Truck loading

• US 4,940,379 A
• Filed: 03/31/1986
• Issued: 07/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ruediger Staege
• Original Assignee: Ruediger Staege
• Inventors: Staege, Ruediger
• Primary Examiner(s): WERNER, FRANK E
• Application Number:
  US06/846,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 414/401, 414/399, 414/402, 414/400, 414/584, 414/345, 414/347, 414/343, 414/344, 414/341, 414/340, 414/396, 414/395, 414/390, 414/391, 414/392, 414/349, 414/352, 187/1 R, 187/9 R, 187/9 E, 14/69.5, 14/71.5, 14/72.5, 14/71.7, 14/71.3
• US Class Current: 414/401
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/006 Centring or aligning a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle

Abstract

A loading device, for automatic rear end loading of trucks or trailers by means of a forklifting type of device being movably mounted on a platform that can be lowered and lifted is improved by a docking and loading gate defining a particular position for the rear end of a truck or trailer on one hand and of a direction of loading on the other hand, the position being established with respect to a truck or trailer when positioned in and at the loading dock; a loading bridge is arranged in the loading gate for bridging the space from the loading platform to the truck or trailer when in the loading dock, the bridge is lowered to obtain particular positions in which the bridge exerts a particular load upon the truck or trailer in the loading dock which position is maintained as the load and forklift move across the bridge, onto the truck or trailer.

Claims

1. Loading device, for automatic rear end loading of trucks or trailers by means of a forklifting type device movably mounted on a platform that can be lowered and lifted, the improvement comprising:

a docking and loading gate defining a particular position for the rear end of a truck or trailer on one hand and of a direction of loading on the other hand, the position being established with respect to the truck or trailer when positioned in and at the loading dock; and

a loading bridge arranged in said loading gate for bridging space between said loading platform on one hand and a load bearing surface of a truck or trailer when in the loading dock on the other hand, there being means for lowering said bridge to obtain particular positions in which the bridge engages a rear portion of the load surface and exerts a particular load upon the truck or trailer in said loading gate.

2. Loading structure as in claim 1, said bridge constructed to overhang the loading surface of the truck or trailer such that when lowering of the bridge directly a load is exerted in simulating fashion upon the loading surface and the truck or trailer as such, the bridge being normally disengaged from said loading surface.

3. The device as in claim 2 wherein said bridge is adjustable and arrestable as to its vertical orientation and positioning.