Abstract: A pit dock leveler having a base frame secured to a loading dock pit and a dock platform pivotally connected at one of its ends to the base frame and pivotally connected at its opposite end to a dock platform lip that pivots between a downward hanging position when the dock leveler is not in use and an extended position substantially co-planar with the dock platform when the dock leveler is in use, whereby the dock platform lip spans and compensates for the space and height differentials between the loading dock and a transport vehicle, the dock leveler having at least one safety leg pivotally mounted directly to the underside of the dock platform near its pivotal connection to the dock platform lip, the safety leg manually pivotal between a first position and a second position, until it is substantially not perpendicular to the underside of the dock platform.

Abstract: A pit dock leveler having a base frame secured to a loading dock pit and a dock platform pivotally connected at one end to the base frame and pivotally connected at its opposite end to a dock platform lip that pivots between a downward hanging position when the dock leveler is not in use and an extended position substantially co-planar with the dock platform when the dock leveler is in use, whereby the dock platform lip spans and compensates for the space and height differentials between the loading dock and a transport vehicle, wherein the improvement comprises, the dock platform having a plurality of independent segments arranged adjacent one another, each segment being formed from a single metallic sheet having two opposing ends and two opposing side edges, with the opposing side edges first bent downwardly at right angles and then bent inwardly in mirror image relationship, forming two opposing C-channels from the single metallic sheet, with each segment being separately and pivotally connected at one end