Patent GB-717018-A (GB)
Title: Control system for a multi-story garage for the storage of automobiles
IPC: E04H6/42
Filed: 1952-09-12
Abstract: 717,018. Tickets. SCHAAR, H. VAN. DER. Sept. 12, 1952, No. 22984/52. Class 73 [Also in Group XXX] Automatic car-garaging means having one or more parking blocks opening on to a transport space comprises a central control and signalling panel and electrical control switch means associated with each parking place and controlling the movements of a transporting mechanism. The operations are effected by punched tickets, each hole therein, when a ticket is placed between a contact plate and control switch means having. spring-pressed pins, completing an electric circuit to set in movement a relay system to operate the transporting mechanism. In a garage having ten floors and ten parking places on each floor each part of a composite ticket is as shown in Fig. 1A which represents the entry and exit parts. A punch hole on line a represents the second parking place and the hole on line b on the ground floor of the. entry stall while a punch hole to the left of line c represents the front block while further holes in lines c, d and e represent the parking place to which the car is to be conveyed, i.e. in the ninth place of the fourth floor in the rear block. Similarly with the exit ticket the holes on lines a and b and to the left of line c correspond with the position of the parking place and the hole in line e and to the right of line c with the exit stall. i.e. in the rear block at ground level. 'The hole in line d is not punched since it may not be known beforehand which stall will be empty without looking at the panel and then punching the ticket or holes may be punched on line c to bring into automatic operation mechanism to select the nearest stall for exit. This may also be effected by button control. Parts of the ticket may be notched and similarly punched for washing and repair. A control panel, Fig. 2, has columns of cells 20 corresponding to each parking place with occupied and free lights 23, 22, and two bottom cells with lights indicating entry and exit stalls. The occupied light 23 is operated by removing a ticket from a pile in a cell, a spring member being engaged in a notch 16 in the top ticket and is moved to operate a tumbler switch to illuminate the lamp and is extinguished by using the exit ticket. Removing the ticket also causes a pencil to contact a strip to record time. Strips 34 with control panels 24, 25 and 26 are provided for the exit and entry temporary parking places' and for the entry ticket receptacles 32 and other parts '33 of the ticket. A light 36 is illuminated at the entry of a car into the garage and a light 29<SP>1</SP> is switched on the panel indicating a particular entry stall. Similarly a light 27<SP>1</SP> is switched on the panel indicating an occupied exit stall and a switch 28 is operated to convey the car from the exit stall and from the garage. The operator selects a ticket from a cell nearest the illuminating light 23. Punching means 51 is moved along rails 31 and 38 to opposite the indicated position, the punch nose being operated to punch a hole in the line a corresponding to the position of the car. The other holes in the ticket may already have been punched except for washing and repair, these notches being made if required. The time of arrival is printed on line 17, the car number on line 18 and the separate parts are deposited in sections 32 and 33, which parts have grooved bases to only take specified tickets, and a claim check is handed to the driver. The ticket is removed when the transport mechanism is free; and placed in the control switch means 55 thus completing a relay system over line 57 to convey the car from the temporary position to its parking position. The washing and return tickets, and repair and return tickets are used if required and finally the exit ticket which conveys the car to'an exit stall being removed therefrom by operating the switch 28. Contacts 56 may be operated independently of the ticket and the parts of the ticket may be automatically placed in the correct position corresponding to that of the parking place by making the section 33 slidable. The punching means has a paper strip recording times of operations.