As standard hydraulic dock levelers are provided with a wall mounted up button, often referred to as a jog start. Dock levelers that include additional operating features or dock levelers that are interlocked with other equipment are provided with a wall mounted control panel.
The dock leveler wall mount control panel is sized depending upon the number of operating features specified. The additional operating features can include dock leveler auto return and deck stop.
It is most common for the dock attendant to operate the dock leveler when the truck has arrived is backed into position. The dock attendant activates the Up button and the platform raises, the hydraulic operated lip extends. The up button is released and the dock leveler automatically lowers into position. With the hinged lip at rest on the truck bed, loading begins. When loading is completed the dock attendant operates the dock leveler raising the deck until the hinged lip drops into the vertical position and then returning it to the closed position.
If the dock attendant is not available the truck driver simply drives away. If the dock leveler is equipped with auto return the deck assembly lowers, the hydraulic lip retracts into the vertical position signaling a limit switch to start the dock leveler lift motor. The dock leveler lift motor runs raising the deck assembly until the lip clears the night locks, the motor shuts off and the deck assembly then lowers into the stored closed position, this feature is referred to as auto return.
Deck stop is a feature that allows the dock attendant to stop the deck at any position of the operating cycle, deck stop also includes independent lip control. Using this feature allows the dock attendant to raise the deck until the lip just clears the truck bed and then immediately stop the deck and activate the lip assembly into the extended position reducing the overall cycle time.
Overhead door controls consisting of an Up button, a Down button and an Emergency Stop button are available in the dock leveler control panel. A GFI 115/1/60 receptacle is also available in the control panel to plug in the optional dock light and other loading dock area accessories. A rotary disconnect is available in the control panel to shut off the incoming power to the control panel during some aspects of maintenance.
The dock leveler control panel can be interlocked to operate a vehicle restraint, operate an inflatable dock seal or dock shelter and interlocked to the overhead door. The interlock will enforce the proper sequence of use of the different dock equipment. Interlocking to the overhead door prevents damaging a closed locked overhead door as the dock leveler will not operate until the overhead door is first in the open position.
Hydraulic dock levelers can be equipped to keep all of the control functions required at the loading dock area into one conveniently located control panel.
For additional information on Pentalift loading dock equipment contact the Pentalift Sales Department.