GB2468733A

GB2468733A - Building vehicle dock bumper

Info

Publication number: GB2468733A
Application number: GB0913535A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Meale
Original assignee: THORWORLD IND Ltd
Current assignee: THORWORLD IND Ltd
Priority date: 2009-08-04
Filing date: 2009-08-04
Publication date: 2010-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-04
Also published as: GB2468733B; GB0913535D0

Abstract

A building vehicle dock bumper 1, has some degree of freedom of vertical movement of a bumper or bumper face 16, within a supporting frame 5. The bumper is normally attached to front facing walls of an elevated vehicle dock on building. The ability to displace vertically may accommodate similar such movement in a vehicle when docking.

Description

Title of the Invention

Dock bumper

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a dock bumper device for use in the loading/unloading of vehicles.

Background of the Invention

Vehicles, such as 40 ft trailers, are loaded/unloaded at elevated docks usually by fork lift trucks handling palletized toads.

ln reversing the rear of a vehicle to a dock, bumper devices are generally located at opposite sides of a so-called leveller pit, in which pit a leveller (which consists basically of a pivotaily mounted plate) is located to bridge the gap between the edge of the dock and the rear of the trailer, for ease of entry and exit of a fork lift truck etc, the purpose of the bumper devices being to protect both the loading bay and the vehicle from inevitable impact and possible damage.

Ideally, bumper devices should be located flush with the edge of the leveller pit to present the maximum surface area for impact, and to ensure that the rear of a vehicle will engage, rather than miss, the bumper devices, but this location is not always possible to achieve and a compromise must be accepted, with the edge of the bumper devices adjacent the edge of the leveller pit slightly spaced from that edge.

One known type of bumper device which can always be located in the optimum, flush position and offers impact absorption is basically an elongated rubber block with its front face interrupted by centre-line located, counter-bored holes to receive fixing bolts, the central location of the holes ensuring that these bumper devices can be fitted at the ideal location -flush with the edge of the dock leveller pit.

This type of bumper device is of fixed position and hence when engaged by the rear of a trailer etc cannot rise and fall with a trailer etc as the latter is loaded/unloaded, so that the trailer rubs up and down along the block. Such blocks, and indeed other types of bumper device need regular replacement and have usually required multiple (e.g. two I three) fixing holes drilled into the front face of the dock, there being of course a limit to the number of holes that can be drilled in this area without affecting the integrity of the concrete of the dock.

Other types require the bumper device to be welded along the edge adjacent the dock to an angle dock edge protector.

Another known type of bumper device offering a longer service life but providing no impact absorption has a nylon block, having an uninterrupted, planar front face for engagement with a vehicle or traIler, slidably mounted in a sheet metal pressing or fabrication which is bolted to the front face of the dock. The nylon block is able to rise and fall with the trailer, but depending on its mounting arrangements, the block is sometimes unavoidably spaced away from the edge of the leveller pit.

Another known type is described in WO 2004/058611.

Object of the Invention A basic objective of the invention is the provision of a dock bumper device in having a bumper which not only offers impact absorption but also is locatable flush, or virtually flush, with the edge of the leveller pit, whilst also providing additional wear resistance and lifespan as a result of the bumper being passively movable in the vertical plane.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a dock bumper device, one for location one to each opposite edge of a leveller pit, the, or each bumper device comprising:- (I) a metal support plate adapted to be attached to a front face of a dock and provided with a pair of spaced-apart, inwardly directed, mutual facing ribs, the support plate between the ribs being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart, laterally extending slots each to receive one of a first set of fixing bolts by which the support plate is attachable to a front face of a loading/unloading dock structure, the support plate at one side only extending beyond the adjacent rib to define a fixing strip provided with a plurality of through holes for the passage therethrough of a second set of fixing bolts into the dock structure, the ribs and support plate defining an upwardly open slot which is provided at a lower end with stop means; (ii) a passive bumper of tough, impact resistant, hard wearing, solid material slidably engaging the ribs and engageable at its lower end with the stop means; and (iii) a compressible packer of rubber or similar resilient or etastomeric material interposed between the support plate and the bumper, whereby the bumper may, within limits, move towards the dock, by compression of the packer, when impacted by a vehicle.

Advantages of the Invention The invention provides a dock bumper device which firstly, by the provision of the fixing slots, may, within limits, be laterally adjustable so as to be securable in the optimum location, before final securing by the second set of fixing bolts, secondly the bumper is passively slidable with respect to its support plate, thirdly the device is capable of absorbing impacts, fourthly the device may make use of the same securing holes in the dock as used for fixing a previous, worn bumper needing replacement, and fifthly the device is wholly securable by bolts avoiding the need for any welding equipment or skills.

Preferred or Optional Features of the Invention The support plate is a formed or fabricated metal section.

The support plate is provided with a plurality, longitudinally spaced-apart, laterally slotted holes, at such location that support plate of the device in accordance with the invention may use the same holes e.g. of a previous, fixed position bumper, thus avoiding the need for re-drilling at fresh locations.

The support plate is provided with an upper stop, engageable with an upper edge of the packer, to restrain upward movement of the packer during upward movement of the bumper with which the packer is in frictional engagement.

The lower stop is a closure plate closing off the lower end of the slot.

The upper stop is a flange extending partly across the upper edge of the packer, but to offer no obstruction to upward sliding movement of the bumper.

The support plate is planar and the two ribs are secured to the support plate by location slots and welding.

The bumper is of nylon, polyethylene, or a similar hard wearing, solid, synthetic plastics material.

The bumper is provided, in each lateral edge, with a groove engageable, with clearance, in one of the ribs, so that the bumper may rise and fall with a trailer.

The bumper is a solid block with an "H"-profile and can either be: i) Symmetrical, or ii) Asymmetrical.

The packer is of solid rubber block provided with through holes, counter-bored on the backing plate side, so that these through holes are coaxial, with the first set of fixing bolts passing through the slotted holes of the support plate, with the heads of those bolts accommodated in the counter-bored areas.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One example of dock bumper device in accordance with the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled bumper device; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 but is exploded to reveal the three basic components; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a front elevation, top plan and side elevation of the bumper device of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a front elevation and a top plan of the support plate of the device of Figures 1-5; Figure 8 is an enlargement of Figure 4, partly in section; Figures 9-12 are respectively a front elevation, a side elevation, a top plan, and an enlargement of the top plan of the bumper device; and Figures 13-16 are respectively a perspective view, a rear elevation, a top plan, and an end elevation of the elastomeric packer.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

A dock bumper device 1 is shown for fitting to a front face 2 (Figure 8) of a concrete dock 3 which is interrupted (in known manner) to provide a pit for a (known) dock leveller (not shown), the pit having two opposed side edges 4 (one only shown).

An upright angle iron or similar is sometimes embedded in the concrete provides a metal protective facing to the corner of the dock bay.

The device 1 comprises a first component in the form of a planar metal support plate 5 provided (as best seen in Figures 2, 7 and 8) with a pair of spaced apart, inwardly directed, mutually facing ribs 6A and 6B formed from L'-shaped pressings secured by welding at 7 to the support plate 5. Between the ribs 6A and 6B, the support plate 5 is provided with three longitudinally spaced-apart, but laterally slotted holes 8. The rib 6A is intended to be fitted flush with the edge 4 of a conventional loading dock pit, and the slotted holes 8 provide for retro-fitting of the device I by a first set of bolts 9 passing through the holes 8 and into an existing series of holes in the dock structure provided for a replaced bumper e.g. of solid rubber, non-movable kind. If the dock structure 3 is new, then clearly suitable holes need to be drilled to receive the bolts 9. Thus the device 1 is initially positionally secured by the first set of three fixing bolts 9 (see Figure 2) passing through the holes 8.

Beyond the other rib 6B, the support plate 5 is extended to form a fixing strip also provided with three longitudinally spaced-apart holes 11 to receive a second set of final fixing bolts 12 (Figure 8). Once the support plate 5 has been positionally fixed by the bolts 9, then holes to receive the bolts 12 may be drilled into, or marked out on, the support structure.

It will be seen that the support plate 5 and ribs 6A, 6B define a slot 13, which is closed off at its lower end by a lower retaining plate 14, best seen in Figure 2, whilst at its upper end, the slot 13 is partially closed off by an upper retaining plate 15. Both plates 14 and 15 are secured to the support plate 5 and/or ribs 6A, 6B by welds.

A second basic component of the bumper device 1 is a bumper 16 constituted by a solid nylon block, which is generally of "H"-section as can be best seen in Figures 8 and 11, and is slidably mounted on the support plate 5 by the ribs 6A and 6B engaging grooves 17 down each side of the bumper 16. Bumper 16 provides not only for multi-use reversibility but also for passive up and down movement, when frictionaHy engaged by the rear of a vehicle or trailer, as the latter rises or falls with its (air) suspension during loading and unloading operations.

Lower end 18 of the bumper 16 is adapted to seat on the lower retaining plate 14.

The third basic component of the bumper device 1 comprises an elastomeric packer 19 which is interposed, as can be seen in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 8, between the support plate 5 and the bumper 16.

Upper edge 20 of the packer 19 is engaged by the upper retaining plate 15 to restrain upward movement of the packer 19 during any upward movement of the bumper 16.

The packer 19 is constituted by a block of rubber provided with three spaced-apart through holes 21, which are counter-bored at 22 to accommodate heads 23 of the first set of bolts 9.

Claims

Claims 1. A dock bumper device (1), for location one to each opposite edge of a leveller pit, the or each bumper device (1) comprising:- (i) a metal support plate (5) adapted to be attached to a front face of a dock and provided with a pair of spaced-apart, inwardly directed, mutual facing ribs (6A,6B), the support plate (5) between the ribs (6A,6B) being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart, laterally extending slots (8) each to receive one of a first set of fixing bolts (9) by which the support plate (5) is attachable to a front face of a loading/unloading dock structure, the support plate (5) at one side io only extending beyond the adjacent rib (6B) to define a fixing strip (10) provided with a plurality of through holes (11) for the passage therethrough of a second set of fixing bolts (12) into the dock structure, the ribs (6A,6B) and support plate (5) defining an upwardly open slot (13) which is provided at a lower end with stop means (14); (ii) a passive bumper (16) of tough, impact resistant, hard wearing, solid material slidably engaging the ribs (6A,6B) and engageable at its lower end with the stop S...means (14); and (iv) a compressible packer (19) of rubber or similar resilient or elastomeric material interposed between the support plate (5) and the bumper (16), L:2° whereby the bumper (16) may, within limits, move towards the dock, by compression of the packer (19), when impacted bya vehicle.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support plate (5) is a formed or fabricated metal section.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 1, or Claim 2, wherein the support plate (5) is provided with a plurality, longitudinally spaced-apart, laterally slotted holes (8), at such location that support plate (5) of the device (1) may use the same holes of a previous bumper, thus avoiding the need for re-drilling at fresh locations.
4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support plate (5) is provided with an upper stop (15), engageable with an upper edge of the packer (19), to restrain upward movement of the packer (19) during upward movement of the bumper (16) with which the packer (19) is in frictional engagement.
5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lower stop (14) is a closure plate closing off the lower end of the slot (13).
6. A device as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the upper stop (15) is a flange extending partly across the upper edge of the packer (19), offering no obstruction to upward sliding movement of the bumper (16). *. .. * * ** .:.
7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support plate (5) is planar and the two ribs (6A,6B) are secured to the support plate (5) by location slots and welding.

SI.... S *
8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bumper (16) is of nylon, polyethylene, or a similar hard wearing, solid, synthetic plastics material. H 10
9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bumper (16) is provided, in each lateral edge, with a groove (17) engageable, with clearance, in one of the ribs (6A,6B), so that the bumper (16) may rise and fall with a traiier.
10. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bumper (16) is a solid block with an "H"-profile.
11. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bumper (16) is symmetrical.
12. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1-10, wherein the bumper (16) is asymmetrical.
13. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the packer (19) is of solid rubber block provided with through holes (21), counter-bored (at 22) on the backing plate side, so that these through holes are coaxial, with the first set of fixing bolts (9) passing through the slotted holes (8) of the support plate (5), with the heads of those bolts (9) accommodated in the counter-bored areas (21). *. S. * S * * S*. 20
14. A dock bumper substantially as herein before described with reference to the * *. accompanying drawings. * * * S*S S *S..... I *