Abstract: A system for picking an order for articles of the same type contained in store keeping units comprises removing respective store keeping units at a receiving station from large units wherein the store keeping units are assembled, each large unit containing only articles of the same type. Each store keeping unit is placed on a separate carrier bearing a code, data of each such store keeping unit is supplied to a computer and these data are allocated to the carrier.

Abstract: A sorting installation comprises a plurality of conveyed item carriers, circulating on at least one conveying mechanism, for receiving, transporting and controllably delivering the conveyed items. The conveyed item carriers are fastened by pairs on circulating transport carriages of the conveying mechanism. The transport carriages are guided by rollers on two profiles aligned at a vertical distance in relation to each other and extending in the transporting direction. The transport carriages are driven by an endlessly circulating transporting, cable. The conveying mechanism according to the invention forms, with little constructional complexity, a reliable transporting system by which the conveyed items can also be transferred to sorting containers arranged on different levels.

Abstract: The sorting apparatus includes a plurality of conveyable-article carriers (FT) which circulate on at least one conveying device (FE) and are intended for receiving, for transporting and for discharging, in a controllable manner, the conveyable articles to sorting containers (SB),the conveyable-article carriers (FT) circulating, via at least one vertical deflection of the conveying device (FE), in at least two planes (E1, E2), andthe sorting containers (SB) being provided in at least two levels (ET1, ET2) assigned to the planes (E1, E2) of the conveying device (FE). The guidance of the conveying device (FE) in at least two planes (E1, E2), and the provision of sorting containers (SB) in at least two levels (ET1, ET2) assigned to said planes (E1, E2) makes it possible, with the same surface area on which to set up the sorting apparatus, for the number of sorting containers (SB) available for sorting purposes to be doubled or multiplied.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the design of processing stations for the processing, by welding technology, of semi-finished vehicle body subassemblies (5) within the framework of a flexible manufacturing system. Thereby, frame-like work piece carriers (1) with support members (4) are used for loose positioning of components of the subassemblies (5), where the work piece carriers (1) are also capable of accepting differently configured subassemblies. The transfer line (9) is not planned as a single line, but includes only the input station (10), the work position (6) and the output station (11). Next to these stations (10, 11), storage stations (14) are arrayed, which are connected with one another by a transport system (20) which crosses the transfer line (9). In this manner it is made possible to store the work piece carriers (1) with the processed subassemblies (5) or to bypass the next work station if it is not capable of receiving (a work piece carrier), or is out of order.