Abstract: A latching mechanism releasably engages a striker. The latching mechanism includes a housing secured to the vehicle body, and defining a striker channel through which the striker is selectively movable along a striker path. The latching mechanism includes a release lever pivotally connected to the housing and configured to rotate in a first direction in response to a tensile force. A detent is pivotally connected to the housing and to the release lever, and is movable with lost motion relative to the release lever. A fork bolt is adjustably connected to the housing and movable between a fully latched position, where the fork bolt fixes the striker relative to the housing, and a secondary position, where the striker is movable relative to the housing. Moving the fork bolt from the secondary position to the fully latched position causes the lost motion between the detent and the release lever.

Abstract: An opening/closing body locking device for an opening/closing body that is openably/closably mounted to an opening portion of a stationary body, the locking device including locking portions provided on both lateral sides of the opening/closing body, a pair of link rods that are mounted to the stationary body, and are interlocked with each other to slidably move so that hook portions at distal ends thereof engage and disengage the locking portions, a biasing unit that biases the link rods in directions that the hook portions of the link rods engage the locking portions, and an operating member that causes the hook portions of the link rods to slide in directions that the hook portions disengage the locking portions against biasing force of the biasing unit, pressing members that are provided on the both lateral sides of the opening portion of the stationary body.

Abstract: A vehicle lock for a door or a flap of a motor vehicle, the vehicle lock including a locking mechanism with a catch and a pawl for latching the catch as well as a gear mechanism with a spindle for moving a nut and for transferring a motion and/or force to the locking mechanism by the nut movement for locking or unlocking the vehicle lock, and a clip for holding the spindle in an axial position. A simple and easy to produce vehicle lock with reduced number of parts, in particular without thrust plates, can be obtained.

Abstract: A camera housing includes a simplified draw latch for securing a first portion and a second portion of the camera housing together. The draw latch can include a draw hook and a mid-linkage. The draw latch enables a user to easily open and close a camera housing, and may also allow a user to establish an air-tight or water-tight seal between the housing portions for use in various activities, including scuba diving.

Abstract: The disclosed concept pertains generally to electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breakers, and more particularly, to enclosures for electrical switching apparatus and the components of the enclosures, such as latching doors and latching mechanisms.

Abstract: An exemplary latching system includes, among other things, a striker, a latch assembly that engages the striker to transition the latch assembly to a latched position, and a bumper containing rheological material. The bumper contacts the striker when the latch assembly is in the latched position. An exemplary latching method includes, among other things, contacting a striker with a bumper when a latch assembly engages the striker in a latched position, and increasing a hardness of the bumper by aligning particles within rheological material of the bumper.

Abstract: The present invention provides a door pull assembly including an external mounting brace, a securing means to affix the brace to a door, a mounting assembly mounted with the brace, and a pull assembly mountable within the mounting assembly. The external mounting brace includes a front face and a rear wall, the rear wall securable against an interior portion of the door and a plurality of interior walls defining an enclosed cavity. The mounting assembly affixable within the enclosed cavity and including at least one fastener engaging with the fastener mating element within the external mounting brace. The pull assembly mountable in an interior space of the mounting assembly.

Abstract: An inline motorized lock drive is mountable within a lock housing to drive a sliding locking element between a locked and unlocked position. The lock drive includes a reversible motor having a shaft with an auger thereon to drive a lock spring, which drives the locking element. The sliding motion of the locking element is axially aligned with the motor axis to substantially reduce friction. The lock drive is preferably modular and emulates a solenoid lock drive with a control circuit. The control circuit is connected to drive the motor is switchable to default to a locked position or an unlocked position and emulate a “fail safe” or a “fail secure” type solenoid lock drive. The control circuit operates on 12 or 24 volts to replace solenoid locks of either voltage and stores power when power is applied, then uses the stored power to return the lock drive to the selected default state when power is removed.

Abstract: An illustrative motor drive assembly is configured for use in a lockset comprising a case, a longitudinally movable link, and a catch configured to move among a locking position and an unlocking position in response to longitudinal movement of the link. The illustrative motor drive assembly includes a longitudinally extending shaft comprising a worm, a motor operable to rotate the shaft, a driver engaged with the worm, and a longitudinally extending spring. The spring is not directly engaged with the worm, and includes a first end coupled with the driver and a second end connectable with the link. Engagement between the worm and driver is configured to longitudinally move the driver in response to rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: Driven lock systems, fenestration units including the driven lock systems, and methods of operating the driven lock systems are described herein. The driven lock systems as described herein offer a combination of powered or motorized operation in addition to manual operation, with the opportunity for a user to manually switch the lock assembly between its locked and unlocked states as needed. The need for manual operation may arise if, for example, the system loses power, the controls of the system are unavailable, etc.

Abstract: An anti-ligature handle and escutcheon mechanism mountable on a door for operating a lock for securing the door. The mechanism comprises a handle movable between open and closed positions, the handle having a smoothly curved outer surface to prevent the attachment of a ligature thereto and comprising a pivot at a first end for rotating the handle between the open and closed positions to operate the lock. An escutcheon fixed relative to a backing plate is oriented for mounting parallel to the door when the mechanism is mounted on an outer surface of the door, wherein the escutcheon surrounds the handle and defines a recessed area within which the handle pivots. The handle further has a second end including a guide which is trapped beneath and slides along an arcuate edge of the recessed area of the escutcheon to maintain flush contact between a mating surface of the handle and the backing plate to prevent ligatures from being inserted therebetween as the handle rotates to operate the lock.

Abstract: A lock in a vehicle is automatically controlled based at least in part on a state associated with the vehicle. In response to an attempt to open a hatch using an interior release lever while in a locked state, the automatically-controlled lock in the locked state prevents the hatch from opening. In response to an attempt to open the hatch using an exterior release lever while the automatically-controlled lock is in the locked state, a bypass to the automatically-controlled lock is used to open the hatch.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-latching gate latch device. The device comprises a latch and a magnet assembly housing. The latch assembly housing, secured to a hinged gate, comprises a slidable horizontal latch bar, attractable by a magnet. The magnet assembly housing comprises a slidable vertical magnet bar secured with a magnet at the bottom thereof. In a lock position of the magnet bar, the latch bar engages the magnet. The magnet assembly housing further comprises a locking member that, in an engagement position, engages the magnet bar to the magnet assembly housing preventing the magnet bar from any upward movement. Within the magnet bar is disposed a lock bar, which when depressed, frees the magnet bar.

Abstract: A fail-safe release mechanism for use with patient positioning support apparati having a base structure and a patient support structure, to prevent collapse of the patient support during disconnection of the patient support structure from the base structure.

Abstract: A hood lock apparatus includes a base plate having a striker groove into which a striker enters in response to a closing operation of a hood, a latch locking the striker entered into the striker groove, a locking plate locking the latch that locks the striker, a rattle lever supporting the striker locked by the latch with the latch, and a rattle spring biasing the rattle lever holding the striker with the latch towards the striker. The rattle spring is disposed to straddle a first center line passing through a rotational shaft of the rattle lever and extending in a direction at right angles to a direction in which the striker groove extends.

Abstract: A vehicle hood latching mechanism, having a latch member pivotally connected to a housing defining a striker channel. The latch member includes a primary catch portion between the intersection of a first lever arm and a second lever arm, a secondary catch portion on the first lever arm facing the primary catch portion, and a latch cam surface on the second lever arm proximal to the primary catch portion. The latch cam surface is configured such that a force applied onto the latch cam surface causes the latch member to pivot to a first position. A cancel lever is pivotally mounted to an end of the second lever arm of the latch member and includes an exterior cam surface configured such that a force applied onto the exterior cam surface induces a moment M onto the second lever arm causing the latch member to rotate into the first position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock (1) comprising a locking mechanism that includes a rotary latch (2), at least one pawl (3), a triggering lever (4) that allows the pawl (3) to disengage from the rotary latch (2), and a latching lever function that allows the triggering lever (4) which is actuated for disengaging the rotary latch (2) to be secured in an actuated position; the triggering lever can be guided by the rotary latch (2) only in some sections.

Abstract: A door lock apparatus includes an inside lever, an opening member for switching a latch mechanism to an unlatching state by a rotation of the inside lever, a child lever translated between set and unset positions; and a bush translated together with the child lever. The bush engages with the inside lever and transmits the rotation of the inside lever to the opening member when the child lever is disposed in the unset position and is released from the engagement with the inside lever when the child lever is disposed in the set position. A movable range of the child lever and the bush is confined inside a circle centered at a rotation shaft of the inside lever and whose radius corresponds to a distance from the rotation shaft to a farthest point of the inside lever.

Abstract: A latch assembly for a motor vehicle includes a latch mechanism, a power-operated latch release mechanism, and an over-center spring-biased reset mechanism. The power-operated latch release mechanism is operable during a power release operation to shift the reset mechanism from a first over-center operating state into a second over-center operating state.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a vehicle latch includes a cable link. Also included is a pawl release link, the cable link and the pawl release link switchable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition, the engaged condition allowed manual release of the vehicle latch, the disengaged condition preventing release of the vehicle latch. Further included is an electrically driven gear operatively coupled to the cable link and the pawl release link to reset the cable link and the pawl release link to the disengaged condition.