Abstract: A seat reclining and fold-flat mechanism for reclining the seat-back, folding the seat-back flat and locking the seat in an upright or reclined position. The mechanism includes an arm, a pawl and a locking member. The arm is pivoted to the frame at one end and attached to the seat-back at a second opposite end to pivot the seat-back relative to the frame. The pawl is pivoted to the frame and pivots between a locked position, in which the pawl engages the arm to prevent arm from pivoting, and a released position, in which the pawl releases arm allowing arm to pivot. The locking member secures the pawl in the locked position, thereby securing seat-back in an upright or reclined position even when substantial force is executed on the seat-back.

Abstract: Three mechanical locks are part of a mechanism for adjusting and dumping a vehicle seat. A master mechanical lock attaches to the seat back. When it is unlocked, depending on the condition of the other locks, one can adjust or dump the seat. A dumping mechanical lock also attaches to the seat back through an intermediary of a slave mechanical lock. When the dumping mechanical lock is unlocked, a connection to the master mechanical lock also opens that lock to allow the seat back to dump. When one unlocks just the master mechanical lock, a connection between that lock and the slave lock unlocks the slave lock. When that lock is unlocked, one can adjust the distance of dumping mechanical lock to the seat back. Because the slave lock remains locked during dumping, the distance between the dumping mechanical lock and the seat back remains constant after dumping. A latch mechanism keeps the dumping lock unlocked until the dumping lock returns to a predetermined position.