WO2010064268A1

WO2010064268A1 - Holster with quick unlocking of weapon extraction

Info

Publication number: WO2010064268A1
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000747
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pietro Pellegrini
Original assignee: Radar Leather Division S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-12-05
Filing date: 2008-12-05
Publication date: 2010-06-10
Also published as: PT2370777T; HRP20170655T1; PL2370777T3; HUE032764T2; EP2370777A1; EP2370777B1; ES2624194T3; DK2370777T3

Abstract

Holster for housing a firearm with a trigger guard, comprising a sheath (2), first safety lock means (3) of the firearm comprising a strap (4) connected to the sheath and elastically mobile from a locked position of the firearm to a release position angularly displaced from the locked position, and second safety lock means (5) comprising a pin (34) extending transversally in the sheath (2) and retractably engageable in the trigger guard. The holster also comprises a button (26) elastically slidable along a side thereof and operable to release the first safety lock means (3) of the firearm and the second lock means (5) of the firearm following a progressively increasing pressure exerted on the button, for which reason the two safety lock means of the firearm can be released, individually or jointly, with a single actuation system.

Description

TITLE

HOLSTER WITH QUICK UNLOCKING OF WEAPON EXTRACTION

DESCRIPTION

Technical field of the invention

The object of the present invention relates to a quick-releasing holster for fast drawing of the firearm housed in it.

State of the art

Numerous systems have been proposed and made to make it safe to house a firearm, in particular a handgun, in the holster that is fastened to a user's belt. Reference is made on this subject, for example, to US 5501381 , EP 1054229, US 6371341 and EP 1589314. Also see EP 1382931 in the name of the same Applicant.

The systems described in the documents quoted above offer satisfactory guarantees of safety, but they slow down the drawing of the firearm. The draw speed of the firearm can sometimes be of decisive importance. The purpose of the present invention is therefore to ensure that the firearm can be drawn in the quickest possible way without for this reason penalising the functionality of the safety lock means foreseen on the holster to avoid the firearm from accidentally falling out or to avoid it being drawn by an ill-intentioned person.

Summary of the invention

This purpose is accomplished with the quick-releasing holster according to the present invention in which a button is foreseen that can elastically slide along a side thereof and can be actuated to release first safety lock means of the firearm and second safety lock means of the firearm in sequence following a progressively increasing pressure exerted on said button.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the quick-releasing holster according to the present invention shall become clear from the following description of an embodiment thereof given as a non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of the holster according to the present invention; figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the holster of figure 1 ; figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the strap group of the holster of figure 1 ; figure 4 shows the operative connection between the release button group and the strap group; figure 5 is an overall perspective view, from the inside, of of the release button group of the holster of figure 1 ; figure 6 is a side elevation view, from the inside, of the release button group of figure 5; figure 7 is a section view of the release button group according to the arrows VII-VII of figure 6; figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the release button group of figure 5.

Detailed description of the invention

With reference to figures 1 and 2, the holster according to the invention has been generically indicated with 1 and comprises a sheath 2 intended to receive a firearm, for example a handgun, which can be inserted through a top opening 2a thereof, a strap group 3 comprising a strap 4 rotatably connected to two opposite flaps 6 and 7 of the sheath 2 defining the opening 2a, said strap substantially bridging opening 2a, and a release button group 5 positioned on the side in view of the holster 1. It should be specified that, in the present specification the terms "front" and "rear", "top" and "bottom", "outer" and "inner" refer to the position of the holster in its conditions of common use.

As also shown in figure 3, the strap 4 has two ends 4a and 4b that are housed in respective bodies 8 and 9 fixed to the flaps 6 and 7 of the sheath 2. Each body has an open side to allow an angular displacement of about 90° of the strap 4 so as to make it go from a locked position of the firearm in the holster, in which the strap extends bridging the opening 2a of the sheath 2, to a release or unlocked position of the firearm, in which the strap extends in front of the sheath front edge 10 connecting together the two opposite flaps 6 and 7.

The body 8 comprises: a first plate 11 with a wall 12 extending perpendicularly substantially along half of its perimeter and with a central pin 13 extending from the same side of the wall 12; a second plate 14 fixable to the first plate 11 along its wall 12 and having a hollow pin 15 that, when the two plates are coupled, is coaxial to the pin 13. The corresponding end 4a of the strap 4 is configured so as to be rotatably housed in the body 8 and has a through seat 16 in which the two pins 13 and 15 engage. A coil spring 17 is arranged coaxial to the two pins 13 and 15 in the body 8 and is connected to the end 4a and to one of the pins 13 or 15 with its respective ends. The spring 17 is biased so as to force the strap 4 towards the release position. The plate 14 is fixed in any known way to the flap 7 of the sheath 2.

The other end 4b of the strap 4 is connected in an analogous way to the other body 9, which comprises: a first plate 18 with a wall 19 extending perpendicularly substantially along half of its perimeter and with a central pin 20 extending from the same side of the wall 19; a second plate 21 that can be fixed to the first plate 18 along its wall 19 and having a hollow pin 22 that, when the two plates are coupled, is coaxial to the pin 20. The corresponding end 4b of the strap 4 is configured so as to be rotatably housed in the body 9 and has a through seat 23 in which the two pins 20 and 22 engage. A coil spring 24 is arranged coaxial to the two pins 20 and 22 in the body 9 and is connected to the end 4b and to one of the pins 20 or 22 with its respective ends. The spring 24 is biased so as to force the strap 4 towards the release position. The plate 21 is fixed in any known way to the flap 8 of the sheath 2. The end 25 of the wall 19 acts as a limit switch of the angular displacement of the strap 4 in its release position.

As shown in figure 1 , the release button group 5 comprises a button 26 positioned at the body 9 on the opposite side to its open side. As shown in detail in figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, the button 26 can elastically slide in a structure wholly indicated with 27 and formed from a fastening plate 28 fixed to the outer side of the sheath 2, a substantially L-shaped wall 29 fixed to the plate 28 and forming the base and the rear edge of the sheath 2, and a closing plate 30 coupled with the plate 28. The button 26 is located at the top of a hollow base 45 in which an appendix 31a of a fork pusher 31 engages. A push rod 32 provided with a transversal pin 33 at its end also extends from the button 26, in a direction substantially perpendicular to that in which the fork pusher 31 extends.

The button 26, through the push rod 32 and the fork pusher 31 , allows the release of two separate safety lock devices of the firearm in the holster, which prevent its unintentional or unauthorised withdrawal. The first of the two safety locks consists of the strap 4 when it is in its locked position described above. The second locking device consists of an extractable pin 34 that, coming out from the attachment plate 28 in the sheath 2, engages in the trigger guard when the firearm is housed in the holster. Both of these locks can be removed by simply pressing on the button 26, when one wishes to draw the firearm from the holster, as shall be stated hereafter.

With reference also to figure 4, the transversal pin 33 of the push rod 32 is engaged by both sides of the push rod 32 itself in two parallel slots 35 (only one of which is visible in figures 2, 3 and 4) formed one at the front and the other on the plates 18 and 21 of the body 9 and extending parallel to the direction in which the fork pusher 31 extends. Moreover, the end of the push rod 32 abuts in a recess 44 formed on the edge of the end 4b of the strap 4, so as to counteract the action of the springs 17 and 24 that would tend to move the strap from the locked position to the release position of the firearm. On the other hand, by pressing the button 26, the transversal pin 33 is made to slide along the guide slots 35 and consequently the push rod 32 is made to move. The disengagement of the end of the push rod 32 from the recess 44 of the end 4b of the strap 4 frees the elastic force of the springs 17 and 24 that cause the angular displacement of the strap from its locked position to its release position corresponding to the position in which the strap 4 abuts on the limit switch 25 of the body 9.

Even when the strap 4 is in its release position for the firearm, the latter cannot yet be drawn from the holster because the retractable pin 34 is engaged in the trigger guard of the firearm. In order to make the pin 34 withdraw and it to consequently disengage from the trigger guard, it is necessary to press on the button 26 once again. Regarding this, the fork pusher 31 has two parallel wings 36 having respective sides 36a inclined in the same direction, which, following the sliding of the pusher 31 through the effect of pressing on the button 26, go into contact with corresponding inclined surfaces 37a of two ears 37 extending laterally from the pin 34. The sliding of the sides 36a of the pusher 31 on the ears 37 of the pin 34 causes a thrust on the pin itself in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the pusher causing a movement of the pin 34 in the direction perpendicular to the closing plate 30 and towards it disengaging the pin 34 from the trigger guard, whereby the firearm can be drawn from the holster. The pin 34 is mounted so as to be able to slide in a guide seat 38 formed in the fastening plate 28 and its sliding is counteracted by a spring 39 extending in the guide seat 38 between an end of the pin and the closing plate 30, whereby the pin is normally forced by the spring 39 into its locked position of the firearm in the holster.

The fork pusher 31 is slidably mounted in a guide seat 40 formed in the attachment plate 28 and its sliding is counteracted by a spring 41 extending in the guide seat 40 between the pusher 31 and the base of the seat 40. In this way, the pressure exerted on the button 26 must be such as to overcome the elastic reaction of the spring 41. In this way it is also possible, if considered useful, to release just the safety lock of the strap 4 by simply pressing the button 26 not completely and subsequently releasing the second lock by pressing on the button 26 further.

In order to move the pin 34 when the firearm is inserted in the holster, the pin 34 also has an inclined surface 34a against which the trigger guard of the firearm abuts at the moment of its insertion in the holster. By exerting a moderate pressure the elastic reaction of the spring 39 is overcome and the pin 34 is moved allowing the passage of the guard. As soon as the guard has passed the free end of the pin, the elastic force of the spring 39 takes the pin back into its normal position engaging it in the trigger guard.

Advantageously, behind the button 26 a rear protective shield 42 is foreseen suitable for preventing or, at least, making it more difficult for other people to press the button from behind the operator. Moreover, in order to avoid obstacles to the stroke of the strap 4 from its locked position to its release position of the firearm, a shaped flap 43 is foreseen extending from the body 9 at the side of the strap 4.

From what has been outlined above it is clear that with the holster according to the present invention the drawing of the firearm from the holster is made significantly faster without substantially penalising safety. Indeed, two separate safety devices are active with a single system for controlling their release. By just lightly pressing the release button the strap 4 moves; by pressing fully, the locking pin 34 is completely withdrawn, allowing the firearm to be drawn. In this way a progressive pressing action on the button 26 leads to the release in sequence of the two safety devices. Numerous variants and modifications may be appreciated by the man skilled in the art based on a review of the disclosure. These variants and modifications are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention as specified in the attached claims.

Claims

1. Holster for housing a firearm with a trigger guard, comprising a sheath (2), first safety lock means (3) of the firearm comprising a strap (4) connected to said sheath (2) and elastically mobile from a locked position of the firearm to a release position angularly displaced from said locked position, and second safety lock means (5) comprising a pin (34) extending transversally in said sheath and retractably engageable in said trigger guard, said holster being characterised in that a button (26) provided elastically slidable along a side thereof and operable to release said first safety lock means (3) of the firearm and said second lock means (5) of the firearm in sequence following a progressively increasing pressure exerted on said button (26).

2. Holster according to claim 1 , wherein said first safety lock means also comprise an end (4b) of said strap (4) configured so as to engage with a push rod (32) extending from said button to counteract an elastic force suitable for moving said strap from said locked position to said release position, said push rod being forced to translate with respect to said end of the strap integrally with said button, when it is pressed, to disengage from said strap end.

3. Holster according to claim 2, wherein said strap end (4b) has a recess (44) along an edge thereof in which the end of said push rod (32) removably engages, said sheath comprising guide means (35) of the translation of said push rod.

4. Holster according to claim 3, wherein said strap end (4b) is rotatably housed in a body (9) fixed to said sheath (2), said body comprising two plates (18, 21) coupled in a spaced apart relationship, on which respective parallel slots (35) are formed extending in the direction of sliding of said button (26), a pin (33) extending transversally from said push rod (32) being slidably engaged in said slots.

5. Holster according to any one of the previous claims, wherein from said button (26), in its sliding direction, pusher means (31) extend cooperating with said pin (34) to move it into a withdrawn position in which it is disengaged from said trigger guard following a pressure exerted on said button after the release of said first safety lock means (3).

6. Holster according to claim 5, wherein said pusher means comprise a fork pusher (31) with two sides (36a) inclined in the same direction, said pin (34) comprising correspondingly inclined surfaces (37a) on which said inclined sides abut, following a sliding of said fork pusher through the effect of the pressure exerted upon said button, to thrust said pin into said withdrawn position.

7. Holster according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said pusher (31 ) is able to elastically slide in a guide (40) formed on said sheath (2).

8. Holster according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said guide (40) is formed in a support structure (27) of the button (26) fixed to said sheath (2).

9. Holster according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said pin (34) is elastically slidable in a guide (38) formed on a plate (28) of said support structure (27) in the direction perpendicular to the direction of sliding of said button (26).

10. Holster according to any one of the previous claims, wherein a protective shield

(42) for said button (26) extends from said sheath from the opposite side of said push rod (32).

11. Holster according to claim 10, wherein said protective shield (42) extends from said support structure (27) fixed to said sheath.

12. Holster according to any one of the previous claims, wherein a guard element

(43) extends from said sheath (2) at the side of said strap (4).

13. Holster according to claim 12, wherein said guard element (43) extends from said body (9) fixed to said sheath (2).

14. Holster according to claims 2 or 3, wherein the end (4b) of the strap (4) abutting against said push rod (32) has an inclined face (44a) abutting against the push rod end during the stroke for restoring the safety lock operated by the strap (4).