CORRECT DOCK LEVELLER OPERATING PROCEDURE:

• Vehicle Arrives
• Reverses up against Dock Leveller Bay (against "D" Rubber Bumpers)
• Rear Truck Doors are opened
• Dock Leveller is - Started
• Dock Leveller is - Activated i.e., Top Deck lifts up, Lip swings out
• Dock Leveller floats down onto vehicle floor
• Loading and off loading commences:- Dock Leveller floats, tilts, adjusts with movement of truck, flotation of tyres and springs

• Loading and offloading completed
• Dock Leveller is: Activated (ie., Top Deck Lifts, Lip swings back)
• Dock Leveller lowers to cross traffic / parked position
• Vehicle doors are closed
• Vehicle leaves

• Swing Lip catches back of vehicle floor - when lifted on the upward movement
• Swing Lip cannot retract because of vehicle floor - when returning to cross traffic position
• Swing Lip jambs in vehicle door locking mechanism
• Vehicle doors have to be opened prior to backing up to Dock Leveller bay
• Vehicle doors have to be closed after truck has moved away from Dock Leveller bay
• Dock Leveller left in the up position with swing lip extended
• Damage caused to vehicle, doors and Dock Leveller by vehicle reversing into Dock Leveller extended lip
• No shock absorbing / safety mechanism on lip activating system
• Constant adjustment to Dock Leveller, ie., springs, cables chains ratchets, lip activating camb mechanisims, gas structs, etc.
• Cam mechanical activated swing lip mechanism - not working
• Constant maintenance costs
• Manual lifting of the swing lip
• Contending with old mechanical activated mechanisms
• Loss of loading / unloading time
• Increased loading / unloading manpower hours
• Other safety hazards

THE SOLUTIONS - CHECKLIST

• Check Rubber Bumper stoppers
• Check Dock Heights
• Check height difference between dock heights and vehicle floor
• Check the Dock Leveller activating method
• Check for regular maintenance, servicing and adjustment
• Check existing activating methods

THE SOLUTION - SUGGESTIONS

• Replace rubber bumpers - they are there to protect your Dock Leveller, Dock and vehicle
• With fully mechanical spring activated mechanism:-  Retrofit with Two (II) Cylinder delayed  action system  
• With only One (I) Cylinder Top Deck Lift activated:-  Retrofit with another swing lip hydraulic cylinder system to update to Two (II) Cylinder delayed lip action system
• With any other Top Deck Lift / Swing Lip activated system: Updated with a proven Two (II) Cylinder delayed Lip action system

Consider the fully Electro Hydraulic Automatic Two (II) Cylinder activated control system when retrofitting, replacing or extending your Receiving / Despatch Bays

THE RESULTS

• Correct Dock Levelling Operation
• Hassle-free activating system
• Protection - vehicle door, Docking Bay and Dock Leveller
• Increase Docking Bay productivity
• Safety compliance
• Eliminating troublesome mechanical moving parts
• Less service intervals - or service contracts
• Incorporating the latest docking technology
• Complying with European standards
• Reduced maintenance costs
• No stoppages from arrival to departure of vehicle
• Less time loading / unloading

Some features of the new generation Mark II Dock Leveller(s) are:

• Hand hydraulic lift cylinder and hydraulic hinged lip cylinder actuated

• Overall size 3000mm long, including 400mm lip x 1800 wide

• Lip to be 400mm long and extended approximately 300mm beyond bumpers.

• Rollover capacity in any direction 10,000kg!

• Dock Leveller assembled for installation in 445mm pit

• Fully automatic electro hydraulic models are optional. 

More Mark II Dock leveller features.......