Safety device for article storage and retrieval apparatus

Claim 1

A power operated article storage system comprising: Endless carrier means carrYing a plurality of carriers along an orbital path for selectively positioning the carriers at an access station; A plurality of containers slideably supported on the carriers so that each container is slideable between a fully retracted position on the carrier and a laterally extended position from the carrier; A plurality of locking assemblies each mounted on a respective container, said locking assemblies each including a movable locking member actuable for movement between a locking positin in which the movable locking member engages the container''s carrier and thereby secures the container in the retracted position to prevent relative sliding between the container and the carrier and an unlocked position in which the movable locking member is disengaged from the container''s carrier and thereby permits relative sliding between the container and carrier, and further including a lock-actuating member operatively associated with said movable locking member for moving said movable locking member between said locking position and said unlocked position in response to activation of said lock-actuating member; Container-sliding means positioned at the access station and operatively associated with a container positioned at the access station for sliding the container between the retracted and extended positions, said container-sliding means being aligned with the lock-actuating member of the container positioned at the access station so as to activate the lockactutating member and thereby move its associated locking member from said locking position to said unlocked position prior to sliding the container from the retracted position to the extended position; and Stationary sensing means positioned at the access station and aligned with the movable locking member of the container positioned at the access station for sensing the locking position of the movable locking member.