EP0198052A1

EP0198052A1 - Storage structures

Info

Publication number: EP0198052A1
Application number: EP19850905361
Authority: EP
Inventors: Charles A. Baylon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-22
Filing date: 1985-10-18
Publication date: 1986-10-22
Also published as: WO1986002687A1; AU4869085A

Abstract

Une structure de stockage (10) pour la manipulation rapide de charges spécifiques à des moments aléatoires comprend une charpente tridimensionnelle à niveaux multiples dont les niveaux sont divisés en espaces radiaux autour d'un élévateur central (30). La charpente, réduite aux éléments essentiels pour diminuer au maximum les coûts, utilise des diaphragmes espacés (38, 40, 42, 44, 46) et des colonnes radiales de support (56, 58, 60, 62) pour résister à des forces sismiques. Des caractéristiques spéciales diverses, telles qu'une navette (34), des chevalements spéciaux (70) et des systèmes hydrauliques (22) économiques en énergie sont associés dans l'agencement de charpente dans les modes préférés de réalisation de l'invention.A storage structure (10) for the rapid handling of specific loads at random times comprises a three-dimensional multi-level frame whose levels are divided into radial spaces around a central lift (30). The frame, reduced to essentials to minimize costs, uses spaced diaphragms (38, 40, 42, 44, 46) and radial support columns (56, 58, 60, 62) to resist seismic forces . Various special features, such as a shuttle (34), special head frames (70), and energy efficient hydraulic systems (22) are associated in the frame arrangement in the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Description

STORAGE STRUCTURES Technical Field

This invention relates to a novel automated, versatile, selective, rapid materials handling structure that is comprised of a tower structure with storage compartments served by a device that moves materials from the ground floor to stora-ge compartments above or below the receiving station, primarily intended for freight and materials handling, including freight pallets and containers for aircraft, auto-freight, railroads, ships, barges; unpalletized parcels, boxes, crates, and objects of- all description; automotive or wheeled vehicles including automobiles and small machines of all types; .for use in loading and unloading cargo transporting facilities and for semi-permanent and temporary storage or for hourly and short term parking ^"structures for vehicles. This method of handling freight is particularly suited for fragile and sensitive equipment, instruments and devices that are subject to damage by present loading and unloading methods.

Background Art

In modern freight and materials transporting and shipping, the high cost of labor coupled with the value of the _transporting vehicles or craft, such as airplanes and other wheeled vehicles, makes it imperative that the loading and unloading time be reduced to a minimum for maximum utilization of the vehicle. It is therefore desirable to provide these structures at airfields, auto-freight terminals, railroad freight terminals and water terminals to facilitate freight handling and reduce cost for special handling. The problem presented by these shipping requirements involves, among other factors, costs, speed in loading and unloading, elimination of handling damage, short term holding areas for cargoes with complete protection, and high land use ratio in comparison to any existing system.

The need to conserve land area has led to the design of a wide variety of structures in which loads can be stored vertically usually on a series of floors or levels. One form is the multi-storied warehouse equipped with an elevator for transporting loads between floors.

Extensions from that basic structural design include attempts to mechanize transfer of loads between the elevator and particular storage areas of a floor. Transfer mechanisms have been devised in a variety of forms. In general, the greater the degree of automation, the more specialized the transfer apparatus both in design and in the shape and kind of loads that can be accommodated. Disclosure of Invention

A general object of this invention is to provide a complete and secure materials handling system that substantially reduces loading and unloading time while handling fragile and sensitive, or other materials and providing temporary storage for both mat erials b eing transported or automotive vehicles being transported or parked for short periods. This is accomplished by utilizing a tower structure, either entirely above ground or partially above and partially below, serviced by a horizontal 1 oa d- ha nd li ng shuttle that is mounted on a turntable included in an elevating and lowering device that can be raised or lowered the full height of the tower device and can be extended into any one of a number of receiving areas on the ground level, pick up a load of material, place it on the vertical-rising device, transport the material to any desired, pre-selected storage space and deposit it in the area. To unload or deliver the material, the process is reversed. .

A more specific object of the invention is a versatile automated materials handling structure so devised that it can also be utilized as a storage tower requiring a fraction of the ground area of ordinary distributive warehouse facilities and which can be controlled by one person.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved storage structure which aff ords a cost and convenience advantage over prior structures for the storage of large loads in the circumstance in which receipt and discharge from storage occurs in random order or on short notice. Short term automobile storage has those characteristics. In metropolitan centers, at airports and large shopping malls, recreational facilities, and large industrial and manufacturing facilities, large numbers of automobiles are received for parking and are called, for in- random order. To be acceptable, any system for automatic vertical storage of those automobiles must be capable of storing and retrieving cars rapidly. The economic justification for vertical storage usually is conservation or unavailability of land area and, in most cases, cost effectiveness is not achieved unless there is provision for storage at a substantial number of levels.

Another object is to provide a structure in which earthquake and fire protection is afforded and in which energy saving may be realized,- in which construction cost is minimized and in which many levels of storage can be provided below ground level as well as above.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon examination of the following specification and the accompanying drawing. Those features are realized in part by the provision of a construction in which the space frame includes horizontal diaphragms of circular or generally regular polygonal form, alone or joined edge to edge or overlapping with others, the diaphragms being held together by radially arranged support frames. The structure, or each section of a multiple section structure, includes a central elevator shaft with whose central axis the support frames are aligned.

In one preferred form, approximately half of the storage levels are constructed below ground level and, whether or not any part of the storage is underground, in preferred form load lowering and lifting is accomplished with an hydraulic system which incorporates an accumulator such that energy released in the lowering of loads is preserved for use in the lifting of loads.

The diaphragm structure permits minimizing the cost of the space frame without loss of protection against earthquake damage. It has advantages as a storage structure independently of the form of the load handling structures. However, the load handling apparatus of the invention utilizes, and is arranged so that its elements form part of, the space frame.

A shuttle carried on a turntable which is itself mounted on the elevator moves over a track on the elevator to a continuation of the track in the space frame and back again. A structure is provided for lifting and lowering the shuttle relative to the track so that the load can be lowered to and lifted from racks carried by the space frame in its individual storage spaces.

To facilitate loading onto the sh.uttle at the receiving point a special load positioner is employed. This feature, and the other features of the invention , is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the above ground portion of a multi-section storage structure in which the invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of one section of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a^' schematic view looking down on a portion of one storage level of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of one level in the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a schematic showing of one level of a four section version of the invention;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of a model of part of the space frame of the multiple section version of the invention shown in Figure 1-;

Figure 7 is a simpl ified, isometric view showing one entry port of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of a fragment of the space frame at the entry to a storage space; Figure 9 is a fragmented view, partly in section and partly in elevation looking out of a storage space of the structure of Figure 1 at the end of the shuttle, part of which is shown elevated and the other part lowered;

Figure 10 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the side of the shuttle and its turntable;

Figure 11 is a schematic showing of the elevator lifting and lowering system; and

Figure 12 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus that moves the shuttle between the turntable and the racks

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The structure 10 of Figure 1 is the composite of three structures, 12, 14 and 16, each of which is designed to function as a storage unit for automobiles. The roof 18 and some of the internal structural elements are common to all three units. Some of the exterior wall panels are shared and, because of the close proximity of the three structures, some of the exterior wall panels are omitted. Nonetheless, each of these units is functionally complete in itself, and that is one of the features of the invention.. The basic structure can be duplicated and clustered.

Only the upper half of the three structures is visible in Figure 1. In each case the unit extends below ground level as far as it rises above ground "level. It is made to store automobiles • 1ess than six feet high and small vans less than seven feet high. To that end the interior of the structures are divided into vertical levels most of which are seven feet high to accommodate passenger cars, and a few of which are eight feet high to accommodate vans. The ground level, where cars are received from and returned to their drivers, is about ten feet high.

Maximum vehicle length is nineteen feet. Each unit is constructed around a central elevator shaft which is approximately twenty feet in diameter. An elevator platform equipped with a turntable and a shuttle is suspended on cables. It spans the shaft and is used to transport vehicles from ground level to and from computer selected storage levels above or below ground level. Each storage level is divided into storage spaces which radiate from the elevator shaft. The circumference of the basic unit is approximately sixty feet. In an optimum design, each storage level is divided into ten radial storage units each six feet wide at the elevator shaft, and each about twenty feet deep. Thus, the basic design is a structure which is circular or a regular decahedron about seventy-two feet in diameter. In this case the three structures, each with ten storage levels above ground and a penthouse structure on the roof, is about eighty feet high. Each extends about the same distance below ground.

The ground level spaces are used for receiving and delivering cars, for storage of maintenance equipment and for offices and shops and the like. The remaining levels will store 200 to 250 cars in each unit. The land area requirement per car in the three section unit of Figure 1 is approximately 28 to 36 square feet, depending on number of levels^'- utilized. A vehicle nineteen feet long and six feet wide occupies 114 square feet. Any real area comparison with alternative parking arrangements must take into account the spaces between cars and aisle and access ramp. Eventually , the area ratio must be compared to the ratio of the value of the land occupied by the parking structure plus the cost of the structure to the value of the land required for ground level parking, which requites approximately 440 square feet of space per vehicle. Obviously, the merit of a vertical parking structure design depends in large measure on its initial cost, land cost and operating cost. The structure of the invention is designed to use a minimum of materials and labor without sacrificing structural integrity or function. Its material handling system is energy efficient and automatic and easily maintained.

A skeletal schematic view of a single twenty level automobile storage unit 20 is shown in Figure 2. Ten storage levels are underground and ten are above. The hydraulic drive system 22 for the elevator 24 and turntable and shuttle apparatus is situated one level below ground level. One automobile 26 is shown entering the receiving space at the ground level of the structure. It faces right. Another automobile 28 on the elevator 24 faces to the left. The elevator includes a carriage frame 30 shown best in Figures 3, 9 a d 12 on which a turntable 32 is mounted. A shuttle 34 is carried on the turntable. The shuttle is shown best in Figures 3 and 9. A third vehicle 36 is shown at one of the lower underground levels in Figure 2.

In Figure 2 the structure's space frame includes five diaphragms numbered 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46, respectively, spaced five levels apart except that diaphragms 40 and 42 are one above and the other one level below ground level only two levels apart. Each diaphragm is a horizontal, solid floor made of reinforced concrete to add structural integrity and to compartmentalize for fir-e c.o trol. All but the upper diaphragm is formed with a central opening. The diaphragms are arranged so that their openings are aligned on a common axis. They are held apart by support frames arranged radially about the central openings of the diaphragms. Each support frame includes an inner column positioned near e margin of the central opening of the diaphragms and an outer column positioned near the outer margin. Horizontal beams interconnect the columns at each level and cross braces interconnect adjacent horizontal beams as illustrated in Figure 6 which shows a fragment 48 of the Figure 1 structure. For the sake of clarity, only four of the ten support structures are shown in the space between diaphragms 52 and 54. Those four support structures are numbered 56, 58, 60 and 62, respectively, and they are alike. Support structure 56 includes inner and ou er columns 64 and 66, respectively. Those columns are interconnected by horizontal beams one of which is numbered 68 and cr os s- br ac ing 69. There are four of

SUBSTITUTE SHEET those horizontal beams in support structure 56 between diaphragms 52 and 54. They serve, with other structural elements, to divide the parking structure into levels and storage spaces.

The division into levels is illustrated in Figure 2 where vehicles 28 and 36 are shown to be stored one above ground and the other below. Each level is divided into ten storage spaces as best shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic showing of part of one level in the three section storage structure of Figure 1. It shows the elevator 30, the turntable 32 and shuttle 34 and the storage spaces and racks of structure section 16. It also shows part of -a storage space and rack 70 of structure section 12 and parts of three storage spaces and racks of structure section 14. They are identified by reference numerals 72, 74 and 76, respectively. One storage space and rack extends between racks 72 and 74 of section 14. The numeral 80 designates one of the diaphragms of the composite structure.

The interfitting of the storage spaces greatly reduce the floor area. That is apparent in Figures 4 and 5 which show the arrangement of storage spaces at each of the levels in a three level and in a four section structure, respectively. Combining sections in this fashion and interconnecting them with common diaphragms reduces gyration effects and adds greatly to the ability to withstand seismic forces .

A pair of tracks extend into each storage space. The shuttle 34 is carried on similar tracks which are mounted on the turntable. The turntable is capable of 360 degrees rotation in both directions so the shuttle can be directed into any storage space and an automobile that is received with its front end directed into the structure can be delivered to an exit space with its front end directed out. A double acting hydraulic cylinder 82 (Figures 9 and 12) is fixed to the turntable and permits driving the shuttle in .either direction through a cable and pulley sy stem so that one-hundred-eighty degree turntable rotation is all that is required .

Figure 9 is an illustration of what is seen from within'a storage space toward the elevator and turntable when the space is occupied by the shuttle. The cross section is taken on a vertical plane transverse to the direction of shuttle movement which extends through the mid-region of the storage space and of the shuttle. To illustrate how the shuttle acts to deliver and remove vehicles from the storage rack, it is shown in the condition it has when carrying a vehicle in the left half of Figure 9. It is shown in the condition it has after delivery or before recovery of a vehicle in the right half of Figure 9. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the shuttle includes a primary frame 84, a secondary frame 86 and a carriage 88. The carriage includes two, spaced, L-shaped bars 90 and 92 which extend over the length of the shuttle. Those bars are fixed to, and they are held spaced by, twelve cross rods. The rods extend across and in fact define the width of the shuttle. They are arranged in parallel in two sets of six, one set at each end of the shuttle. For identification, one of the rods is numbered 94. It is seen in each of Figures 3, 9 and 10.

The carriage 88 is mounted on four hydraulic lift jacks three of which are visible in Figures 9 and 10 where they are numbered 96,98 and 100, respectively. The jacks are mounted on and are carried by the primary frame 84. That frame, as best shown in Figure 9, is essentially an inverted

SUBSTITUTE SHξET U-shaped channel having outwardly extending flanges at the ends of the arms of the U-shape. It is on these flanges that the jacks are mounted. The secondary frame is disposed in the channel of the primary frame. It, too,' is essentially a U-shaped channel mounted open side down. It is formed with outwardly extending flanges, two on each side arm of the U-shape. On each side of the channel one flange extends from the lower end and the other extends from the upper end of the side arms of the channel. Alternatively, the secondary frame can be described as two C-shaped channels opening as from one another and interconnected and held spaced apart by a top plate 102.

The C-shaped channels serve as tracks for roller wheels mounted on the inner wall of the arms of the U-shaped primary frame. There are a dozen of those rollers mounted on each side of the primary frame. The' C-shaped tracks of the secondary frame roll over those roller wheels to permit the two frames to telescope relative to one another. Two of the roller wheels are visible in Figure 9. The one .on the left is numbered 104. The one on the right is numbered 106. They serve both as guides and as supports for the secondary frame. Primary support for the secondary frame is provided by a set of roller wheels mounted at the back of the C-shaped channels of the secondary frame such that they extend below. the secondary frame and rest on a runway. Two of those wheels 108 and 110 are visible in Figure 9. The runway is formed by a long channel 114 mounted atop the turntable 32 and by long flat plate 112 mounted on the framework that forms the storage space. In Figure 9 the right half of the storage frame cross member 115 is cut away to expose the right ^lhalf of the turntable 32. Outboard of the plate 112 is channel 116 which serves as the track for a set of elastomerically tired wheels. The wheels rotate on axles carried at the outer side of the primary frame 84. There are four of those wheels with elastomeric tires. Two on the right side are numbered 118 and 120, respectively. Of the two on the left, one wheel, 122, is visible.

Wheel 122 is shown above the portion 124 of the track for the left side wheels which is mounted on the storage frame.

Enough of a vehicle 130 is shown mounted on the shuttle 34 to illustrate how the vehicle wheels 132 and 134 are accommodated between pairs of the cross bars of the shuttle carriage 88. Both rear wheels 134 and 136 are shown in Figure 9. At the right in Figure 9 the carriage 88 is shown in its upper position as it is in Figure 10. Bar 94 and the other cross bars of the carriage are above the bar on holding pin 140 which extends horizontally in the direction of the shuttle from its connection to two L-beams 142 and 144. Those beams form part of the storage rack. Another pair, 146 and 148 at the other side, support a similar holding pin 150.

The shuttle is moved into the storage space to a point at which the pins of the rack and the cross bars of the shuttle are offset enough to permit the cross bars to be lowered to a plane below the pins and to be lifted above 'the pins whereby the vehicle may be transferred between the pins of the rack and the cross bars of the shuttle. At the left in Figure 9, the shuttle cross bars are in the lowered position they occupy when the shuttle is being moved into a storage space in preparation to retrieve a vehicle or is being retracted after delivering a vehicle to the storage space. At such times the vehicle is supported on the storage rack pins. When the shuttle is delivering or retrieving the vehicle the carriage is lifted, as shown at the right in Figure 9, whereby the vehicle rests on the shuttle cross bars on a plane above the rack pins.

The arrangement of the rack pins is shown generally in Figure 3 and more specifically in Figures 8 and 9. In each storage space there are four sets of pins mounted on two parallel support beams. In this embodiment each support beam is formed by two L-shaped beams. Each support beam carries two sets of pins, one for a forward wheel and the other for a rearward wheel. In this case there are two pins to hold the forward wheel and six in position to receive a rear wheel. In addition to the storage rack each storage space has a set of tracks over which the primary and secondary frames of the shuttle are moved. They were described in connection with Figure 9, and are shown in greater detail in Figure 8. In Figure 8 the cross beam 115 extends across the entrance to a storage space. The tracks for the wheels of the primary shuttle frame are formed by channels 151 at the upper surface of I-beams 124 and 152. The track 114 for the wheels of the shuttle's secondary frame is seen in this view to be formed by the bottom of an inverted U-shaped channel.

A means is provided for locking the turntable to the space frame at the entrance to each of the storage spaces. Hydraulically actuated plungers serve that function in this embodiment although other structural arrangements may be employed to perform the function. The plungers are carried on the turntable and they engage with sockets fixed to the face of the cross beam at each storage space. Two of the plungers, 154 and 156, are visible in Figure 10. Two of the sockets, 158 and 160, are visible opposite plungers 154 and 156, respectively. Another socket 162 is fixed to the face of beam 115 in Figure 8. To store an automobile in a storage space, it is picked up by the shuttle at a receiving port and the shuttle is retracted to the elevator. The elevator is operated to lift or lower the vehicle to a selected storage level, and the turntable is rotated to a particular storage space. The plungers of the turntable are engaged in plunger sockets at the entrance to the storage space at each end of the turntable to ensure registration of the turntable tracks with the tracks in the storage space. That having been done, the jacks of the shuttle are extended to raise the carriage 34 and therefore to raise the cross rods that project from the shuttle's sides and any load carried- on those rods. Next, the shuttle is pushed by the double ended, telescoping cylinder 82 from the turntable on to the wheel tracks, of the storage space. The carriage remains elevated and the load is moved into the storage space above the rack pins. After the shuttle and its load are disposed in the storage space, the jacks are lowered. The carriage 34 is lowered until its rods pass between and below the pins of the rack. As a consequence the load (the vehicle) is transferred to the^' rack pins. The shuttle is then retracted back onto the turntable while the carriage remains lowered.

The mechanism by which the shuttle is driven is illustrated in Figure 12. It includes the primary and secondary frames 84 and 86, pulleys 170 and 172 carried on the secondary frame one at each end, pulleys 174 and 176 which are mounted on the turntable at spaced points, the double acting piston 82 and two sets of two pulleys, each set being carried at a respectively associated end of the piston, and four cables. One of the pulley sets includes pulleys 178 and 180. A cable 182 is tied to the turntable and pulley 182 extends over pulleys 178, 174 and 180, in that order, to a fixed connection to the secondary frame and the end of the secondary

SUBSTITUTE SHEET frame toward pulley 174. The ends of the piston rods of cylinder 82 are fixed to the turntable. Instead of the rods being extended from and retracted into the cylinder, it is the cylinder itself that moves relative to the turntable as fluid pressure in the cylinder is changed. When the cylinder is driven to the right in Figure 1 the length of the cable between the end at pulley 174 and the two pulleys 178 and 180 must increase. That requires shortening of the cable between pulley 180 and the connection to secondary frame 86 as a consequence of which the secondary frame is forced to move to the right. Another cable 184 has one end fixed to the turntable at the left of the^' cylinder 82. That cable extends over pulley 172 to a connection to the primary frame at its left end. As the secondary frame and pulley 172 is moved to the right, the se'ction of the cable between its connection to the turntable and pulley 172 is increased requiring rightward movement of the primary frame. The particular arrangement employed here results in three-fold displacement of the secondary frame relative to cylinder movement. There is another two-fold displacement of the primary frame relative to the secondary frame. The cables represented by the dashed lines and the pulleys associated with them are capable of retracting the shuttle and extending it in the opposite direction in similar fashion because they form the inverse of the structure described above.

The structure of all of the other storage spaces and the mode of operation is the same when storing vehicles in any of them. The process is reversed when cars are to be removed.

A somewhat different arrangement is employed at the receiving and discharge spaces. At the discharge point it is not adequate to move the automobile from the elevator turntable and deposit it on a pin rack. To enable a driver to approach and enter the vehicle after it is delivered to the delivery position, a platform floor extends to the edge of the space occupied by the upper plate of the shuttle. The platform is slotted whereby the pins of the shuttle move down through the slots as the hydraulic jacks are retracted.

One of the entry ports is shown in Figure 7. The column 186 at the right marks one side of the entryway and, with another on the right side but not shown, serves to ensure that entering vehicles are reasonably well aligned with the slotted floor plate 188. The shuttle moves under that floor plate in the cavity 190 until its cross bars are aligned with the slots of the floor both to receive vehicles and, when the port is used as an exit, to return them. The slotted plate serves the same function as is served by the pins of the storage racks in the- storage spaces above and below the ground level entry. Front wheel stops 192 at the elevator end of the port limit the forward positioning the vehicle and in the preferred version of the invention engagement of those stops by the front vehicle wheels is necessary.

In the preferred form of the invention vehicle position is controlled by controlling front wheel position. Position is determined initially by requiring that the front wheels engage the stops 192. The shuttle carriage and storage racks are fitted with only two rods and two pins per wheel, respectively. Those elements hold the vehicle's front wheels in every instance. The racks are arranged, and the shuttle is operated, so that vehicles are stored with their front ends toward the elevator shaft. A larger portion of vehicle weight rests on the front wheels so that storage practice serves to concentrate stored weight in the central region of the structure .

SUBSTITUTESHFET A means is provided to ensure acceptable lateral positioning of the vehicle by an apparatus which is capable of pushing both front and rear wheels of the vehicle sideways.

Two endless belts 194 and 196, which are free to rotate about respectively associated sets of rollers arranged in parallel, are spaced the average distance between front and rear vehicle wheel sets and are placed in the floor of the apron 198 at the approach to the slotted floor plate. Depression of one of the sensor 200 or 202 just ahead of the roller belts activates an hydraulic system which drives one of the side bars 204 and 206 toward the other when the wheel set that depressed the sensor is on the roller belts. One side bar or the other pushes on the wheel and makes it roll the belt until the entering vehicle is properly aligned. The side bars extend up through elongated slots one ahead of and the other behind a respectively associated one of the roller belts 194 and 196.

A multi-sectioned safety curtain 210 has forward and rearward accordian sections that fold out of the way to permit movement of the vehicle to and from the position over the slotted floor plate.

The rollers rotate freely and a wheel set resting on the rollers is easily pushed from side to side to change the transverse position of the front and rear wheels. The pusher bars center the vehicle before it is driven on to the shuttle. The pusher bars are operated by hydraulic pistons as the automobile approaches the shuttle. One of the pistons is shown schematically as is its connection to pusher bar 178.

The elevator is conventional except in its power source. The "car" is hung on cables without counterbalance, allowing in-balance energy to be stored in the accumulator. The cable drum, or drums, is driven by a variable speed hydraulic motor. The motivating fluid is supplied by one or both of an accumulator or an hydraulic pump. The latter is powered by a prime mover which may be an electric motor or other power source that is least expensive.- The arrangement is shown diagramatically in Figure 3 and schematically in Figure 11.

In Figure 11, the cable 230 extends from the elevator 232. The drum is connected to hydraulic motor 240. Drive motor 242 drives the pump 244 and the control valve 246 controls fluid movement between the pump, accumulator 250 and hydraulic motor 240. To store energy when lowering a load, the hydraulic motor supplies pressurized fluid to the accumulator. The energy stored there is available for lifting later and the pump and pump motor supply the energy lost in system friction, braking and the like.

Although I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore_,, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art.

Claims

In the ClaimsI Claim:

1. For a material storage facility comprising a multi-storied structure divided into a plurality of storage levels, one above the other, and a central elevator shaft extending through said levels, the structure comprising elements defining a plurality of storage spaces extending radially from, and communicating with, said central shaft at least one of said levels; a vertical elevator capable of carrying storage material between the levels of the structure; a turntable mounted on the elevator f or rotation about a vertical axis; and a shuttle capable of carrying storage material between the elevator and each of said storage spaces, the shuttle being carried on said turntable, the improvement which comprises portions of sa-id shuttle being moveable relative to one another in a vertical direction whereby to lift and lower storage material carried on the shuttle such that it can be stored on and removed from a rack.

2. The invention defined in- Claim 1 in which the structure which defines each of said storage spaces comprises a framework oriented to receive the shuttle and a storage rack for storage material.

3. The invention defined in Claim 2 in which said shuttle is formed of relatively moveable portions capable of moving together over said framework and moving relatedly to one another when the shuttle is disposed in a storage space such that one portion alone moves vertically relative to said rack of said storage space.

4. The invention defined in Claim 3 which further comprises means in the form of at least one hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering one of said portions of the shuttle relative to another.

5. The .invention defined in Claim 4 in which said elevator includes an hydraulic system by which the elevator is lifted and lowered, the system incorporating an accumulator for recovering and storing energy on the occasion of the lowering of the elevator bearing a load.

6.. The invention defined in Claim 5 which further comprises a set of tracks and a set of wheels arranged to move along said tracks, one set fixed to said framework and the other set fixed to the shuttle.

7. The invention defined in Claim 6 in which said framework comprises pairs of frame members, a pair for each storage space, arranged in parallel, and constituting structural elements of the multi-storied structure.

8. In an automobile storage system in which automobiles are to be transferred from an entry driveway to an elevator on a shuttle: an entry driveway; an elevator capable of receiving automobiles at entry driveway level; a shuttle track extending from a position below said driveway onto said elevator; a shuttle mounted on said track f or reciprocating movement between the elevator and said position below the driveway; the driveway being slotted adjacent to the shuttle track; and carrier elements mounted on the carrier for vertical movement through said slots between a position above and below the level of said driveway whereby to permit lifting an automobile above the level of the driveway and returning it to the driveway.

9. The invention defined in Claim 8 in which said shuttle is formed with upper and lower portions and means in the form of at least one hydraulic jack for elevating the upper portion relative to the lower portion when said carrier elements are aligned with the slots of the driveway.

10. The invention defined in Claim 8 which further comprises: means in the form of a multilevel structure having a central shaft in which said elevator is moveable and a plurality of storage racks extending radially from said central shaft; and means mounted on said elevator for depositing automobiles on any of said storage racks such that the fronts of said εf-rtomobiles face said central shaft.

11. In a storage structure, a space f rame comprising: a plurality of diaphragms spaced vertically on a substantially common axis at least one of which diaphragms is formed with a central opening; a plurality of support frames interposed between said diaphragms and extending between said diaphragms, the support frames being arranged radially from said axis and each support frame including an inner column .disposed on a vertical line which extends proximately to the margin of said central opening and an outer column disposed on a vertical line which extends proximately to the outer margin of the diaphragm; and means in the. form of a plurality of horizontal dividers interconnecting adjacent ones of said support frames for dividing the space between adjacent ones of said diaphragms into a plurality of levels and a plurality of storage spaces at each of said levels bounded at the sides by said support frames.

12. The invention defined in Claim 11 in which each of said support frames further comprises horizontal beams, one at each of said levels, interconnec ing said inner and outer columns .

13. The storage structure defined in Claim 12 which further comprises an elevator movable up and down through said central opening in said diaphragm and elevator raising and lowering mechanism.

14. The storage structure defined in Claim 13 in which said elevator raising and lowering mechanism includes a cable and pulley system, an hydraulic motor connected to operate the cable and pulley system and an hydraulic fluid system including a pump and an accumulator connected to deliver fluid to and to receive fluid from said pump.

15. The storage structure defined in Claim 14 in which said space frame extends partly above and partly below ground level and which comprises means for loading and unloading said elevator at ground level.

16. The storage structure defined in Claim 14 which further comprises means for loading and unloading said elevator at a level above the lowest level of said space frame .

17. The storage structure defined in Claim 16 in which said elevator includes a turntable and a shuttle mounted on said turntable and means for selectively moving the shuttle off of the elevator into a selected one of said storage spaces and returning the shuttle to said elevator.

18. The invention defined in Claim 17 in which said shuttle includes load holding elements capable of holding a load, and in which said support frame carries load holding elements capable of holding said load and associated with said storage spaces, respectively;^• and said shuttle further including load holding element raising and lowering apparatus capable of lowering the load holder of the shuttle below the level of the load holding elements of a given storage space when the shuttle has been moved into said storage space.

19. The invention defined in Claim 18 in which said load holding elements of the shuttle comprise tines which extend laterally from the shuttle.

20. The invention defined in Claim 19 in which said storage structure further comprises a plurality of shuttle receiving tracks mounted in said storage spaces respectively, and in which said shuttle is capable of moving into and out of given ones of said storage spaces by movement over such tracks; and a double ac ti ng h yd raul ic c ylinder interconnecting said shuttle and said elevator and operative selectively to move the shuttle into and out of a selected storage space on the tracks of said space.

21. The invention defined in Claim 16 in which said means for loading and unloading said elevator comprises means for moving said elevator into a given one of said storage spaces and means in said one storage space for transporting a load laterally to a position in alignment with said shuttle.

22. The invention defined in claim 11 in which said storage structure comprises a plurality of said space frames, their respective axes parallel to the axes of the other space frames ; said space frames being spaced one from the other such that some of the support frames of one support structure lie between the support frames of another of said support structures and such that portions of the diaphragms of one space frame are common to and form a portion of another space frame of said storage structure.

SUBST-TUTS 3H-E.S?