A latch assembly having a latch buckle and a latch tongue. The latch buckle includes: a buckle housing; a first lateral aperture disposed along a first side of the buckle housing; a second lateral aperture disposed along a second side of the buckle housing; a pair of h-shaped levers, each pivotally coupled to an interior of the buckle housing; a spring ring disposed between the pair of h-shaped levers; a pair of springs, each spring being coupled to an interior of the buckle housing and an h-shaped lever; and a buckle aperture disposed along a top of the buckle housing and between the pair of h-shaped levers. The latch tongue includes: a tongue plate; a plate spacer, coupled to the tongue plate; and a latch flange, coupled to the plate spacer, configured to be received by the buckle aperture. The latch tongue is selectably coupled to the latch base.

A lock assembly comprising: a hand-operable member configured to move laterally relative to a fore-end of the lock assembly; wherein lateral movement of the hand-operable member causes the lock assembly to move between a locked mode and an unlocked mode. A lock assembly comprising: a latch, the latch configured to move rotationally relative to the lock assembly; and a hand-operable member configured to move laterally relative to a fore-end of the lock assembly; wherein the hand-operable member is coupled to the latch such that lateral movement of the hand-operable member drives rotational movement of the latch. Methods of installing a lock assembly, comprising setting a hub of a lock assembly to one of a first unlocked position, a first locked position, a second unlocked position, a second locked position, or a deadlocked position, and installing a cylinder lock for engagement with the hub.

A latch assembly having a latch buckle and a latch tongue. The latch buckle includes: a buckle housing; a first lateral aperture disposed along a first side of the buckle housing; a second lateral aperture disposed along a second side of the buckle housing; a pair of h-shaped levers, each pivotally coupled to an interior of the buckle housing; a spring ring disposed between the pair of h-shaped levers; a pair of springs, each spring being coupled to an interior of the buckle housing and an h-shaped lever; and a buckle aperture disposed along a top of the buckle housing and between the pair of h-shaped levers. The latch tongue includes: a tongue plate; a plate spacer, coupled to the tongue plate; and a latch flange, coupled to the plate spacer, configured to be received by the buckle aperture. The latch tongue is selectably coupled to the latch base.

A cinching latch assembly for a vehicle may include a base plate, a first locking groove formed on the base plate by being depressed from an upper end of the base plate toward a middle hereof for insertion of a striker into the first locking groove, a first rotation shaft provided on the base plate at a first side of the first locking groove, and a safety hook rotatably combined with the first rotation shaft at a first end of the safety hook, with a hook provided at a second end of the safety hook, the hook disposed to block the first locking groove, in which when the striker is inserted into the first locking groove, the safety hook opens the first locking groove by rotating on the first rotation shaft, and blocks the first locking groove, thereby performing a first-level locking.

A latch for a vehicle hood and method of construction thereof is provided. The latch includes a housing; a ratchet pivotally mounted on the housing and a pawl pivotally mounted on the housing for pivoting between a first position in locked engagement with the ratchet and a second position out of locked engagement with the ratchet, with the pawl being biased into the first position. A pawl lever is pivotally mounted on the housing to engage the pawl and rotate the pawl from the first position to the second position. A double pull lever having an abutment surface is pivotally mounted on the pawl lever. A safety catch member is pivotally mounted on the housing, wherein the safety catch member selectively engages the abutment surface of the double pull lever to pivot the safety catch member from a locked first position to an unlocked second position.

A latch assembly having a latch buckle and a latch tongue. The latch buckle includes: a buckle housing; a first lateral aperture disposed along a first side of the buckle housing; a second lateral aperture disposed along a second side of the buckle housing; a pair of h-shaped levers, each pivotally coupled to an interior of the buckle housing; a spring ring disposed between the pair of h-shaped levers; a pair of springs, each spring being coupled to an interior of the buckle housing and an h-shaped lever; and a buckle aperture disposed along a top of the buckle housing and between the pair of h-shaped levers. The latch tongue includes: a tongue plate; a plate spacer, coupled to the tongue plate; and a latch flange, coupled to the plate spacer, configured to be received by the buckle aperture. The latch tongue is selectably coupled to the latch base.

A cinching latch assembly for a vehicle may include a base plate, a first locking groove formed on the base plate by being depressed from an upper end of the base plate toward a middle hereof for insertion of a striker into the first locking groove, a first rotation shaft provided on the base plate at a first side of the first locking groove, and a safety hook rotatably combined with the first rotation shaft at a first end of the safety hook, with a hook provided at a second end of the safety hook, the hook disposed to block the first locking groove, in which when the striker is inserted into the first locking groove, the safety hook opens the first locking groove by rotating on the first rotation shaft, and blocks the first locking groove, thereby performing a first-level locking.

A lock assembly comprising: a hand-operable member configured to move laterally relative to a fore-end of the lock assembly; wherein lateral movement of the hand-operable member causes the lock assembly to move between a locked mode and an unlocked mode. A lock assembly comprising: a latch, the latch configured to move rotationally relative to the lock assembly; and a hand-operable member configured to move laterally relative to a fore-end of the lock assembly; wherein the hand-operable member is coupled to the latch such that lateral movement of the hand-operable member drives rotational movement of the latch. Methods of installing a lock assembly, comprising setting a hub of a lock assembly to one of a first unlocked position, a first locked position, a second unlocked position, a second locked position, or a deadlocked position, and installing a cylinder lock for engagement with the hub.