Automatic warehousing system

Claim 2

In an automatic warehousing system comprising a storage frame defining a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage volumes adapted for storing loads therein, a track guided mechanized load carrier movable in a travel zone alongside the storage frame for inserting loads into and removing loads from selected of said storage volumes, control means for said load carrier for selectively contRolling the positional movements thereof in its operation of depositing loads into and withdrawing loads from selected storage volumes, said control means being located in a stationary control area defined by an at least partially open sided stationary structure disposed directly beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame, said control area being disposed adjacent said travel zone with the latter being readily and quickly accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area beneath said certain storage volumes, conveyor mechanism for receiving loads and moving them into accessible relation to said load carrier and for receiving loads from said load carrier and moving the loads out of the system, pick-up and discharge station means adjacent said travel zone coacting with said conveyor mechanism for positioning loads to and from said load carrier, said conveyor mechanism and said station means being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to storage volumes thereof and being readily accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area.

Claim 3

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control means includes a control console having control elements thereon for controlling said load carrier, said control console being remote from said load carrier and disposed in said control area within the confines of said storage frame.

Claim 4

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said structure disposed beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame includes defining columns supporting the overlying storage volumes of the storage frame, said storage volumes of said storage frame being defined in part by a longitudinal row of spaced, substantially vertical posts disposed along said travel zone, at least certain of said columns being aligned in a longitudinal direction with said posts.

Claim 5

A system in accordance with claim 1 with said storage frame comprising storage structure disposed on opposite sides of said travel zone, the storage volumes of each storage structure opening toward said travel zone, and with said load carrier being operable to service both sides of said travel zone to service the storage structure on both sides of travel zone.

Claim 6

In an automatic warehousing system comprising a storage frame defining a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage volumes adapted for storing loads therein, a track guided mechanized load carrier movable in a travel zone alongside the storage frame for inserting loads into and removing loads from selected of said storage volumes, control means for said load carrier for selectively controlling the positional movements thereof in its operation of depositing loads into and withdrawing loads from selected storage volumes, said control means including a stationary control area defined by an at least partially open sided stationary structure disposed directly beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame, said control area being disposed adjacent said travel zone with the latter being readily and quickly accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, conveyor mechanism for receiving loads and moving them into accessible relation to said load carrier and for receiving loads from said load carrier and moving the loads out of the system, pick-up and discharge station means adjacent said travel zone coacting with said conveyor mechanism for positioning loads to and from said load carrier, said conveyor mechanism and said station means being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to storage volumes thereof and being readily accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, said storage frame comprising storage structure disposed on opposite sides of said travel zone, the storage volumes of each storage structure opening toward said travel zone, and with said load carrier being operable to service both sides of said travel zone to service the storage structure on bOth sides of said travel zone and wherein said station means includes an inbound pick-up stand disposed laterally of said travel zone and coacting with said conveyor mechanism for receiving inbound loads from said conveyor mechanism, said conveyor mechanism extending substantially parallel to said travel zone beneath overlying storage volumes, said inbound stand defining a starting position for said load carrier from which the latter moves in its operation of storing a load in said storage frame, said stand being totally disposed within the confines of said storage frame directly beneath overlying storage volumes.

Claim 7

In an automatic warehousing system comprising a storage frame defining a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage volumes adapted for storing loads therein, a track guided mechanized load carrier movable in a travel zone alongside the storage frame for inserting loads into and removing loads from selected of said storage volumes, control means for said load carrier for selectively controlling the positional movements thereof in its operation of depositing loads into and withdrawing loads from selected storage volumes, said control means including a stationary control area defined by an at least partially open sided stationary structure disposed directly beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame, said control area being disposed adjacent said travel zone with the latter being readily and quickly accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, conveyor mechanism for receiving loads and moving them into accessible relation to said load carrier and for receiving loads from said load carrier and moving the loads out of the system, pick-up and discharge station means adjacent said travel zone coacting with said conveyor mechanism for positioning loads to and from said load carrier, said conveyor mechanism and said station means being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to storage volumes thereof and being readily accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, said storage frame comprising storage structure disposed on opposite sides of said travel zone, the storage volumes of each storage structure opening toward said travel zone, and with said load carrier being operable to service both sides of said travel zone to service the storage structure on bOth sides of said travel zone and wherein said station means includes an inbound pick-up stand disposed laterally of said travel zone and coacting with said conveyor mechanism for receiving inbound loads from said conveyor mechanism, said conveyor mechanism extending substantially parallel to said travel zone beneath overlying storage volumes, said inbound stand defining a starting position for said load carrier from which the latter moves in its operation of storing a load in said storage frame, said stand being totally disposed within the confines of said storage frame directly beneath overlying storage volumes.

Claim 8

A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said station means includes an outbound discharge stand disposed laterally of said travel zone and coacting with said conveyor mechanism for receiving outbound loads removed from said storage frame by said load carrier for movement out of said system, said outbound stand defining an alternate starting position for said load carrier from which the latter moves in its operation of removing a load from storage in said storage frame, said outbound stand being disposed totally within the confines of said storage frame.

Claim 9

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said control area is at floor level and includes control elements for actuation by the workman operator to control the movement of said load carrier in handling loads, and an order picking station disposed in said control area adapted to receive order picked loads from loads on said load carrier, said order picking station being readily accessible to the workman operator stationed at said control area for order picking by said operator, and said station means and said conveyor mechanism also being supported at floor level.

Claim 10

A system in accordance with claim 7 including a conveyor mechanism coacting with said order picking station for moving loads from said order picking station out of said system, the last mentioned conveyor mechanism being disposed within the confines of said storage frame beneath storage volumes therein except at its distal end where it projects out of the storage frame.

Claim 11

A system in accordance with claim 7 including a plurality of generally parallel extending travel zones of a height extending from floor level to the upper reaches of said storage frame adapted for providing for movement of the load carrier therein, for handling loads, and with said storage frame comprising storage frame sections disposed on opposite sides of each of said travel zones, guide means at said floor level disposed in each of said travel zones for supporting the load carrier for movement alongside said storage frame sections, said control area being so oriented adjacent said travel zones within the confines of said storage frame so as to provide ready accessibility at said floor level to either of said travel zones from said control area.

Claim 12

A system in accordance with claim 7 including access tunnel means at floor level communicating said control area within said storage frame to exteriorly of said storage frame, said access tunnel means providing for movement of workmen to and from said control area.

Claim 13

A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of said travel zones has an inbound pick up stand and an outbound discharge stand coacting therewith for moving loads onto and removing loads from the respective load carrier operating in the respective of said travel zones, the last mentioned pick up stand and discharge stand comprising said station means and being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to overlying storage volumes.

Claim 14

In an automatic warehousing system comprising a storage frame defining a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage volumes adapted for storing loads therein, a track guided mechanized load carrier movable in a travel zone alongside the storage frame for inserting loads into and removing loads from selected of said storage volumes, control means for said load carrier for selectively controlling the positional movements thereof in its operation of depositing loads into and withdrawing loads from selected storage volumes, said control means including a stationary control area defined by at least partially open sided stationary structure disposed directly beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame, said control area being disposed adjacent said travel zone with the latter being readily and quickly accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, conveyor mechanism for receiving loads and moving them into accessible relation to said load carrier and for receiving loads from said load carrier and moving the loads out of the system, pick-up and discharge station means adjacent said travel zone coacting with said conveyor mechanism for positioning loads to and from said load carrier, said conveyor mechanism and said station means being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to storage volumes thereof and being readily accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, said storage frame comprising storage structure disposed on opposite sides of said travel zone, the storage volumes of each storage structure opening toward said travel zone and with said load carrier being operable to service both sides of said travel zone to service the storage structure on both sides of said travel zone, and wherein said conveyor mechanism extends lengthwise generally parallel to the respective travel zone, and occupies the lower portion of the respective storage structure of the storage frame.

Claim 15

In an automatic warehousing system comprising a storage frame defining a plurality of horizontally and vertically arranged storage volumes adapted for storing loads therein, a track guided mechanized load carrier movable in a travel zone alongside the storage frame for inserting loads into and removing loads from selected of said storage volumes, control means for said load carrier for selectively controlling the positional movements thereof in its operation of depositing loads into and withdrawing loads from selected storage volumes, said control means including a stationary control area defined by at least partially open sided stationary structure disposed directly beneath certain of said storage volumes in said storage frame, said control area being disposed adjacent said travel zone with the latter being readily and quickly accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, conveyor mechanism for receiving loads and moving them into accessible relation to said load carrier and for receiving loads from said load carrier and moving the loads out of the system, pick-up and discharge station means adjacent said travel zone coacting with said conveyor mechanism for positioning loads to and from said load carrier, said conveyor mechanism and said station means being disposed within the confines of said storage frame in underlying relation to storage volumes thereof and being readily accessible to a workman operator stationed at said control area, said storage frame comprising storage structure disposed on opposite sides of said travel zone, the storage volumes of each storage structure opening toward said travel zone and with said load carrier being operable to service both sides of said travel zone to service the storage structure on both sides of said travel zone, and wherein said conveyor mechanism extends lengthwise generally parallel to the respective travel zone, and occupies the lower portion of the respective storage structure of the storage frame.

Claim 16

A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said conveyor mechanism coacting with said order picking station extends lengthwise generally parallel to said travel zone and projects outwardly of the exterior of said storage frame whereby said outwardly extending end of said order picking conveyor mechanism is accessible for floor level to external conveying means for removal of loads disposed on said order pickup conveyor mechanism.

Claim 17

A system in accordance with claim 9 including a plurality of load carriers, each of said load carriers being adapted for movement in a respective of said travel zones for servicing the storage frame sections disposed along the respective travel zone.