US3127998A

US3127998A - Elevator and trailer support structure

Info

Publication number: US3127998A
Application number: US146300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter K Zell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-10-19
Filing date: 1961-10-19
Publication date: 1964-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-07

Description

April 7, 1964 w. K. ZELL 3, 7,

f ELEVATOR AND TRAILER SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi l6 A 4o 48 F I g .4.

INVENTOR. Walter K. Zell BY mJ/M 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

ELEVATOR AND TRAILER SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 19,

- April 7, ,1964

INVENTOR. Walter K. Zell -fi I f h m M 0 6 2 a 1 0 5 United States Patent 3,127,998 ELEVATOR AN!) TRAILER SUPPORT STRUCTURE Walter K. Zell, 1472 Filbert St, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Oct. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 146,300 (Jlaims. (Cl. 214-16.l)

This invention relates to an elevator and trailer support structure and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 73,309, filed December 2, 1960, now Patent No. 3,084,813, for Trailer Court.

In my co-pending patent application there was set forth a building structure which generally included two parallel vertical walls with platforms mounted on the end of the walls for supporting the opposite ends of trailers in relatively stacked position. An elevator mechanism was provided with the structure which allowed the trailers to be transversely moved to a position in supporting alignment on the platforms.

The object of this invention is to provide a structural platform which extends the full length between the two parallel vertical walls and provides a continuous support for trailers mounted theron. The platform is formed with its main longitudinal support member being outwardly orientated relative to the center portion of trailers to be mounted on the platform so that a cut-out can be provided between the main longitudinal support of the platform and the inner edge of the platform to receive elevator cables and to allow them to be moved from the elevator shaft area to a position in central alignment over the support area of the platform.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel elevator system in which cable supports are arranged to move a central elevator up and down by two cables which always retain an equally spaced apart relation to each other in alignment with the cut-out portions of the respective support platforms and further providing means for carrying trailers of various lengths in suspended position from the elevator carriage so that the entire carriage and elevator can be transversely as well as vertically moved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel elevator system in which a central beam is provided with hoisting chains which lift the beam to respective elevations and with the further mechanism of means for transversely moving the beam so that it can be readily positioned to various positions relative to the platforms located on either side of the elevator well. The beam is provided with a depending support which is arranged to support and carry trailers in depending relation to the beam so that the trailers carried by the beam can be positioned in alignment with the respective platforms of the building structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a move platform for supporting two trailers in stacked relation in which the longitudinal support for the platform extends between two opposite wall panels in such a way as to support the platform throughout its entire length. The support is arranged so that portions of the inner wall of the platform can be cut away next or adjacent to the vertical wall structures supporting the platform to receive elevator cables without impairing the load bearing tolerance of the platform structure.

A feature and advantage of this invention is that the elevator mechanism supports the trailers with structural elements that have a minimum height so that the supporting element can carry a dependnig trailer and position it at the various levels of the building structure while allowing minimal clearance between the top of the trailer and the rear upper platform or floor.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of two tiers of platforms and the elevator mechanism for use in association therewith.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in partial cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 taken at line 3--3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the trailer supporting portion of the elevator.

Referring now to the drawings the basic structure of the trailer support building comprises a pair of spaced apart vertical parallel walls 15. Between the two walls are a plurality of trailer support platforms 16, each of the platforms being horizontally disposed and in end abutment with vertical walls 15.

The respective platforms are spaced a distance at least equal to the height of trailers 19 to be supported by the platform plus a small area for the hoist or elevator mechanism generally indicated at 20, which will be hereinafter described.

The platforms are anchored to walls 15 by conventiopal means to provide a sufficient anchor to support the platform and the trailer in order to be carried by the platform.

Platform 16 comprises a top plate 25 with a depending beam 26 extending the entire length of the bottom of the platform. Beam 26 is similarly anchored into the two spaced apart walls 15 and is formed of sufiicien-t strength to provide the longitudinal support for plate 25 in the suspension between the two vertical walls 15.

Platforms 16 are mounted in two parallel columns spaced apart a distance greater than the maximum width of trailers 19 to be carried by the structure. The area between the respective rows of columns or platforms defines the elevator shaft area or well 30.

Each platform is provided with a cut-out area indicated at 31 extending from vertical wall 15 inwardly and extending into the platform to a point approximate I-beam 26. The cut-out area is designed to receive the support cables 35 of elevator 20.

The upper and motor portion of the elevator comprises a carriage 36 mounted on top of each of the walls 15. A pulley 37 is mounted on each carriage. The carriages are carried by tracks 39 so that the carriages can be transversely moved across the width of support walls 15. Cables 35 are connected to the pulleys 37 so that the cables can be retracted or let out in accordance with the action of motors carried within carriages 36. The depending ends of the cables 35 are connected to the ends of an I-beam 4d. 7

In operation normally the two carriages 36 on the two opposite walls are moved in synchronization. The pulses are also synchronized so that I-beam will be raised and lowered in substantially parallel relationship.

Trailers 19 are depended from I-beam 40 by means of a support rack having two angularly outwardly depending arms 46 which are mounted by rollers 47 on the bottom leg 48 of I-beam 40. The rollers allow the rack to move throughout the length of the I-beam. The bottom of rack 45 is provided with inwardly extending forks 49. The forks are arranged to engage the underside of trailers 19 for supporting engagement therewith.

The verandas or porches 50 for the trailers to be supported on the platforms are mounted in a horizontal relationship on the outside and above platforms 16. A vertical petition wall 51 can extend downwardly from veranda 50 to the outer edge of platforms 16. The elevation of verandas 50 should be about equal to the threshold level of the trailers so that the occupants of the trailer can walk directly from the veranda into their trailer.

It is noted that the longitudinal and vertical support for platform 16 is located at a position slightly inward of the mid-section of trailers to be mounted on the platform or at least far enough inwardly. A cut out area 31 of sufiicient depth can be cut into platform 16 without interfering with the structural beam 26.

By this device I-beam 40 can position the trailer for supporting engagement on the respective platforms by lateral or transverse movement of the elevator in registry with the platform. It is important that the full structural engagement of the I-beam be maintained with wall 15 so that it would not be feasible to make the cut-out portion extend beyond the point of engagement of the I-beam of wall 15. For this reason I-beam 26 forms the support for the platform while still allowing the platform to be constructed for the full allowance of the cables to be moved into registry for trailer deposit.

While the drawings and the specification describe a straight depending beam 26 it is noted that other configurations can be employed such as U-beams and the like. However, in all such cases the primary supporting beam and structure must be outward of the innermost extension of desired movement for the cables 35.

It is also noted that forks 49 are movable to accommodate trailers of various sizes so that regardless of whether the trailer is a short or a long trailer the forks will engage the trailer in substantially the same manner with the arms 46 abutting the front and rear walls of the trailer and with the forks engaging the sides thereof.

I-beam 40 has a relatively small height so that the I-beam portion of the elevator occupies very little space in the area above the trailer. By this means the spacing between each two stacked platforms 16 need not be more than the height of trailers to be used in the spacing plus the operating height of the I-beam.

It is also noted that the lower extremity of the beams 26 can form an abutment against which I-beam 44 can engage when the elevator is moved outwardly. This would insure in each case that the trailers are mounted in precisely the same alignment and also allows the I-beams to be moved closer to the bottom of platform 16, regardless of the depth of beams 26. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 where it can be seen that the I-beam can be laterally moved in the area under platform 16 between a bottom extension of beam 26 and the bottom of platform 16. This facilitates a great economy in spacing between floors.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a building structure of the type adapted to carry a plurality of house trailers in stacked relationship, the improvement comprising: an enclosure including two spaced apart, vertical walls and having at least one vertical opening at right angles thereto extending substantially from one of said vertical walls to said other vertical wall, a plurality of trailer support platforms mounted on said walls in superimposed relationship and extending horizontally therebetween, each platform having a trailer supporting area and a non-trailer supporting area, said trailer supporting area being at least as wide as the trailer to be supported and being attached to the vertical wall at its ends from substantially mid-point outwardly and being spaced from the vertical walls from the mid-point inwardly to define a cable passageway thereon, said nontrailer supporting area extending outwardly from said trailer supporting area toward said vertical opening, a vertical shaftway positioned on the side of said trailer supporting area opposite said vertical opening, elevator means mounted on the top of each wall, cables depending adjacent each of said walls operated by said elevator means, trailer transfer means connecting the bottom ends of said cables to support trailers, said elevator means being positionable along said support wall to a first position wherein the trailer transfer means is located in the shaftway to allow the trailers to be elevated to positions in alignment with each of said platforms and movable to a second position with the cables ali ned with substantially the mid-point of the trailer support areas of said platforms wherein the trailer transfer means is located over one of said platforms, said cables being aligned to depend through the space between the vertical wall and the horizontal platform when the elevator means is moved to the second position.

2. The building structure defined in claim 1, wherein said cables are connected to opposite ends of a beam, and said trailer transfer means includes means movably mounted on said beam and depending therefrom to support said trailer thereunder.

3. In a building structure of the type adapted-to carry a plurality of house trailers in stacked relationship, the improvement comprising: an enclosure including two spaced apart vertical walls and having at least one vertical opening at right angles thereto and extending sub stantially from one of said vertical walls to said other vertical wall, a plurality of horizontal trailer support platforms mounted on said walls and extending therebetween to form stacked storage areas, each platform having a trailer supporting area and a non-trailer supporting area, said trailer supporting area being at least as wide as the trailer to be supported and formed by a flat topped horizontal member having a depending horizontal beam integrally formed therewith midway between opposite sides of the trailer support area of the platform, said beam being attached at opposite ends to the vertical walls, each platform having a pair of grooves extending from one edge of the platform inwardly to said beam adjacent the ends thereof, said non-trailer supporting area extending outwardly from said trailer supporting area toward said vertical opening, a vertical shaftway positioned on the side of said trailer supporting area opposite said vertical opening, an elevator lift means mounted on the top of said structure having two depending cables aligned with said grooves, a connecting member connecting the bottom portions of said cables in alignment with said grooves, means to support a house trailer by said connecting member, said elevator means being positionable to a first position out of vertical registration with said paltform and aligned with said vertical shaftway to allow said connecting members and said trailer supported thereby to be vertically moved, and being horizontally movable to a second position with the cables depending through the grooves until adjacent said horizontal beams to carry a house trailer into vertical registration with any one of said platforms.

4. A building structure according to claim 3 wherein said horizontal beam forms a stop to align a house trailer carried by said connecting member with the central portion of the platform trailer support area immediately therebeneath.

5. A structure according to claim 4, wherein said connecting member comprises an I beam having a pair of trailer supports slidably mounted on said I beam and depending therefrom, and said structure further includes means on the bottom of said trailer supports to supportably attach said supports to the bottom of opposite ends of said house trailers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Been Aug. 30, 1932 Watson Mar. 28, 1933 Alimanestiano Aug. 4, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 6, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science, June 1956, page 92.

Claims

1. IN A BUILDING STRUCTURE OF THE TYPE ADAPTED TO CARRY A PLURALITY OF HOUSE TRAILERS IN STACKED RELATIONSHIP, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: AN ENCLOSURE INCLUDING TWO SPACED APART, VERTICAL WALLS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL OPENING AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM ONE OF SAID VERTICAL WALLS TO SAID OTHER VERTICAL WALL, A PLURALITY OF TRAILER SUPPORT PLATFORMS MOUNTED ON SAID WALLS IN SUPERIMPOSED RELATIONSHIP AND EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY THEREBETWEEN, EACH PLATFORM HAVING A TRAILER SUPPORTING AREA AND A NON-TRAILER SUPPORTING AREA, SAID TO BE SUPPORTED AND BEING ATTACHED TO THE VERTICAL WALL AT ITS ENDS FROM SUBSTANTIALLY MID-POINT OUTWARDLY AND BEING SPACED FROM THE VERTICAL WALLS FROM THE MID-POINT INWARDLY TO DEFINE A CABLE PASSAGEWAY THEREON, SAID NONTRAILER SUPPORTING AREA EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID TRAILER SUPPORTING AREA TOWARD SAID VERTICAL OPENING, A VERTICAL SHAFTWAY POSITIONED ON THE SIDE OF SAID TRAILER SUPPORTING AREA OPPOSITE SAID VERTICAL OPENING, ELEVATOR MEANS MOUNTED ON THE THE TOP OF EACH WALL, CABLES DEPENDING ADJACENT EACH OF SAID WALLS OPERATED BY SAID ELEVATOR MEANS, TRAILER TRANSFER MEANS CONNECTING THE BOTTOM ENDS OF SAID CABLES TO SUPPORT TRAILERS, SAID ELEVATOR MEANS BEING POSITIONABLE ALONG SAID SUPPORT WALL TO A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN THE TRAILER TRANSFER MEANS IS LOCATED IN THE SHAFTWAY TO ALLOW THE TRAILERS TO BE ELEVATED TO POSITIONS IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF SAID PLATFORMS AND MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION WITH THE CABLES ALIGNED WITH SUBSTANTIALLY THE MID-POINT OF THE TRAILER SUPPORT AREAS OF SAID PLATFORMS WHEREIN THE TRAILER TRANSFER MEANS IS LOCATED OVER ONE OF SAID PLATFORMS, SAID CABLES BEING ALIGNED TO DEPEND THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE VERTICAL WALL AND THE HORIZONTAL PLATFORM WHEN THE ELEVATOR MEANS IS MOVED TO THE SECOND POSITION.