Patent GB-502967-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to storage and like equipments
IPC: E04H6/36
Filed: 1937-09-25
Abstract: 502,967. Handling motor vehicles in parks and garages. AUGER, H., and PEARSON, W. E. Sept. 25, 1937, No. 26058. [Class 78 (iv)] Cars or crates are moved stop-by-step on carrier platforms in a closed cycle in a horizontal plane in parks, garages or warehouses, until any desired carrier is opposite the entrance or exit. There are four main movements in the working of the apparatus: (1) Means for coupling and uncoupling the end or penultimate carrier-platform to a moving ram, (2) operation of the ram for moving the engaged vehicle and its coupled followers one step backward or forward in the rank, (3) motoractuated means for traversing the end carrier from one rank to a parallel rank, and (4) means for raising and lowering the end sections of the rank rails bodily so that the end carriers can be supported alternatively on these sections ready for movement along the ranks or can be lowered on to lateral traversing members for movement from rank to rank. Coupling and uncoupling the platforms to the rams. The two rams 35, Fig. 11, each serving one rank of platforms, move between the positions 36 and 37 and at each end of the stroke register with racks 48 slidable laterally of the ranks by linkage connected to a handoperated shaft 53. These racks engage teeth on members 47, Fig. 14, to rotate the latter between the lowered dotted-line position and the raised full-line position in which they project between two beams 54 on the platform and so lock the latter to the ram. As shown the two racks are linked for simultaneous operation so that one moves to platform-releasing position when the other moves to platform-locking position. A fixed guide rail 56 passes between two teeth of the member 47 and prevents it rotating when out of register with the racks. Movement of the platforms along the ranks. The platforms, that are coupled to the rams as previously explained, can be moved forward or backward one platform length at a time and in either case they are uncoupled for the return stroke so that the rams leave them behind in their new-position. This movement is transmitted to the whole rank of platforms by the coupling means shown in Figs. 16 and 17. Each platform carries at one end a pair of horizontally-pivoted torpedo-shaped members 62 which engage in the slotted channel members 63 on the adjacent platform. The shanks 61 move freely in the bell-ended slots 64 to permit lateral disengagement of the coupling as the cars pass from rank to rank. Traversing platforms from rank to rank together with associated raising and lowering of end sections of rank rails for alternative support of platforms for progression or traversing. To transfer from one rank to the other, each platform must be moved on to the end section of the rank consisting of three lengths of rails 11, Fig. 5, supported on rollers 14 carried by pivoted arms 19, Fig. 7. A hydraulic cylinder 22 operates all the arms 19 in unison to raise the rails so that they are in alignment with the fixed rank rails 8 or to lower them so that the platforms rest on the tops 29 of the interspersed lateral runners 24 movable on the guides 27. The lateral runners are fitted with wheels 26 running in the flanges of a double-channel iron 27 and also carry racks 30 operated simultaneously by a motor 34 driving pinions on a common shaft 32. Sequence of events in operation. To remove a car from platform B, Fig. 1, for example, platform A has first to be moved to the'vacant space 5 by lowering the rails 11 and traversing the members 24. The rails 11 are then reraised. The left-hand ram 35 is then coupled to platform B and the left-hand-rank of platforms moved forward one step so that platform B comes on to the rails 11. Similar apparatus at the other end of the ranks then transfers platform G to the left-hand rank, following which the right-hand ram 35 is coupled to platform A and the right-hand rank moved backwards one step. This frees the entrance 5 for the transfer of platform B thereto so that the car thereon can be run out at the exit 3. In some cases two vacant spaces may be provided in the system, in which case a platform can be transferred from one rank to the other simultaneously at opposite ends of the ranks.