Patent ID: 9694996
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. A dock leveler installable at a loading dock having a platform, the platform defining a pit having a pit width as measured in a lateral direction, the dock leveler comprising: a deck being movable relative to the platform, the deck including a deck plate, a plurality of support beams, a first side plate and a second side plate, the deck plate having a deck width as measured in the lateral direction, the deck plate having a deck length as measured in a longitudinal direction that is coplanar with the deck plate and perpendicular to the lateral direction, the plurality of support beams being underneath the deck plate and being elongate in the longitudinal direction, the deck plate having an outer perimeter defined by a front edge, a rear edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, the front edge extending in the lateral direction and being vertically movable, the rear edge extending in the lateral direction and being proximate the platform, the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge extending in the longitudinal direction between the front edge and the rear edge, the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge being substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, the first side plate being proximate the first lateral edge and being elongate in the longitudinal direction, the second side plate being proximate the second lateral edge and being elongate in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of support beams being interposed between the first side plate and the second side plate; and a first deck obstruction extending underneath the deck plate and being selectively configurable to at least one of a blocking position or a stored position, the first deck obstruction being elongate in the lateral direction, the first deck obstruction having a protruding end, the first side plate being closer to the protruding end when the first deck obstruction is in the stored position than when the first deck obstruction is in the blocking position, the first deck obstruction extending laterally beyond the deck width when the deck obstruction is in the blocking position, the first deck obstruction having a pulling enhancement at the protruding end to move the deck obstruction between the stored position and the blocking position.