Storage apparatus and control means therefor

Claim 1

In a system for transporting loads to and from selected storage locations, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal support shelves supported by a plurality of laterally spaced vertical members to form a plurality of storage bins having load receiving ends; load transporting means movable past said load receiving ends, said load transporting means including a vertical mast member movable in the horizontal plane, a vertically movable carriage guided by said mast member, load support means carried by said carriage and movable laterally to extend into and to withdraw from said load receiving end of said bins; first reference means associated with said mast member and said carriage for establishing and detecting an initial elevational reference point for each of said bins; second reference means associated with said carriage and each of said bins for establishing and detecting a second elevational reference point lower than said first for each of said bins; first position responsive means for indicating an extended limit position of said load support means; second position responsive means for indicating a withdrawn limit position of said load support means; power means for actuating said mast member, carriage, and load load support means; control means for effecting movement of said load transporting means to the horizontal position of a selected bin and said carriage to said initial elevational reference point of said selected bin; and automatic control means for effecting loading and unloading movements of said load support means including, a first sequence control for unloading movements wherein said load support means is extended into said selected bin to said extended limit position, is lowered to said second elevational reference point, is withdrawn from said bin to said withdrawn limit position, and is raised to said initial elevational reference point, and a second sequence control for loading movements wherein load support means is lowered to said second elevational reference point, is extended into said bin to said extended limit position, is raised to said initial elevational reference point, and is withdrawn from said bin to said withdrawn limit position, said automatic control means including load sensing means operatively connected to said load support means for detecting load condition thereon and selecting said first or said second sequence of operation accordingly.