AU679703B2

AU679703B2 - A car stacking apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU679703B2
Application number: AU53996/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ron Jones
Original assignee: CAR STACKERS MARKETING Pty LIM
Current assignee: CAR STACKERS MARKETING PTY Ltd
Priority date: 1993-01-25
Filing date: 1994-01-25
Publication date: 1997-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 2014-01-25
Also published as: AU5399694A

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT "A Car Stacking Apparatus" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention concerns a car stacking apparatus of the type in which a car is driven onto a platform, the platform is raised up and a second car may then be parked under the platform.

o* BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A car stacking apparatus typically comprises a framework in which a car carrying platform is vertically moveable. The platform usually has chains connected to each of its four corners and is raised by lifting all four chains. There are a number of problems associated with this type of stacking apparatus, for instance it is difficult to keep an equal strain on all four chains and 25 this leads to the platform tilting or twisting as it is raised and lowered. In addition the chains require ~greasing, and are inherently noisy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, as currently envisaged, there is provided a car stacking apparatus comprising: S:209 IOD.COS II I, a platform to carry a car suspended by a lift cable and running on a follower cable; a first end of the lift cable being attached to one side of the platform; the ends ol the follower cable being attached to respective fixed reference locations with respect to ground, the follower cable passing up to the one side of the platform over a running surface, across the underside of the platform, under a running surface, and up from the other side of the platform; and the arrangement being such that, in use, movement of the other end of the lift cable causes the platform to be raised and lowered between a first position in which a car can be driven onto and off the platform from the ground, and a second position in which a car can be driven under the S C lplatformf; the follower cable engaging the running surfaces of the platform to its angular disposition constant with respect to the horizontal.

The use of cables makes this apparatus comnparatively quiet and C clean. In addition self-lubricating cables require no maintenance.

The stacking apparatus comprises two lift cables connected to respective corners of the platform along the one side, and two follower cables passing under the platform adjacent respective ends.

The second end of each lift cables, is attached to a hydraulically operated piston disposed horizontally above [he platform whereby operation of the piston causes the raising and lowering of the platform.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises a latch attached to the piston and releasably engageable with a i~( 1- 3 pawl which is held stationary with respect to ground in order to prevent the movement of the platform from the second position. Optionally a mechanism is operable to release the latch from the pawl.

Preferably the running surfaces are pulleys rotatable about horizontal axes directed parallel to the sides of the platform, and they are mounted under the platform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: figure 1 is an elevational view of a car stacker embodying the present invention; "figure 2 is a sectional view of A-A of figure 1; figure 3 is a detailed elevational view of upper portion of the apparatus of figure 1; :figure 4 is a plan view of figure 3; and .*0 figure 5 is a schematic view showing the cable routes in a preferred embodiment.

The same reference numerals have been used throughout the drawings to refer to corresponding elements.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Car stacker 1 comprises a pressed steel platform on which a car can be carried. The platform is mounted within a frame comprising, on both sides, a front upright 3 and a rear upright 4 interconnected at their upper ends via a beam 5. A horizontally arranged pneumatic cylinder 6 is mounted to beam 5 and drives a piston 7 to which the S:20910D.COS

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4 lift cables 8 and 9 are attached. Follower cables 10 and 11 can be seen extending down below platform 2.

A latch 12 is pivotally mounted on piston 7 to releasably engage pawl 13 when the piston is fully withdrawn into cylinder 6 and platform 2 is in its raised position. The arrangement of latch 12 and pawl 13 is such as to permit the leading edge of latch 12 to ride over pawl 13 as the latch moves from left to right, but to prevent latch 12 from moving from right to left after the tip of pawl 13 has engaged the leading edge of the latch. Pawl 13 may be tilted by manually operated mechanism 14 in order to release latch 12. Mechanism 14 comprises a foot pedal 14a linkage mechanism 14b.

Depression of pedal 14a actuates linkage mechanism 14b to 15 cause pawl 13 to release latch 12.

"In figure 5 many of the elements of the stacker are omitted in order to clearly indicate the cable routes.

Cables 8 and 9 travel from piston 7 over first pulleys and 16. Cable 8 then descends to a first corner of the platform where it is fixed at point 17, and cable 9 travels over pulley 18 above the other corner of that side of platform 2 before descending to be fixed at point 19.

Both follower cables are fixed with respect to the eeee• '25 frame at points 20, 21, 22 and 23. The first follower cable 10 travels down from point 20 under pulley 24, .across the underside of platform 2, under pulley 25, over pulley 26 and down away to point 21. Cable 11 similarly travels down from point 22, under pulley 27, across the underside of platform 2, under pulley 28, over pulley 29, and down to point 23. The cables are 9 millimetres in diameter, 7 x 19 galvanated cables with a breaking load of 4,500 kg min. The pulleys are all fitted with roller S:20910D,COS L II I L 5 bearings and are either 150 dia min throat 125 dia, or '00 dia min throat 80 dia.

In use, starting with platform 2 at its lowermost position, toe 30 provides a smooth ramp up from the ground to enable a car to be driven onto the platform.

The occupants then leave the car and the platform is raised by the retraction of piston 7 into pneumatic cylinder 6 drawing cables 8 and 9 upwards. Although all the lift is provided to one Lde of the platform the arrangement of the follower cables prevents any lateral tilt away from the raised edge.

When piston 7 nears the end of its travel into cylinder 6 the leading edge of latch 12 rides over pawl 13 and engages it. Piston 7 can then be relaxed to allow strain to be borne by the mechanical latc'. me-hanism.

With platform 2 in this raised position a second car may be driven underneath the platform and parked. When it is ^i desired to lower platform 2, pedal 14A is used to operate mechanism 14 and release latch 12 from pawl 13. Then hydraulic cylinder 6 drives out piston 7 to lower platform 2; follower cables 10 and 11 again preventing o •any lateral tilt of the platform.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it should be 25 appreciated that it may be embodied in many other ways, for instance any required number of lift and the follower cables may be employed. In addition a similar mechanism o." may be employed in a stacker able to raise more than one p* *t platform.

S:20910D.COS

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Claims

1. A car stacking apparatus comprising: a platform to carry a car suspended by two lift cables each having a first end connected to respective corners of tho platformn along one side, and running on two follower cables passing under the platformn adjacent respective ends; the ends of the follower cables being attached to respective fixed reference locations with respect to ground, the follower cables passing up to the one side of the platform over a running surface, across the underside of the platform, under a running surface, and up from the other side of the platform; and the second end of each lift cable, being attached to a hydraulically operated piston disposed horizontally above the platform, whereby operation of the piston causes the raising and lowering of the platform between a first position in which a car can be driven onto and off the platform from the 4 ground, and a second position in which a car can be driven under the *e platform; the follower cables engaging the running surfaces of the platform to maintain its angular disposition constant with respect to the horizontal.

A car stacking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a latch attached to the piston and releasably engageabie with a pawl which is held stationary with respect to ground in order to prevent the movement of the platform from the second position.

3. A car stacking apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a mnechanismn operable to release the latch from the pawl.

4. A car stacking apparatus according to any preceding claim, iii which the running surfaces are pulleys rotatable about horizontal axes directed parallel to the sides of the platform and mounted under the platform. (J A car stacking appL,.'atus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 11thi day of April 1997. CAR STACKERS MARKEOTING PTY LTD Patent Attorneys for [lie Applicant: F.B. RICE CO. Os 0 SS*O S. S SO S. S 0.

@5 0 0 U. S @00 0 00 0 S.. 0S@S 00 *9 0 S 0000 ABSTRACT A car stacking apparatus of the type in which a car is driven onto a platform, the platform is raised and a second car may then be parked under the platform. The platform is suspended by a lift cable having one end attached to a first side of the platform. The other end of the lift cable is used to raise and lower the platform. A follower cable passes up to the first side of the platform, across the underside of the platform and up from the other side, and it has both ends attached to fixed reference locations. (Figure *e a *se S:20910D.COS i