Stop and lock for a vertically storing dock leveler

A dock leveler for facilitating the loading or unloading of a vehicle at a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:

• a deck pivotal between a stored upright position and a lowered operative position;
• an arm fixed adjacent a rear edge of the deck, the arm extending away from the deck and pivoted by the deck as the deck pivots;
• an actuator having a retracted position and an extended position, the actuator being operatively coupled to the deck such that the actuator pivots the deck from the lowered operative position to the stored upright position in response to the actuator moving toward the extended position;
• and
• a stop positioned to engage the arm when the deck is in the stored upright position to prevent the deck from moving beyond the stored upright position when the actuator moves toward the extended position, the stop slidably engaging the arm during movement of the deck between the stored upright and extended positions, the stop preventing the deck from moving beyond the stored upright position by mechanically stopping the deck while the actuator, prior to reaching the extended position, is continuing to urge the deck beyond the stored upright position.