Loading and unloading apparatus

A loading and unloading apparatus comprising a longitudinally extending platform adapted for longitudinal travel along a loading dock into a vehicle to be loaded or unloaded, said platform having a forward end and a rearward end,

• a plurality of low profile framed sections hingedly joined together, said sections each having a plurality of transversely extending surface engaging rollers adapted for rolling along the loading dock and a plurality of transversely extending load engaging rollers presenting a loading surface,
• a platen at the forward end of said platform, hingedly engaging a forwardmost framed section and having a wedge shape, a leading edge thereof adapted for frictionally engaging the loading dock,
• a pusher assembly mounted on the load engaging rollers and adapted for longitudinal movement along said platform, said pusher assembly having a forward end having a load pushing surface adapted to push a load as the pusher assembly advances relative to the platform, said pusher assembly comprises
• a base plate adapted for rolling along said load engaging rollers and
• a pusher plate extending substantially perpendicular to said base plate at a forward end thereof presenting said load pushing surface, and
• pusher drive means for effecting the longitudinal movement of said pusher assembly along said platform, said pusher drive means comprises
• a pusher drive mounted on said baser plate,
• a pusher drive chain longitudinally mounted within said platform and operatively engaging said pusher drive, whereby operation of said pusher drive advances said pusher assembly therealong and counter-operation retracts said pusher assembly therealong;
• a main drive means mounted below a surface of the loading dock for effecting the longitudinal travel of the platform along the loading dock;
• and
• a guide means for guiding said platform in the longitudinal direction;
• said guide means operably engaging between the loading dock and said platform;
• whereby to load a vehicle, a platform having a load resting on said loading surface and the pusher assembly in a retracted position is driven into the vehicle and the platform is retracted from the vehicle as the pusher assembly is advanced pushing the load off the platform, and whereby to unload a vehicle, the platform with the pusher assembly in a retracted position is driven into the vehicle, wedging the load upwardly and onto the platform and upon retraction of the platform removing the load from the vehicle.