US2771200A

US2771200A - Car park

Info

Publication number: US2771200A
Application number: US422437A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph W Gilliard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-12
Filing date: 1954-04-12
Publication date: 1956-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-20

Description

Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. GILLIARD CAR PARK Filed April 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Joseph w. Gil/iard INVENTOR.

Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. GILLIARD CAR PARK 5 sheets sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1954 Fig. 2

Joseph W. Gi/l/ard INVENTOR.

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'Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. GILLIARD 2,771,200

CAR PARK v Filed April 12,- 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.7

1 Joseph w GUI/0rd INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 2,771,200 CAR PARK Joseph W. Gilliard, Phoebus, Va. Application April 12, 1954, Serial No. 422,437 7 Claims. (Cl. 21416.1)

This invention relates to a building specifically designed to accommodate parked cars and it is a primary object of this invention to provide a building structure which will present a pleasing appearance such as to enhance the beauty of any community in which it may be raised and which will at the same time accommodate a maximum number of parked cars in a minimum of space so as to alleviate the crowded parking and traffic conditions which currently present an ever increasing problem in many of the major cities of this country.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved building design which incorporates a centrally located elevator assembly and a plurality of parking assemblies arranged in radially spaced relation therearound, each parking assembly constituting a series of vertically stacked parking platforms rotatably mounted on vertical columns which, in addition to supporting the parking platforms, extend between the floor and the roof of the building to support the latter and generally lend stability and rigidity to the building structure.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken just below the roof of the assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of one of the assemblies for individually rotating a parking platform;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along the plane of section line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the elevator platform and one of the parking platforms;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view looking in the direction of section line 77 in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit for controlling the hydraulic jacks of the parking platforms.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in detail, reference numeral 10 indicates the floor of the building while reference numeral 12 indicates a continuou upstanding side wall generally which is erected on the floor and forms an enclosure for the car park. A plurality of supporting columns 14, in this case five although it will be manifest that any suitable number may be employed, are arranged radially from the center of the enclosure and at circumferentially spaced positions therearound, with the columns defining the apices of a regular pentagon. It will be noted that the side wall 12 has five semi-circular portions 16, each having a corresponding supporting column at its center, with adjacent portions 16 being joined by the straight side wall portions 18 in which the doorways 20 are formed.

The columns 14 extend from the floor 10 to the roof 22 and function as main supporting members for the roof and the building and serve to lend structural rigidity to the entire structure. At the same time, each column rotatably receives a series of parking platforms 24 in vertically stacked relation thereon.

Each of the platforms embodies a cylindrical hub portion 26 having a horizontal platform formed at its upper edge which comprises a series of radially extending, circumferentially spaced load receiving spokes 28 upon which the automobiles are to be positioned.

It is intended that each parking platform 24 be independently rotatable on its associated column and for this purpose each hub has an electric motor 32 or the like mounted thereon. The drive shaft of this motor carries a drive pinion 34 meshing with a ring gear 36 rigidly secured to column 14 within a circumferential groove therein. The hub is of course provided with an opening 38 permitting the mentioned interengagement between the

gears

34 and 36.

Centrally disposed within the building enclosure is an upright elevator mast or shaft 40 upon which an elevator platform assembly 42 is vertically slidable. This platform has a series of spokes 44 corresponding to the number of stacks of parking platforms and the floor 10 is suitably recessed as at 46 to permit the upper surface of the elevator platform assembly, when lowered, to be flush with the floor surface. Any suitable mechanism may be employed to raise and lower the elevator platform on its mast 40.

It is contemplated that the dimensions of the building be such as to occupy an entire block so that the various entrances and exits 48 will be positioned at various points around the block thereby making the car park accessible to tralfic approaching from any direction. The area 50 between the sidewalk 52 and the wall 12 may be occupied by one or two story business establishments or this space may be utilized in any manner desired.

It is to be noted that when the elevator is in the lowered position as shown in Figure 2, the spokes 44 thereof are in alignment with the various exits or drives 48 and that the shaft 40 is provided with an alignment groove 54 having a spiral lower end portion 56 which will cooperate with a suitable pin (not shown) on said elevator to rotate the elevator platform sufiiciently to align its spokes with the spokes 28 of the parking platform assemblies when the elevator is raised, and in alignment with drives 48 when the elevator is in its lowermost position. In this respect, it is also to be noted that the outer ends 57 of the elevator spokes 44 are of concave configuration so as to interfit with the convex outer ends 59 of the parking spokes 28 presenting a continuous surface for transferring the automobiles from one assembly to the other. The aligning rotation of the elevator platform is of course effected before the latter reaches the level of the lowermost parking platforms.

The roof 22 is preferably formed with a central opening 58 so that the elevator may be raised to the roof level for discharging automobiles thereon for the purpose of extended parking or storage. Of course, it is desirable to provide this opening with a roof or canopy of suitable construction and it will also be evident that some sort of guard rail is desirable around the opening.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 6 and 7, it will be noted that each of the spokes 44 of the elevator platform is provided with a pair of spaced radial track bars 60 and that a carriage assembly indicated generally by the reference character 62 is guided on these track bars by virtue of the grooves cut in the leg members 64 of the carriage. As shown, the carriage is of generally U-shaped configuration such that the leg portions 64 are interconnected by the crosspiece or bight 66 and it will be noted that the lower outer corners of the leg portions are formed with gear teeth 68 presenting racks engaged by the gear members 70 rigidly secured to opposite ends of the drive shaft member 72 suitably journaled as by bearing bosses '74 on the undersurface of the spokes 44. The upper surfaces of the legs 64 are provided with grooves 76 forming wheel troughs receiving the vehicle tires.

Each of the parking platform spokes 28 is provided with track bars 78 which align with the track bars 60 such that rotation of the gears or pinions 70 will cause the carriage 62 to be projected onto the parking platform spokes. Additionally, each parking platform spoke 28 is provided with four hydraulic jack assemblies indicated generally by the reference character 80, the purpose of these ja-cksbeing to transfer the vehicle being parked from the carriage 62 to the parking platform spokes. In this respect, it is to be understood that when the elevator platform aligns with one of the parking platforms the carriage 62 will be moved to a posit-ion partially overlying the parking platform spoke and that the jacks 80 will then be manipulated to pick the vehicle off the carriage such that the carriage may be returned to the elevator platform for further operation.

Figure 8 shows one method by means of which the carriage 62 is operated and the hydraulic jacks 80 manipulated in properly coordinated relation thereto. In this respect, a switch 82 may be provided on the parking platforms in the path of movement of the carriage 62 such that when the carriage has reached the proper position on the parking platform a valve 84 will be actuated by means of a solenoid 86 to connect the fluid lines 88 leading to the jacks to a pump 90 such that the jacks will be raised and the vehicle elevated from the carriage 62. Of course, many suitable switch means on the elevator platform will control the movement of the carriage 62 which may include a weight responsive switch to return the carriage onto the elevator platform when the vehicle has been removed therefrom. The pump 90 is preferably driven by an electric motor the leads 92 indicating the connection to such motor and the hydraulic system preferably includes a reservoir 94 connected to the valve 84 by return line 96 and to the pump line and inlet line 98, the pump being connected to the valve by an outlet line 100. Of course, the shaft 72 may be provided with any suitable drive means as the electric motor 102 controlled in the manner previously set forth.

From the foregoing, the construction and ope-ration of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A building for parking cars comprising a floor, a continuous side wall forming an enclosure, and a roof, a plurality of circularly arranged, circumferentially spaced supporting columns extending between said floor and said roof and supporting the latter, a series of vertically stacked parking platforms disposed in each column and independently rotatable thereon, an elevator assembly disposed centrally of said columns, said building having a radially extending driveway disposed between each pair of columns, an elevator platform having a plurality of spoke portions corresponding to the number of said driveways, means for independently rotating each one of said parking platforms, and means for rotating said elevator platform between a position, when lowered, in which its spokes are in alignment with said driveways to a position, immediately upon the start of its ascent, wherein its spokes project in the direction of the centers of said columns.

2. In a car park, a floor, an elevator mast rising above said floor, a plurality of columns disposed radially of said mast and equally spaced from each other, each of said columns having a plurality of vertically stacked parking platforms rotatably mounted thereon, means for 4 rotating each of said platforms independently, each of said platforms having a plurality of radially extending spokes having convex outer ends, an elevator platform supported by said mast and vertically movable thereon, said elevator platformv having a plurality of radial spokes corresponding to the number of columns and each having a concave end for flush engagement with the ends of the spokes of said parking platforms, an upstanding side wall providing an enclosure for said park, said side wall having a series of arcuate portions corresponding to the number of said columns and each having a column disposed in the center of its arc, said side wall also having a that portion joining each adjacent pair of arcuate portions, a doorway formed in each of said fiat wall portions, a roof supported by said columns, the spokes of said elevator platform being disposed in radial alignment with said doorways when the elevator platform is in lowered position, and means for rotating said elevator platform as it is raised so that its spokes are in radial alignment with said columns.

3. A vehicular parking assembly for storing vehicles in a stacked elevated position including a vertical elevator shaft, an elevator vertically slidable on said shaft and including a plurality of radially disposed vehicle receiving portions, a plurality of vertical columns radially disposed relative to said vertical elevator shaft, a plurality of vertical columns radially disposed relative to said vertical elevator shaft, a plurality of vertically disposed vehicle parking platforms rotatably journaled on said support columns, each of said platforms including a plurality of individual radially disposed support areas, each of which being operable to be aligned with one of the vehicle receiving portions on said elevator, said radially disposed vehicle receiving portions including an extensible vehicle supporting track assembly for extending over cooperating portions of said radially disposed vehicle areas on said parking platforms, and means for automatically raising the vehicle off said track assembly for supporting said vehicle on said supporting areas.

4. A vehicle parking assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said vehicle automatic raising means includes a plurality of jacks, and means for actuating said jacks.

5. A parking building for storing vehicles in a stacked elevated position therein including a vertical elevator shaft, an elevator platform vertically slidable on said shaft and including a plurality of radially disposed individual vehicle receiving portions, a plurality of columns radially disposed in said building relative to said elevator shaft, a plurality of vertically disposed vehicle parking platforms rotatably journaled on said columns, each of said platforms including a plurality of individual vehicle support areas, each of which being operable to align with a vehicle receiving portion of said elevator, a plurality of ingress and egress areas in said building located between adjacent pairs of said radially disposed columns, and means on said elevator shaft and elevator platform for aligning said vehicle receiving portions with the ingress and egress openings and individual vehicle support areas on the support platforms.

6. A parking building as set forth in claim 5 including power means operatively associated between said rotatable vehicle support platforms and said elevator for alternately aligning the vehicle support areas with a vehicle receiving portion on said elevator.

7. A parking building as set forth in claim 5 including a roof on said building having a center opening in axial alignment with said elevator platform wherein vehicles may be raised to said roof for the purpose of parking thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS