Patents by Inventor Andrew P. Schaepe

Andrew P. Schaepe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6654976
    Abstract: A dock leveler that includes a pivotal ramp with a moveable lip for loading and unloading a truck at a loading dock also includes a lip seal that helps seal an air gap along the side edges of the lip. When the back end of the truck is up against a dock bumper, the lip helps block off an air gap that spans an area generally defined by the rear edge of the truck, an inside edge of the bumper, and the side edge of the lip that generally faces the bumper. When the lip moves from its extended, operative position to its stored position, the lip forces the lip seal to move underneath the deck. The lip seal is biased to an operative, sealing position by a spring or a counterweight, so as the lip extends to its operative position, so does the lip seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Digmann, Andrew P. Schaepe, Timothy J. Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20030005530
    Abstract: A dock leveler that includes a pivotal ramp with a moveable lip for loading and unloading a truck at a loading dock also includes a lip seal that helps seal an air gap along the side edges of the lip. When the back end of the truck is up against a dock bumper, the lip helps block off an air gap that spans an area generally defined by the rear edge of the truck, an inside edge of the bumper, and the side edge of the lip that generally faces the bumper. When the lip moves from its extended, operative position to its stored position, the lip forces the lip seal to move underneath the deck. The lip seal is biased to an operative, sealing position by a spring or a counterweight, so as the lip extends to its operative position, so does the lip seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Charles J. Digmann, Andrew P. Schaepe, Timothy J. Schmidt