Abstract: A moving crank mechanism that is particularly adapted for use in a conveyor system. A moving crank remains in a substantially parallel position with respect to a fixed reference plane as the crank member is driven by its offset opposed ends along an endless loop. The closed loop vertical lift unit is adapted for use in an automated high-speed storage system. The vertical lift unit is adapted to be used as a primary storage location or as a lift for carrying objects in transit between levels in a storage system. The vertical lift unit includes a plurality of crank members with generally rigidly mounted shelves that are adapted to carry objects continuously and indefinitely as the shelves travel through a vertically oriented closed path. While traveling along the vertically oriented closed path the shelves remain parallel to a fixed horizontal plane so objects can be carried on the shelves while the shelves transition between the up and down reaches of the vertical lift mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates in general to a moving crank mechanism that is particularly adapted for use in a conveyor system. A moving crank remains in a substantially parallel position with respect to a fixed reference plane as the crank member is driven by its offset opposed ends along an endless loop. In particular, the invention relates to a closed loop vertical lift unit adapted for use in an automated high-speed storage system. The vertical lift unit is adapted to be used as a primary storage location or as a lift for carrying objects in transit between levels in a storage system. The vertical lift unit includes a plurality of crank members with generally rigidly mounted shelves that are adapted to carry objects continuously and indefinitely as the shelves travel through a vertically oriented closed path.

Abstract: A two way operated storage system including a container storage area in the form of a multi-rack, multi-tier rotary storage carousel, a vertical lift for transporting containers vertically to a shuttle that transfers containers to and from the storage carousel. Storage carousel is supported on two straight tracks separated by a non-supporting distance. The rotary storage carousel and the shuttle are mechanically and synchronously interlocked such that the storage system can be operated in two different directions.

Abstract: An automated material handling picking system including a plurality of storage locations for objects which are to be picked, a moveable picking head for picking the objects from the storage locations, a moving conveyor including a plurality of receiving locations where the picked objects are to be consolidated into separate orders or sub-sets, and a bank of queue stations for temporarily holding the picked objects and selectively releasing them into the respective receiving locations where the sub-sets are to be consolidated. The picking head deposits a picked object into the nearest available queue station. The picking head is not involved in the consolidation of the objects into sub-sets because of the buffering effect of the queue stations. Preferably, only one object at a time is held in each queue.

Abstract: A storage system including a container storage area in the form of a multi-rack, multi-tier storage carousel, a vertical conveyor for transporting conveyors vertically and input and output shuttle units for conveying containers between the vertical conveyor and the storage carousel. The vertical conveyor includes a loading zone which is below the operating levels of the shuttle units. The storage carousel and the shuttle units are driven by a common mechanically synchronized drive. The vertical conveyor is driven intermittently and independently of the drive for the rest of the system.

Abstract: A storage system including a container storage area in the form of a multi-rack, multi-tier storage carousel, a vertical conveyor for transporting conveyors vertically and input and output shuttle units for conveying containers between the vertical conveyor and the storage carousel. The vertical conveyor includes a loading zone which is below the operating levels of the shuttle units. The storage carousel and the shuttle units are driven by a common mechanically synchronized drive. The vertical conveyor is driven intermittently and independently of the drive for the rest of the system.

Abstract: An integrated warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods as well as preparing the goods for their ultimate disposition is disclosed. The warehousing system includes numerous modular components that may be added to or subtracted from the system to accommodate a particular warehousing need. Inventoried goods placed in containers are stored on a rotational storage carousel, A plurality of work stations, each having an associated temporary storage queues are integrated with the carousel to facilitate high volume handling operations. Containers, delivered from the storage carousel, are brought to the temporary queue where they are held until an operator is prepared to work with the goods stored therein. The container is then delivered to a work area, where the operator performs the desired task. The containers, may then be delivered either to another appropriate work station or back to the storage carousel.

Abstract: A preassembled handrail structure is supplied in relatively long lengths and consists of top and bottom rails separated by a row of pickets. The structure makes use of a special joint where the ends of the pickets are attached to the rails. These joints are made so that they can be put together by application of pressure. In this way an entire length of the handrail structure can be assembled in one operation by pressing both top and bottom rails into engagement with the corresponding ends of the pickets in one compressing operation. Handrail structures are delivered as complete units to the site. In place of posts to mount the handrail structure on a deck, use is made of a series of mounting brackets bolted to the deck on which the lower rail is anchored by use of a specially designed attachment.

Abstract: A vertical conveyor which is preferably for storing and conveying automobiles is disclosed. The conveyor is comprised of two, spaced apart parallel vertical frame members supportingly connected together with a plurality of diagonal braces and horizontal beams. An endless compression chain which is in the shape of a racetrack is mounted in each frame member, and each end of a plurality of platforms which hold the automobiles is connected to compression links of the corresponding compression chain. A motor drive unit is mounted between the frame members in the space between passing conveyed platforms. The motor drive unit comprises a single double ended electric motor having a housing and a driven shaft extending from both sides of the housing. The motor is centrally mounted between the frame members, and two substantially similar, but oppositely extending, drive trains are operatively connected at respective ends of the motor shaft.

Abstract: An integrated warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods as well as preparing the goods for their ultimate disposition is disclosed. The warehousing system includes numerous modular components that may be added to or subtracted from the system to accommodate a particular warehousing need. Inventoried goods placed in containers are stored on a rotational storage carousel. A plurality of work stations, each having an associated temporary storage queues are integrated with the carousel to facilitate high volume handling operations. Containers, delivered from the storage carousel, are brought to the temporary queue where they are held until an operator is prepared to work with the goods stored therein. The container is then delivered to a work area, where the operator performs the desired task. The containers, may then be delivered either to another appropriate work station or back to the storage carousel.

Abstract: An integrated warehousing system for storing and retrieving goods as well as preparing the goods for their ultimate disposition is disclosed. The warehousing system includes numerous modular components that may be added to or subtracted from the system to accommodate a particular warehousing need. Inventoried goods placed in containers are stored on a rotational storage carousel. A plurality of work stations each having an associated temporary storage queues are integrated with the carousel to facilitate high volume handling operations. Containers delivered from the storage carousel are brought to the temporary queue where they are held until an operator is prepared to work with the goods stored therein. The container is then delivered to a work area where the operator performs the desired task. The containers may then be delivered either to another appropriate work station or back to the storage carousel.

Abstract: A continuously operating unloading and loading system giving access to an automated multi-level storage conveyor makes use of individual containers adapted to be releasably hooked at established stations of an endlessly traveling rack which may be built in multiple levels. Selected containers are arranged to be called to a selected station, preferably at one end of the rack where, during continuous travel of the rack, an unloading mechanism unhooks the container and moves it to a location clear of the conveyor for disposition of the contents. A reloading mechanism accepts other containers, moves them to a position for replacement on the rack at one of the stations, in which position the container is pushed into hooked engagement with the rack while travel of the rack continues without interruption. Different expedients may be resorted to within the concept of the invention for releasably hooking the containers on the traveling rack.

Abstract: An automated work station which may be used when needed in conjunction with two vertical temporary holding conveyors makes use of a tiltable table and associated transition table for each conveyor. One tiltable table is shifted to a first upper horizontal position to receive empty boxes, one at a time, from its vertical conveyor. The other tiltable table is shifted to a first upper horizontal position to receive box units in which have been stored supply quantities of the different material items from which the operator selects specified quantities of items and places those items in the empty box units until an order is filled. The tiltable tables each have a tilted position for the operator's convenience while the boxes are being unloaded and loaded. When a box unit is to leave the tiltable table, the table is again tilted to a second and lower horizontal position from which the box unit is moved to a second lower horizontal level of the transition table.

Abstract: A lift conveyor in the form of an endless chain is mounted on a vertically extending frame and provides a down-travel side and an up-travel side. Fastened to the chain is a progression of evenly spaced shelves for reception of articles to be loaded on and discharged from the conveyor. Each shelf has opposite relatively flat low friction faces for reception of articles so that on the down-travel side of the chain one of the surfaces receives, carries and discharges articles in one direction whereas on the up-travel side it is the opposite face which receives, carries and discharges articles, and in the opposite direction. Each shelf, moreover, has a laterally tilted mounting on the chain so that articles slide by gravity action onto and off the shelf. Removable chocks are used to keep the articles from sliding off the shelf during travel and until the chock is removed at the time of discharge.

Abstract: A system for automatically consolidating a plurality of metallic or ceramic (or mixtures thereof) powder preforms is disclosed. The system comprises an assembly container wherein a consolidation container is filled with hot consolidation particles for facilitating the consolidation, and a hot preform to be consolidated thereby. The atmosphere of the assembly container is maintained hot and inert or reducing during assembly of the consolidation charge. Further disclosed are means for automatically delivering the consolidation containers, consolidation particles and preforms to the assembly container. The system includes means for conveying the consolidation containers to a press for consolidation, for separating the containers from the consolidation particles and consolidated preform after pressing, and for recycling the consolidation particles and consolidation containers.

Abstract: An aircraft loading ramp is disclosed which is capable of movement in three dimensions to accommodate small and large aircraft in varying positions. A tunneled walkway is supported by a pedestal adjacent to the terminal building and a telescoping support column at the free end of the walkway. A cab is rigidly affixed to the telescoping support column for mating with the aircraft. The tunnel is pivotally connected to the cab by a pair of pivotally mounted elongated rocker arms formed at their lower ends with a cam follower which slides along a guide rail affixed to the interior of the telescoping support column to maintain the telescoping support column and the cab upright and to provide a self-leveling mechanism such that the floor of the cab remains level as the telescoping support column is elevated. The tunnel is longitudinally extensible and is adjustable horizontally as the tunnel pivots around the pedestal.

Abstract: A mechanized rack assembly for the storage of items of virtually any identity makes use of a centrally disposed frame for supporting a multiple number of stacks of vertically spaced trays arranged to travel around the frame. Each stack is jointed to adjacent stacks, the stacks thus forming, in effect, an endless chain, there being a motor for driving the endless chain in a horizontal path around the frame. For movably supporting each stack there is a roller at the base of the stack which travels along tracks at the sides of the frame and travels around a rotating platform at each end. The endless chain is driven in a manner such that it can be halted with any one of the stacks stopped at the end of the frame with trays facing outwardly so that an unloader can remove the stored items from any one or more of the trays on that stack.

Abstract: There is disclosed an airplane passenger loading ramp defining a walkway having a cab at the free extremity thereof which includes a weather protective mating device for mating with the contour of an airplane around the entry door thereof. A generally tubular shaped fire protective shroud surrounds such sealing device and is connected on one end with the walkway around the exterior of such sealing device and has the opposite extremity thereof extendable telescopically over such sealing device to mate with the contour of such airplane. An operator is mounted on one end from the walkway and carries on the free extremity thereof of the free end of such shroud for selective extension of such shroud from a retracted position to an extended position mating with the airplane contour.

Abstract: A pair of conveyor pan immobilizing subassemblies are disclosed for engaging the opposite sides of a conveyor pan to stabilize the pan in a first direction transverse to the conveyed direction of the pan. In one embodiment, each subassembly is comprised of a plurality of pan engagement assemblies, each pivotally mounted for depression in a vertical axis by an off-centered pan, and each spaced further from the conveyor pan in the first direction, such that the pan is serially engaged by the assemblies as a result of pan movement resulting from, for example, loading or unloading of the pan. In another embodiment, the subassembly comprises a roller rotatably mounted for rotation by a pan being moved in the conveyed direction and resiliently mounted for depression by an off-centered pan.

Abstract: A pair of conveyor pan immobilizing subassemblies are disclosed for engaging the opposite sides of a conveyor pan to stabilize the pan in a first direction transverse to the conveyed direction of the pan. In one embodiment, each subassembly is comprised of a plurality of pan engagement assemblies, each pivotally mounted for depression in a vertical axis by an off-centered pan, and each spaced further from the conveyor pan in the first direction, such that the pan is serially engaged by the assemblies as a result of pan movement resulting from, for example, loading or unloading of the pan. In another embodiment, the subassembly comprises a roller rotatably mounted for rotation by a pan being moved in the conveyed direction and resiliently mounted for depression by an off-centered pan.