Abstract: A computer-controlled storage system for handling and storing goods items, comprising at least one horizontal storage line provided with rails or equivalent guide members and one or more transport carriages (6) movable along the rails. The system comprises a transport apparatus comprising a power unit (16) with a power transmission mechanism (17) and a rope member (18), connecting these to the transport carriage (6), external to the transport carriage. In addition, the system may comprise a power transmission arrangement connected to the lifting member, external to the transport carriage (6), for lifting a goods item in position above the transport carriage off the guide member to be carried by the transport carriage and for lowering same onto the guide member.

Abstract: A manual loader/unloader work station for loading and unloading PGA devices from device carriers. A centralized work station providing easy access to sleeves of carriers and PGA devices is provided. Carriers are placed on a base which includes clip spreaders to spread the clips of the carrier to allow easy insertion and removal of the PGA devices. A biasing means is utilized to urge the PGA devices from the carriers when unloading is taking place. During loading, the biasing means may be removed so as not to interfere with the loading of the carriers. The biasing means includes posts which are aligned with holes in the carrier for ejecting the device.

Abstract: A high-speed, bidirectional transporter for a multiple station production line provides for the programmable pickup, transport and delivery of materials at non-sequential work stations along the production line. The transporter is self-propelled by a rack and pinion drive and moves along a track that defines a course through the multiple work stations. A turntable on the transporter carries an extensible and retractable arm whose motion, when coupled with a materialladen pallet, provides for either the pickup or delivery of a pallet to or from an individual work station. Coupling and uncoupling of the arm with a pallet is effected by the controlled rotation of the turntable, which is capable of 180 degrees of rotation to also impart to the transporter the ability to transfer pallets off of both sides to address a work station on either side of the track.

Abstract: A gravity flow storage system for storing pallets includes at least one pair of parallel and laterally spaced-apart conveyors having a plurality of rotatably mounted, parallel longitudinally spaced-apart rollers. The conveyors are disposed at an inclined angle to define a storage lane having a front lower end and a rear upper end. At least one pair of pallet carrier sets are provided, each of which is disposed respectively on an associated conveyor and includes at least two nested telescoping pallet carriers having an innermost and an outermost pallet carrier. The nested pallet carriers normally rest upon the conveyor rollers and are longitudinally displaceable on the associated conveyor via the rollers thereof. Corresponding pallet carriers of the carrier sets cooperate to support a pallet thereon.

Abstract: A multi-load position push-in flow rack capable of moving and storing loads in tandem comprises front and rear uprights mounting a pair of horizontally spaced inclined rails on which load transfer apparatus is mounted. The load transfer apparatus comprises an elongated carriage supported for reciprocation on the rails by a lower series of wheels and a shorter load support mounted for reciprocation relative to the carriage by an upper series of wheels which are located on the carriage and which engage the undersides of the load support. Abutments are provided at the rear end of the carriage for coupling the load support to the carriage so that they can move together when loaded. Stops are provided at the front and rear ends of the rack to limit the travel of the carriage therein. In the course of loading, the load support with a first load thereon is pushed rearwardly relative to the carriage to expose the front of the carriage for accepting a second load and to couple the load support to the carriage.

Abstract: An automated handling system intended notably for storehouses in which miscellaneous articles are kept, for allowing either the restocking of the storehouse, or the regrouping of articles picked up in the storehouse for constituting lots or articles which correspond to a customer's order. The system comprises a central control and management computer and one or a plurality of self-powered trucks adapted to handle stock bins and order receiving bins in the storehouse, and to pick up articles from the bins to constitute lots of articles and gather the various customers' orders.

Abstract: A bridge and stopper mechanism for an apparatus for lateral transfer of roller pallets, the apparatus serving to transfer roller pallets and employing bridges as extensions of rails between the shelving and the transporter body, the stopper being placed on the shelving to control the access of roller pallets to the lateral transporter. To reduce the number of hydraulic cylinders and to simplify the operation of the mechanism, the invention is implemented in such manner that at least one stopper actuator lever is pivoted on each end of the internal transporter body, the said levers being connected to the bridges and moving along with these. When pressing against the base of the stopper peg, the stopper actuator lever is turned from a horizontal position to a low position.

Abstract: An automatic storing equipment which is provided with a carrousel having a number of shelves and capable of automatically storing or taking out articles, such as electronic instruments, onto or from the predetermined shelf and which comprises pallets for carrying thereon the article, carrousel for storing therein the pallets with articles thereon, and a loading/unloading machine for storing or taking out the article onto or from the carrousel enables continuous power-feeding from the storing action to taking out action for the articles by means of characteristic construction. Hence, in a case that an electronic instrument mounted a microcomputer is the object to be stored, the object stored onto the shelves can be continuously energized to execute the programs loaded prior to the storing, thereby enabling perfect automatization of storing and taking out work for the continuous ageing test.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively storing a thin tray or sheet in an elongate storage location, and retrieving trays therefrom, includes a tray extractor and a transport assembly. The tray extractor comprises a tray engagement mechanism and a tray linear movement actuator. The tray engagement mechanism operates as a hand to selectively grip or release trays which are being handled by the apparatus. The tray linear movement actuator acts as an arm to position the tray engagement mechanism and, when operated, to move an engaged tray. The tray linear movement actuator comprises a linear movement link and pulley arrangement which moves an engaged tray along a linear path of motion, and which maintains the tray engagement mechanism in a selected orientation with respect to that path of movement. The tray engagement mechanism comprises an X-shaped scissors mechanism having a plurality of jaws thereon. Scissors motion of the mechanism opens and closes the pairs of jaw members to selectively engage or disengage a tray.

Abstract: A storage rack comprising a plurality of bays each having at least a front storage location and a rear storage location and which is adapted to receive at least two loads with the first-received load being movable between the locations. Each bay comprises an open front end through which the loads can be inserted and removed, a support surface for supporting a load at the front storage location, and first rails disposed above the support surface and extending between the storage locations. Each bay further comprises a trolley for carrying the first-received load. The trolley is supported by the rails and is movable on the rails between the locations so that both loads can be inserted into the bays at the front storage location.

Abstract: A material storage and delivery structure and system having a first container storage rack for accumulating and storing full containers of parts, and a container indexing and transfer mechanism for delivering individual full containers from the first storage rack to an assembly line work station. The transfer mechanism is also operative to move empty containers from the work station to a second container storage rack for accumulating and storing empty or depleted containers. A full container loading station and an empty container unloading station are provided for delivering full containers to the first rack and removing empty containers from the second rack as desired. Movement of containers the loading station toward the transfer mechanism and from the transfer mechanism to the unloading station is effected by positive gravity flow rails disposed along each storage rack. The transfer mechanism also includes gravity flow rails to facilitate indexing of containers onto and from the storage racks.

Abstract: An installation for storing self-supporting pallets and removing the pallets from storage, in which a rack shelf arrangement is provided with rows of columns spaced apart and arranged in opposite pairs with respect to columns of an adjacent row. Each pair of columns carries cantilever-mounted brackets arranged also in opposite pairs. Each pair of brackets defines a shelf for supporting a pallet on two opposite edges of the pallet. A lifting and displacement device lifts a pallet in a passageway between shelves, to a location that is higher than a storage level defined by a pair of the brackets, for the purpose of storing and displacing the pallet. The lifting and displacment device has bridges that extend between columns of two successive shelves. Each bridge has a carriage that is synchronously displaceable transversely to the shelves. The carriage has a platform projecting into the storage area.

Abstract: A device for transferring article storage pans between a selected storage compartment and shuttle which moves along the aisles of storage racks in a warehouse. The accumulator pan transfer device is vertically, movably mounted on the shuttle. An extractor carriage has a plurality of spaced cogged rollers and moves horizontally and upwardly on wheels located in V-shaped guides mounted on a horizontal base for engagement with a pan which is to be transferred between the device and a storage compartment. Certain of the cogged rollers are power driven and engage a series of projections formed on the bottom wall of the pan to remove the pan from the compartment and onto other of the supporting rollers for supporting the pan as it is transferred to the center of the base. Return of the extractor carriage to the center of the base deposits the removed pan onto a pair of transversely extending accumulator belts. The belts are power driven and remove the pan from the extractor.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for transferring annular articles from one stage to another, each article having a ferromagnetic element, comprising hanging the annular articles from a hanger bar having spacer elements arranged at spacings from each other, the articles suspended from the hanger bar being axially spaced apart in parallel from each other across the spacer elements and having center axes aligned with each other in a predetermined direction, and transferring the articles from the hanger bar to a subsequent stage by repeating the steps comprising transferring one of the articles from the hanger bar to a carrier member constructed of permanent magnet, the article transferred to the carrier member being attached to the carrier member with the ferromagnetic element attracted to the permanent magnet, moving the article transferred to the carrier member upwardly with respect to the hanger bar so that the article is disengaged from the two adjacent spacer elements, moving the carrier member away from the h

Abstract: A container handling system is provided for the conveyance of containers from one location to another. The system is able to handle palletized containers and operate as an order picking pallet return system. The manual operations involved in loading and unloading the containers with respect to one apparatus of the system are safeguarded from being conducted incorrectly, thereby enabling accident free use of the system under normal operation.

Abstract: The plant comprises a carrier structure formed by a network of orthogonal paths (1,2) on which carriages to be stored (5) are capable to move in two directions (xy). The displacement along (y) is provided by a robot carriage (18) carried by a carrier carriage (23) moving on a side path (24,25). The displacement of carriages along (x) is provided by bars (11) provided with pneumatic fingers (17). The carriages are either provided with two wheel trains (8,9) with axles perpendicular between each other and of which the running planes are at different levels, or provided with pads allowing the carriages to move by sliding. When the carriages run on their high wheels (9), the low wheels (8) are free in clearing channels (10). The carrier structure may be completely full except for at least one transversal row (y). For the purpose of its withdrawal, a carriage is isolated in the free row, previously displaced if required by displacement along (x) of the neighbouring carriages.

Abstract: Simultaneous removal from a multi-level press of all press trays carrying particle board panels is achieved with a press unloading installation. Such installation consists of a vertically movable press unloader cage having chain conveyor pairs, primary supports for the press trays and panels, and auxiliary supports for the trays alone after separation from the panels. The installation further includes a discharge device for removing the press trays from the auxiliary supports of the unloader cage. In order to shorten the return transport of flexible press trays, separation between the finished pressed particle board panels and the flexible press trays is accomplished in the press unloader cage.

Abstract: Material handling apparatus for the controlled movement of goods on pallets having wheels for engaging intersecting rails, movable track sections in the intersecting rails underlying the wheels to selectively permit movement of the pallets in two angular directions, and a drive engaging the pallets for selective movement along either of the two intersecting rails. The drive includes a direction control for orienting a pinion to drive the pallet along either of the intersecting rails and a direction control locking device for locking the pinion in position to drive the pallets along either of the two intersecting rails.

Abstract: A system is provided for loading concrete blocks, carried on pallets, into a kiln. The kiln includes a front end wall and a rear end wall and a plurality of guideways extending from the front end wall to the rear end wall. The guideways are arranged in a grid pattern of horizontally aligned layers and vertically aligned tiers. The pallets are inserted into a selected guideway. A laterally movable main frame carries a vertically movable subframe which includes an arcuate conveyor. An elevator delivers pallets to the subframe which inserts the pallets into the selected guideway. The main frame and subframe are indexed for exact alignment with the selected guideway.

Abstract: A system and method for automated materials handling is disclosed wherein palletized goods are stored and retrieved with maximum through-put. This system is particularly applicable for pallets of comparatively large size. In accordance with this system and method, input loads are queued prior to displacement onto a continuous conveyor serviced by a plurality of S/R machines. The queued loads are metered onto the conveyor on a far to near aisle correspondence basis and are simultaneously exchanged for output loads at each of the aisle locations. The method includes compensation for circumstances where outputs exceed inputs and where inputs exceed outputs by empty pallet management.

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.