US4579499A — Storage device with radiated command signal

Claim 1

Independent Claim 261 words

A storage device having containers for a plurality of different articles to be stored, each of which containers can be filled with one or a small number of different articles to be stored, the containers being held displaceably in a receiving frame and on a resting surface of the storage device, the storage device including at least one disengageable hold-back device, and the containers being urged in an ejection direction and being held on the resting surface by means of said at least one disengageable hold-back device; the improvement wherein each of said containers is held individually in the receiving frame by said hold-back device, said storage device including a release device for disengaging said hold-back device, the ejection direction of each container being perpendicularly to a lengthwise direction of the resting surface which surface receives the containers one alongside the other; and wherein a given code is associated with each container; and wherein each container comprises a radiation receiver including a receiving and code recognition device, and a release device connected behind the latter; and wherein upon arrival of the signals corresponding to a code associated with a container, said code recognition device activates said release device of the hold-back device which is holding a corresponding container; and wherein said storage device further comprising radiating means for radiating the signals each of which corresponds to the code of one container, a signal processing unit which includes a computer having connections to input stations, a data storage, and a printer, radiation of said radiating means being controlled by said processing unit.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 261 words

A storage device having containers for a plurality of different articles to be stored, each of which containers can be filled with one or a small number of different articles to be stored, the containers being held displaceably in a receiving frame and on a resting surface of the storage device, the storage device including at least one disengageable hold-back device, and the containers being urged in an ejection direction and being held on the resting surface by means of said at least one disengageable hold-back device; the improvement wherein each of said containers is held individually in the receiving frame by said hold-back device, said storage device including a release device for disengaging said hold-back device, the ejection direction of each container being perpendicularly to a lengthwise direction of the resting surface which surface receives the containers one alongside the other; and wherein a given code is associated with each container; and wherein each container comprises a radiation receiver including a receiving and code recognition device, and a release device connected behind the latter; and wherein upon arrival of the signals corresponding to a code associated with a container, said code recognition device activates said release device of the hold-back device which is holding a corresponding container; and wherein said storage device further comprising radiating means for radiating the signals each of which corresponds to the code of one container, a signal processing unit which includes a computer having connections to input stations, a data storage, and a printer, radiation of said radiating means being controlled by said processing unit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 64 words

A storage device according to claim 1, wherein the hold-back device is formed of a hook which engages behind one edge of the receiving frame when the container is pushed completely into the receiving frame, said release device including an electromagnet and a spring, the hook being connected with the armature of said electromagnet and being urged by the spring towards a stop position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 113 words

A storage device according to claim 1 further comprising conveyor belts, at least one vertical conveyor and pushing devices; and including a plurality of said resting surface inclined to the horizontal for the containers, said conveyor belts being disposed in front of lower edges of each of said resting surfaces respectively, said at least one vertical conveyor being positioned to the side of the resting surfaces and the conveyor belts, and wherein said pushing devices push the containers from the vertical conveyor onto respective ones of the resting surfaces, said storage device including a further conveyor with fingers means extending therefrom to engage with containers for pushing them together along the resting surfaces.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

A storage device according to claim 3 wherein said further conveyor is located in the vicinity of each said resting surface, which conveyor device extends along substantially the entire length of the resting surface and acts upon a container present on the resting surface.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 83 words

A storage device according to claim 1 wherein said hold-back device is formed by bead which extends along the front edge of the resting surface, and the release device comprises a ram and a spring acting upon the ram, said release device having a pawl enabling the ram to be held in its tensioned position by the pawl and an electromagnet means for unlocking the release device, an impact wall being located in the region of the rear edge of the resting surface.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

A storage device according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the containers (9) are supported on ball casters (27).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 89 words

A storage device according to claim 1, further comprising conveyor belts, at least one vertical conveyor and pushing devices; and including a plurality of said resting surface inclined to the horizontal for the containers, said conveyor belts being disposed in front of lower edges of each of said resting surfaces respectively said at least one vertical conveyor being positioned to the side of the resting surfaces and the conveyor belts, and wherein said pushing devices push the containers from the vertical conveyor onto respective ones of the resting surfaces.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 89 words

A storage device according to claim 2, further comprising conveyor belts, at least one vertical conveyor and pushing devices; and including a plurality of said resting surfaces inclined to the horizontal for the containers, said conveyor belts being disposed in front of lower edges of each of said resting surfaces respectively, said at least one vertical conveyor being positioned to the side of the resting surfaces and the conveyor belts, and wherein said pushing devices push the containers from the vertical conveyor onto respective ones of the resting surfaces.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-03-31	1989-09-30	1990-04-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-03-31	1993-09-30	1994-04-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-03-31	1997-09-30	1998-04-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Storage device with radiated command signal

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