Rotatable dock

Claim 2

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. means for controlling the rotation of said movable section whereby a torque of predetermined intensity will cause said rotation to cease; g. a guard rail, removably attached to a portion of the arcuate periphery of said movable section for preventing the falling of persons and objects therefrom; and h. an extendible guard rail, extending outwardly from the arcuate periphery of said movable section and along a portion thereof, one end of said extendible rail being attached to an immovable portion of said dock, for preventing the falling of persons and objects from said stationary section.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said power means rotating said movable section to position said edge portion substantially normal to the edge of said dock, aligns said edge portion with the loading opening of a stationary vehicle disposed a predetermined distance from the center of said circle and parallel to said dock.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said track is channelshaped having a vertical member and an upper and a lower horizontal member rigidly and perpendicularly attached to the ends thereof; b. a shaft is attached to said frame and extends radially and outwardly therefrom for mounting said freewheeling roller thereon; c. said freewheeling roller includes; 1. a wheel rollingly engaging the lower member of said track; 2. a first bearing disposed in said wheel on said shaft, coaxially therewith for facilitating the rotation of said wheel; 3. a second bearing disposed radially outwardly of said wheel, adjacent thereto, an inner housing of which being mounted on said shaft, an outer housing of which rollingly engages the upper member of said track such that vertical translation of the shaft due to the loading of a cantilevered portion of said dock is restrained.

Claim 5

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes:

Claim 6

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes:

Claim 7

a semicircular recess into which said movable floor section is disposed; 2. a track disposed in said recess about its arcuate periphery; 3. a first central pivot member diposed at the center of said recess and affixed thereto, rotatably supporting said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted on said frame; 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted on said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate; h. safety means including: 1. means for controlling the rotation of said movable section whereby a torque of predetermined intensity will cause said rotation to cease; 2. a guard rail, removably attached to a portion of the arcuate periphery of said movable section for preventing the falling of persons and objects therefrom; and 3. an extendible guard rail, extending outwardly from the arcuate periphery of said movable section and along a portion thereof, one end of said extendible rail being attached to an immovable portion of said dock, for preventing the falling of persons and objects from said stationary section.

Claim 8

a semicircular recess into which said movable floor section is disposed; 2. a track disposed in said recess about its arcuate periphery; 3. a first central pivot member diposed at the center of said recess and affixed thereto, rotatably supporting said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted on said frame; 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted on said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate; h. safety means including: 1. means for controlling the rotation of said movable section whereby a torque of predetermined intensity will cause said rotation to cease; 2. a guard rail, removably attached to a portion of the arcuate periphery of said movable section for preventing the falling of persons and objects therefrom; and 3. an extendible guard rail, extending outwardly from the arcuate periphery of said movable section and along a portion thereof, one end of said extendible rail being attached to an immovable portion of said dock, for preventing the falling of persons and objects from said stationary section.

Claim 9

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes: 1. a track extending about the semicircular arc of said circle, and attached to the surface of a floor in said loading dock for mounting said movable section therein; 2. a dock ramp attached at one edge thereof to the upper surface of said track and at the other edge thereof to said floor so as to form a gently inclined ramp between surfaces of said floor and said movable floor section; 3. a first central pivot member attached to said floor and disposed at the center of said circle, for rotating said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted to said frame; 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted to said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate; h. safety means including: 1. means for controlling the rotation of said movable section whereby a torque of predetermined intensity will cause said rotation to cease; 2. a guard rail, removably attached to a portion of the arcuate periphery of said movable section for preventing the falling of persons and objects therefrom; and 3. an extendible guard rail, extending outwardly from the arcuate periphery of said movable section and along a portion thereof, one end of said extendible rail being attached to an immovable portion of said dock, for preventing the falling of persons and objects from said stationary section.

Claim 10

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes: 1. a track extending about the semicircular arc of said circle, and attached to the surface of a floor in said loading dock for mounting said movable section therein; 2. a dock ramp attached at one edge thereof to the upper surface of said track and at the other edge thereof to said floor so as to form a gently inclined ramp between surfaces of said floor and said movable floor section; 3. a first central pivot member attached to said floor and disposed at the center of said circle, for rotating said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted to said frame; 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted to said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate; h. safety means including: 1. means for controlling the rotation of said movable section whereby a torque of predetermined intensity will cause said rotation to cease; 2. a guard rail, removably attached to a portion of the arcuate periphery of said movable section for preventing the falling of persons and objects therefrom; and 3. an extendible guard rail, extending outwardly from the arcuate periphery of said movable section and along a portion thereof, one end of said extendible rail being attached to an immovable portion of said dock, for preventing the falling of persons and objects from said stationary section.

Claim 11

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes: 1. a track extending about the semicircular arc of said circle, and attached to the surface of a floor in said loading dock for mounting said movable section therein; 2. a dock ramp attached at one edge thereof to the upper surface of said track and at the other edge thereof to said floor so as to form a gently inclined ramp between surfaces of said floor and said movable floor section; 3. a first central pivot member attached to said floor and disposed at the center of said circle, for rotating said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted to said frame; and 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted to said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate.

Claim 12

A loading dock comprising: a. a stationary floor section; b. a movable floor section disposed at one edge of said dock, and meeting said stationary section along the arc of a circle; c. means for rotatably supporting said movable section; d. said movable section having an edge portion at the edge of said dock which is rotated to align a portion thereof with the loading opening in the body of a vehicle alongside said dock; e. power means, operably connected to said movable section for selectively rotating said movable section to said vehicle; f. said stationary floor section includes: 1. a track extending about the semicircular arc of said circle, and attached to the surface of a floor in said loading dock for mounting said movable section therein; 2. a dock ramp attached at one edge thereof to the upper surface of said track and at the other edge thereof to said floor so as to form a gently inclined ramp between surfaces of said floor and said movable floor section; 3. a first central pivot member attached to said floor and disposed at the center of said circle, for rotating said movable section; g. said movable floor section includes: 1. a frame for supporting said movable section; 2. a deck disposed on said frame to provide a surface for said movable section; 3. a second central pivot member affixed to said frame, and mating with said first central pivot member, for rotating said movable section; 4. a freewheeling roller which translates in said track and is rotatably mounted to said frame; and 5. a drive roller which translates in said track, is rotatably mounted to said frame and is rotated by said power means so as to cause said movable section to rotate.

Claim 13

A loading structure comprising: a. a building having a wall alongside of a drive for cargo carrying vehicles, said building having a floor approximately at normal dock heighth and a door opening in said wall; b. a dock platform generally semicircular in shape and having a straight edge adjacent to and substantially parallel to said building wall and a periphery inside and adjacent one side of said door opening, said dock platform having a radial dimension less than the width of the door opening; c. means mounting said dock platform in the building for rotation about an axis adjacent to the other side of said door opening with rotation of the dock platform moving a portion thereof outwardly through said door opening to a cantilevered position with a straight edge of the dock platform at an angle of as great as 90° to the building wall and for substantially engaging a rear portion of a cargo vehicle positioned in the drive for loading and unloading; and d. power means operatively connected to said dock platform for selectively rotating same.

Claim 14

A loading structure comprising: a. a building having a wall alongside of a drive for cargo carrying vehicles, said building having a floor approximately at normal dock heighth and a door opening in said wall; b. a dock platform generally semicircular in shape and having a straight edge adjacent to and substantially parallel to said building wall and a periphery inside and adjacent one side of said door opening, said dock platform having a radial dimension less than the width of the door opening; c. means mounting said dock platform in the building for rotation about an axis adjacent to the other side of said door opening with rotation of the dock platform moving a portion thereof outwardly through said door opening to a cantilevered position with a straight edge of the dock platform at an angle of as great as 90° to the building wall and for substantially engaging a rear portion of a cargo vehicle positioned in the drive for loading and unloading; and d. power means operatively connected to said dock platform for selectively rotating same.

Claim 15

A loading structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein: a. said building floor has a semicircular recess to receive said dock platform; b. said means rotatably mounting the dock platform include a peripheral track in an arcuate portion of said recess and a plurality of guide rollers on the platform engaging said track; c. said dock platform having a frame of interconnected support members in a grid and a deck secured to said frame; and d. said deck and the building floor being substantially coplanar.