US2558927A

US2558927A - Parking system

Info

Publication number: US2558927A
Application number: US687031A
Authority: US
Inventors: Willard C Brinton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-07-29
Filing date: 1946-07-29
Publication date: 1951-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1968-07-03

Description

July 3, 1951 w. c. BRINTON 2,558,927

PARKING SYSTEM Filed July 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 EI fiW STOIRE j 1 4% 1LT '///j 4 3 h J4 3 I 3 J @Wfifor yQ/k (G y 1951 w. c. BRINTON 2,558,927

PARKING SYSTEM Filed y 29, 1 46 v i 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

JKUGZZZOF I 30 Zflz'ZZard C157??? {07? July 3, 1951 Filed July 29, 1946 w. c. BRINTON 2,558,927

I/O VOLT I 71 2167? for W. C. BRINTON July 3, 1951 PARKING SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 29, 1946 C L N 7734 L 5 7/4 T/O/V rnema July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE assess: 1 was: $31 .32., N. Y.

Application July 29, 1948, Serial Ni). 687,031 6 Clalms. (Cl. 177-311) This invention relates to a parking system and has for one object to provide a parking system involving a number of garages and means for indicating at several points the availability of parking space.

Another object is to provide in connection with a plurality of garages means for indicating at a distance whether or not a garage has parkin space available in it.

Another object is to provide an indicating system or board which may be installed at one or several places so that the condition of the garages throughout a city or an area may be readily ascertained.

Another object is to provide mechanism for accomplishing the results above indicated.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a city block or comparable area, showing garages;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a city area including several blocks;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of one form of light of light or beacon;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the lighting system for several garages and for one central indicating board or station;

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram for automatically operating the lights of a garage in response to movement of vehicles into and from it.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings.

City blocks are designated by the numeral I throughout. As shown in Figure 1 each block is provided with sidewalks 2. 3 are intersectin streets. The showing of the sidewalks is omitted from Figure 2.

- Garages or garage areas are distributed throughout the city and they are indicated by the numeral 4.

In general the problem of indicating the location of a garage and the degree of occupancy is the same whether the'garag'e be an open parking lot or a closed garage building of any sort.

Throughout a city area it is'convenient to provide central sources of information about the garage conditions. Thus a store 5 or a police station 6 might be provided with an indicating board upon which information as to the degree of occupancy of various garages or parking areas would be automatically available. Preferably the telephone wires already available in the city would be used as a part of the system and a telephone exchange is indicated at I in Figure 2.

Each garage or parking area is provided with lights which are visible up and down the street on which it is located. These lights may be of many different sorts. As shown in Figure 1 each of the garages 4 has a light standard or support 8 upon which lights 9 and II are positioned. In

the case of the corner garage shown at the upper left corner of the block in Figure 1, lights are provided on each street to which the garage has access. By the use of two lights, oppositely directed, it is possible to tellthe condition of occupancy of the garage in either direction up and down the street.

. In addition to the lights on the individual garages or parking areas, lights are arranged at the corners of the blocks in which the garages appear, so that a motorist passing the street can tell whether or not there are garages in a given block or area and can also tell the condition of occupancy of such garages. Thus at one corner of the block I in Figure 1 a standard Ii supports lights I! and IS. A motorist passing this street can look along it. and will see from either direction one of the lights. That, because of a distinctive color or form as will be described below, will determine whether or not garages are in the adjacent block and will indicate whether a right or left turn is necessary to reach them.

A similar light arrangement is carried on the opposite corner of the block by a support l4, which displays lights I5 and ii. If, for example. the lights 9 and [0 carried by the two adjacent garages are out, because the garages are full, and if one of the other garages is not full, the lights 15 and it will give information to that effect and will direct a motorist to the garages which are not full.

Another light assembly is carried on a support I! and carries and displays lights i8 and I9. At the opposite corner from that upon which the lights II and I! are located is a standard 20 carrying lights 2| and 22. From the description and from the drawings it will be clear that each garage or parking area is provided with light means which indicate the location of the garage and also indicate its condition of occupancy. In addition to that each block or corresponding area is provided with additional indicating means. By these means a visual in- 3 dication is given of the location of the parking facilities in the block or general area and also the degree of occupancy of these facilities is indicated.

One suitable form of light means is indicated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. As shown, these are primarily indicating means and may be embodied in many different arrangements and supports. A conventional reflector 23 carries a light base 24 and a light source 23. A closing frame 23 may be of any desired form and carries a transparent member. As shown in'Figures 3 and 4, this is the member 2'! and it is provided with a design 23. This design is of a color different from the main area 21. The design is one which indicates that a garage is in the immediate neighborhood. It is therefore suitable for. use on individual garages or parking areas and is also suitable for use on the corner indicators which merely'show that a garage is nearby.

The design 23 is provided with an elongated portion 23 which indicates the direction in which the garage is to be found.

The transparent cover member of Figure is generally the same as that of Figure 3 and corresponding parts are designated by the same numerals. The design is varied by adding the radial projecting members 33 to the rounded portion 23. This is done to indicate the presence of facilities such as gasoline supplies and any other supplies. By means of these and other distinctive designs on the cover members of the light devices, a motorist or anyone else passing can tell not only the location of a garage but can tell what types of facilities are available.

The arrangement shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 may be actuated manually or automatically and is not limited to any particular electrical circuit or mechanism. Each light on each garage is preferably provided with a cover member, such as the members 21 of Figures 3 and 5, and when they are illuminated they show the location of a particular garage and its type. They are illuminated only when the garage has parking space available.

The corner lights, whether positioned merely at the corner of a block, such as the lights l2. l3, 2| and 22 or positioned on a garage such as the lights l5, I3, I 3, I3, serve an additional purpose. They will usually be connected to the garages in the block and if any garage has parking space available, the corner lights will be lighted. When all of the garages are full, the corner lights will be extinguished.

The system, therefore, whether operated mechanically or automatically, provides means for indicating to a passing motorist the location of garages in a general area, the location of particular garages and the availability of parkin space in one or more garages.

The schematic diagram of Figure 6 shows the electric wiring for a system which may be used in connection with the garage layout of Figure 1 and includes a central indicating system which, for example, may be at the store 3, the police station 3 or the telephone exchange I of Figure 2.

The light assembly including the lights l3 and i5 is designatedgenerally with the numeral X It is a corner light assemblyand. its purpose is to show the conditions in a plurality of adjacent garages, Similarly, the light assembly, including the lights l2 and I3, is designated with the numeral X as a whole. It is also a corner light 4 li hts l3 and I3 is designated at Y and the assembly including the lights 2| and 22 is designated as Y'. These designations occur on Figuresland 3.

Each side of each block is therefore provided with means for showing whether or not there are garages in that block and what is their condition.

In the schematic diagram of Figure 6 manual switches are shown, one being positioned at each arage. Obviously automatic devices might be shown or used instead of the manual switches. As shown, there is a manual switch 3| for the uppermost garage-4, a manual switch 32 for the lowermost garage 4, a manual switch 33 for the central upper garage 4 and a manual switch 34 for the upper right hand garage 4. 33 is a transformer. 33 is a resistance. 31 is a milliammeter.

The garage lights are preferably in connection with a city circuit or other suitable source of electrical power. A conductor 33 is connected by means of a conductor 33 to the light source l3 and by means of a conductor 43 to the light source I3. A conductor 4| is connected to the conductor 33 and to one pole of each ofthe switches 3|, 32. A conductor 42 is connected to one pole of each of the switches 3| and 32 and to the main source of power.

The lights 2| and 22 are connected in parallel across the

conductors

33 and 4|. Each pair of lights 3 and. I3 is connected to the conductor 33 and to one pole oi the switches 3| and 32, respectively. The switches 3| and 32 are connected to the conductor 42. when closed they energize the light sources 3 and II, as well as the light sources l3. l3. 2| and 22. Each switch in each garage controls the lights 3 and III of that garage independently from the corresponding lights 9 and i3 of another garage and each switch in each garage also controls the lights of two corner light assemblies: For example, the switch in the lower left-hand garage 4 controls the lights 3 and In in front of it and controls the lights in the light assemblies Y and Y.

A conductor 43 is connected to the conductor 33 and to one pole of the switch 33 in the upper garage. Lights l2. l3. II and I3 are connected in parallel across this circuit. These are the corner light assemblies designated as X and X.

A conductor 44 is connected to the conductor 42 and to one pole of each of the

switches

33 and 34. Each

switch

33 and 34 when closed energizes the lights 3 and N of its particular garage and also energizes the lights |2, |3, i3 and I3.

Each of the switches 3|, 32, 33 and 34 is con nected to a relay for actuating a system at a distance. This is the system indicated in the upper right-hand corner of Figure 6. Thus the switch 3| is connected to the magnet 43, the switch 32 is connected to the magnet 43, the switch 33 to the magnet 41 and the switch 34 to the magnet 43. Each of the magnets is connected to one side of the transformer "by the conductors shown. The same side of the transformer 33 is connected to the swtiches 3|. 32.33 and 34. The opposite side of the transformer .33 is connected through the conductor 43 to the conductor 42 and through the conductor 33 to the conductor 33. Y

The resistance 33 is connected through a-line or conductor 3| to a source of power. The opposite side of the resistance 33 is connected through a conductor 32 to the milliammeter 31 which is connected by a conductor 33 to the source of assembly. Similarly, the assembly including the current.

Each magnet II, It." and ll forms a part of a relay which includes two switches. In each relay one switch arm A short-circuits a portion of the resistance 38 and an arm B illuminates a light source I4, 85, 86 or 51.

I have stated above that each relay is connected to one of the main switches 8|, 82, II and It When any of these switches is closed, it actuatcs the magnet of its relay to close the two switch arms A and B, thus lighting its respective light source and short-circuiting a portion of the resistance 86. When any light source is illuminated at the central station, it is an indication that the garage with which that light source is connected has space available. When any relay is actuated, in addition to energizing its light source, its switch arm A is also actuated and a portion of the resistance 38 is'shorted out, thus changing theindication on the milliammeter.

As shown the switches at the garages are intended to be closed so long as any space is available at the garage, and thus if all switches 3| to 94, inclusive, were closed, each light source 84 to 51, inclusive, will be energized and each switch arm A will be closed, thus shorting out the entire resistance 36.

It is recognized that garages may be of different sizes and the portion of the resistance which is shorted out when the switch at each garage is closed is in proportion to the capacity of the garage. When all of the garage switches are closed, 'the indication at the central station is that a substantial amount of garage space is available. As each garage is filled, the operator at it opens its switch, thus extinguishing its light at the central station and bringing into circuit its proportional part of the resistance. The reading of the milliammeter, therefore, gives an indication of the proportion of garages in which parking space is available and the individual light sources for each garage at the central station indicate which particular garage has space available.

Although only four garages are shown in the system in Figure 6, it is to be understood that a large number of garages may be connected to a single central station. Ten garages are shown in Figure 2. They would all normally be connected to a single central station indicator. The proportional indication on the milliammeter will be more accurate where a substantial number of garages is in the system and connected to the central station indicator.

Where a more accurate indication of the exact space available in any garage is required, the system indicated in Figure '7 will give that information. As shown in the diagram only a single garage is connected to an indicator, but many such indicators could be installed at a single station and would give a specific and exact indication of the parking space available in each garage which is connected to the system.

The structure includes a garage 58, indicated diagrammatically in dotted lines. Entrance gates or doors 59 are provided and in the path of the entering car a switch operating mechanism 60 is installed. Exit gates 6| have associated with them switch operating means 62 over which a car leaving the garage must pass. Preferably the

members

50 and 82 are long enough to hold one side of the entire car, and they cannot be operated by a single wheel or by a pedestrian.

Indicated also diagrammatically with parts broken away in Figure 7 is the indicating assembly at the garage. This includes a shaft 88 upon which a ratchet wheel 84 is fixed. A second ratchet wheel 88 is loosely mounted on the shaft 83 and is connected to the wheel 84 by a spring 88. One end of the spring is fastened to the member 84 and the other to a pin 61 which passes through a slot 88 in the member 84. Thus slight relative movement of the two ratchet wheels is possible. This may become necessary when a car leaves at exactly the moment at which another car enters. 88 is a calibrated or otherwise marked scale which moves with the shaft 63 and which may have a pointer 10 associated with it. It is preferably numbered to indicate the number of cars in the garage. Means are provided which will be described below for operating the indicating means.

In general when a car enters the indicator isadvanced by one movement and when a. car leaves it is returned by one movement, so that the indicator is progressively advanced and returnedautomatically by the entrance and exit of cars to and from the garage or the parking area.

The means for advancing the indicator as a car enters include a lever 'Il provided with a pawl 12 adapted to engage the notches in the ratchet 64. A spring 13 normally holds it in the inoperative position. An electromagnet 14 is adapted to move it in the opposite direction to cause it to advance the ratchet wheel 64 by one step, which corresponds to the entrance of one car.

The means for returning the indicator include a lever 'i'l carrying a pawl 19. A spring 19 normally holds it in the inoperative position. An electromagnet is adapted, when energized, to move the indicator by returning the ratchet wheel one step in the opposite direction, which corresponds to the departure of one car.

Fixed in relation to the shaft 63 is a cam 8|. It is so positioned that when the garage is full. it contacts a switch arm on a switch operating means 82 to control the lights.

The indicating means at the central station is preferably identical with the indicating means at the garage just described above and identical numerals have been applied to corresponding parts.

A cam 83 is positioned in relation to the shaft 63 of the central station indicator and closes the switch 84 which controls the light at the central station.

' The garage lights shown in Figure '7 may be assumed to be the same as the lights for any garage illustrated in Figure 6 and thus two pairs of corner lights 12 and I3 and I5 and it appear. A pair of lights 9 and I0 is shown as in front of the garage. The switch which is operated by the member 82 in Figure 7 has the same purpose as any of the switches 3| to 34, inclusive, of Figure 6namely, to turn off or on the street lights which indicate the availability of parkingspace and the corner lights. Since only a single garage indicator is shown in Figure 7, the circuit is such that when the lights 9 and III are turned out, the corner lights are also turned out. If several garages were associated in the general manner shown in Figure 6, the circuit would be such that the corner lights would only be turned out when all of the individual garage lights are turned out, and that connection in that case would be identical with the connection shown between the garage lights, the corner lights and the garage switches in Figure 6.

- asaaeav 99 is the line connected with the source of power from which the lights I2, I9, I9 and I9 are connected inparallel to the line "which leads to the fixed switch contact 91. The other p wer line 99 leads to the movable switch memhere 92 and 99. The lights 9 and I9 are con-' I garage. as well as its capacity, will usually be indicated.

The light is actuated through current from the central source by means of a conductor 94 which is connected to the conductor 95 and the conductor 99 which is joined to the switch 94. A

conductor 99 leads from the switch 84 to the light source 92. The magnet 14 at-the garage is connected in parallel with the magnet 14 at the station. correspondingly, the magnet 99 at the garage is connected in parallel with the magnet 99 at the station. Current is furnished to the four magnets from the main power line through a transformer 91. The secondary side of the transformer is connected by the conductor 99 to the switch 99 at the garage and to the switch I99, also at the garage.

A conductor I9I connects the garage magnet I4 to the central station magnet I4 and a conductor I92 connects the garage magnet 99 to the central station magnet 99. The other sides of the

garage magnets

14 and 99 are joined by a conductor I99 and the corresponding sides of the

central station magnets

14 and 99 are joined by a conductor I94. The conductors I93 and I94 are joined and connected to the secondary side of the transformer 91. The conductor III is connected to the flxed contact of the switch I99 and the conductor I92- is connected to the movable contact of the switch 99.

Although the form of the light or signal shown in Figures 3, 4 and appears in those figures with a bulb 25 and a colored transparent member be furnished by the bulb itself, and there is now available'a gas fllled bulb which produces on illumination a chemically blue light. Such a bulb might be used and in that case the member 21 need not be colored. Obviously other gas filled bulbs are available producing colors other than blue, and any suitable color producing bulb might be used.

The insignia or device 19, as shown in Figure 3, and the device 29 with the additions 99, as shown inFigure 5, may be made on the transparent member 21, or they may be made by means of a lens, colored or not. In general it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to any particular type of insignia or design, nor to the use of colon-nor to the use of any particular-color where color is used. The purpose of illuminating devices visible on the street is to indicate the location and direction and type of'facilityavailable. Where an insignia such as the

member

29, 29 is used,pthe portion 29 will type of facilities available is thus more than a mere directional device. The central indicating board ofFigure .6 includes a plurality of lights-"for example, the

lights

94, 99, 99 and S'I-and these may be of diflerent types to indicate large or small garages, or they may be of diflerent colors, or they might be associated with size indicating devices which would indicate size, by color or otherwise. One suitable means for indicating size is by theuse of lucite" rods. This material is available generally on the market and has the property of lighting up or transmitting light throughout its length. Thus a Lucite rod might be associated with each of the lights 94, 55, 59 and 51 and the length of the rod might be in scale toindicate the size or parking capacity of the garage.

Where a plurality of garages is indicated at a central station, as shown'in Figure 6, the central station indicator might be associated with a map.

In general all of the lights of the system, and particularly those visible from the street, may be caused to flash in any way. It is of course well-known that flashing lights call attention to themselves generally better than do lights which do not flash or fluctuate. Thus the lights 25 in particular, or their equivalent members, would probably be caused to flash and would be provided with controls either to change their timing or to cause them to burn steadily when the garage is almost full. It will be preferable, where two speeds of flashing are provided, to have the more rapid flash condition at a time when the garage is fairly empty. The flash controlling means would probably be operated manually, although it need not be. Where flashing is provided, it might be either in the lights visible from the street or in the lights at a central switchboard, or both, and the lights 54, 55, 59 and 51 may be made to flash and their speed of flash would indicate to the observer at the central station whether or not they were largely empty or practically full. Where the Lucite rods or members-mentioned above are applied at the central station, the flashing would be particularly efiective.

The central station mechanism illustrated in Figure 7 amounts, of course, to a counting device, and the dial 69 indicates the degreeof occupancy atany moment. Obviously a curved plotting or recording device might be associated with the dial 99 at the central station or with the dial 69 at the garage, and would give a permanent picture or record of the degree of occupancy of the garage throughout the time for which the record is made. A device of this sort is shown in my copending application Serial No.'672,127, filed May 24, 1946, now abandoned, and for that reason none is illustrated herewith.

Figure '1 shows diagrammatically only a single counter at the central station. Obviously any number of similar or equivalent counters might be assembled at a central station and a curve plotting device or recording device could be used with each. Similarly, if a plurality of curve plotting or recording devices is used at a station, an over-all totalizing recorder may be used.

Figure 6 comprises a schematic diagram showing the indicating and communicating system for a central station and a plurality of garages. It is to be understood that where the garages are sumciently numerous to justify it, a main central station might be used which would be in communication with all of the garages in a large area and that sub-central stations might be interposed ahead of the main central station, such sub-central stations being connected with all of the garages in an area smaller than the total area considered.

Figure 6, however, since it illustrates generally the combination of a central station with a plurality or garages, is to be taken as illustrative broadly 01' any combination of one or more central stations with a plurality of garages.

I claim:

1. A signal system for use with a group of garages for directing cars to said garages and indicating the availability of parking space therein, each of said garages having an entrance on a street, said system including a signal light located at the entrance to each garage so as to indicate the position thereof, each of said signal lights being of such character that it may be seen from the street at a greater distance from the entrance than that at which the condition of the garage for the reception of cars can be directly observed, a signal light located at a distance from the entrances to at least some of said garages and visible along a street dilferent from the street on which the entrance to at least one of said garages is located, electrical connections from each garage to the signal light associated with the entrance to such garage, electrical connections from each garage to the distant signal light, and control means at each garage for changing the condition of the signal light at such garage and for changing the condition of the electrical connections between such control means and the distant signal light in accordance with the availability of parking space in such garage, whereby the distant signal light may be set from any garage to indicate availability of parking space in at least one member of the group of garages when there is such space available and will be set to indicate the absence of availability of parking space anywhere within the group of garages only if the control means at each of the garages of the group are all set to indicate absence of parking space in the responsive units.

2. A signal system for use with a group of garages for directing cars to said garages and indicating the availability of parking space therein, said system including a central control station for indicating conditions at said garages, each of said garages having an entrance on the street, said system including a signal light located at the entrance to such garage and visible for a substantial distance along the street upon which the entrance is located, a signal light located at a distance from said entrances and visible from locations at which at least some of the individual garage signals cannot be observed, a unitary control device at each garage, electrical connections from said control device to the signal light at the garage, electrical connections from the control device in each garage to the distant signal, a central station indicator, electrical connections from each control device to said central station indicator, each of said control devices and the electrical connections therefrom being constructed and arranged in such manner that manipulation of the control device at any garage will simultaneously change the condition of the electrical connections to each of the following, to the signal light at the entrance-to the garage where the particular control device is located, to the distant signal light, and to the central station indicator whereby, when the control at any garage device is actuated to change the indication at such garage as to the availability 01' parking space therein, the condition of the electrical connec tions from such garage to the distant signal will be correspondingly changed, and the condition of the central station indicator will be changed to indicate the presence or absence of available parking space in said garage,

3. A signal system for use with a multiplicity of individual garage units for directing cars to individual units and forindicating the availability of parking space in said units, at least one of said units being of difierent capacity from others of said units, said system including a central control station for summarizing conditions at said units, each of said garage units having an entrance on a street, said system including a signal located at the entrance to each garage unit and visible for a substantial distance on the street upon which the entrance is located, a control device at each garage for changing the condition of said signal to indicate unavailability of parking space in each unit, a central station indicator at the central control station, electrical connections from the control device in each garage unit to the visible signal at the entrance to such unit, electrical connections from each control device to said central station indicator, each said control device and the electrical connections therefrom being constructed and arranged in such manner that manipulation of the control device at any garage will simultaneously change the condition of the signal at such garage and the condition of the central station indicator, said central station indicator having indicating means operable by said control devices to give a changed indication proportional to the rated capacity of garage units at which said control devices are manipulated.

4. A signal system as claimed in claim 3 in which said central station indicator includes a plurality of resistance elements, one of which is associated with the electrical connections from each of said control devices, the value of each oi. said resistance elements being proportioned to the capacity of the garage unit at which the corresponding control device is located, said central station indicator also having an indicating instrumentality, the indication oi. which is responsive to the combined value of all the unit resistances activated at any particular instant.

5. A signal system for use with a group of garages for directing cars to said garages and indicating the availability of parking space therein, each of said garages having an entrance on a street, said system including a signal located at the entrance to each garage and visible for a substantial distance along the street upon which the entrance is located, a signal located at a distance from said-entrances, and visible from 10- cations from which at least some of the individual garage signals cannot be observed, electrical connections from each garage to the signal associated with the entrance to such garage and to the distant signal, and control means at each garage for changing the condition of the signal at such garage in accordance with the availability of parking space in such garage, the electrical connections from the control means at each garage to the distant signal being interconnected so that the distant signal may be set from any garage to indicate the availability of parking space somewhere in the group of garages and may be set to indicate absence of available parking space in the group from the control means of the garage last to be filled.

ing' an entrance locatedupon the street 01 a city block for indicating parking accommodations therein, comprising a first signal located at i said entrance and visible at a substantial distance longitudinalLv of the street and acting to indicate the position of said entrance, a second signal located at the corner of said street and visible at a substantial distance longitudinally along an intersecting street, at least one or said signals being provided with means indicating the direction of the turn to be followed in approaching the garage, and control means at'the garage for changing the condition of both of said signals to enable them to indicate the presence or absence of available parking space in the garage.

WILLARD C. BRINTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile 0! this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,044,151 Drost Nov. 12, 1912 1,195,754 Weber Aug. 22, 1916 1,459,628 Hockaday June 19, 1923 1,657,191 Barrett Jan. 24, 1928 1,689,227 Burrell Oct. 30, 1928 1,711,534 King May 7, 1929 2,008,909 Hershey July 23, 1935 2,017,168 Richardson Oct. 15, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 524,618 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1940