Modular dockboard

• US 5,903,943 A
• Filed: 02/06/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bluff Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bluff Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Sherrod, Danny G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/796,804
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 14/2.4, 14/69.5, 14/71.1, 14/73, 14/77.1, 404/28, 404/29, 404/53, 404/73, 446/124, 446/125, 446/127, 446/128, 446/120, 446/476, 446/118, 52/592.1, 52/570, 52/603, 52/422
• US Class Current: 14/2.4
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/287 Constructional features of deck or surround

Abstract

The dockboard in one embodiment includes three upper members and two lower members which can be stored and shipped unassembled and readily assembled in the field for use. Each of the members includes a plurality of spaced apart locking members extending from one side between opposite side edges. The locking members are spaced apart from each other between opposite support edges. The five members are assembled to form a dockboard by engaging selected locking members of the two lower members with selected locking members of the center upper member such that the center upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of the two lower members and sliding the center upper member and the two lower members together. Selected locking members of the two outer end upper members are engaged with the outer locking members of the two lower members and the two outer end upper members are slid onto the assembly to form the dockboard. Adjacent support edges of the upper and lower members have hook and slot side edge locking members to lock adjacent support edges of the upper members together and adjacent side edges of the lower members together.

Claims

1. A dockboard comprising:

at least three upper members and two lower members with said upper members comprising first, second, and third rectangular shaped upper members and said lower members comprising first and second rectangular shaped lower members,

each of said members having spaced apart first and second support edges and spaced apart first and second side edges with said side edges being generally transverse to said first and second support edges,

each of said members having first and second opposite sides with a plurality of spaced apart generally parallel body locking means formed on said first side of each of said members and which extend between said first and second side edges of each of said members,

said first and second lower members being adapted to have selected ones of their body locking means removably engage selected ones of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with selected ones of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said second upper member and selected ones of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form a dockboard with a supporting surface defined by said second sides of said first, second, and third upper members,

said first upper member has first and second types of edge locking means at its first and second support edges respectively;

said second upper member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first upper member; and

said third upper member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge for removably engaging said second type of edge locking means of said first upper member,

said first lower member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge and said second lower member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first lower member.

2. The dockboard of claim 1, wherein:

said first upper member and one of said lower members are substantially identical to each other.

3. The dockboard of claim 1, wherein:

each of said body locking means of each of said members comprises a base portion secured to its said first side with a transverse portion extending from said base portion at a position spaced from its said first side with all of said transverse portions extending in the same direction from their base portions,

when said first upper member is removably coupled to said first and second lower members;

said second upper member is removably coupled to said first lower member; and

said third upper member is removably coupled to said second lower member, said transverse portions are located such that selected ones said transverse portions of said first upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said first and second lower members;

selected ones of said transverse portions of said second upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said first lower member; and

selected ones of said transverse portions of said third upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said second lower member.

4. The dockboard of claim 3, wherein:

selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first upper member are positioned to engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members by aligning said second side edge of said first upper member with said first side edges of said first and second lower members at positions such that said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first upper member face in a given direction and said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members face in a direction opposite said given direction with said first upper member overlapping said first and second support edges of said first and second lower members and engaging selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members and moving said first upper member relative to said first and second lower members in directions such that said first side edge of said first upper member and said first side edges of said first and second lower members move toward each other.

5. The dockboard of claim 4, wherein:

selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said second and third upper members are positioned to engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members respectively by aligning said second side edges of said second and third upper member with said first side edges of said first and second lower members at positions such that said transverse portions of said body locking means of said second and third upper members face in said given direction and said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members face in a direction opposite said given direction with said first lower member overlapping said first and second support edges of said first and second upper members and with said second lower member overlapping said second and first support edges of said first and third upper members and engaging selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said second and third upper members with selected ones of said transverse portions of said body locking means of said first and second lower members respectively and moving said second and third upper members relative to said first and second lower members in directions such that said first side edges of said second and third upper members and said first side edges of said first and second lower members move toward each other.

6. The dockboard of claim 5, wherein:

each of said first type of edge locking means comprises a hook shaped member and each of said second type of edge locking means comprises a hook shaped slot formed in said second type of edge locking means for receiving a hook shaped member of an adjacent member.

7. The dockboard of claim 6, wherein said first upper member and one of said lower members are substantially identical to each other.

8. A dockboard comprising:

at least three upper members and two lower members with said upper members comprising first, second, and third rectangular shaped upper members and said lower members comprising first and second rectangular shaped lower members,

each of said members having spaced apart first and second support edges and spaced apart first and second side edges with said side edges being generally transverse to said first and second support edges,

each of said members having first and second opposite sides with a plurality of spaced apart generally parallel body locking means formed on said first side of each of said members and which extend between said first and second side edges of each of said members,

said first and second lower members being adapted to have selected ones of their body locking means removably engage selected ones of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with selected ones of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said second upper member and selected ones of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form a dockboard with a supporting surface defined by said second sides of said first, second, and third upper members,

each of said body locking means of each of said members comprises a base portion secured to its said first side with a transverse portion extending from said base portion at a positions spaced from its said first side,

when said first upper member is removably coupled to said first and second lower members;

said second upper member is removably coupled to said first lower member; and

said third upper member is removably coupled to said second lower member, said transverse portions are located such that selected ones of said transverse portions of said first upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said first and second lower members;

selected ones of said transverse portions of said second upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said first lower member; and

selected ones of said transverse portions of said third upper member engage selected ones of said transverse portions of said second lower member,

said first upper member has first and second types of edge locking means at its first and second support edges respectively;

said second upper member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first upper member; and

said third upper member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge for removably engaging said second type of edge locking means of said first upper member,

said first lower member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge and said second lower member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first lower member.

9. The dockboard of claim 8, wherein:

each of said first type of edge locking means comprises a hook shaped member and each of said second type of edge locking means comprises a hook shaped slot formed in said second type of edge locking means for receiving a hook shaped member of an adjacent member.

10. A dockboard having a given width and a given length comprising:

at least three upper members and two lower members with said upper members comprising first, second, and third rectangular shaped upper members and said lower members comprising first and second rectangular shaped lower members,

each of said members having spaced apart first and second support edges and spaced apart first and second side edges with said side edges being generally transverse to said first and second support edges,

the distance between said first and second side edges of each of said members being about equal to said given width,

each of said members having first and second opposite sides with a plurality of spaced apart generally parallel body locking means being formed on said first side of each of said members and which extend between said first and second side edges of each of said members,

said first and second lower members being adapted to have selected ones of their body locking means removably engage selected ones of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with selected ones of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said second upper member and selected ones of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form a dockboard with a supporting surface defined by said second sides of said first, second, and third upper members,

said first upper member has first and second types of edge locking means at its first and second support edges respectively;

said second upper member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first upper member; and

said third upper member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge for removably engaging said second type of edge locking means of said first upper member,

said first lower member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge and said second lower member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first lower member.

11. The dockboard of claim 10, wherein:

said first upper member and one of said lower members are substantially identical to each other.

12. The dockboard of claim 11 wherein:

each of said first and second lower members are adapted to have at least two of their body locking means removably engage at least two of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with at least two of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said second upper member and at least two of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form said dockboard.

13. The dockboard of claim 10 wherein:

each of said first and second lower members are adapted to have at least two of their body locking means removably engage at least two of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with at least two of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said second upper member and at least two of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form said dockboard.

14. A dockboard comprising:

at least three upper members and two lower members with said upper members comprising first, second, and third rectangular shaped upper members and said lower members comprising first and second rectangular shaped lower members,

each of said members having spaced apart first and second support edges and spaced apart first and second side edges with said side edges being generally transverse to said first and second support edges,

each of said members having first and second opposite sides with a plurality of spaced apart generally parallel body locking means being formed on said first side of each of said members and which extend between said first and second side edges of each of said members,

each of said first and second lower members being adapted to have at least two of their body locking means removably engage at least two of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with at least two of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said second upper member and at least two of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging at least two of said body locking means of said third upper member such that said first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form a dockboard with a supporting surface defined by said second sides of said first, second, and third upper members,

said first upper member has first and second types of edge locking means at its first and second support edges respectively;

said second upper member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first upper member; and

said third upper member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge for removably engaging said second type of edge locking means of said first upper member,

said first lower member has said first type of edge locking means at its first support edge and said second lower member has said second type of edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said first type of edge locking means of said first lower member.

15. The dockboard of claim 14, wherein:

said first upper member and one of said lower members are substantially identical to each other.

16. An apparatus for spanning the space between spaced apart means, said apparatus having a given width and a given length comprising:

at least three upper members and two lower members with said upper members comprising first, second, and third rectangular shaped upper members and said lower members comprising first and second rectangular shaped lower members,

each of said members having spaced apart first and second support edges and spaced apart first and second side edges with said side edges being generally transverse to said first and second support edges,

the distance between said first and second side edges of each of said members being about equal to said given width,

each of said members having first and second opposite sides with a plurality of spaced apart body locking means fixed to said first sides of each of said members,

said first and second lower members being adapted to have selected ones of their body locking means removably engage selected ones of said body locking means of said first upper member such that said first upper member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second lower members with selected ones of said body locking means of said first lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said second upper member and selected ones of said body locking means of second lower member removably engaging selected ones of said body locking means of said third upper member such that first lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and second upper members and said second lower member overlaps adjacent support edges of said first and third upper members to form said apparatus with a supporting surface defined by said second sides of said first, second, and third upper members,

said first upper member has edge locking means at its first and second support edges respectively;

said second upper member has edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said edge locking means at said first support edge of said first upper member; and

said third upper member has edge locking means at its first support edge for removably engaging said edge locking means at said second support edge of said first upper member,

said first lower member has edge locking means at its first support edge and said second lower member has edge locking means at its second support edge for removably engaging said edge locking means at said first support edge of said first lower member.