Vertical storing dock leveler installations all require a cast in place rear C channel.
The rear channel(s) is required on site in the early stages of construction; they are positioned when the loading dock areas finished floor level is being formed and the C channel is then cast in place when the finished floor concrete is poured.
The cast in place rear channel includes the dock leveler tilt bar pockets, maintenance stand and lift cylinder installation brackets.
The cast in place rear ... Read More
The primary purpose of installing accordion skirts on a lift table is to minimize debris from entering under the raised lift table platform. They can also improve aesthetics of the lift in certain applications.
Contrary to most people’s perception, accordion skirts are not a suitable safety barrier. The accordion skirt material can be easily compressed and therefore does not suitably act as a personal barrier to any pinch point or crush hazards on a lift.
By minimizing debris from enteri... Read More
A concern that could occur at the loading dock is caused by unscheduled truck departure.
With a truck backed into position at the loading dock the dock attendant operates the mechanical dock leveler by first pulling the deck installed release chain. The deck assembly raises and the hinged lip extends and locks into position. The dock attendant then “walks down” the deck assembly until the extended lip contacts the bed of the truck. The truck is now ready to be loaded/off loaded.
Dur... Read More
There are applications where trucks arriving at the loading dock have pallets that are positioned right at the very back of the truck bed. Pallets that are positioned right at the very back of the truck bed don’t leave enough room for the dock leveler lip assembly to be extended and positioned on the truck bed floor for unloading.
If the truck bed is level or above the finished floor level the dock attendant drives the lift truck onto the closed/stored dock leveler platform and reaches acro... Read More
In an application where the overhead door closes on top of the lowered dock lift platform it is common to order the dock lift equipped with an optional Overhead Door Kit.
The Overhead Door Kit prevents the dock attendant from accidentally attempting to raise the dock lift when the overhead door is in the closed /locked position on top of the lowered dock lift platform. Attempting to raise the dock lift with the overhead door closed / locked could cause damage to the overhead door.
The Over... Read More
Electric toe sensors are an option that is often provided on a dock lift that is to be installed into a recessed pit.
Electric toe sensors consist of a 4 sided steel bar assembly that is suspended by chains just below the underside of the dock lift platform. This 4 sided bar assembly is equipped with 4 electric limit switches that are wired in series in the closed position.
To lower the platform the dock attendant depresses the control station down button. Power to the electric operated lo... Read More
Mechanical dock levelers are stored in the closed, lowered position through the use of a hold down locking device.
To cycle a mechanical dock leveler the dock attendant first pulls the deck installed release chain.
Pulling the release chain disengages the hold down locking device and the spring loaded, upward biased dock leveler deck assembly rises. As the deck assembly rises the hinged lip assembly extends and is locked in position when the deck is fully raised.
The deck assembly is hi... Read More
An application that requires lifting and positioning long loads or loads of size could benefit from the use of multiple lift tables that are synchronized while during lifting and / or lowering operations.
The primary questions to address when synchronizing lift tables are A) how many lift tables are required to be hydraulically synchronized? Â B) How similar will the loads be on each lift table platform? C) How far apart will the lift tables be from each other and D) what degree of synchroniz... Read More
As standard Pentalift produces its dock lift products utilizing a spray on enamel paint for the equipment’s finish coat. Non-standard paint colors are also available from the majority of dock lift manufacturers to match the surrounding equipment or to address a user preference color choice.
To specify a non-standard paint color Pentalift must be advised of the international RAL color code identification # to be applied. There are over 2,500 colors from which to choose; for example RAL 5005 ... Read More
Dock lifts are a scissor lift design that in the majority of applications are used to move goods between ground level (grade) and varying truck bed heights.
However there are applications that require the dock lift to be used to transfer product or equipment between two floor levels within a facility. This is the ideal application for the dock lift to be equipped with an optional Up Travel limit switch.
The purpose of the Up Travel limit switch is to stop the vertical travel of the dock li... Read More