US3570687A

US3570687A - Vehicle garage with shiftable and pivotal platforms

Info

Publication number: US3570687A
Application number: US722877A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sergej D Toedtli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-05-17
Filing date: 1968-04-22
Publication date: 1971-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-16
Also published as: GB1178378A; DE1684991A1; FR1566540A

Abstract

The individual parking platforms of a row thereof, located between a vehicle thoroughfare and a row of parking spaces, can be shifted and pivoted automatically to free ingress to, and egress from, any parking space, or to enable the driver to drive easily onto, or off of, a platform.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Sergej D. Toedtli 42 Attenhoferstrasse, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland Appl. No. 722,877

Filed Apr. 22, 1968 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 Priority May 17, 1967, Aug. 18, 1967 Switzerland 6958/67 and 11649/67 VEHICLE GARAGE WITH SHIFT ABLE AND PIVOTAL PLATFORMS 11 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 214/16.1 Int. Cl E04h 6/06 Field ofSearch 214/l6.l4

(C-D), 16.18, 16.18 (A) Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Raymond B. Johnson Attorney-Karl F. Ross ABSTRACT: The individual parking platforms of a row thereof, located between a vehicle thoroughfare and a row of parking spaces, can be shifted and pivoted automatically to free ingress to, and egress from, any parking space, or to enable the driver to drive easily onto, or off of, a platform.

miminmmsmn 3,570,687

IIIIIIII SHEET 1 0F 6 SERGEJY D. TOEDTLI INVENTOR gear g I,

Attorney PATENTEUHARI s IBYI SHEET 2 OF 6 SERGE-I D TOEDTLI jlll'onwy PATENTEDIA msBn 3,570,687

snmunr'e SERGEJ D 'IOEDTLI iNVENTOR Attorney PATENIEnumsm 3.570.687

sum s or s SERGEJ D TOEDTLI INVENTQR gem! To" Atiomev VEHICLE GARAGE WI'III SIIIFTABLE AND PIVOTAL PLATFORMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a garage for motor vehicles with at least one row of stationary parking spaces located along one side of a vehicle way, and a row of parking platforms, parallel to the row of parking spaces, located in the vehicle way between the parking spaces and that portion of the vehicle way which is held free for the movement of vehicle.

Many garages today have two rows of stationary parking spaces located along respective sides of a vehicle way that is commonly approximately 8 meters wide. The entire width of the vehicle way is held free for themaneuvering and movement of vehicles and thus cannot be used for the parking of additional vehicles.

It has been suggested in the prior art that the available space in a garage can be more efficiently utilized by parking the vehicles on shiftable platforms, which are located side by side and parallel to one another. The platforms are shifted along the length of the garage, or transversely thereto, to enable access to, or egress from, the platforms. The means for moving the platforms is automatically controlled from a panel, whereby the desired position of the platforms is obtained. Garages of this kind are expensive; and since it is necessary to drive in reverse in a narrow vehicle way when driving onto, or off of, a platform, they are not convenient.

The prior art also suggests a garage with one or two rows of stationary parking spaces located alongside a vehicle way, and a plurality of pivotal parking platforms located in the vehicle way. The platforms cannot be shifted/but are individually pivoted manually or by a motor so as to free ingress to, or egress from, a given stationary parking space. In thisway, these garages do enable the parking of additional vehicles as previously mentioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention enables a garage to park a still larger number of vehicles in the vehicle way. The invention, moreover, does not require skilled personnel to operate the means for shifting or pivoting the platforms.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided for automatically pivoting the platforms and also shifting them on the garage floor along the length of the parking space row,

' whereby any desired parking space can be opened to the vehicle way. The platforms are located side by side and oblique to the vehicle way.

In many cases it is possible to simplify the platform moving means, and still use part of the vehicle way for parking. The means only shifts the platforms, which latter are not free to pivot and always remain'at the same angle with respect to the vehicle way. The platform moving means is therefore appreciably simpler and less costly to construct, and the vehicle way is a one-way thoroughfare. Consequently, this form of the invention can be introduced only'in those garages where the entrance and exit are so located as to permit the vehicle way to be used as a one-way thoroughfare.

An object of the invention is to provide a garage with a vehicle way, at least one row of stationary parking spaces along one side of the way, and a row of automatically shiftable platforms located in the way between that portion thereof held free for the passage of vehicles and the row of parking spaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garage of the preceding object wherein the platforms can be automatically pivoted as well as shifted.

These and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be described in detail with reference to the FIGS. of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. I and 2 are top views of a garage of the invention with the platforms in two different positions;

FIG. 3 is a simplified top view of one form of the platformmoving means, a single platform being shown;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of part of a platform;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail of the bumper, taken in the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a simplified top view of another form of the platform-moving means; a

FIG. 8 is a top view of another embodiment of the garage of the invention;

FIGQ9 is a simplified top view of a further embodiment of the platform mover;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the electric drive for the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the means for coupling and uncoupling a platform to the platform mover shown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a simplified bottom view of an embodiment for pivoting a platform through an angle of at least 180.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS width, for example. The parking spaces 1 are demarcated by lines or stripes 3, for example, on the garage floor. An automobile entering through the doorway 4 advances, as shown by the arrow 5, to a parking space 1 in the left row. When the automobile leaves, it is first backed up, as shown by arrow 6, and then driven forward, as shown by arrow 7. On the other hand, if the vehicle is to be parked in a space of the right-hand side row, it is first of all driven in the direction of the arrow 5 and subsequently backed into the parking space. It is self-apparent how the automobile is maneuvered to leave the parking s ace.

ln conventional garages a very large part of the floor area is not available for parking, because the entire vehicle way is reserved for the maneuvering of automobiles. In the garage of the invention, part of the vehicle way 2 is given over to a series of shiftable and pivotal platforms 8, on each of which an automobile can be parked. In FIG. 1 the platforms 8, which extend obliquely to the vehicle way 2, are so positioned as to enable an automobile to enter or leave a parking space 1 located approximately in the middle of the left or right row. The bisector 9 of a platform 8 on one side of the entrance to the parking space defines an acute angle a with the direction 10 travelled by anautomobile entering the garage, and the bisector 9 of a platform 8 on the other side of this same entrance defines, for example, an obtuse angle l80-awith the same direction 10. The value of angle a can, for example, be

- approximately 45.

When an automobile is to be driven onto a platform 8, the platforms 8 are shifted in such a manner that the platform 8 concerned (FIG. 2) is located between, and spaced from, the respective group of platforms on each side of the said entrance. The platform 8 is also pivoted to an angular position similar to that of the left-hand group of platforms (which are in the drive-on position), whereby the automobile is advanced in the direction shown by arrow II and easily driven onto the platform 8,. When the automobile is to be driven off, the platform 8 is previously pivoted to the drive-off" position shown in dot-dash line, wherein the platform is parallel to and spaced from the group of platforms on the righthand side of the aforesaid entrance. The vehicle is backed up in the direction of the dashed line 12 and then driven forward in the direction of the arrow 13.

The platforms 8 are shifted and pivoted by means of an automatic mover 14, illustrated in FIG. 3, which is controlled by a panel (no't' shown) that includes a series of relays or contactless switches and which enables the platforms to be moved on the desired position. The mover 14 includes two

endless chains

15 and 16, located beneath the surface of the garage floor, which run on respective pairs of

sprocket wheels

17, 18 and 19, 20 that turn on vertical axles. The

sprocket wheels

18 and 20 are driven by a respective reversible

electric motor

21 and 22 via respective

power gear transmissions

23 and 24.

Each platform 8 is provided with four wheels 25, which support the platform on the garage floor and are mounted free to pivot through 360 Each platform incorporates two

pins

26 and 27, which project into

respective slots

28 and 2? in the floor and respectively can be selectively coupled to the strand or 15 of the chain 15 and to the

strand

16 or 16 of the chain 16. By suitably choosing the direction of movement and speed and/or length of drive time of each chain, all of the movements, as explained in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, of a platform 8 coupled to the chains can be carried out.

The design of the platforms and the manner of coupling the

pins

26 and 27 will now be described, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

The pin 26 is located at the rear end-of a platform in a bearing member 30 that defines a vertical axis and is fixed to the platform. The bearing member supports the upper end of the pin by means of a washer 31 attached to the pin. Below the garage floor surface, the lower end of the pin carries a horizontal sleeve 32 in which a coupling bolt 33 is free to move back and forth. Two guide rollers 34, mounted below the sleeve 32 and free to rotate about a vertical axis, roll on respective sides of a guide rail 35, for guiding the pin along the slot 28. The evenly spaced

links

36 and 36 of the chain 15 incorporate

respective lugs

37 and 37 with holes that can be entered by the coupling bolt 33, when the latter is moved left or right from the position shown in FIG. 5.

The chain 15 and rail 35 are located in a covered channel 38 incorporated in the garage floor. A series of electromagnetic couplers is located in the channel and regularly spaced along the length thereof. Each coupler comprises an electromagnet 39 that includes a horizontal movable armature 40, which can be moved left or right from the central position shown, depending on which one of the two coils (not shown) of the electromagnet is energized, and which, when neither coil is energized, is returned to the central position and held there by a spring (not shown). To the armature 40 is fixed a hook 41 that projects into a coupling groove 43 formed on the bolt 33 by two bands 42. When the armature moves, its hook presses on one of the bands, thus causing the bolt 33 to shift until it enters one of the

lugs

37, and 37 The

chains

15 and 16 are so controlled in their movement that when they are stopped each electromagnet 39 is located opposite two

links

36, and 36 By energizing the one or the other coil of each electromagnet, the bolts 33 can be coupled with the one or the other of the links, 36, and 36 and the

chain strand

15 or 15 provided that a platform 8 is located above. By shutting off an electromagnet the armature 40 thereof is returned to its middle position and the bolt 33 shifted to the neutral position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the platform 8 is uncoupled. In that position in which a platform is uncoupled. It can also be recoupled.

The pin 27 is located in a bearing member 44 having a vertical axis and movable in a slot 45 in the platform 8, so that the distance betweenthe pins 26 and 27 can be varied, as required when the platform pivots. If desired, both

pins

26 and 27 can be mounted so as to be movable in this way. The manner in which the pivot 27 is guided along the slot 29 and in which the chain strand li6 or 16 is coupled to the pin 27 is the same as that previously described in connection with pin 26. Aside from the chain, identical parts are given the same reference number.

The wheels 25 are advantageously spaced sufficiently far from the platform ends so that they do not cross the

slots

28 or 29, when the platform is pivoted to the drive-on or drive-off position, as shown in FlG. 2.

A short ramp 46, located at the front end of each platform 8, facilitates the driving of automobiles onto the platform. The front edge of a ramp is provided with a bumper 47 made of a suitably resilient material, such as rubber. When a vehicle is driven onto or off a ramp, the latter will tip about the axis of rotation of the front wheels 25, in the sense of arrow 48. The bumper after having moved through a short distancea centimeter, for example-is pressed against the floor and so prevents further tipping of the platform.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, one side of each platform is provided with a projecting bumper 49, the purpose of which is to bear against the wheels 50 of an automobile on the next platform, and thus to align the automobile, and thereby prevent automobiles on neighboring platforms from scratching against one another. In FIG. 1 several platforms provided with the side bumpers are shown. The bumpers 49 are not shown in FIG. 5. These bumpers can be made as a unitary piece, as illustrated, or of several, longitudinally spaced parts.

To facilitate bringing the vehicles front wheels to the correct position on the platform, the latter is provided with two correctly-located shallow depressions 51, the rear edges 52 of which are raised above the platform surface. Although the platform 8 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 simply as a thick plate, in reality it is constructed to have the necessary strength with the least weight. For example, it can consist of two relatively thin, parallel plates connected together by welded ribs.

A second embodiment of the mover, with suitable platforms 8a is shown in FIG. 7. As in the previous embodiment, the mover includes two

endless chains

15 and 16 that run over sprockets 17 to 20 and are driven by

electric motors

21 and 22 via

power transmissions

23 and 24. The

chains

15 and 16, located below the garage floor surface, do not extend the entire length of the vehicle way 2 but only a short length thereof and directly serve to move only the first platform 8a,. This platform is provided with two vertical pins 27a that can be moved in slots 45a incorporated in the platform. The lower ends of the pins 27a are permanently attached to the respective chains, the

coupling arrangement

32, 33, and 37 and the coupling switch 39 to 42 not being present. The two

guide rails

34 and 35 are replaced by a single, central guide rail 53, located in the floor and extending the entire length of the vehicle way 2. The rail 53 guides a pin 54, which projects vertically downward from the center of the platform 8a and is provided at its lower end with two guide rollers (not shown).

One side of the platform 8a, is provided with a plurality of bumper rollers 55, which serve to push on the neighboring platform 8a, as well as with a coupling hook 56 for pulling along the neighboring platform 8a. The hook has anend 57 that projects downwards (although shown in the plane of the drawing) into a slot 58 provided in the near side of the neighboring platform. Each of the platforms 8a also has a centrally located swiveling pin 54 cooperating with the rail 53; consequently, all those platforms 8a which are directly or indirectly (via one or more intermediately located platforms 8a) coupled to the platform 8a, necessarily execute the same shifting and pivotal movements that the platform 8a is caused to undergo by the

motors

21 and 22. When the platforms are pivoted, the bumper rollers 55 roll along the neighboring platforms, and the coupling hooks 56 slide into the slots 58. Advantageously, the hook ends 57 are provided with one or more rollers (not'shown) to facilitate operation of the hooks.

The hooks 56 are coupled to, or uncoupled from, the slots 58 by a series of electromagnetic couplers located at spaced intervals beneath the floor surface. Suitable couplers are used in the automatic garages described as part of the prior art in the introduction, and will not be further described here.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 is suitable only for small garages, since the friction that must be overcome will be very high when all of the platforms must be moved at once. With the first embodiment it is always possible to move one or only a few platforms at a time, in order to obtain the desired arrangement.

In accordance with the invention, the means for automatically moving the platforms can take other forms. With reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the endless chains are replaced by an endless wire cable 64 located in the floor and led over a pulley 65, at one end, and, at the other end, over a cable drum 66, which is driven by a reversible electric motor 67 via a power geartransmission 68. The pulley and drum revolve on vertical axles, and the former serves to stretch the cable and to keep it under the proper tension. In addition, the cable passes over two guide rollers 69 and 761. A single row of platforms requires two endless cables: one to shift the platforms along the longitudinal direction of the row, and the other to pivot them. The platforms 71, which can be of the sort illustrated in FIG. 3 or 7, are coupled to, and uncoupled from, the cables by means of clamping plates 77 located at spaced intervals (if the platforms are of the type illustrated in FIG. 3) under the garage floor surface and held clamped together by respective springs 72 of the schematically shown arrangement. The platforms are uncoupled by compressed air cylinder and lever combinations that are housed at regularly spaced intervals underneath the floor surface. If the platforms are of the type shown in FIG. 7, only a such combination is required. The compressed air cylinder 73 operates, in a known manner, a lever 74 that pivots about a horizontal axle 75 and acts upon a vertical pin 76 connected to the upper clamping plate and mounted on the platform 71. When the lever is pivoted upwards (as-seen in FIG. 11), the clamping plates 77 are caused to open against the force of the spring 72. The pressure-release valve 78 of the compressed air cylinder can be operated in any suitable and known manner, whether electrically or pneumatically.

The platforms of the invention can also be used in garages that are sufficiently wide to accommodate a single row of parking spaces but too narrow to contain two rows.

Further in accordance with the invention, each platform can be made sufficiently large to hold two or more automobiles, although this embodiment, as a rule, will prove to be less advantageous than that in which a platform holds but a single vehicle.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the garage incorporates a number of stationary parking spaces 1 that are arranged in rows on respective sides of two

lengths

2a and 2a of the vehicle way 2, which latter is in the form of a closed loop. The garage also includes an entrance doorway 4a and an exit doorway db, located side by side in the vehicle way 2, so that the latter is actually a one-way street, as indicated by the arrows 5.- The two doorways can also be constructed as a single doorway. Eleven parking platforms 8 are located along the length 2a and thirteen along the length 2b. The platforms are illustrated as rectangles and roll on the garage floor on wheels (not shown). The longitudinal axis 8 of each platform makes an angle or of approximately 45 with the vehicle movement direction, as indicated by the arrows 5. In order to prevent pivoting of a platform when the latter is shifted, a respective slot 66:: and 60b is incorporated in the floor for each length 2a and 2b. Each platform is provided with two pins 59 (shown only for platform 8,) that project downwardly into the respec tive slot and control the movement of the platform.

Any of the embodiments of the automatic movers previously described can be used with-the platforms shown in FIG. 8. Of the two pull means 61, either chains or cables, as the case may be, that one is omitted, however, which is used to pivot the platforms.

driving forward (space 1,) and in the other by backing up (space 1 In addition, the platform 8 is shown in a position in which it is spaced from the two neighboring platforms, thereby enabling a car to be driven onto, or off, the platform without the driver having to pay attention. to automobiles parked on the neighboring platforms. A small clearance is located between the platforms 8;, and 8 to provide access to a narrow exit-way (indicated by the arrow) or to a window 63.

It is not necessary that the vehicle way Z'form a closed loop; but instead it can have the entrance located at one end and the exit at the other end, and, for example, itself be straight. The

mover described can be varied in its details to suit the requirements of a particular location. For example, the endless pull means, such as the cable 6 3 or the

chains

15 and 16, can be located in a vertical, as well as in a horizontal, plane and/or led over wheels, such as the drum 66 and pulley 65, to reverse its direction.

The previously described automatic platform movers are also very useful in conjunction with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. l2. Each platform 79 has a stationary member 80 in the form of a sprocket for two chains or of a pulley for two cables; and the two pull means 81 and 82, which in the vicinity of the platform are each in the form of a chain or of a cable, as the case may be, engage, and exert a torque at diametrically opposite positions on, the member 80, whereby the platform can be pivoted through at least For the sake of convenience, it is desirable to be able to rotate a platform through half a circle, because in this case an automobile need never be backed onto, or off of, a platform.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of, and the breadth of protection afforded to, the invention are limited solely by the appended claims.

Iclaim: 1

1. In a garage for motor vehicles with at least one row of stationary parking spaces located alongside of a vehicle, and a row of parking platforms, parallel to the row of parking spaces, located in the vehicle way between the parking spaces and that portion of the vehicle way which is held free for the movement of vehicles, eachplatform being of sufficient size to accommodate at least one vehicle, the improvement which comprises an automatic platform mover for at least shifting the platforms in a direction parallel to the row of parking spaces, thereby providing a vehicle path between a desired parking space andthat part of the vehicle way which is held free for the movement of vehicles, means forming two spaced slots in the garage floor running parallel to the platform row, an endless pull means located in each said slot for coupling to at least one platform, and an individual automatically controlled reversible electric motor for driving each said pull means whereby to shift at least one platform, said platform mover pivoting as well as shifting the platforms, both strands of a respective said endless pull means being located in the same said slot, and further including a plurality of regularly spaced electromagnetic coupling means located in each said slot, and two spaced means associated with each platform and cooperating with said coupling means of a respective said slot to enable each platform to be coupled to a desired strand of each said pull means, said two spaced means each including a coupling bolt, an individual pin mounted on each said platform for each said coupling bolt and projecting into a respective said slot, a horizontal sleeve mounted on each said pin at the lower part thereof for carrying a respective said coupling bolt free to move back and forth in the sleeve from a neutral position, in which said coupling bolt is not coupled to said pull means, to a first end position in which said coupling bolt is coupled to one strand, and to a second end position in which said coupling bolt is coupled to the other strand, of said pull means, and at least one slot formed in each platform to permit at least one of said pins to move so as to vary the spacing between the two pins of a platform when the latter is pivoted.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each said electromagnetic coupling means includes an electromagnet, an armature for controlling the position of said coupling bolt movable from a neutral position to first and second end positions depending on how the electromagnet is magnetized, the neutral and first and second and positions of said armature respectively corresponding to the neutral and first and second end positions of said coupling bolt, and resilient means for returning said armature of the neutral position when said elec tromagnet is not energized.

3. The improvement defined in claim 1, including a stationary' guide rail located in each said slot of said floor, and a guide means engaging a respective said guide rail and mounted on a respective said pin.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each said slot ef said floor extends approximately the length of the parking-space row.

5, The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each pin of a platform is mounted near a respective end of the platform and located directly above a respective said slot of said floor.

6. The improvement defined in claim 1, including a bumper means projecting laterally from one side of each platform and above the surface thereof for aligning an automobile that is being parked on the adjacent platform.

7. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each platform incorporates a shallow depression for each of two sideby-side wheels of the vehicle, and a raised rear edge for each said depression.

8. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said platform mover is able to divide the platforms of a row into first and second groups, the bisectors of the platforms of said first group forming an acute angle a with the direction of vehicle movement in the vehicle way, and the bise-ctors of the platforms of said second group forming therewith an angle of l80-a.

9. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

10. A parking garage for motive vehicles, comprising:

means forming at least one row of stationary parking spaces located along a vehicle way;

LII

a row of individual parking platforms having a total extent in the direction of the row of parking spaces less than the extent of the latter for receiving said motor vehicles;

guide means including at least one slot formed in the garage floor parallel to the row of platforms for constraining said platforms for movement parallel to said rows; and

platform moving means coeperating with said guide means for shifting said platforms and rotating same about a substantially vertical axis for providing a vehicle path between a selected one of said parking spaces and a portion of the vehicle way held freely for movement of said vehicles, said platform moving means including a pair of endiess pull means connectable selectively to at least one of said platforms, pivot means connecting each of said endless pull means with said one of said platforms, one of said pivot means being shiftable relative to said one of said platforms, and means for driving said pull means for simultaneous operation in the same sense to dispiace said platforms alongside said guide means and operation in opposite directions to ,pivot said one of said platforms.

11. The garage defined in claim 10 wherein said platforms each are formed with means engageable with said endless pull means and said slot extends the full length of said rows, each of said pull means being provided in a respective one of said slots.

Claims

1. In a garage for motor vehicles with at least one row of stationary parking spaces located alongside of a vehicle, and a row of parking platforms, parallel to the row of parking spaces, located in the vehicle way between the parking spaces and that portion of the vehicle way which is held free for the movement of vehicles, each platform being of sufficient size to accommodate at least one vehicle, the improvement which comprises an automatic platform mover for at least shifting the platforms in a direction parallel to the row of parking spaces, thereby providing a vehicle path between a desired parking space and that part of the vehicle way which is held free for the movement of vehicLes, means forming two spaced slots in the garage floor running parallel to the platform row, an endless pull means located in each said slot for coupling to at least one platform, and an individual automatically controlled reversible electric motor for driving each said pull means whereby to shift at least one platform, said platform mover pivoting as well as shifting the platforms, both strands of a respective said endless pull means being located in the same said slot, and further including a plurality of regularly spaced electromagnetic coupling means located in each said slot, and two spaced means associated with each platform and cooperating with said coupling means of a respective said slot to enable each platform to be coupled to a desired strand of each said pull means, said two spaced means each including a coupling bolt, an individual pin mounted on each said platform for each said coupling bolt and projecting into a respective said slot, a horizontal sleeve mounted on each said pin at the lower part thereof for carrying a respective said coupling bolt free to move back and forth in the sleeve from a neutral position, in which said coupling bolt is not coupled to said pull means, to a first end position in which said coupling bolt is coupled to one strand, and to a second end position in which said coupling bolt is coupled to the other strand, of said pull means, and at least one slot formed in each platform to permit at least one of said pins to move so as to vary the spacing between the two pins of a platform when the latter is pivoted.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each said electromagnetic coupling means includes an electromagnet, an armature for controlling the position of said coupling bolt movable from a neutral position to first and second end positions depending on how the electromagnet is magnetized, the neutral and first and second and positions of said armature respectively corresponding to the neutral and first and second end positions of said coupling bolt, and resilient means for returning said armature of the neutral position when said electromagnet is not energized.

3. The improvement defined in claim 1, including a stationary guide rail located in each said slot of said floor, and a guide means engaging a respective said guide rail and mounted on a respective said pin.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each said slot of said floor extends approximately the length of the parking-space row.

5. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each said pin of a platform is mounted near a respective end of the platform and located directly above a respective said slot of said floor.

7. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein each platform incorporates a shallow depression for each of two side-by-side wheels of the vehicle, and a raised rear edge for each said depression.

8. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said platform mover is able to divide the platforms of a row into first and second groups, the bisectors of the platforms of said first group forming an acute angle Alpha with the direction of vehicle movement in the vehicle way, and the bisectors of the platforms of said second group forming therewith an angle of 180*- Alpha .

9. The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

10. A parking garage for motive vehicles, comprising: means forming at least one row of stationary parking spaces located along a vehicle way; a row of individual parking platforms having a total extent in the direction of the row of parking spaces less than the extent of the latter for receiving said motor vehicles; guide means including at least one slot formed in the garage floor parallel to the row of platforms for constrainiNg said platforms for movement parallel to said rows; and platform moving means cooperating with said guide means for shifting said platforms and rotating same about a substantially vertical axis for providing a vehicle path between a selected one of said parking spaces and a portion of the vehicle way held freely for movement of said vehicles, said platform moving means including a pair of endless pull means connectable selectively to at least one of said platforms, pivot means connecting each of said endless pull means with said one of said platforms, one of said pivot means being shiftable relative to said one of said platforms, and means for driving said pull means for simultaneous operation in the same sense to displace said platforms alongside said guide means and operation in opposite directions to pivot said one of said platforms.