US 10,246,279 B2Granted

Impact vehicle restraint with structured impact zone

AssigneeNordock, Inc.

InventorsDenis Gleason, David Harrington

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Abstract

The present invention is an impact vehicle restraint with spaced shear plates that hold a rotating hook and rotating ramp extension leg. The forward ends of the shear plates support an impact zone structure that forms a ramp plane that accommodates a wide variety of trailer ICC bars. The impact zone structure takes the form of a single central impact plate or dual side impact strips. The central impact plate travels with the hook and spans and rests on the shear plates when the hook is retracted. The dual side impact strips are made of weldable metal with a yield strength of at least 100,000 psi and a Brinell Hardness of at least 300. The central impact plate and hardened strips allow unobstructed rotation of the hook and ramp extension leg. The hook is free to pass through a ramp plane in both embodiments.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An impact vehicle restraint for securing a trailer to a loading dock, the loading dock having a face wall and the trailer having an ICC bar, said impact vehicle restraint comprising:

a track anchored proximal the face wall of the dock;
a carriage joined to said track and movable between upper and lower ICC bar engaging positions, said carriage having shear plates with forward sloped ends, and a hook rotatably secured between said shear plates and selectively movable along a path of travel between retracted and deployed positions;
a motor held by and traveling with said carriage, said motor being drivingly connected to said hook via a hook pivot pin to selectively deploy and retract said hook;
a structured ramp impact zone formed by a central impact plate and a ramp extension leg, said central impact plate having upper and lower plate surfaces and opposed plate sides, said impact plate being held by and traveling with said hook and being in a ramp forming position when said hook is in said retracted position, said opposed plate sides supportably engaging said forward sloped ends of said shear plates and said upper plate surface forming an angularly fixed ramp plane when in said ramp forming position, said ramp extension leg being rotatably mounted between said shear plates, said extension leg having an upper leg surface and a lower leg end and being movable between ramp forming and collapsed positions, said upper leg surface being in overlapping alignment with said upper plate surface and forming said structured ramp impact zone when said leg is in its said ramp forming position, and said lower leg end rotating forward when in said collapsed position;
and,
wherein said hook is behind said ramp plane when in said retracted position and passes through said ramp plane when moving along said path of travel between retracted and deployed positions, and the ICC bar pressingly engages and smoothly travels along said structured ramp impact zone between said extension leg and impact plate when engaging said carriage.

3 more elements

An impact vehicle restraint for securing a trailer to a loading dock, the loading dock having a face wall and the trailer having an ICC bar, said impact vehicle restraint comprising:

a track anchored proximal the face wall of the dock;
a carriage joined to said track and movable between upper and lower ICC bar engaging positions, said carriage having shear plates made of weldable metal with forward sloped shear plate ends, upper shear plate ends with a recess and inner and outer shear plate surfaces, and a hook rotatably secured between said shear plates and selectively movable along a path of travel between retracted and deployed positions;
a motor held by and traveling with said carriage, said motor being drivingly connected to said hook via a hook pivot pin to selectively deploy and retract said hook;
a structured ramp impact zone formed by dual impact strips and a ramp extension leg, each impact strip having a planar central portion, angled upper lip portion, curved lower portion, upper and lower strip surfaces and inner and outer strip sides, said upper lip portion being received by said upper shear plate recess, each said impact strip being welded to one of said forward sloped shear plate ends, said inner strip sides being flush with said inner shear plate surfaces, said strip plates extending outwardly from said outer shear plate surfaces, and said upper lip portions are in planar alignment with said upper shear plate ends, said impact strips being weldable metal with a yield strength of a least about 100,000 psi, and said upper strip surfaces of said planar central portions forming an angularly fixed ramp plane, said ramp extension leg being rotatably mounted between said shear plates, said extension leg having an upper leg surface, side leg surfaces and upper and lower leg ends and being movable between ramp forming and collapsed positions, said planar central portions extending beyond said upper leg end, said upper leg surface being in overlapping alignment with said upper strip surfaces and forming said ramp impact zone and said curved lower portions extending along said side leg surfaces when said leg is in its said ramp forming position, and said lower leg end rotating forward when in said collapsed position;
and,
wherein said hook is behind said ramp plane when in said retracted position and passes through said ramp plane when moving along said path of travel between deployed and retracted positions, and the ICC bar pressingly engages and smoothly travels along said structured ramp impact zone between said extension leg and impact strips and along said shear plates between said upper plate ends and said impact strips when engaging said carriage.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.