US3171551A - Stacking and/or storing goods - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1965 .1. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

smcxmc AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOA I9 075 s A. 577/71 ma;

ATTORNZY March 1965 J. A. STIRLXNG 3171551 STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

FIG-.4

FIG.5

March 1965 J. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 FLooR CROUNDFLOOR FIG. 9 2s ATTORNEY March 1965 J. A. STIRLING STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 16, 1962 mu m 2 N Mm E1? T v5, A A M 5/ M W 5 Y B March 1965 J. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16. 1962 11 51 1 41 5 FIG."

INVENTOR TAM/SS A Szmlm/a ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 STWNG 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 U C M DEPOSIT SCZ REACTION SC COLLECT REACTION Z SCI I HO 0| DEPOSIT 1! D |l Uca Ho 1 c COLLECT I I II D ucfx HT HH HOMING I II [11 HT PIC-3.12

A TTORNE Y M h 2 1965 J. A. STIRLING 171 55 STACKING AND/0R STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 REACTION COLLECT SKv INVENTOA 74AM; A. 57/19: //M

A TTORNEY March 2, 1965 3,171,551

J. A. STIRLING STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 l/VVENTOR J/Wis' A Shah/v BY 3W 14% m: M Z

ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 3,171,551

J. A. STlRLlNG STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 1O //VVENTOR JAMES S 5 5Y 3 4%.; :W 4 ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 .1. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 115 1128770 11611 112@ m o 119 /105 109 2 X 112 5 111 11 SILL-51', 115 115 121 I/VVENTOR JAM: HST/Rum;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,551 STACKING AND/6R STORING GOODS James Alexander Stirling, Fretherne Chambers, Welwyn Garden City, Herttordshire, England Filed Apr. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 187,837 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-461) This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 782,130, filed December 22, 1958 and relates thereto, as to all common subject matter, for all dates and rights incident to the filing thereof. Said application is now abandoned.

This invention is concerned with the storing of goods. In this specification reference will be made more particularly, and by way of example only, to the parking of motor vehicles, but it will be understood that the store house may be used for storing many other items of merchandise such as manufactured goods, spare parts, raw materials, and so on, disposed on pallets or other suitable supports.

For example, the parking of cars in modern cities is a very considerable problem and the store house, which may in this example be called a multi-storage garage provides a very effective answer to the problem.

An object of this invention is to provide more particularly an improved automatic multi-floor garage having a number of parking stalls on each of its floors wherein the cycles of operation involved in the parking of a motor vehicle and its collection are electrically controlled and in such a manner that it is only after the positive completion of each individual operation in a deposit or collect sequence of operations that the next operation in the sequence can be performed, thereby assuring that the said control fails safe.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical control for the deposit or collection of a motor veh cle in a multi-fioor garage, wherein a sequence of deposit operations are initiated by the turning of a key, or a token in respect of the key, which is handed to the owner of a vehicle after parking, which key or token has to be returned by the owner of the vehicle before a collect sequence of operations can be initiated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multifioor garage having one or more elevators, the elevator or each elevator carrying an angular-1y adjustable transporter which conveys a motor vehicle to and from a parking stall, the angular adjustment being such that, at the level at which a Vehicle is accepted for parking, a vehicle may be driven onto the transporter at an acute angle with respect to the adjacent side of the garage thereby minimising manoeuvring space for a vehicle at said level.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, an embodiment of the invention as applied to a multifloor garage will now be described, by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional plan view of a part of a multifloor garage;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation, sections being taken on the lines AA, BB and CC, of FIGURE 1, for the respective floors;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic plan views of alternative floor arrangements;

FIGURE 6 is an indicator board;

FIGURE 7 shows a token and FIGURE 3 shows a key, either of which may be used in the operation of the garage;

FIGURE 9 is a flow diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of the garage;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of one form of garage structure embodying the invention;

3,171,551 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 FIGURES 11, 12 and 13 are diagrams of the electric control circuits;

FIGURE 14 is a wiring diagram of the control circuits in more detail;

FIGURE 15 is a plan of an angularly adjustable transporter for use in a garage, according to the invention, and having two entrance/exit channels;

FIGURE 16 is a plan of the transporter with a part of the slatted conveyor removed;

FIGURE 17 is an elevation of the transporter partly in section;

FIGURE 18 is a section on A-A of FIGURE 16 drawn to an enlarged scale, and

FIGURE 19 is a plan showing the disposition of the transporter bearings.

Referring to the FIGURE 10, a garage 1 has nine floors numbering 2 to 9, inclusive, including a ground floor. In FIGURE 2 a garage is shown having five floors including a ground floor. Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, each floor may provide parking space for, say, twelve cars in stall 7. A transporter gallery 8, on each floor 2 to 6, extends from an elevator 9 at one end of the garage to the other end. and six stalls 7 on each side of the gallery each receive a car.

The elevator 9 is adapted to lift a car from ground level to the floor on which it is to be parked and, when in the elevator 9, a car rests on a transporter 10 forming a part of the elevator. When the elevator reaches a selected floor level it is automatically stopped and the transporter moves from the elevator along guide rails or tracks 11 arranged at each side of the gallery. When the transporter lit, with a car upon it, reaches a preselected stall 7 it is automatically stopped and the car is moved into the stall. The transporter 10 may then be moved back to the elevator or it may be moved to another stall on the same floor to receive a car which is to be returned to its owner.

In order to move a car into a stall 7, the floor of the transporter It is provided with two sets of rollers 12. As soon as the transporter has stopped at a selected stall, the rollers are caused to turn in unison and in the appropriate direction. In each stall 7 rollers 13 are also provided extending across the stall for at least the first half of its length. The rollers 13 are driven synchronously with the rollers 12 so that a car is automatically moved into the selected stall.

The floor of the elevator 9 has a track stand for the transporter Iii, which track stand corresponds to the rails or tracks 11 on each floor. The transporter 10 is powered for longitudinal movement along each gallery by an electric motor, not shown, carried by the transporter. The two driven roller tracks 12 on the transporter are separately powered by a second electric motor 14 on the transporter. The rollers receive the car, one roller track 12 forming a guide for two wheels at one side of a car, and the second track 12 accommodating the other wheels. As will be seen from FIGURE 2 one of the tracks 12 is wider than the other, thus provision is made for cars of varying widths.

The guide rails or tracks 11 on each floor exactly align with the track stand in the elevator when this is at rest at a floor. When the transporter has moved from the elevator along the gallery of a floor to a position opposite a selected stall clutch mechanism (not shown) couples the roller 12 with the rollers 13 so that all rollers are driven in unison.

When a car is driven onto the transporter and the elevator is at the ground floor, the driver puts on the hand brake and locks the rear wheels, and/ or the gears may be engaged, leaving the front wheels free. Thus, when the transporter arrives opposite a selected stall, the rollers will operate to move the car into the stall. The drive to the rollers from the motor 14 may be effected by a chain and sprocket or other form of drive arrangedto transfer the drive from one roller to the others. In such an arrangement it is preferred that the rollers 13 and the motor drive should comprise a unit so that in the event of any failure in the unit it may be removed and repaired or replaced by a new unit.

Although a single elevator 9 has been referred to serv- I lows:

ing six stalls at each side of the gallery, i.e., on each floor,

in certain cases there may be two elevators 9, one at each end and each, for example, serving three stalls on each side at each level as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In.

larger combination units having two or more galleries 8 on each level there may be two, three or moreelevators 9 as desired.

It is to be understood from the foregoing description that parking ina selected stall 7 is eifected automatically once a car has been deposited on the transporter in the elevator when the latter is at ground level and a particular parking stall has been selected. Also, the collection of a car from a stall for deliveryto. its owner may be per-.

formed automatically. In order to achieve this desired result, a suitably designed electrical control system may be used, so adapted that an incoming car may automatically be routed to a selected stall 7 and an outgoing car may be automatically brought to an exit positionon the ground floor 2.

As an example of 'thegeneral operation, a control panel '15' may be provided, in an attendants kiosk, for instance, to indicate occupied and unoccupied stalls. Anoccupied stall may-be indicated by a red or other light and an unoccupied stall by a green or other contrasting light, the

light being indicated generally at 16.. Alternatively, indicating means other than lights may be used. When a car has been loaded in the hoist, the operator selects a vacant stall, e.g. stall No. 50, to receive the car and hands to the driver of the car a token 17 marked with a symbol to identify the selected stall. The operator then turns a key, or inserts a key, or presses a button 18, or takes some other positive action according to the design of the electric control system, to trigger otf the required train of operations necessary to park the car in the selected stall.

As soon as the positive action is taken, the elevator 9 ascends tothe floor on whichis the selected'stall. The transporter then moves from the elevator to-the stall (a) Elevator-travels towards selected floor.

(b) Elevator enters selected floor microzone and slows down having passed a first limit switch.

(c) Elevator reaches a second limit switch and reverses direction of travel.

(d) Elevator reaches the first limit switch and reverses agam. V

This process of hunting at a selected floorlevel between i% in. in the microzone is defined by the first or lower limit switch and the second or upper limit switch.

(3) Stall selection and action is indicated by 23:

(a) Transporter leaves the elevator byautomatic switching immediately the alignment of the stand track 7 in the elevator with the track 11 at the selected floor is achieved. a r

(b) Transporter travels towards selected stall.

(c) Transporter enters selected stall microzone and slows down.

(d) Transporter reaches selected stop switch and on stopping engages roller clutch unit and roller motor starts in the selected direction.

(2) Roller units, now driving, move the car into the selected stall until a roller stop switch 'isreached when the movement ceases. At this stage, the automatic clutch is disengagedjand the transporter is free for its next operation. v

(4) Return to elevator, indicated by 24:

(a) Transporter moves towards elevator.

(b) Transporter enters elevator microzone and slows down.

a (c) Transporter reaches elevator limit switch and stop in elevator.

(.5) Return to ground floor, indicated at 25:

(a) Elevator descends towards ground floor and enters the ground floor microzone and slows down.

and the rollers 12 on the transporter and the rollers in the stall rotate to park the car. It is to beunderstood that the positive action to be taken by the operator is capable ofa wide variation to suit individual requirements. As an example, the indicator board 15 may have a key 19 associated with each stall 7, which key may have to. be turned by the operator before it can be removed. The turning of the key may initiate the train of operations and the key, when removed from the board, may be handed as a token to the driver of the car being parked. When the car is to be collected, the driver hands the key back to the operator who then uses it to initiate a reverse train of operations. a

The elevator and transporter movements are accurately located by microzone and limit switches ensuring correct alignment of the elevator track stand with the gallery 7 track 11 at the selected floor and also the immediate engagement of the automatic clutch between the transporter rollers 12 and the stall rollers 13. Appropriate arrangements :are provided to ensure that no entry may be made to the elevator shaft while the elevator is away from the ground level.

stalls.

The general details of the flowcycle of cars, illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 9, may be summarised as Similarly, arrangements will be made to ensure. that cars are only moved in the direction of vacant (6) Elevator shaft safety gates open, indicated by 26. If during any part of a deposit cyclepanel instructions are registered to collect from any floor, other than that at which deposit is being made, the transporter when free at the end of the operation 3, indicated by reference 23in FIGURE 9, will return to the elevator and thence to' point 2(a) and re-enter the cycle thus taking path Y in FIGURE 8. Similarly, instructions to collect from the floor at which the transporter stands at 3(e) will return the transporter to point 3(b) byroute Z, FIGURE 8. In the absence of any such instructions to take routes,

Y or Z, the transporter takes the straight path through route X in FIGURE 8 and returns to the ground floor.

An electrical director for controlling the various operations involved in the parking of a car and its collection may comprise multi-bank uniselectors and relays associated with each key 19. InFIGURES 11 and 12, uniselectors US and UC, respectively, are indicated and their banks of contacts are shown separately, an indication being given of the circuits which each bank controls.

Assuming that a car is to be parked, a vacant stall, as indicated by one of the lamps 16, is selected and the key 19 is inserted in the indicator board 15 and is turned in the appropriate direction DP an indicating or cycle running lamp L lights, the key control being indicated the uniselector US is driven, under self-interruption, so as to cause its wipers to sweep over its banks of contacts. When the wiper of uniselector bank USI reaches the contact connected to earth by the operation of the switch actuated by the key, relay T operates and closes a holding circuit through relay contact T2 connected to earth thereby locking the relay. The operation of the relay T has a number of other effects, it opens the driving circuit of the uniselector US which therefore stops. The operation of the relay T also closes a circuit through one of its contacts T2 for the indicating or Cycle Running lamp L which therefore lights. Since the relay T is held, the switch operated by the key may be restored to normal and the key may be handed to the owner of the car which is being parked. The relay T also actuates others of its contacts T3, T4, T5 and T6 whereby circuits are closed through the wipers of uniselector banks USZ to USS, respectively, to operate the following relays:

DR to initiate a car deposit cycle (or C to initiate a car collect cycle).

Relays IF to SF according to the floor on which a selected stall is located.

Relays LT or RT according to whether the car is to be deposited in a stall to the right or left of a floor.

Relays IS to SS according to the distance of the selected stall from the elevator.

The operation of the relay DR, providing a second uniselector UC has its wiper in the position from which it moves to initiate a number of operations, actuates contacts D1, D2 and D3. The closing of contact D1 connects a bank of contacts UC3 to earth whereby an Action, such as close the elevator gates, can be initiated, this being one of a sequence of actions initiated by the contacts of UC3. The operation of the contact D2 closes a circuit through a relay SC which actuates contacts SCI and SC2, the contact SCI closing a holding circuit for the relay SC and the contact SCZ connects a bank of contacts UCZ to a drive motor M to await Reaction. What is meant by Action is the operation of a remote contactor (not shown) which closes a circuit whereby a function is performed. Reaction consists in the closing of circuits by the remote contacts as each Action is completed, the circuits including the uniselector bank UCZ, contact D3 and the motor M. Thus, the wipers of uniselector UC are each driven from one contact to the next only when an Action has been completed. The final action of UC3 is to energise a relay Z whereby the relays T and SC are released so that the circuits return to normal.

Hoist and transporter location Referring to FIGURE 13, the upper of the two circuits provides for the fioor location of the elevator and the lower circuit for the location of the transporter opposite a selected stall. For convenience of illustration, the upper of the two circuits shows the contacts on floors 1, 3 and 5, which floors are indicated linearly. Assuming that a car is to be transported by the elevator to floor 3 where the selected stall is located, floor contacts Hit, H1 and H2, that is to say the contacts of the floors below floor 3, are all connected to an Up relay UR while the contacts H4 and H5 of the floors above are all connected to a Down relay DX, the contact H3 being connected to give reaction.

With this arrangement, and assuming overlap between adjacent floor contacts Ht), H1 and H2 during the elevator movement, when earth is connected to the Action lead via uniselector bank UC3, a circuit is closed through the Up relay UR by way of floor contacts H1, H2, and contact IF1. Cont-acts IF]. to IFS are normally made and each is actuated by a relay F in the action circuit of the bank of UC contacts associated with each floor. When F is energised, say for the location of the elevator at floor 3, contact IFS is actuated so that the action lead is connected to the reaction lead via floor contact H3, whereupon the Up relay UR is de-energised and the elevator stops at floor 3. It is to be understood that the relay UR when energised operates contacts whereby the elevator is driven.

When the elevator is to be returned to ground level after a deposit action, for instance, it will be obvious that the fioor contacts will only be made during the descent of the elevator, therefore the Down relay DX includes a holding contact HH connected to earth. A contact HT is included in the Action lead. which contact is operated by the transporter when this is correctly located on the elevator, the arrangement assuring that the elevator will not return to ground level unless it is carrying the transporter.

The operation of the lower circuit shown in FIGURE 13 for the location of the transporter opposite a stall is similar to that of the circuit for the location of the elevator at a floor.

It is to be understood that a Collect cycle of operation will be similar to that of a Deposit cycle, but that the various operations will be performed in a reverse sequence.

Electrical circuits corresponding to those shown in FEGURES 11 and 12, but in more detail, are shown in FIGURE 14. The circuits include multibank self-driven uniselectors associated with each key 19, which uniselectors close circuits in sequence through relays whereby the various operations may be performed. In FIG- UPE 14 uniselectors are shown and the banks of contacts they control are indicated. The uniselectors constitute a searcher for a selected stall and the particular floor Where the stall is located. Two identical uniselectors or searchers are provided, one for a deposit operation and the other for a collect operation. The circuit at the left hand side of the dot and dash line DL shows a uniselector US and its banks of contacts, the circuit constituting the deposit searcher and it is to be understood that the circuit will be duplicated at the right hand side of the line DL for the collect searcher. The control panel 15 provides for left and right hand keys 19. By turning a key in the appropriate direction, the deposit searcher will be initiated and in the reverse direction the collect searcher will be initiated.

Assuming that a car is to be parked, a vacant stall as indicated by one of the lamps 16, for example the second stall on floor 3 at the left hand side of the control gallery, is selected. The key 19 is then inserted in the appropriate key hole in the left hand side of the control panel 15 and is turned to initiate the deposit operation. If, but only if, the elevator is in position to receive the car and a contact Ht} operated by the elevator is closed, a relay S, FIGURE 14, is operated by the closing of a contact S0 actuated by the key 19. The energization of the relay 5 actuates a contact S2, whereby a motor M for the drive of the uniselector US is driven, a contact FT 1 in the uniselector motor circuit being normally closed. The uniselector US in the arrangement shown has two banks of contacts F1 and F2, the bank F1 being concerned with floor selection and the bank P2 with action, as will later be made clear. The uniselector US comprises an electrical mechanical device for moving Wiper arms in complete circles on the perimeters of which are many contacts. Alternate contacts are used on each bank of contacts for electrical connections, the intermediate contacts being dead. A contact C1 of the bank F1, associated with the key being operated, is connected to earth via key contacts EC. The uniselector US is then driven until the wiper arm of F1 touches the contact C1. This has the effect of closing a circuit through a high speed relay FT which operates the contact FTl so that it breaks the uniselector drive circuit.

The operation of the contact FT} closes a circuit via a lead L1 and a normally made contact T51 of a relay TS whereby the motor M1 of a second uniselector SL is driven. This uniselector is concerned with stall selection is located. The wiper of the uniselector SL is then driven until it touches the contact C2 whereupon a relay TS is energised causing the contact TS1 to break the drive circuit of the motor M1. The operation of the contact- TS1 also has the effect of closing a circuit through a relay TSR. The energisation of the relay TSRalso operates a contact TS2 which closes a holding circuit through a second winding of the relay Sthus maintaining a holding circuit on relay S.

At this stage, the key 19 may be removed and handed to the driver of the car being parked. If the key were released prior to the completion of the operations previously described, the uniselectors US and SL would. automatically move onto dead contacts, this being their normal at rest condition. At any time while the uniselectors are in this condition a collect operation could be initiated.

The searcher will remain quiescent until a start key SK is operated by a car owner or attendant. of the start key will, through a contact 53 of therelay S, energise one winding of a dual wound relay. 'SHL, this being done only when a deposit operation has been initiated. The relay SHL operates a contact SHLll so that the second winding of the relay SHL isenergised whereby the relay SHL is held, the holding circuit being closed via a contact S5 which is operated by the relay S,

A final circuit is provided to operate a relay SC of an The operation 8 the motor M3 is driven to move the wipers to the next contact of each bank of contacts. Another action can then be initiated such as start the elevator motor and it is not until this action is completed that the next action can be performed. Thus, all of the actions necessary to park the car are performed in sequence. The final operation of the uniselector UC is to'opera'te a relay Z which actuates contacts Z1 and Z2 so that the holding circuits of relays S and SC are broken whereupon thecircuits return to normal.

Although the storehouse in the. embodiment of the invention describedis substantially rectangular in plan,

action and reaction controller, shown diagrammatically at the right hand side of FlGURE 14, the deposit contacts being indicated in their operative positions. The circuit is closed by way of a contact SHLZ of the relay SHL, a contact S4 of the relay S and a normally closed contact SHL3 of a relay corresponding to the relay SHL on the collect searcher. If a collect operation is in progress, the operation of the start key SK will not actuate the relay SC since relay S will not have been operated, consequently, the deposit searcher will be inoperative. Conversely, if a deposit operation'is being effected, the collect searcher will. be inoperative, since the relay corresponding to S in the collect searches will not have been operated. A contact SCI operated by the. relay SC closes a holding circuit for the relay SC so that once an action is initiated it cannot be disrupted by anything taking place in both searchers.

The operation of each uniselector motor is such that on its release after an operation, the wiper will always move to the next dead contact and then when the motor is energised the wiper will move round in small jumps until it is stopped, as previously described.

Each uniselector consists of two or more banks of contacts each having a wiper, the banks being electrically separate. One of these banks, F2 for instance, is used in one of the controller action circuits so that when the controller issues the order go to floor 3, for example, this orderis passed through the bank F2 which will direct it to the correct floor.

The contact to which the wiper of F2 has been driven according to the floor where, the selected stall is located, is connected to a relay DR which, when energised, closes contacts D1 and D2. The contact D1 is connected to earth and the contact D2 is connected to the motor M3 of a uniselector UC via a contact SC2 of the relay SC to await a reaction as will later be made clear. Since D1 connects the wiper of UC3 to earth, an action can be initiated by the operation of a relay F, the action for instance effecting the energisation of electro mechanical means for closing the safety gates of the elevator. The completion of this operation results in the breaking of local contacts whereby the means is tie-energised. At the same time contacts are made whereby a circuit is closed through U52 and D2 (deposit reaction) whereby it may be substantially cylindrical. In this instance an angularly adjustable transporter may be used in conjunction with any convenient type of elevator. Such a transporter can be used to an advantage in" both types of storehouse, since the transporter maybe adjusted at any angle when at ground floor level to suit the direction of travel of a car to be parked. Thus, manoeuvring'space for a car in front of the entrance and exit can be reduced to a minimum. The angularly adjustable transporter may be constructed to accommodate one, two or more cars, but inthe following description a transporter for a single car will be described.

A circular platform 101 having segmental. side platforms 1G2 and ltifi and a parallel sided central platform 164-, is constructed for rotation in a horizontal plane about a central vertical axis. 7 I

The platform is rotated by an electric motor 105 through a worm drive 1G7 and an annular gear 109. The

' platform 161 is supported on radially .disposedrollers which are interconnected by transverse spindles 112B.

Each spindle mounts at its ends rollers 112C which run in metal tracks 112D. The rollers 112C serve to support the conveyor and prevent it sagging when carrying a load. The. conveyors pass over, and are driven by, sprockets 113 and 114.

The conveyors are driven by a common electric motor 122 via a bevel gear box 122A and a chain drive 122B.

The motor 122 also drives two sets of four rollers 123, disposed as shown in FIGURES 16 and 17 to span the gap formed between the two conveyors and a further conveyor or platform (not shown) which is also driven from the motor 122 through the medium of a thrust clutch As shown in the drawings, upstanding ribs 117, 118, 119 and 120 are provided between which'the wheels of a car are positioned.

Where a car is driven onto the elevators under its own power, the hinged platforms 102 and 103 enable the driver to alight. The platform can be folded upwardly .out of the way by means of hydraulic rams 121 to permit directly from the road and onto the transporter without the need for manoeuvering the car. In this way the How of vehicles into and out of the garage can be expedited.

In operation, a car is driven onto the. conveyors and 111 under its own power, the hinged platforms are folded out of the way, and thereafter the transporter is raised by the elevator to the selected floor. During raising, or when the elevator is stationary, the platform may be rotated and, if required, traversed horizontally into a position corresponding to an entrance/exit channel or parking stall at the selected floor. At the selected floor, the endless conveyors 110 and 111 are set in motion and the car conveyed to a further conveyor which is powered from the transporter via the clutch assembly 126, whereby the car may be deposited in a selected stall.

Such an angularly adjustable transporter is particularly suitable for storehouses of circular cross section where storage stalls are disposed radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the transporter. The angularly adjustable transporter is also applicable to a storehouse having floors as shown in FIGURE 1, since the transporter can be moved to a position aligning with oppositely disposed stalls and then rotated for the deposit of a car in one or other of the opposite stalls.

If desired, the slatted conveyors 110 and 111 may be replaced by any other conventional form of conveyor, for example, reinforced fibre wire mesh or pressed steel elements pivoted together.

It should be emphasised that although the parking of motor vehicles has been referred to, a storehouse according to the invention is equally suitable for the storage of palletised merchandise or articles, for example refrigerators, television sets, machine tools, washing machines, and so on. Alternatively, stocks of raw materials such as timber may be stored on pallets in this way, and

so on.

I claim:

1. A multi-story storehouse comprising a structure divided into a number of storage floors, an elevator for raising and lowering a transporter on which goods are transported to and from the said floors, said transporter being movable horizontally out of and into said elevator at each of the said floors for the transport of goods to and from storage stalls on each of the said floors, conveyor means on the transporter and in each of the said stalls for goods, a control panel having switching means associated with each of the said stalls, said means being selectively and manually operable to initiate a deposit or collect cycle of operations, a deposit searcher and a collect searcher each comprising motor driven uniselectors the operation of which is selectively initiated by the manual operation of said switching means, the uniselectors of each searcher comprising a first uniselector having a bank of contacts and a contact wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for floor selection and a second uniselector having a bank of contacts and a contact wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for stall location, relay means for discontinuing the drive to said first uniselector after the selection of a floor, said relay also closing a circuit whereby the motor of said second uniselector is driven, relay means for discontinuing the drive of said second uniselector after a stall has been selected, holding relays energised by the closing of the said switching means of the control panel whereby both said searchers may be maintained in condition for operation irrespective of further operation of said switching means, a second bank of contacts and a wiper therefor associated with each of the said banks of contacts for floor and stall location, the wiper of each said second bank operating in unison with the wiper of its associated bank whereby electrical connections are made for the operation of an action and reaction controller, each uniselector of said action and reaction controller having a bank of contacts and a Wiper for said contacts, the wipers of said deposit and collect uniselectors closing circuits on sequence whereby a number of electro-mechanical operations involved in the deposit of goods in, and collection from, a stall may be performed in sequence, and electrical contacts arranged to be made on the completion of each of said operations, said contacts closing circuits through the bank of contacts and wipers of said reaction uniselectors and motor driving said action and reaction controller whereby said wipers are driven to permit an operation in said sequence of operations only after an immediate preceding operation has been completed.

2. A multi-story storehouse comprising a structure divided into a number of storage floors, a gallery on each floor, storage stalls on each side of each gallery, a transporter for goods adjustable about a vertical axis, an eleva tor for raising and lowering the transporter to and from different floors, tracks in the elevator for the said transporter and tracks along each gallery, said tracks aligning with those in the elevator whereby the transporter may travel out and into the elevator and along a gallery to and from a stall, a conveyor on the transporter and in each of said stalls whereby goods may be deposited in and collected from a stall, a control panel having switching means associated with each of said stalls, said means being selectively and manually operable to initiate a deposit or collect cycle of operations, a deposit searcher and a collect searcher each comprising motor driven uniselectors the operation of which is selectively initiated by the manual operation of said switching means, the uniselectors of each searcher comprising a first uniselector having a bank of contacts and a contact wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for floor selection and a second uniselector having a bank of contacts and a wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for stall location, relay means for discontinuing the drive to said first uniselector after the selection of a floor, said relay also closing a circuit whereby the motor of said second uniselector is driven, relay means for discontinuing the drive of said second uniselector after a stall has been selected, holding relays energised by the closing of the said switching means of the control panel whereby both said searchers may be maintained in condition for operation irrespective of further operation of said switching means, a second bank of contacts and a wiper therefor associated with each of the said banks of contacts for floor and stall location, the wiper of each said second bank operating in unison with the wiper of its associated bank whereby electrical connections are made for the operation of an action and reaction controller, each uniselector of said action and reaction controller having a bank of contacts and a wiper therefor, the wipers of said deposit and col lect uniselectors closing circuits in sequence whereby a number of electro-mechanical operation involved in the deposit of goods in and collection from a stall may be performed in sequence, and electrical contacts arranged to be made on the completion of each of said operations, said contacts closing circuits through the banks of contacts and wipers of said reaction uniselectors and motor driving said action and reaction whereby said wipers are driven to permit an operation in said sequence of operations only after an immediate preceding operation has been completed.

3. A storehouse as set forth in claim 1 wherein a limit switch is provided at each of the aforesaid floors, said switch controlling the positioning of the aforesaid elevator with respect to a selected floor.

4. A storehouse as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the aforesaid storage stalls has an associated microzone in which movement of the aforesaid transporter is slowed down and subsequently arrested in a position limited by a stop switch and wherein clutch means are engaged on stoppage of said transporter whereby the aforesaid conveyors in the stall and on the transporter are driven in synchronism for the deposit and collection of goods into and from said stall and wherein switch means are provided for the stoppage of said conveyors after the completion of a deposit or collect operation.

5. A storehouse as set forth in claim 2 wherein the aforesaid conveyor comprises an endless belt formed by a series of interconnected metal slots arranged in a direction laterally of the direction of motion of said conveyor.

6. A storehouse as set forth in claim 2 wherein the aforesaid transporter is provided'with hinged side walks adapted to be swung upwardly into a substantially vertical position References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Summers et a1.

Romain.

Lontz 214-4614 Maissian. 7 Becker.

Thaon de Saint-Andre.

Burkeet a1; 21416.42 X

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. GERALD M. FORLENZA, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A MULTI-STORY STOREHOUSE COMPRISING A STRUCTURE DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF STORAGE FLOORS, AN ELEVATOR FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A TRANSPORTER ON WHICH GOODS ARE TRANSPORTED TO AND FROM THE SAID FLOORS, SAID TRANSPORTER BEING MOVABLE HORIZONTALLY OUT OF AND INTO SAID ELEVATOR AT EACH OF SAID FLOORS FOR THE TRANSPORT OF GOODS TO AND FROM STORAGE STALLS ON EACH OF THE SAID FLOORS, CONVEYOR MEANS ON THE TRANSPORTER AND IN EACH OF THE SAID STALLS FOR GOODS, A CONTROL PANEL HAVING SWITCHING MEANS ASSOCAITED WITH EACH OF THE SAID STALLS, SAID MEANS BEING SELECTIVELY AND MANUALLY OPERABLE TO INITIATE A "DEPOSIT" OR "COLLECT" CYCLE OF OPERATIONS, A "DEPOSIT" SEARCHER AND A "COLLECT" SEARCHER EACH COMPRISING MOTOR DRIVEN UNISELECTORS THE OPERATION OF WHICH IS SELECTIVE INITIATED BY THE MANUAL OPERATION OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, THE UNISELECTOR OF EACH SEARCHER COMPRISING A FIRST UNISELECTOR HAVING A BANK OF CONTACTS AND A CONTACT WIPER WHEREBY CIRCUITS MAY BE CONDITIONED FOR FLOOR SELECTION AND A SECOND UNISELECTOR HAVING A BANK OF CONTACTS AND A CONTACT WIPER WHEREBY CIRCUITS MAY BE CONDITIONED FOR STALL LOCATION, RELAY MEANS FOR DISCONTINUING THE DRIVE TO SAID FIRST UNISELECTOR AFTER THE SELECTION OF A FLOOR, SAID RELAY ALSO CLOSING A CIRCUIT WHEREBY THE MOTOR OF SAID SECOND UNISELECTOR IS DRIVEN, RELAY MEANS FOR DISCONTINUING THE DRIVE OF SAID SECOND UNISELECTOR AFTER A STALL HAS BEEN SELECTED, HOLDING RELAYS ENERGISED BY THE CLOSING OF THE SAID SWITCHING MEANS OF THE CONTROL PANEL WHEREBY BOTH SAID SEARCHERS MAY BE MAINTAINED IN CONDITION FOR OPERATION IRRESPECTIVE OF FURTHER OPERATION OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, A SECOND BANK OF CONTACTS AND A WIPER THEREFOR ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THE SAID BANKS OF CONTACTS FOR FLOOR AND STALL LOCATION, THE WIPER OF EACH OF SAID SECOND BANK OPERATING IN UNISON WITH THE WIPER OF ITS ASSOCIATED BANK WHEREBY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION ARE MADE FOR THE OPERATION OF AN "ACTION" AND "REACTION" CONTROLLER, EACH UNISELECTOR OF SAID ACTION AND REACTION CONTROLLER HAVING A BANK OF CONTACTS AND A WIPER FOR SAID CONTACTS, THE WIPERS, OF SAID "DEPOSIT" AND "COLLECT" UNISELECTORS CLOSING CIRCUITS ON SEQUENCE WHEREBY A NUMBER OF ELECTRO-MECHANICAL OPERATIONS INVOLVED IN THE DEPOSIT OF GOODS IN, AND COLLECTION FROM, A STALL MAY BE PERFORMED IN SEQUENCE, AND ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ARRANGED TO BE MADE ON THE COMPLETION OF EACH OF SAID OPERATIONS, SAID CONTACTS CLOSING CIRCUITS THROUGH THE BANK OF CONTACTS AND WIPERS OF SAID REACTION UNISELECTORS AND MOTOR DRIVING SAID "ACTION" AND "REACTION" CONTROLLER WHEREBY SAID WIPERS ARE DRIVEN TO PERMIT AN OPERATION IN SAID SEQUENCE OF OPERATION ONLY AFTE AN IMMEDIATE PRECEDING OPERATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

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