Vehicle access ramp

A latch assembly, comprising:

• a latch, the latch comprising:
• a housing, the housing comprises a peripheral wall defining a hollow interior and an open end, the peripheral wall comprises a cable access,
• a latch shaft, the latch shaft mounted for a rotation within the hollow interior,
• a latch lever, the latch lever attached to the latch shaft for the rotation therewith between a retracted position where the latch lever is disposed within the hollow interior and a deployed position where the latch lever extends through the open end past an edge of the peripheral wall,
• a cable arm attached to the latch shaft opposite the latch lever, and
• two latch springs, each latch spring from the two latch springs configured to encircle a portion of the latch shaft at each end of the latch lever, the each latch spring configured to bias the latch lever into the retracted position;
• a cable, the cable comprising one end thereof attached to the cable arm;
• a latch operating mechanism, the latch operating mechanism comprising:
• a shaft mounted for a rotational movement,
• a force receiving element, the force receiving element mounted on the shaft for the rotational movement therewith,
• an operating lever, the operating lever mounted on the shaft for the rotational movement therewith, and
• an operating spring, the operating spring having one end connected to the operating lever, the operating spring having another end thereof connectable to an opposite end of the cable,
• the latch operating mechanism configured to tension the cable in a response to a rotation of the shaft in a first direction and to rotate the latch lever into the deployed position;
• and
• a latching and release mechanism, the latching and release mechanism comprising:
• a lever comprising a latch engaging portion, the lever rotatable, in a rotational connection between a first latched position and a first unlatched position,
• a spring, the spring biases the lever into the first latched position, and
• a handle, the handle in a rational connection with the lever, the handle configured to move the lever into the unlatched position.

A latch operating device, comprising:

• an operating shaft;
• a rotational connection between one end of the operating shaft and a stationary structure;
• a force receiving element, the force receiving element mounted on the operating shaft for a rotational movement therewith;
• an operating lever, the operating lever mounted on the operating shaft for the rotational movement therewith;
• and
• an operating spring, the operating spring having one end connected to the operating lever, the operating spring having another end thereof connected to a cable;
• the operating spring pulling the cable in one direction when the operating shaft rotates due to a force received by the force receiving element and releasing the cable to move in an opposite direction when the force is no longer received by the force receiving element.