GB1330233A - Latching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1330233 Seats ESSEX INTERNATIONAL Inc 15 July 1971 [20 July 1970] 33212/71 Heading A4J [Also in Division E2] Apparatus for locking the forwardly foldable backrest of a vehicle, seat in an in use position comprises a latch member 7 movable between latching and unlatching positions, operating means 21 movable between first and second positions, motion transmission means 18 interconnecting said operating means and said latch member for moving the latter from its latching position to its unlatching position in response to movement of said operating means from its first position to its second position, energizable and de-energizable rotary motor driving means 27, means 26 coupling said driving means to said operating means for moving the latter from its first position to its second position in response to energization and consequent rotation of said driving means in one direction, and yieldable means 11 acting on said latch member for restoring the latter to its latching position and restoring said operating means to its first position via said motion transmission means in response to deenergization of said driving means. As shown, the operating means is a lever 21, and the coupling means is a gear segment 25 carried by the lever and a pinion 26 carried by the motor driving means. The latching apparatus is mounted, in use, on the seat back and the latch member is engageable with a keeper stud 14 carried by a bracket 15 secured to a frame 2 which supports the seat cushion; when the latch member is engaged with the stud it maintains the seat back in its normal position relative to the cushion frame 2. In use, the motor driving means 27 is connected to the vehicle battery via a switch which is in the open position when the driver's door is closed; opening the driver's door closes the switch which energizes the motor driving means 27 which operates to disconnect the latch member 7 from the stud 14 so, that a rear seat passenger can tilt the seat back forwards; the operation of the motor driving means 27 pivots the lever 21 in withdrawing the latch member and this movement also puts a resistor in series with the motor driving means so limiting the current supply to the motor when the motor is stalled by an arm 19 of the latch member engaging a stop 38 and L- shaped link 4 by which the seat back is pivoted to the cushion frame 2. The resistor is carried by the lever 21 and a brush is mounted on a bracket 23, which supports the means 27, and which in the latching position engages a conductive strip also carried by the lever and which is normally earthed; when the lever nearly reaches the end of its rocking movement the brush moves off the strip into engagement with one end portion of the resistor and since the other end portion of the resistor is earthed to the lever the resistor is inserted into the motor circuit. When the driver's door is closed the switch is open thereby disconnecting the motor driving means from the battery and the spring 11 is then operable to return the latch member to its latching position.