Patent ID: 6931686

Claim:
A dock leveler having a ramp configured to move between a raised and one or more lowered positions, comprising: a support leg means for supporting the ramp, the support leg means configured to move between a support position, through intermediate positions, to a retracted position; means for biasing the support leg means to the support position; and, means for urging the support leg means to move from the support position to the retracted position when the ramp moves slower than a predetermined rate toward the one or more lowered positions, and for maintaining the support leg means in the support position or an intermediate position when the ramp moves at or greater than the predetermined rate toward the one or more lowered positions, wherein the means for urging comprises a cam arm, a cam, a spring, and a cam engaging surface, wherein the cam arm has a first end and a second end and is connected to the cam at the first end and the spring at the second end, the cam has a retracted and non-retracted position and the spring and support leg means act cooperatively to bias the cam arm toward its non-retracted position, and the cam engaging surface urges the cam arm to move into the retracted position when the ramp moves toward the one or more lowered positions at or greater than the predetermined rate and provides a pathway for the cam to move along when the ramp moves toward the one or more lowered positions slower than the predetermined rate.