Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HYDRAULICALLY POWERED SRIP HOIST SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
This invention relates to a storage parking
structure and, more particularly, to a multi-level parking or
storage structure with modular construction to allow
portability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Parking a personal vehicle in large cities is a
difficult task worldwide. This is so because the economics
do not provide incentive for the erection of final or
permanent multi-level parking structures because of land
values in the downtown areas of such cities.
Generally, however, there is no absence of
available locations to place parking structures. This is 50
because land prices or business conditions do not yet warrant
a permanent building on the location. As a result, empty
lots may exist and these lots are usually turned into interim
parking lots having, of course, only one ground level parking
area. While parking structures having multi level parking
are certainly known, these structures are intended to be
permanent which is disadvantageous when economic conditions
improve.
Vehicle pickup and removal systems are known which
u~e a laterally and horizontally movable conveying system
such as a movable vehicle table. Such systems, howavar, can
only be extended a limited distance from the vehicle
conveying position and involve mechanisms within the storage
structure itself with the result that more complicated motion
mechanisms are usually required to allow for the full
movement of the vehicle from its conveying position to its
delivery position.
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Elevators for moving vehicles vertically a
distance more than two floors are also known. Such
elevators may be either hydraulically or electrically
operated. If the elevator is hydraulically operated, it
is raised and lowered by the use of a telescoping
hydraulic cylinder which cannot extend beyond three or
four stories. If the elevator is electrically operated,
one electric motor is used for each elevator. Such motors
are prone to control problems and are unnecessarily
expensive.
SUMNARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a
hydraulically powered skip hoist system comprising at
least two skips, a hydraulic motor for each of said skips,
a connection extending between each of said skips and said
respective hydraulic motor and a common hydraulic pump
connected to said hydraulic motors for driving the motors,
wherein each of said skips is vertically movable within a
skip hoist shaft, and further c.omprising a plurality of
storage slot modules surrounding said skip hoist shafts,
each storage slot module being provided with article
support means for supporting an article in the storage
slot module and at least one bi-directional shuttle for
each skip, said bi-directional shuttle being movable
relative to said skip for positioning articles on and
removing articles from said storage slot modules, wherein
said bi-directional shuttle comprises a base, a middle
slide mounted on said base and being movable relative
thereto, an upper slide mounted on said middle slide and
movable relative thereto, drive means mounted to said base
and being operable to move said middle slide relative to
said base and said upper slide relative to said base and
said middle slide, wherein said article support means and
said upper slide of the shuttle are each provided with a
plurality of fingers which mesh with each other for
positioning articles on and removing articles from said
article support means and wherein the article support
means comprises a pair o article support members located
in parallel spaced relationship with respect to each other
and wherein said top slide of the shuttle is movable
between said pair of article support members during said
meshing of the fingers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
A specific embodiment of the invention will now
be described, by way of example only, with the use of
dra~ings in which:
Figure lA is a diagrammatic elevation side view
of a parking structure according to the invention;
Figure lB is a diagrammatic elevation front view
; 20 of the parking structure of Figure lA;
Figure lC is a diagrammatic plan view of the
parking structure of Figure lA;
~; 25 Figure lD is a diagrammatic plan partial view of
the elevator or skip hoist shaft, a two vehicle shuttle
and adjacent parking or storage slots taken along the line
lD-lD of Figure lB;
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Figure 2A is a diagrammatic isometric view of a
first embocliment of a two unit skip with two shuttle modules
mounted thereon;
Figure 2B is a diagrammatic isometric view of a
skip according to the invention but illustrating
particularly the operation and attachment of the
counterweight in a first embodiment;
Figure 2C is an enlarged diagrammatic isometric
view of a skip according to the invention but without the
shuttle modules;
Figure 2D is a diagrammatic isometric view of a
shuttle module in a first embodiment;
Figure 2E is a side view of a skip hoist
illustrating diagrammatically the storage or parking and
retrieval of an autornobile on a shuttle according to the
: 20 first embodiment;
Figure 2F is a side view of a typical parking slot
or vehicle storage module with the shuttle of the skip being
in a raised condition and supporting a vehicle to be stored
or retrieved;
Figure 2G is front view of the parking slot module
of Figure 2F with the vehicle in its parked or stored
position;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of two
independently movable skips in a first embodiment, each with
respective shuttles and particularly illustrating their
associated drive hoist modules;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the drive hoist module
taken along IV-IV of Figure 3;
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Figure 5 is a cross seckional view of the first
embodiment of the shuttle illustrating the bearing and
cam-pinion drive arrangement;
~igure 6 is an elevation side view of the
parking structure according to the invention;
Figure 7 is an elevation front view of the
parking structure of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a plan view of the ground or
entrance and exit floor illustrating the traffic flow in
and out of the structure;
Figure 9A is a side view of a second embodiment
of a skip;
Figure 9B is a front view of the skip of Figure
9A particularly showing the web stiffeners;
Figure 9C is a sectional view taken along XC-XC
of Figure 9A;
Figure lOA is a front view of the skip hoist of
Figure g;
Figure lOB is a sectional view taken along XB-
XB of Figure lOA;
Figure 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of the
skip hoist of Figure g;
Figure 12A is an enlarged view of the area XIIA
of Figure 9 but with the running rolls mounted to the
skip;
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Flgure 12B is a plan view of Figure 12A;
Figure 13A is a partial view of a shuttle module
according to a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 13B illustrates diagrammatically the
operation of the shuttle in the second embodiment;
Figure 14 is an elevation view illustrating the
columns and the skip hoist guides of the parking
structure; and
Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view of the
deactivator device and the fingers of the shuttle
according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, a parking
structure is generally illustrated at 10 in Figure lA. It
is constructed on a cement or concrete foundation 11 with
skip and shuttle pits 15 formed in the foundation 11 to
allow for movement of a plurality of skips or elevators 13.
The structure 10 is formed to allow multiple
: entrance and exit ox access ports 16 as seen also in
Figures 8 and 14 and with reference to Figure 8, the
preferred direction of vehicle movement is given by the
arrowsO
As viewed in Figures 6 and 14, the structure 10 is
constructed with a plurality of elevator or skip hoist
shafts 12 extending the height of the structure 10 and of
: dimensions sufficient to allow vertical movement of the
skips or elevators 13 which will be described in detail
hereafter.
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As best seen in Figure 7, the structure 10 is also
constructed to accommodate a plurality of parking slot
modules 20 described in greater detail hereafter and
arranged around the elevator or skip hoist shafts 12. The
structure 10 is constructed to allow the installation of a
drive hoist module generally illustrated at 14 (Figures 3
and 7), one for each skip 13, on the top of the structure 10
as will be described in greater detail hereafter. The
structure 10 similarly is designed to accommodate a
plurality of power unit modules generally illustrated at 17
and described in greater detail hereafter, one for each two
drive hoist modules 14.
As illustrated in Figures 3 and 7, each skip 13 is
designed to accommodate the installation o~ two shuttle
modules 22, each shuttle module 22 being adapted to carry
one vehicle 18 and as will be described in greater detail
hereafter.
The structure 10 includes vertical steel "I" beam
columns 33. The uppermost beams in the column 33 are larger
than the lower beams in the column 33. The sections in the
columns 33 are bolted or otherwise joined together at both
the web and flange areas with rectangular steel pieces as is
known in the art and which is not illustrated.
The horizontal beams 19 are bolted at a connection
location generally shown at 30 to the vertical columns 33 as
best seen in Figures 2G and 7. The horizontal beams 19 are
W12 x 40 steel beams and extend approximately 10'6" between
the vertical columns 33.
The parking slot modules generally illustrated at
20 are connected by bolts both to the columns 33 and to the
horizontal beams 19 as seen in Figures 2F and 2G. The
parking slot modules include two stub beams 64 (Figure 2G)
each bolted to a horizontal beam 19. A W12 x 40 support I
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beam 75 connected between the stub beams 64. Likewise, a
second horizontal beam 76 is connected with bolts between
adjacent columns 33 at the same height to form the other
half of the support for the floor fingers 61, 62 (Figures 2F
and 2G). The beam 75 is desirably approximately 20 feet
long between adjacent columns 33.
The floor fingers 61, 62 are mounted apart such
that a series of slots or spaces exist between the fingers
61, 62 which are thereby moun-ted in a spaced relationship on
the horizontal beams 75, 76 such that the cooperating
fingers 46, 47 (Figure 2F) of the upper slide 43 of the
shuttle 22 can slip therethrough when the upper slide 43 is
lowered.
A drip tray 71 is mounted below the parking slot
module 20 to the beams 75, 76 (Figures 2F and 2G). It is
connected to the beams 75, 76 by 3/8" galvanized hanger rods
80 and slants as illustrated to a gutter 72 hung from
columns 33. Gutter 72 is connectecl between the columns 33
and acts to catch the drainage from the drip tray 71~-
The skip or drive hoist modules 14 (Figures 3 and
7) are detachably connected to the structure 10 and include
the skip hoist machinery which is used to raise and lower
the skip 13. The machinery inciudes the traction or drive
drums 23 and the bend sheaves 24 as illustrated in Figures
3, 4 and 7 around which the twelve line wire rope cables 27
pass. One drive hoist module 14 is used for each skip 13.
In addition to the traction and bend sheaves 23, 24, the
module includes the counterweight equalizing drums 39 in the
Figure 7 embodiment when two counterweights 31 are
preferably used and six of the twelve wire rope cables are
connected to each counterweight 31. The counterweights 31
move within counterweight guides 35 (Figure 7) by means of
nylon rollers (not shown) connected to the top and bottom on
both sides of the counterweight 31. It also includes
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primary and secondary braking devices, coding devices to
determine the level of each sk.ip and safety devices such as
overspeed or underspeed sensors. Such devices are generally
known to those skilled in the art and are not illustrated,
The hydraulic power unit module 17 is detachably
mounted on the drive hoist module 14. The hydraulic power
unit module 17 comprises an electric motor 45 coupled to a
variable displacement hydraulic pump 46 (Figures 3 and 4).
The power unit module 17 is used to drive two traction
drives 23 although it could be used to drive more, if
desired.
The skip 13 is shown more clearly in Figures 9, 10
and 11. It comprises a longitudinal centre girder 81 made
from an aluminum I beam which extends the length of the skip
13 as seen ln Figures 9 and 10. Six aluminum bottom girders
82 are connected transversely to the centre girder 81 as best
seen in Figure 9A.
The skip 13 further comprises a series of aluminum
strengthening girders 83 mounted vertically on the I beam or
centre girder 81 at six locations as viewed in Figure 9A.
Four aluminum web stiffeners 84, two mounted on each side of
the web of the I beam girder 81, are used for strengthening
the longitudinal I beam 81.
A traction wire rope fastener bar 90 is welded to
the top of centre girder 81. It is used to connect the wire
rope cables 27 to the skip 13 through a spelter socket 91 as
seen in Figure 9C. The skip 13 is connected to twelve line
traction ropes 27 which extend from the bar 90 of the skip 13
to thP counterweight equalizing drums 39 where they are
: divided with six cables 27 extending to each counterweight 31
as described.
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Lateral and vertical guide rolls 92, 93,
respectively, are mounted to the skip 13 as best seen in
Figures 12A and 12B. The vertical guide rolls 92 move on
the outside of the skip guide 94 while -the lateral guide
rolls 92 act to sandwich the skip guide 94 therebetween.
There are four sets of vertical guide rolls 93, one set
being located on both the top and bottom of each side of the
girder 81 as best seen in Figures lOB and 12B. Each set
includes two rolls 93.
Likewise, there are four sets of lateral guide
rolls 92, four rolls being in each set and mounted at the
top and bottom of the girder 81 on each end of the skip 13.
The skip guides 94 are mounted to the vertical columns 33 as
seen in Figure 6.
The shuttle module is generally illustrated at 100
in Figure 13A and is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure
13B. It comprises a base 101 which is fastened to the skip
13 through connector brackets 102 (Figure 2D) which are
mounted on each side of the base 101. The connector brackets
102 are intended to mate with the bottom girders 82 and are
bolted to the girders 82 through holes 105 (Fiyure lOA) such
that the base 101 is fixed relative to the skip 13.
A middle slide 103 is mounted on the base lol and
is adapted to move relative to the base 101. A series of
rollers 104 are connected to the middle slide 103 and move on
tracks 110 connected to the base 101. An upper slide 111 is
mounted on the middle slide 103 and a series of rollers 112
are connected to a roller holding bracket 113 which moves
within the rollers 104 connected to the middle slide 103 as
seen in Figure 13A.
The middle slide 103 and the upper slide 111 are
intended to move relative to the base 101 and to each
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other. In addition, the upper slide 111 is intended to move
a distance relative to the middle slide 103 which is
identical to the distance the middle slide 103 moves
relative to the base lO1. Thus a telescoping motion is
obtained for the shuttle 100 which allows for substantial
movement of the vehicle 18 positioned on the skip 13 and
graphically seen in Figure 2E.
In a first embodiment, a fixed cam-pinion rack 52
(Figure 2D) is mounted on the base 101 and a walking cam-
pinion drive 53 is mounted on the moving middle slide 103. A
cam-pinion rack 54 is also mounted on and moves with the
moving upper slide 111.
With reference to Figure 5, a Thompson ball guide
arrangement 60 is used with the cam pinion drive embodiment
of the shuttle 100 of Figure 2D and is mounted between the
base 101, the moving middle slide 103 and the upper slide
111. The ball guide bearing arrang~ment 60 is adapted to
allow smooth longitudinal relative movement between each of
the base, middle and upper slides 101, 103, 111,
respectively, whilst maintaining high cantilever strength.
The cam-pinion drive arrangement 53 of Figure 2D
is replaced with the cable drive assembly generally
illustrated diagrammatically at 114 in Figure 13B in a
second embodiment. In this embodiment, a motorized
gearmotor/brake traction slave drive 120 which is reversible
is mounted in the base 101 and remains stationary. Drive
cables 121 are connected to the gearmotor 120 and extend over
bend sheaves 122 which are connected to the base 101. From
the bend sheaves 122, the cables 121 extend to self
tensioning devices 123 which are connected between the end of
the cables 121 and the middle slide 103.
A further set of cables 124 extend from self
tensioning devices 130 on the base 101 around bend sheaves
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131 located on the middle slide 103 to self tensioning
devices 132 mounted on the ~lpper slide 111. When the
vehicle is intended to be stored or retrieved, the gearmotor
120 is activated accordingly to extend or retract the upper
and middle slides 111, 103, respectively, relative to the
base 101.
The upper slide 111 includes a series of fingers
generally illustrated at 134 similar to those fingers 46, 47
illustrated in Figures 2D and 2F. The fingers 134 are of two
types. The first set 140 of fingers 134 is located at the
end of the upper slide 111 which is intended to extend the
furthest from the base 101 and are illustrated in more detail
and diagrammatically in Figure 15. A spring 141 is connected
between the upper slide lll-and a washer 142 is mounted to
the upper slide 111. The fingers 140 pivot about axis 143
and, when the skip 13 is off the ground level of the
structure 10, the fingers 140 will assume the position shown
in Figure 15 under the influence of springs 141. A fixed
deactuator 143 is mounted at the ground level of the parking
structure 10 and e~tends upwardly towards the fingers 140 as
also seen in Figure lOA.
; When the skip 13 moves downwardly to ground level
and reaches the position adjacent the deactuator 143, the
deactuator 143 will contact the arm ends 150 of the fingers
140 on opposite sides of the axis 143. This will rotate the
fingers 140 to a horizontal position when the skip 13 returns
to ground level.
The purpose of the spring mounted fingers 140 is
to provide a rastraining force on the vehicle 18 both
longitudinally and laterally when the vehicle is being
carried on the skip 13 and the shuttle upper slide 111.
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OPERATION
In operation and with reference to Figure 8, an
automobile 18 is driven through one of the access ports 16
at the ground level of the parking structure 10 and onto the
movable upper slide lll of the skip 13 which is, of course,
at ground level. The operator will leave the automobile 18
under processor or computer control or otherwise.
For example, there may be either dedicated or
random parking. For dedicated parking; that is, when the
user retains a certain parking location continuously or when
the space itself is owned or leased, the vehicle operator can
present a computer card to a terminal for system access. On
removal of the card, the system will operate automatically to
lift the skip 13 and store the vehicle in the appropriate
parking slot module 20 with the stored location of the
vehicle 18 memorized. When the user returns to retrieve his
vehicle, the re-entry of the card will automatically retrieve
the owners vehicle to the same access port 16 of the
structure 10.
For random parking, the system will operate
similarly. However, the terminal will produce a vehicle
identification card which is computer coded and delivers the
vehicle to an available parking module 20. Upon return of
the user to the structure 10, the card is insertPd and the
vehicle 18 will again be returned to the user automatically
and under computer control as has been described. In
dedicated parking, the card will be returned to the user
after vehicle retrieval but in random parking~ the card will
be retained by the terminal.
Upon the user leaving the vehicle 18 on skip 13,
the proper hydraulic power unit module 17 will provide fluid
to the appropriate traction drive 23. The traction sheaves
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23 will then turn thus raising the skip 13. The
counterwsight 31 will move downwardly within the
counterweight guides 35 as illustrated in Figure 7 and the
lateral and vertical rolls 92, 93 on the skip 13 will
travel within and on the skip guides 94 as previously
described.
As the skip 13 rises from the groung level in
the shaft 12, the fingers 134 on which the ~ront wheels
154 o~ the vehicle 18 are positioned will leave contact
with the deactivator 143. The fingers 134 will be biased
upwardly about axi.s 142 under the influence of the
individual springs 141 acting on each of the fingers 134.
Thus, an inwardly directed sidewise force will be exerted
on the tires of the vehicle 18 by the fingers 134. As
well, since the fingers 134 in front of and behind the
tires of the vehicle 18 will be raised, a restraining
force on the tires of the vehicle 18 will also exist in a
forward and backwards direction. The vehicle 18 will
thereby be restrained on the shuttle 100 during movement.
Again, under computer control or otherwise, the
skip 13 will be raised until a vacant parking slot module
20 is ~ound on either end of the skip 13. The skip 13
will continue to be raised until the upper slide 111 o~
the 6huttle 100 is above the fingers 62 on the beams 75,
76 of the parking slot module 20.
The middle slide 103 and the upper slide 111 will
be extended by initiating rotation of the cam-pinion drive 53
so that the upper slide 111 moves outwardly using the
Thompson ball guide arrangement 60 as illustrated more
clearly in Figure 5 or, alternativel~, by using the
gearmotor 120 of Figure 13B. In either event, the movable
upper slide 111 and the middle slide 103 are extended until
the vehicle 18 is in the extended position illustrated in
Figure 2E, it being understood that because the shuttle 100
is bi-directional, access to vacant parking slot modules 20
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at either end of the skip 13 is possible. The travel of the
upper slide 111 in either direction is a fixed repeatable
distance.
When the upper slide 111 is fully extended as
illustrated in Figure 2E, the skip 13 is lowered slightly
and the fingers 134 o~ the upper slide 111 pass through the
opposed fingers 61, 62 of the parking module 20 as seen in
Figure 2F. The vehicle 18 is thus deposited on the fingers
61, 62 of the parking slot module 20 and assumes the position
shown in broken lines in Figure 2G.
The cam-pinion drive 53 (Figure 2D) or gearmotor
120 ~Figure 13B) is then reversed with the result that the
upper slide 111 and the middle slide 103 are retracted into
their normal unextended positions. The skip 13 then is
lowered and returns to ground level where it is ready to
transport a second vehicle 18 to another parking slot module
20 or, if required, it may move to another further elevated
location to retrieve a vehicle 18 from its parking slot
module 20.
It will be noted that the parking structure 10
provides for all moving machinery within the parking
structure 10 to be confined to the skip hoist shafts 12 and
shuttle module 22. Thus, it is possible to reduce or
eliminate maintenance in the parking slot modules 20 and to
confine necessary maintenance work principally to the skip
hoist shafts 12.
Likewise, it is noted that all connections are
bolted connections and that the components, namely the
parking slot modules 20, the skip module 13, the shuttle
; modules 22, the drive hoist modules 14 and the hydraulic
power unit modules 17 are easily separated and joined
; together to form a structure that may be assembled and
; disassembled with relative ease and also to form a structure
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10 of varying capacities depending on the volume of vehicle
storage area required which may be dictated by the location
and/or parking demand in a particular city area.
The skip 13 may, of course, have one or two bi-
directional shuttle modules 22. As well, more than two
modules 22 could be used if required for the particular
customer as defined by the intended operation of the parking
structure 10.
Likewise, while a cam-pinion rack and drive
arrangement 53 and a gearmotor arrangement 120 have been
described as being advantageous for use with the shuttle
100, it is clear that other arrangements for extending the
middle and upper slides of the shuttle 100 could be
similarly used.
Many dimensions have been given, both for the
parking structure framework and for the structure of the
various modules. These dimensions are believed to be ~
suitable but they are given in the interest of conve~ing a
full and complete description Gf the invention and ar~ not
intended in any way to limit its scope.
Furthermore, while the particular embodiment of the
invention described relates to a parking structure for
vehicles, it is clear that the utility of the structure
extends to the storage of items other than automobile
vehicles with large dimensions, such as loading ore
containers, pleasure boats, tote boxes, baggage bins, food
chests and the like. The limits of the system with the
dimensions given are approximately 10'-0 x 10'-0 x 20'-0 and
the weight llmit on the shuttle 100 should not exceed 4000
Kg.
While specific embodiments of the invention and
several modifications thereto have been described, other
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changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art.
Such descriptions, therefore, should be considered
illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of the
invention which should be construed in accordance with the
accompanying claims.
