A MULTISTORY AUTOMOBILE PARKING FACILITY

Abstract: The facility consists of a silo module of either reinforced concrete or steel, built above or below ground level, or partly above and partly below ground level. The central section of the silo interior is occupied by a handling unit (3) that can be of an electromechanical type, for the transfer of automobiles onto the lateral storage stalls and their retrieval. The incoming and outgoing automobile handling operations are carried out by means of metal platforms (1) on which the automobiles are loaded. The platforms (1) are hoisted and transferred horizontally by the electromechanical unit (3). The platform (1) holding the incoming vehicle is hoisted to the level at which a free place is found available and then moved horizontally and made rest on stationary iron brackets (4) abutting from the silo module walls and located on various levels. The module can be provided with a sole doorway to be used as both entry and exit, and alternatively, can have two doorways opposing each other, one for entry and the other for exit. The entry and/or exit doorway(s) are located at either the bottom level, the top level or the intermediate level of the silo according to the construction criterion (totally underground, partially underground or above ground). The silo module plan and elevation sizes can vary according to requirements.

Description: "A multistory automobile parking facility" The invention object os a multistory automobile parking facility. The invention purpose is to build a simple and easy to ope¬ rate multistory automobile parking facility.. The invention consists of an ensilage system in one or se- veral monolithic modules (silos) made of reinforced concre¬ te and/or steel. Each monolithic module is provided with an automobile entry doorway; their-exit can be on the same side or on the oppo- site side. The interior of the module houses ranges of brackets abutt¬ ing from the walls on both sides of the entrance. The brackets (figure 3, no. 1) are arranged on parallel sto¬ reys at a distance of about 2 meters from each other. The vrtical spacing between brackets can be, in all or only se¬ veral storeys on one silo, more or less than 2 meters ac¬ cording to the type of vehicle to be parked (trailers r ca- ravans, campers, etc.). The electromechanical handling unit transfers the incoming vehicles into the parking stalls and retrieves them upon their release from the silo. The invention is described in detail with the support of drawings exemplifying execution as follows: figures 1 and 2: layout of the access area and layout of an automobile parking storey; figures 3 and 4: longitudinal view and traverse view of one portion of the facility^ figures 5 » 6 and 7: cross-sectional outline of the sequence of movement of a vehicle onto its stall; figures 8,.9 and 10: vertical section, plan of the access storey and plan of a parking storey in a side to side stall arrangement design; figure 11: handling unit. The invention arises from the idea of accomodating - through a manually and/or automatically operated electromechanical system - vehicles inside one or several container silos each of which provided with two opposed ranks of stationary brackets (figure 4), abutting from the walls and aligned and arranged on several storeys. The brackets provide sup¬ port to platforms (figure 1, no..1) on which the vehicles to be parked are placed. The vehicle, together with the platform on which it was ma¬ de to stand, is picked up and set down by an electromecha¬ nical handling unit composed of a movable platform (figure 3, no.2 a moving mast (figure 4, no.3), and computer-, manually or semi-automatically controlled electric motors. The mast (figures 3 and 4, no. 3) consists of a metal struc¬ ture. It moves horizontally through rollers running on over¬ head guides (figure 3, no. 5) and base wheels running on rails (figures 3 and 4, no. 6). The horizontal movement of the mast can also be effected by means of a rack rail. The mast holds a movable platform running vertically on guides. The movable platform 2 attached to the mast can run through a chain- or rope drive; alternatively through a rack drive with or without a balance weight. The movable platform (figures 3 and 4, no.2) accomplishes vertical motion along the mast and a horizontal transfer motion solidly with the mast. The movable platform receives the platform on which the ve¬ hicle to be parked is made to rest at the initial step of the parking procedure. The movable platform,, with its vertical motion, hoists the car platform to the height of the bracket on which it is to be accomodated. Thereafter, the supporting mast (figures 3 and 4, no. 3) transfers laterally the movable platform supporting the car plaform onto the supporting bracket. This motion is made possible by the metal structure of the car platform (figure 3, no. 2) being provided with grooves made to fit onto the wall brackets (figure 4,no.4). The car platforms (figure 1, no. 1) are provided with profiles that prevent any shifts of the vehicles resting on them, in addition to being en¬ dowed witlr locking and centering devices for their own cor- rect positioning on the movable mast platform. The vehicle to be parked A is positioned by the user on the vehicle platform 1 located on the access storey, correct vehicle positioning being ascertained through special sen- sors. When the user has relinquished the vehicle, the vehicle platform 1, supported by the movable mast platform 2, starts to be raised vertically up to the height of the bracket selected. Thereafter, the supporting mast 3 mo¬ ves laterally, thus transferring the platform carrying the vehicle onto that bracket. At this point, the trans¬ fer mast 3 together with its free platform 2 returns to its central position and repeats the same procedure to seek a free vehic-ie platform, upon finding one, lifts it from the bracket 4 and transfers it to the parking access storey. The vehicle retrieval and delivery procedure will be ob- viously the opposite to that described. When required, a single handling unit can be used to o- perate more than one silo modules located side by side (figures 8, 9 and 10), by moving from one to the next through a horizontal motion and through special openings in the partition walls. When the mast and its movable plat¬ form move without carrying a vehicle, their horizontal transfer can occur withour having to go through the par- titioπ wall openings located superiorly, when the mast platform is collapsible by turning around an axis locat¬ ed near the mast and parallel to the direction of the ho¬ rizontal shift, this resulting in shorter handling cycle times. The facility can be automated (computer-aided ve- hide handling) or operated manually, in addition to mak¬ ing use of a mixed automated-manual method. The disclosure is made by the submittal of a design se¬ lected which is not meant to be restrictive or limiting of all its possible applications. Provided that the in¬ vention principle is maintained, the building form and details can be varied from the descriprion and illustra¬ tions supplied without exceeding the scope of the in¬ stant invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A vehicle parking facility consisting of one or several vertical silos made of reinforced concrete or steel and built above or below ground level. A horizontal moving mast (3) carries a platform (2) that moves vertically. This mast, upon the incoming of the vehicle to be park¬ ed and upon its delivery, is positioned in the centre of the silo interior delimited by its side and vertical walls from which fixed brackets abut (4). The vehicle to be parked is made to rest on a platform (1) which in turn is accomodated on the mast platform (2); then, through a vertical motion of the past platform and a horizontal motion of the mast, the vehicle platform is accomodated in a free place on the fixed brackets (4). Thereafter, the mast, together with its own platform, returns to its prior central position, seeks a free vehicle platform, lifts it from its brackets and transfers it onto the access storey of the parking silo. 2. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature that both vehicles entrance and exit can be located on the same side of the silo and, al¬ ternatively, can be located on opposite sides thereof. 3. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized .by the feature of the car platform being develop¬ ed adn equipped so as to provide safe accomodation for the vehicle to be positioned on it. 4. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature of a single handling unit (mast 3), a platform (2) that can be used to service several silo modules placed side by side (figures 8, 9 and 10), this being made possible through the horizontal shift .. of the unit through openings in the partition walls and into the adjoining module. 5. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac- terized by the vertical motion of the movable platform device (2) that can be chain or rope driven or, alter¬ natively,, rack or oleodynamically driven, with or with¬ out balance weight. 6. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature of said support mast (3) that, together with its platform (2), transfers horizontally and parallelely to the fixed brackets (4) by running on rollers which in turn run on overhead guides (5) and on base wheels that run on rails (6). 7. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature of the horizontal translation of the mast being effected by driving wheels or by a pinion- rack combination located at the base and/or the top of the mast. 8. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac- terized by the feature of the driving systems for the ho¬ rizontal movement of the mast - both when located at the base and at the top of the mast - that can be mechanical¬ ly, hydraulically or electrically synchronized with each other so as to ensure the mast base and top translation to occur at the same speed. 9. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature of the above mentioned driving sy- stems that can be mechanical, oleodynamic or mixed. 10. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the-feature of the movable mast platform (2) that can be collapsible by turning around an axis locat- ed near the mast and parallel to the direction of the ho¬ rizontal translation. 11. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature that, when the movable mast plat- form (2) is of the collapsible type, the translation of the mast, when it is not carrying a vehicle, can occur (with a collapsed platform) directly from one silo to the nect without going through the before mentioned openings in the partition walls. 12. A vehicle parking facility according to claim 1, charac¬ terized by the feature that the facility operation can be automated (computer aided), manual or mixed (automated- manual).

Inventors: CASINI GIANFRANCO, CASINI, GIANFRANCO
Applicants: PARKING GRUPPO C
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04H6
IPC codes: E04H6