Abstract: Vehicle door latch assembly includes power closing mechanism (FIG.1) for driving a latching claw 10 from an outer position at which it has engaged a coacting striker 14 for hold the related door at first-safety position to an inner position drawing the door to fully closed position, the claw being retained at either position by a conventional latching pawl 16 selectively releasable by unlatching means 20. The closing mechanism includes a drive pawl 24 pivoted on a powered drive lever 22 to turn the claw to the inner position, a disabling rocker 36 coupled to the arm latching means preventing engagement of the drive pawl when the latching pawl is disengaged so that release of the closed door is not obstructed.

Abstract: Vehicle door mechanism has self-acting latching means in which a latch release lever 10 (FIG. 1) operated by an inside handle of the door frees the door for opening and locking means operated by a lock drive lever 22 secures the latching means to lock the door. The two levers are coupled by motion transmitting engagement of an abutment 20 on one lever locating with a formation 34 on the other to positively shift the lock drive lever to locked condition by movement of the release lever beyond a neutral position in a first direction with a spring 36 acting between the levers to return the lock drive lever to unlocked condition when the release lever is moved the opposite way as far as or beyond the neutral position, and allowing further movement of the release lever for unlatching the door. The spring aids return of the release lever to its neutral position and the arrangement enables latching, and locking to be effected by the door handle alone.

Abstract: A door mechanism including self-acting latching means operatively holding the door closed and including a latch release member selectively moveable from a neutral position to a release position freeing the door for opening. Locking means act to secure the latched door by preventing release actuation of the latching means and including a lock drive member selectively moveable between locked and unlocked positions. The latch release member has a path of travel extending between said release position and a door secure position, said neutral position being in an intermediate part of said path. The release member and the lock drive member are coupled by motion transmitting means including a first formation on one of said members co-acting via a connecting means with a second formation on the other of said members to shift the lock drive member to the locked position on movement of the release member from its neutral position to its door secure position.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch mechanism including a latch bolt adapted to releasably secure a striker. In use, the latch bolt is pivotably mounted to a chassis of the latch mechanism and movable between an open position and a closed position. The latch mechanism further includes a detent mechanism adapted to releasably maintain the latch bolt in the open position. By providing such a detent mechanism the need for a dedicated latch bolt, a return spring is eliminated.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch mechanism including safety structural components. The latch mechanism includes a latch bolt having a closed condition capable of retaining a striker and an open condition capable of releasing the striker, a pawl which in use releasably secures the latch bolt in its closed condition, and a retention plate. The retention plate includes at least one mouth which co-operates with a retention means to releasably retain the striker in the mouth, at least one pivot pin hole defining a pivot pin hole surface for a pivot pin which is secured to the retention plate in the hole or is pivotally mounted in the hole, and at least one fixing means for fixing a latch mechanism in its operating position. The latch bolt, pawl and retention plate co-operate in use to releasably retain a striker in which at least one of the said safety critical structural components is made from a plurality of structural laminations of material.