Load transfer and storage apparatus and control means therefor

Claim 1

A LOAD TRANSFER AND STORAGE APPARATUS COMPRISING A STORAGE FRAME HAVING A PLURALITY OF LOAD SUPPORT MEANS ARRANGED IN VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ROWS; MEANS DEFINING A PICK-UP AND DISCHARGE STATION INDEPENDENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS; A LOAD CARRIER NORMALLY POSITIONED AT SAID STATION AND MOVABLE BETWEEN SAID STATION AND ANY OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS; SAID CARRIER COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE FRAME MOVABLE PAST SAID VERTICAL ROWS, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE FRAME THEREON MOVABLE PAST SAID HORIZONTAL ROWS, A LATERALLY EXTENDING FRAME CARRIED BY SAID VERTICALLY MOVABLE FRAME EXTENDIBLE INTO SAID STORAGE FRAME, AND A LIFT FRAME CARRIED BY SAID EXTENDIBLE FRAME MOVABLE BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING A LOAD RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS; POWER MEANS SEPARATELY ACTUATING MOVEMENTS OF SAID CARRIER FRAMES IN USE; CONTROL MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID CARRIER COMPRISING FIRST CONTROL ELEMENTS CORRESPONDING RESPECTIVELY TO THE VERTICAL ROWS OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SECOND CONTROL ELEMENTS CORRESPONDING RESPECTIVELY TO THE HORIZONTAL ROWS OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS; SAID POWER MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID CONTROL MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID CARRIER FRAMES IN SUCH MANNER