US3554391A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Elevators and rotatory storage rack
Assignee: Rohr Inc
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Filing: 1969-03-21
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Granted: 1971-01-12
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Expires: 1989-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A storage rack having the form of a hollow cylinder is mounted on an annular base for rotation about the vertically disposed longitudinal axis thereof. Shelves of the rack are divided into a plurality of compartments which extend between the inner and outer sides of the rack. A circular platform is moved up or down within the central opening in the aforesaid base and rack by means of a hydraulic ram, and a conveyor line is arranged to convey packaged goods to this platform for transfer to the compartments of the rack from the interior side thereof. The goods are subsequently transferred from the compartments to platforms mounted for vertical movement adjacent the outer sides of the base and rack, and conveyor lines are provided for conveying said goods from the outer platforms to a conveyor line which encircles said base and connects with another conveyor line leading to a loading area.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry Goodell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:13
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
Materials handling apparatus comprising a rack formed with a plurality of superposed shelves extending around a central opening in said rack and a plurality of vertically disposed walls respectively attached to said shelves to thereby divide said rack into compartments extending between and accessible from both said central opening therein and the outer side thereof, said rack being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis centrally disposed in said opening therein, a horizontally disposed platform mounted for vertical movement within the opening in said rack, and at least one horizontally disposed platform mounted for vertical movement adjacent the outer side of said rack, whereby workers on said platforms can place goods in said compartments on one side of said rack and remove the same therefrom on the other side of said rack.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
Materials handling apparatus comprising a rack formed with a plurality of superposed shelves extending around a central opening in said rack and a plurality of vertically disposed walls respectively attached to said shelves to thereby divide said rack into compartments extending between and accessible from both said central opening therein and the outer side thereof, said rack being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis centrally disposed in said opening therein, a horizontally disposed platform mounted for vertical movement within the opening in said rack, and at least one horizontally disposed platform mounted for vertical movement adjacent the outer side of said rack, whereby workers on said platforms can place goods in said compartments on one side of said rack and remove the same therefrom on the other side of said rack.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for rotating said rack at a predetermined angular velocity about said axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as definEd in claim 1 including means for conveying said goods to said platform disposed within the opening in said rack and for conveying said goods from said platform disposed outside said rack.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
141 words
Materials handling apparatus comprising a base having the form of a hollow cylinder the longitudinal axis of which is substantially vertical, a rack formed with a plurality of superposed annular shelves and a plurality of vertically disposed walls respectively attached to said shelves to thereby divide said rack into compartments extending between and accessible from both the inner and outer sides thereof, said rack being coaxially mounted on said base for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a horizontally disposed, circular inner platform mounted for vertical movement within the opening in said rack, and a plurality of horizontally disposed outer platforms mounted for vertical movement adjacent the outer side of said rack, whereby workers on said platforms can place goods in said compartments on one side of said rack and remove the same therefrom on the other side of said rack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
141 words
Materials handling apparatus comprising a base having the form of a hollow cylinder the longitudinal axis of which is substantially vertical, a rack formed with a plurality of superposed annular shelves and a plurality of vertically disposed walls respectively attached to said shelves to thereby divide said rack into compartments extending between and accessible from both the inner and outer sides thereof, said rack being coaxially mounted on said base for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a horizontally disposed, circular inner platform mounted for vertical movement within the opening in said rack, and a plurality of horizontally disposed outer platforms mounted for vertical movement adjacent the outer side of said rack, whereby workers on said platforms can place goods in said compartments on one side of said rack and remove the same therefrom on the other side of said rack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said inner platform is mounted on the upper end of a vertically disposed hydraulic ram.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein at least some sections of said shelves are tilted downward toward the outer side of said rack and including means associated with said tilted shelves at the outer edges thereof to retain said goods thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said base has an opening in the side thereof and including a conveyor line extending through said opening for conveying said goods to said inner platform and a plurality of conveyor lines for conveying said goods from respective ones of said outer platform to a conveyor line encircling said base.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said inner platform has a radially extending slot formed therein and said conveyor line extending through said opening in the side of said base is adapted to fit within said slot when said inner platform is lowered to the level thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said rack is formed with a horizontally disposed, circumferentially extending support surface at the bottom thereof, a pair of circumferentially extending shoulders respectively depending from said support surface at the inner and outer edges thereof, and an annular groove in said support surface, and including a plurality of rollers spaced apart on the upper surface of said base and each rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said base and extending radially therefrom, said support surface abutting said rollers, a gear rack fixedly disposed in said groove, a pinion gear engaged with said gear rack and rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said base and extending radially therefrom, means mounted on said base for rotating said pinion gear at a predetermined angular velocity, and a circumferentially extending shoulder projecting from the upper side of said base and engaged with the inner side of one of said shoulders on said rack.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including a table fixedly positioned on each of said outer platforms and a plurality of rollers mounted on each of said tables.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |