Patent ID: 8407842

Claim:
A dock leveler comprising: a ramp having an aft deck portion and a forward deck portion; a lip pivotally attached toward the forward deck portion; a ramp lifting system configured to facilitate upward rotation of the ramp about an aft hinge, wherein the ramp lifting system includes an articulating arm having a first link pivotally coupled to a second link, wherein the first link includes a first end portion operably coupled to a dock leveler support structure and the second link includes a second end portion operably coupled to the ramp; and a lip lifting system that includes a connecting rod having a third end portion operably coupled to the lip and a fourth end portion operably coupled to a pivot link supported by the ramp; and a push bar having a fifth end portion operably coupled to the second link of the articulating arm and a sixth end portion configured to operably engage the pivot link and drive it to an over-center position as the second link drives the push bar, thereby extending the lip as the ramp rotates downwardly about the aft hinge.