Abstract: An elevator system includes a hoistway, a rail extending along the hoistway and an elevator car located in and movable along the hoistway. A drive assembly is operably connected to the elevator car and includes two or more wheels engaged to opposing surfaces of the rail. The drive assembly is configured to apply an engagement force to the rail to both support the elevator car at the rail and drive the elevator car along the rail.

Abstract: An entrance gate and an automatic parking garage having such an entrance gate are provided. The entrance gate includes a stationary ground plate; two trace plates thereabove, movable in the plane in any direction in a gliding manner, each for receiving thereon a front and rear wheel of a car; a stationary top plate above the trace plates, having two opposing cut-out windows, with each trace plate exposed through one window; and two centering plates above the top plate, on outer sides of the cut-out windows. The centering plates connect with and are driven by two drive units to affect synchronous counter-movements. When being driven toward each other, the centering plates touch outer sides of tires of a car resting on the trace plates and move the car toward a centerline of the entrance gate, until the centerline of the car is aligned with the centerline of the entrance gate.

Abstract: An automatic vehicle storage system includes an adjustable, self-guided vehicle satellite for moving a vehicle between a pick-up and drop-off bay, a vehicle carriage, and a storage bay. The vehicle carriage is typically movable along and by a vehicle crane, which carries the vehicle to a desired storage bay, where the vehicle satellite then moves the vehicle. Once the vehicle is in the storage bay, the satellite and returns back to the carriage at the vehicle crane. The vehicle storage system is also capable of rotating the vehicle, such that the vehicle is forward-facing in the pick-up and drop-off bay when it is retrieved by the user, and to facilitate the simultaneous operation of side-by-side cranes within a storage facility.

Abstract: An automated storage system comprises a plurality of storage locations, at least one access location, a plurality of storage containers provided on the storage locations, a control system and at least one user interface, the control system further comprising a retrieval mode and a storage mode, and a delivery system for delivering a storage container from a storage location to an access location during the retrieval mode, and for returning the storage container to a storage location during the storage mode. User instructions at the control interface initiate the retrieval mode and the storage mode, and a user is provided access to the retrieved storage container while it is located at the access location.

Abstract: An automated parking garage. The garage comprises a multi-floor building having a plurality of vehicle storage racks in a storage area for storing a loaded pallet or an unloaded pallet. An entrance-level floor of the building includes an entry/exit station (EES) on for receiving a vehicle, the EES having an exterior entrance through which the vehicle is driven and, an opposing interior entrance that provides access to the storage area and through which the loaded pallet is transported, the loaded pallet and unloaded pallet adapted to be positioned at floor level in the EES. The garage includes a pallet stacking station for storing the unloaded pallet, the pallet stacking station located over a shuttle aisle that extends under the EES. A pallet shuttle that traverses the shuttle aisle to a first position under the EES for handling the unloaded pallet in the EES, and to a second position under the pallet stacking station for stacking the unloaded pallet.

Abstract: A film thickness measuring apparatus is provided with a housing which is made up of a base plate and outer cases, and which substantially shuts off the internal region thereof from the outside air, an introduction stage on which a cassette C is mounted, the cassette containing a plurality of substrates which have thin films formed thereon, a measurement stage which is arranged inside the housing and on which the substrate is placed for measuring the film thickness of the thin film, and a conveyance mechanism, arranged inside the housing, for moving the substrates between the inside of the cassette and the measurement stage. A film thickness measuring mechanism is arranged inside the housing. The film thickness measuring mechanism comprises a light emitting mechanism and a detector. The light emitting mechanism includes a laser light source for emitting a laser beam to the thin film on a wafer placed on the measurement stage. The detector detects light reflected from the thin film.

Abstract: A system for moving watercraft for storage inside a dry stack watercraft storage facility. The system includes a frame assembly, a cradle assembly and a rack assembly which closely interact with each other to precisely and securely position and protect watercraft stored inside the facility. The cradle assembly lifts a watercraft from the watercraft's center of gravity to position in the rack assembly. The rack assembly supports the watercraft through a pair of cantilever beams, and further includes a pair of cable guides used to guide the cradle assembly in the placement of the watercraft on the cantilever beams and to reduce the sway present during the positioning of the watercraft. The frame assembly supports and protects the other assemblies.

Abstract: A storage structure has an entry chamber for receiving articles, a storage area for storing the articles, a lift passage for connecting the entry chamber and the storage area, and a lift for conveying the articles through the lift passage between the entry chamber and the storage area. The storage structure includes a turning chamber provided separately from the entry chamber and connected to the lift passage for changing the orientation of an article. A turntable device is supported in the turning chamber to receive an article from the lift within the lift passage and to transfer an article to the lift. The turntable device includes a rotatable carrying surface and two auxiliary supports. One auxiliary support is located on each of two opposite sides of the turntable device for supporting the carrying surface when the carrying surface rotates. The carrying surface is movable between a position within the lift passage and a position outside of the lift passage.

Abstract: A High-rise Automated Garage (HAG) for offstreet parking consists of up to 40 stories (levels) car storage structure and a bank of elevators in the middle of this structure. Elevators are oriented along the garage and can pick-up cars from a flat driveway along the garage. Car handling carriages of the elevators can lift cars as cargo, using their wheels as the pick-up points, and move them horizontally into elevator's platform. In the case of one elevator failure, cars parked in the zone served by this elevator can be relocated by attendants into the zone served by an operating elevator, thus providing the capability of returning cars to the owners in a reasonable time. HAG has two loading (unloading) lanes. This allows an increase in the driver time for arriving and releasing the car to two elevators' cycles.

Abstract: A loading carriage for transport of an object in a partially raised position, and particularly for use in a mechanical parking garage. The loading carriage includes a lifting frame movably linked to a traveling frame by lifting elements. The traveling frame has running wheels and the lifting frame is provided with mechanical grippers which are switched between an open and a closed position. The loading carriage grips the object and raises the lifting frame by a single actuating mechanism. A limit stop is installed on the lifting frame to ensure that the lifting frame is raised only after the grippers are completely closed.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for storing objects in a storage block having identical storage places arranged behind, next to or above each other in the X, Y and Z directions and at least one lifting member associated to the storage block. Each storage place is equipped with a driving unit for moving the objects in the Y direction. Further driving units are provided for moving the objects in the X direction between the entrance area and the transfer side of the storage block. All successive rows in the X direction have at least one free storage place and one plane of the storage block is designed as a storage and return plane for empty pallets.

Abstract: A storage system (10), preferably for vehicles comprising a plurality of storage bays (11) each having an opening, at least one moving device (15) movable to be adjacent the opening of any one of the storage bays (11) and transfer device (90, 20) for transferring objects (21) carried by the moving devices (15) into the storage bay (11). Preferably the storage bays (11) are arranged in two arrays and the moving devices (15) is capable of transferring an object to a storage bay (11) in either array.

Abstract: Automated parking system for motor vehicles in silos including cells, carports, corridors, ramps and the like, in which the motor vehicle is carried using lifting and translating devices. The vehicles arrive at a loading floor with access to loading/unloading cabins. The loading floors have an elevator compartment arranged along the major axis of a motor vehicle. The lifting and translating devices move inside the elevator compartment and the vehicles are picked up by translating elements in the elevator compartment, and are then transported to positioning cells located on several parking floors. The system includes comb-like supports including several mobile pieces which can be opened and closed for supporting the motor vehicles.

Abstract: An automated high-raised parking system includes a parking rack structure having a plurality of racks disposed one above another for parking an automobile, an entrance/exit section for allowing entrance and exit of the automobile and a lift-translator device for transporting the automobile between the entrance/exit section to the racks. The lift-translator device includes a lift table vertically movable along a lift passage extending along a side of the parking rack structure and communicating with the entrance/exit section. In this system, the invention provides a shielding member for shielding an upward view from the entrance/exit section up through the lift passage when the lift table is positioned at the entrance/exit section for entrance or exit of the automobile.

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: Parking garage hoist translates on a central `main` aisle driven by hydraulic translation motor and raises hoist car driven by hydraulic translation motor. Both motors are mounted near the base of the hoist and power for the hydraulic motors is derived from overhead electrical rails and power pick-up with the picked up power converted to hydraulic power. A transverse aisle may be provided to house a hoist for maintenance while another hoist travels on the main aisle. An extension aisle may be provided to house a hoist while another hoist travels on the main aisle.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a vehicle which is used to pick up and transport and place heavy cargo. In particular, the invention relates to a vehicle which is capable of picking a vehicle from a confined space and transporting it to the appropriate location, thereby replacing a conventional tow truck.

Abstract: Storage and retrieval apparatus and method using pallets for storing vehicles and other loads. A number of storage levels aligned vertically are reached by a pair of lifts in shafts which bracket the levels. A transfer mechanism can push a pallet and automobile from either lift onto any level. Each level is always filled with pallets and sized to exactly hold an integral number of pallets. When a pallet is pushed into a level from one lift the intermediate pallets are pushed laterally to the opposite lift, resulting in the farthest pallet being ejected onto the opposite lift located at the same level. Separate loading stations are provided on ground level for each lift. An automobile can be driven on or off a pallet or a load placed on or off a pallet at the loading station. A loading station mechanism can move a pallet with a load to be stored from the loading station onto a lift.

Abstract: An elevator type parking lot includes a number of layers of frames, one or more layers of holding units being provided along each side of a passage which is provided on a center portion of each layer of the frames, and an elevator slidable vertically to align with each layer of the frame. A sliding conveyer which is vertically extendible is lifted and carried by the elevator. The sliding conveyer is slidable on the elevator and slidable along each passage of each layer of the frame so as to align with each holding unit. A cross slide feed mechanism is provided on the sliding conveyer. A sliding carrier is carried on the sliding conveyer and is raised by the sliding conveyer to align with each holding unit and is actuated to move laterally by the cross slide feed mechanism toward each holding unit.

Abstract: A parking system for automotive vehicles, comprises a building structure divided into a ground parking level and at least two upper parking levels, each having a floor and a ceiling defining between them one or more lines of parking spaces extending longitudinally of the respective level. The floor and ceiling of each level are spaced from each other a distance which is greater than twice the height of the vehicles to be parked in the respective level, to define a lower zone of parking spaces for supporting the vehicles, and an upper zone for conveying the vehicles to a selected parking space in the lower zone.

Abstract: A railroad car having an extraordinary height is more efficiently utilized for hauling large highway trucks, each having a cab but no body on the frame behind the cab. Raised platforms are provided for the trucks along both sides of a railroad car, leaving a channel for a lifting device to be moved under its own power. The lifting device first lifts one end of a truck at one end of the car and moves the lifted truck back toward the other end of the car. The process is repeated until the railroad car is full.