Importance

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Abstract

A vehicle restraint including a hook member adapted to be coupled to the loading dock. The hook member is mounted for movement toward and away from the dock face and further is mounted for movement up and down relative to the dock face. The hook member is arranged such that it will secure three sides of an ICC bar of a vehicle parked at the loading dock. In one embodiment, the hook member includes a longitudinal portion, a restraining portion, and a tab. The longitudinal portion is adapted to engage a lower portion of the ICC bar, the restraining portion is adapted to engage a front portion of the ICC bar, and the tab is adapted to engage an upper portion of the ICC bar. The above-described restraint can be utilized to perform a method of securing a vehicle having an ICC bar to a loading dock having a dock face. The method comprises positioning the vehicle at the loading dock, moving the hook member upward into alignment with the ICC bar (e.g., using the vertical actuator), and moving the hook member toward the dock face (e.g., using the longitudinal actuator) such that the hook member secures at least three sides of the ICC bar to thereby inhibit removal of the hook member from the ICC bar. In another aspect of the invention, the engagement between the hook member and the ICC bar is monitored to insure that proper engagement in maintained. This insures that the hook member maintains securement of at least three sides of the ICC bar to thereby inhibit removal of the hook member from the ICC bar. In the event that the desired engagement is not maintained, the hook member can be moved toward the ICC bar.

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First Claim