US 4,277,007 AGranted

Front opening holster for pistols

AssigneeBianchi Leather Products, Inc.

InventorsJohn E. Bianchi, Richard D. E. Nichols

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Abstract

A front opening holster for semi-automatic and other pistols. The holster includes a body of leather formed into a U-shaped pocket with the base of the U located at the rear. The body is maintained in a weapon holding shape and the front opening formed by the ends of the U held closed by a pair of sheet metal spring members held together at the rear of the holster by a spacer block. The top of the spacer provides a rest and stop for the trigger guard of the weapon. A cantilevered spring member carrying a shaped locking member is secured to the holster body on one side. A relatively rigid backing plate is positioned on the opposite side of the holster body. The shaped locking member when engaged by the trigger guard moves out of the way to allow the trigger guard to pass. A restraining strap allows the spring member and locking members to deflect outward and rearward but not in the forward direction.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A front opening holster for use with handguns comprising:

a body of leather or leather-like material defining a weapon pouch and including portions defining a top opening for the insertion of a handgun into the holster and a front opening of sufficient length to allow the withdrawal of a handgun through the front opening;
resilient means biasing the front opening to substantially closed position and responsive to withdrawal forces applied to the handgun to allow the opening of the front opening and allowing the portions of a handgun contained within the holster to pass therethrough;
obstruction means secured to and mounted with respect to said body and positioned to enter the finger guard of the handgun when a handgun is located in its normal carrying condition within the holster;
said obstruction means being configured including a beveled surface on the upper side thereof whereby insertion of a handgun into the holster by the top opening allows the displacement of the obstruction means temporarily;
said obstruction means configured to substantially prevent the removal of a handgun through the top opening
wherein said obstruction means includes a second beveled surface allowing the displacement of said obstruction means when handgun removal forces are applied to the handgun in the direction of the front opening of said holster.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.