Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of handling within a plant several product units of different kinds, which are to be distributed to different places outside the plant, comprising: loading the product units through a loading opening in a storing container into parallel storage channels located in a plurality of rows and tiers in said container, which channels lead from said loading opening horizontally into the interior of the storing container; transporting said storing containers from the place, where they are loaded with product units, to a storing place where they are oriented with their loading openings all facing in the same direction; transporting to said storing place distribution containers which are equipped with loading openings and parallel channels of the same kind as the loading openings and channels of the storing containers, and placing said distribution containers with their loading openings opposite to certain channel openings of the storing containers; transferring the product units from channels of the storing containers into aligned channels of the distribution containers; and thereafter transporting said distribution containers out of the plant.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of handling within a plant several product units of different kinds, which are to be distributed to different places outside the plant, comprising: loading the product units through a loading opening in a storing container into parallel storage channels located in a plurality of rows and tiers in said container, which channels lead from said loading opening horizontally into the interior of the storing container; transporting said storing containers from the place, where they are loaded with product units, to a storing place where they are oriented with their loading openings all facing in the same direction; transporting to said storing place distribution containers which are equipped with loading openings and parallel channels of the same kind as the loading openings and channels of the storing containers, and placing said distribution containers with their loading openings opposite to certain channel openings of the storing containers; transferring the product units from channels of the storing containers into aligned channels of the distribution containers; and thereafter transporting said distribution containers out of the plant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1 in which said step of transporting said storing containers to said storing place includes the steps of transporting said storing containers from the place they are loaded with product units to an intermediate place, temporarily leaving said storing containers in said intermediate place, and thereafter transporting said storing containers from said intermediate place to said storing place.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2 in which said step of transporting said storing containers to said intermediate place includes moving said container from its position of said loading step in line and without rotation about its own axis to said intermediate place.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 in which said step of transporting said storing containers from the place where they are loaded to said storing place is carried out by moving each storing container from its position of said loading step in line and without rotation about its own axis to said storing place.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 in which said step of transporting said storing containers to said storing place includes placing said storing containers on an inclined support surface at said storing place, the inclination of said support surface being toward said same direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 1 in which prior to said loading step, a support storage structure is removably inserted in the interior of said container and fills said container with said storage channels arranged in said tiers and rows, said support storage structure of each storing container constituting a gridlike array of shelves and partitions constituting the top, bottom and side walls of the storage channels, said gridlike array of shelves and partitions in each container being an integral unit removable in one piece from the container, as for cleaning.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 including, prior to said loading step, providing said storage channel each with a slot in its longitudinal direction and permitting circulation of air vertically from one channel to the next through said slots in the bottoms of the successively stacked storage channels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 including providing said storage channels with bottom walls and side walls of smooth low friction material and thereby facilitating sliding of cargo lengthwise in each storge channel while limiting movement of each cargo item transverse of the longitudinal axis of its storage channel.