Patent ID: 6487741
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A dock leveler comprising:a frame, a deck pivotably mounted at one end thereof to said frame, a lip pivotably mounted to said deck at another end thereof, and a lip latch and lip extension mechanism comprising, a lip latch pivotably connected to said deck by a crank mechanism and a latch bar pivotably connected to said crank mechanism, said latch bar having one end selectively engaging a latch bracket mounted to said deck, a bar connected at one end to said crank mechanism and another end operably connected to said lip, a first spring operably connected to said crank mechanism and said frame, a second spring operably connected to said bar and said frame, and a third spring operably coupling another end of said latch bar to said second spring whereby, upon upward movement of said deck said first spring urges said crank mechanism in a first direction to move said bar so that said lip is raised from a pendant position to an extended position and said latch bar moves based on movement of said crank mechanism and engages said latch bracket at a first point to hold said lip in said extended position and is maintained in engagement by said third spring.