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Multi-aisle warehouse system with mobile lift having control means for an article transfer vehicle

  • US 4,007,843 A
  • Filed: 11/08/1974
  • Issued: 02/15/1977
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1972
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A materials handling system comprising:

  • a multi-level storage rack having a plurality of storage bins arranged in arrays on each level along a plurality of access aisles, pairs of horizontally spaced rails extending along and coupled to facing ends of storage bins on opposite sides of each aisle at each storage bin level, said rails extending adjacent the storage bins, a mobile vertical lift movable across the ends of the access aisles and alignable with a desired aisle, said mobile vertical lift including a lifting platform movable in a vertical direction to reach any desired storage bin level;

    a plurality of self-powered mobile transfer vehicles each including drive and support wheels and independently movable along an access aisle at a selected single storage bin level, each of said mobile transfer vehicles including means thereon for transferring articles between said mobile transfer vehicle and a storage bin at the same level as said mobile transfer vehicle, said mobile vertical lift being adapted to transport said mobile transfer vehicle thereon to a desired aisle and storage bin level and dispatch said mobile transfer vehicle therefrom, wherein each of said rails of said pairs of rails includes end stops pivotally mounted to obstruct the movement of said mobile transfer vehicle beyond said end stops when said end stops are in a first position, and wherein said mobile vertical lift includes camming means engaging said end stops of a selected aisle and aisle level for moving said end stops to a second position permitting a mobile transfer vehicle to be transferred between said mobile vertical lift and guide rails of a selected aisle and aisle level; and

    wherein said lifting platform of said mobile vertical lift includes a pair of horizontally spaced guide rails for supporting said mobile transfer vehicle thereon and wherein said camming means includes bridge means for coupling said guide rails on said lifting platform to said guide rails of said selected aisle and aisle level.

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