US3143262A - Handcuff holster - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1964 P. T. SULLIVAN HANDCUFF HOLSTER Filed Sept. 4, 1962 INVENTOR.

PAUL T. SULLIVAN BY V A'T ORNE'Y 3,143,262 HANDCUFF HGLSTER Paul T. Sullivan, 1465 W. Waters St., Elmira, N.Y. Filed Sept. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 221,022 4 Claims. (Cl. 2242) The present invention relates to a handcuif holster and more particularly to a holster intended specifically for the purpose of holding a handcuff of the type shown and described in the patent to Srnith-Stange, 1,950,757, issued March 13, 1934.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel holster for this purpose which will securely hold the handcutf in the best possible position for instant use.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating means to prevent insertion of the handcufi in the holster except when the handculf is in properly adjusted condition for instant use.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating means to maintain the locking sleeve of the patented handcufi in retracted position so that there is no possibility of its interfering inadvertently with the closure of the handcutf on the limb of the person to be placed under forcible arrest.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of the holster partly broken away and in section to show the position of the handcufi when seated therein;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the holster with the handcuif seated therein, the operating handle of the handcuif being removed for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a side view taken at right angles to the position shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail partly broken away and in section of the spindle and sleeves for controlling the actuation of the jaws of the handcuff;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of one of the elastic inserts used to press the tops of the side panels of the holster against the handcufi seated therein; and

FIG. 6 is an edge view of the same showing the manner in which it is bent.

In order to properly set forth the structural features of the present invention and their intended use, it is necessary to show and describe briefly the structure of the patented handcufi for which it is peculiarly adapted. For convenience, the elements of the handcuif are here designated by the same numerals as used in the cited patent.

Said handcuff, as best shown in FIG. 1, consists essentially of a pair of jaws 13 which are hinged to a body 10 and moved to open and closed positions by appropriate rotation of a threaded spindle 18 (FIG. 4) by means of handle bar 21. Rotation of the spindle 18 in the direction to open the jaws 13 is normally prevented by a sleeve 22 splined on the spindle 18 as shown at 25, 26, and having a ratchet connection 24 to the body 10 which may be released by manual retraction of the sleeve 22 against the force of spring 29. Knurled blocking sleeve 23, threaded on spindle 18 beneath the handle bar 21 prevents disengagement of ratchet teeth 24 when the sleeve 23 is threaded down into abutting relation with sleeve 22 by the operator.

The patented handcutf has been found useful and efiicacious for its purpose, but heretofore there has been no device provided whereby the handcuif while carried by the operator is maintained instantly available for singlehanded use. More particularly no holster has been provided having means for insuring that the jaws 13 of the United States Patent 0 3,143,262 Patented Aug. 4., 1964 handcuff are always in open position while the handcuif is being carried by the police oflicer, and that the sleeve 23 is never inadvertently permitted to be threaded down on the spindle 18 as by means of friction against the clothing of the oficer carrying the handcutf so as to interfere with or delay the utilization of the handcuif.

According to the present invention, the holster is formed of two side panels 1, 2 of leather or other suitable material of generally triangular shape joined at their bases and part way up their sides as illustrated more particularly in FIG. 3. A block 3 of generally rectangular shape is anchored between the side panels 1, 2 adjacent the bottom of the pocket formed thereby as by means of rivets 4. The block 3 is slightly thicker than the jaws 13 in order to space the panels 1, 2 for the reception of said jaws, and is slightly shorter in length than the space between said jaws when they are wide open, so that said block prevents the insertion of the handcuff in the holster except when the jaws are in open position. The block 3 also serves to center the handcuff in the holster and maintain the handle bar 21 and sleeve 23 in proper position.

The tops or apices 5, 6 of the panels 1, 2 are so dimensioned and contoured as to bear on the knurled portion of the sleeve 23 when the handcuif is seated in the holster, so as to frictionally resist rotation of said sleeve. In order to provide adequate pressure of said apices on the sleeve 23, spring steel inserts 7 are preferably molded or otherwise incorporated in the panels, said inserts being contoured in the manner shown in FIG. 6 whereby they exert adequate inward pressure on said apices.

The panel 1 of the holster is formed with vertical slots 8, 9 for the passage of a body belt or the like whereby the holster will be carried in an upright position at the waist of the ofiicer. The slots 8, 9 are located substantially above the joined portions of the panels 1, 2 and extend adjacent the apex of the panel 1 as seen in FIG. 3. By this arrangement, the handcuif can be readily inserted in the sheath since it is only necessary for the operator to bend away the apex 6 of the panel 2 with one hand in order to open the holster for the insertion of the handcuff held in the other hand, inasmuch as the apex 5 of the panel 1 is held back by the belt of the ofiicer.

In utilizing the holster, it is necessary for the operator to open the jaws of the handcutf before he can insert it into the holster, and in order to do this he must back-off the blocking sleeve 23 to its inoperative position. When the handcutf is thus holstered it is firmly held in position by the pressure of the apices of the panels on the sleeve, and rotation of the sleeve into its blocking position is also prevented. When it is desired to use the handcuif, it is only necessary to jerk it from the sheath by means of the handle 21 and to apply it for its intended purpose by rotation of the handle 21 to close the jaws on the arm of the person resisting arrest. Thereafter the blocking sleeve 23 may be threaded down by the thumb and finger of the operator to prevent undesired release of the handcuif.

Although but one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that minor changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A holster for a handeuff having jaws pivotally mounted for opening and closing movement means for actuating said jaws and means movable into and out of operative position for preventing actuation of said jaws;

said holster comprising a pocket for receiving said jaws,

2. A holster for a handcufi as set forth in claim 1 in which said pocket comprises a pair of side panels of generally triangular shape joined together at their bases and part way up their sides, and

said means for preventing insertion of the handcufi comprises a substantially rectangular block anchored j to said side panels adjacent the bottom of the pocket, said block having a thickness slightly greater than that ofthe jaws of the handcuif to thereby space said panels to receive said jaws,

and having a length slightly less than the space be- I tween said jaws when wide open, to permit said jaws to embrace said block and enter said pocket only while said jaws are open.

3. A holster for a handcufi as set forth in claim 1 in which said pocket comprises a pair of side panels of generally triangular shape joined together at their bases and part way up their sides, and spaced for the reception of the jaws of the handcuif therebetween, and

said elastic means being arranged to press the apices of said panels toward each other and into frictional contact with said means on the handcuif for preventing actuation of said jaws, while the handcufi is positioned in said holster. 4. A holster for a handcufi as set forth in claim 3 in which one of said side panels is provided with means for attachment to a body belt or the like, said attaching means being located substantially above the joined portions of the panels, and extending adjacent the apex of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,413,290 OLeary Apr. 18, 1922 1,894,540 Peirce Jan. 7, 1933 1,950,757 Smith-Stange Mar. 13, 1934 2,066,654 Smith-Stange Ian. 5, 1937

Claims (1)

1. A HOLSTER FOR A HANDCUFF HAVING JAWS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID JAWS AND MEANS MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF OPERATIVE POSITION FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION OF SAID JAWS; SAID HOLSTER COMPRISING A POCKET FOR RECEIVING SAID JAWS, MEANS IN SAID POCKET TO PREVENT INSERTION OF THE HANDCUFF THEREIN EXCEPT WHILE THE JAWS ARE IN OPEN POSITION, AND ELASTIC MEANS FOR RESISTING WITHDRAWAL OF THE HANDCUFF FROM SAID POCKET, SAID ELASTIC MEANS ALSO COMPRISING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING IN INOPERATIVE POSITION SAID MEANS FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION OF SAID JAWS.

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