Vehicle seat back reclining mechanism
 A seat back frame member and a seat cushion frame member are connected by a pivot to permit adjustment of the reclining angle of the seat back. A sector is provided on the seat back frame member and is serrated to display a plurality of teeth disposed in an arcuate path about the seat back pivot. First and second latch bars, each having a serrated arcuate end surface, are pivotally mounted on the seat cushion frame member for pivotal movement between engaged positions in which the teeth of the latch bars engage the teeth of the sector and disengaged positions. A spring acts between the latch bars to urge rotation of the latch bars in opposite directions of rotation to their respective engaged positions. When the latch bars are in engaged position, forced pivoting of the back frame member in either direction relative the cushion frame member causes one of the latch bars to be forcibly wedged against the sector while the other latch bar tends to pivot in the disengaging direction. Gear teeth provided on each of the latch bars mesh together so that pivotal movement of one of the latch bars in one direction rotates the other latch bar in the opposite direction. Accordingly, attempted pivoting of the seat back frame member in either the forward or rearward direction causes the latch bars to grip the sector with a pincer-like action so that both latch bars block rotation of the back frame. An operating handle is provided on one of the latch bars to permit manual pivoting movement of that latch bar to disengaged position while the gear interconnection simultaneously moves the other latch bar to the disengaged position. 
General Motors Corporation
Y B
Y10T B60N
additional inventional
Robert C.
Krug