US2028391A - Garage - Google Patents

Description

I N VEN TOR.

||. HARNlscHFl-:GER

GARAGE Filed Dec. 31,1927l 5 sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21', 1936.

ATTORNEY."

H. HARNISCHFEGE Jap. 21, 1936.

GARAGE Filed pecl 51, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNEYS H. HARN'ISCHFEGER 2,028,391l vy Gimmel Filed Dec. .'51, 1927 Y5 sheets-sheet 1.v

y Jan. 21, 1936.

STD

Jan. 21, 1936.; jH', HARNISCHFEGER' GARAGE Filed Dec. s1, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .RUN

INVENTOR. fle/ver Aken/:enfuir @u Mb A TTURNEYS.

Patented Jan. 2l, 19.36

"UNITED, STATES.

PATENT OFFICE GARAGE Henry Harnischfeger, Milwaukee, ,Wis., assignerl y to Harnischfeger Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis.,

a corporation of Wisconsin i Y I Application December 31, 1927, vSerial No. 243,812

6 Claims.

vide an apparatus of this character which is.

especially designed and adapted for use -in buildings of relatively great height and which in such buildings effects the expeditious handling of the vehicles with aminimum of mechanical equipment thereby reducing the original cost of the apparatus and also reducing the costofmaintaining and operating the same. l

Another object of the present-invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which mechanically handles and s tores the vehicles with promptness and despatch, without possibility of confusion or liability of ldamage to the vehicle or to the apparatus and in such manner as to economically and completely utilize the oor space of the building to best advantage.

In carrying out the presentinvention, a garage sbuilding is provided having a plurality of floors with storage compartments on the several floors, the storage compartments being vertically alined and located on the opposite sides of an elevator well in the building, the'arrangement consisting essentially of ltiers of storage compartmentsflankingan elevator well. A plurality or a row,

of tiers are arranged on each side of the elevator well, the elevator well being elongated and extending substantially for the full length of the building or at least for the full length of the rows of tiers of storage compartments. A number of elevators are provided in the well and each elevator has a plurality, usually three, transfer carriages or dolliesor other suitable transferring devices thereon. The elevators and also the storage compartments may have run-ways for receiving the wheels of the vehicles handled. Each storage compartment may be designed to receive one, two, cr more vehicles in encl to end relation. The transfer carriage shown is motor driven and runs on rails on the elevator and on rails in the storage compartments. jack or hoist associated therewith which may be raised to engage under one end of an automobile, usually under the front axle, to raise such end of the automobile and to propel it on its other end. With this construction the automobiles are run into a receiving station on the ground floor of the building, the transfer carriage moves out under the automobile and has its jack engaged with the l same and then the transfer carriage runs 'back Each transfer carriage has a (Cl. B14- 161) onto the elevator and carries the automobile with it. Three automobiles may be loaded on each elevator in thismanner. The elevator then rises Y to the floor or level of the storage compartments into which the automobiles are to be placed and the transfer carriages are then run off of the elevator and into theI storage compartments, the jacks of the transfer carriage are then lowered to deposit the automobiles in the storage compartments whereupon the transfer carriages are run back onto the elevator. In delivering any automobile the operation is reversed, that is, the transfer carriages are run off of the elevator, and vinto the storage compartments under the automobile to be delivered, have their jacks engaged with A ,the automobilesl and then are run back onto the elevator pulling or propelling the automobiles with them. Atthe ground level the transfer carriages carry thel automobiles olf of the elevator,- have their jacks lowered and are then run back onto the elevator.

'I'he transfer-carriages are motor driven and novel controls are provided therefor which prevent the transfer carriages from being moved off of the elevator unless the elevator is alined with a floor or level of storage compartments. For this purpose a contacter is incorporated in the circuit for the motor driving each carriage and in series with the coils of. all of the contactors is a switch mounted on the elevator, biased to open position and closed by cams at the oor levels -in the ele; vator well. In others words, the switchis closed andthe contactor coils may be engaged only when the elevator is alined with a iioor or storage compartment. t

Limit switches are incorporated in the motor circuits of the transfer carriages for automatically shutting off the motors driving the carriages when the transfer carriage is returned to proper position on the elevated platform. Push button 'switches are provided for short circuiting the limit switches when the carriages are to be run 0E of the platform.

Another safety feature is incorporated in the controls which consists in preventing movement of the elevator yunless the transfer carriages are properly centered thereon. This is accomplished by incorporating a contactor in the elevator control circuit and placing in series with the coil of the contactor limit switches' biased to open position and closed only when the transfer carriages are in proper'position on the elevated platform.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features ofthe construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereina portion of the garage building embodying the.

present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View thereof taken in transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure El` is a similar viewin longitudinal sec-` tion taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1;

` Figure fi is a portion of a diagramof the circuits involved in the control of the three transfer carriages of each elevator; and

Figure 4b is the other portion of the diagram. Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates a garage building of any suitable construction and having any suitable number of floors or levels. Each floor of the building has rows of storage compartments 2 on the opposite sides of an elongated elevator well 3. The storage compartments o f one oor are alined vertically with the storage -compartments of the oors above and below so that the arrangement presents horizontal rows of vertical tiers of storage compartments flanking the elongated elevator well. In other words, a plurality of tiers of storage compartments are provided -on each side of the elevator well and are arranged parallel thereto. A plurality of elevators designated generally at 4 are arranged in the elevator well and travelfrom the ground level to the highest floor or story of the building, so that any elevator may be alined with the storage compartments opposite the same on any floor or level.

On each elevator a number, usually three, transfer carriages or dollies or other transferring devices, designated generally at 5, are provided. As shown, each transfer carriage 5 includes a suitable frame' 6 mounted on wheels 1, at least certain of the wheels 1 being driven by suitable gearing from an electric motor 41. The wheels 1 of each transfer carriage run on rails 9, provided riage and israised and lowered under the control of an electric motor 63. When the jack is lowered the carriage vmay be run under an auto-'- mobile to position the jack under the front axle provided in the storage compartments. Of course,

in lieu of engaging the jack with the front axle it may be engaged`with the rear axle or with any `other appropriate part of the automobile. `But in any event, the jack serves to lift one end of the automobile and to enable the carriage to propel the automobile on the wheels at its other end.

The transfer carriage 5, its jack and the control for the electric motor 63 of the jack are identical with the transfer carriage and jack shown and fully described and claimed in the copending'application of Arthur G. Henricks for Apparatus for handling and storing. filed August 22, 1927, Serial No. 214,617, to which reference is made for a detail disclosure of the` construction,roperation and control 'of the transfer carriage and jack.

The armature of each electric motor 63, under normal conditions,.turns in the same direction to effect alternate raising and lowering of the jack 'Figures 4 and 4b.

sitioned on the elevator.

| I. This motion of the armature of the motor 63 is initiated under the manual control of the operator, but the armature shaft is stopped automatically at the end of a raising or lowering movement. In order to provide for this operation of the Jack the motor circuit of the electric motor 63 of each transfer carriage has a contactor designated generally at 10. a controller designated generally at 12 organized therewith, as shown in As these parts are identical with an organized and operated in exactly the same manner as the corresponding parts in-the co-pending application of Arthur G. Henricks, Serial No. 214,617, they will not be further described here.

The control of'the carriage motors 41 is also identical with that shown in said co-pending application except that there are as many control systemsnas there are motors 41 and that the circuits including the coils |92 of the contactors v generally atv 1|, and a limit switch designated |66 controlling the motor'circuits have a com-iv mon path or portion extending through an elevator alinement controlled switch |00 connected in series relation with the coils |92vofv the contactors -as hereinafter more fully described. Thevfrom being energized at any time exceptlwhen the elevator is leveled with the floor, at which time one of a number of 'cams I0| in the elevator well closes the switch |00. .Moreoven the control circuits for the carriage motors 41 are interlocked with the elevator control circuit so that the elevator may not be moved up or down unless all the transfer carriages on the elevator are properly positioned thereon. This interlock is eiected by incorporating a contacter ||0 in the elevator control circuit and placing the coil of the contactor in series with carriage controlled limit switches |20. There is one such limit switch |20 for each carriage and the switches are biased to ope'n position but are closed by cams |2|, on Y the elevator when the carriages are properly po- When the elevator is alined with the storage compartments at any floor` level lthe carriage or dolly may be run off of the elevator and into lthe storage compartment to deposit the ca'r `there- As in the co-pending application referred to above, the motor circuit for each carriage motor has a controller designated generally at |65, a

contactor designated' generally ,at |66, a limit switch designated generally at |61, and means for short-circuiting the limit switches when desirable and consisting of push button switches 2|6 controlling' a. shunt path around the limit switches |61; While individual limit switches |61 are provided for each carriage motor 41, there is but one elevator alinement controlled switch |00 which is connectedin series with the coilsof all three contactors, this switch |00 including a fixed contact |02 and a movable contact |03, the m'ovable contact |03 being biased to open posi'- tion out of engagement with the contact |02 by means ofa'spring |04 or other equivalent means but having a roller |05 adapted to engage the cam |0| at each'oor level in the elevator well so that the contacts |02 andl I 03 will be engaged and the switch closedwhen the elevator is alined with any floor. The contact |02 connects by a wire 4| to the positive side of the power line while' the contact |03 'connects by a wire |42 and branches |43 with one end of each of the coils 02. In prac-,-

with a contact 208 of an overload relay designated i at 2|0. A bridging contact member 2|| is incorporated in this relay and engages the contact 208 and also a contact 2|2, A wire 2 I3 leads from the contact 2|2 to vthe contact 203 of the limit switch |61. The other contact 202 of the limit switch |61 connects by a wire 2|5 with the com- I trollerv has a set of contacts designated generally at |10, |1|, |12, |13, |14, |15, |16, |11, |18, |18a and |19, and two sets of segments cooper-able with the contacts, one set of segments being designated generally at |80, |8 |82, |83, |84, |85, |86, |81, |88, and |88,and the other set of segments beingdesignated at |80', |8|', |82', |83", |84', |85', |86', |81', |88' and |88. The con.

troller resistance is designated at |80 'and a resistance of the conventional armature shunt at Each contactor |66 (as in the other application referred to) is of conventional construction and has a' contactor coil |82 and an arm |83 influ- Each limit,switch |61 (as in the other application referred to) comprises a lever |96 fulcrumed asat |81 on the carriage and having a roller'l88` at one end of the lever engageable with a cam |98 mounted at a suitable point on the elevator platform.` A spring is associated with this lever |96 and tends to cause a contact 202 carried by the lever to engage a contact 203 mounted on the carriage. Whenthe rollers |88 engage their cooperable cams |88, the levers |96 are rocked to disengage the contacts 202 and 203.

Each positive pole 204 of the three knife switches 205 connecting with the power lines or source of current has a wire 206 connected therewith and leading to the contact |94 of the contactor. The arm |93 of eachcontactor |66 connects by a wire 222 with one end of the coil 223 of the overload relay. From the opposite end of the coil 223 a wire 224 leads to the contact |1| of the associated controller |65. l

The size of the diagram necessitated the placing of the 'same on two sheets and on reading the diagram it is suggested that Figure 4a be placed above Figure 4b with the cables-C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 and C8v alined. It is also to be understood in considering the description of the circuits that the cables C1, C3 and C5 contain portions of the wires 2 I3 and that the cables C2, C4 'and C6 contain por- 'I'ov tions of the wires |28, 225, 230 and 23|. facilitate reading of the diagram, the numerals |28,- 2|3, 225, 230 and 23| have been applied not only to diiferent portions of the wires but to the and associated parts.

Figure 4* `shows the limit switches V|61 in the position which they assume when the carriages are traveling or moving on `the elevator platform or in a storage compartment. As explained, when the carriages move to their proper position on the elevator the cams coact with the rollers |88 of the levers to rock the levers |86 and disengage the contacts 202 and 203. Thus, in order to cause any carriage to'move from its proper position on the elevator platform it is necessary to short circuit the limit switch |61 associated therewith in order to energize the contacter coil |92 of the carriage motor circuit and it is for this pinpose that the push button switches designated generally at 2|6 (see Figure 4b) are provided. Each switch 2|6 comprises a push buttonv2|1 for bridging contacts 2|8 and 2|8 which connect by wires 220 and 22| to thewires 2|3 and |29 respectively.

With the arrangement shown, however, when it is desired to 'start movement Vof any of the carriages the push button `2|1, associated with such carriage circuit, lis depressed whereupon current ows from the positive pole 204', through the wire |4| to the elevator alinement switch |00. If this switch is closed, as it Will be if the elevator is alined with a storage compartment, the current passes from the wire |4| through the contacts |02 and |03 to the wire |42, and i i from the wire |42 it ilows through the appropriate branch |43 to the coil |82 of the proper contactor |66. After passing through the coil |82 the current flows through the wire 208, contacts 208, 2|| and 2|2, Wire 2|3, wire 220, 'contacts 2|1, 2|8 and 2|9 of the push button switch 2 I6 and wire 22| back to the common return Wire |28, from whence it ows back to the negative pole 204a ofthe knife switch 205 associated with the circuit of the particular motor to be operated.

Whenever the contactor coil |82 of any contactor is energized in this manner then the arm |83 of the contactor is drawn over into engagement with the contact |84 thereof and motor circuit proper is completed in the following manner.

l The current flows from the positive pole 204 of any knife switch 205, 'through the associated wires 206, contact |84, arm |93, wire 222, overload relay coil 223, wire 224, to the contact |1| o f the controller |65.` The controller is turned in the direction which vcauses the segments |80 to |88 to engage the contacts |10 to |18 so that the current passes from the contact |1| over to the segment |8| and thence through wires |10' and |1l' to the segments |80 and |82; As these segments |80 and |82 engage the contacts 10 and |12 part of the current passes from the contact |10 through the conventional armature shunt |9| in the usual manner and part of the current passes from the segment |82 over to the contact=|12 and -through the wire 225 to thev brush 226 of the armature 221 of the motor 41. From the other brush 228 of the armature the current flows back through a wire 230 to the contact |13 of the controller, over to the segment |83, down through the wire |83l of the segment |84 and thence through the controller resistance |80 and wire |80a to the contact |18. From the contact 18 the current passes` to the segment |88, through the wire |88*l to the segment |88, over to the contact|18 and through a wire 23| leading from the contact |18 to the ieldA 232 of the motor 41. After the current passes through the eld it passes on to the leased, for at that time, the. path of the curcoil 233 of a conventional electromagnetic brake associated with the motor 41 in the usual mano ner and then travels through a wire 234 back to the common return wire |29, which. leads back -to the negative pole 204' of the switch 205.

As' soon as the carriage begins to move the rollers |98 of the limit switch is ldisengaged from its cam thereby permitting' the spring 20| toV engage the contacts 202 and 203. As soon as this occurs the push-button 2|1 maybe rerent' through the contactor coil |32 may be completed from the wire 2|3 through the contacts 203 and 202 and wire 2|5 fback to the common return wire |29. Thefuse of a push button switch in this organization not only permits the employment of a simple yet effective means for limiting the movements of the carriage but italso makes it necessary for the operator to'exercise a deliberate and conscious :control of the movements of the carriage, as

more fully pointed outin the co-pending application referred to.

In the other On position of the-controller |65 the segments |80' to |09' coact with the contacts |10 to |19 in order to reverse the flow of current through the amature. In such pol sition of the controller the current .flows to the contactsV |1| of the controller as before but', passes over to the segment |0|' where it divides,

part of the current passing over to the contact I 80' and through the armatureshunt, and part of the current passing through a wire |02l down to the segment |32 and-thence over to the contact |13 through the wire 230 to the brush 226. After traversing the armaturethe current ows through brush 220 and wire 225 back to the ment |34' from whence it passes to the contact |15 and through the controller resistance |90 to the contact' |18. The current then passes over to the segment |00' and down to the segment |89' through a wire |89. From the segment |39' the lcurrent passes over to the contact |19 and thence through the wire 23|, through the field 232 and brake coil 233 to the-wire 234 and then on back'through the return wire |23.

It is to be understood that the motor circuitfor the motor 41 'cannot be completed exceptv when the contacter coil |92 is energized. The l contactor coil |92 cannot be energized unless the contacts |02 and |03 are engaged. It is therefore a prerequisite to operation of the carriage that the elevator platform be alined with a storage compartment 'as the contacts |02 and |03 are not engaged unless the platform is so alined. y

The elevator control circuit is illustrated diagraaumtticmly in Figure 4b at son and in this elevator control circuit the contacter 0 is incorporated'as'above mentioned. As shown, the ar'm 30| of the contactor is connected with one of the wires 302 of the control circuit andV is adapted to engage a contact 303 connected with the other 'wire 304 of the control circuit. The contactor coil is designated at 305. A spring or any other suitable means may be provided vfor biasing the arm -to open position where it is disengaged from the contact 303. Referring now to Figures 4b and 4, one end of the contacto): coil 305 connects with a wire 300 which is electrically connected with the xed contact $01 of one limit switch |20. A of this limit switch connects by a wire 309 with the fixed contact'301 of the limit switch |20 of the adjacent. carriage. Similarly, the movable contact 303 of this second limit switch |20 connects by a wire 3|0 with a fixed contact 301 of a third limit switch |20 mounted on the third carriage. The contact 303 of the third limit switch connects by a wire 3|| with the other negative pole of the switch 205. terminal of the coil 305 is connected by a wire 3|2. with the positive terminal 204 of th switch zw. Y i f In other words, the limit switches |20 are connected in series with the coil 305 of the contacter 0 so that unless all of the limit switches are closed the'contactor coil 305 may not be energized. However, when the carriages are properly posig tioned on the elevator all of the limit switches |20 are closed and the contacter coil is energized The movable contact 308 Y The other y tration onlyand various changes, additions, and

omissions are contemplated within the spirit of the invention and-the scope of the subjoined claims.

. As disclosed in the Hendricks application for Apparatus for handling and'storing referred to above, the controllers for the motors which drive the transfer carriages and for the motors which -operate the jacks of such carriages are grouped on the carriages are embodied 'in cables which are automatically wound up and paid out by reels on the transfer carriages, such reels being diagrammatically shown in Figure 4V and being fully shown and described in the said Hendricks application.

The apparatus embodying the present invention has an 'especial advantage when embodied in tall-buildings, that is, buildings with a great many stories, for with such buildings it requires only the elevators and the transfer carriages to effect the mechanical handling of the automobiles from the receiving stations tothe storage compartments and back from the storage compartments to the receivingstations. In operation, the automobiles are run into a, suitable receiving station provided on the ground floor of the building near .the elevators. The transfer carriages move out from the elevators under the vautomobiles and have their jacks engaged with the automobiles; They then run back onto the elevators carrying the automobiles with them. The elevators are run up to'the level of the storage compartments in which the automobiles are to be placed and the automobiles are then run into the storage compartments under the control of the transfer cardevice', cooperating .means on the transfer car rlage. The jacks on the transfer carriages are then lowered and the transfer carriages are .run back onto the elevators.

Delivery of any car simply means a reversal of this process, O f course, Where more thanone automobile is stored in any compartment it may be necessary to're'move the automobile adjacent storage compartment or not properly -positioned on' the elevator; and alsomakes it impossible for the carriages tobe moved oi of the elevator unless the elevator is .properly alined` with a storage compartment.v

While transfer carriages have been .shown and described as representing one'means for effecting the transfer of the automobiles to. and from the elevator and storage compartments, itis to be understood that any suitable transferring device .l may be employed which is movable across the elevator and into storage compartments and which is adapted to be run under an automobile and to be engaged therewith to propel 4theautomobile. f l f' The invention Aclaimed is:

1. A garage building having :tiers of storage compartments and an lelevator Well adjacent the storage compartments, an elevator in the well, a transferdeviee mounted on the elevator and movable off of `the elevator into the storage vcompartments .and back from the storage compartments onto the elevatorfor transferring cars'directly from the elevator' to the storage compartments and from the storage compartments to the elevator, a motor for driving the transfer device ,and cooperating means on the transfer carriage and elevator for preventing operation of the elev ator at all times except when the transfer carl riage is properly positioned thereon.

2. A garage building having tiers of.` storage compartments and an elevator well adjacent the storagecompartments, an` elevator in the well,.

a transfer device mounted on the elevator and/ movable off of the elevator into the storage compartments and back from the storage compartments onto the elevator for transferring cars directly from the elevator tothe storage compartments andfrom the storage compartments to the elevator, a motor for driving the transfer ri'age and elevator for preventing operation of the l motor except when the elevator is levelled with operation of theelevator at all times except when the transfer device is properly positioned thereon..

3. A garage having storage compartments, an

elevator adjacent said compartments, an elevator control circuit, a transfer device mounted on the elevator and movable out into thestorage compartments, and` back onto the e1evator,'an

electric motor for driving said carriage'a circuit alstorage c0mpartment,'and meansI for preventing *Y for the electric motor, means foi-'preventing completion of the motor circuit except when thc elevator is levelled with a storage compartment,and'

cooperating means .on thetransfer carriagel and A elevator for preventing'completion of theelevator i'. control circuit except' when the device is properly positioned on the elevator. 4. A 'garageha'vingstorage compartments, an

elevator well, an elevator in the we1l, a tra nsfer device mounted on 4the elevator and. movable into the lstorage compartments and back -onto' the elevator an lelectric motor for driving said device,

acircuit for the motor, a 'contactor incorporated' `in saidmotoncir'cuit, a switchmountedlonfthe elevatorand biased to openV position and connectedfin-series with the contactor and anum -ber of ca ms in the elevator well for closing' s'aid no switch-When `the elevator is alined with any storage compartment;

A5.A garaf,fe having storage compartments, an. a

elevatogs'erv-ing said compartments, arr elevator control cir the elevator and movable outinto the compart- 't,- a transfer carriage mounted 'en ments and'b'ack lonto the elevator, a contactor incorporated inthe elevator co-ntrol circuit`and adapted when energized to complete'th'e elevator control circuitjand when de-energ'ized to break the same, a normally open switch mounted on .the carriage and in series with the contactor, and

a cam mounted on the elevator and cooperable with .said switch for closing the same whenl tre y carriagev is properly positioned on therelevatorf.

6. In avehicle storage system, a plurality ofvehicle storage stalls,` rising tier on tier, an ele.-

vator having aplatform travelling between the tiers and a plurality of' vehicle carriers, each having `a pair of spaced apart vehicle wheel guid- I ing tracks, permanently fixed to said elevator platform each of said carriers comprising mechanism for moving a vehicle in either direction over their respective spaced apart vehicle Wheel guiding tracks. I

' HENRY HARNISCHFEGER.

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