Dock leveler for loading dock with air bag actuator

Abstract

A loading dock leveler having: a base with an inward end; a deck with a top platform, the deck having an inward end hingedly mounted to the inward end of the base for movement between an upper position and a lower position; a bellows assembly spaced a distance below the deck, the bellows assembly including an inflatable air bag with a bottom surface engaging the base and a top surface engaging a lever arm hingedly mounted to the base, the lever arm and air bag moving between an inflated position and a deflated position, the air bag having an internal chamber in communication with a source of pressurized air and an air vent; a support strut having an upper end engaging the deck and a lower end engaging the base, the support strut being moveable with the deck between: the lower position; and the upper position wherein the support strut supports the deck, and; a mechanical motion transfer device engaging the lever arm of the bellows assembly and engaging the base, the motion transfer device transferring relative motion between the base and the lever arm to the support strut, wherein the motion of the lever arm from the deflated to the inflated position moves the support strut from one of: the lower position to the upper position; and the upper position to the lower position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.