 26 preferably is formed in a
specific shape so as to permit the pistol or handgun to be pushed
easily back into the holster, without the need for again pushing
the thumb release 14. As can be seen to some extent in FIG. 6, the
locking pin 26 preferably has an inclined face 52 which itself acts
as a cam surface. When the gun is pushed into the holster, the
trigger guard 32 of the gun pushes against this cam surface 52,
pushing the locking lever outwardly against the spring force. The
lever 34 is free to pivot in this direction, because the slide
piece 16 is also spring-biased, toward the outer position, i.e.
toward the right as seen in FIG. 3. The spring could be a
compression spring, tension spring or leaf spring acting at 16a
(FIG. 3) between the slider 16 and the slide bracket or guide 44.
In fact, FIG. 5 is schematic to demonstrate release and removal of
the handgun, but at this point of gun retraction the slide piece 16
preferably has been moved back to the right by the spring and the
lever 34 has also returned to its original position.
[0020] FIG. 7, showing the outer half or side 12 of the holster,
shows the locking pin 26 from a different angle, also showing the
inclined surface or cam 52 on this locking pin as described above.
FIG. 7 also shows a pair of elastomeric bushings that act as
compressible spacers 54 for a connection between the two sides of
the holster. As noted above, the holster in a preferred form is
made of injection-molded plastic. The two sides 12 and 20 are
connected together at several locations. One location is a long,
generally half-cylindrical bridge 56 that preferably is integrally
formed with the two sides. The two sides 12 and 20 would thus be
somewhat flexibly retained as to their separation, but for the
connections at the bushings 54. These establish the internal width
throughout most of the holster, and this width, that is the
tightness of the holster on a pistol or handgun held in the
holster, is adjustable via these elastomeric bushings. Fasteners,
preferably machine screws 58, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 6 and
indicated in the centers of the bushings 54 in FIG. 7, can be
tightened down as desired by the user to adjust the separation of
the two sides 12 and 20 of the holster. Threaded nut grommets 60 to
receive the tensioning machine screws are shown in FIG. 3 and also
in FIG. 1, and the heads 62 of the machine screws 58 are shown in
FIG. 2. The use of two separate fasteners and bushings, spaced
apart as shown in the drawings (about 1/2'' to 3/4'' or so) also
gives the user control over the gripping of the pistol or handgun
by the holster, in that a slight taper or tilt angle can be
establish between the two sides of the holster if desired.
[0021] FIGS. 1, 3 and 7 show the external cover plate 18 and three
fastener holes 64 through this plate and through the inner side or
left side 22 of the holster. These fastener are used not only to
secure the cover plate to the holster body, but also to secure a
desired form of attachment device to the holster. This can be a
paddle or a belt slide, both of these well known for securing rigid
holsters to the gear of the user. A paddle secures the holster to
the user's pants waist, while a belt slide connects to the
belt.
[0022] A variation from the mechanism illustrated would be a
different form of retraction mechanism for the locking pin. For
example, the locking pin or protrusion could be retracted in a
different way from its locking position within the trigger guard
space. The thumb pad or slide piece 14, 16 could be mounted at a
slightly different level on the holster, and the locking pin could
be at the end of a simple slide rod which slides laterally in/out
relative to the trigger guard (rather than on a rocker arm),
mounted in an appropriate barrel or slide channel on the holster.
An outer or opposite end of the locking pin could have an L shape
such that a cam on the leg of the L shape, or on the end of the
slide piece, or both, could be effective when the slide piece is
advanced forward to cam the locking pin laterally outwardly,
allowing the handgun to be removed.
[0023] The above described preferred embodiments are intended to
illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its
scope. Other embodiments and variations to these preferred
embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *