Vertically stored dock leveler

• US 6,205,606 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Systems, Inc. (Germantown, Wisconsin)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Zibella, Michael A., Lounsbury, Mark S., Quinlan, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US09/343,989
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 14/695, 14/711, 14/713, 14/717
• US Class Current: 14/71.3
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/2835 with spring-operated means

Abstract

A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus includes a generally planar ramp member mounted on a frame by a hinge connection which includes spaced apart hinge plates secured to the frame, each having hinge pin receiving bores formed therein. An elongated cylindrical hinge pin is secured to the ramp and extends through the receiving bores of the hinge plates. The ramp is provided with elongated clearance slots formed therein providing clearance for the hinge plates when the ramp is assembled to the frame. Linearly extensible gas springs are interconnected between the ramp and the frame for biasing the ramp toward a vertically oriented stored position. An elongated actuating member is adapted to be releasably connected to a member mounted on one lateral edge of the ramp and also disposed in a socket member mounted on the frame for use in moving the ramp between working and stored positions and for retaining the ramp in its stored position, respectively. The ramp and actuating member may be secured together with a padlock to lock the ramp in the stored position.

Claims

1. A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be mounted on a loading dock;

a ramp mounted for pivotal movement on said frame between a substantially horizontal working position and a substantially vertically extending stored position;

spring means operably connected to said ramp for biasing said ramp toward said stored position;

an actuating member for moving said ramp with respect to said frame;

a receiver member secured to said ramp for receiving said actuating member; and

a receiver member mounted on said frame for receiving said actuating member in a stored position of said ramp for retaining said ramp in said stored position.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said receiver member comprises a tubular socket member mounted on said ramp.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said receiver member comprises a rod-like projection connected to said ramp and said actuating member comprises a tubular part adapted to be sleeved over said rod-like projection of said receiver member.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including:

a hinge for connecting said ramp to said frame comprising a plurality of hinge plates secured to said frame at spaced apart points thereon, said hinge plates including hinge pin receiving bores formed therein, and a hinge pin secured directly to said ramp and extendable through said bores in said hinge plates to form a pivot connection between said ramp and said frame.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including:

lock means operable to engage said ramp and said actuating member when said actuating member is received in said receiver member mounted on said frame for locking said ramp in said stored position.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including:

opposed side edge curbs on said ramp extending along opposed lateral side edges, respectively.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said spring means comprises at least one linearly extensible gas spring connected to said ramp and said frame.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said spring means comprises two spaced apart linearly extensible gas springs interconnecting said ramp and said frame, respectively.

9. A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be mounted at a loading dock;

a ramp mounted for pivotal movement on said frame between a substantially horizontal working position and a substantially vertically extending stored position;

an actuating member for moving said ramp with respect to said frame;

a receiver member secured to said ramp for receiving said actuating member in a first position of said actuating member with respect to said frame for moving said ramp with respect to said frame; and

said actuating member being operable to be removed from said receiving member and moved to a second position in engagement with said ramp and said frame in a stored position of said ramp for retaining said ramp in said stored position.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 including:

lock means operable to engage said ramp with said actuating member when said actuating member is in said second position for locking said ramp in said stored position.

11. A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be mounted on a loading dock;

a ramp mounted for pivotal movement on said frame between a substantially horizontal working position and a substantially vertically extending stored position;

gas spring means operably connected to said ramp and said frame for biasing said ramp toward said stored position;

an actuating member for moving said ramp with respect to said frame;

a first receiver member secured to said ramp for releasably receiving said actuating member; and

a second receiver member mounted on said frame for releasably receiving said actuating member in a stored position of said ramp for retaining said ramp in said stored position.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said receiver members comprise tubular socket members mounted on said ramp and on said frame, respectively.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 11 wherein:

at least one of said receiver members comprises a rod part and said actuating member comprises a tubular part adapted to be engaged with said rod part of said one receiver member in sleeved relationship thereover.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 11 including:

lock means operable to be connected to said actuating member and said ramp for locking said ramp in said stored position when said actuating member is connected to said second receiver member.

15. A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be mounted on a loading dock;

a ramp mounted for pivotal movement on said frame between a substantially horizontal working position and a substantially vertically extending stored position;

spring means operably connected to said ramp and said frame for biasing said ramp toward said stored position;

an actuating member for moving said ramp with respect to said frame between said working and stored positions;

a hinge for connecting said ramp to said frame comprising a plurality of hinge plates secured to said frame at spaced apart points thereon, said hinge plates including hinge pin receiving bores formed therein, and a hinge pin secured to said ramp and extendable through said bores in said hinge plates to form a pivot connection between said ramp and said frame; and

said ramp includes a section having a plurality of spaced apart elongated slots formed therein for receiving at least portions of respective ones of said hinge plates to provide clearance between said ramp and said hinge plates when said ramp is moved between its working and stored positions, respectively.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said frame comprises an elongated angle member including opposed generally planar flanges adapted to engage opposed surfaces of said loading dock, said hinge plates being secured to one of said flanges at spaced apart points thereon, respectively.

17. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said spring means comprises at least one linearly extensible gas spring connected to said ramp and said frame.

18. The apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein:

said spring means comprises two spaced apart linearly extensible gas springs interconnecting said ramp and said frame, respectively.

19. A vertically storable dock leveler apparatus comprising:

a frame adapted to be mounted on a loading dock;

a ramp mounted for pivotal movement on said frame between a substantially horizontal working position and a substantially vertically extending stored position;

spring means operably connected to said ramp for biasing said ramp toward said stored position;

an actuating member for moving said ramp with respect to said frame;

receiver member secured to said ramp for receiving said actuating member;

a hinge for connecting said ramp to said frame comprising a plurality of hinge plates secured to said frame at spaced apart points thereon, said hinge plates including hinge pin receiving bores formed therein, and a hinge pin secured directly to said ramp and extendable through said bores in said hinge plates to form a pivot connection between said ramp and said frame; and

said ramp includes a section having a plurality of spaced apart elongated slots formed therein for receiving at least portions of respective ones of said hinge plates to provide clearance between said ramp and said hinge plates when said ramp is moved between its working and stored positions, respectively.