US2975350A - Motor and apparatus for controlling unattended parking lot - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1961 E. T. MAHONEY MOTOR AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING UNATTENDED PARKING LOT Filed Feb. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EUGENE 7T MAHONEY March 14, 1961 E. T. MAHONEY MOTOR AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING UNATTENDED PARKING LOT Filed Feb. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y .5 MW wk m NF MM M mm 1T M mm 0k #3 8 g mm N om w 6 mm mm mm #m vm mm vm om\ u Nu fl cm 2 on A L L ml 6m 8w 9% so: \FQIPP uvwl LLmOo 8N M L \Q R 20 W NHL 0 N am ow wv mm/ M mm W rum mm W....@ TNT o I mm w h T 0 Hm N. E 0

on the treadle in this manner. the system and apparatus be so constructed as to be jump- .invention; r

MOTOR AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING UNATTENDED PARKING LOT Eugene T. Mahoney, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Johnson Fare Box Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 642,496

6 Claims. (Cl. 318-487) The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling parking lots, and more particularly to apparatus automatically operable to control admission of vehicles to parking lots. v i

In Chicoine et a1. application Ser. No. 525,972, filed August 2, 1955, and entitled Parking Lot Control System, there is disclosed and claimed a parking lot control system whereby vehicle ingress to and egress from a parking lot may be automatically controlled without requiring the attendance of an operator. The system comprises essentially an entranceway which is spanned by a gate movable between horizontal (closed) and vertical (open) positions. A driver of a vehicle desiring admission to the parking lot needs only to actuate gate-opening apparatus for raising the gate. Once the vehicle clears the gate, a treadle switch is engaged which actuates the gate-lowering apparatus for closing the gate. Exit from the parking lot is controlled in the same manner by means of an exit-way which is spanned by a gate operated by the same typeof mechanism as just described.

The mechanism which is initially actuated for opening the gate, in some instances, is a treadle over which the wheels of the vehicle pass. treadle, the gate-operating mechanism is actuated. Since such parking lots are usually restricted to only those persons having a right to park their vehicles therein, it is necessary that some means be provided whereby the -mechanism may not be promiscuously operated. In the abovementioned Chicoine et a1. application it has been found that the treadles may be actuated by an individual jumping thereon, the average person being able to exert an instantaneous force of about five hundred (500) pounds Thus it is desirable that proof. I

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for controlling admission to a parking lot, such apparatus being jump-proof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a unique electrical control circuit which may be combined with a treadle mechanism in such a manner as to prevent actuation of the parking lot apparatus by an individual jumpingon the mechanism.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds. i

Tothe accomplishment of the above and related objects, the invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrativeonly, and that specific change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the 'drawingsi Fig. 1 is a perspective illustration of a typicalentranceway to a parking lot as controlled by apparatus of this Fig. 2' is a top-plan view in part sectionof a treadle switch structure;

As the wheels depress the- United States Patent 2,975,350 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along section line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a jump-proof treadle;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the treadle of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit used in combination with the apparatus of the other figures.

Referring to' the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, an entranceway 10 defined by spaced curbs or rails 12 is spanned by a gate 14 shown in closed position. A gate-operating mechanism 16 raises and lowers the gate 14 in response to actuation of two treadle switch mechanisms 18 and 20 respectively which are disposed on opposite sides of the gate as shown. The gate 14 and its operating mechanism 16 is completely illustrated and described in the aforementioned Chicoine et al. application, so that insofar as it is necessary for a clear and complete understanding of this structure the disclosure of the aforesaid application is included herein by reference.

In operation, a driver desiring to enter the parking lot causes the front wheel of his automobile to pass over the treadle 18. Operation of this treadle actuates the apparatus 16 whereby the gate 14 is raised. The driver then proceeds through the entranceway and into the parking lot, this movement resulting in the wheels passing over the treadle 20 which actuates the apparatus 16 in reverse for closing the gate 14.

The treadle mechanism 18 may be considered as comprising two of the treadle devices 20, as will be explained in the following. In Figs. 2 and 3, the treadle 20 comprises an elongated channel 22 of sheet metal.

a strip of insulation 32 having a plurality of openings 34.

The two bars 28 and 30 constitute the contacts of the switch, which may be closed upon each other by a compressing force of sufficient magnitude to deform the bars 28 through the respective openings 34; The strength and character of the treadle construction are such as to withstand the weight of an automobile passing thereover.

The treadle mechanism 18, as generally indicated in Fig. l, is more clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 as comprising essentially two of the treadles 20 as just described and as indicated generally by the reference numerals 20a and 20b. These two treadles are positioned adjacent each other and are mounted on a base plate 36 by means of suitable end mounting straps 38. Positioned on top of the treadles and resting on the respective rubber strips 24 is a rigid plate 40 of sheet metal which is movably mounted on the base plate 36. A suitable mounting comprises a series of bolts 42 which pass through clearance openings in the base plate 36. Nuts 44 received on the lower end of the bolts 42 prevent plate 40 from becoming detached from the base plate. As will now be apparent, the plate 40 may be depressed toward the base plate 36, thereby compressing the rubber strips 24 of the treadles for closing the switches contained therein. Also, it-will be noted that either longitudinal edge 46 or 48 of the plate 40 may be depressed independently of the other edge for operating either of the treadles 20a or 20b independently. Thus, as an automobile wheel passes from left to right (see Fig. 5) over the treadle, it will first encounter the plate edge 46, closing the switch of treadle 20a, and will then proceed to roll over the central portion of the plate, causing both treadles 20a and 20b to close the respective switches. As the wheel leaves the plate 40, both switches willopen.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the electrical circuit which incorporates the treadle switches and gate-operating apparatus just described comprises a transformer 50 having primary and secondary windings 52 and 54, respectively. To the primary winding 52 is connected two power lines 56 and 58, an electric motor 60 being coupled across these lines in series with a set of normally opened switch contacts 62a. The motor 60 is a part of the gate-operating apparatus 16 and is drivably connected to the gate by means of a speed-reducing transmission and reciprocating crank arm assembly. Energization of the motor 60 thereby effects cyclical raising and lowering of the gate 14, as will become apparent from the following description.

Connected in the circuit of the transformer secondary 54 are five diiferent relays, indicated by the reference numerals 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70. Each of these relays has contacts which are indicated by the same reference numeral with a letter sufiix. The relay 62 is connected in series with an up-limit switch 72 and normally open switch contacts 64a, this series network in turn being connected across the two terminal lines 74 and 76 which lead from the transformer secondary 54. A downlimit switch 78 having two contacts 80 and 82 is connected to the terminal line 74 as shown. The treadle switch 20a and the relay 66 are series-connected between the contact 80 and the terminal line 76. Similarly, the treadle switch 26b and the normally open relay switch 66a are series-connected between the contact 66 and the relay 64, relay 64 being connected through the normally closed contacts 70a of the relay 70 to relay switch 64a and limit switch 72.

The relay 68 is series-connected to its normally open contacts 63a between the contact 82 and the terminal line 76. The relay '76 is connected in series with the switch 34 of the closing treadle 20 between the contact 82 and the terminal line 76. A line 86 extends from the upper end of the relay 70 through the normally open contacts 681) of relay 68, wire 68, to the upper end of the relay 62.

The normally closed switch 64b of relay 64 is connected between the upper end of relay 68 and the arm of relay switch 761) which is shiftable between the two contacts 90 and 92. The contact 96 is connected to the switch contact 82 and the remaining contact 92 is connected to the line 88.

When the gate 14 is closed, the position of all the contacts and switches in the electrical circuit are as illustrated.

It should now be noted that the relay 66 differs from the other relays in the respect that closure of its contacts 66a is delayed by about 50 to 80 milliseconds following the instant of energization of the relay. Any suitable time-delay relay may be used; however, for allweather operation, a mercury time-delay relay of conventional construction is preferred. Such a mercury relay is sold by the Adams & Westlake Co., of Elkhart, Indiana, under Type 1140. This particular relay has a delay characteristic which prevents the contacts 66a from closing any sooner than from 50 to 80 milliseconds following energization of its coil 66.

The up-limit switch 72 is contained within the gateoperating apparatus 16 and is closed while the gate 14 is closed. However, as the gate rises and approaches its upright position, the switch '72 is opened. Similarly, the down-limit" witch 7% is contained within the apparatus 16 and is responsive to movement of the gate for shifting its arm between the twocontacts 66 and 82. In the gate-downposition, the contact 80 is engaged as illustrated.

As the gate rises during operation, the switch arm is shifted after about ten to fifteen degrees (10 to movement of the gate to the contact 62. The particular switches 72 and 73 and the manner of actuation thereof are completely illustrated and described in the aforementioned Chicoine et al. application.

Noting'Eig. 1, movement of a vehicle into the-parking lot will correspond to [the direction of arrow However, the relay 64 This being true, the treadle mechanism 18 is arranged in such a manner that the vehicle wheel will first encounter the treadle switch 20a and then secondly the treadle switch 2%. As the wheel rides up onto the central portion of the top plate 40, both treadle switches 20a and 20b will of course be closed.

Now assuming that the gate 14 is closed and all of the contacts and switches of the circuitry are as illustrated in Fig. 6, admission to the parking lot may be gained by causing a front wheel of the vehicle to pass slowly over the treadle mechanism 18. As this occurs, the treadle switch 20a will first close. This immediately applies an energizing voltage to the time delay relay 66 which starts the time cycle which will eventually close the switch 66a. As the front wheel continues to roll forwardly over the treadle plate 40, the second treadle switch 20b will also be closed. After the lapse of about 50 to milliseconds, the switch 66a will close, thereupon establishing an energizing circuit to the two relays 62 and 64. As the latter two relays are energized, the switches 62a and 64a are closed. Also, the switch 64b is opened. Upon closure of the switch 62a, the motor 60 is energized, thereby causing the gate arm 14 to rise.

Momentarily following the start of the gate rising, the limit switch 78 shifts to the contact 82. Also, during the gate-rise period, the relays 62 and 64 will hold-in by closure of the switch 64a.

As the arm approaches its upright position, the limit switch 72 is opened, thereby breaking the circuit to relay 62 and opening the switch 62a. The motor 60 is thus de-energized and the motion of the gate ceases. holds in by virtue of the closed switch 64a.

The gate thus being opened, the vehicle proceeds onwardly until it clears the gate, at which time one of the front wheels passes over the treadle 20 which closes switch 84. Closure of this switch energizes relay 70, thereby opening switch 70a and shifting switch 70b. Relay 64 is now de-energized, which causes the relay switch 64a to open and the companion switch 64b to close.

As the front wheel leaves the treadle 20, the switch 84- will open, thereby de-energizing relay 70 and causing switch 70a to close and switch 70b to return to its illustrated position.

A circuit is now established from the contact 82, contact 90, switch 70b, switch 64b to the relay 68, energizing the latter and closing its hold-in switch 68a. S1- multaneously switch 68b is closed.

Now as the rear wheel passes over the treadle and closes the switch 84, the relay 70 is once again energized, causing its switch 70b to shiftv to contact 92. A hold-in circuit is now established for the relay '70 from the contact 82, switch 68a, switch 64b, contact 92, and switch 68b. Also, an energizing circuit for the relay 62 is established from the contact 82, through the switch 68a, switch 64b, switch 70b, contact 92, and line 88. The relay switch 62a is now closed, thereby energizing the motor 60. The gate arm 14 is now slowly lowered until it almost reaches its horizontal position, at which time the limit switch 78 shifts back to its contact 80 and the limit switch 72 closes. The moment the limit switch 78 shifts to the contact 80, the energizing circuit to the relay 62 is broken, thereby opening the switch 62a and de-energizing the motor 60. The system is thereby placed in readiness for another complete cycle of operation, which begins by the front wheel of a vehicle passing over the treadle mechanism 18.

As explained earlier, the switch 20a of the treadle mechanism 18 actuates time-delay relay 66 having contacts 66a which are in series with the second treadle switch 20b. Thus, it is absolutely necessary for opening the gate 14 that treadle switch 20a be closed for a period of time in excess of the pull-in time of relays 66 and 64 and that switch b be closed before the front wheels of the vehicle leave the treadle plate. When these two switches are closed for this period of time, the relay switch 66a will close, thereby starting the cycle of gate opening. If an adult of average weight should stand on the treadle mechanism 18, his weight alone will not be sufficient to close either of the treadle switches 20a or 20b. On the other hand, if he should jump on either end of the tradle plate 40, he could exert enough force to close one of the switches. However, as explained before, it is necessary that both switches 20a and 20b be closed simultaneously and that switch 20a be closed for a period of time in excess of the pull-in time of relays 66 and 64. Since the force exerted by an individual jumping on the treadle is only momentary, it is thus apparent that the two switches 20a and 20b cannot be held closed for a sufficiently long period of time by jumping thereon.

It has been found that from 50 to 80 milliseconds closure of switch 20a will permit closure of the relay contacts 66a by a slowly moving vehicle for starting the gate-opening cycle.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a firs-t switch, a second switch, means for selectively actuating said first and second switch sequentially and simultaneously, means for yieldably opposing simultaneous actuation of said switches, a time-delay relay connected to said first switch, a third switch operatively associated with said time-delay relay and actuable thereby,

said third switch being connected to said second switch, an electromagnetic device operatively connected in series with said second and third switches, said electromagnetic device having a movable element which moves in response to energization of said device, two terminal lines,

said first switch and relay being series connected across said terminal lines, and said second switch, third switch and said electromagnetic device also being connected in series across said terminal lines.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising first and second switches proximately disposed and independently operable, an actuating member, means interposed between both switches and said member for yieldably resisting actuation of said switches by said member, a time-delay relay having a coil connected in series with said first switch, a third switch operatively connected to said relay, said third switch being connected in series with said second switch, an electromagnetic device coupled in series with said second and third switches, said electromagnetic device having a movable element which moves in response to energization of said device, and two terminal lines, said coil and first switch being series connected across said terminal lines, and said electromagnetic device, and said second and third switches being series connected across said terminal lines.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising first and second treadle switches positioned adjacent each other, said switches being independently operable, means for actuating said switches sequentially and simultaneously, a time-delay relay having a coil connected in series with said first switch, normally open contacts operatively mounted on said relay, said. contacts being connected in series with said second switch, an electromagnetic switch in series with said contacts and said second switch, and two terminal lines, said first switch and relay being connected in series across said terminal lines, and said electromagnetic switch, said contacts and said second switch also being connected in series across said terminal lines.

4. A jump-proof treadle apparatus comprising two treadle switches mounted side-by-side, a plate mounted on said treadle switches for selective actuation thereof, a time-delay relay switch having two normally open contacts and a coil, one of said treadle switches and one of said normally open contacts being connected in series and thereby constituting a control circuit, the other treadle switch having first and second contacts of said coil being in series with the first contact of said other switch, a source of electrical power coupled in series with said second contact and said coil for energizing the latter upon closure of said other switch, relay means, and means for coupling said relay means in series between the other of said two normally open contacts and said source.

5. A control apparatus comprising two treadles positioned side-by-side; two switches operatively mounted on said treadles, respectively; means yieldably opposing simultaneous actuation of said switches; a time-delay relay having a first coil and a third normally open switch which closes a predetermined time after said coil is energized; two terminal lines; said coil and one of said two switches being series connected across said terminal lines; a relay switch having a second coil and a fourth normally open switch which closes upon energization of said second coil; said second coil, the other of said two switches and said third switch being serially connected across said terminal lines; and an electric motor serially connected to said fourth switch.

6. A control apparatus comprising two treadles positioned side-by-side; two switches operatively mounted on said treadles, respectively; means yieldably opposing simultaneous actuation of said switches; a time-delay relay having a first coil and a third normally open switch which closes a predetermined time after said coil is energized; two terminal lines; said coil and one of said two switches being series connected across said terminal lines; a relay switch having a second coil; said second coil, the other of said two switches and said third switch being serially connected across said terminal lines whereby said relay switch is actuated upon simultaneous actuation of said two switches and said third switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,149 Wood May 31, 1932 2,747,154 Abrams May 22, 1956 2,761,928 Cooper et al. Sept. 4, 1956 2,790,874 Lund et a1. Apr. 30, 1957

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