Abstract: The installation is of the type comprising a warehouse providing rows and columns of container-receiving cells opening at one end into a passageway accommodating a horizontally and vertically displaceable loading- and unloading unit. The floor section of each cell comprises a pair of longitudinal rails (4) inclined towards the passageway at a slope of 2-4%. The container (C) is handled by devices engaging its four lower corner blocks (18) so as to minimize the effects of stresses on the container structure during handling and storage. One end of the container is deposited onto a trolly (31) freely rolling on the rails. The other end is manoeuvred by a power-actuated carriage (14) rolling on an elevator platform (5) and is deposited onto supports (30) projecting upwardly from the lower end portions of the rails. (FIG. 4).

Abstract: Elongate brake members are located under certain of the rollers of an inclined roller type conveyor and are raised by weighted levers into frictional braking engagement with those certain rollers to brake an item moving down the conveyor and over the rollers. The brake members are pivotally supported intermediate their ends so as to apply an equal braking force to the overlying rollers. The levers are rocked by actuators under control of item sensing members located at loading and unloading stations situated adjacent opposite ends of the conveyor.

Abstract: An installation for storing a variety of elongate rod stock and for automatically supplying such stock in a selected sequence to a severing machine which is spaced from the installation, the rod stock being stored in the installation with their longitudinal dimensions all parallel to one another and to the direction of the severing machine, and the installation being composed of a group of vertically extending shelving units spaced from one another in a direction transverse to the direction toward the severing machine, each shelving unit presenting a plurality of compartments spaced vertically from one another, a gantry crane including a crane bridge movable between the compartments for conveying stock to and from each compartment, and a rollway associated with one of the shelving units, arranged to convey stock to and from the severing machine, and vertically movable between a raised position and a lowered position.

Abstract: A shelving for pallets in which the compartments defined by the frame are continuous in side by side relation and on top of one another and adapted to receive at least three pallets one behind the other on a support which is inclined toward a common loading and unloading side. Each compartment is provided with at least one pair of rails, which extend at an inclination toward the common loading and unloading side and accommodate two flat pallet carriages of different heights in rolling engagement, the lower of the carriages being adapted to roll completely under the higher carriage without any intervention. A further pair of rails may be disposed between the first pair of rails which receives a third very flat pallet carriage that fits completely under the lower pallet carriage. A first pallet is to be placed on the pair of rails while the second and third pallets are placed on the carriages.

Abstract: A storage system for articles comprising a plurality of inclined storage compartments where an unloading member on an elevator removes articles from given compartments and transfers the article to a conveyor from a transfer position on the elevator and the conveyor carries the articles to a delivery point.

Abstract: A method wherein palletized loads are deposited on a gravity-type conveyor at the upper end, and are moved by gravity toward the lower end, with the palletized loads being stored on the conveyor until the load at the lower end is removed, whereupon the loads are then automatically advanced downwardly. The conveyor includes a pair of parallel roller assemblies which vertically cyclically reciprocate according to a preselected pattern, the reciprocation of the roller assemblies being controlled by pneumatically inflatable hoses. Upon inflation, the roller assemblies are lifted upwardly to permit gravity-urged advance of the palletized loads, and upon deflation the loads are automatically lowered into braking engagement with stationary brake flanges positioned adjacent the roller assemblies.

Abstract: A merchandise order picking system includes a vertically and horizontally elongated rack having a plurality of vertically-spaced shelves and being supported on a floor surface. The rack has a rear face whereat merchandise is positioned on the shelves and an opposite front face whereat merchandise is removed from the shelves. An elongated horizontal rail extends along the front face of the rack adjacent the floor surface. A horizontal wheeled work table has inboard wheels supported and guided on the rail, and outboard wheels supported on the floor surface for rolling movement of the work table along the front face of the rack.

Abstract: A system for transferring tubes or bars or like elongated elements between a processing line and associated storage structures or intermediate delivery locations is disclosed. The system includes spacing stations for intermittently spacing groups of tubes or bars, apparatus for transporting the groups from one spacing station onto one of several storage cantilever supports adapted to support the tubes or bars with their axes parallel to that of the processing line, apparatus for intermittently laterally removing groups of spaced elongate elements from the storage supports via an intermediate supporting station, and apparatus for rotating the elements through 90.degree. in order to deposit them on supports at the inlet end of the processing line with their axes at right angles to that of the processing line, or after removal from such supports onto an intermediate supporting station at the outlet end of the processing line.

Abstract: An article handling device is adapted for storing and readying cassettes, film cards and other information carriers of essentially equal size. The device comprises a support frame including a plurality of compartments for accepting articles to be stored, these compartments being arranged in vertically oriented rows of generally aligned, opposing pairs of compartments, with the rows being spaced apart from one another to define a passageway between the rows, each compartment having an inclined floor member, with the floor members of each compartment pair being inclined outwardly away from the passageway; and apparatus for selectively inserting an article into one of the compartments, comprising a lifting assembly which is vertically displaceable in the passageway and an article carrier mounted on the lifting assembly such that the carrier is tiltable from the horizontal position bilaterally to an angle which is parallel to the inclined floor member of either compartment of a compartment pair.

Abstract: In a warehouse setup, individual items of goods are moved onto and off of storage shelves on a rack by a vibrating action. A movable carriage supporting a vibrator is positionable at the ends of a storage shelf so that the vibrator can be placed in engagement with a particular shelf. The shelves are movably supported relative to the rack whereby the vibrating action is directed to the shelf but not to the rack.

Abstract: In a system wherein pallets and their loads are conveyed along paths to one or more unloading stations, a method of preventing piling up at the station and of load-shifting of stopped pallets, comprising the step of, in sequence, sensing the arrival of a pallet at the unloading station, applying a braking force to the underside of an arriving upstream pallet at an upstream position so as to decelerate it gradually and safely to a stop at a distance from the unloading station pallet, unloading the pallet from the unloading station and relieving the braking force from the upstream pallet so it can be conveyed onto the unloading station. The apparatus is in the form of a holdback assembly having a feeler assembly adjacent the unloading station responsive to a pallet or article moving into the unloading station for actuating a brake assembly to apply a braking force to the underside of the upstream pallet or to the engageable surface of the upstream article.

Abstract: A storage apparatus for cartridges used with a system for recording, storing and reproducing information comprises a cylindrical member with a plurality of inclined cells. A disk-like shield plate formed with an opening is arranged adjacent to one side of the cells. A motor which is controlled by a decoder and encoder rotates the member and the shield plate. When a particular cartridge is to be removed from a cell, the member and the shield plate are rotated to bring one of the inclined cells and the opening in the shield plate into alignment with each other at an uppermost position. The cartridge is discharged from the cell by gravity. When it is desired to store cartridges in the cells, the member and the shield plate are rotated to bring one of the inclined cells and the opening in the shield plate into alignment with each other at a lowermost position where a cartridge is moved by gravity into a cell.

Abstract: A first-in first-out controlled environment warehousing system including a series of sloped modules having a controlled environment therein through which products to be stored traverse. The products line up at the lower end of each module for ready removal therefrom on a first-in first-out basis, and only the product enters the controlled environment. Fork lifts and other loading or unloading devices remain out of the controlled environment. Earth, in addition to a passage for empty product containers, serves as insulation for the product passage in each module.

Abstract: An unloading mechanism for a shelf storage system in which a load of goods is supported on a pallet which constitutes a unit load, the load and pallet resting on a mobile storage and transport unit which unit is subjected to the action of the unloading mechanism for removal from the storage pile. The unloading mechanism comprises a modified section of a trackway at the very end at a vertical stop where the unit load, with its four wheeled unit, is lifted by a lifting conveyer to elevate the front wheels of the four wheeled unit first over the stop and then over a cam which is hump shaped and facilitates the pulling of the wheeled unit to clear the front wheels. The lifting is done at the front by the lifting conveyer and done by the wheels engaging the hump shaped cams at the back. The load is then removed. A follow-up unit load of goods on a pallet and four wheeled transport unit moves down the inclined trackway to replace the unit load just removed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling elongated articles, such as elongated pieces of timber of different types, includes a plurality of compartments for receiving the articles of the different types with each compartment receiving only one type of article. A plurality of inclined partitions define the several compartments between themselves with each partition having an upper surface down which elongated articles received in a compartment can slide. An upper conveyor conveys the articles past top open ends of the compartments while suitable selecting structure selects articles from the upper conveyor to deflect articles of a given type therefrom into a given compartment. A releasable holding structure adjacent at the bottom end of the plurality of partitions holds the articles deposited in the compartments to prevent the articles from sliding out of lower open ends of the compartments, with the articles deposited in each compartment forming therein a single layer on the upper slide surface of a partition.