Low-profile truck leveler
AssigneeRite-Hite Holding Corporation
InventorsGrant Leum, Jack Morehart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A truck leveler includes a low-profile traffic surface that is pivotally mounted to a driveway approach in front of a loading dock. Pivoting the leveler raises a reat portion of a truck or trailer to the height of the dock. The truck leveler has strength, rigidity and accommodates a retractable or repositionable wheel restraint while maintaining its low profile. This is accomplished by virtue of a raised rear beam and two lateral beams that extend above the traffic surface of the leveler. A central beam allows field assembly of the leveler while adding further to the leveler's strength and rigidity.
Claims39
A vehicle leveler to be pivotally mounted to a driveway to adjust the elevation of at least two wheels of a vehicle parked on the leveler, comprising:
- a plate having an upper traffic surface extending between a vehicle-approach edge to a rear edge of the plate and also extending between two lateral edges of the plate, wherein the vehicle-approach edge is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the driveway to vertically adjust the elevation of the rear edge, the plate also having a lower surface substantially parallel to and opposite the upper traffic surface, wherein the lower surface is immediately adjacent the driveway when the plate is in the lowered position;
- and
- a rear beam disposed above the upper traffic surface and running adjacent the rear edge to add an appreciable amount of rigidity to the plate.
A vehicle leveler adapted to be pivotally mounted to a driveway to adjust the elevation of at least two wheels of a vehicle parked on the leveler, comprising:
- an upper traffic surface extending between a vehicle-approach edge to a rear edge of the upper traffic surface, wherein the vehicle-approach edge is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the driveway to vertically adjust the elevation of the rear edge;
- and
- a wheel restraint including a barrier and a support structure, wherein the support structure is disposed primarily above the upper traffic surface and supports the barrier which, in turn, is moveable relative to the support structure to selectively obstruct and release at least one of the two wheels of the vehicle.
A vehicle leveler adapted to be pivotally mounted to a driveway to adjust the elevation of at least two wheels of a vehicle parked on the leveler, comprising:
- a plate having an upper traffic surface extending between a vehicle-approach edge to a rear edge of the plate and also extending between two lateral edges of the plate, wherein the vehicle-approach edge is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the driveway to vertically adjust the elevation of the rear edge, the plate also having a lower surface substantially parallel to and opposite the upper traffic surface, wherein the lower surface is immediately adjacent the driveway when the plate is in the lowered position;
- and
- a central beam interposed between the two lateral edges, rigidly attached to a bottom edge portion of the plate and extending above the upper traffic surface, wherein the central beam has a first length that runs in a first direction traversing the vehicle-approach edge and the rear edge, whereby the central beam is adapted to be situated between the two wheels when the vehicle is parked on the upper traffic surface.
A vehicle leveler adapted to be pivotally mounted to a driveway to adjust the elevation of at least two wheels of a vehicle parked on the leveler, comprising;
- a plate having an upper traffic surface and a substantially parallel and opposite lower surface that extends between a vehicle-approach edge and a rear edge of the plate, wherein the upper traffic surface is adapted to engage the two wheels, wherein the vehicle-approach edge is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the driveway to vertically adjust the elevation of the rear edge between a lowered position and a raised position, and wherein the lower surface is immediately adjacent the driveway in the lowered position.
A vehicle leveler adapted to be pivotally mounted to a driveway to adjust the elevation of at least two wheels of a vehicle parked on the leveler, comprising:
- a plate having an upper traffic surface extending between a vehicle-approach edge and a rear edge of the plate and extending between two lateral edges of the plate, wherein the vehicle-approach edge is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the driveway to vertically adjust the elevation of the rear edge, and wherein the plate has a substantially parallel and opposite lower surface immediately adjacent to the driveway;
- and
- a support structure rigidly mounted to the plate, wherein the support structure is formed of a rear beam rigidly mounted to the plate, extending above the upper traffic surface and running adjacent the rear edge to add an appreciable amount of rigidity to the upper traffic surface and wherein the support structure is formed of two lateral beams rigidly mounted to the plate, extending above the upper traffic surface and coupled to the plate at a location adjacent the two lateral edges of the plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.