US2663435A

US2663435A - Car parking system and structure

Info

Publication number: US2663435A
Application number: US33903A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eliot William Mack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-06-18
Filing date: 1948-06-18
Publication date: 1953-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-22

Description

Dec. 22, 1953 w. M. ELIOT 2,663,435

CAR PARKING SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE Filed June 18, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6n n R I I INVENTOR. Mu/AM Mae 52107 Dec. 22, 1953 iled June 18, 1948 W. M. ELIOT CAR PARKING SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a multi-storied parking structure and to a system of parking loads therein, especially mobile loads such as automobiles and trucks.

It is an object of this invention to pro-vide a parking structure of this class in which a traction means supported by the structure has an elevator suspended therefrom so that the traction means may move the elevator and the loads therein horizontally, and so that the elevator may move the loads vertically into alignment with the desired story floor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure of this class in which elevator guides are supported from the traction means and are transported thereby.

It is another object of this invention to provide such structure with a way extending substantially parallel with the direction of traction and engageable by the elevator guides for the purpose of holding the elevator in alignment with the traction means and with the elevator aisle axis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure of this class in which the elevator and elevator guides are pivotally suspended from a traction means to provide compensation for any misalignment between the axes of the way and the traction means and its supports.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a structure of this class in which the elevator has either slidable or rolling means thereon for maintaining contact with the elevator guides.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a structure of this class in which the elevator guides have either slidable or rolling means thereon for maintaining contact with the way.

It is a further object of this invention to provide structures of this class having the parts thereof adapted for mass fabrication.

It is also an object of this invention to provide structures of this class which may have aisles therein in which elevator and elevator guides are suspended for transportation therealong and for vertical motion therein to provide access of elevator loads to the load storage spaces of every floor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide structures of this class in which elevator floors may be brought into alignment with the story floors within such limits that the: elevators do not bind the aisle sides and so that there is a minimum interspace left between floors to permit easy passage of loads thereover.

It is also an object of this invention to provide structures of this class adaptable for use where only a small street frontage is available.

It is a further object of this invention to provide structures of this class which may be equipped with turntables in cases where the same general limited area may have to be used for both entrance and exit.

It is also an object of this invention to provide structures of this class which may be equipped with a plurality of elevators or which may be equipped with single elevator units which may carry a plurality of cars.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide structures of this class which may be provided with horizontally moving traction means below the elevators, and with the elevators suspended from a beam supported by the traction means after the manner of a gantry crane.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of moving loads horizontally and vertically to and from storage spaces in a multistoried structure.

It is also an object of this invention to provide structures of this class having the parts thereof adapted for quick assembly, disassembly, movement, and re-assembly.

Other and further objects of this invention will be obvious when the specification is considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation taken transversely of a parking structure;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken along line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of an optional construction to that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along line 11 of Fig. 6.

In this invention a building structure 5 is shown having an entrance driveway 2 which leads to a car or load-receiving area 3 which terminates in an aisle 4, on the other side of which is a car or load-delivery area 5 which communicates with the exit driveway 6 on the exterior of the structure.

In the form of this invention disclosed, the aisle 4 terminates below the first floor level in an aisle floor 3. The structure may have any number of intermediate floors i, one being shown in Fig. l, and a top floor 8, above which is the roof 9, which supports a cupola I ll. Beams ll are located on the roof 9 adjacent the aisles to provide tracks for a transmission means such as a bridge crane l2. 5

The means for operating the elevator 20 and bridge crane i2 are not shown but these elements would logically be mounted on the bridge crane it, behind the guard l6, and supplied from a source of electric power in the conventional manner.

The elevator 2i! is shown suspended from the bridge crane 12 by suspension 1ines M which are reeved through pulleys l5 mounted on the elevator top for actuation by the elevator operating means beneath the guard l6. The elevator control is not shown, but would be located behind the elevator side plate [9, and the electric control line i8 is shown extending therefrom up to the bridge crane Hi to actuate the elevator operating means. I

In order to maintain the elevator in alignment as the bridge crane it carries it down the aisle e, elevator guides 2i are provided for pivoted suspension from the crane, and these guides extend to substantially the bottom of the aisle 4. A track or way 22 is provided on the aisle floor l3, and such way is adapted to receive rollers 23 which extend from the bottom plate 24 of the guides 2i and are supported for rotation from this plate.

The guides 2! on either side of the elevator are tied together at the bottom by channels 25 and at the top by channels 2%. This construction of guides and cross-channels results in a yoke unit 35. When this yoke 3c is pivotally, rather than rigidly, suspended from the bridge crane It, a flexibility is obtained which permits compensation for any misalignment which may occur between the bridge crane axis of motion and its supporting track II and the way 22 in the aisle floor 13.

Any operative means may be employed to permit the yoke so to pivot transversely of the lonitudinal axis of the way 22 and the bridge crane l2, and two forms by which this may be accomplished are disclosed in the drawings.

A gusset or pin plate 2'! may be welded to both sides of the bridge crane base H, as shown in Fig. 2. Holes are then drilled into the channels 23 and I-beams 29, which form the guides, and then pins 3! are welded in these holes. The pin ends 33 are then inserted in holes 32 in the pin plates 27, and the

channels

25 and 26 are then bolted to the guides to complete the assembly of yoke 35] with bridge crane l2. The pins 3! may be welded to the plates 27 and journalled in the guides 2% to accomplish the same functions.

Optionally, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, a plate 35 may be welded to the top 36 of the bridge crane base i'l, and the top of this plate may then be bolted between the channels 26 in the assembly of yoke Eli and bridge crane l2. This results in constituting that part of the plate 35 between the bottom of the channels 25 and the top of the bridge crane base 35 as the source of flexibility about which the yoke 38 may pivot. Alternately the plate 35 may be welded to the channels 26 and bolted to the bridge crane base ll and the same results obtained. Also, the connection between bridge crane l2 and yoke may be made with the plate below the bridge crane, either rigidly fixed to the base I? and bolted to the yoke or vice versa.

A third construction, not shown, may consist of drilled pin plates on both guides 21 and bridge crane'base i l which constitute the journal members into which pins may be inserted to pivotally connect yoke 3d and bridge crane base l7.

With any of these constructions, in case the track beam I! or the way 22 become warped or shifted in position, the pivotability of the yoke 39 about the bridge crane I2 compensates therefor so that the crane continues to ride the track beams H without binding against either side of the track or without tending to jump off of the track.

I Compensation is also provided for any vertical warpage of the track beams 'l resulting in portions thereof being higher than other portions, since the rollers 23 may slide along the inner faces 34 of the way 22 at different elevations.

The channel 28 and the inner I-beam flange 353 are shown cut away just below channels 26 so that only the I-beam web 39 extends between the channels 2% and is bolted thereto. In turn, the channels 26 are shown extending just short of the outer I-bearn flange I The contact betweenlthe elevator is and the elevator guides 2! may be maintained by any slidable engagement therebetween. In the form disclosed in Fig. 5, rollers lt-and it are mounted in the top rim M5 and bottom rim ill of the ele' vator 29 to contact the flanges of channel 2t. Also, rollers 48 are mounted for rotation on the brackets M, which are fixed to the elevator top it and bottom 55 to position the roller it in rolling contact with the back 49 of the channel 25.

The structure of this invention is especially adapted for employment in the center of cities where only a limited street frontage may be available as the entrance for cars which are to be parked in garage space extending longitudinally and parallel with the street and behind business buildings which front on the street. In such cases the cars may drive into the load receiving area 3, which is the width of the narrow street entrance 2, not shown, and from this point the cars are driven on to the elevator 253. The elevator may then be raised to any floor level, and it is possible to do this while the bridge crane I? may at the same time be moving the elevator 26 horizontally down the aisle 4 to any storage space 52 where it may be desired to unload the car.

The elevator may be of a width to receive a plurality of cars and the storage spaces i may extend from the aisle for the length of a plurality of cars. With this arrangement, if it is desired to obtain a first car parked outwardly from the aisle and in front of a second car parked next to the aisle, the second car could be backed onto the elevator at; then the elevator 28 could be moved horizontally one car space so that the first car could then be backed onto the elevator adjacent the second car. After this, the elevator could be moved horizontally back to where the second car was originally backed thereon so that this car could be driven back into its original parking space.

An alternate means of accomplishing the result of this invention may consist of a structure, not shown, similar to a gantry crane which would move on tracks down the aisle t by a traction means in contact with such tracks. In such structure posts would extend vertically upward from the movable gantry crane base, and the horizontally extending gantry beam at the top thereof would have the elevating means suspended therefrom with, elevator guides on either side extending from the gantry beam to the base.

With the structure of this invention it is not necessary to have the sides 53 of the elevator sliding in contact with any guide means afiixed to the aisle sides 55, as is necessary in other parking structures. The method of pivotally suspending the guide means from the traction means itself so that the guides are carried along horizontally by the traction means does away with the difficulties previously encountered due to the variations of the transverse difierences between guides on opposite sides of the aisle. When such variations were at all pronounced, an elevator which would easily pass upwardly or horizontally along one part of the aisle might bind against guides in another part of the aisle which were closer together.

With this invention a small interspace 55 may be left between elevator floor 56 and the story floors, and such space may be predetermined of such a width to compensate for any variations in aisle width which may be encountered.

It is pointed out that the conventional guard rails and car stops which could obviously be required for elevator operation have been omitted for purposes of clarity.

Although the drawings of this invention disclose a structure in which the elevator moves down an aisle centrally of parking space on either side thereof, this invention is also applicable to structures and to conditions where there may be only storage space on one side of the passage down which the elevator passes.

In cases where it is desired to have the vehicles enter and depart by the same paths, any well known turntable means may be incorporated with the elevator to accomplish this purpose.

The way 22 may be moved from place to place, and the building itself, together with the bridge crane and track unit, may be constructed to be easily taken down, moved, and reassembled. Also the feature by which the guides 2| are bolted to the cross channels 26 and in assembly to form the yoke 30 in suspension from the bridge crane l2, results in the facile dismantlement of these elements. These features, taken together, result in a parking or storage structure which is adapted to be moved and set up in new locations, as when real estate values in the business centers of cities prohibit the further use of space therein for such purposes.

This invention is not limited to the specific traction means and elevator suspensions hereinbefore shown and described but other conventional and suitable types may be used. The elevator may be suspended from trolley hoists mounted on trolley beams supported from, and below buildings portions extending above the passageway down which the elevator moves horizontally. Also, the traction means may move down a top floor or roof portion and have a cantilever arm extending therefrom to support the elevator for suspension and motion down a passageway adjacent and parallel to the area down which the traction means moves.

It is also not considered that the point of yoke suspension need only be above the traction means, but pivotal suspension may be obtained therefor by supporting the yoke below the traction means, as by rods extending downwardly from traction means to yoke. In such construction, the inherent flexibility of the rods will constitute the source of yoke pivotability.

Broadly, this invention considers a parking or storage system whereby loads may be received and moved both horizontally and vertically to storage spaces from which they may later be transported both horizontally and vertically for delivery from the storage structure.

This invention also broadly consider such a system in which the elevating means in which 6 the loads are transported is pivotally supported by the traction means therefor.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-storied storage structure having a load receiving and delivery area, traction means supported by said structure, an elevator suspended by said traction means, a flexible vertical plate directly and rigidly connected to the forward end of said traction means and a flexible, vertical plate directly and rigidly connected to the rear end of said traction means, with the plate surfaces of said plates extending in a substantially vertical plane and substantially parallel to a plane through the axis of travel of said traction means, an elevator guide at each end of said traction means along the axis of traction means travel, yoke means connecting said guides to said plates, and way means extending substantially parallel to the path of travel of said traction means for receiving said guides for horizontal motion therealong and to permit relative vertical motion thereof, said traction means and elevator serving respectively to move loads, such as automobiles, horizontally and vertically from area to storage and from storage to area, the flexibility of said plates on said traction means permitting movement of said guides in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said traction means.

2. A multi-storied storage structure having a load receiving and delivery area, traction means supported by said structure, an elevator supported by said traction means, a yoke comprising substantially vertically extending elevator guides and a member connected to, and extending between the tops of said guides, a flexible plate connecting the forward end of said traction means to said member and a flexible plate connecting the rear end of said traction mean to said member so that said yoke is pivotally supported from said traction means by virtue of the flexibility of the plates, and way means extending substantially parallel with the path of travel of said traction means for receiving said guides for horizontal motion therealong and to permit relative vertical motion thereof.

3. A multi-storied structure having a load receiving and delivery area, an aisle in said structure, a horizontally moving traction means in said aisle, an elevator suspended from said traction means, a yoke comprising substantially vertically extending guides and a member connected to, and extending between the top of said guides, a plate adjacent each guide and extending substantially vertically from said member and directly and rigidly connected to said traction means, said plates having a small degree of flexibility transversely of the travel axis of the traction means to permit the pivotability of the yoke about the traction means, and way means extending substantially parallel with the path of travel of said traction means for receiving said guides for horizontal motion therealong and to permit relative vertical motion thereof.

WILLIAM MACK ELIOT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 542,997 Dinkey July 23, 1895 1,288,567 Hall Dec. 24, 1913 1,713,459 Withyman May 14, 1929 1,714,945 Buhl May 28, 1929 1,807,075 Skar et al May 26, 1931 1,874,859 Been Dec. 3, 1940 2,511,619 Bowser June 13, 1950