Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to loading dock
shelter~ and, more particularly, to loading dock shelters
of the pad type.
It is a primary object of the present invention
to provide a novel loading dock shelter.
Loading dock shelters of the pad type have been
heretofore known in the art, being shown, for example, in
United States Letters Patent No. 3,181,205 issued May 4,
1965 to C.PO Frommelt and S.J. Frommelt and United States
Letters Patent No. 3,500,599, issued March 17, 1970, to
S. Sciolino. Howe~er, such pad type structures have been
unable to accomodate trucks of various width while at the
same time providing good sealing engagement. Also, loading
dock shelters of the curtain type or "drape typel' have been
heretofore known in the art being shown, for example, in
United States Letters Patent Nos. 3,638,667 and Re 28,391,
issued February 19 1972 and April 15, 1975, respectiYely,
to C.P. Frommelt and S.J. Frommelt. In addition, loading
dock shelters of the pneumatic type have also heretofore
been known in the art, being shown, for example, in United
States Letters Patent No. 3,391,503, issued July 9, 1968
to Larry O'Neal and United States Patent No. 3,939,614,
issued February 24, 1976 to C.P. Fro~melt and S.J.
Frommelt. It is an important object of the present
invention to afford a novel loading dock shelter of the
pad type, which affords improvements over loading dock
shelters heretofore known in the art, including loading
dock shelters of the aforementioned pad type, "drape type",
and pneumatic type.
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Another objec~ of the present invention is to
provide a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type which
is highly effective in affording good sealing engagement
with trucks of substantial variations in widths
A further object of the present invention is to
afford a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type which
is capable of providing9 in a unique and expeditious manner,
a "wrap-around" type of engagement with trucks of "normal"
widths ~as distinguished from "over-size" widths) backed
into operative engagement therewith.
An object ancillary to the foregoing objects is
to provide a novel loading dock shelter of the
aforementioned type which, in operation, affords effective
and efficient sealing engagement even with trucks of
l'over-size" widths backed into operative engagement
therewith.
Another object of the present invention is to
afford a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type which
is practical and efficient in operation and which may be
readily and economically produced commercially.
Other and further objects of the present invention
will be apparent from the following description and clai~s
and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which,
by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the
present invention and the principles thereof and what I
now consider to be the best mode in which I have
contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments
of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles
may be used and structural changes may be made as desired
by those skilled in the art without departing from the
present invention and the purview of the appended claims.
06{j
The present invention contemplates a wall doorway
prt)vlde(l wilh a loading dock shelter comprising a head pad
Fc~l^ extenclinq along the top of a doorway in a wall and two
s;de pads ~or extending along the respective lateral sides
0:~ such a doorway. The preserlt invention further includes
an arrangement for supportiny the head pad and the side pads
on the wall in ou-twardly projecting relation thereto in
position to be operatively engaged by the top and sides of
t-he rear of a truck backed into loading or unloading posi-
tion relative to the doorway in such a wall. Each of the
side pads -inclu(ling an elongated ~ocly portion adapted to
extend upwardly and downwardly on such a wall along one of
tl~e lateral sides of such a doorway, an elongated leg por-
tion integral to and extending along the length of the body
portion in position to be disposed outwardly from such a
cloorway, arld projecting inwardly toward the other of the
slde pads across a portion of the doorway. Each of the side
~ads further includes a tie tensioner positioned substan-
tially along the length thereof, with each tie tensioner
havincl a por-tiorl extending along and secured to the support
arrangement and a second portion extending diagonally across
the -)unction of the body and leg portions of the side pad.
2A
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a loading
dock shelter of the pad type embodying the principles of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the loading
dock shelter shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantial~y
along the line 3-3 in FIG. l;
FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken
substantially along the line 4-4 in FIG. l;
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the
loading dock shelter shown in FIG. 1, looking in the
direction of the arrows 5-5 in FIG. l;
FIG. ~ is an enlarged plan view of the mounting
of the stablizing wedges of the loading dock shelter in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4, with a truck
being .shown diagrammatically in initial engaging position
with the loading dock shelter in accordance with the present
invention; and
FIGS. 8 and 9 are views similar to FIG. 6 with
the truck being shown in progressively further operative
engagement with the loading dock shelter in accordance with
the present invention.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT SHOWN HEREIN
A loading dock shelter 1, embodying the principles
of the present invention, is shown in the drawings and
illustrates one preferred embodiment of the present
invention. It is shown mounted on an outer wall 2, of a
warehouse 3 in surrounding relation to a doorway 4 in the
warehouse 3, FIG. 1.
The loading dock shelter 1 embodies, in general,
a head pad 5 and two oppositely disposed side pads 6 and
7. In operation, the shelter 1 is mounted on the warehouse
3 in such a position that the head pad 5 is disposed above
and extends along the doorway 49 and the side pads 6 and
7 are disposed laterally outwardly of, and extend along
respective vertical sides of the doorway 4. An elongated
bumper 4A is mounted an the warehouse wall 2 below the
doorway 4 and the lower ends of the side pads 6 and 7, the
bumper 4A projecting outwardly from the warehouse wall 2
and extending along the lower edge of the doorway 4, FIG. 1.
The side pads 6 and 7 are identical in
construction, each embodying a pad unit 9 and, in the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, a backing
member or backing plate 10 on which the pad unit 9 is
mounted, as shown in FIG. 3. The backing members 10 may
be made of any suitable material, such as, for example,
wood or steel, or the like, but, preferably, are made from
a suitable wooden material, such as, for example, wood
planking.
Each of the pad units 9 is substantially L-shaped
in transverse cross-section, and includes a core 11 and
a cover member 12, FIG. 4, which extend the full length
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,f the backing member 10. The core 11 may be made of any
suitable material, such as, for example, any suitable
natural or s~nthetic compressible, resilient resin or
polymer, the preferred material being a foamed polyester.
Similarly, the cover or casing 12 may be made of any
suitable material, but preferably is made of a flexible,
water-repellent, wear resistance material, such as, for
example, canvas duck or rubber impregnated nylon fabric.
Both of the pad units 9 are substantially L-shaped in
transverse cross-section, each embodying a body portion 13
and a leg portion 14 disposed substantially perpendicularly
to each other in the normal, at-rest position of the
respective pad unit 9, as shown in FIG. 3. The L-shaped pad
units 9 are constructed such that the body portion 13 and
leg portion 14 are integral with one another in the sense
that the body portion and leg portion are contiguous to one
another and define an L-shaped cavity therein which is
filled with foam material, which foam material may be of a
single density sufficient to provide structural integrity to
the body portion and leg portion. ~lso it is preferred that
the foam material utilized in the construction of the body
portion 13 of the pad unit 9 possess a greater density than
the foam material utilized in the construction of the leg
portion 1~ of the pad unit 9 or for the stabilizing wedges
8, for reasons that will hereinafter be described.
Also, it is found that foamed stabilizing wedges 8 are
positioned adjacent the L-shaped pad units 9 to provide a
stabilizing structure between the body portion 13 and the
leq portion 14 of the pad units. Preferably, when the pad
unit 9 exceeds approximately 8 feet in height or greater,
the wedges 8 are positioned at the top 31 of the pad unit
and at the bottom 32 of the pad unit 9 and intermediate the
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40~i~
top and bottom at 33, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.
However, when the pad unit 9 is less than 8 feet in height,
wedges need only be placed at the top and bottom of the pad
unit to provide structural stability of the unit after
repeated usage. The foamed wedges 8 are preferably mounted
to the side walls 18 and 14~ of the cover 12 on the pad unit
9 by unitizing a ready attachment means 35 on the edges 8A
and 8B, as VELCRO and the like, and include breather vents
8C on the bottom thereof, as shown in dotted lines in FIG.
3. The stabilizing wedges 8 provide structural support for
the pad units 9 and return the pad units to their L-shaped
configuration afte~ repeated usage of the pad unit 9, as
will hereinafter be described in FIG. 7-9. As shown in FIG.
6, the stabilizing wedges 8 are mounted to the side edges of
the respective backing members 10 by a suitable means, such
as, nails or screws 19 through a wedge strap 8D.
In each of the side pads 6 and 7, the face of the core
11 of the body portion 13 remote from the leg portion 14
preferably is secured by suitable adhesive, not shown, to
one face 15 of the respective backing member 10, in
substantially flat juxtaposition thereto.
Each of the covers 12 includes a front wall 16 and two
side walls 17 and 18, FIG. 4, with the side wall 17
extending substantially directly rearwardly from one side
edge of the fr~nt wall 16, and the other side wall 18
extending rearwardly from the other side edge of the front
wall 16 in a substantially reverse, laterally disposed Z-
shape, FIG. 3. The covers 12 are disposed around the
respective cores 11 in snug fitting relation thereto, and
the longitudinal edge portions of the side walls 17 and 18
thereof, remote from the respective front walls 16, are
secured to the longitudinal side edges of the respective
~acking members 10 by a suitable means, such as, nails or
screws 19. ~ach of the covers 12 includes also end walls 20
and 21, FIG. 1, closing the top and bottom thereof,
respectively. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wedges are
positioned and attached to the cover 12 on leg portion 14
and to the sidewall 1~ of the cover ad~acent to the end
walls 20 and 21. Preferably, the bottom wall 21 has vents
22 therethrough, FIG. S.
In the preferred form of the loading dock shelter 1,
the front wall 16 of the cover 12 of the side pads 6 and 7
thereof includes a plurality of overlapping, fle~ible, wear-
resistant flaps or plates 23, as shown in FIG. 1, stitched
or otherwise suitably secured to the underlying fabric of
the cover 12 to provide protection against abrasion and
tearing of the pad unit 9, in the manner disclosed in
greater detail in the aforementioned United States Letters
Patent No. 3,181,205. The flaps or plate 23 are attached
only at their upper edges to the underlying fabric of the
cover 12, and, therefore, each f~ap or plate Z3 is ~ree to
move up and down individually of the other flaps, and,
because they are flexible, and their sides and bottom~ are
unattached, they can flex or fold enough to move up and down
with an abutting part of the rear of a truck backed into
operative engagement with the loading dock shelter 1 to
thereby protect the side pads 6 and 7 from wear and tearing.
The side pads 6 and 7 may be mounted in operative
position on a warehouse wall, or the like, such as, for
example, the wall 2, by any suitable means, but, preferably,
are secured thereto by the use of angle brackets 24, having
one leg secured to the wall 2 and the other leg thereof
secured to a side edge of the respective backing member 10,
as shown in FIG. 1.
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In the assembled position of the loading dock shelter
1, the side pads 6 and 7 are secured to the wall 2 on
respective opposite, lateral sides of the doorway 4, FIG. 3,
with the body por~ions 13 thereof projecting su~stantially
perpendicularly from the wall 2, and with the legs 14
thereof pro~ecting inwardly toward each other from the side
portions of the body portions 13 remote from the backing
member 10. The head pad 5 preferably is disposed on top of
the side pads 6 and 7 and is secured to the warehouse wall 2
by suitable means such as angle brackets 25, a position as
shown in FIG. 1. The head pad 5 i9 substantially
rectangular in cross-section and, preferably, pr.ojects
outwardly from the warehouse wall 2 the same distance as the
side pads 6 and 7, FIG. 2.
In the preferred form of the loading dock shelter 1,
ties 26, FIGS. 1, 2, 4, which may be made of any suitable
material, such as, for example, narrow strips of canvas
duck, or the like, extend diagonally across the internal
junction between the high density foam material in the body
portion~ 13 and the lower density foam material in the leg
portions 14 of the pad units 9, and are secured to the inner
face of the respective side walls 17 and 18 to afford
reinforcing members for aiding in retaining the rectangular
cross-sectional shapes of the body portions 13.
It will be seen that, with this construction, when the
loading dock shelter 1 is mounted in operative position on a
warehouse wall, or the like such as, for example, the wall
2, the side pads 6 and 7, in their normal, at-rest position,
are substantially L-shaped in transverse cross section with
the body portions 13 projecting substantially
perpendicularly outwardly from the wall 2, and with the leg
portions 14 extending inwardly toward each other in
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substantially uniplanar relation to each other and retained
in such a position by the stabilizing wedges 8.
Preferably, the side pads 6 and 7 are so spaced from
each other that when a truck of ~'normal" size, such as the
truck 27 shown in FIGS. 7-9, is backed into operative
engagement therewith, the sides of the rear of the truck
overlap the leg por~ions 14 a distance greater than the
distance between the inner ends of the leg portions 14, and
less than the distance between the inner sides of the body
portions 13, as shown in FIG. 7. It will be seen that, with
this con~truction, even the initial engagement of the
loading dock shelter 1 with the truck 27 affords excellent
sealing engagement therebetween. However, as the truck 27
continues to move rearwardly toward the warehouse wall 2, it
is effective to cause the leg portions 14, containing the
less dense foam material, to bend or flex inwardly around
their junctures with the body portions 13, as shown in FIGS.
8 and 9, until, at the innermost position of the truck 27,
the leg portions 14 are compressed between the sides of the
truck 27 and the body portions 13 of the loading dock pads 6
and 7 with the wedges 8 compressed therebetween, FIG. 9, to
afford an effecti~e "wrap-around" type of sealing engagement
between the side pads 6 and 7 of the loading dock shelter 1
and the truck 27, with the side pads 6 and 7 disposed
completely out of any position in which they would afford an
obstruction to ingress or egress into and out of the truck
27 through the doorway 4. After the truck 27 is removed
from loading dock shelter 1, the wedges 8 return the leg
portions 14 to their substantially uniplanar relation with
respect to each other and the body portions 13 to their
substantially perpendicular extension from the wall.
However, in addition to affording a non-obstructing
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aighly effecting sealing engagement between the loading dock
shelter 1 and the truck 27, it will be seen that the present
invention also affords a novel loading dock shelter which is
effective with a large variety of truck widths, the shelter
1 affording good sealing engagement with trucks which little
more than span the d~stance between the ad~acent faces of
the leg portions 14 and trucks of such width that the side
walls thereof abuttingly engage the side pads 6 and 7 in
alignment with the body portions 13 thereof, in a manner
such as that in which trucks compressingly engage pads of
the type shown in the aforementioned ~nited States Letters
Patent No. 3,557,508.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the present
invention affords a novel loading dock shelter which
provides effective sealing engagement with trucks moved into
operative engagement with the loading doc~ shelter.
In addition, it will be seen that the present invention
affords a novel loading dock shelter which is effective to
afford good sealing engagement with trucks of a wide variety
of width~.
Also, it will be seen that the present invention
affords a novel loading doc~ shelter wherein, when it is
disposed in sealing engagement with trucks of the desired
width, highly efficient sealing engagement is effected with
such trucks in a manner which affords no obstruction to the
passage of people or materials into and out of the rear of
the truck.
In addition, it will be seen that the present invention
affords a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type
wherein, when it is disposed in sealing engagement with
trucks of the desired width, highly effective "wrap-around"
type of sealing engagement is afforded between the truck and
~1
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406~
the side pads of the shelter.
Moreover, it will be seen that the present invention
provides a novel loading dock shelter of the pad type which
is practical and efficient in operation, and which may be
readily and economically produced commercially.
Thus, while I have illustrated and described the
preferred embodiment of my invention, it i~ to be understood
that this is capable of variation and modification, and I
therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details
set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and
alterationg ag fall within the purview of the following
claims.
