Lip-operated switching device for power operated loading platform

Claim 1

A LIP-OPERATED SWITCHING DEVICE FOR A POWER OPERATED RAMP FOR BRIDGING THE SPACE BETWEEN A LOADING DOCK AND A VEHICLE BED ADJACENT TO IT COMPRISING A PLATFORM, MAIN HINGE MEANS CONNECTED THE REAR OF SAID PLATFORM TO SAID LOADING DOCK, POWERED ELEVATING MEANS CONNECTED TO REACT BETWEEN SAID LOADING DOCK AND SAID PLATFORM FOR ROTATING IT UPWARDLY ABOUT SAID MAIN HINGE MEANS, A LIP DISPOSED AT THE FRONT OF SAID PLATFORM, LIP HINGE MEANS ROTATABLY CONNECTING SAID LIP TO THE FRONT OF SAID PLATFORM FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RETRACTED POSITION TO A BRIDGING POSITION IN WHICH IT FORMS A SUBSTANTIAL CONTINUATION OF SAID PLATFORM, LIP OPERATING CYLINDER MEANS CONNECTED TO REACT BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF SAID PLATFORM AND SAID LIP FOR RAISING SAID LIP FROM SAID RETRACTED TO SAID BRIDGING POSITION, AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH MOUNTED UNDER SAID PLATFORM, SAID SWITCH HAVIGN AN OPERATING STEM DISPOSED TOWARD SAID OPERATING CYLINDER, A STEM CONTACTING SURFACE UPON SAID CYLINDER, SAID OPERATING CYLINDER BEING ROTATABLY CONNECTED TO SAID PLATFORM AND A PORTION OF SAID LIP FOR ROTATING SAID LIP ABOUT SAID LIP HINGE MEANS, SAID CYLINDER INCLINING AWAY FROM AND TOWARD SAID PLATFORM AS IT ROTATES SAID LIP, SAID CYLINDER AND ITS MODE OF CONNECTION TO SAID LIP BEING ARRANGED TO CAUSE SAID CYLINDER TO ASSUME SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ANGLE RELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM WHEN SAID LIP IS IN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RETRACTED POSITION AND IN SAID BRIDGING POSITION WHEREBY SAID STEM CONTACTING SURFACE IS IN THE SAME PHASE OF OPERATION RELATIVE TO SAID STEM IN BOTH OF SAID POSITIONS, AND SAID CYLINDER ASSUMING A DIFFERENT ANGLE RELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM WHEN SAID LIP IS IN BETWEEN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RETRACTED POSITION AND SAID BRIDGING POSITION FOR DISPOSING SAID SWITCH CONTACTING SURFACE IN A DIFFERENT OPERATING PHASE RELATIVE TO SAID STEM WHEREBY SAID SWITCH IS ENERGIZED ONLY WHEN SAID CYLINDER IS DISPOSED IN POSITIONS IN BETWEEN SAID RETRACTED AND BRIDGING POSITIONS OF SAID LIP.