Patent ID: 7546655

Claim:
A dock leveler, comprising: a deck that includes a deck plate supported by a plurality of support members the deck plate has a deck width, a front edge, and a plate material thickness, and the deck is movable between a raised position and a cross-traffic position; a lip being pivotally coupled to the deck adjacent to the front edge such that the lip is pivotal between an extended position and a pendant position; a hinge pin that pivotally couples the lip to the deck such that the lip can pivot relative to the deck about a longitudinal centerline of the hinge pin; and a flange lying adjacent to the front edge, running along most of the deck width, and extending downward from an undersurface of the deck plate to a lower edge of the flange, wherein the lower edge of the flange is higher than a lower extremity of the hinge pin when the deck is at the cross-traffic position.