Slope extension for vehicle restraints

Details Slope extension for vehicle restraints Slope extension for vehicle restraints

2000-01-19

2001-11-27

Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)

Material or article handling

Load-transporting type vehicle and external means...

Means serves to align wheeled vehicle and load receiving or...

C414S396000, C414S584000, C254S114000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06322310

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to vehicle restraints and, more particularly, to an improved slope extension for a vehicle restraint that permits a wide range of vehicles to be secured to an adjacent structure, such as a loading dock or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The proper securing of a parked vehicle, such as the trailer of a tractor-trailer, to a loading dock during loading and unloading operations is an essential safety precaution. Various vehicle restraints have previously been provided for this purpose, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,161 (Hipp et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,259 (Hipp), U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,621 (Anthony), U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,847 (Hipp et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,354 (Hahn et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,150 (Hahn et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,099 (Hahn et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,315 (Hahn), and Re. 32,968 (Hahn).
One common type of vehicle restraint
40
is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
of the drawings. This particular type of vehicle restraint
40
includes a carriage assembly
50
which is adjustably mounted within a track
60
for substantially vertical movement adjacent to a front wall
22
of a loading dock
20
, a generally hook-shaped restraining member
70
which is housed within and pivotably attached to the carriage assembly
50
, and a slope extension
80
which is pivotably mounted to the forward end of the carriage assembly
50
at pivot point
52
. As is customary in the art, the carriage assembly
50
is biased by one or more resilient biasing elements (not shown) to assume an upper vertical position, as shown, for example, in
FIG. 1
, but may be moved downwardly into a lower vertical position, as shown, for example, in
FIG. 2
, when an external force is exerted on the vehicle restraint
40
. By way of illustration, when the trailer
30
of a tractor-trailer moves backwardly towards the loading dock
20
, engagement between an ICC bar or rear-impact guard
32
of the trailer
30
and either the slope extension
80
or an exposed cam surface
54
of the carriage assembly
50
causes an external force to be exerted on the vehicle restraint
40
which tends to move the carriage assembly
50
downwardly toward a vehicle supporting surface, such as roadway
24
. The purpose of this upward biasing of the carriage assembly
50
, and its downward positioning by the ICC bar
32
, is to ensure that a proper orientation is obtained between the restraining member
70
and the ICC bar
32
before the restraining member
70
is moved into an engaging position, as shown in FIG.
2
.
In order to avoid interference between the slope extension
80
and the roadway
24
as the carriage assembly
50
is being lowered, the slope extension
80
is pivotably mounted to the forward end of the carriage assembly
50
in a manner which permits the slope extension
80
to rotate upwardly out of the way. To this end, a stop member
56
is provided beneath the top portion of the slope extension
80
to permit the slope extension
80
to rotate about pivot point
52
in a clockwise direction, as indicated by reference numeral
82
in
FIG. 1
, but not in a counter-clockwise direction. More specifically, the stop member
56
allows the slope extension
80
to rotate from a normal pendent position wherein the slope extension
80
forms an extension of the exposed cam surface
54
of the carriage assembly
50
, as shown in
FIG. 1
, to a raised position wherein the slope extension
80
and the exposed cam surface
54
form an angle of less than 180°.
While vehicle restraint
40
performs in a generally reliable manner, its carriage assembly
50
, in some instances, may be obstructed from moving downwardly toward the roadway
24
. In such instances, the carriage assembly
50
suffers from what is known in the art as a “dead lock” condition. One example of a “dead lock” condition occurs when the ICC bar
32
of a given trailer
30
is lower in elevation than pivot point
52
after the slope extension
80
contacts the roadway
24
, as shown, for example, in FIG.
2
. When this happens, the ICC bar
32
of the trailer
30
obstructs clockwise rotational movement of the slope extension
80
, as viewed in FIG.
2
. At the same time, engagement between the slope extension
80
and the roadway
24
obstructs further downward movement of the carriage assembly
50
. As a result, the trailer
30
is obstructed from backing further toward the front wall
22
of the loading dock
20
, thus inhibiting the intended securement of the trailer
30
to the loading dock
20
.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle restraint which overcomes the above-identified deficiencies of the prior art.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a carriage assembly for a vehicle restraint which is not susceptible to a “dead lock” condition.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a slope extension for a vehicle restraint which permits different sizes and configurations of vehicles to be secured to an adjacent structure, such as a loading dock or the like.
A related object of the present invention is to provide a slope extension for a vehicle restraint which permits a wider range of vehicles to be secured to a loading dock than the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a slope extension for a carriage assembly which prevents any portion of a vehicle from going underneath the carriage assembly as the vehicle moves towards the carriage assembly.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a slope extension as characterized above which is relatively easy to install and maintain, and which lends itself to reliable operation and use.
A supplementary object of the present invention is to provide a slope extension of the foregoing type which is reliable, durable, and convenient to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Two embodiments of an inventive slope extension are disclosed herein for use with a vehicle restraint. In each embodiment, the vehicle restraint is adapted to releasably secure a parked trailer or other vehicle to an adjacent structure, such as a loading dock, and includes a carriage assembly which is adjustably mounted in proximity to the adjacent structure for movement relative to a roadway, and a restraining member which is operatively attached to the carriage assembly. In operation, each embodiment of the inventive slope extension interacts with the carriage assembly to avoid a “dead lock” condition wherein the carriage assembly is obstructed from moving downwardly toward the roadway.
In the first embodiment, the slope extension comprises a first member which is pivotably attached to the carriage assembly and a second member which is pivotably attached to the first member. When the carriage assembly is moved downwardly below a predetermined operating position relative to the roadway, the second member pivots independently of the first member to permit continued downward descent of the carriage assembly. In particular, the second member includes a distal end which is adapted to engage the roadway as the carriage assembly is moved downwardly past the predetermined operating position, while the first and second members pivot independently upwardly relative to each other and the carriage assembly to avoid a “dead lock” condition and to permit continued downward descent of the carriage assembly.
In the second embodiment, the slope extension comprises a structural member having a first end pivotably attached to the roadway, a second end opposite the first end, and at least one cam surface disposed between the first and second ends which slidably engage at least one protuberance formed on the carriage assembly. When an external force is exerted on the structural member by a moving vehicle or the like, the cam surface(s) of the structural member act against the protuberance(s) of the carriage assembly and cause the carriage assembly to move from an upper operating position toward successively lower operating position

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