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.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional patent application 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. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     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. 
     It has since been recognized that supplementary restraints are desirable. One of the earliest important supplementary restraint, 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. 
     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 U.S. Patents: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,243 Bianchi et al. Mar. 17, 1981 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,007 Bianchi et al. Jul. 7, 1981 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,562 J. E. Bianchi Jul. 14, 1992 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,620 Beletsky April 1993 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,153 Beletsky September 1993 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,951 R. Beletsky et al. Jul. 11, 2000 
     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 
     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. 
     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&#39;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 lower trigger guard engaging portion of the lever into a restraining position within the trigger guard of the handgun when it is in holstered position. 
     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, releasing the trigger guard and allowing smooth drawing of the handgun by an upward arm and hand movement. 
     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&#39;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. 
     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 thumbneck strap. 
     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. 
     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 
     This invention may be more clearly understood with the following detailed description and by reference to the drawings in which: 
     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; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view of the holster of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of the holster of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the holster of FIGS. 1-4 taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3 as a handgun is being withdrawn from the holster of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an outer side elevational view of an alternative embodiment holster showing its outside face and a horizontal lever type secondary restraint; 
     FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the holster of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along line  11 — 11  of FIG. 9 with a handgun in a holstered position; 
     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; 
     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; 
     FIG. 14 is an outer side elevational view of a further embodiment having an outside latching lever holster shown partly in phantom; 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the holster of FIG. 14 taken along line  15 — 15  of FIG. 14; and 
     FIG. 16 is a top view partly in section of the holster of FIGS. 14 and 15. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     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&#39;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. 
     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. 
     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 ). 
     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  32 M 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. 
     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 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 users thumb moves to open the thumb break, and in a continuing downward movement operates the lever  34  to release the handgun. 
     To withdraw handgun  16  requires that thumb break fastener  32  be opened With the operator&#39;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. 
     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. 
     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. 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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. A 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 ). 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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. 
     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. 
     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 . 
     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 lock the handgun in place but also prevent any twisting motion of the handgun that could defeat the retention. 
     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 . 
     Secured to welt  118  by mans 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 metal, 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. 
     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 compression 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  134 S of lever  134 , rotating the lever against the force of coil spring  146  to move lever tip  140  clear of trigger guard  144 . 
     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 . 
     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 . 
     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.