Vehicle seat back reclining mechanism

Abstract

A seat back member is pivotally connected to a seat cushion member. First and second rows of successively stepped teeth are arranged in opposed rows on one of the members. First and second latch bars are pivotally mounted on the other member and one of the latch bars is engageable with the stepped teeth of one row to block forward pivoting movement of the seat back and ratchet over the teeth during rearward pivoting movement of the seat back. The other latch bar is engageable with the stepped teeth of the other row to block rearward pivoting movement of the seat back and ratchet over the teeth during forward pivoting movement of the seat back. A spring urges both latch bars to their normal positions engaging their respectively associated teeth. A release handle is operable to disengage a selected one of the latch bars from its associated teeth to permit motion of the seat back in the direction normally blocked by that latch bar. The member to which the latch bars are pivoted has a slot arcuate about the latch bar pivot and the latch bars have laterally extending latch elements extending through the arcuate slot so that the major portion of loads imposed on the seat back are transferred through the latch elements from the seat back to the seat cushion.