US Patent 7100233 Vertically-storing dock leveler apparatus and method

A dock leveler for bridging the gap between a loading dock and the bed of a vehicle parked at the loading dock. The dock leveler is configured for installation on the top of the dock and is designed to rotate from a vertically-stored raised position to at least one lowered, operative position. In some embodiments, the dock leveler can be lowered either for normal operation so that the deck assembly rests on the bed of the vehicle or it can be lowered to accommodate an end-loading condition.