Dock lifts are a scissor lift design that is most commonly used to load or unload trucks from the truck bed height to grade level. Dock lifts can be ordered to suit either a surface installation or a preformed recessed pit installation.
Surface Installed Dock Lifts
Pentalift Low Profile Dock Lifts are installed directly on a concrete slab. Installing a dock lift on a concrete slab eliminates the need for a preformed, recessed pit. For retrofit applications, the cost of creating a pit can b... Read More
Hydraulic dock levelers typically come with a wall-mounted control featuring a single deck raise button. They can also be ordered with the optional auto-return to cross traffic or stored position feature.
Electrically Interlocked Vehicle Restraints
It is common for hydraulic dock levelers to be ordered with vehicle restraints that are electrically interlocked with the hydraulic dock leveler.
As opposed to having two individual control boxes — one to operate the hydraulic dock leveler ... Read More
Most industrial buildings are designed with a level truck approach to the loading dock area. With a level approach, the truck backs into position at the loading dock and the back of the trailer is somewhat square to the building’s foundation wall.
However, due to space restrictions, it is not uncommon for trucks to have to back down a sloped ramp to the loading dock; this is referred to as a declining truck well.
Declining Approaches and Dock Levelers
At a declined approach, as the ... Read More
Most industrial buildings are designed with a level truck approach to the loading dock area. With a level approach, the truck backs into position at the loading dock and the back of the trailer is somewhat “square” to the building’s walls. The rear sides and top of the trailer contact and compress a conventional dock seal 4”–6” to provide an energy-saving seal at the loading dock area.
Declining Truck Wells
However, due to space restrictions, it is not uncommon for trucks to ha... Read More
Dock levelers are structurally designed to accommodate dynamic or moving loads at the loading dock.
The most common dock height is 48” above exterior grade and uses dock levelers to load and unload trucks. With a truck backed into position at a loading dock, the dock leveler is activated: the deck raises, the hinged lip extends, and the deck assembly is then lowered until the extended lip contacts the bed of the truck. The truck is now ready to be loaded or unloaded.
Factors to... Read More
As standard all Pentalift mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic dock levelers are provided with a 16” long hinged lip assembly.
A dock leveler equipped with a 16” long hinged lip used in conjunction with 4 1/2” thick dock bumpers provides adequate lip penetration onto the floor/bed of the truck during loading.
An optional 18” long lip assembly is very common and is recommended. The 18” long lip ensures that there is adequate lip penetration onto the floor/bed of the truck... Read More
Pentalift Dock lifts are equipped with a manually operated, 18” long x 60” wide hinged transition plate that permits pallet truck access from the dock lift platform to the bed of the truck; these transition plates are referred to as hinged bridge plates.
Optional hinged bridge plates are available in sizes up to 42” long x up to 96” wide.
Available in one piece or two piece design, hinged bridge plates typically are stored in the vertical position. When required, the dock attendant... Read More
Hydraulic operated dock levelers offer many advantages over mechanically operated dock levelers.
Ergonomics and Ease of Operation
Hydraulic Dock Levelers
Operated with simple push-button controls.
The operator raises the deck assembly, the hinged lip assembly extends, and the deck lowers until contact is made with the truck bed.
No physical effort is required from the dock attendant.
Mechanical Dock Levelers
The dock attendant must bend and pull... Read More
The size of the overhead door typically determines whether a dock seal or a dock shelter will provide the best energy savings. The dock seal or dock shelter provides a seal at an open overhead door with a truck backed into position.
Dock Seals
Installed on: Overhead doors up to 9’ wide x 10’ high.
Compression style dock seals are the preferred energy-efficient seal installed on Overhead doors up to 9’ wide x 10’ high .
One of the most important dimensions to confirm is the ... Read More
Dock seals and dock shelters are both designed to conserve energy when a truck is backed into position at the loading dock and the loading dock’s overhead door is open.
The dock seal or dock shelter provides a tight seal between the back of the truck and the building wall. This seal minimizes energy loss from inside the building to the exterior while the overhead door is open and the truck is being loaded or unloaded.
When to Use a Dock Seal vs. Dock Shelter
Dock Seals are typically... Read More