Vehicle-activated safety leg control system for a dock leveler assembly

A safety leg control assembly for use in a dock leveler system wherein the dock leveler system is provided with a frame mounted to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion hingedly attached to the frame, and lifting means for moving the ramp between a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, and a lip hingedly connected to the front portion of the ramp for pivoting between a stored position and an extended position, and at least one leg adapted to selectively support said ramp,

• the leg control assembly comprising:
• a sensor assembly adapted for engaging the rearward edge of the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler, and
• an actuation assembly operatively connecting the sensor assembly and the leg for moving the leg from a supporting position to a non-supporting position in response to engagement of the sensor assembly and the truck and the movement of the vehicle towards the loading dock wherein the leg is positioned such that it will not interfere with the downward movement of the deck and from a non-supporting position to the supporting position in response to the movement of the vehicle away from the loading dock wherein the leg is positioned so that it will restrain downward movement of the deck.

A safety leg control assembly for use in a dock leveler system wherein the dock leveler system is provided with a frame mounted to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion hingedly attached to the frame, and lifting means for moving the ramp between a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, a lip hingedly connected to the front portion of the ramp for pivoting between a stored position and an extended position, and at least one leg adapted to selectively support said ramp,

• the leg control assembly comprising:
• a sensor assembly mounted to the dock leveler and adapted for engaging the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler, and
• a stop assembly operatively connected to the sensor assembly having a plurality of stop positions for engaging the leg, wherein the stop assembly is adapted for moving between a deactivated position in response to the engagement of the sensor assembly and the vehicle and an activated position in response to disengagement of the sensor assembly and the vehicle, wherein the stop assembly is positioned such that it will be disengaged from the leg and will not interfere with the downward movement of the deck in the deactivated position and wherein the stop assembly is positioned so that it will engage the leg and restrain downward movement of the deck in the activated position.

A dock leveler assembly for loading and unloading a vehicle comprising

• a frame mounted to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion hingedly attached to the frame, and lifting means for moving the ramp between a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, and a lip hingedly connected to the front portion of the ramp for pivoting between a pendant position and an extended position,
• a control assembly comprising a sensor assembly and a support assembly, the sensor assembly adapted for engaging the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler,
• the support assembly operatively connecting the ramp to selectively support and maintain the vertical position of the ramp, the support assembly comprising a latch and lower and upper supports which are adapted to engage each other to provide variable height adjustment of the ramp, the latch operatively connected to the sensor assembly and mounted to one of the lower and upper supports for movement between an engaged position in which the latch engages the other of the lower and upper supports when the sensor assembly does not engage the vehicle to prevent movement between the lower and upper support and vertical movement of the ramp and a disengaged position in which the latch does not engage the other of the lower and upper supports in response to engagement between the sensor assembly and the vehicle to permit movemnt between the lowerand upper supports relative to each other and vertical movment of the ramp.

A dock leveler assembly for loading and unloading vehicles comprising

• a frame mounted relative to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion pivotally attached to the frame, and lifting means for pivoting the ramp relative to a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, a lip pivotally connected to the front edge of the ramp for pivoting between a downward stored position and extended positions wherein the lip may engage a vehicle, and at least one leg positoned between said frame and said ramp,
• a safety leg control assembly comprising a sensor assembly adapted for engaging the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler, and
• an actuation assembly operatively connecting the sensor assembly and the leg and adapted for moving the leg from a supporting position to a non-supporting position in response to engagement of the sensor assembly and the vehicle and from a non-supporting position to the supporting position prior to the effective disengagement of the lip and the vehicle, wherein the legs are positioned such that they will not interfere with the downward movement of the deck in the non-supporting position and wherein the legs are positioned so that they will restrain downward movment of the deck in the supporting position.

A dock leveler assembly for loading and unloading vehicles comprising

• a frame mounted relative to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion pivotally attached to the frame, and lifting means for pivoting the ramp relative to a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, a lip pivotally connected to the front portion of the ramp for pivoting between a downward stored position and extended position wherein the lip may engage a vehicle, and at least one leg adapted to selectively support said ramp which is maintained in the supporting position until the lip engages a bed of the vehicle,
• a safety leg control assembly comprising a sensor assembly adapted for engaging the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler, and
• an actuation assembly operatively connecting the sensor assembly and the leg and adapted for moving the leg between a non-supporting position in response to the engagement of the sensor assembly and the vehicle and a supporting position in response to the effective disengagement of the sensor assembly and the vehicle wherein the legs are positioned such that they will not interfere with the downward movement of the deck in the non-supporting position and wherein the legs are positioned so that they will restrain downward movement of the deck in the supporting position.

A dock leveler assembly for loading and unloading a vehicle comprising:

• a frame mounted to a loading dock, a ramp having a front portion and a rear portion hingedly attached to the frame, and lifting means for moving the ramp between a stored position, a preparatory position, and an operative position for loading and unloading a vehicle, and a lip hingedly connected to the front portion of the ramp for pivoting between a stored position and an extended position, and
• a control assembly comprising a support assembly which may be positioned between an engaged position to selectively support and maintain the vertical position of the ramp when the lip does not engage the vehicle and a disengaged position in which the support assembly will not interfere with the vertical movement of the ramp, and
• a sensor assembly adapted for engaging the vehicle so that the sensor assembly disengages from the vehicle before the lip loses contact with the vehicle as the vehicle moves away from the dock leveler, the sensor assembly being operatively attached to the support assembly for positioning the support assembly between the engaged position when the sensor assembly does not engage the vehicle and the disengaged position when the sensor assembly engages the vehicle, and
• wherein the support assembly comprises lower and upper supports adapted to engage each other to provide variable height adjustment of the deck.