Latch mechanism

Claim 1

A latch mechanism for use with a tiltable motor vehicle seat having the forward end thereof supported by a base for movement about a transverse horizontal axis, said latch mechanism comprising a plate member adapted to be secured to said base, a pair of overlapping lock members, a lock bar adapted to be fixed to said base for cooperation with said lock members for locking said seat to said base, pin means mounted on said plate member for pivotally interconnecting said lock members for relative movement in a scissors fashion about a first pivot axis, each of said lock members having a lower portion formed as a J-shaped hook and an upper portion having a triangular opening therein, a compression spring wound about said pin means and having a pair of oppositely extending arms which wrap around the lower portions of said lock members and urge said lower portions towards each other into a locked position with said lock bar, a release member, pivot means offset from the longitudinal axis of each of said lock members and supporting said release member on said plate member for pivotal movement about a second pivot axis that is parallel to said first pivot axis, said release member having an integral inner end formed with a pair of bends and extending into the openings formed in the upper portions of said lock members for causing the lower portions to be spread apart against the bias of said spring when said release member is pivoted about said second axis so as to place the lock members in an unlocked position relative to said lock bar, said inner end having a straight section between said pair of bends, the longitudinal center axis of said straight section being parallel to and lying in a common vertical plane with said first pivot axis when the lock members are in the locked and unlocked positions.