Automatic holdback device

Claim 1

A LATCHING MECHANISM FOR RETAINING A MOVABLE MEMBER IN FIXED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO A SECOND MEMBER, SAID LATCHING MECHANISM COMPRISING A PIVOTED LATCH ARM HAVING A HOOK END, CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, A COMPLEMENTARY RETAINING MEMBER CARRIED BY THE OTHER MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE HOOK END OF THE LATCH ARM, CONTROL MEANS CARRIED IN PART BY SAID OTHER MEMBER AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID LATCH ARM WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE MOVED INTO JUXTAPOSITION TO EFFECT PIVOTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH ARM FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOK END OF THE LATCH ARM WITH SAID RETAINING MEMBER, AND RESILIENT MEANS NORMALLY RETAINING SAID PIVOTED LATCH ARM IN UNLOCKED POSITION, ONE END OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS BEING IN FIXED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE MEMBER CARRYING THE LATCH ARM, ON ONE SIDE OF THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID LATCH ARM AND THE OTHER END OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH ARM AT A POINT, WHICH IN ONE PIVOTAL POSITION OF SAID LATCH ARM, WILL BE ON ONE SIDE OF A LINE BETWEEN THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF THE LATCH ARM AND SAID FIXED END OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS, TO REACT AGAINST SAID LATCH ARM, TO URGE THE LATTER IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION TOWARD UNLOCKED POSITION DURING ONE PORTION OF THE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE LATCH ARM BY SAID CONTROL MEANS AND IN THE SECOND PIVOTAL POSITION OF SAID LATCH ARM, WILL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID LINE, TO URGE SAID LATCH ARM IN AN OPPOSITE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION TOWARD LOCKED POSITION, DURING ANOTHER PORTION OF THE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH ARM BY SAID CONTROL MEANS.