US2853745A

US2853745A - Garage

Info

Publication number: US2853745A
Application number: US603489A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gipslis Peter
Original assignee: ERWIN HENCHERT
Current assignee: ERWIN HENCHERT
Priority date: 1956-08-13
Filing date: 1956-08-13
Publication date: 1958-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-30

Description

p 30, 1958 Gmsus 2,853,745 GARAGE Filed Aug. 13, 1956' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as 44 5o 49 5 33 42 mvmok PETER GIPSLIS Unite :aes Patent fiice GARAGE Peter Gipslis, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as-

signor of one-half to Erwin Henchert, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application August 13, 1956, Serial No. 603,489

11 Claims. (Cl. 201.13)

This invention relates to improvements in garages primarily for motor vehicles, but which may be used for other purposes.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a garage which may be swung upwardly to an open position to permit a vehicle to be moved into or out of it, whereby the garage may be made ,only large enough to fit over the vehicle.

Another object is the provision of a garage which may be quickly and easily swung into the open or closed positions by hand.

A further object is the provision of a garage having few moving parts, and which cannot go out of working order.

Most garages today are made large enough to accom-.

modate a motor vehicle with suificient room around it to enable passengers to get in or out of it while in the garage. This garage is such that it need be made only large enough to accommodate the vehicle, since it may be swung upwardly to an open position which permits access to the vehicle.

A garage according to the present invention comprises an open-bottomed housing having side walls with downwardly and inwardly curving lower edges at one end thereof. The lower edges of the side walls rest on any suitable fiat base. It is, however, preferred to provide a platform upon which the side walls rest. The housing is opened and closed by raising and lowering the front thereof to cause it to swing around the side wall curved edges, and counterbalancing means is attached to the back of the housing above the curves of the side walls to assist in the opening of the housing. A plate spring is connected at one end to the back of the housing above the side wall curves and extends in a curve downwardly towards the front of the housing, and means is provided connected to the opposite ends of the spring for anchoring said end. The counterbalancing means of the plate spring retain the housing in the open position and permit it to be easily swung to the closed position. It is preferable, although not absolutely necessary, to extend the plate spring completely across the housing so that it closes the back end thereof when the housing is in the closed position.

An example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the garage housing in the closed position,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the housing in the open position,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the garage as shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a garage which com- ,prises a housing 12, and, preferably, a base platform 15 upon which the housing is mounted. This platform may .be of any desired construction, but it preferably includes mediate cross member 22 may be provided. which is.

spaced inwardly from the end member 21, see Figure 5. The housing 10 is preferably made just large enough to accommodate a motor vehicle. As most motor vehicles in common use today fall into three main sized groups, namely, small, intermediate and large, housings of different sizes may have to be provided for the different groups.

The housing is formed with

side walls

25 and 26, and a front wall 27. The

lower edges

29 and 30 of the side walls normally rest in

platform rails

18 and 19, respectively, and these lower edges curve at one enddownwardly and inwardly thereof at 32 and 33. These curves may extend all the way up to the top 35 of the housing or, as shown, the latter may be provided with a back end wall 36 which extends downwardly from the housing top a short way towards the platform. In this case, the lower edges of the side walls curve upwardly to said back end wall. The

side wall curves

32 and 33 extend only ashort distance towards the front or end wall 27 of the housing.

As stated above, the lower edges 29 and 31 of the housing normally rest on the

platform rails

18 and 19, at which time the garage housing is in its closed position. The housing may be rocked back on the

rails

32 and 33 into an open position, as clearly shown in Figure 2. At this time, the front end of the housing is far enough in the air to permit a vehicle to be driven onto or oi the platform into or out of the housing. An inclined handle 39 may be provided on one or both of the side walls to provide a grip by means of which the housing may be raised or lowered.

A plate spring 42 is connected at one end to the housing above the side wall curves. 'In this example, the spring is connected to back end wall 36 by means of suitable fastening means such as bolts 44. When the housing is closed, the plate spring extends in a curve downwardly towards the front of the garage, and its opposite end is anchored in any convenient manner. In the preferred form of the invention, the forward end of the spring is connected to the intermediate cross member 22 of the platform by any suitable means, such as bolts 46. This spring preferably extends over the curved surfaces of the side walls to close the back end of the housing when the latter is in the closed position, as shown in Figure 1. However, the spring may not extend the full width of the housing. In fact, parts of it may be cut away so that there would be one or more comparatively narrow plate springs in use. For example, there might be a comparatively narrow plate spring at each side of the housing.

Counterbalancing means is attached to the back of the housing above the

curves

32 and 33 of the side walls, In this example, the counterbalancing means comprises a weight 49 secured to the inner surface of back end wall 36 by suitable fastening means such as bolts 50, said weight preferably extending across the width of the housing.

Suitable means is provided at the side walls of the housing for keeping the latter from shifting laterally on the platform. This may be in the form of

side bars

52 and 53 mounted on and projecting upwardly from

rails

18 and 19, respectively, to overlap the outer surfaces of the side walls when the housing is closed. ,It will be'understood, however, that the side walls themselves may be provided with similar side bars which overlap the outer edges of the rails when the housing is closed.

In any case, the housing is prevented from shifting laterally even Q when it is in the open position since the side rails overlap the portion of the housing still resting on the platform.

It is desirable to provide means for preventing the housing from moving beyond the normal open position. An arm is provided within the housing at one or both sides thereof for this purpose. In the illustrated example, a pair of relatively long arms 56 are pivotally connected to the housingat 57 near the top thereof, each arm extending in an incline towards the housing front and to the platform when the housing is closed, as shown in Figure 1. Each arm has hook means on the free end thereof. This hook means may be in the form of a hook 59 at the free or outer end of the arm, said hook opening towards the back of the housing. A catch 60 is mounted on a platform rail inwardly of and aligned with each arm 56. The hook of each arm engages a catch when the housing reaches the open position, as clearly shown in Figure 2, to prevent said housing from moving beyond the normal open position. This prevents winds from swinging the housing back too far. When the housing is open, each arm 56 has about reached a vertical position. Therefore, any downward force exerted by the housing on the arms will not force the lower ends of the arms towards the housing front. Any effort to swing the housing downwardly at this time, tends to cause the arm pivots 57 to swing forwardly and downwardly about the fulcrum point which is located at the point of contact of the

curves

32 and 33 with the platform rails.

In order to be able to close the housing, the hook ends of arms 56 need to be moved towards the housing front to permit this action, and means has been provided for accomplishing this. A release handle 64 may be provided at each side of the housing. However, in'ithis example, a handle is provided atside wall 26 only. This handle is connected to an inwardly projecting shaft 65 which is journalled in the housing. side wall. The inner end of this shaft is connected by a U-shaped connector 66 to another shaft 67 journalled in the side wall 25.

in line with shaft 65. Comparatively long lugs .69 and 70 are connected to and project downwardly and forwardly from

shafts

65 and 67, respectively.

When the garage housing is open, arms 56 are positioned near the

lugs

69 and 70, at which time said lugs extend substantially parallel with the arms, see Figure 2. When the release handle 64 is swung downwardly, the lugs engage the adjacent arms to move the lower'ends thereof forwardly. Once these arms have been moved a short distance, pressure of the housing in.a downward direction will force the arms to swing forwardly into the position shown in Figure 1.

Any suitable latching means may be used to retain the housing in the closed position. As the latch does not form part of the invention, none has been illustrated or described herein. In fact, the housing will remain in the closed position without any latch.

When it is desired to open housing 12, it is only necessary to raise the front end thereof. This may be done conveniently by gripping handle 39 and moving it upwardly to cause the housing to swing around the

curves

32 and 33 of the side walls thereof. As the housing swings around the curves, the fulcrum around which the housing turns shifts rearwardly towards the back thereof. When the housing first starts to move, the leverage of weight 49 is at a maximum, but this leverage gradually reduces as the fulcrum shifts towards the back of the housing. Therefore, maximum leverage is available when the most effort is required in order to start the front housing moving upwardly. As the housing continues to move, less effort is required, at this time the leverage is reduced. This prevents the housing from reaching its open position while traveling too fast. The hooks 59 of arms 56 engage catches 60 to prevent the housing from going too far. The plate spring 42 also helps to swing the housing upwardly. It also exerts its maximum force atthe beginning of them'ovement since -it' is'under its greatest strain when the housing is closed. As the spring approaches its horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2, its tension lessens. Thus, the spring serves two purpose, it help to open the housing without exerting too much force when the latter reaches the open position, and it closes the the back end of the housing when said housing is moved to its closed position. Furthermore, as the housing moves towards its closed position, there is a natural tendency for the speed of movement to increase, but the tension of spring 42 increases at this time so that it helps to offset this tendency. Therefore, the housing closes gently without the operator having to hold it back during the closing operation.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A garage comprising an open-bottomed housing having side walls with downwardly and inwardly curving lower edges at one end thereof, said end being the back of the housing, counterbalancing means attached to the back of the housing above the curves of the sidewalls, said housing being opened and closed by raising and lowering the front thereof to .cause it to swing around the side wall curved edges, and a plate spring connected at one end to the back of the housing above the sidewall curves and extending in a curve downwardly towards the front of the housing, and means connected to the opposite end of the spring for anchoring said end, said counterbalancing means and the plate spring retaining the housing in the open position and permitting it to beeasily swungto the closed position.

2. A garage as claimed in claintl in which the plate spring extends over the curved surfaces of the side walls to close the back of the housing when the latter is in the closed position.

3. A garage comprising a supporting platform, an open-bottomed housing having side walls normally resting on the platform with downwardly and inwardly curving lower edges at one end thereof, said end being the back of the housing, counterbalancing means attached to the back of the housing above the curves of theside walls, said housing being opened and closed by raising and lowering the front thereof to cause the side wall curved edges to roll on the platform, and a plate spring connected at one end to the back. of the housing above the side wall curves and extending in a curve downwardly toward the front of the housing, and means connecting the opposite end of the spring to the platform for anchoring said end, said counterbalancing means and the plate spring retaining the housing in the open position and permitting it to be easily swung to the closed position.

4. A garage as claimed in claim 3 including means at the side Walls of the housing for keeping the latter from shifting laterally on the platform.

5. A garage as claimed in claim 3 in which the plate spring is wide enough to close the back of the housing when the latter is in the closed position.

6. A garage as claimed in claim 3 including at least one relatively long arm pivotally connected to the housing near the top thereof and extending in an incline towards the housing front andto the platform when said housing is in the closed position, hook means on the free end of the arm, and a catch on the platform inwardly of and aligned with the arm, the hook means of the arm engaging the catch when the housing reaches the open position to prevent said housing from moving beyond the normal open position.

7. A garage as claimed in claim 6 in which the arm has about reached a vertical position when the housing is open, and including means on the housing for moving the hook means end of the arm towards the housingfront when it is desired to close the housing.

8. A garage comprising a supporting platform including spaced parallel side rails, an open-bottomed housing having side walls normally resting on the side rails with downwardly and inwardly curving lower edges atone end thereof, said endbeing the back of the housing, counterbalancing means attached to the back of the housing above the curves of the side walls, said housing being opened and closed by raising and lowering the front thereof to cause the side wall curved edges to roll on the rails, means at the'side walls for keeping the housing from shifting laterally on the rails, and a plate spring connected at one end to the back of the housing above the side wall curves and extending in a .curve downwardly toward the front of the housing, and means connecting the opposite end of the spring to the platform for anchoring said end, said counterbalancing means and the plate spring retaining the housing in the open position and permitting it to be easily swung to the closed position.

9. A garage as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for keeping the housing from shifting laterally comprises side bars on the rails between which the housing side walls are located.

10. A garage as claimed in claim 8 including a pair of relatively long arms pivotally connected to the housing near the top thereof and extending in an incline towards the housing front and to the rails when said housing is in the closed position, hook means on the free ends of the arms, and catches on the rails inwardly of and aligned with the arms, the hook means of the arms engaging the catches when the housing reaches the open position to prevent said housing from moving beyond the normal open position.

11. A garage as claimed in claim 10 in which the arms have about reached a vertical position when the housing is open, and including means on the housing for moving the hook means ends of the arms towards the housing front when it is desired to close the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent-Noo 2,853,745 September 30, 1958 Peter Gipelis It ishereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the; said Letters Patent should read as corrected beloW In the grant lines 2 and 12', and in specification,

lines

3 and 4, name of assi r Erwin Henchert" read Erwin Heuchert the heading to the printed ghee of one-half interest Signed and sealed this 12th day of April 1960.,

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