Description of the state of the art Parkings for automobiles require, first of all, much space, in order to accommodate several vehicles and still have some free space for maneuvering them.

However, due to growth of the cities and to saturation of the central and adjacent regions, there has been a sharp rise in price of available space, concomitantly with the fact that the free areas suitable for constructing parkings for vehicles are becoming more and more exiguous and difficult to use. Thus, it becomes difficult to utilize a little plot of land in the traditional way, where only half a dozen vehicles can be properly parked, which makes the undertaking little economical. The utilization of two or more floors is not possible either, because it becomes necessary to use access ramps, which eventually takes up most of the small space that the multiplicity of floors can generate.

So, mechanical parkings have been developed, in which several structures and external means for moving vehicles are used, always aiming at good utilization of the available plot of ground and bringing about greater efficiency in operation, logistics in moving vehicles and saving labor for the functioning of the parking.

A first embodiment of a mechanical parking comprises at least two vertical structures for parking vehicles, with a multiplicity of parking spaces, and at least one vertical elevator for raising the vehicles to the available parking spaces. A drawback in this system is the fact that the area intended for the elevator shaft may not be used for accommodating vehicles, which in small plots of land represents a significant reduction in the number of possible and available parking spaces.

A second embodiment of a mechanical parking has a horizontal structure with at least two floors and a multiplicity of underground platforms longitudinally aligned, and an elevator for moving vehicles with respect to the ground floor or the circulation ways. The underground longitudinal platforms have moving means by which they can be moved so that one empty platform will be placed beside the elevator when there is a vehicle to park or to take out directly a parked vehicle, independently of the position

which it occupies. However, this system also has drawbacks, since the reorganization of the platforms is time-consuming and the mechanism for carrying out this work is complex and expensive, in addition to the fact that the maintenance expensive due to this complexity.

Objectives of the invention The objective of the invention is to provide a mechanical parking that will bring about maximum utilization of the area where it is installed and further has mechanical simplicity in functioning, providing security, so that it will be economically feasible and maximize the profits of those who use it, even if practicing market prices, providing the extra advantage, among others, of reduction in times of storage and removal of vehicle from the parking space, and also the time of placing it there.

Brief description of the invention The objectives of the invention are achieved by means of a mechanical parking, preferably an underground one, that comprises a substantially horizontal plane for free movement of vehicles and at least one garage-elevator comprising at least one platform for the parking of at least one vehicle, which should be substantially perpendicular and directly associated to at least one moving structure, the elevator being moveable in a direction substantially perpendicular to and through the plane intended for free movement, the elevator further comprising a floating floor plate substantially parallel to the platform, the floor plate being integral part of the movement plane in a given resting position of the elevator. The parking may comprises a plurality of garage-elevators, each of these elevators having a plurality of platforms for the parking of vehicles, each of these parking platforms providing room for accommodating a multiplicity of vehicles.

Brief description of the drawings The present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to an embodiment represented in the drawings. The figures show: -Figure 1: a front view of the mechanical parking of the present invention; -Figure 2: a side view of the garage-elevator of the parking illustrated in Figure 1; -Figurer 3: a side view of the parking illustrated in Figure 1; -Figure 4: a side view of the parking of figure 1 with a car being parked; -Figure 5: a cross-section front view of the raising mechanism of the garage-elevator illustrated in Figure 2; and

-Figure 6: a cross-section top view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 5.

Detailed description of the figures According to a preferred embodiment of the invention and as can be seen from figure 1, the parking 10 comprises a substantially horizontal plane 100 for free movement, which enables one to maneuver vehicles, and at least one garage- elevator 11 comprising at least one platform 40 for the parking of at least one vehicle, which is substantially perpendicular and is rigidly associated to at least one movement structure 13. The elevator 11 is moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to and through the free-movement plane 100. The elevator 11 further comprises a floor plate 12 substantially parallel to the platform 40 and being an integral part of the movement plane 100 in a given resting position of elevator 11.

In the preferred embodiment, the parking comprises nine garage-elevators 11 arranged longitudinally and parallelly three by three. Each garage-elevator 11 has three platforms 40 for the parking of vehicles one over the other, makes a movement substantially perpendicular to and through the free-movement plane 100, and each platform 40 has capacity for accommodating at least one vehicle. Optionally, the number of platforms 40 may vary, and each of the platforms 40 may be designed to accommodate several vehicles, thus providing the invention with an extraordinary flexibility of application to different needs of utilization and always permitting the obtention of an ideal combination of efficiency and costs, as regards both implantation and maintenance. Therefore, the parking spaces for vehicles are located in the garage-elevators 11.

The garage-elevators 11 also have at least one, but preferably two, movement structures 13, each of the structures comprising a first"U"-shaped fixed profile 14 and a second"U"-shaped moveable profile 15, parallel to the profile 14 and associated to the platforms 40, a threaded spindle 31, a bearing 33, a moving nut 32, a motor 37, and a set of pulleys 35,36. In order to facilitate the movement of the elevators and optimize their functioning, each of the garage-elevators 11 has counterweights (not shown), which move in a direction opposite to that of the elevator.

The platforms 40 are fixed on the profile 15 substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of this profile 15, the profiles 14 and 15 being with their openings facing each other and configuring a tube of substantially rectangular cross-section The profile 14 serves as a furrow for the profile 15, which may run freely along its length. The tube formed by the profiles 14,15 encloses a threaded spindle 31, which

is as long as the profiles 14,15. The bearing 33 is fixed on the profile 14 and serves as a support for the threaded spindle 31. The moving nut 32 is fixed on the profile 15, moving along the thread of the spindle 31, commanding the movement of this profile 15 and, consequently, of the platforms 40, by turning the threaded spindle 31 by means of a set of pulleys 35,36 driven by the motor 37, the pulley 35 being associated to the motor 37 and the pulley 36 being associated to the spindle 31 and being moved by the pulley 35.

When the garage-elevator 11 has two moving structures 13, only one of them has the assembly formed by the motor 37 and pulleys 35,36, the spindle 31 of this first structure 13 moving the spindle 31 of the second structure 13 in a synchronized way by means of a chain 39 for synchronized movement, which is associated to the cogwheels 38 located at the lower ends of the threaded spindles 31. Optionally, one can utilize a garage-elevator 11 driven by hydraulic drive, compressed air or still by a system of cables with counterweights, without any significant difference in the invention that could considerably differentiate it from the above-described embodiment.

The floor plate 12 is floating with respect to the elevator 11, that is to say, it moves integrally with the elevator 11 when the latter makes the rising movement, whereas, when the elevator 11 makes the falling movement, the plate 12 moves integrally until it reaches four stops 22, located at the substantially ground-floor portion of the parking, and stops there. From there the elevator 11 continues to make the falling movement until it reaches the ground, but the plate 12 remains motionless, resting on these stops 22. In this way, when the elevator 11 is in the retracted position, the plate 12 is perfectly flush with the rest of the floor, by virtue of the stops 22, which position it adequately, configuring, together with some structural beams, the substantially horizontal movement plane 100. In order for the elevator 11 to make its movement, each of the platforms 40 has small tears 23 that enable it to pass without interference by the stops 22.

The adequate positioning of the plate 12 creates a smooth surface, without protuberances or steps derived from incorrect positioning of the elevators 11, which would cause discomfort upon maneuvering a vehicle. The homogeneity resulting from the fact that the plates 12 are all always aligned changes the substantially horizontal movement plane 100 into a surface highly suitable for carrying out movements and maneuvers with vehicles, if they are necessary.

The upper structure 20 comprises a number of beams installed adequately with conduits arranged in such a way that they will serve as guide 21 for aiding in moving the structures 13 of the garage-elevators 11, when the latter are very high, thus providing smooth operation of the elevators 11.

For a vehicle to park, it has to go to the parking 10 and into the beginning of the substantially horizontal movement plane 100, which is at street level. Then, the garage-elevator 11 suitable or which has available parking spaces begins to rise until the available platform 40 is at the level of the plane 100. Then the vehicle goes onto this platform 40, and the elevator 11 goes down.

With this procedure it is possible to remove or place any vehicle from/on any platform 40, without the need for removing or maneuvering another vehicle, while the horizontal movement plane 100 remains free all the time, thus facilitating, as far as possible, the entry or exit of vehicles in the parking 10. In this way, one gains much ease of movement, time, efficiency and safety, thus reducing the number of employees required for operating the parking 10, and bringing about economy in the fixed operation costs.

Preferably, the parking is underground, so that the elevators 11 will remain below the ground surface in the resting position. However, the parking place may be configured in such a way that the elevators will remain totally raised in the resting position, a non-underground configuration.

In the preferred embodiment, since the vehicles are parked below the ground levei, protected against bad weather, natural agents, depredation, acts of vandalism and due to the fact that it is not necessary to maneuver them, this considerably decreases the possibility of a vehicle suffer averages. This brings further advantages and can gain the confidence of clients, forming a permanent clientele that will always be using the parking 10, thus guaranteeing compensatory earnings.

The present invention can further be utilized in residential and commercial buildings, deposits and storehouses for storing goods, or in any other type of construction that needs a parking that has the above-cited advantages.

A preferred embodiment having been described, one should understand that the scope of the invention embraces other possible variations, being limited only by the contents of the accompanying claims, the possible equivalents being included therein.