Abstract: An automative door latch has, in one invention, a child-safety locking switch (102) using an overcentre spring (110), for exerting extra spring bias on a lock toggle lever (610) operating the interior door lock. In another invention, a mechanical cooperation between the two lock toggle levers (516) operating interior and exterior door locking ensures that manual operation of either handle, when unlocked, to cause the corresponding lever (516) to open the door or other closure, causes the corresponding pawl release assembly (514, 510) to move the other pawl release assembly (514, 510) to its unlocked, pawl-engaging position, if that other pawl release assembly had been at its locked, pawl non-engaging position. In a third invention, a motor drives the latch bolt (2) for closing the door, through two (907, 908) segment gears which mesh for only part of the turning movement of a rotary driving and indexing mechanism (906) which also operates door opening and locking.

Abstract: Apparatus for coupling operational drive mechanically by way of a cable from an actuator to a mechanism such as a door latch, comprising: a frame for mounting in a fixed position relative to the door latch and the actuator; an inertia lever pivotally mounted on a bracket constrained to slide along a predetermined path within the frame, the inertia lever having a centre of mass distant from its pivotal mounting on the bracket; a catch constrained to slide along a predetermined path within the frame, following the path of the inertia lever; means for connecting the bracket to the actuator; and means for connecting the catch to the said mechanism such as a door latch; the apparatus being configured such that when the inertia lever is at a position at which it locks against the catch to couple drive from the actuator to the cable, its centre of mass is shifted transversely from a line through its pivotal mounting on the bracket parallel at that point to the path of the inertia lever; such that when no driving for