Container storage and handling apparatus

Claim 2

In an apparatus for storing containers, a storage housing having a pair of tiers of storage compartments with the tiers in spaced relation so as to define an aisle therebetween, the compartments of each tier opening into said aisle and being aligned with compartments on the opposite side of the aisle, a stacker crane disposed in the aisle, means mounting said crane for travel lengthwise of the aisle, the stacker crane carrying a frame including means for grasping a container, said means comprising a pair of C-brackets having dependent arms, transversely spaced rails mounted on said dependent arms of said bracket, a carriage including wheels bearing on said rails and the means for releasably grasping a container and dependently supporting it during movement of said container in opposite directions into and out of the aligned compartments of either tier of compartments, means supporting said grasping means from said frame for guided travel in a predetermined path vertically of the aisle and means resisting skewing movement of said frame so as to maintain said path of travel of said grasping means in a substantially upright position during travel of said frame lengthwise of the aisle, thereby to enable movement of said grasping means to positions in alignment with selected compartments of said housing.

Claim 3

In an apparatus for storing containers, a storage housing having a pair of tiers of storage compartments with the tiers in spaced relation so as to define an aisle therebetween, the compartments of each tier opening into said aisle and being aligned with compartments on the opposite side of the aisle, said compartments each having substantially horizontal rails mounted on the vertical sides thereof in transversely spaced relation to each other, all of said rails of aligned compartments being located in a common substantially horizontal plane, a stacker crane disposed in the aisle means mounting said crane for travel lengthwise of the aisle, the stacker crane carrying a frame including means for grasping a container and means for supporting said grasping means from said frame for guided travel in a predetermined path vertically of the aisle, and means resisting skewing movement of said frame so as to maintain said path of travel of said grasping means in a substantially upright position during travel of said frame lengthwise of the aisle, thereby to enable movement of said grasping means to positions in alignment with selected compartments of said housing, said grasping means including a pair of rails adapted to be longitudinally aligned with the rails in said compartments when the grasping means is located between said compartments, said grasping means further including a carriage mounted on the rails of said grasping means for movement in opposite directions alternatively into either of said aligned compartments and onto the rails of said compatments.

Claim 4

In an apparatus for storing containers, a storage housing having a pair of tiers of storage compartments with the tiers in spaced relation so as to define an aisle therebetween, the compartments of each tier opening into said aisle and being aligned with compartments on the opposite side of the aisle, said compartments each having substantially horizontal rails mounted on the vertical sides thereof in transversely spaced relation to each other, all of said rails of aligned compartments being located in a common substantially horizontal plane, a stacker crane disposed in the aisle means mounting said crane for travel lengthwise of the aisle, the stacker crane carrying a frame including means for grasping a container and means for supporting said grasping means from said frame for guided travel in a predetermined path vertically of the aisle, and means resisting skewing movement of said frame so as to maintain said path of travel of said grasping means in a substantially upright position during travel of said frame lengthwise of the aisle, thereby to enable movement of said grasping means to positions in alignment with selected compartments of said housing, said grasping means including a pair of rails adapted to be longitudinally aligned with the rails in said compartments when the grasping means is located between said compartments, said grasping means further including a carriage mounted on the rails of said grasping means for movement in opposite directions alternatively into either of said aligned compartments and onto the rails of said compatments.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grasping means include elements releasably lockable to said containers.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame is the lower section of a composite member and is elevationally adjustably supported from the upper section thereof.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 including a transfer station, said tiers of compartments each including a lower level of compartments located above said trAnsfer station said means supporting said grasping means and said means mounting said frame being capable of moving said grasping means to and from said transfer station for picking up and discharging a container at said station.