The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 06, 1983
Filed:
Sep. 09, 1981
Randall J Slusar, Greenfield, WI (US);
Kelley Company, Inc., Milwaukee, WI (US);
Abstract
An adjustable dockboard having an improved lip counterbalancing mechanism. The dockboard includes a ramp that is pivoted at its rear edge to a loading dock and is adapted to be moved from a generally horizontal cross-traffic position to an upwardly inclined position. A lip is hinged to the front edge of the ramp and can be pivoted from a pendant downwardly hanging position to a partially extended position short of its fully extended position by a lip lifting mechanism which is actuated as a consequence of the ramp moving downwardly from the inclined position to the cross traffic position. To aid in swinging the lip to the extended position, a counterbalancing spring is connected through a linkage to the lip, and the linkage provides a relative small counterbalancing force when the lip is in the pendant position, and a substantially greater counterbalancing force when the lip is in the extended position. The counterbalancing mechanism aids in pivoting the lip to the extended position, and also acts to cushion the fall of the lip to the pendant position.