Production lines with lift vehicles, stacker cranes and storage means between the lines

Claim 1

A production facility comprising a plurality of intermediate storage installation production lines comprising a mobile vehicle with a lift means, interconnecting twin-track transfer rails disposed parallel to, and terminating at right angles with respect to, said intermediate storage installation, a turntable means positioned at said right angular termination point to facilitate directional change of said vehicle, whereby to permit said vehicle to transfer workpieces from said production lines to said intermediate storage installation by transversal of said interconnection transfer rails via said turntable means, said production lines being disposed so as to create a space therebetween comprising said intermediate storage installation, said installation comprising a pair of spaced shelf racks arranged parallel to one another in a direction perpendicular to the flow of workpieces between said production lines and said shelf racks defining a passageway therebetween and having first and second outer, longitudinal sides, a plurality of shelves in each of said shelf racks, a stacking crane in said passageway to move said workpieces to and from said pair of shelf racks, a first side gate means disposed adjacent said first longitudinal side for delivering said workpieces to and from said shelves of said first shelf rack, and a second side gate means disposed adjacent said second longitudinal side for delivering said workpieces to and from said shelves of said second shelf rack.