Two-way rotary lock

a two-way rotary lock for an automotive vehicle of the type defining a door opening bounded laterally by first and second side frames, a sliding door mounted to slide between an open position, in which the door exposes the door opening, and a closed position, in which the door closes the door opening, a first striker secured to the first side frame, and a second striker secured to the second side frame, said lock comprising:

• an elongated lock body which defines a transverse axis;
• a latch plate mounted for rotation about a pivot axis in the lock body, said latch plate defining first and second tangs, each shaped to engage and capture a respective one of the strikers, said pivot axis positioned on the transverse axis, said first and second tangs positioned on opposite sides of the transverse axis;
• means for defining first and second recesses in the lock body aligned with the first and second tangs, respectively, on opposite sides of the transverse axis to receive portions of the first and second strikers, respectively;
• means for securing the latch plate in place to prevent rotation of the latch plate about the pivot axis in a selected direction to latch the first and second strikers in the lock body;
• and
• means for manually overriding the securing means to allow rotation of the latch plate in the selected direction in order to release the first and second strikers from the lock body.

In combination with an automotive vehicle of the type comprising first and second spaced side frames which define a door opening therebetween;

• and a sliding door mounted to slide between a closed position, in which the door closes the opening, and an open position, in which the door reveals the opening;
• the improvement comprising:
• a first rod-shaped striker secured to the first side frame adjacent to the opening;
• a second rod-shaped striker secured to the second side frame adjacent to the opening;
• a dual action rotary lock secured to the door, said lock comprising:
• a lock frame mounted to the door and defining first and second recesses positioned to admit portions of the first and second strikers into the lock frame when the door is in the open and closed positions, respectively;
• a latch plate rotatably mounted to the lock frame to pivot about an axis, said latch plate defining first and second tangs on opposed sides of the axis;
• said first tang aligned with the first recess and positioned and configured to engage the first striker, rotate the latch plate in a first direction to a latched position, and thereby capture the first striker and latch the door in the open position when the door is moved to the open position;
• said second tang aligned with the second recess and positioned and configured to engage the second striker, rotate the latch plate in the first direction to the latched position, and thereby capture the second striker and latch the door in the closed position when the door is moved to the closed position;
• means for automatically and positively securing the latch plate in the latched position against rotation in a second direction, opposed to the first direction, in order to prevent a captured one of the first and second strikers from disengaging from the latch plate;
• and
• means for manually overriding the securing means to allow the latch plate to rotate in the second direction in order to disengage a captured one of the first and second strikers from the latch plate and thereby release the door.