Patent ID: 6139240
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An automated warehouse comprising:a plurality of article-storage apparatuses having a plurality of article-storage sections for storing articles therein;a plurality of transfer apparatuses movable along the length of the article-storage apparatuses for transferring the articles to and from the respective article-storage sections;a main conveyer for transferring the articles; anda plurality of branching conveyers, each of which corresponds to only one of said transfer apparatuses, for conveying the articles between the main conveyer and the corresponding one of the transfer apparatuses,wherein the main conveyer comprises a slat conveyer including a plurality of slats for conveying the articles mounted thereon and a plurality of pushing shoes movable along and together with the respective slats,at least some of the plurality of branching conveyers comprises orthogonal type branching conveyers which extend substantially normal to the conveying direction of the main slat conveyer, andthe automated warehouse further comprises switchover means for moving a predetermined number of the pushing shoes toward the branching conveyer with the shoes aligned substantially straight along the conveying direction of the main slat conveyer, wherein the articles include a fore-aft direction that is parallel to the conveying direction of the main slat conveyer when the articles are on the main slat conveyer, and wherein the articles are shifted by the pushing shoes to the orthogonal type branching conveyers such that the articles are conveyed on the orthogonal type branching conveyers in a lateral direction perpendicular to the fore-aft direction of the articles such that the fore-aft direction of the articles on the orthogonal type branching conveyers is parallel to the conveying direction of the main slat conveyer.