Material handling system

Claim 2

A material handling system for moving carrier means for holding materials, said system comprising a plurality of lengths of storage track each of which is located at one of a plurality of storage locations disposed along an aisle and each of which is adapted to engage and support a carrier means at the associated storage location, a material handling vehicle movable along said aisle, transfer track means operatively connected to said vehicle and adapted to support a carrier means, said transfer track means being alignable with a length of storage track at a selected one of said storage locations to enable said carrier means to move between said transfer track means and a length of storage track at the selected one of said storage locations, shuttle means operatively connected with said vehicle for moving said carrier means between said transfer track means and the length of storage track at a selected one of said storage locations, and guide means connected with said vehicle and engageable with said carrier means for guiding movement of said Carrier means between said transfer track means and a length of storage track at a selected one of said storage locations, said guide means being engageable with said carrier means during transportation of said carrier means between said transfer and storage locations by said vehicle, said shuttle means including gripper means for engaging said carrier means and extensible means for reciprocating said gripper means along a path extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said transfer track means to move said carrier means between said transfer track means and said conveyor track and to move said carrier means between said transfer track means and the length of storage track at the selected storage location, said gripper means being operable between a closed condition in which said gripper means engages said carrier means to move said carrier means relative to said transfer track means upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means and an open condition in which said gripper means is ineffective to move said carrier means relative to said transfer track means upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means, and actuator means for effecting operation of said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon outward movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction away from said transfer track means, said actuator means being ineffective to operate said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon inward movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction toward said transfer track means.

Claim 3

A material handling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrier means includes a framework for receiving materials and suspension means for suspending said framework from said transfer track means, and said storage tracks.

Claim 4

A material handling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transfer track means includes a length of transfer track having a cross-sectional configuration which is substantially the same as the cross-sectional configurations of the storage tracks.

Claim 5

A material handling system as set forth in claim 3 further including a conveyor track for guiding movement of the carrier means away from the vehicle to a work station, and said vehicle being operable to transport the carrier means from the storage locations to the conveyor tracks.

Claim 6

A material handling system set forth in claim 1 wherein the carrier means comprises a hanger for suspending the carrier means from the storage and transfer tracks, and said storage and transfer tracks having portions which engage the hanger means to support the carrier means thereon.

Claim 7

A material handling system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said transfer track means includes drive means for moving said length of transfer track relative to said vehicle along a path extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said length of transfer track between a first position in which an end portion of said length of transfer track is spaced from an end portion of one of said storage tracks and a second portion in which said end portion of said length of transfer track engages said end portion of said one of said storage tracks and is axially aligned with said one of said storage tracks to enable said carrier means to move between a position in which it is supported by said length of transfer track and a position in which said carrier means is supported by said one of said storage tracks.

Claim 8

A material handling system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said transfer track means includes means for enabling said end portion of said length of transfer track to move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said length of transfer track and means for moving said end portion of said length of transfer track transversely to the longitudinal axis of said length of transfer track to align said end portion of said length of transfer track with said end portion of said one of said storage tracks.

Claim 9

A material handling system as sEt forth in claim 1 wherein said extensible means is operable between a retracted condition and an extended condition to move said gripper means relative to said transfer track means, said extensible means includes a base section connected with said vehicle, an intermediate section operatively connected with and mounted for movement relative to said base section, and a gripper support section operatively connected with said gripper means and said intermediate section and mounted for movement relative to said intermediate section, and wherein said shuttle means further includes drive means for moving said intermediate section through a first distance at a first speed relative to said base section upon operation of said extensible means between the retracted and extended conditions and for moving said gripper support section through a second distance at a second speed relative to said base section, said second distance being larger than said first distance and said second speed being greater than said first speed so that said gripper support section projects outwardly from said intermediate section and said intermediate section projects outwardly from said base section when extensible means is in the extended condition.

Claim 10

A material handling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shuttle means includes first drive means for effecting operation of said extensible means between a retracted condition and an extended condition to move said gripper means relative to said transfer track means, and wherein said transfer track means includes a length of transfer track and second drive means for moving said length of transfer track relative to said vehicle independently of operation of said extensible means between the retracted and extended conditions.

Claim 11

Material handling apparatus comprising a storage track, a material handling vehicle, a transfer track connected with the vehicle and alignable with said storage track, a carrier for holding materials, hanger means for suspending said carrier from said transfer track to support said carrier means in a suspended condition on the vehicle as the vehicle transports the carrier to said storage track and for suspending said carrier from said storage track, and a shuttle assembly operable between a retracted condition and an extended condition to move said hanger means between said transfer and storage tracks, said shuttle assembly including a pair of spaced apart gripper elements each of which is movable between a closed position engaging said hanger means and an open position spaced from said hanger means, linkage means operatively connected with said gripper elements for effecting movement of said gripper elements from their open positions to their closed positions to engage said hanger means and for effecting movement of said gripper elements from their closed positions to their open positions to release said hanger means, and actuator means for operating said linkage means to effect movement of said gripper elements from their closed positions to their open positions upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition to release said hanger means on said storage track and for operating said linkage means to effect movement of said gripper elements from their open positions to their closed positions upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition to engage said hanger means when it is on said storage track, said actuator means being ineffective to operate said linkage means to move said gripper elements between their open and closed conditions upon operation of said shuttle assembly from the extended condition to the retracted condition so that during operation of said shuttle assembly to the retracted condition said gripper elements remain in the positions to which they were moved during the immediately preceding operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition.

Claim 12

Material handling apparatus comprising a storage track, a material handling vehicle, a transfer track connected with the vehicle and alignable with said storage track, a carrier for holding materials, hanger means for suspending said carrier from said transfer track to support said carrier means in a suspended condition on the vehicle as the vehicle transports the carrier to said storage track and for suspending said carrier from said storage track, and a shuttle assembly operable between a retracted condition and an extended condition to move said hanger means between said transfer and storage tracks, said shuttle assembly including a pair of spaced apart gripper elements each of which is movable between a closed position engaging said hanger means and an open position spaced from said hanger means, linkage means operatively connected with said gripper elements for effecting movement of said gripper elements from their open positions to their closed positions to engage said hanger means and for effecting movement of said gripper elements from their closed positions to their open positions to release said hanger means, and actuator means for operating said linkage means to effect movement of said gripper elements from their closed positions to their open positions upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition to release said hanger means on said storage track and for operating said linkage means to effect movement of said gripper elements from their open positions to their closed positions upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition to engage said hanger means when it is on said storage track, said actuator means being ineffective to operate said linkage means to move said gripper elements between their open and closed conditions upon operation of said shuttle assembly from the extended condition to the retracted condition so that during operation of said shuttle assembly to the retracted condition said gripper elements remain in the positions to which they were moved during the immediately preceding operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition.

Claim 13

Material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actuator means includes a rotatable cam disposed in opErative engagement with said linkage means, a rotatable gear, ratchet means operatively interconnecting said gear and said cam for effecting rotation of said cam upon rotation of said gear in a first direction, said ratchet means being ineffective to effect rotation of said cam upon rotation of said gear in a second direction opposite from said first direction, and means for rotating said gear in the first direction upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the extended condition and for rotating said gear in the second direction upon operation of said shuttle assembly to the retracted condition.

Claim 14

Material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said linkage means includes a first follower member disposed in engagement with said cam and operatively connected with a first one of said gripper elements and a second follower member disposed in engagement with said cam and operatively connected with a second one of said gripper elements whereby rotation of said cam effects simultaneous operation of said first and second gripper elements between their open and closed positions.

Claim 15

Material handling apparatus comprising carrier means for holding materials, hanger means for suspending said carrier means from a storage track, a vehicle for transporting the materials, transfer track means operatively connected with the vehicle and engageable with said hanger means to support said carrier means in a suspended condition on the vehicle as it transports said carrier means, means on said vehicle for moving said hanger means from said storage track to said transfer track means, said transfer track means including a transfer rail movable between a transfer position in which the transfer rail projects outwardly of the vehicle and a transport position in which the transfer rail is retracted inwardly toward the vehicle from the transfer position and drive means for moving said transfer rail from the transport position to the transfer position when said transfer rail is in substantial alignment with said storage track to enable said hanger means to move between said transfer rail and storage track, said drive means including means for moving said transfer rail in a first direction from said transport position to a first transfer position in which said transfer rail projects outwardly of a first side of the vehicle and for moving said transfer rail in a second direction from said transport position to a second transfer position in which said transfer rail projects outwardly of a second side of the vehicle, said means for moving said hanger means including a shuttle assembly extendible in said first and second directions to move said hanger assembly relative to said transfer rail when said transfer rail is in either of said transfer positions, said shuttle assembly including having drive means for extending and retracting said shuttle assembly independently of movement of said transfer rail between the transfer and transport positions, said shuttle assembly including gripper means for engaging said hanger means and extensible means for reciprocating said gripper means along a path extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said transfer rail to move said hanger means between said transfer rail and said storage track at a selected storage location, said gripper means being operable between a closed condition in which said gripper means engages said hanger means to move said hanger means relative to said transfer rail upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means and an open condition in which said gripper means is ineffective to move said hanger means relative to said transfer rail upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means, and actuator means for effecting operation of said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon outward movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction away from said vehicle, said actuator means being ineffective to operate said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon inwarD movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction toward said vehicle.

Claim 16

Material handling apparatus comprising carrier means for holding materials, hanger means for suspending said carrier means from a storage track, a vehicle for transporting the materials, transfer track means operatively connected with the vehicle and engageable with said hanger means to support said carrier means in a suspended condition on the vehicle as it transports said carrier means, means on said vehicle for moving said hanger means from said storage track to said transfer track means, said transfer track means including a transfer rail movable between a transfer position in which the transfer rail projects outwardly of the vehicle and a transport position in which the transfer rail is retracted inwardly toward the vehicle from the transfer position and drive means for moving said transfer rail from the transport position to the transfer position when said transfer rail is in substantial alignment with said storage track to enable said hanger means to move between said transfer rail and storage track, said drive means including means for moving said transfer rail in a first direction from said transport position to a first transfer position in which said transfer rail projects outwardly of a first side of the vehicle and for moving said transfer rail in a second direction from said transport position to a second transfer position in which said transfer rail projects outwardly of a second side of the vehicle, said means for moving said hanger means including a shuttle assembly extendible in said first and second directions to move said hanger assembly relative to said transfer rail when said transfer rail is in either of said transfer positions, said shuttle assembly including having drive means for extending and retracting said shuttle assembly independently of movement of said transfer rail between the transfer and transport positions, said shuttle assembly including gripper means for engaging said hanger means and extensible means for reciprocating said gripper means along a path extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said transfer rail to move said hanger means between said transfer rail and said storage track at a selected storage location, said gripper means being operable between a closed condition in which said gripper means engages said hanger means to move said hanger means relative to said transfer rail upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means and an open condition in which said gripper means is ineffective to move said hanger means relative to said transfer rail upon movement of said gripper means by said extensible means, and actuator means for effecting operation of said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon outward movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction away from said vehicle, said actuator means being ineffective to operate said gripper means between the open and closed conditions upon inwarD movement of said gripper means by said extensible means in a direction toward said vehicle.

Claim 17

Material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said hanger means includes a dolly having roller means for engaging said transfer track means and storage track to support said carrier means for movement therealong.

Claim 18

Material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said transfer track means includes a transfer rail and means for enabling an end portion of said transfer rail to move transversely to a longitudinal axis of said transfer rail to facilitate aligning said transfer rail with said conveyor track.

Claim 19

Material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said transfer track means includes means for enabling said end portion of said transfer rail to move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said transfer rail and means for moving said end portion of said transfer rail transversely to the longitudinal axis of said transfer rail to align said end portion of said transfer rail with an end portion of said storage track.