ThinMan Truck Leveler/Vehicle Restraint System
Making the most of available trailer space is critical for maximizing freight shipments. But if these loads can’t safely and efficiently be removed from the trailer, productivity suffers at the loading dock. The surface-mounted, ultra-low profile ThinMan™ Truck Leveler and Global Wheel-Lok™ (GWL) Restraint System from Rite-Hite Corporation is the key to full, unobstructed access to virtually any trailer and load. The ThinMan™ truck leveler lifts and positions trailer beds precisely to dock height for level loading and unloading, while the GWL ensures safe access for fork trucks, holding the trailer securely to the dock during loading and unloading. Extra wide, tall and/or long loads can be removed without hitting the trailer’s side walls and/or ceiling with loads.
For companies trying to achieve complete supply chain efficiency and improve productivity, the ThinMan™ truck leveler and Global Wheel-Lok™ Restraint system provides a unique solution to eliminate productivity bottlenecks at the dock.
The ThinMan™ system is surface mounted, eliminating the need for building a costly below-grade pit and making installation easy. Its 1-1/8” collapsed height makes your dock easily assessable for a variety of trucks and trailers, making it a true multipurpose dock. Other surface-mounted truck levelers have collapsed heights of approximately 6”, limiting the flexibility of the dock, making it challenging to service trailers above dock.
“Our docks have many variations in scheduling and receiving both standard and drop deck equipment over a 24-hour period. Prior to the ThinMan™ truck leveler, we had to dedicate doors to specific carriers, thus reducing the flexibility we had in attaining higher efficiencies for our receiving operations. [The ThinMan™] has allowed our plant to become a more efficient 24-hour receiving operation,” testifies one of Rite-Hite’s automotive manufacturing customers.
Another automotive customer attests, “We recently completed construction of five new docks for the delivery of sequenced material for our Automotive Trim Assembly operations. The combination of ThinMan™ truck levelers with integral Global Wheel-Lok™ restraints, Rite-Hite dock levelers, and Workhorse™ sectional doors has really helped expedite material across these high volume receiving docks.”
To ensure safety, the Global Wheel-Lok™ (GWL) restraint is interlocked to the ThinMan™ truck leveler, meaning that the restraint must be engaged and the trailer secure before the truck leveler can be raised.
Wheel guides on both sides make trailer alignment fast and accurate. They also help protect the dock platform and enhance dock seal performance. The hydraulic pump, manifold, and oil reservoir are contained in an integral assembly, making the ThinMan™ system easy to maintain. All hoses are routed in the leveler platform, away from debris.
Rite-Hite Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., is an industry leader, providing high quality material handling systems designed for maximum safety and productivity. The company specializes in Intelligent Dock DesignSM, which consists of trailer restraints, dock levelers, dock seals and shelters, industrial power doors, and innovative control systems.