Abstract: A bidirectional inertial latch locks the position of a seat back of a seat on a motor vehicle during rapid changes in velocity. The inertial latch has a bracket mounted on the seat base or bottom. An arm is pivotably mounted on the bracket and securely attached to the seat back, and has a unitary arcuately toothed section for latching engagement. A pawl is pivotally mounted on the bracket and has a center of gravity offset from its pivot axis. The pawl has an arcuate toothed region for engaging the toothed region of the arm, and is pivoted by the inertial force experienced during either sudden deceleration or sudden acceleration to lockingly engage the arm to prevent the movement thereof Preferably the toothed sections of the pawl have at least three teeth.

Abstract: An automobile trunk lid is mounted for swinging on the automobile body between closed and open positions with respect to the trunk compartment. Each hinge includes a slotted hinge arm attached to the underside of the lid and a slotted body bracket attached to the body adjacent one side of the trunk compartment. A follower on the hinge arm projects into and is adapted to travel along the slot in the body bracket while a follower on the body bracket projects into the slot in the hinge arm. As the lid is opened, the followers and slots coact to first elevate the forward portion of the lid away from the body and then to allow the lid to swing open about an instantaneously changing axis. A spring, a cam and a cable coact to apply a spring-assist to the lid during opening, the cam and cable acting to compensate for the spring rate of the spring as the lid moves and its center of gravity changes in space.

Abstract: A hand-operated brake actuator defining an integral portion of a console for an automobile seating arrangement. The actuator includes a primary lever arm (32) which defines a portion of the frame of the console and carries a compartment access cover. The primary lever arm is mounted for independent pivotable movement with respect to a secondary lever arm. The primary lever arm pivots the secondary lever arm which is retained in an engaged position to hold a brake cable in tension by a pull-to-release pawl mechanism. In the engaged position of the actuator, the primary lever arm is independently returnable to the stored position. A stationary ratchet sector member and a pawl are mounted on the secondary lever. The pawl ratchets over the ratchet sector and holds the secondary lever in the engaged position. A brake cable is attached to the secondary lever and is thereby held in tension.