GB920452A - Improvements in dollies and like means for moving vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

920,452. Vehicle-handling trollies. SIMON-CARVES Ltd. Aug. 23, 1961 [Sept. 28, 1960], No. 14868/60. Class 78 (4). A dolly 52, which may be mounted as shown on a traverser 51 movable between the lift shaft or shafts and storage cells of a mechanical garage and ejectable from such traverser to pick up or set down a vehicle, consists of a platform which may pass beneath a vehicle between its opposite side wheels and which embodies roller-carrying arms which are operated to lift the rear wheels of the vehicle clear of the ground for carriage by the dolly and also to align the front wheels of the vehicle. The rear wheels are lifted by two pairs of pivoted arms 59 which comprise spindles 105 enclosed in rollers 106 and are movable between an initial position in which these arms abut the longitudinal sides of the dolly and a wheel-engaging position as shown. Such movement is effected through the linkages 104, 106, 107 of Fig. 5 under the control of a rod 112 longitudinally reciprocable through the agency of a cable 120, conveniently acted on by a fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder unit 99, Fig. 1. A similarly operated cable-rod-linkage-pivoted arm system 97, 91, 88 and 87, 60 (Fig. 2) effects outward movement of a pair of roller-encased rods 61 which when operated engage the inner side walls of the vehicle's front wheels to align them and steady the vehicle on the dolly. The projection of the dolly 52 from its traverser 51 is effected by means which allow for its displacement to either side of the traverser. In the form shown this means comprises two further fluid pressure members 64, 65 connected to sheaves 69, 70 around which are passed cables connecting the traverser to a subframe 75 which is in turn similarly connected to the dolly 52. In a modification (Fig. 8, not shown), the cables are replaced by endless multiple chains, one of which endless multiple chains is mounted on the dolly and driven by an electric motor. This chain engages to move bodily and also rotate a shaft which drives a second endless chain on the subframe, and a further shaft in the second endless chain system has a pinion engageable with a rack on the traverser. This system may be automatically controlled by an electric switching system (Fig. 14, not shown) making use of limit stops on the dolly, subframe and traverser to govern the extent of movement of the dolly.