Mechanical retractable railway dock shelter

Abstract

The present dock shelter assembly provides, at a given warehouse or building dock, a protective unit that presents a weather-tight seal when extended from the dock against the open sliding door or side of an adjacent rail car. It is desirable that such a dock shelter not only permit complete and unobstructed rail car access, but also provide outstanding weather protection. The shelter herein is mounted along the outer perimeter of the dock opening of the terminal building and permits free access to the rail car whereupon its gap closure may be protected upon its sides and bottom during loading and unloading. The car is also sealed by a head curtain above the shelter components. The unit is sufficiently versatile to accommodate a rail car which may be somewhat out of position, relative to a dock center as defined by the building construction. Likewise, the shelter protection should continue its effectiveness despite rocking motions of the car when loaded and unloaded. These objectives are achieved through a rear frame adjustable chain/rope combination which is movable against lefthand and righthand spring-loaded cross-bar side frame assemblies that may retract and extend rear and front frames, relative to a rail car which is temporarily positioned adjacent the warehouse dock.