Patent ID: 6163913
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A dock leveler for forming a path between a loading dock and a loadbed of a vehicle for transferring cargo therebetween, including:a frame;a generally planar ramp including hinge means for pivotally moving said ramp from a generally horizontal storage position to an elevated position about said hinge means; andan actuator operably connected to said ramp and including a drive motor drivingly connected to a linearly extensible member for causing said ramp to move to an elevated position, a first guide tube operably connected to said linearly extensible member and said ramp and operable to permit movement of said ramp in opposite directions without imposing actuator driving forces on said drive motor, said actuator includes a rotatable screw operably connected to said drive motor and engaged with a nut connected to said linearly extensible member disposed between said screw and said ramp, said linearly extensible member being disposed in said first guide tube in telescoping sleeved relationship for moving said ramp to an elevated position in response to rotation of said screw, and a second guide tube connected to said actuator and disposed in sleeved relationship around said screw and said first guide tube.