Article-handling apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in vertically stacked relation in engagement with each other; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; means to lower the stacked relation of said container means a predetermined distance; third means to support all of said container means above said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means, said third means being effective after said lowering means has lowered the stacked relation of said container means the predetermined distance; and means to cause said lowering means to lower said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means and any of said container means therebeneath until said container means that is to be removed is at the position at which said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means, said causing means being effective after said third means is effective whereby a clearance is provided between the lowermost of said container means supported by said third means and said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in vertically stacked relation in engagement with each other; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; means to lower the stacked relation of said container means a predetermined distance; third means to support all of said container means above said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means, said third means being effective after said lowering means has lowered the stacked relation of said container means the predetermined distance; and means to cause said lowering means to lower said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means and any of said container means therebeneath until said container means that is to be removed is at the position at which said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means, said causing means being effective after said third means is effective whereby a clearance is provided between the lowermost of said container means supported by said third means and said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means.

Claim 5

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in vertically stacked relation in engagement with each other; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; third means, separate from said first support means, being selectively effective to support all of said container means stacked above said container means being removed from said first support means by said transport means in spaced relation to said container means being removed from said first support means by said transport means to provide a clearance therebetween; and said first support means having means supported thereby to select which of said container means is removed from and returned to said first support means by said transport means when said first support means is supported by said second support means.

Claim 6

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in vertically stacked relation in engagement with each other; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; third means, separate from said first support means, being selectively effective to support all of said container means stacked above said container means being removed from said first support means by said transport means in spaced relation to said container means being removed from said first support means by said transport means to provide a clearance therebetween; and said first support means having means supported thereby to select which of said container means is removed from and returned to said first support means by said transport means when said first support means is supported by said second support means.

Claim 8

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; said first support means includes: a body supporting said container means; and said body having sliding access means on opposite sides thereof; second means to support said first support means; said second support means includes: means to fixedly support said sliding access means when said first support means is supported on said second support means; and means to movably support said body when said first support means is supported on said second support means; and transport means adapted to move each of said container means from said first support means separately and return each of said container means to said first support means before another of said container means is removed therefrom.

Claim 9

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; said first support means includes: a body supporting said container means; and said body having sliding access means on opposite sides thereof; second means to support said first support means; said second support means includes: means to fixedly support said sliding access means when said first support means is supported on said second support means; and means to movably support said body when said first support means is supported on said second support means; and transport means adapted to move each of said container means from said first support means separately and return each of said container means to said first support means before another of said container means is removed therefrom.

Claim 11

A method of handling articles including: arranging a plurality of containers in vertically stacked relation with each of the containers adapted to support at least one article; disposing the stacked containers so that a container may be moved horizontally therefrom by lowering the stacked containers for a predetermined distance, preventing further lowering of the containers above the container to be horizontally moved from the stacked containers, and lowering the horizontally movable container and any containers therebeneath until the horizontally movable container is at the position at which it is to be horizontally moved; supporting the containers above the horizontally movable container in vertically spaced relation to the horizontally movable container while the horizontally movable container is removed from the stacked relation and then returned to the stacked relation; removing the horIzontally movable container from the stacked relation to a position external of the stacked relation and returning the horizontally movable container from the external position to the stacked relation before another of the containers can be removed from the stacked relation; stopping support of the containers above the horizontally movable container after it has returned to the stacked relation; and lowering the stacked relation of the containers to position another of the containers for horizontal movement from the stack after the horizontally movable container is returned to the stacked relation and the support of the containers above the horizontally movable container is ended.

Claim 12

A method of handling articles including: arranging a plurality of containers in vertically stacked relation with each of the containers adapted to support at least one article; disposing the stacked containers so that a container may be moved horizontally therefrom by lowering the stacked containers for a predetermined distance, preventing further lowering of the containers above the container to be horizontally moved from the stacked containers, and lowering the horizontally movable container and any containers therebeneath until the horizontally movable container is at the position at which it is to be horizontally moved; supporting the containers above the horizontally movable container in vertically spaced relation to the horizontally movable container while the horizontally movable container is removed from the stacked relation and then returned to the stacked relation; removing the horIzontally movable container from the stacked relation to a position external of the stacked relation and returning the horizontally movable container from the external position to the stacked relation before another of the containers can be removed from the stacked relation; stopping support of the containers above the horizontally movable container after it has returned to the stacked relation; and lowering the stacked relation of the containers to position another of the containers for horizontal movement from the stack after the horizontally movable container is returned to the stacked relation and the support of the containers above the horizontally movable container is ended.

Claim 15

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; each of said container means removed from and returned to said first support means by said transport means having at least one article supported thereby; means to automatically remove the article from said container means after said container means is removed from said first support means; and means to indicate that said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means, said indicating means insuring that said automatic removal means is not actuated until said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means.

Claim 16

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; second means to removably support said first support means; transport means to remove any of said container means from said first support means separately to a position external of said first support means and return said removed container means from the external position to said first support means in the same stacked relation before another of said container means is removed therefrom by said transport means; each of said container means removed from and returned to said first support means by said transport means having at least one article supported thereby; means to automatically remove the article from said container means after said container means is removed from said first support means; and means to indicate that said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means, said indicating means insuring that said automatic removal means is not actuated until said container means is removed from said first support means by said transport means.

Claim 17

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; second means to support said first support means; transport means adapted to move each of said container means from said first support means separately and return each of said container means to said first support means before another of said container means is removed therefrom; third means to support all of said container means stacked above said container means being removed from said first support means in spaced relation to said container means being removed from said first support means to provide a clearance therebetween; means to vertically move said container means from the position in which said container means may be moved from said first support means by said transport means after said container means has been returned to said first support means by said transport means; said third support means including signal means actuated by the lowermost of said container means supported by said third support means; and said vertically movable means moving said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means a predetermined distance after actuation of said signal means to produce the clearance between the lowermost of said container means supported by said third support means and said container means to be removed from said first support means by said transport means.

Claim 18

An apparatus for handling articles including: a plurality of container means, each of said container means adapted to support at least one article; first means to support a plurality of said container means in stacked relation; second means to support said first support means; transport means adapted to move each of said container means from said first support means separately and return each of said container means to said first support means before another of said container means is removed therefrom; third means to support all of said container means stacked above said container means being removed from said first support means in spaced relation to said container means being removed from said first support means to provide a clearance therebetween; means to vertically move said container means from the position in which said container means may be moved from said first support means by said transport means after said container means has been returned to said first support means by said transport means; said third support means including signal means actuated by the lowermost of said container means supported by said third support means; and said vertically movable means moving said container means that is to be removed from said first support means by said transport means a predetermined distance after actuation of said signal means to produce the clearance between the lowermost of said container means supported by said third support means and said container means to be removed from said first support means by said transport means.