Holster

Abstract

Disclosed is a one-piece holster for a sidearm of the revolver type having a pair of opposed sides and a concave pocket formed along each side at a location to receive the cylinder of the revolver when the latter is fully inserted into the holster. The upper edges of the concave pockets define shoulders which yieldably engage the breech end of the revolver cylinder to releasably retain the revolver within the holster for withdrawal forces acting thereon below a predetermined withdrawal force. The shoulders yield outwardly in response to withdrawal forces above a predetermined force whereby the revolver can be broken away freely from the holster with one motion. The holster is provided with an adjustment whereby the withdrawal force at which the revolver will break away from the holster can be increased or decreased.

Description

The present invention relates to a holster for sidearms and particularly relates to a holster for sidearms of the revolver type which features maximum concealment of the weapon and holster, ready accessibility to the revolver for grasp and withdrawal thereof from the holster, yieldable retention means within the holster enabling withdrawal of the revolver from the holster without unlatching or other ancillary movement and a retention force which can be adjustable.

Many and various types of holsters for sidearms of the revolver type have been proposed and constructed in the past. Such holsters are often provided with various types of devices and mechanisms for retaining the sidearm within the holster. For example, straps or flaps ar oftentimes provided which extend from one side of the holster body over the handle portion of the sidearm for releasable securement to the opposite side of the holster body. One obvious disadvantage of this type of positive revolver retaining means is the inability to quickly draw the sidearm from the holster in view of the necessity to first release the strap or flap and then withdraw the sidearm. Also, the holsters with such retaining means are usually of substantial width to the extent that the holster and weapon combination cannot be carried by an individual in a concealed manner.

One prior holster design which has eliminated the retention strap or flap is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,420. In that patent, a liner having a metal backing is disposed along the inside of one of the holster sides with the liner and backing forming an inwardly projecting shoulder for engaging the rear or breech end of the revolver cylinder to releasably retain the revolver within the holster body. A thumb tab is located at the upper end of the same holster side. To withdraw the revolver from this holster, the user must first push aside the thumb tab to displace the shoulder away from the rear end of the revolver cylinder. This enables the revolver to be withdrawn from the holster. If the thumb tab is not displaced sufficiently, the rear end of the cylinder cams the shoulder outwardly away from the revolver as the revolver is withdrawn from the holster body. A principal disadvantage of this type of holster is the necessary motion ancillary to the withdrawal motion of the revolver from the holster body, i.e., displacing the thumb tab, in order to withdraw the revolver from the holster. Also, the user of the holster of this patent cannot adjust the revolver retention force. Further, the releasable retention mechanism substantially increases the width of the holster and weapon combination to the extent that they cannot be carried in a concealed or unobtrusive manner.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holster which minimizes and/or eliminates the above discussed and other problems associated with prior holsters and provide a novel and improved holster having various advantages in construction and mode of use in comparison with such prior holsters. Particularly, the present invention provides a holster which affords both maximum concealment and ready accessibility for grasp as well as releasable positive retention means formed integrally with the holster body for releasably securing the sidearm within the holster. A significant feature hereof resides in the total elimination of any manual motion other than that motion required to draw the sidearm from the holster, such withdrawing motion serving to release the positive sidearm retention means. More specifically, the present invention provides an integral one-piece holster body reversely folded onto itself to define the opposite side walls of a holster body for receiving the barrel and cylinder portions of a revolver type sidearm. The side walls of the holster body are each formed with a concave pocket for receiving a side portion of the cylinder of the revolver and the upper edges of the pockets define shoulders which bear against the rear or breech end of the revolver cylinder when the revolver is fully received within the holster body. The side walls of the holster body from which the pockets are formed, are sufficiently stiff as to retain their shape while the shoulders at the upper ends of the pockets are yieldably laterally movable toward and away from one another. The holster body is shaped to complementarily receive the revolver and engage the revolver in close fitting relation when the latter is fully seated in the holster body. Consequently, when the revolver is initially inserted into the holster body, the shoulders of the pockets are displaced away from one another by the camming action of the cylinder against the side walls. Once the revolver is fully inserted, the shoulders move toward one another back to their natural position to engage over the rear or breech end of the cylinder thereby to releasably retain the revolver within the holster body.

To draw the revolver from the holster, the revolver is grasped and simply drawn outwardly away from the holster body. The force of withdrawal enables the rear or breech end of the cylinder to cam the shoulders laterally outwardly away from one another thereby releasing the revolver cylinder from retention by the holster body. It will be appreciated that the shoulders engage the rear or breech end of the cylinder with sufficient force to retain the revolver within the holster for normal movements of the wearer of the holster including when the wearer is engaged in a scuffle or falls or runs. The shoulders will, however, yield to a normal withdrawal force to enable complete withdrawal of the revolver from the holster and with the same motion used to draw a sidearm from an open holster without any positive retention or locking means.

A further significant feature of the present invention resides in the adjustability of the withdrawl force necessary to draw the revolver from holster. To allow the wearer of the holster a choice in the withdrawal force, the end edges of the one-piece integral holster body which lie in juxtaposition one to the other when the body is reversibly folded onto itself can be drawn toward or displaced away from one another to adjust the girth of the holster about the portion thereof containing the concave pockets. To accomplish this, a screw is received through the end edges of the holster body and one or more washers interposed between such edges. The washers are resilient and adjustability of the girth of the holster body about the revolver cylinder is afforded simply by tightening or loosening the screw with or without one or more washers disposed between the edges of the holster body and depending upon the magnitude of the withdrawal force desired.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the minimum width or thickness of the holster when the revolver is received therein. The maximum thickness of the holster of the present invention with the revolver in the holster is the diameter of the revolver cylinder plus the thickness of the two sides of the material forming the holster body. A strap is preferably stitched to one side of the holster body whereby the holster can be worn from a harness, i.e., a belt or shoulder strap. The strap is recessed about the outwardly projecting pocket whereby the maximum holster width remains substantially the diameter of the cylinder plus the thickness of the two sides of the holster body without any additional thickness afforded by the strap.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holster.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holster affording maximum concealment, ready and instant accessibility for grasp and draw, and releasable retention features without ancillary strap fasteners and the like.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holster for a sidearm wherein the withdrawal force per se operates to release the revolver retention means carried by the holster.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holster for a sidearm which can be withdrawn in response to a predetermined withdrawal force without other manual motion and which predetermined withdrawal force can be adjusted as the wearer and sidearm of the holster desires.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a holster constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating a revolver in the holster;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the holster and revolver illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken generally about on line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a holster generally designated 10, a strap generally designated 12 for securing the holster 10 to a harness, i.e., a belt or other strap, not shown, worn by an individual carrying the holster, and a sidearm generally designated 14. Sidearm 14 constitutes a revolver which is conventional in all aspects and comprises a handle 16, a revolver body 18 (FIG. 3), a barrel, not shown, a trigger guard and trigger 20 and 22, respectively, and a cylinder 24.

The holster 10 is formed preferably of a single piece of material, for example leather, which is reversely folded onto itself to form a holster body 25 comprised of a pair of opposite side walls 26 and 28, respectively. The rear edges of the holster body 25 are stitched at 27 one to the other in a conventional manner. It will be appreciated from a review of FIG. 1 that the lower end of holster body 25 is not stitched but defines a small opening for receiving the end of the barrel of the revolver while the upper ends 29 and 31, respectively, of the opposite holster sides 26 and 28 remain unsecured relative to one another along their edges and constitute relatively flexible flaps in comparison with the side walls of the holster body therebelow.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the opposite sides 26 and 28 of holster body 25 are each provided with a concave pocket 32 which, along each interior surface thereof, conforms to the shape of one side of the cylinder 24 of the revolver 14. The pockets 32 along the sides of the holster body are located such that, when the revolver 14 is fully received and seated within the holster, pockets 32 lie in bearing conforming engagement with the opposite sides of cylinder 24 of revolver 14. Pockets 32 are formed as an integral part of the holster side and will generally retain their concave shape which is initially provided by a pressing operation. A further review of FIG. 2 discloses a shoulder 34 at the upper ends of each pocket 32 and which shoulders 34 form an integral portion of the sides 26 and 28 of the holster body. When the revolver is fully received within the holster, the shoulders 34 engage the rear or breech end of the revolver cylinder 24 to releasably retain the revolver within the holster. It will be noted that the shoulders 34 slope upwardly and thus constitute cam surfaces, the characteristics of which are described hereinafter with reference to withdrawal of the revolver from the holster.

Strap 12 is secured preferably by stitching along the inside of the holster body, for example along holster side 26, and extends at an angle thereto as illustrated in FIG. 1. Strap 12 is provided with slots 40 at its opposite ends whereby it can be attached to a harness, i.e., a belt or other strap worn by the wearer of the holster. In order to reduce the overall width of the holster with the revolver retained therein, strap 12 is cut away about the area of the pocket 32 on the corresponding side of the holster. That is, the strap edge 42 outlines the side and lower edges of the pocket 32 whereby the maximum thickness of the holster is the combined thickness of the cylinder of the revolver and the thicknesses of the sides 26 and 28 of the holster without any additional thickness afforded thereto by the thickness of the strap 12.

For reasons hereinafter noted in detail, the rear edges of the holster body 25 at an elevation adjacent the lower edges of pockets 32 are joined one to the other by a screw 44. Screw 44 is preferably of the flat-headed type and engages through a retainer ring 46 on one side of holster body and through a washer 48 on the opposite side of the holster body for securement by a locknut 50.

Depending upon the girth of the holster desired, one or more resilient washers 52 may be provided between the opposed edges of the holster body and which washers 52 also receive shank portions of the screw 44.

In using the holster hereof and assuming the revolver 14 is fully seated therein as illustrated in FIGS 1-3, the innermost portions of shoulders 34 engage the rear or breech end of the revolver cylinder and thus retain the revolver within the holster. FIG. 3 illustrates the close fitting conforming relationship of the holster body about the revolver. From a review of FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that the shoulders 34 are formed above a line designated AA drawn from screw 44 through the upper edge of the fold of the holster body and adjacent the lower portion of the flaps 29 and 31. Consequently, shoulders 34 are located in the area of the flaps 29 and 31 of the holster sides, it being appreciated that the flaps, by this construction, have a greater degree of flexibility to move toward and away from one another than the remaining lower portions of the holster sides. That is, shoulders 34 are biased by the shape of the holster body into a predetermined location for engagement by the rear or breech end of the cylinder and are yieldably flexible away from one another against such bias. Consequently, to draw the revolver from the holster, the revolver is grasped and withdrawn in a conventional manner with a predetermined withdrawal force. This enables the rear or breech end of the cylinder to cam the shoulders 34 away from one another and against their natural bias. When the shoulders are thus displaced outwardly away from one another, complete withdrawal of the revolver from the holster can be accomplished.

To insert the revolver into the holster, the flaps 29 and 31 yield outwardly away from one another to receive and enable the cylinder of the revolver to move past the upper ends of the flaps 29 and 31 and into the pockets 32. When the revolver cylinder is located between the pockets 32, the shoulders 34 move toward one another under their natural inward bias to releasably yieldably retain the revolver in the holster.

It will be appreciated that the retention force applied by shoulders 34 on the cylinder of the revolver is a function of the girth of the revolver substantially in the area of the line AA illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a specific feature of the present invention that the withdrawal force can be adjusted as desired by the individual carrying the holster. To accomplish this, the end edges of the holster sides 26 and 28 may be compressed toward one another simply by threading the screw 44 into its locknut 50 to a greater extent thereby reducing the girth of the holster body about the area of its pockets 32. Alternately, if less withdrawal force is desired, one or more washers 52 may be inserted between the end edges of the holster sides, one such washer being illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated that the greater the number of washers the greater the girth of the holster and consequently the less force necessary to withdraw the revolver from the holster.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A holster for a revolver having a cylinder comprising a holster body having a pair of opposed side walls defining an opening at one end through which the revolver including the cylinder is received for disposition within the holster, each of said side walls having a generally concave pocket formed in the interior surface of said walls, and both concave pockets lying in spaced confronting registry for enclosing the exposed cylinder on each side of the revolver, each of said concave pockets having a distinct upper shoulder for engaging the cylinder at its exposed breech end on each side of the revolver when the revolver is disposed within the holster, the engaging shoulders for yieldably engaging the revolver cylinder to releasably retain the revolver disposed within said holster body against withdrawal forces below a predetermined magnitude of withdrawal force, said engaging shoulders being yieldable to enable withdrawal of the revolver from the holster body in response to a magnitude of withdrawal force above said predetermined magnitude thereof, means carried by said holster body and engaging each of said side walls for adjusting the bearing pressure of said engaging shoulders against the revolver cylinder whereby the predetermined magnitude of the withdrawal force is adjustable, said adjusting means including removable washers and screw means for adjusting the spacing between the opposed sides of said holster body to adjustably transversely space the opposed pockets one from the other, whereby the distance between the pockets may be varied by the number of washers used.

2. A holster according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said pockets projects outwardly from one side of said holster body, and means for securing the holster to a harness worn by an individual and including a strap secured to said one holster body side having an edge cut out to extend about said externally projecting pocket whereby the width of said holster body and attached strap is no greater than the greatest distance between the opposite sides of the holster body.