SPEEDLOADER HOLDER

Abstract

A holder for a revolver speed loader which produces minimal outward bulk while simultaneously protecting the speed loader's release mechanism from contacting the user's belt, and which eliminates any retention devices which require a step other than simply pulling the speed loader free from the holder.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 62/023,805, filed Jul. 11, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a holder of a speed loader for revolver-type firearm.

2. Description of the Related Art

On the current market involving firearm reloading accessories, there are numerous types of revolver reloading devices, commonly called “speed loaders.” These devices hold cartridges in a circular arrangement so that the cartridges may be swiftly and concurrently loaded into the cylinder of a revolver-type firearm. Such a device will be referred to herein as a “speed loader” and a typical version is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A speed loader 1 involves a metal or plastic body 10 incorporating tubular compartments arranged in a radial configuration to hold the required cartridges for reloading a revolver (not shown). Generally a revolver's cylinder holds six cartridges, but speed loaders are available for revolvers whose cylinder holds anywhere from five to ten cartridges. In FIG. 1, six cartridges 11 sit within the tubular compartments of the body 10 with the bullet end 14 of each cartridge 11 projecting upward. Cartridges 11 are held in place by the action of an upper retainer 12 and a lower retainer 13. When the speed loader 1 of FIG. 1 is used to reload a revolver, the user must align the bullet ends 14 of the cartridges with the tubular compartments of the revolver's cylinder. When the cartridges 11 are inserted deep enough into the revolver's cylinder, a central pin on the ejector star of the revolver's cylinder presses against a release mechanism 15 on the speed loader 1, causing the upper and lower retainers 12 and 13 to release the cartridges 11 from the body 10. Once released from the body 10, the cartridges 11 drop freely from the speed loader 1 and fully seat themselves into the cylinder of the revolver. Different types of revolver speed loaders achieve the same result through different means.

The revolver has proven itself to be a functionally reliable and simple to use sidearm for both law enforcement and lawfully armed citizens with an appropriate concealed weapons permit. Although generally replaced by the semi-automatic pistol in the law enforcement community, the revolver is still a popular sidearm for many plainclothes and off-duty law enforcement personnel. The increase, country wide, over the last 20 years in concealed weapons permits has also allowed the revolver to remain popular with lawfully armed citizens, who turn to the revolver as a reliable tool for self-defense. The revolver's popularity in competition shooting has increased, as well, over the last decade, as an ever-increasing number of shooting organizations have created shooting divisions to accommodate it.

Those who carry a revolver for self-defense, uniformed or plainclothes duty, and competition tend to carry spare ammunition somewhere on their person—the most popular place being on the belt. A “speed loader” is the most popular device for reloading a revolver. Speed loaders hold cartridges in a circular arrangement so that said cartridges may be swiftly and concurrently loaded into the cylinder of a revolver-type firearm. Traditional methods for carrying a speed loader on one's belt include a speed loader holder (also referred to as a speed loader carrier or speed loader pouch). Such devices generally place the speed loader on the outside of the belt, causing a distinctive visual bulge on the beltline (otherwise known as “printing”). This is problematic, for the visual printing of a firearm and any accompanying reloading device(s) should be virtually non-existent.

Most speed loader holders secure the speed loader by using a flap which originates on the belt-side of the holding device and runs over the top of the speed loader, being secured on the outward side of the holder by a snap or Velcro. This method of retaining the speed loader adds not only more outward bulk, but it requires an extra step (i.e., using an index finger to unsnap the flap) when one needs to retrieve the speed loader from the holder. Eliminating the extra step of unsecuring the speed loader is beneficial in an emergency situation or in competition where time is of the essence.

Due to the above mentioned problems of bulk and retention involving traditional speed loader holders, the best place to position a speed loader is above one's belt. While this is not a new concept, speed loader holders (such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,707) that hold the speed loader above the belt still utilize a retention flap secured by a snap or Velcro to secure the speed loader, thus requiring the extra time-consuming step of unsnapping the flap prior to speed loader removal. Another design flaw involving speed loader holders (such as that in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,707) is that the holder positions the speed loader's release mechanism only a fraction of an inch above the user's belt. Any downward force upon the holding device will cause the speed loader's release mechanism to contact the top of the belt, resulting in a premature release of the cartridges from the speed loader itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Some aspects of the present invention are: to provide a holder for a revolver speed loader which produces minimal outward bulk while simultaneously protecting the speed loader's release mechanism from contacting the user's belt; and to eliminate any retention devices which require a step other than simply pulling the speed loader free from the holder.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a prior art revolver speed loader containing six cartridges.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the prior art revolver speed loader and cartridges of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a holder for a speed loader of a revolver-type firearm standing upright in ¾ view (perspective view) according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 lying on its back in ¾ view (perspective view).

FIG. 5a is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from front elevation view.

FIG. 5b is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from rear elevation view.

FIG. 5c is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from a right side elevation view.

FIG. 5d is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from a left side elevation view.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of FIG. 3 as seen from a top plan view.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from a bottom plan view (worm's-eye view).

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 standing upright in ¾ view (perspective view) as it would sit on a belt.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt. Belt is seen in elevation view as a cross-section.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen top plan view as it would sit on a belt.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 standing upright in ¾ view (perspective view) in a typical location on a user's belt with rest of the waistline as context. FIG. 12 is a cross-section view of the holder of FIG. 3 as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader situated therein. FIG. 13 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 3 standing upright in ¾ view (perspective view), with the speed loader situated therein.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section view of the holder for the speed loader as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader being situated therein and a hand grasping the speed loader. FIG. 15 is a cross-section view of the holder for the speed loader as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader being situated therein and a hand grasping the speed loader, and leaning it out away from user's body, preparing for removal of said speed loader.

FIG. 16 is a cross-section view of the holder for the speed loader as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader being situated therein and a hand grasping the speed loader, and pulling the speed loader out of the holder. FIG. 17 is a cross-section view of the holder for the speed loader as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader being situated therein and a hand grasping the speed loader as the speed loader is completely removed from the holder for insertion into a cartridge cylinder of a revolver-type firearm.

FIG. 18 is an illustration of a holder of a speed loader for a revolver-type firearm standing upright in ¾ view (perspective view).

FIG. 19 is a cross-section view of the holder of FIG. 18 as seen from right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader situated therein. FIG. 20 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 18 with two slits as seen from a top plan view.

FIG. 21 is an illustration of the holder of FIG. 18 with two slits as seen from a bottom plan view (worm's-eye view).

FIG. 22 is a cross-section view of the holder of FIG. 18 as seen from a right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader situated therein, with a hand grasping the speed loader.

FIG. 23 is a cross-section view of the holder of FIG. 18 as seen from a right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the speed loader partially removed, with the hand pulling the speed loader upward.

FIG. 24 is a cross-section view of the holder of FIG. 18 seen from a right side elevation view as it would sit on a belt, with the hand grasping the speed loader, the speed loader being fully removed from the holder and ready for insertion into a cartridge cylinder of a revolver-type firearm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

Aspects of the present invention utilize a device (herein referred to as “holder”) which is employed to house a speed loader and is shown in an embodiment in FIGS. 3-24. A holder 17 comprises a cylindrical body 18 conforming to the general shape of a revolver reloading speed loader 1 (shown in FIGS. 12 and 13). The cylindrical body 18 may be designed to a height and diameter to accommodate a variety of speed loaders 1. The dimensions are defined by the caliber, ammunition type, and size of the speed loaders 1 that the holder 17 is intended to hold.

The cylindrical body 18 has two concave curved walls 21 and 22. The out-board wall 21 serves to retain the speed loader while the in-board wall 22, which rests against the body of a user, secures the speed loader 1 with a half-moon retention lip 23. The cylindrical body 18 has a narrow opening on each side 24 (see FIGS. 5a-5d) sufficiently wide enough to permit fingers 30 (such as a thumb on one side and index and middle fingers on the other side) of a hand 28 of a user to grip the speed loader 1 in order to remove it from the holder 17 (see FIGS. 14-17). The narrow openings 24 are above lower walls 32, are between the outboard and inboard walls 21 and 22, and the lower walls have heights lower than those of the outboard and inboard walls 21 and 22.

The cylindrical body 18 contains a slit 25 (see FIGS. 3, 4, 5a, 5c, 6, 7, for example) on one side to allow the out-board retaining wall 21 to flex out enough to enable the user 28 to tilt the speed loader 1 away from the half-moon retention lip 23 on the in-board wall 22 when the user needs to remove the speed loader 1 from the holder 17 (see FIGS. 14-17).

On the bottom of the cylindrical body 18 is a flat floor 26 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) on which the speed loader 1 sits. Because the holder 17 positions the speed loader 1 above the user's belt 16, the use of a floor prevents the speed loader's release mechanism 15 from coming in contact with the top of the belt 16 which would cause the speed loader 1 to inadvertently release its cartridges 11. Although illustrations of the floor 26 conform to the description given above, the invention is not so limited. Variations on the amount to which the floor 26 is fully enclosed at the bottom of the cylindrical body 18 have been anticipated, contemplated and possible. For example, the floor 26 may be fully enclosed if so required, instead of only partially enclosed.

Formed as part of the cylindrical body 18 is a J-hook 19 (see FIGS. 5a-5d, 9 and 12). The J-hook 19 a flat appendage 20, extending vertically down from the cylindrical body 18, and a hook 27 at the bottom of the appendage 20 which makes a 180 degree curve back up toward the cylindrical body 18. The dimensions of the J-hook 19 are defined by the height and thickness of the belt 16 on which the speed loader holder 17 is designed to sit but can be sized to fit belts of different thicknesses and widths. Other known ways to attach holsters, accessory cases, and other similar articles such as, for example, snaps for directly snapping onto the user's belt 16, are equally suitable for use with the holder 17 instead of the J-hook 19.

The transition from the cylindrical body 18 into the flat appendage 20 of the J-hook 19 is such that it positions the J-hook 19 closer to the central axis of the cylindrical body 18 than the inside edge of the inboard wall 22 as seen best in FIGS. 9, 10, and 12. This unique design significantly reduces the bulge on the outside of the belt 16 as a portion of the holder 17 sits both directly above the user's belt 16 and on the in-board side of the belt 16 against the user's body.

With reference to FIGS. 14-17, in use, to remove the speed loader 1 from the holder 17, the user's hand 28 grasps the opposite sides of the speed loader 1 with a thumb on one side in one opening 24 and index and/or middle finger on the other side in the other opening 24 (FIG. 14), leans the speed loader 1 away from the half-moon retention lip 23 thus releasing the holder's retention on said speed loader 1 (FIG. 15), and draws the speed loader 1 up at an angle from the user's 28 side and away cleanly from the holder 17 (FIG. 17) for insertion into the cartridge cylinder of a revolver.

Description of New Embodiment (FIG. 18)

FIGS. 18-24 show a holder 37 for a speed loader 1 according to a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the cylindrical body 18 possesses two concave curved walls 21 and 22. The outboard wall 21 and the inboard wall 22 serve to hold the speed loader 1 within the cylindrical body 18. Two retention lips 29 secure the speed loader 1 within the cylindrical body 18, preventing the speed loader 1 from becoming loose from the holder 37 during physical activities such as running. Each retention lip 29 sits on top of the respective outboard wall 21 and the inboard wall 22. The retention lips angle upward and project in toward the central axis of the cylindrical body 18. The angle and length of each retention lip 29 depend on both the shape and diameter of the speed loader body 10. Although FIG. 18 illustrates a holder 37 with two retention lips 29, thus conforming to the description given above, the holder 37 is not so limited. Variations on the number of retention lips have been anticipated, contemplated and are possible. For example, a number other than two may be used, if so required, depending on the shape and diameter of the speed loader body 10. This also means that, in regards to the retaining walls (such as inboard wall 22 and outboard wall 21), a number other than two may be used if so required, depending on the shape and diameter of the speed loader body 10. Again, lower walls 32 are situated between the outboard and inboard walls 21 and 22.

As the user applies an upward force essentially parallel to the axis of the cylindrical body 18 (or angled like before) to lift the speed loader 1 out of the holder 37, the speed loader 1 rides up against the underside of the retention lips 29, forcing them to spread apart (see FIG. 23). The spreading out of the retention lips 29 forces the out-board wall 21 to flex away from the central axis of the cylindrical body 18, thus releasing the speed loader 1 from the holder 37. The inboard wall 22 may also flex out and away from the central axis of the cylindrical body and relative to the floor 26, but generally, if it does, the amount of flex is significantly less than that of the outboard wall 21. The cylindrical body 18 contains a slit 25 (see FIG. 18) on one side of the outboard wall 21 which allows the outboard wall 21 to flex out and away from the central axis of the cylindrical body 18 (see FIG. 23). Variations on the number of slits 25 have been anticipated, contemplated and are possible. For example, two slits may be used (see FIGS. 20-21), if so required. Further, the number of slits 25 may more than 2, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 18, 20 and 21, such as additional slits being situated between the other sides of the lower walls 32 and the adjacent other sides of the outboard and inboard walls 21 and 22.

The preferred material used to make the holder 17 or 37 is a glass-fiber reinforced plastic. Glass-fiber reinforced plastics are strong and rigid yet have a certain amount of natural flexibility. Other materials may be used in the manufacture of this invention so long as the material used exhibits excellent tensile strength and flexural strength. The holder 17 or 37 may be integrally formed and of a single material, for ease of manufacture and/or durability.

With reference to FIGS. 22-24, in use, to remove the speed loader 1 from the holder 37, the user's hand 28 grasps the opposite sides of the speed loader 1 with the thumb on one side in the one opening 24 and the index and/or middle finger on the other side in the other opening 24 (FIG. 22) and pulls the speed loader 1 upward (or angled like in the first embodiment) and away cleanly from the holder 37 (FIGS. 23-24) for insertion into the cartridge cylinder of a revolver.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A holder for a speed loader for a revolver, wherein the speed loader has cartridges loaded in a circumference around a central cartridge retainer, the holder comprising:

a cylindrical body comprising: a floor able to seat bullet ends of the cartridges, and a concave inboard wall and a concave outboard wall on opposite sides of the cylindrical body to partially enclose a circumference of the speed loader, and openings on opposite sides of the cylindrical body between the in board and outboard walls, wherein the inboard wall has a retention lip at a top surface and the outboard wall is flexibly movable; and

an engagement device attached to the cylindrical body and able to engage with a belt of a user;

wherein the speed loader is seatable on the floor within the cylindrical body and the speedloader is retained by the retention lip, and when the speed loader is grasped at the openings and pulled away from the floor and towards the outboard wall, the outboard wall flexes away from the inboard wall, enabling the speed loader to escape the retention lip so that the speed loader is able to be removed from the holder.

2. The holder of claim 1, wherein the engagement device is a j-hook, to allow for the belt to be fitted between the floor and a bottom of the j-hook.

3. The holder of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical body and the j-hook are integrally formed of a flexible material.

4. The holder of claim 3, wherein the material is plastic.

5. The holder of claim 4, wherein the material is a glass-fiber reinforced plastic.

6. The holder of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body comprises walls of a height lower than the inboard wall and the outboard wall and situated between the inboard and outboard walls, wherein tops of the lower walls and vertical edges of the inboard and outboard walls form the openings between the inboard and outboard walls, and a slit exists between one side of one of the lower walls and one side of the outboard wall to increase flexibility of an upper portion of the outboard wall away from the inboard wall.

7. The holder of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical body and the j-hook are integrally formed of a flexible material.

8. The holder of claim 2, wherein the floor rests above the belt when the belt is inserted into the j-hook, so that the speed loader and cartridges are fully above a height of the belt when the speed loader sits in the cylindrical body.

9. The holder of claim 2, wherein an inner side of the inboard wall is further from a central axis of the cylindrical body than a flat appendage of the j-hook, so that when the speed loader sits in the cylindrical body, a central axis of the speed loader and a central axis of the cylindrical body sit closer to the belt than if a flat appendage of the j-hook were to sit vertically in line with the inner side of the inboard wall.

10. The holder of claim 3, wherein the cylindrical body comprises walls of a height lower than the inboard wall and the outboard wall and situated between the inboard and outboard walls, wherein tops of the lower walls and vertical edges of the inboard and outboard walls form the openings between the inboard and outboard walls, and a slit exists between one side of one of the lower walls and one side of the outboard wall to increase flexibility of an upper portion of the outboard wall away from the inboard wall.

11. The holder of claim 1, wherein when a user grasps the speed loader at the openings and leans the speed loader against the outboard wall, the outboard wall flexes relative to the floor, the loader retainer escapes the retention lip, enabling the user to pull the speed loader away from the floor at an angle greater than zero relative to the central axis of the cylindrical body to allow the speed loader to escape from the cylindrical body.

12. The holder of claim 1, wherein the retention lip has a half-moon shape.

13. The holder of claim 3, wherein the cylindrical body comprises walls of a height lower than the inboard wall and the outboard wall and situated between the inboard and outboard walls, wherein tops of the lower walls and vertical edges of the inboard and outboard walls form the openings between the inboard and outboard walls, a first slit exists between one side of one of the lower walls and a first side of the outboard wall and a second slit exists between one side of the other of the lower walls and a second opposite side of the outboard wall to increase flexibility of an upper portion of the outboard wall away from the in board wall.

14. The holder of claim 13, wherein the floor does not cover an entire lower surface of the cylindrical body.

15. The holder of claim 13, wherein when a user grasps the speed loader at the openings and leans the speed loader against the outboard wall, the outboard wall flexes relative to the floor, the speed loader escapes the retention lip, enabling the user to pull the speed loader away from the floor at an angle greater than zero relative to the central axis of the cylindrical body to allow the speed loader to escape from the cylindrical body.

16. The holder of claim 1, wherein the outboard wall has a second retention lip at a top surface, wherein when a user grasps the speed loader at the openings and tilts the speed loader against the outboard wall, the outboard wall flexes relative to the floor, the speed loader escapes the retention lip of the inboard wall, enabling the user to pull the loader retainer away from the floor at an angle greater than zero relative to the central axis of the cylindrical body and past the retention lip of the outboard wall to allow the speed loader to escape from the cylindrical body.

17. The holder of claim 1, wherein the outboard wall has a second retention lip at a top surface, wherein when a user grasps the speed loader at the openings and pulls the speed loader in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the cylindrical body, the outboard wall flexes relative to the floor, enabling the user to pull the speed loader away from the floor and past the retention lips of the inboard and outboard walls to allow the speed loader to escape from the cylindrical body.

18. The holder of claim 17, wherein the inboard wall flexes away relative to the floor when the user pulls the speed loader away from the floor, but to a lesser extent than the flex of the outboard wall.

19. A holder for a speed loader for a revolver, wherein the speed loader has cartridges loaded in a circumference around a central cartridge retainer, the holder comprising:

a cylindrical body comprising: a floor able to seat bullet ends of the cartridges, and a concave inboard wall and a concave outboard wall on opposite sides of the cylindrical body to partially enclose a circumference of the speed loader, and openings on opposite sides of the cylindrical body between the in board and outboard walls, wherein the inboard wall has a retention lip at a top surface and the outboard wall is flexibly movable; and

an engagement device attached to the cylindrical body and able to engage with a belt of a user;

wherein the speed loader is seatable on the floor within the cylindrical body so that an entirety of the speed loader including the cartridges are above the height of the belt when the belt is engaged by the engagement device.

20. The holder of claim 19, wherein the engagement device is a j-hook, to allow for the belt to be fitted between the floor and a bottom of the j-hook, so that an entirety of the speed loader including the cartridges are above a height of the belt when the belt is engaged by the j-hook.