Leg latch for in-pit dock levelers
AssigneeOverhead Door Corporation
InventorRonald E. Abbott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dockboard having movable cross-traffic legs associated therewith, and a latch mechanism which automatically engages and holds the cross-traffic legs in a retracted position when the dockboard is being actively utilized for loading or unloading a truck. The latch mechanism is automatically unlatched following removal of the truck bed from beneath the ramp so that the legs are returned to their active position for supporting the ramp flush with the dock.
Claims11
In a dock leveler having a base structure, a ramp structure pivotally connected to said base structure for pivotal movement between raised and lowered positions, said ramp structure being pivotal about a substantially horizontal pivot axis adjacent the rear edge thereof, said ramp structure having the front edge adapted for engagement with the floor of a carrier disposed in a loading or unloading position adjacent a dock, and a cross-traffic support means cooperating between the base and ramp structures for supporting said ramp structure in a substantially horizontal position which is disposed intermediate said raised and lowered positions, said cross-traffic support means including a first support member fixed to one of said structures and a second support member hingedly mounted on the other of said structures, said second support member being movable relative to said other structure between supporting and nonsupporting positions, said second support member when in said supporting position being disposed for engagement with said first support member to thereby support said ramp structure in said horizontal position for permitting passage of cross-traffic thereover, and a latching mechanism for holding said second support member in said nonsupporting position wherein it cannot be engaged with said first support member, comprising the improvement wherein said latching mechanism includes:
- a latch member movably supported on said other structure and disposed for latching engagement with said second support member when the latter is in said nonsupporting position;
- and
- activating means connected between said second support member and said one structure for causing said second support member to be automatically moved into said nonsupporting position, and latchingly engaged with said latch member when said ramp structure is swung upwardly into said raised position.
In a dock leveler having a base structure, a ramp structure hinged at its rear edge to the base structure and movable from a generally horizontal position to upwardly and downwardly inclined positions, a lip plate hingedly connected to said ramp structure adjacent the front edge thereof and swingably movable between pendent and extended positions, an extending mechanism connected to said lip plate for automatically moving same into said extended position in response to upward swinging of said ramp structure from said horizontal position into a raised position wherein the ramp is substantially upwardly inclined, support means coacting between said ramp and base structures for supporting the ramp structure in said generally horizontal position, said support means including a first support fixedly secured to one of said structures and a second support movably supported on the other of said structures and movable relative thereto between an operable ramp-supporting position and an inoperable nonsupporting position, and latch means for retaining said second support in said inoperable nonsupporting position, said second support being normally maintained in said operable position when said latch means is released, the improvement comprising activating means connected to said second support for automatically moving said second support toward said inoperable position for latching engagement with said latch means whenever said ramp structure is swingably moved into said raised position, said activating means being wholly independent of said lip plate and of said extending mechanism, and latch release means fixedly mounted on said one structure and disposed for operative coaction with said latch means to release said latch means from said second support solely when said ramp structure is swingably moved into a lowermost position wherein it is inclined downwardly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.