Method of loading and unloading articles in a storage apparatus

Claim 1

A method of handling materials utilizing an apparatus having: 1. a row of flat plates having an upper surface for stacking articles thereon and a bottom surface having means attached thereto for receiving a catch member and which plates lie end to end along the base area of a linear storage compartment on roller means; 2. a series of adjacent linear storage compartments; 3. linear and substantially level roller means disposed along the bottom of each of said storage compartments along which said plates may be advanced; and 4. a shaft and shaft guide means secured to the bottom of each one of said storage compartments and disposed substantially linearly along the length thereof and wherein said shaft is provided with a plurality of catch members thereon for advancing said plates along said roller means, said method comprising the steps: a. loading materials on a first plate at a first end of one of said compartments; b. pushing or otherwise advancing said first loaded plate along said roller means toward the opposite end of said storage compartment until sufficient space is available on the roller means exposed at the first end of said compartment to place another plate thereon; c. repeating steps (a) and (b) until the desired amount of materials and successive plates are present in said compartment; and d. pulling said shaft out from the opposite end of said compartment until said catch members have stopped at said catch member receiving means and further pulling said shaft whereby said loaded plates are advanced until the first loaded plate reaches the oppositE end of said compartment.

Claim 2

A method of handling materials utilizing an apparatus having: 1. a row of flat plates having an upper surface for stacking articles thereon and a bottom surface having means attached thereto for receiving a catch member and which plates lie end to end along the base area of a linear storage compartment on roller means; 2. a series of adjacent linear storage compartments; 3. linear and substantially level roller means disposed along the bottom of each of said storage compartments along which said plates may be advanced; and 4. a shaft and shaft guide means secured to the bottom of each one of said storage compartments and disposed substantially linearly along the length thereof and wherein said shaft is provided with a plurality of catch members thereon for advancing said plates along said roller means, said method comprising the steps: a. loading materials on a first plate at a first end of one of said compartments; b. pushing or otherwise advancing said first loaded plate along said roller means toward the opposite end of said storage compartment until sufficient space is available on the roller means exposed at the first end of said compartment to place another plate thereon; c. repeating steps (a) and (b) until the desired amount of materials and successive plates are present in said compartment; and d. pulling said shaft out from the opposite end of said compartment until said catch members have stopped at said catch member receiving means and further pulling said shaft whereby said loaded plates are advanced until the first loaded plate reaches the oppositE end of said compartment.