Abstract: An improved vehicle restraint for preventing movement of a vehicle, such as a truck away from a loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint includes a guide frame mounted on the front face of the loading dock and a hook is disposed to move vertically on the guide frame between a lower inoperative position and an upper operative position where the hook engages an abutment on the vehicle. The hook is moved between the inoperative and operative positions by a fluid cylinder assembly, including a cylinder which is disposed in a recess in the driveway adjacent the loading dock, and the piston rod of the fluid cylinder assembly is connected to the hook. By introducing fluid into the lower end of the cylinder, the piston rod will be extended to move the hook to the operative position. The compressible nature of the fluid in the cylinder enables the hook to follow rising and falling of the truck bed during the loading operation.

Abstract: A vertically stored dockboard. The dockboard includes a frame or supporting structure which is mounted on a loading dock and a rap or deck plate is hinged at its rear edge to the frame and is movable between a generally vertical storage position and a horizontal operating position where the ramp bridges the gap between the loading dock and a truck parked in front of the dock. The ramp is moved upwardly to the vertical storage position by a hydraulic cylinder mechanism and is locked in the storage position by a toggle assembly. As the ramp is moved upwardly to the vertical storage position, the toggle assembly will be automatically moved to an over-center position to lock the ramp in the storage position. The toggle assembly can be released by a manually operated toggle release arm to enable the ramp to fall by gravity to the horizontal storage position.

Abstract: A power operated industrial door to enclose a doorway in a building. The door comprises a pair of flexible curtains, one vertical side edge of each curtain being secured to the building adjacent the doorway, while the upper horizontal edge of each curtain is attached to a plurality of trolleys that are mounted for movement on tracks disposed above the doorway. One trolley associated with each curtain is secured to an endless drive cable, while the remaining trolleys are freely mounted on the cable so that operation of the cable will move the curtain between open and closed overlapping positions. The upper edge of each curtain is connected to the trolley in a manner such that the curtain will be uniformly folded when moved to the closed position. Weights, in the form of metal shot, can be positioned in elongated pockets along the movable vertical side edge of each curtain, as well as at the bottom of the curtain to aid in resisting wind loads.This is a continuation of application Ser. No.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint for preventing accidental movement of a vehicle away from a loading dock. The vehicle restraint comprises a frame mounted on the front face of the dock and a restraining member having a hook-like configuration is mounted for movement on the frame between the lower storage position and an upper operative position where the restraining member is engaged with an abutment, such as an ICC bar, on the vehicle. The restraining member is biased upwardly to the operative position and a power operated unit is arranged to move the restraining member downwardly from the operative position to the storage position where it is locked in the storage position by a releasable latch. On release of the latch, the biasing mechanism will move the restraining member upwardly into engagement with the ICC bar, and the biasing mechanism enables the engaged restraining member to follow both upward and downward movement of the ICC bar during a loading operation.

Abstract: An improved vehicle restraint for preventing movement of the vehicle such as a truck away from a loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint includes a guide frame mounted on the front face of the loading dock and a carriage or slide is moved vertically on the guide frame by a fluid cylinder unit between a lower storage position and an upper operative position. A restraining member is movably mounted with respect to the slide and is biased to an inoperative position where the restraining member is disposed beneath the level of the upper surface of the slide. Extending the cylinder unit will move the slide upwardly into engagement with the ICC bar on the truck and further extension of the cylinder unit after engagement of the slide with the ICC bar will move the restraining member from the inoperative position to an operative position above the level of the slide to thereby provide an obstruction to prevent the truck from pulling away from the loading dock.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint to prevent a truck, or other vehicle, from accidentally pulling away from a loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint includes a pair of spaced vertical guide tracks mounted on the front face of the dock and a slide is mounted for movement within the tracks. The slide has an extension that extends outwardly from the dock between the guide tracks and a restraining member, such as a hook, is pivotally connected to the extension about a generally vertical axis, so that the restraining member can be pivoted from a storage position, where the restraining member is generally parallel to the front face of the dock to an operating position where the restraining member extends outwardly from the dock. The restraining member is formed with a notch or recess in its lower surface, which is adapted to engage the ICC bar at the rear of the truck.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint for preventing a vehicle such as a truck from accidentally pulling away from a loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint comprises a mounting plate mounted on the front vertical face of the loading dock and a slide is mounted for movement on the mounting plate and is biased to an upper position. The slide is provided with an angular front surface that is inclined downwardly and outwardly. When a truck backs toward the loading dock, an abutment, such as an ICC bar at the rear end of the truck, will engage the inclined surface, wedging the slide downwardly against the force of the biasing means and the ICC bar will then be received within a recess or notch located in the upper edge of the slide.

Abstract: A molded, high impact, industrial door having a thermoplastic resin honeycomb core formed with a multiplicity of cells. Each cell has an open end and side walls that converge to a closed bottom and alternate cells open to opposite faces of the core. The cells are filled with a lightweight resilient flexible filler material, such as foam resin, and the core is encapsulated in an elastomeric resin. The molded door is abrasion and corrosion resistant and is capable of withstanding the high impact forces of material handling equipment.

Abstract: A sealing mechanism associated with a dockboard for providing a weather seal for the pit in the loading dock during a loading operation. The sealing mechanism includes a pair of guide tracks mounted on the vertical front face of the dock, and a frame is mounted for sliding movement on the guide tracks and is biased to an upward position. A flexible panel is carried by the frame and extends upwardly and outwardly in a position to be engaged by the rear end of a truck bed as a truck backs toward the loading dock for a loading operation. An operating rod extends upwardly from the frame and is positioned to be engaged by the ramp of the dockboard to thereby enable the panel to follow downward float of the truck bed during a loading operation. Engagement of the panel with the truck bed, along with the engagement of the sides of the panel with bumpers mounted on the loading dock, provide an effective weather seal for the pit area during the loading operation.

Abstract: A dock seal for providing a seal between the end of a truck body and a loading dock. The dock seal includes a pair of resilient pads mounted on the dock alongside a doorway in the dock. The outer face of each pad facing away from the dock has a generally L-shaped configuration including a first surface that extends at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the dock and a shorter second surface that is located inwardly of the first surface and extends at an angle of about 90.degree. with respect to the first surface. As a truck backs toward the loading dock, the end of the truck body will engage the first surface of the pad, compressing the pad and deflecting the first surface into engagement with the side wall of the truck body and correspondingly moving the second surface of the pad into engagement with the end of the truck body to seal the gap between the end of the truck body and an openly swung truck body door.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint for preventing a vehicle, such as a truck, from pulling away from the loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint includes a frame or supporting structure which is mounted on the generally horizontal driveway in front of the loading dock, and a parallelogram linkage inerconnects the frame and a hook. The parallelogram linkage includes two pair of generally parallel links and the lower ends of both pairs of links are mounted for movement on the frame in a direction toward and away from the dock, while the upper ends of the links are pivotally connected to the hook. A reciprocating drive mechanism interconnects the frame and the linkage, and by moving the lower ends of the links in a direction toward the loading dock, the hook will be moved upwardly in a vertical path to engage an abutment on the rear end of the truck to prevent the truck from accidentally moving away from the loading dock.

Abstract: An improved dock shelter comprising a pair of side panels and a top panel which are hinged to the dock and border a doorway in the dock. The panels are each biased to a storage position where the panel extends laterally outward from the dock. The panels are pivoted inwardly from the storage position to an operative sealing position by inflatable bags which are operably connected to the panels. A blower mounted above the doorway operates through a duct system to inflate the bags and pivot the panels into sealing engagement with the sides and top of a truck parked in front of the dock. When the loading operation is completed, operation of the blower is discontinued and the biasing mechanism acts to return the panels to the storage position. Corner panels are carried by the top panel and are mounted for flatwise sliding movement relative to the respective side panels.

Abstract: An improved counterbalancing mechanism for an edge-of-dock dockboard. The dockboard comprises a frame mounted on a loading dock and one end of a center plate is pivotally connected to the frame. A lip is hinged to the opposite end of the center plate and is movable between a downwardly hanging pendant position and an extended position where the lip forms an extension to the center plate. A counterbalancing mechanism includes a first link pivotally connected to the center plate, and a second link pivotally connected to the lip. The opposite ends of the links are connected together, and a counterbalancing mechanism, such as a spring, interconnects the first link and the frame of the dockboard. The linkage is constructed and arranged so that when the center plate is in a horizontal storage position and the lip is pendant, the force of the counterbalancing spring will urge the lip in toward the dock.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated dockboard comprising a ramp which is hinged at its rear edge to the frame of the dockboard, and a lip is hinged to the forward edge of the ramp. A main hydraulic cylinder unit connects the frame and the ramp, and by operating the cylinder unit the ramp can be pivoted upwardly from a horizontal cross traffic position to an upwardly inclined position. A lip cylinder interconnects the ramp and the lip and acts to pivot the lip from a downwardly hanging pendant position to an extended position. A hydraulic line is connected to the lip cylinder, and a control valve interconnects the hydraulic line to either a supply line or a return line that is connected to the reservoir of the hydraulic system. The control valve is normally biased to a first position where the lip cylinder is connected to the return line.

Abstract: A dock shelter to provide a seal between the rear end of a truck and a loading dock. The dock shelter includes a pair of side sections mounted along the sides of a doorway in the dock and each side section is composed of a resilient pad that projects outwardly from the dock. A group of panels are secured in vertically spaced relation to the outer end of each pad and extend in a direction toward the center of the doorway and are disposed at an acute angle with respect to the wall of the dock. An arm is connected to the inner end of each panel and extends outwardly from the panel in a direction away from the dock. The arm is located at an angle of about 90.degree. with respect to the panel. Interconnecting each pad and the inner ends of the panels is a flexible curtain that extends the full height of the side section, while a vertical sealing strip connects the spaced arms.

Abstract: A pit-mounted dockboard which eliminates the need for a conventional sub-frame and has an improved mechanism for retracting the cross traffic legs when the ramp is moved to a downwardly inclined below dock level position. The dockboard includes a ramp hinged to the supporting structure and movable from a horizontal cross traffic position to an upwardly inclined position and to a downwardly inclined below dock level position. A pair of cross traffic legs are pivoted to the forward portion of the ramp and are movable between an upright supporting position and a rearwardly pivoted retracted position. The cross traffic legs when in the supporting position engage the bottom of the pit in the loading dock to support the ramp in the cross traffic position. Locking means are engageable with the cross traffic legs to prevent the cross traffic legs from being pivoted to the retracted position when the ramp is in the cross traffic position.

Abstract: An improved counterbalancing mechanism for the ramp of a dockboard. The ramp is hinged at its rear edge to the frame of the dockboard and is adapted to be pivoted between a generally downwardly inclined position and an upward inclined position by a counterbalancing spring assembly. The counterbalancing spring assembly includes a first link pivotally connected to the underside of the ramp and a second link pivotally connected to the frame. The two links are connected together and are disposed in an acute angle relationship when the ramp is in the downwardly inclined position. One end of an extension spring is connected to the frame, while the opposite end of the spring is connected to one of the links. When the ramp is in the maximum downwardly inclined position, the spring is in a fully tensioned condition and when the holddown mechanism of the dockboard is released, the force of the spring will move the links toward an in-line position.

Abstract: A dockboard to be attached to the front of a loading dock. The dockboard includes a deck plate, the side edges of which are pivotally connected to guide bars that are movable vertically within guideways formed in the upper portion of a rectangular frame. The frame is mounted for vertical movement within guides mounted on the front face of the loading dock, and the frame and deck plate are partially counterbalanced to an upper position by a counterweight mechanism that is connected to the frame through a synchronized chain drive. The deck plate is stored in a vertical position below deck level and, in use, is lifted to a raised position above dock level, pivoted to a substantially horizontal position and then lowered into engagement with the bed of a carrier located in front of the dock.

Abstract: A dock shelter having an improved adjustable head pad. The dock shelter borders a doorway in a dock wall and is adapted to be engaged by the rear end of a truck body to provide a weather seal around the doorway. The dock shelter includes a pair of vertical pads that extend along the sides of the doorway and a vertically adjustable head pad that extends horizontally across the upper end of the doorway. Cables are attached to the respective ends of the head pad and extend upwardly, are trained over a freely movable double pulley and are dead-ended on a fixed structure. The double pulley is connected through an extension spring to the supporting structure, so that the force of the spring acts to urge the head pad upwardly and counterbalance the weight of the head pad. The counterbalancing mechanism insures precise vertical adjustment of the head pad and prevents racking or cocking of the head pad during adjustment.

Abstract: A device for locking a vehicle to a loading dock during a loading operation. The device includes a frame mounted on the front surface of the dock beneath a pit which houses an adjustable dockboard. A slide assembly is mounted for vertical movement on the frame, and the slide assembly includes a locking member adapted to engage an abutment on the vehicle, as the slide assembly is elevated. To raise and lower the slide assembly, a motor is mounted on the slide assembly and drives a gear that engages a rack carried by the frame. The rack is spring biased to an upper position, and on operation of the motor in one direction, the slide assembly is raised to bring the locking member into engagement with the abutment on the vehicle. Continued operation of the motor will then move the rack downwardly relative to the gear and slide assembly, and downward movement of the rack will activate a switch to cut off power to the motor.