A latch assembly includes a latch bolt, a retaining member and an actuator. The latch bolt is moveable between a closed position at which it is capable of retaining a striker and an open position at which the striker is released. The retaining member is moveable between a retained position at which it retains the latch bolt in at least its closed position and released position at which the latch bolt can move between its opened and closed positions. The actuator is capable of moving the retaining means from its engaged position to its released position, in which, under normal operating conditions of the latch, the actuator is the sole means of releasing the latch.
An automotive door lock having a lock mechanism (3) for releasably engaging a striker (4), and a release mechanism (5) interacting with the lock mechanism (3) to release the lock (1). The release mechanism (5) has a control member (18) which interacts with the lock mechanism (3), is loaded elastically into a rest position, and can be set to a work position to release the lock (1). The release mechanism (5) has an actuating member (31) activated selectively to move the control member (18), in a forward movement, from the rest position to the work position; and, during a return movement of the control member (18) to the rest position, the control member (18) and the actuating member (31) are disconnected to minimize the time taken to complete the return movement.
