50 & 20 Years Ago
40 Years Ago: Two for the space of one
Taken from Building with Steel, 1967
Garage space is at a premium everywhere and any scheme which helps mitigate the position is very welcome. A current development in the field is a system that doubles the capacity of a single car garage by accommodating two cars, one above the other.
The system consists basically of a platform pivoting around a central point on the floor and raised and lowered noiselessly by elecro-hydraulic mechanism controlled by a single lever. Should the electricty supply fail the platform can be actuated by an emergency crank handle.
With the platform in its lowered position the first car is run onto it and then, by operation of the control lever, raised to the upper position, stopping automatically when this is reached. In the far end of the platform there is a curved recess to accommodate one pair of wheels, thus preventing movement of the car during raising and lowering. On the nearside of the platform is a catwalk and a handrail.
The system is contained in a simple steel frame constructed from standard sections bolted together; the arms for raising and lowering the platforms, also the platform support beams, are of welded fabrication.