Memory type storage conveyor system

Claim 1

IN A CONVEYOR SYSTEM HAVING AN INCOMING CONVEYOR FOR CONVEYING ARTICLES THEREALONG, AN OUTGOING CONVEYOR FOR DELIVERING SUCH ARTICLES, AND A PLURALITY OF STORAGE CONVEYORS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID INCOMING CONVEYOR AND SAID OUTGOING CONVEYOR FOR STORING ARTICLES IN TRANSIT THEREBETWEEN UNTIL SUCH ARTICLES ARE RELEASED THEREFROM TO SAID OUTGOING CONVEYOR, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (A) FIRST CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ADMISSION OF ARTICLES AND FOR DIVERTING THE SAME FROM SAID INCOMING CONVEYOR TO SAID STORAGE CONVEYORS TO FILL THE LATTER WITH SUCH ARTICLES IN A PREDETERMINED ORDER, SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING: (B) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO AND INDICATIVE OF A CONDITION WHEREIN AT LEAST ONE STORAGE CONVEYOR IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING ARTICLES, (C) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID CONDITION INDICATING MEANS FOR ADMITTING ARTICLES FROM SAID INCOMING CONVEYOR; (D) AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO FILLING OF EACH EMPTY STORAGE CONVEYOR FOR DIVERTING ARTICLES TO ANOTHER EMPTY STORAGE CONVEYOR UNTIL ALL STORAGE CONVEYORS ARE FULL; (E) AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE FOR CONTROLLING WITHDRAWAL OF ARTICLES FROM SAID STORAGE CONVEYORS TO EMPTY THE LATTER IN A PREDETERMINED ORDER ONTO SAID OUTGOING CONVEYOR FOR DELIVERY BY THE LATTER; (F) AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID CONDITION INDICATING MEANS WHEREBY TO CAUSE SAID ADMITTING MEANS AND SAID DIVERTING MEANS TO REFILL SUCH EMPTY STORAGE CONVEYORS.