What does a dock leveler look like?

A dock leveler is a piece of equipment that is usually either mounted to the dock face or recessed into a pit at a loading dock door. When not in use, it hides in a pit and does not take up space. At work, it connects the truck and the platform like a bridge allowing movement of industrial vehicles between a building and a transport vehicle.

Activation System: The activation system provides the motive power of the dock leveler. These systems may or may not require external power interfaces. Typical activation systems are mechanical (springs), pneumatic (air bladders) and hydraulic.                                  

Activation System: The activation system provides the motive power of the dock leveler. These systems may or may not require external power interfaces. Typical activation systems are mechanical (springs), pneumatic (air bladders) and hydraulic.                                  

Bumpers: These are used to prevent the transport vehicle from contacting and damaging the building, dock leveler or vehicle restraint. They are usually made of rubber. Bumper sizes and projections vary, based on vehicles serviced and other factors such as driveway slope.

Deck: The deck assembly is the major part of the structure that is driven over. Most decks have some type of anti-skid surface such as a tread plate surface to provide traction at the various working angles. The deck assembly pivots at the back end of the dock leveler - the end of the dock leveler that is furthest from the transport vehicle. The dock leveler has a hinged lip attached to the other end.                                                                                                      

Dock: This is the area of a building where loading and/or unloading of transport vehicles takes place.

Dock Level: This term involves the vertical level that conforms to the building’s floor surface.

Dock Pit: The pit is the recessed opening in the building’s floor that accommodates the pit dock leveler. Most pits are lined along the edges with structural steel angles that are embedded in the concrete.

Frame: The frame assembly is the supporting structure for a dock leveler.

Lip: The lip assembly is usually pivotally attached to the deck assembly and pivots from a vertical stored position to a position that rests on the transport vehicle’s floor. Lips are usually made with a tread plate that is similar to the deck.

Load: The load is the weight of a typical individual pallet on a transport vehicle. For typical capacity calculations there are a maximum of (20) twenty loads per transport vehicle.

Shift: This term refers to the working shift at the building. For capacity calculation purposes, a typical capacity calculation would involve a maximum of (8) eight trailers per shift.

Shim: These are steel plates that maybe used to help level pit-mounted dock levelers. Shims may be placed under the frame structure and would be welded in place in order to provide a structural load path to the building’s foundation.

Toe Guard: It is a shield that is mounted flush to the side of a deck assembly in order to provide toe protection when the dock leveler is above dock level.