A latch having a movable abutment member determining locking and unlatching

A latch system such as for a vehicle including a latch having a rest position where a resilient means 30 biases a element 26 in a first direction into an element first position; when actuated the transmission element 26 is biased into a second direction such that the latch element 26 is biased to the normally locked position; in an actuated unlatched position (fig.2) the movable abutment obstructs movement of the transmission element in the second direction and ensures it transmits the unlatching action; in an actuated locked position (fig,4) the movable abutment is moved to a position which does not obstruct the shuttle 26, the shuttle is allowed to move in the second direction and the transmission path is broken such that the latch remains latched. The latch transmission element 26 preferably has an abutment 26B for engaging and releasing a pawl lifter 38 when the element 26 is actuated and retained by abutment 36 in the unlatched actuated position; element 26 may be pivotally mounted at 26A to a release lever (22, fig.1) with movable abutment 36 blocking biased pivotal movement in the second direction.