Vehicle restraint

• US 5,336,033 A
• Filed: 02/21/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dock Products Canada, Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Serco Limited (Serco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Alexander, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLER JR, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US07/838,921
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 414/396, 414/401, 414/584, 14/71.1, 14/71.3, 14/71.7, 74/103, 74/105, 74/110
• US Class Current: 414/401
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/003 Restraining movement of a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle restraint employs a 4 bar linkage to lift a restraining member to a position that engages a vehicle thus restraining it at a loading dock. The linkage is upwardly biased to hold the unit in an engaging position and may be retracted by using any of a number of mechanical techniques such as hydraulic electric or pneumatic power. The actuating mechanism employs a movable sector arm with engaging lugs to co-act with the 4-bar linkage limit the degree of float of the system and form the drive transfer to initially elevate the linkage or retract it against the upward bias. The 4 bar linkage transfers all loading on the unit from the ICC to the frame thus isolating any driven members from overloads. A secondary hook mounted to the 4 bar linkage is pivotally spring loaded to limit vehicle travel away from the dock and to extend the capture range of the device in the case of ICC'"'"'s bars that are damaged or mounted at non-standard positions at the rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A device for restraining a vehicle to prevent movement away from a loading dock comprising:

a base adapted to be secured in a stationary manner relative to said loading dock;

a lever assembly mounted to said base for pivoting motion relative to said base;

a primary restraining member coupled to said lever assembly and movable on said lever assembly between a stored inoperative position and an elevated operative position in an essentially vertical direction without any rotation thereof;

means attached to said lever assembly for biasing said primary restraining member upward and moving said primary restraining member between said inoperative position and said operative position; and

actuating means selectively coupled to said lever assembly to selectively move said primary restraining member toward said operative position or said inoperative position while permitting displacement of said primary restraining member between said operative and inoperative positions without any movement of said actuating means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a linear actuator, a rotating member coupled to said linear actuator and a coupling carried by said lever assembly selectively contacting said rotating member to be urged thereby to move said restraining member to said inoperative position of said primary restraining member.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising switch means responsive to rotational movement of said rotating member to determine when said primary restraining member has been moved to said inoperative position and thereby deactivate said actuating means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said lever assembly comprises first and second arms each individually pivoted to said base at spaced positions, a third arm coupling said primary restraining member to said first arm and a fourth arm coupled to both said first and second arms and to said primary restraining member.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a secondary restraining member pivotally mounted to said primary restraining member for limiting movement of said vehicle once said primary restraining member has been placed in said operative position.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a top plate covering said device when it is in said inoperative position.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said lever assembly further comprises a pair of first arms pivoted to said base, said pair of first arms each having a first section pinned to said base, and a second section pinned to said means attached to said lever assembly, and a plate member joining said pair of first arms together.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said primary restraining member is mounted to move vertically between said pair of first arms and to store therebetween when said primary restraining member is in said inoperative position.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a powered piston coupled to said lever assembly.

10. A vehicle restraint device comprising:

a stationary frame;

a lever assembly mounted to said stationary frame for pivotal movement relative to said stationary frame;

a primary vehicle restraining member coupled to said lever assembly and movable on said lever assembly from a lowered stored inoperative position to an extended operative position by vertical movement without any rotation thereof; and

actuating means mounted to said stationary frame and selectively engaged with said lever assembly for initiating movement of said primary vehicle restraining member upward toward an operative position and for moving said primary vehicle restraining member to said inoperative position, said actuating means allowing freedom of vertical movement of said primary vehicle restraining member while in said operative position without any movement of said actuating means.

11. The device of claim 10 further comprising spring means to bias said lever assembly toward said operative position of said primary restraining member.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said lever assembly further comprises a pair of first arms pivoted to said stationary frame, said pair of first arms each having a first section pinned to said stationary frame, and a second section pinned to said spring means, and a plate member joining said pair of first arms together.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said primary restraining member is mounted to move vertically between said pair of first arms and is stored therebetween when said primary restraining member is in said inoperative position.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a linearly movable member, rotating means coupled to said linearly movable member, and said rotating means having a pair of lugs to engage said lever assembly to move said primary restraining member from said operative position to said inoperative position.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein said lever assembly comprises first and second arms each individually pivoted to said frame at spaced positions, a third arm coupling said primary restraining member to said first arm and a fourth arm coupled to both said first and second arms and to said primary restraining member.

16. The device of claim 10 further comprising a secondary restraining member pivotally mounted to said primary restraining member for limiting movement of said vehicle once said primary restraining member has been placed in said operative position.

17. The device of claim 10 further comprising a top plate covering said device in said inoperative position.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises a powered piston selectively coupled to said lever assembly.