Abstract: A parking garage in which parking zones are arranged at both sides of a self-running lane, and slat conveyers are arranged at the lane and the parking zones, such that a vehicle that has run on the lane is conveyed to one of the parking zones by the slat conveyers. At exit, a vehicle in one of the parking zones is conveyed to the self-running lane by the slat conveyers, and it runs by itself on the lane to exit the garage.

Abstract: A parking tower includes a number of layers, one or more parking units formed in each of the layers, an elevator movable up and down to each of the layers, a lateral movement device slidably supported on the elevator, a longitudinal movement device slidably supported on the lateral movement device, a rotating device rotatably supported on the longitudinal movement device, and a frame disposed on the rotating device and rotated by the rotating device. A carrier is moved and rotated by the lateral movement device, the longitudinal movement device, and the rotating device in order to align with the parking units.

Abstract: An automatic automobile parking garage is provided, particularly an underground parking garage having an entrance at ground level, which is the location of the roof of the parking garage. One or two vertical arrays of automobile loading stations are provided, and at the roof, there is an automobile loading station. An elevator carries a pallet, and means for pushing the pallet laterally onto an automobile loading station, and then pulling the pallet, with the car on it, from the elevator base, the elevator base then being lowered until it is opposite an automobile storage station, where the pallet with the automobile on it is pushed laterally by pushing apparatus onto the automobile storage station. The automobile storage station comprises a pair of parallel, horizontal cantilever support beams, which support a pallet and an automobile thereon. A hatch is provided which is of a size and shape to cover, or close, the opening.

Abstract: A place-on type assemblable structure includes a foundation beam and an assembly body assembled on the foundation beam. The foundation beam is placed on the surface of the ground via a pluarlity of jack means provided for the fondation beam. The level of the foundation beam can be easily adjusted by extending and contracting the jack means.

Abstract: Automated charging systems for vehicles having rechargeable batteries are in common use today. Such systems typically have exposed contacts or the need for additional circuitry to move the contacts. The subject system includes circuitry which allows the charge receiving member to be only connected to the battery during charging. The charging system produces a charging signal in response to a low battery. A microprocessor receives the charging signal and responsively produces a "pulse" signal. A second transistor switch receives the "pulse" signal and responsively energizes a charging contactor coil. In response to the charging contactor coil being energized, contacts controllably block power from the battery to the motor and pass power from the receiving member to the battery.

Abstract: A device for controlling access to a shaded parking area. In the invention, a parking space is provided with shade. Access to the shade is controlled by a meter in combination with a removable barrier. When the user gains access by insertion of a "credit card", the time of entry is noted together with the later time of exit. The elapsed time is used to compute the amount of charge to the user.

Abstract: A recharge docking system for a battery-powered mobile robot which senses when the battery charge is below a predetermined level and halts the travel of the robot at its next navigational node, following which the robot independently plots and negotiates a path from the next node back to a base node at a recharge station, where the batteries are charged.

Abstract: A two level structure for parking vehicles or storing goods, which structure comprises a sunken pit, first and second spaced apart platform members which are for receiving the vehicles or the goods, support means which is mounted on the first platform member and which supports the second platform member in a fixed horizontal position above the first platform member, mover means for moving the platform members from a first position in which the platform member is in the pit and the second platform member is at ground level to a second position in which the first platform member is at ground level and the second platform member is above ground level, a water sealing arrangement for preventing the ingress of water into the pit, and emergency stop means for automatically stopping the descent of the first and second platform members in the event that the second platform member encounters an obstacle, the second platform member being such that it has a peripheral overlap portion which overlaps the rim of the pit, a

Abstract: An improved multi-level vehicle parking facility including a device for emitting an audible sound, preferably a well known song, on each parking level, with a visual display specifically identifying the audible sound emitted on each such level. Each level has a different audible sound emitted thereon and is identified on the corresponding visual display to facilitate recall of that level to an individual parking a vehicle thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the song is that of a city or other geographical area and the sign identifies the city or area.

Abstract: A mobile robot calling system has a mobile robot normally waiting at a home position and connected to an AC power supply such that its battery is charged by the AC power supply in the wait status, and a calling oscillator for generating a calling signal to the mobile robot. The calling signal is supplied from the calling oscillator to the mobile robot through indoor AC power supply wiring. Relay transmitters are respectively arranged for a plurality of AC receptacles to relay the calling signal. A controller is arranged to control a plurality of calling devices and robot waiting stations. The controller cyclically checks the robot calling states of the calling devices and robot wait status in the waiting stations. The controller generates a robot calling command to the waiting stations in accordance with the robot wait status in the waiting stations when the robot calling signals are generated from the calling devices.

Abstract: The wheeled frame remaining after removal of the detachable cargo container, is gripped by clamping mechanism of a carrying unit mounted on a tractor or lift truck, then elevated above the ground and pivoted from its normal horizontal disposition to vertical position, and then transported to a multiple storage unit where it is deposited and retained in the vertical position removably in one of a plurality of compartments making up the storage unit. A plurality of such wheeled frames may be stored in this manner by deposit in successive ones of the compartments, and they are removed from the compartment in the reverse order of deposit.

Abstract: A storage facility for stackable trolleys, as in a supermarket, comprising a unit, such as a display unit against a wall or forming an island, which has a trolley inlet to its interior spaced from a trolley outlet, each adapted to pass one trolley at a time inwards or outwards, and a conveyor for transferring an introduced trolley to the back of a stack and for advancing the stack to release a trolley through the outlet on demand, particularly by action of a coin-freed mechanism. The conveyor is a belt which lifts the front end of a trolley frictionally to drive it on its rear wheels along a guide, while permitting slip to occur beneath a stationary stack of trolleys on demand. In order to encourage trolley return, introduction of a trolley at the input releases a coin in repayment for the coin used to effect trolley release.

Abstract: System for storing and transporting guided missiles and similar flying bodies includes a storage building and movable storage structures for supporting multiple guided missiles. The storage building is sized so that a row of the storage structures can be arranged along one side wall of the storage building with the normal travel direction of the structures being arranged transversely of the direction of the row and of the adjacent side wall. In the row, the storage structures are closely spaced so that there is no walkway between them. A passageway is provided within the storage building along the row of storage structures so that each storage structure can be moved out of the row without moving adjacent storage structures and then turned on a minimum turning circle in the passageway for movement out of the storage building.