LATCH UNIT AND ASSEMBLY, AND METHOD OF OPERATING A LATCH UNIT

The invention relates to a latch unit which includes a bolt, a housing for the bolt, guides for the bolt in the housing, a first spring for the bolt in the housing, the first spring urging the bolt in a forwards direction towards a holding position in which an end part of the bolt is outside the housing, and a slot arrangement for the bolt, the slot arrangement comprising a first part and a second part, the slot arrangement having an active condition in which the first part is engaged with the second part whereby to retain the bolt against movement in the said forwards direction, characterized by a second spring to hold the first and second parts in the active condition. It is a particular feature of the invention that the bolt has a holding position in which it can engage a keeper, a non-holding position in which it is disengaged from the keeper and a retained position in which it cannot engage the keeper and in which it is retained by the slot arrangement, the non-holding position being between the holding and retained positions. There is also provided a method of operating a latch unit according as herein defined.