Vehicle restraint

Claim 2

In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of .Iadd.a .Iaddend.loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and being biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being moveable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching member mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising means adjustably mounted on said carriage member and normally assuming a pendent relative position wherein an exposed portion thereof forms an extension of the carriage member cam surface; said means being moveable independently of said carriage member from the normal pendent position by a reactive force exerted thereon by a portion of the roadway upon the carriage member being moveable vertically downwardly beyond a predetermined distance from the rest position.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the adjustably mounted means includes a toe-like member mounted on said carriage member to normally assume an outwardly and downwardly extending pendent position relative to a lower portion of said carriage member.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the toe-like member is pivotally mounted on the carriage member.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the toe-like member is provided with a peripheral surface portion which is aligned with the carriage member cam surface, when said toe-like member assumes the normal outwardly and downwardly extending pendent position.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the toe-like member is slidably mounted on a lower portion of the carriage member for movement between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position; when in a fully extended position, said toe-like member projecting downwardly and outwardly from the carriage member whereby a peripheral portion of the toe-like member is in substantially coplanar relation with the cam surface of said carriage member.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the toe-like member is moveable independently of the attaching member.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the force of gravity causes the toe-like member to normally assume the pendent position relative to the lower portion of the carriage member.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 3 including stop means adapted to coact with the carriage member and the toe-like member to limit pivotal movement of the latter in one direction whereby same assumes a predetermined normal pendent position.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 5 wherein the toe-like member and the carriage member are interconnected by an assembly having an elongated slot formed on one of the members and complemental pin means on the other member being sized relative to said slot whereby said pin means extends into the slot and is moveable only longitudinally thereof as said toe-like member moves between said fully extended and fully retracted positions. .Iadd.

Claim 11

In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching means mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode;, the improvement comprising toe means adjustably mounted on said carriage member and normally assuming a pendent relative position extending below the carriage member whereby an exposed portion thereof forms an extension of the carriage member cam surface, said toe means being movable relative to said carriage member from the normal pendent position upon the carriage member being moved vertically downward below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The improvement of claim 10 wherein the adjustably mounted toe means includes a toe-like member mounted on said carriage member to normally assume an outwardly and downwardly extending pendent position relative to a lower portion of said carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the toe-like member is pivotally mounted on the carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the toe-like member is provided with a peripheral surface portion which is aligned with the carriage member cam surface, when said toe-like member assumes the normal outwardly and downwardly extending pendent position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the toe-like member is slidably mounted on a lower portion of the carriage member for movement between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position; when in a fully extended position, said toe-like member projecting downwardly and outwardly from the carriage member whereby a peripheral portion of the toe-like member is in substantially coplanar relation with the cam surface of said carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the toe-like member is movable independently of the attaching member. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the force of gravity causes the toe-like member to normally assume the pendent position relative to the lower portion of the carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The improvement of claim 12 including stop means adapted to coact with the carriage member and the toe-like member to limit pivotal movement of the latter in one direction whereby the toe-like member assumes the predetermined normal pendent position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The improvement of claim 14 wherein the toe-like member and the carriage member are interconnected by an assembly having an elongated slot formed on one of the members and complemental pin means on the other member being sized relative to said slot whereby said pin means extends into the slot and is moveable only longitudinally thereof as said toe-like member moves between

Claim 12

said fully extended and fully retracted positions..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. In a vehicle restraint system, the combination comprising: a roadway for parked vehicles, a loading dock including a loading surface above said roadway and an upright wall connecting the roadway and the loading surface, and a vehicle restraint mounted on said upright wall, said restraint including a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the upright wall, said carriage member being biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member having an exposed cam surface and being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on said cam surface, an attaching means mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto and cooperating therewith to establish a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode, and toe means adjustably mounted on said carriage member and normally assuming a pendent position wherein an exposed portion thereof forms an extension of the carriage member cam surface, said toe means being movable relative to said carriage member from the normal pendent position upon the carriage member being moved vertically downward below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The improvement of claim 19 wherein the adjustably mounted toe means includes a toe-like member mounted on said carriage member to normally assume an outwardly and downwardly extending pendent position relative to a lower portion of said carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the force of gravity causes the toe-like member to normally assume the pendent position relative to the lower portion of the carriage member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching means mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto and cooperating therewith to define a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising toe means adjustably mounted on said carriage member and normally assuming a pendent relative position extending below the carriage member whereby an exposed portion thereof forms an extension of the carriage member cam surface, stop means maintaining said toe means in said pendent position to form said extension, said toe means being movable relative to said carriage member from the normal pendent position to a position spaced from said stop means upon the carriage member being moved vertically downward below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend.

Claim 13

.Iadd. In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching member mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising toe means on said carriage member, pivot means supporting said toe means on said carriage member, stop means maintaining said toe means in a pendent position to form a downward extension of said cam surface, said toe means being movable relative to said carriage member from the normal pendent position to a position spaced from said stop means upon the carriage member being moved vertically downward below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching member mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising toe means on said carriage member, pivot means supporting said toe means on said carriage member, stop means maintaining ssid toe means in a pendent position to form a downward extension of said cam surface, said toe means being rotatable about said pivot means relative to said carriage member from said pendent position pdetermined by said stop means to an elevated position in response to movement of said carriage member downwardly below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend.

Claim 14

.Iadd. In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching member mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising toe means on said carriage member, pivot means supporting said toe means on said carriage member, stop means maintaining said toe means in a pendent position to form a downward extension of said cam surface, said toe means being movable relative to said carriage member from the normal pendent position to a position spaced from said stop means upon the carriage member being moved vertically downward below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. In a vehicle restraint for securing a vehicle parked on a roadway to an adjacent wall of a loading dock wherein the restraint has a carriage member mounted for vertical movement on the dock wall and biased to assume a predetermined elevated rest position relative to the roadway, the carriage member being movable vertically downwardly from the rest position upon an external force of a predetermined magnitude being exerted on an exposed cam surface of the carriage member, and an attaching member mounted on the carriage member for movement relative thereto between a vehicle locking mode and a vehicle release mode; the improvement comprising toe means on said carriage member, pivot means supporting said toe means on said carriage member, stop means maintaining ssid toe means in a pendent position to form a downward extension of said cam surface, said toe means being rotatable about said pivot means relative to said carriage member from said pendent position pdetermined by said stop means to an elevated position in response to movement of said carriage member downwardly below a predetermined spaced position relative to the roadway. .Iaddend.