Rite-hite Holding Corporation

Reinhard E Sander

Norbert Hahn

Grant Leum

Andrew G Brooks

Matthew Sveum

Robert J Harter

Kyle E Nelson

Timothy Muhl

Matthew A Tourdot

Jonathan I Andersen

Matthew C McNeill

Bradley J Stone

Timothy Cotton

Kurt Lessard

Joseph Manone

Andrew J Wanie

Mark G Petri

Ben Wieberdink

Michael Mitchell

Benjamin Wieberdink

Tim Muhl

Jack Morehart

Pamela Pietrangelo

Eric Bublitz

Matt Sveum

John A Kish

Pamala Pietrangelo

Henk De Lang

Paul Belongia

Hans Van De Wiel

Glenn R Manich

Donald L Anton

Jeffrey R Schwager

J A M Van De Wiel

Matthew C Mcneill

Joseph A Manone

Eric D Bublitz

A wheel restraint includes a wheel chock that is manually movable between a retracted position clear of a wheel of a vehicle at a loading dock and an operative position to block the path of the wheel. In the retracted position, the chock can be manually moved freely along a track that is mounted to a driveway of the dock. When the chock is manually moved from its retracted position to its operative position, a locking feature automatically restricts the movement of the chock relative to the track. When the chock is manually moved back to its retracted position, the locking feature automatically disengages. Although the wheel chock is connected to a track, most of the force exerted by the wheel against the chock is transmitted directly from the chock to the driveway.

Manual wheel chocks with automatic positive locking

A wheel restraint for restraining a vehicle at a loading dock includes various features such as, a wheel chock supported by a spring loaded articulated arm with a spring that can be selectively tightened or released, a sensor that detects whether the chock is solidly against a base plate or floor, a bi-directional pivotal joint between the articulated arm and the wheel chock to ensure that the chock can sit squarely on a mating base plate, a wheel chock that meshes with a hydraulically actuated base plate, pivotal or otherwise movable backstops that prevent a wheel chock from sliding out of position, and a base plate cleaning system. The cleaning system might include a vehicle-actuated brush, fluid spray nozzles, electric heater and removable cover plates.

Wheel chock system

A vehicle restraint installed within a pit underneath a dock leveler of a loading dock platform includes a single actuator that both extends and raises a barrier into engagement with a vehicle's ICC bar. When the barrier is in a retracted, stored position, the barrier is underneath the dock leveler and behind a front face of the loading dock platform. To engage the vehicle's ICC bar, the single actuator extends to first push the barrier along a first track to an intermediate position. That same actuator then pushes the barrier along a second track to a raised, operative position where the barrier engages and captures the vehicle's ICC bar. A spring coupled to the actuator provides the barrier with freedom to float along the second track to accommodate similar incidental movement of the ICC bar as the vehicle is serviced at the dock.

Flush-mounted vehicle restraints

A hydraulic system for operating dock levelers, vehicle restraints, and other types of loading dock equipment includes one or more features that prolong the life of the hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic reservoir with a desiccant filled breather cap or a hermetically sealed pliable reservoir minimizes the hydraulic fluid's exposure to condensation and atmospheric moisture. The system can be used for prolonging the life of both biodegradable and- non-biodegradable hydraulic fluids. In some embodiments, the system includes an acceptably biodegradable fluid having a combination of properties that makes the fluid particularly suitable for loading dock equipment.

Loading dock system with biodegradable fluid

A closed loop reciprocating fluid circuit apparatus for mechanically powered and electromechanically powered dock levelers, which may be mounted at a forward edge of a dock leveler to selectively engage the dock leveler during pivotal downward movement of a deck, is provided. The apparatus may include a header extending from a fluid chamber (e.g., a hydraulic cylinder), where the header may selectively engage the deck, within the range of dock leveler heights, including below dock level and above dock level operating positions. The hydraulic cylinder may be vertically oriented and coupled to a fluid accumulation chamber, such that vertical movement of the header in response to the deck's downward movement causes fluid displacement into the accumulation chamber. That displacement may be in a horizontally oriented fluid chamber having a piston that reacts to the fluid transfer. Alternatively, that displacement may be into a resilient fluid chamber such as a bladder housed within a suitable container, or a fluid chamber such as a fluid reservoir with a breather, for air volume compensation. The hydraulic cylinder and header may be urged to the extended position, for example by extension springs acting on a piston within the fluid accumulation chamber, or by a pull chain or latch coupled to the cylinder and the upward movement of the deck. A flow control valve, e.g., a velocity fuse or solenoid valve, is connected between the cylinder and the fluid accumulation chamber to respond to free fall of the deck. Resetting to normal operation after free fall detection may occur after load removal from the deck and by movement of the cylinder to the opposite direction or by electrical control input to the control valve.

Stump-out apparatus for a dock leveler

To permit below-dock level end-loading operations and to limit accidental freefalling of a dock leveler's deck, a dock leveler includes a unique support mechanism that employs one or more safety legs with an integral or operatively connected lip deflector. The support mechanism can be selectively moved to a deck-supporting position for freefall protection or moved to a lip-deflecting position for below dock level end-loading operations. In the deck-supporting position, the safety leg prevents the deck from falling an unsafe distance. In the lip-deflecting position, the lip deflector guides the descending motion of the dock leveler's lip extension plate so that the lip, while hanging pendant, can bypass and descend below a set of lip keepers.

Dock leveler with combination safety leg and lip deflector

A dock leveler, for bridging the gap between a loading dock platform and a vehicle at the dock, includes an adjustably overlapping lip and ramp that provide a traffic surface of variable length to accommodate situations where there is only a limited amount of space for the lip to rest on the rear of the vehicle. The lip pivots and translates from a stored, pendant orientation to an operative orientation with a range of extended positions. In the stored position, one edge of the lip protrudes above the deck to inhibit material handling equipment from accidentally driving over the edge of the deck when a vehicle is not parked adjacent the dock leveler.

Pivotal and translational dock leveler lip

A wheel-activated vehicle restraint for use at a loading dock includes a wheel-blocking barrier that is selectively locked to a frame by a latching mechanism that engages an inverted gear rack. Components of the latching mechanism are arranged to prevent spreading apart upper and lower members of the frame members. The latching mechanism includes an alignment device that helps ensure that the teeth of a latching member positively engages the teeth of the gear rack, thus preventing the teeth from coming together peak-to-peak. An upper rail of the wheel restraint's frame includes a contoured leading edge that smoothly guides the lift of the wheel-blocking barrier from its stored position to its wheel-chocking position. A wheel support is used to prevent a vehicle's mud flap from getting pinched between the vehicle's wheel and a trigger assembly of the wheel restraint.

Positive locking mechanism for a wheel-activated vehicle restraint

A restraint for a parked swap body container includes a face stop that can be selectively positioned to a restraining position and a release position. In the restraining position, the face stop is adapted to engage a front face of the container to limit the extent to which the parked container can move away from an edge of a truck loading dock. In The release position, the face stop allows a truck to remove the container from the loading dock. The restraint may also include a frame that can be repositioned longitudinally to accommodate containers of various lengths. A fine adjustment can be added to further limit horizontal movement of the container. And an optional bottom support could engage the bottom of the container to provide even more support.

Container restraint for a parked swap body

A bumper assembly for a loading dock includes a bumper that is moveable between an operative position and a stored position. In the operative position, the bumper extends well above the dock platform to prevent excessively high trucks, trailer beds, and cargo containers from being parked over the top of the dock platform. In the stored position, the bumper is positioned so as not to obstruct loading and unloading of cargo. In some cases, the bumper is biased to the operative position to encourage operators to normally leave the bumper in that position. In some embodiments, the bumper is selectively moveable away from the vehicle or container that the bumper is blocking to facilitate subsequently moving the bumper to its stored position.

Moveable bumper for a loading dock

A pulling-style restraint for a swap body container parked at a truck loading dock includes an elongated member having a base at one end and a restraining member at an opposite end. The base can be attached to the dock, while the restraining member is adapted to be connected to a leg or bottom fitting of the container. The elongated member can be a bar or an elongated pliable member such as a strap, chain, or cable. The elongated member can be tightened by a take-up device such as a reel, chain-binder, turnbuckle or combinations thereof. Additional features might include a light that indicates engagement, a twist-lock restraining member, and a firm landing pad on which the container legs may rest.

Pulling-style restraint for a parked swap body

A repositionable brace helps support the legs of a swap body freight container parked at a truck loading dock. The brace can move from a retracted position to an engaged position. In the engaged position, one end of the brace is at least partially fixed relative to the dock with an opposite end engaging at least one of the container's four legs. In the retracted position, the brace is positioned to where it is more out of the way when not in use, or positioned to align the brace to legs at other various locations. In some cases, the brace pivots between the locked and retracted positions manually, hydraulically, electro-mechanically or pneumatically. Also, a firm landing pad can be associated with the brace to provide a more consistent, level height at which the swap body is parked.

Leg restraint for a parked swap body container

Growing community of inventors

Wauwatosa, WI, United States of America

Reinhard E Sander