ZA200503938B

ZA200503938B - Warehouse for providing transfer cars.

Info

Publication number: ZA200503938B
Application number: ZA200503938A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Georg Wiedemann; Klaus Geinisch; Anton Boxler
Original assignee: Wanzl Metallwarenfabrik Kg
Priority date: 2002-11-22
Filing date: 2005-05-16
Publication date: 2006-02-22
Also published as: WO2004049272A1; DE10254515A1; AU2003291938A1; RU2005119302A; CA2504645A1; AU2003291938B2; CN100359538C; CN1714374A; RU2301009C2; EP1563468A1; DE20318742U1

Description

PCT/DEO03/03830

Warehouse for providing transfer cars

Description

The invention relates to a warehouse for providing transfer cars, which are guided in at least one guide rail and may be parked arranged one behind the other, wherein at least one unlockable stop device for retaining or freeing the trolleys and a cash payment facility for releasing the trolleys are provided, and the cash payment facility is electrically connected to the at least one stop device.

A warehouse of this type is described in DE 33 36 657 Al. It comprises, within a defined zone, a plurality of compartments, in each of which the trolleys may be parked in a row. The warehouse is also provided with a column-type automat and two stop devices. The column-type automat comprises a cash payment point for receiving and returning coin deposits. On payment of a deposit, a trolley may be removed from the storage facility and, after use, brought back again, whereupon at least part of the pre-paid deposit is refunded.

DE 42 02 969 A1 and DE 195 81 765 C2 also disclose warehouses for providing transfer cars. In these warehouses, the trolleys are guided in a guide rail and parked in a row. At the start of the guide rail, i.e. at the start of the row, is arranged a column-type automat comprising a cash payment point and an unlockable stop device which projects into the guide rail and is electrically connected to the column-type automat. In these warehouses too, a trolley may be removed on payment of a deposit and, after use, be returned to the warehouse again.

ny ® 2

The initially mentioned warehouse has the advantage that a plurality of rows of trolleys can be controlled by only one column-type automat and two stop devices. The disadvantage, however, is the structural and technical expenditure required for controlling the parked trolleys.

The two other warehouses described have the advantage that structural expenditure is lower and that these warehouses are substantially easier to install in existing structural installations. The disadvantage, however, is that a column-type automat is required for each warehouse, i.e. each row (guide rail).

The object of the invention is to develop further a warehouse of the present type in such a way that - a plurality of rows of trolleys can be controlled by a single cash payment facility, - the structural and technical expenditure needed to satisfy this requirement nevertheless remains low, and - the warehouse to be developed can be installed in a simple and time-saving manner at any time in existing installations such as airports or railway stations.

The object is achieved in that the at least one stop device is either carried exclusively by the at least one guide rail or is at least partially supported on the ground.

The decisive advantage of this solution is that the at least one stop device is no longer mechanically connected to the cash payment facility (column-type automat), but is either carried exclusively by the at least one guide rail or is at least partially supported on the ground. This means that at least one stop device is arranged on or near each guide rail. Nevertheless, each stop device is electrically connected to the cash

® ; payment facility. This solution permits a wide variety of embodiments of the warehouses, with the result that these warehouses can be subsequently installed in existing structural installations without great expenditure.

According to a preferred embodiment, guide rails can be delivered and installed, already complete with at least one stop device, side by side or at angles, as the structural conditions demand. The same also applies if, for each guide rail, the at least one stop device is supported either only on the ground or on the ground and on the guide rail. The electrical connection of the stop device(s) to the cash payment facility is extremely simple with the use of cables. As soon as a plurality of rows of trolleys is controlled by the cash payment facility, each of the possible storage facilities is cheaper than those two storage facilities described together hereinabove. In those warehouses, one cash payment facility (column- type automat) is required per row. The present invention avoids this expense.

The fact that each guide rail has a separate region for accommodating the necessary cables also contributes towards reducing the structural expenditure.

The invention will be further described with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a warehouse for providing transfer cars; and

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through a guide rail.

The structural installation 9, in which the warehouse 1 shown in fig. 1 for providing transfer cars 6 is located, is indicated by two walls 10. The minimum fittings of the warehouse 1, shown in plan view, are a guide rail 2, a stop device 3 arranged on the guide rail 2, and a cash payment

® 4 facility 5. The next largest arrangement up would additionally have a further guide rail 2 provided with a stop device 3 (indicated by the dot- dash lines). Further guide rails 2 with stop devices 3 are possible.

Trolleys 6 are also shown which, in the example, form two separate rows.

A guide part 7, which is slidably guided in the respective guide rail 2, is arranged on each trolley 6. Each trolley 6 is therefore displaceable along a guide rail 2. Each guide rail 2 is open at least at the entry end so that, when a trolley 6 is removed, its guide part 7 leaves the guide rail 2 and, when the trolley 6 is returned, the guide part 7 is received by the guide rail 2 once more. A stop device 3 is provided at the entry end of each guide rail 2, which is preferably arranged spaced from the ground. The stop device 3 has at least one actuatable locking part (not shown in further detail) which projects into the locking rail in a known manner and prevents unauthorised removal of a trolley 6 from the warehouse 1.

A cash payment facility 5S is arranged at a distance from the at least one guide rail 2. The cash payment facility S is electrically connected to each stop device 3. At the entry end or close to each stop device 3, sensors 4 can be provided which react to a trolley 6 moving past and which are also electrically connected to the respective stop device 3 and the cash payment facility 5. All electrical and electronic means are selected and electrically connected, e.g. by cables 11, so that in this or an advantageously similar manner a trolley 6 can be removed on payment of a deposit and the trolley 6 can be returned with simultaneous refund of the deposit. The functions of the at least one stop device 3, such as "locking" and "unlocking", are also appropriately selected so that it is possible for trolleys 6 to be hired out, returned and retained in a manner already known from similar warehouses in use. If a trolley 6 is removed from the entry end of a guide rail 2 and if, after use, this trolley 6 is pushed back into the row 8, again at the entry end, only one stop device 3 is required per guide rail 2. If, however, it is to be possible to remove a trolley 6 from one end of a guide rail 2 and return it to the row 8 at the other end of the guide rail 2, two stop devices 3 are required per guide rail 2, each stop device 3 being arranged at one of the two ends of the guide rail 2. With such an arrangement, the upper, horizontal wall 10 shown in the drawing would be omitted. The term cash payment facility 5 has been selected purely by way of example. A facility of this type can be fitted out at any time so that all current possible methods of payment may be used, e.g. coins, tokens or credit cards. The locking part on a stop device 3 can also engage in and lock a trolley 6 outside a guide rail 2. The guide rail 2 then exclusively has a guiding function. The warehouse 1 is suitable in particular for controlling trolleys in the form of luggage trolleys and shopping trolleys.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through a guide rail 2. The guide rail 2 has an upper, preferably closed region 12 for accommodating cables 11, i.e. electrical lines, which lead from the stop device 3 to the cash payment facility 5 or vice versa. The cables 11 are not visible from outside. The guide rail 2 also has a lower region 13 in which the trolleys 6 are guided by means of their guide parts 7 along a precise path and so as to be protected against unauthorised removal. In the example, the guide rail 2 is open on one side so as to be able to receive the guide parts 7. The guide rail 2 of rectangular cross-section can also be downwardly open or open on the other side so as to be able to receive the guide parts 7. The guide rail 2 can also be constructed so that the region 12 for the accommodation of cables 11 is arranged below the region 13 for receiving the guide parts 7. An arrangement next to the region 13 is also possible.

Claims

@® ; CLAIMS

1. A warehouse for providing transfer cars, which are guided in at least one guide rail and may be parked arranged one behind the other, wherein at least one unlockable stop device for retaining or freeing the trolleys and a cash payment facility for releasing the trolleys are provided, and the cash payment facility is electrically connected to the at least one stop device, characterised in that the at least one stop device is either carried exclusively by the at least one guide rail or is at least partially supported on the ground.

2. A warehouse according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one guide rail has a region for accommodating cables or electrical lines.

3. A warehouse according to claim 2, characterised in that the region has a closed cross-section.

4. A warehouse according to claim 1, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

5. A new warehouse, substantially as herein described.