Patent ID: 7162761

Claim:
A vertically storing dock leveler comprising: a support structure mountable to a loading dock; a deck assembly pivotally mounted to the support structure and configured to move between a substantially vertical position and a working position; a counterbalance assembly comprising a spring connected to the support structure and the deck assembly, the spring having a moveable effective anchor point at one end wherein a line of action of the spring moves as the effective anchor point moves; and a hold down mechanism configured to selectively cause the deck assembly to remain downwardly biased when it is raised above a working range or cause the ramp assembly to become upwardly biased to the substantially vertical position; a lifting mechanism configured to permit an operator to actuate the lifting mechanism and raise the deck assembly from a working range to a stored position, wherein the lifting mechanism comprises: a lever assembly pivotally mounted to the deck assembly via a pivot pin; an actuator located on the lever assembly wherein the actuator when actuated by an operator causes the plate to rotate about the pivot pin; and a lug mounted on the lever assembly and configured to urge against an urging pin mounted on the hold down assembly when the actuator is actuated and as the lug urges against the urging pin, a force will act on the pivot pin to raise the deck assembly.