Run-off guard for a dock leveler

1. A dock leveler adapted to be mounted to a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:

a ramp adapted to be rotatably coupled to the loading dock;

a guard coupled to the ramp, the guard being rotatable between a raised position that forms a barrier and a lowered position; and;

a gas spring coupled to the guard, wherein the gas spring biases the guard toward the raised position when the guard is in the raised position, and wherein the gas spring biases the guard toward the lowered position when the guard is in the lowered position.

2. The dock leveler as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a linkage between the biasing member and the guard.

3. The dock leveler as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a damper coupled to the guard, wherein the damper shows the downward motion of the guard.

4. The dock leveler as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a linkage that raises the guard from the lowered position to the raised position when the ramp is raised from a first position to a second position.

5. The dock leveler as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a manually-activated mechanical linkage that can be used to lower the guard from the raised position into the lowered position.

6. A dock leveler adapted to be mounted to a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:

a ramp adapted to be rotatably coupled to the loading dock;

guard coupled to the ramp, the guard being rotatable between a raised position that forms a barrier and a lowered position;

a spring coupled to the guard, wherein the spring biases the guard toward the raised position when the guard is in the raised position, and wherein the spring biases the guard toward the lowered position when the guard is in the lowered position; and;

wherein the spring biases the guard toward the raised position when the spring is over center in a first direction and the spring biases the guard toward the lowered position when the spring is over center in a second direction.

7. A dock leveler adapted to be mounted to a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:

a ramp adapted to be rotatably coupled to the loading dock;

a guard coupled to the ramp, the guard being rotatable between a raised position that forms a barrier and a lowered position;

a biasing member coupled to the guard, wherein the biasing member biases the guard toward the raised position when the guard is in the raised position, and wherein the biasing member biases the guard toward the lowered position when the guard is in the lowered position; and;

a linkage between the biasing member and the guard, wherein the linkage includes a bell crank rotatably coupled to the frame and a link coupled to the bell crank and the guard.

8. The dock leveler as claim 7 , wherein the biasing member is coupled to the bell crank such that rotation of the bell crank in one direction moves the biasing member over center in one direction to bias the guard toward the raised position and rotation of the bell crank in an opposite direction moves the biasing member over center in an opposite direction to bias the guard toward the lowered position.

9. A dock leveler adapted to be mounted to a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:

a ramp adapted to be rotatably coupled to the loading dock;

a guard coupled to the ramp, the guard being rotatable between a raised position that forms a barrier and a lowered position;

a biasing member coupled to the guard, wherein the biasing member biases the guard toward the raised position when the guard is in the raised position, and wherein the biasing member biases the guard toward the lowered position when the guard is in the lowered position; and;

a kick-out strike adapted to be coupled to the loading dock below the ramp, and a linkage coupled to the guard, wherein lowering of the ramp to a declined position causes the kick-out strike to contact and move the linkage to rotate the guard to the lowered position.