Abstract: Individual items or multiple items are stored on vertical stacks (or racks) of conveyors. The stacks of conveyors are located on both sides of a vertical transport on which cartons, totes, and/or pallets are loaded. The vertical transport is able to be vertically lifted in a fashion similar to an elevator so that the totes on the conveyor can receive items from the various levels of the storage rack conveyors. To speed up the loading process, items can be loaded in the containers simultaneously from both sides of the container and/or sequentially. In one form, a cross-belt conveyor is used to load the items. Alternatively or additionally, robotic arms can be used to load the items. One or more conveyor drivers can be used to power multiple conveyors in order to index items to a loading position on the conveyors.

Abstract: A vertical storage rack system includes a vertically moveable transport conveyor and one or more vertical feed conveyors that vertically extend between the various rack levels so that items can be loaded and/or unloaded at any of the levels without the need for the vertically moveable transport to return to a loading/unloading level. This vertical rack system can be used to load and unload items from the racks as well as rearrange items in the racks. This system and technique allows items to be continuously moved in a vertical direction as well as sorts or merges the items at high speeds. In other words, this arrangement minimizes the vertical positioning of the vertically moveable transport conveyor, such as a cross-belt conveyor, before it can discharge (and/or load) items, thereby improving throughput.