Latch control device

Claim 1

IN A LATCH CONTROL DEVICE, THE COMBINATION OF: LATCH ACTUATOR MEANS FOR OPERATING A LATCH INCLUDING A STATIONARY FRAME ROTATABLY MOUNTING A SPINDLE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SPINDLE TO SAID LATCH FOR OPERATING SAID LATCH UPON ROTATION OF SAID SPINDLE, LATCH OPERATING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ROTATING SAID SPINDLE; AND A SPINDLE RETAINER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HOUSING SECURED TO SAID ACTUATOR SPINDLE ROTATABLE THEREWITH, A LOCKING MEMBER ON SAID HOUSING MOVABLE BETWEEN AN EXTENDED LOCKING POSITION ENGAGING SAID STATIONARY FRAME AND LOCKING SAID ACTUATOR SPINDLE AGAINST ROTATION AND A RETRACTED NONLOCKING POSITION DISENGAGED FROM SAID STATIONARY FRAME AND PERMITTING ROTATION OF SAID ACTUATOR SPINDLE, POSITIONING MEANS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FOR MOVING SAID LOCKING MEMBER BETWEEN SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, RETAINER MEANS RADIALLY SLIDABLE BETWEEN POSITIONS RETAINING SAID LOCKING MEMBER IN EACH OF SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS AND PERMITTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER BETWEEN SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, A COIL RETAINER SPRING ON SAID HOUSING HAVING AT LEAST ONE COMPLETE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING COIL, ENGAGEMENT MEANS ON SAID RETAINER MEANS PERIPHERALLY ENGAGED WITH SAID RETAINER SPRING COIL FOR SAID COIL TO NORMALLY RESILIENTLY RESIST SAID RETRACTOR MEANS SLIDABLE MOVEMENT AND FOR RADIALLY INWARDLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DEFORMING SAID COIL UPON SLIDABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID RETAINER MEANS TO PERMIT SAID LOCKING MEMBER MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS.