Vehicle power system

• US 3,881,581 A
• Filed: 08/15/1974
• Issued: 05/06/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ACME Steel Company (Acme Metals Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Raymond H. Richardson
• Inventors: Richardson, Raymond H.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keen, D. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/497,659
• Time in Patent Office: 264 Days
• Field of Search: 191/2,3,12R,12.2R,22R,28,29R,33R,36,37 214/16.4A,16.4B
• US Class Current: 191/2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0428 Transfer means for the stacker crane between the alleys
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26

Abstract

In a storage and retrieval installation, electrical power for energizing the load carrier drive conductor buses in the storage frame aisles are energized by way of power from the transfer vehicle through a coupling mounted on the transfer vehicle which moves with the transfer vehicle and engages one of several couplings stationarily mounted on the storage frames only when the transfer vehicle is approximately aligned with a given aisle which is to be energized.

Claims

1. A vehicle power system including a plurality of stationary structures spaced from each other to define aisles therebetween and a structure movable across the ends of said aisles and including a vehicle movable in said aisles and to a position beyond said aisles, wherein the improvement comprises in combination therewith:

first power transmission means adapted to be connected to a source of power for transmitting power to said movable structure, first coupling means mounted on said movable structure for movement with said movable structure in a defined path of movement adjacent the ends of the aisles, said first coupling means and said first power transmission means being connected for receipt of power by said first coupling means, second power transmission means, a plurality of second coupling means each stationarily mounted adjacent an end of said structures and adjacent the respective ends of said aisles and spaced in said defined path of movement such that said first coupling means moves into power transmitting engagement with given ones of said second coupling means when said vehicle is at least approximately aligned with a given one of said aisles, and means associated with said given ones of said aisles connected to said second coupling means by said second power transmission means for energization of said means associated with said given one of said aisles when said first and second given ones of said coupling means are engaged.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said power is electrical.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first coupling means is male and said second coupling means is female.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said means associated with said given one of said aisles comprises third power transmission means for transmitting power from said first power transmission means to drive means on said vehicle when said vehicle is in said aisle, and wherein said third transmission means in any given aisle is energized only when said movable structure and aisle are approximately aligned with each other.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said stationary structures comprise a plurality of article storage frames separated from each other by said aisles, wherein said vehicle comprises a load carrier for transporting articles in said aisles, wherein said movable structure includes a transfer vehicle upon which said load carrier is supportably positioned for transfer across the ends of said aisles, and wherein said first power transmission means transmits power to said transfer vehicle and said first coupling means is mounted on said transfer vehicle adjacent the ends of said aisles.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said power is electrical and said means associated with said given one of said aisles comprises third power transmission means for transmitting power from said first power transmission means to drive means on said load carrier when said load carrier is in said aisle, and wherein said third transmission means in any given aiSle is energized only when said transfer vehicle and aisle are approximately aligned with each other.