Safety straps for holsters

Claim 2

In a holster for carrying a firearm and comprising a case having a safety strap for securing a firearm in the case, a metal snap ring fastener secured to an inside surface portion of the case for use in holding the safety strap over the firearm, the snap ring fastener having a peripheral wall extending a predetermined distance into the interior of the case, the improvement comprising a shield surrounding the peripheral wall of the snap ring fastener, the shield being made from a material having a hardness less than that of the peripheral wall, the shield and the snap ring fastener being disposed in a hole formed in the case to recess the shield and the fastener with respect to the inside surface of the case, a reinforcing member overlying an outside surface of the case so as to bridge the hole in the case, and an attachment element extending through the reinforcing member for securing the shield and the snap ring fastener in the hole of the case, the shield extending farther into the interior of the case than said peripheral wall so a firearm removed from or replaced in the case can slide against the shield and not the peripheral wall of the fastener.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1 in which the shield is made of plastic.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 1 in which the shield is shaped as a cup having a bottom wall, a hollow interior, and an opening through the bottom wall, the attachment element securing the bottom wall of the cup in the hole of the case so the interior of the cup faces away from said interior surface portion, the snap ring fastener being disposed in the interior of the cup against the bottom wall thereof, the attachment element extending through the reinforcing member and through the opening in the cup and into the snap ring fastener for securing the snap ring fastener and the shield in the hole in the case.

Claim 5

A holster for carrying a firearm comprising: a case having a hollow interior for carrying a firearm, and an elongated safety strap for extending over the firearm to hold the firearm in the interior of the case; a first snap ring fastener secured to the safety strap; a second snap ring fastener for being secured to an inside surface of the case and for cooperating with the first snap ring fastener to releasably secure the safety strap over the firearm, the second snap ring fastener having a peripheral wall extending a predetermined distance into the interior of the case; a shield surrounding said peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener, the shield being made from a material having a hardness less than that of the peripheral wall; the shield being shaped as a cup having a bottom wall, a hollow interior, and an opening through the bottom wall, the bottom wall of the cup being disposed inside a hole formed in the case so the shield is recessed in the inside surface of the case and the interior of the cup faces away from said inside surface, the second snap ring fastener being disposed in the interior of the cup against the bottom wall thereof, a reinforcing member overlying an outside surface of the case and bridging the hole in the case, and a third fastener extending through the reinforcing member and the opening in the cup into the second snap ring fastener for securing the second snap ring fastener and the shield in the hole in the case; the shield extending farther into the interior of the case than the peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener so that removing or replacing the firearm in the case causes the firearm to slide against the shield and not the peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener.

Claim 6

A holster for carrying a firearm comprising: a case having a hollow interior for carrying a firearm, and an elongated safety strap for extending over the firearm to hold the firearm in the interior of the case; a first snap ring fastener secured to the safety strap; a second snap ring fastener for being secured to an inside surface of the case and for cooperating with the first snap ring fastener to releasably secure the safety strap over the firearm, the second snap ring fastener having a peripheral wall extending a predetermined distance into the interior of the case; a shield surrounding said peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener, the shield being made from a material having a hardness less than that of the peripheral wall; the shield being shaped as a cup having a bottom wall, a hollow interior, and an opening through the bottom wall, the bottom wall of the cup being disposed inside a hole formed in the case so the shield is recessed in the inside surface of the case and the interior of the cup faces away from said inside surface, the second snap ring fastener being disposed in the interior of the cup against the bottom wall thereof, a reinforcing member overlying an outside surface of the case and bridging the hole in the case, and a third fastener extending through the reinforcing member and the opening in the cup into the second snap ring fastener for securing the second snap ring fastener and the shield in the hole in the case; the shield extending farther into the interior of the case than the peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener so that removing or replacing the firearm in the case causes the firearm to slide against the shield and not the peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener.

Claim 7

A holster according to claim 4 in which the peripheral wall is made of metal.

Claim 8

A holster according to claim 5 in which the shield is made of plastic.

Claim 9

A holster according to claim 4 in which the safety strap has an outer surface and an inner surface, and the first snap ring fastener includes a snap ring fastening element on said outside surface for cooperating with the second snap ring fastener to releasably secure the safety strap over the firearm; the first snap ring fastener further including an attachment element for securing the snap ring fastening element to the safety strap, the attachment element being on the inside surface of the safety strap; and means on the inside surface of the safety strap to cover the attachment element to shield it from contact with a firearm being removed or replaced in the case.

Claim 10

A holster according to claim 7 including a coating of material on the attachment element having a hardness less than that of the attachment element.

Claim 11

A holster according to claim 8 in which the coating comprises a resilient plastic material.

Claim 12

A holster according to claim 7 in which the peripheral wall of the second snap ring fastener is made of metal and the shield is made of plastic.

Claim 13

A holster according to claim 4 in which the shield is a ring-shaped member extending entirely around the outer peripheral surface of the second snap ring fastener.

Claim 14

A holster for carrying a firearm comprising: a case having a hollow interior for carrying a firearm and a safety strap for securing the firearm in the case; a snap ring fastener secured to a wall portion of the case for use in holding the safety strap over the firearm, said wall portion having an inside surface and an outside surface, and a hole extending through it between the outside and inside surfaces; the snap ring fastener having a snap ring fastening element facing the interior of the case and an attachment element securing the snap ring fastening element to said wall portion; a shield surrounding the snap ring fastening element for preventing contact between a firearm and the fastening element; and means securing the snap ring fastener to said wall portion comprising a reinforcing member overlying the outer surface of said wall portion so as to bridge the hole in said wall portion, the shield and the snap ring fastening element being disposed in said hole to recess them with respect to the inner surface of the case, the attachment element extending through the reinforcing member and the shield, and means securing the attachment element to the snap ring fastening element so the latter faces the inside of the case; the shield surrounding the snap ring fastening element and being made from a material having a hardness less than that of the snap ring fastening element, the shield extending farther into the interior of the case than the snap ring fastening element so that removing or replacing the firearm in the case causes the firearm to slide against the shield and not the snap ring fastening element.

Claim 15

A holster for carrying a firearm comprising: a case having a hollow interior for carrying a firearm and a safety strap for securing the firearm in the case; a snap ring fastener secured to a wall portion of the case for use in holding the safety strap over the firearm, said wall portion having an inside surface and an outside surface, and a hole extending through it between the outside and inside surfaces; the snap ring fastener having a snap ring fastening element facing the interior of the case and an attachment element securing the snap ring fastening element to said wall portion; a shield surrounding the snap ring fastening element for preventing contact between a firearm and the fastening element; and means securing the snap ring fastener to said wall portion comprising a reinforcing member overlying the outer surface of said wall portion so as to bridge the hole in said wall portion, the shield and the snap ring fastening element being disposed in said hole to recess them with respect to the inner surface of the case, the attachment element extending through the reinforcing member and the shield, and means securing the attachment element to the snap ring fastening element so the latter faces the inside of the case; the shield surrounding the snap ring fastening element and being made from a material having a hardness less than that of the snap ring fastening element, the shield extending farther into the interior of the case than the snap ring fastening element so that removing or replacing the firearm in the case causes the firearm to slide against the shield and not the snap ring fastening element.

Claim 16

A holster according to claim 12 in which the snap ring fastening element is made of metal.

Claim 17

A holster according to claim 13 in which the shield is made of plastic.

Claim 18

A holster according to claim 14 in which the reinforcing member is made of metal.

Claim 19

A holster according to claim 12 in which the shield is shaped as a cup having a bottom wall, a hollow interior, and an opening through the bottom wall, the bottom wall of the cup overlying the wall portion of the case so the interior of the cup faces away from said wall portion, the snap ring fastening element being disposed in the interior of the cup against the bottom wall thereof, the attachment element extending through the wall portion of the case and through the opening in the cup and into the snap ring fastening element for securing the snap ring fastening element and the shield to the wall portion of the case.

Claim 20

A holster according to claim 16 in which the shield is made of plastic.