Automatic storage apparatus

Claim 2

A storage module connectable with other such storage modules in an extensible storage apparatus, the improved storage module including in combination: an outer frame having a bottom wall and a side wall and a longitudinal axis; an inner frame on said outer frame and consisting of a rectangular hollow cylinder elongated along said longitudinal axis with planar rigid bottom, top, and side walls and with first and second cylindrical end portions at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis of said module; first and Second pairs of shock mount means respectively connecting said inner frame to said outer frame respectively at said first and second cylindrical end portions and adjacent said top wall, and each shock mount means having a shock absorbing axis transverse to said top wall; equalizing means including a pivot member partially supporting said inner frame and yielding limited horizontal and vertical motions to said inner frame with respect to said outer frame along a plane transverse to said longitudinal axis and being interposed between said bottom wall and said outer frame for adjustments of said inner frame to make all connected ones of said inner frames parallel along said longitudinal axis irrespective of misalignments of corresponding ones of said outer frames, portable support means on one of said frames for mounting said pivot member for pivoting; and plural interconnecting means on each said cylindrical end portions and each including a bracket secured on the outside of said inner frame having a laterally extending portion to longitudinally receive a connecting member for providing a connecting force along an axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis for connection to an inner frame of another of said modules.

Claim 3

The storage module set forth in claim 1 wherein said equalizing means includes first and second equalizing portions respectively adjacent said cylindrical end portions of said inner frame, each said equalizing portion including one pivot member including a rigid bar extending transverse to said longitudinal axis and said pivotable support means being on said outer frame whereby the bar can pivot transversely to said longitudinal axis with respect to said outer frame; and connecting means at the extremities of said transversely extending bar, a pair of depending fasteners on said bottom wall of said inner frame vertically adjustably connected to said means at the extremities whereby, as said transversely extending bar pivots about its axis, forces are introduced into said inner frame and are transmitted thereby to said shock mount means to respectively adjust same along said shock absorbing axes, respectively.

Claim 4

The storage module set forth in claim 1 wherein said equalizing means includes first and second portions respectively disposed at said cylindrical end portions of said inner frame, respectively; and a separate movable member in each said first and second cylindrical end portions extending between one of said frames and a one said pivot member in each of said first and second portions, respectively, interconnecting said movable member with one of said frames for allowing limited vertical and horizontal movements of said inner frame along a plane transverse to said longitudinal axis within a given shock absorbing capability and along the respective shock absorbing axes of said shock mount means.

Claim 5

The storage module set forth in claim 3 wherein each said movable member comprises an elongated flexible cable; means on said outer frame adjacent each said cylindrical end portion fixedly securing the extremities of said flexible cable intermediate said bottom and top walls of said outer frame; and said pivotable support means comprising a pair of rotatable sheaves secured to said inner frame adjacent its bottom wall at the respective cylindrical end portions and movably supported on said flexible cable for movement transverse to said longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

The storage module set forth in claim 4 further including inwardly extending means on each of said mounting means on said outer frame for limiting the transverse movement of said inner frame along said cable.

Claim 7

The storage module set forth in claim 3 wherein said movable member comprises a rigid tie rod extending transverse to said longitudinal axes at the respective cylindrical end portions; first and second bell cranks pivotably secured to the bottom wall portion of said inner frame at each cylindrical end portion and disposed Between said inner and outer frames; one arm of each said bell cranks being secured to said elongated rigid rod; and a pair of depending shock mounts on said outer frame operatively engaging a second arm on each of said bell cranks for limiting motion thereof.

Claim 8

The storage module set forth in claim 1 and further including in combination: first and second facing and open sided storage compartments respectively rigidly secured to said side walls of said inner frame establishing a longitudinal travel space therebetween; one of said storage compartments adapted to support a set of address strips; support rail means extending in a fixed relationship parallel to said longitudinal axis in a predetermined spacial relationship to said one storage compartment; second rail support means on said top wall intermediate said storage compartments; and a separate rail support bracket respectively secured to said guide rail supports at the approximate longitudinal center of said inner frame.

Claim 9

The storage module set forth in claim 7 wherein said walls of said inner frame consist of honey-comb sandwiches with each cylindrical end portion having an longitudinally outwardly opening recess for receiving sealing material and said plural interconnecting means being disposed longitudinally adjacent said outwardly opening grooves.

Claim 10

An extensible storage apparatus consisting of a plurality of longitudinally elongated, substantially identical, storage modules interconnected together to form an inner trussed apparatus along a longitudinal axis; the improvement including in combination: each module having an inner and outer frame, means within each module interconnecting said frames independent of each and every other module and permitting limited adjustments transverse to said longitudinal axis therebetween and including equalizing means for facilitating colinearity of the frames along the longitudinal axis thereof, said equalizing means having first and second longitudinally spaced-apart pivot members pivotally secured to one of said frames for pivoting in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of said modules, means connecting said pivot member to another one of said frames; each inner frame including two spaced-apart longitudinally extending rigid side walls; each module having rail support means for supporting a movable apparatus within said inner frame, said movable apparatus movable into any of said interconnected storage modules; a plurality of rail sections having end portions respectively at a central longitudinal portion of each of said modules for adding rigidity between adjacent ones of said inner frames; means interposed between the longitudinal ends of each adjacent ones of said inner frames for providing an air-tight seal; storage compartment means in each module inner frame mounted on said side walls and having open facing compartments which are spaced apart to leave a longitudinally extending travel space therebetween; said rails being disposed adjacent said travel space for movably supporting a carriage; one of said storage compartments in each of said modules having a fixed geometric relationship with all storage compartments within said module and adapted to support an address strip usable to identify locations in all compartments in such module; interconnection means on each longitudinal end portion of each of said inner frames for exerting a connecting force therebetween along an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis; and means in each storage module tieing together the respective rails at said central longitudinal portions of the respective modules.

Claim 11

An extensible storage apparatus consisting of a plurality of longitudinally elongated, substantially identical, storage modules interconnected together to form an inner trussed apparatus along a longitudinal axis; the improvement including in combination: each module having an inner and outer frame, means within each module interconnecting said frames independent of each and every other module and permitting limited adjustments transverse to said longitudinal axis therebetween and including equalizing means for facilitating colinearity of the frames along the longitudinal axis thereof, said equalizing means having first and second longitudinally spaced-apart pivot members pivotally secured to one of said frames for pivoting in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of said modules, means connecting said pivot member to another one of said frames; each inner frame including two spaced-apart longitudinally extending rigid side walls; each module having rail support means for supporting a movable apparatus within said inner frame, said movable apparatus movable into any of said interconnected storage modules; a plurality of rail sections having end portions respectively at a central longitudinal portion of each of said modules for adding rigidity between adjacent ones of said inner frames; means interposed between the longitudinal ends of each adjacent ones of said inner frames for providing an air-tight seal; storage compartment means in each module inner frame mounted on said side walls and having open facing compartments which are spaced apart to leave a longitudinally extending travel space therebetween; said rails being disposed adjacent said travel space for movably supporting a carriage; one of said storage compartments in each of said modules having a fixed geometric relationship with all storage compartments within said module and adapted to support an address strip usable to identify locations in all compartments in such module; interconnection means on each longitudinal end portion of each of said inner frames for exerting a connecting force therebetween along an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis; and means in each storage module tieing together the respective rails at said central longitudinal portions of the respective modules.