Dock Lifts can come in many forms and with many uses. Some are built into a pit while others are raised but stationary, and others still are portable. Dock Lifts can be manufactured to service virtually any trailer height with capacities of varying amounts. From ride on to hand propelled pallet trucks, a dock lift is an excellent addition to any manufacturing or warehousing facility. Exterior and interior dock lifts are built to withstand all four seasons.
At some locations servicing a wide range of incoming trucks while providing exterior grade level access is required.
With an interior dock lift in place, in the closed position, the overhead door minimizes any energy loss. At the site, the dock lift is installed in a three sided pit, again servicing a wide range of incoming truck heights. The bridge plate is constructed of steel checker plate, the higher the dock lift capacity, the thicker the steel. For ease of operation, longer, higher capacity bridge plates can be lowered and raised hydraulically.
Dock lifts are not used exclusively for loading and unloading trucks, at some locations a dock lift is used to safely and efficiently move product between two levels. In the raised position a travel limit switch automatically shuts off the power unit assuring smooth transfer to the upper level.
In an exterior application, to protect the dock lift from impact when the truck backs into position, bollards are often pre-cast into the concrete. The hinged bridge plate should be sized to provide a minimum of 12 inches of projection beyond the face of the bollards. All models of Pentalift dock lifts are designed for outdoor use in typical spring, summer, fall and winter applications. Power units are available in any voltage with a wide range of horsepower ratings; the higher the horsepower rating, the faster the platform rises.
Not every application allows a dock lift to be installed into a recessed pit, as an alternative, Pentalift offers a line of surface installed low profile dock lifts. Our LPE dock lifts are generally specified with a 36 inch approach ramp to provide easy access from the floor to and from the dock lift platform. This series of dock lift is available in lifting capacities of 4000 lbs to 8000 lbs, accommodating many applications which use either manual pallet trucks or power-driven pallet trucks.
We offer many affordable solutions to service trucks at grade level. To discuss your requirements, please contact a Pentalift sales representative or visit us online.