A cart-type transporting device includes left and right auxiliary rotating bodies moving in conjunction with left and right turning-section toothed wheels that guide a first endless chain; and a turning pathway section that protrudes at a position between the auxiliary rotating bodies, and that is provided with a lower protruding cam over which a transporting cart can pass. Left and right front-side projection shafts of the transporting cart engage with an engagement section of the respective auxiliary rotating bodies. Left and right rear-side projection shafts engage with an engagement section of the first endless chain. When the projection shafts are picked up by the rotation of the turning-section toothed wheels and the auxiliary rotating bodies, the lower protruding cam supports and guides a cam-following roller at a bottom section of the transporting cart in accordance with the same rotating pathway as the engagement section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cart-type transporting device in which a transporting cart travels on a given traveling pathway while constantly keeping a horizontal upright posture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of cart-type transporting devices have been known in which a traveling pathway that includes a turning pathway section in a vertical direction between a horizontal pathway section and a separate traveling pathway section connected thereto, a transporting cart that travels the traveling pathway while keeping a horizontal upright posture and a drive means that makes the transporting cart travel in the traveling pathway are provided. For example, in a cart-type transporting device disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H6-171718 (Patent Literature 1), wheels which are pivotally supported to both left and right sides of a transporting cart and which are provided so as to protrude are used as engaged sections; in a turning pathway section between horizontal pathway sections in two upper and lower stages, a pair of left and right first rotating bodies which are concentric with the turning-section toothed wheels of a pair of left and right endless chains for driving and propelling the transporting cart in the horizontal pathway sections and a pair of left and right second rotating bodies which are pivotally supported to a position apart from the first rotating bodies in a direction in which the horizontal pathway sections extend are arranged; both the front and rear rotating body pairs are coupled in an interlocking manner to the endless chains; the two front and rear engaged sections (the wheels) of the transporting cart are fitted to engagement sections around the respective rotating bodies, that is, wheel fitting concave sections; and in a state where the transporting cart is supported with the two front and rear pairs of left and right rotating bodies, by the synchronous rotation of these rotating bodies, the transporting cart is transferred between the horizontal pathway sections in the two upper and lower stages while keeping a horizontal upright posture. Although in the configuration of Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H6-171718 (Patent Literature 1), the first rotating bodies are concentrically coupled in an interlocking manner separately of the turning-section toothed wheels of the endless chains rotating along the horizontal pathway sections, a configuration in which a bifurcated member corresponding to the engagement sections (the wheel fitting concave sections) formed in the rotating bodies is attached to the pair of left and right endless chains and in which thus the first rotating bodies are omitted has been conventionally known in this type of cart-type transporting device, for example, in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2011-79624 (Patent Literature 2), etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Although it can be considered that, as described above, the first rotating body described in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H6-171718 (Patent Literature 1) corresponds to the endless chain which engages with the turning-section toothed wheel and the engagement section attached to the endless chain, in any case, for example, in a case where the transporting cart is turned upward from the horizontal pathway section, when the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart engages with the engagement section of the second rotating body and is thereby scooped upward, the rear-side engaged section of the transporting cart also engages with the engagement section of the first rotating body (or the engagement section of the endless chain) and is thereby scooped up. Since immediately after the start of the scooping-up, the direction of the engagement section of each rotating body is brought from a state where it is vertically downward to a state where it is obliquely downward with respect to the forward direction, it is impossible to scoop the transporting cart upward only by pushing out the transporting cart forward. Although in the conventional configuration such as the configuration described in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H6-171718 (Patent Literature 1), in the phenomenon described above, the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart is received by an arc-shaped guide rail laid along the surrounding of the second rotating body, and thus the transporting cart is prevented from being pushed out forward, a measure for directly preventing the rear-side engaged section from being pushed out from the engagement section of the first rotating body (or the engagement section of the endless chain) is not taken. Hence, immediately after the start of the scooping-up, the forward-pushing out force which acts on the rear-side engaged section is also received by the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart and the arc-shaped guide rail that is laid along the surrounding of the second rotating body for receiving the front-side engaged section. Consequently, significant strength beyond the original necessary strength is required for those, and moreover, it is difficult to smoothly start the scooping-up operation.

In order to improve the problems described above, it can be considered that a second rear-side engaged section, for example, a cam-following roller is provided on the outer side of the rear-side engaged section of the transporting cart so as to protrude, and that a guide rail for guiding both left and right sides on the rear end side of the transporting cart obliquely upward with respect to the forward direction in the same path as that of the engagement section of the first rotating body (or the engagement section of the endless chain) via the cam-following roller is laid. However, in this configuration, the left/right width of the entire transporting cart is significantly increased as compared with the width of a loading platform, and thus the space occupied by the traveling pathway significantly increases. Since a load on the rear half portion of the transporting cart is received by the second rear-side engaged section (such as the cam-following roller) which largely extends from the transporting cart (the loading platform) in a lateral direction, it is difficult to apply this configuration to a transporting device for transporting a heavy item. Furthermore, although this configuration can be practiced in a case where the traveling direction of the transporting cart is determined to be one direction, when it is also desired to make the transporting cart travel backward, it is necessary to provide the second front-side engaged section on the outer side of the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart. An extremely complicated mechanism is needed in order to achieve a configuration in which the second rear-side engaged section and the second front-side engaged section are selectively made to act according to the traveling direction of the transporting cart, with the result that it is difficult to practically adopt this configuration.

The present invention provides a cart-type transporting device which can solve the conventional problems described above, and for ease of understanding of a relationship with an embodiment which will be described later, the cart-type transporting device according to the present invention will be shown below with reference symbols which are used in the description of the embodiment and which are placed in parentheses. In the cart-type transporting device including: a traveling pathway which includes a turning pathway section (11) in an vertical direction between a horizontal pathway section (12) and a separate traveling pathway section (1) connected thereto; a transporting cart (13) which travels the traveling pathway while keeping a horizontal upright posture; and a drive means which makes the transporting cart (13) travel in the traveling pathway, the transporting cart (13) is supported via wheels (18ato19b) such that the transporting cart (13) can travel on guide rails (44,41), and includes engaged sections (16ato17b) which are provided at two front and rear places on each of both left and right sides so as to protrude horizontally and laterally and an auxiliary supported section (24a) which is provided at a bottom section, the drive means includes a pair of left and right endless chains (27) rotating along the traveling pathway through a turning-section toothed wheel (30) pivotally supported to the turning pathway section (11), a pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies (49) which interlock with the endless chains (27) and an auxiliary guide member, in each of the pair of left and right endless chains (27), engagement sections (55) which are detachably fitted to a pair of the front and rear engaged sections (16ato17b) of the transporting cart (13) are provided, the auxiliary rotating body (49) includes an engagement section (49a,49b) which is pivotally supported in a position by only an interval between the pair of front and rear engaged sections (16ato17b) apart from the turning-section toothed wheel (30) in a horizontal direction and which engages with the engaged section (16b,17b) removed from the engagement section (55) of the endless chain (27), the auxiliary guide member includes a lower protruding cam (65) which is provided at such a height so as not to interfere with the transporting cart (13) that enters and exits the turning pathway section (11) at the lowest level and which supports and guides the auxiliary supported section (24a) of the transporting cart (13) that turns and a pair of left and right engaged-section-guiding guide rails (61) which are laid along an outer side of an engaged section rotating pathway on a side far from the horizontal pathway section (12), and the lower protruding cam (65) maintains, in a lower end side region of an engaged section (16a,17a) rotating pathway on a side close to the horizontal pathway section (12), an engagement state of the engagement section (55) of the endless chain (27) and the engaged section (16a,17a) of the transporting cart (13).

Although the reference symbols in parentheses are indicated according to the configuration of the sixth turning pathway section (11) of the embodiment, when the turning pathway section in which the turning-section toothed wheel (31) of the endless chain (27) and the auxiliary rotating body (51) are arranged so as to be reverse in front and rear with respect to the horizontal pathway section (1), that is, the first turning pathway section (2) of the following embodiment is referenced, a configuration is provided in which the horizontal pathway section is the first horizontal pathway section (1), the separate traveling pathway section is the first lifting/lowering pathway section (3) and the lower protruding cam (87) maintains, in a lower end side region of an engaged section (16a,17a) rotating pathway on a side close to the horizontal pathway section (1), an engagement state of the engagement section (57) of a second endless chain (28) and the engaged section (16a,17a) of the transporting cart (13). Although the portions in the following embodiment to which the present invention is applied include the fourth horizontal pathway section (12) and the first horizontal pathway section (1) connected with the sixth turning pathway section (11) described above, the first horizontal pathway section (1) and the first lifting/lowering pathway section (3) connected with a first turning pathway section (2), as well as a second horizontal pathway section (5) and a third horizontal pathway section (7) connected with a third turning pathway section (6), and a second lifting/lowering pathway section (9) and the fourth horizontal pathway section (12) connected with a fifth turning pathway section (10), it is also clear from the following description that the case where the traveling direction of the transporting cart (13) in these respective turning pathway sections is reversed is included.

The above-described basic Configuration A according to the present invention can be embodied and practiced as follows.

The engaged sections (16ato17b) are formed with wheels (18ato19b) which are pivotally supported to the two front and rear places on each of both the left and right sides of the transporting cart (13) and which include projection shafts (20ato21b) that are provided so as to protrude outward and concentrically, and the engagement sections (55) of the endless chains (27) are formed with members which include concave sections that fit in the vertical direction to the projection shafts (20ato21b) in the horizontal pathway section. The Configuration B is practiced in combination with the Configuration A.

The auxiliary supported sections (24a,24b) are provided at two front and rear places in a center section of the bottom section of the transporting cart (13) in a left/right width direction, and the two front and rear auxiliary supported sections (24a,24b) are displaced in the left/right width direction of the transporting cart (13) so as not to overlap each other when the transporting cart (13) is seen in a front view. The Configuration C can be practiced in combination with the Configuration A or the Configuration B.

The transporting cart (13) is formed such that the wheels (18ato19b) are pivotally supported to the outer sides of both left and right side plates (15a,15b) which are provided so as to protrude downward from both left and right sides of a top plate (14), the two front and rear auxiliary supported sections (24a,24b) are attached to a lower side of the top plate (14), a space below the top plate from the auxiliary supported section (24a) on the front side to a rear end of the transporting cart (13) is opened backward, and the auxiliary supported section (24a) on the front side can be directly viewed from behind through the space below the top plate, and a space below the top plate from the auxiliary supported section (24b) on the rear side to a front end of the transporting cart (13) is opened forward, and the auxiliary supported section (24b) on the rear side can be directly viewed from the front thereof through the space below the top plate. The Configuration D is practiced in combination with the Configuration C.

The auxiliary supported section (24a,24b) is formed with a cam-following roller (25a,25b) which is pivotally supported with a horizontal support shaft in a left/right direction. The Configuration E can be practiced in combination with at least one of the Configurations A to D.

The separate traveling pathway section is connected downward from the horizontal pathway section (7) through the turning pathway section (8), in the horizontal pathway section (7), a transporting cart inclination prevention means is also provided which prevents the wheels (18b,19b) of the transporting cart (13) from dropping between the turning-section toothed wheel (34) of the horizontal pathway section (7) and the auxiliary rotating body (53), and the transporting cart inclination prevention means is formed with an upper guide rail (101) which is laid on an upper side of the horizontal pathway section (7) so as to cover the wheels (18a,19a) of the transporting cart (13) from above and a support guide roller (98) which is pivotally supported to a lower side of the horizontal pathway section (7) so as to support the transporting cart (13). The Configuration F can be practiced in combination with at least one of the Configurations A to E.

In the transporting cart inclination prevention means, a lower guide rail (99b) is additionally provided which is laid between the turning-section toothed wheel (34) and the auxiliary rotating body (53) except a wheel (18a,19a) rotating pathway on a side close to the horizontal pathway section (7) among the front and rear wheels (18ato19b) of the transporting cart (13) and which supports the wheels (18b,19b) of the transporting cart (13) from below. The Configuration G is practiced in combination with the Configuration F.

The separate traveling pathway section is a lifting/lowering pathway section (3) which is connected upward from the horizontal pathway section (1) through the turning pathway section (1), in the lifting/lowering pathway section (3), a first endless chain (27) which is continuous with the horizontal pathway section (1) through the turning-section toothed wheel (31) and a second endless chain (28) which interlocks with the first endless chain (27) so as to rotate along the lifting/lowering pathway section (3) are provided, the second endless chain (28) is located closer to the horizontal pathway section (1) than the first endless chain (27) in the lifting/lowering pathway section (3), a lower end guide toothed wheel (36) thereof and the turning-section toothed wheel (31) are pivotally supported at the same height higher than the first endless chain (27) of the horizontal pathway section (1), the first endless chain (27) of the horizontal pathway section (1) is inclined obliquely upward at a lower end of the lifting/lowering pathway section (3), the auxiliary rotating body (51) is provided so as to rotate concentrically and integrally with the lower end guide toothed wheel (36) of the second endless chain (28), the engagement section (51a,51b) of the auxiliary rotating body (51) is formed with a concave section to and from which the wheel (18b,19b) where the projection shaft (20b,21b) is fitted to the engagement section (57) of the second endless chain (28) can be detachably fitted, and the lower protruding cam (87) of the auxiliary guide member allows the engaged section (16b,17b) of the transporting cart (13) to be transferred between the engagement sections (57,51a,51b) of the second endless chain (28) rotating around the lower end guide toothed wheel (36) and the auxiliary rotating body (51) and the engagement section (55) of the first endless chain (27) in a position directly below the lower end guide toothed wheel (36) of the first horizontal pathway section (1). The Configuration H can be practiced in combination with at least one of the Configurations B to E.

The separate traveling pathway section is a lifting/lowering pathway section (9) which is connected upward from the horizontal pathway section (12) through the turning pathway section (10), in the lifting/lowering pathway section (9), a first endless chain (27) which is continuous with the horizontal pathway section (12) through the turning-section toothed wheel (35) and a second endless chain (29) which interlocks with the first endless chain (27) so as to rotate along the lifting/lowering pathway section (9) are provided, the second endless chain (29) is located farther from the horizontal pathway section (12) than the first endless chain (27) in the lifting/lowering pathway section (9), the auxiliary rotating body (54) is pivotally supported to a lower end guide toothed wheel (39) of the second endless chain (29) so as to be adjacent to a side where the turning-section toothed wheel (35) is present, the engagement section (54a,54b) of the auxiliary rotating body (54) is formed with a concave section to and from which the wheel (18a,19a) where the projection shaft (20a,21a) is fitted to the engagement section (58) of the second endless chain (29) can be detachably fitted, and the lower protruding cam (110) of the auxiliary guide member maintains, in the lower end side region of the engaged section (55) rotating pathway around the turning-section toothed wheel (35), an engagement state of the engagement section (55) of the first endless chain (27) and the engaged section (16b,17b) of the transporting cart (13). The Configuration I can also be practiced in combination with at least one of the Configurations B to E.

In a case where the configuration of the present invention described above is applied to the turning pathway section between the upper horizontal pathway section and the lower horizontal pathway section which vertically overlap each other, the pair of left and right endless chains can be continuously stretched via the turning-section toothed wheel from one horizontal pathway section to the other horizontal pathway section. In this case, when seen from the side of the horizontal pathway section, the turning-section toothed wheel is located on the inner side, and the auxiliary rotating body is located on the outer side. However, in a case where the horizontal pathway section and the lifting/lowering pathway section serving as the separate traveling pathway section are perpendicularly connected via the turning pathway section, as shown in the Configurations H and I described above, the endless chain which engages with the pair of left and right front-side engaged sections of the transporting cart and the endless chain which engages with the pair of left and right rear-side engaged sections of the transporting cart are inevitably juxtaposed to the lifting/lowering pathway section, any one of both the endless chains serves as the endless chain which is stretched along the horizontal pathway section and the other endless chain is additionally stretched as the second endless chain. Basically, since the endless chain stretched along the horizontal pathway section is guided via the turning-section toothed wheel to the inner side (the side close to the horizontal pathway section) of the lifting/lowering pathway section, and the second endless chain is additionally stretched on the outer side of the lifting/lowering pathway section, when seen from the side of the horizontal pathway section, the turning-section toothed wheel is located on the inner side, and the auxiliary rotating body is located on the outer side. However, since depending on the configuration on the side of the other end of the lifting/lowering pathway section, the endless chain stretched along the horizontal pathway section is guided via the turning-section toothed wheel to the outer side (the side far from the horizontal pathway section) of the lifting/lowering pathway section, and the second endless chain is additionally stretched on the inner side of the lifting/lowering pathway section, in this case, when seen from the side of the horizontal pathway section, the turning-section toothed wheel is located on the outer side, and the auxiliary rotating body is located on the inner side.

Although various embodiments can be considered as described above, as an example, a case where the configuration of the present invention described above is applied to the place (the sixth turning pathway section11in the following embodiment) where the transporting cart is turned upward from the lower horizontal pathway section to the upper horizontal pathway section serving as the separate traveling pathway section will be described. Although the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart is disengaged from the engagement section of the endless chain rotating upward around the turning-section toothed wheel, and thereafter moves to such a position so as to be fitted to the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body as the transporting cart moves horizontally and forward, in this process, the transporting cart which enters the turning pathway section at the lowest level moves thereon without interfering with the lower protruding cam of the auxiliary guide member. Then, when the rear-side engaged section of the transporting cart which is fitted to the engagement section on the side of the endless chain and the front-side engaged section of the transporting cart which is fitted to the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body are scooped obliquely upward with respect to the forward direction by the rotation of the turning-section toothed wheel and the rotation of the auxiliary rotating body, the auxiliary supported section present at the bottom section of the transporting cart which has reached the position directly in front of the lower protruding cam is transferred onto the lower protruding cam. Hence, the cam surface of the lower protruding cam is formed such that the movement path of the auxiliary supported section on the lower protruding cam substantially coincides with the rotation path of the engagement section on the side of the endless chain and the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body coinciding with each other, and thus it is possible to reliably prevent the transporting cart from moving by gravity such that the engaged section of the transporting cart slides obliquely downward with respect to the forward direction from the engagement section on the side of the endless chain and the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body until the auxiliary supported section is disengaged upward from on the lower protruding cam.

At this time, as in the conventional manner, with the arc-shaped engaged-section-guiding guide rail laid along the surrounding of the auxiliary rotating body, it is possible to prevent the pair of left and right front-side engaged sections of the transporting cart from sliding and removing obliquely downward with respect to the forward direction from the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body. Hence, in the transporting cart, the operation of scooping obliquely upward with respect to the forward direction is started in a state where the position of the pair of left and right front-side engaged sections apart forward from the horizontal pathway section is supported by the pair of left and right engagement sections of the auxiliary rotating body and where simultaneously, the position of the auxiliary supported section present at the rear-side bottom section close to the horizontal pathway section is supported by the lower protruding cam, in other words, a state of a horizontal upright posture supported by at least three points. When the endless chain and the auxiliary rotating body further rotate, and thus the auxiliary supported section is disengaged from the lower protruding cam, the engagement section of the endless chain around the turning-section toothed wheel rotates forward and upward from 0 degrees heading directly downward by the corresponding angle, and thus the function of supporting the rear-side engaged section of the transporting cart is enhanced, with the result that as described previously, the transporting cart is scooped upward in the horizontal upright posture where the four places, that is, front and rear and left and right places, are supported by the pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies and the pair of left and right endless chains together with the presence of the arc-shaped engaged-section-guiding guide rail laid along the surrounding of the auxiliary rotating body.

When the transporting cart scooped up to the position directly above the auxiliary rotating body and the turning-section toothed wheel is drawn into the horizontal pathway section by the engagement section of the endless chain, the transporting cart inclination prevention means is needed which prevents the rear-side engaged section (including the wheel) of the transporting cart separated from the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body from dropping between the auxiliary rotating body and the turning-section toothed wheel. Although as the transporting cart inclination prevention means, a conventional known configuration may be adopted, the Configuration F or the Configuration G described above is preferably adopted such that the additional components on the side of the transporting cart are not needed.

As described above, in the configuration of the present invention, the engaged sections at the four places on the outer side of the transporting cart are supported by the engagement sections of the pair of left and right endless chains and the engagement sections of the pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies, and thus the conventional problem in which immediately after the start of the scooping up of the transporting cart along the arc-shaped pathway of the turning pathway section, the rear half portion of the rear-side engaged section of the transporting cart cannot be substantially supported by the engagement section of the endless chain is solved by supporting and guiding the auxiliary supported section of the bottom section of the transporting cart with the lower protruding cam, with the result that in a state where the transporting cart is constantly supported reliably and stably at three points, that is, at the two points where the supported sections on both the left and right sides on the front side are present and at one point where the auxiliary supported section on the rear side is present, the operation of scooping the transporting cart obliquely upward with respect to the forward direction can be smoothly started without a significant burden of strength being applied on the front-side engaged section, the arc-shaped guide rail around the auxiliary rotating body for receiving it and the like. Moreover, since the solution means is formed with the auxiliary supported section of the bottom section of the transporting cart and the lower protruding cam arranged on the lower side of the transporting cart which enters the turning pathway section at the lowest level, the left and right lateral width of the entire transporting cart and hence the left and right lateral width of the traveling pathway are prevented from increasing by providing the additional components on both the left and right sides of the transporting cart so as to protrude, with the result that even for a transporting device for transporting a heavy item, the solution can be easily practiced.

Although the case where the present invention is applied to the place (the sixth turning pathway section11in the following embodiment) where the transporting cart is turned upward from the lower horizontal pathway section to the upper horizontal pathway section is described as an example, on the contrary, even in a case where the present invention is applied to the place (the third turning pathway section6in the following embodiment) where the transporting cart is turned downward from the upper horizontal pathway section to the lower horizontal pathway section, the same action and effects as described above can be expected. In this case, since the transporting cart sent out from the upper horizontal pathway in its extension direction is supported by the engagement section of the endless chain rotating around the turning-section toothed wheel and the engagement section of the auxiliary rotating body, and is lowered parallel in the shape of an arc, the above problem is prevented from occurring when the lowering operation is started. However, although in the final stage of the lowering operation, the same problem as immediately after the start of the scooping-up operation occurs, in the configuration of the present invention, in the final stage of the lowering operation, the problem can be solved by supporting and guiding the auxiliary supported section of the bottom section of the transporting cart with the lower protruding cam.

Although in a case where the present invention is practiced, the Configurations B to I are combined as necessary, and thus the present invention can be practiced, in a case where the Configuration C is adopted, between the turning pathway section where the transporting cart is lifted from the horizontal pathway section and the turning pathway section where the transporting cart is lowered from the horizontal pathway section, the auxiliary supported section and the lower protruding cam to act thereon are changed, with the result that it is possible to achieve the desired function. In other words, since within one continuous traveling pathway, the turning pathway section where the transporting cart is lifted from the horizontal pathway section and the turning pathway section where the transporting cart is lowered from the horizontal pathway section can be provided in a mixed manner, the degree of freedom in layout of the traveling pathway can be enhanced. In this case, when the Configuration D is adopted, since the auxiliary supported section can also be stored within the range of the height of the transporting cart, and moreover, a state is brought where, in a side view, a large part of the lower protruding cam relatively moves within the transporting cart, it is possible to reduce the height of the turn table pathway section in which the lower protruding cam is provided. Although the auxiliary supported section can be formed with a block material to which a surface material with satisfactory lubricity is adhered, the Configuration E is preferably adopted.

The configuration of the turning pathway section of the present invention can be applied not only to the turning pathway section between both the upper and lower horizontal pathway sections but also to a turning pathway section in a case were the lifting/lowering pathway section (the separate traveling pathway section) which is connected upward from the horizontal pathway section through the turning pathway section. In this case, the Configurations B and H are combined, and thus the present invention is practiced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to accompanying drawings. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, a transporting device of the embodiment is formed with: a low-position first horizontal pathway section1; a first lifting/lowering pathway section3which is connected upward to one end of the first horizontal pathway section1via a first turning pathway section2; a high-position second horizontal pathway section5which is arranged on the opposite side to the side where the first horizontal pathway section1is present with respect to the first lifting/lowering pathway section3and which is connected to the upper end of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3via a second turning pathway section4; a third horizontal pathway section7which overlaps the lower side of the second horizontal pathway section5and which is connected to the free end of the second horizontal pathway section5via a third turning pathway section6; a second lifting/lowering pathway section9which is connected downward to the free end of the third horizontal pathway section7via a fourth turning pathway section8; and a fourth horizontal pathway section12which overlaps the lower side of the first horizontal pathway section1, in which one end is connected to the lower end of the second lifting/lowering pathway section9via a fifth turning pathway section10and in which the other end is connected to the free end of the first horizontal pathway section1via a sixth turning pathway section11. The transporting pathway along which a load W is transported by a transporting cart13of the transporting device is the first horizontal pathway section1→the first lifting/lowering pathway section3→the second horizontal pathway section5, and the emptied transporting cart13is returned to the beginning end part of the first horizontal pathway section1through the third horizontal pathway section7→the second lifting/lowering pathway section9→the fourth horizontal pathway section12.

It is a matter of course that, by reversing the flow of the transporting cart13, the transporting pathway of the load W by the transporting cart13can be the second horizontal pathway section5→the first lifting/lowering pathway section3→the first horizontal pathway section1. In any case, in the first turning pathway section2to the sixth turning pathway section11, the transporting cart13is turned in the shape of an arc while keeping a horizontal upright posture, and thus the transporting cart13travels in all the pathway sections while keeping the horizontal upright posture.

In the transporting cart13, as shown inFIG. 2, side plates15aand15bare fixed so as to be continuous to the lower sides of both the left and right sides of a top plate14whose planar shape is rectangular, and engaged sections16ato17bare provided at two front and rear places on the outer sides of both the left and right side plates15aand15b. The respective engaged sections16ato17bare formed with: wheels18ato19bwhich are supported by support shafts in a left/right horizontal direction; and projection shafts20ato21bwhich are concentrically provided so as to protrude outward from the respective wheels18ato19b. The respective projection shafts20ato21bcan be formed by protruding, from the wheels, the support shafts supporting the wheels18ato19b. The two front and rear pairs of left and right wheels18aand19aand left and right wheels18band19bare arranged concentrically with respect to each other.

On the bottom section of the top plate14, a center reinforcement plate22in a forward/backward direction is attached to a center position in its left/right width direction, and bearing plates23aand23bare attached to the left and right side surfaces of the center reinforcement plate22on the opposite sides at both front and rear ends thereof and to the top plate14, and auxiliary supported sections24aand24bare attached to the opposite sides of both the bearing plates23aand23bto the sides where the reinforcement plate22is present. These auxiliary supported sections24aand24bare respectively formed with cam-following rollers25aand25bwhich are supported by support shafts in the left/right horizontal direction, and the cam-following rollers25aand25bhave a sufficiently smaller diameter than the wheels18ato19band are arranged so as not to protrude beyond the lower sides of the wheels18ato19band so as to be separated downward from the top plate14as much as possible. Lateral reinforcement plates26aand26bwhose height is low are fixed to the sides where the cam-following rollers25aand25bof the respective bearing plates23aand23bare present and between the side surfaces more inward than the cam-following rollers25aand25band both the left and right side plates15aand15bso as to be parallel to the left/right width direction of the top plate14. In the configuration described above, a space under the top plate between the cam-following roller25aon the front side and the rear end of the top plate14is opened in its lower side and is also opened backward, and at least the lower half portion of the cam-following roller25aon the front side can be directly viewed from the rear of the transporting cart13, and a space under the top plate between the cam-following roller25bon the rear side and the front end of the top plate14is opened in its lower side and is also opened forward, and at least the lower half portion of the cam-following roller25bon the rear side can be directly viewed from the front of the transporting cart13.

As shown inFIG. 1, along an endless transporting cart traveling pathway which starts from the low-position first horizontal pathway section1through the first lifting/lowering pathway section3, the high-position second horizontal pathway section5, the third horizontal pathway section7, the second lifting/lowering pathway section9and the fourth horizontal pathway section12then returns to the original first horizontal pathway section1, a first endless chain27is stretched. In the first lifting/lowering pathway section3, since the first endless chain27is vertically stretched on the side far from the first horizontal pathway section1, a second endless chain28is vertically stretched on the side close to the first horizontal pathway section1so as to pair with the vertical first endless chain27of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3. In the second lifting/lowering pathway section9, since the first endless chain27is vertically stretched on the side close to the first horizontal pathway section1, a second endless chain29is vertically stretched on the side far from the first horizontal pathway section1so as to pair with the vertical first endless chain27of the second lifting/lowering pathway section9. The horizontal interval between the vertical first endless chains27of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3and the second lifting/lowering pathway section9and the vertical second endless chains28and29which pair with the first endless chains27and which move in the same direction as the first endless chains27are equal to the interval between the engaged sections16aand16band17aand17bwhich pair with each other in the forward and backward direction of the transporting cart13(hereinafter referred to as support intervals for the transporting cart13).

The first endless chain27is stretched so as to start from a turning-section toothed wheel30which is pivotally supported by the sixth turning pathway section11through a turning-section toothed wheel31which is pivotally supported on the outer side of the first turning pathway section2, a turning-section toothed wheel32which is pivotally supported on the inner side of the second turning pathway section4, a turning-section toothed wheel33which is pivotally supported by the third turning pathway section6, a turning-section toothed wheel34which is pivotally supported on the outer side of the fourth turning pathway section8and a turning-section toothed wheel35which is pivotally supported on the inner side of the fifth turning pathway section10then returns to the original turning-section toothed wheel30; the second endless chain28is vertically stretched via a lower end guide toothed wheel36which is pivotally supported on the inner side of the first turning pathway section2and an upper end guide toothed wheel37which is pivotally supported on the outer side of the second turning pathway section4; and the second endless chain29is vertically stretched via an upper end guide toothed wheel38which is pivotally supported on the inner side of the fourth turning pathway section8and a lower end guide toothed wheel39which is pivotally supported on the outer side of the fifth turning pathway section10. In a turning section on the side of the upper end of the second endless chain28, a take-up toothed wheel40aand a plurality of guide toothed wheels40bfor guiding the second endless chain28thereto are also provided.

As shown inFIG. 3, in the respective pathway sections, various types of guide rails and the like are also provided which allow the transporting cart13to travel while keeping the horizontal upright posture. A schematic configuration will be described with reference toFIG. 3. Over the respective horizontal pathway sections1,5,7and12, horizontal guide rails41to44for supporting and guiding the wheels18ato19bof the transporting cart13are laid. On the respective lifting/lowering pathway sections3and9, front and rear pairs of vertical guide rails45aand45band46aand46bwhich sandwich the wheels18aand19aon the front side of the transporting cart13that is lifted or lowered so as to prevent swinging and front and rear pairs of vertical guide rails47aand47band48aand48bwhich sandwich the wheels18band19bon the rear side so as to prevent swinging are laid. The sixth turning pathway section11and the third turning pathway section6have a front/rear symmetric structure, and a pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies49and50are respectively provided therein that are pivotally supported in positions which are separated outward and horizontally with respect to the turning-section toothed wheels30and33on the inner side and which are separated by only the support interval for the transporting cart13apart. Furthermore, in the lower end guide toothed wheel36which engages with the second endless chain28of the first turning pathway section2, the upper end guide toothed wheel37which engages with the second endless chain28of the second turning pathway section4and the upper end guide toothed wheel38which engages with the second endless chain29of the fourth turning pathway section8, auxiliary rotating bodies51to53are provided concentrically on the inner side thereof, and an auxiliary rotating body54is pivotally supported in a position which is separated outward from the turning-section toothed wheel35which engages with the first endless chain27of the fifth turning pathway section10and which is separated by only the support interval for the transporting cart apart.

All the endless chains27to29described above are stretched so as to be located on both the left and right sides of the traveling pathway of the transporting cart13and to form left and right pairs. Hence, all the toothed wheels30to40band the respective auxiliary rotating bodies49to54which engage with these endless chains are also concentrically and pivotally supported so as to be located on both the left and right sides of the traveling pathway of the transporting cart13and to form left and right pairs. Naturally, various types of guide rails, such as the horizontal guide rails41to44and the vertical guide rails45ato48b, which are provided in an auxiliary manner are also provided so as to be located on both the left and right sides of the transporting cart13and to form left and right pairs.

To the first endless chain27, as shown inFIGS. 2A and 4 to 7, engagement sections55are attached at regular intervals equal to the support interval for the transporting cart13. Each of the engagement sections55is formed with a member that has a concave section56to which the projection shafts20ato21bof the respective engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13can be fitted so as to freely rotate relatively and to be detachably fitted, and in the first horizontal pathway section1and the second horizontal pathway section5, the engagement sections55are provided on the inner side of the first endless chain27in such a direction that the concave sections56of the engagement sections55are open upward and that the projection shafts20ato21bof the respective engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13can be fitted from above. The total length of the transporting cart13is slightly shorter than twice the length of the support interval for the transporting cart13. Hence, as shown inFIG. 1, on the horizontal pathway sections1,5,7and12, the respective transporting carts13can be engaged with the first endless chain27such that the respective transporting carts13are adjacent and continuous forward and backward via the respective engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13and the respective engagement sections55of the first endless chain27. In the respective second endless chains28and29, as shown inFIGS. 8 to 12 and 18 to 22, engagement sections57and58are provided in a symmetric orientation at the same height as the respective engagement sections55of the first endless chain27aligned in parallel in the respective lifting/lowering pathway sections3and9. It is a matter of course that the engagement sections57and58have the same structure as the engagement sections55, and are formed with a member that has concave sections59and60to which the projection shafts20ato21bof the respective engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13can be fitted.

The configuration of each of the turning pathway sections will be specifically described below. As shown inFIGS. 4 to 7 and 13 to 16, the sixth turning pathway section11and the third turning pathway section6have a front/rear symmetric structure, and the reference symbols of the third turning pathway section6are also provided by placing them in parentheses. The auxiliary rotating body49(50) has, on both sides in a diameter direction, engagement sections49aand49b(50aand50b) that are formed with concave sections to which the projection shafts20ato21bof the respective engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13can be fitted and that are directed outward; along the outer semicircular region of the rotation path of the auxiliary rotating body49(50), an outer semicircular guide rail61(62) is provided; an upper horizontal guide rail63(64) which has such a length so as to cover from the upper end of the outer semicircular guide rail61(62) to the end part region of a horizontal guide rail41(42) is continuously provided; and the lower end of the outer semicircular guide rail61(62) is connected to a horizontal guide rail43(44). In a center section in the left/right width direction below the turning-section toothed wheel30(33), a lower protruding cam65(66) which acts on the cam-following roller25a(25b) on the bottom section of the transporting cart13and which has an arc-shaped cam surface is provided so as to locate below the movement path of the top plate14of the transporting cart13entering and exiting between the horizontal pathway section12(7) on the lower side and the turning pathway section11(6) and to protrude upward from the side of a floor surface.

Furthermore, over the side where the auxiliary rotating body49(50) is present with respect to the turning-section toothed wheel30(33), an intermediate guide rail67(68) is laid, and in the intermediate guide rail67, an auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67a(68a) at the same level as the horizontal guide rail41(42) of the horizontal pathway section1(5) and an arc-shaped guide rail section67b(68b) along the turning-section toothed wheel30(33) are formed. On the outer semicircular guide rail61(62), the upper horizontal guide rail63(64) and the intermediate guide rail67(68), the wheels18ato19bof the engaged sections16ato17bon both the left and right sides of the transporting cart13are rolled and moved, and pairs of the left and right guide rails are provided so as to be located on both the left and right sides of the traveling pathway of the transporting cart13, respectively. In a position adjacent to the turning-section toothed wheel30(33) of the horizontal guide rail41(42), an auxiliary support guide roller69(70) which supports both the left and right side plates15aand15bof the transporting cart13is pivotally supported.

The turning-section toothed wheel30(33) is driven to rotate by the engagement with the first endless chain27; the turning-section toothed wheel30(33) and the auxiliary rotating body49(50) on the same left and right sides are coupled with spur gear trains71to73(74to76) in an interlocking manner so as to rotate at the same speed in the same direction as each other; and one transmission shaft77(78) and a spur gear79(80) meshing with one of the spur gear trains71to73(74to76) are provided such that the turning-section toothed wheel30(33) and the auxiliary rotating body49(50) on both the left and right sides rotate synchronously. The transmission shaft77(78) crosses between the first horizontal pathway section1(the second horizontal pathway section5) and the fourth horizontal pathway section12(the third horizontal pathway section7). Then, as shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, the support shaft of the turning-section toothed wheel33on one side of the pair of left and right turning-section toothed wheels33in the third turning pathway section6is extended outward and is directly connected to the output shaft of a speed reducer equipped motor81and the pair of left and right first endless chains27rotate at a constant speed by the operation of the speed reducer equipped motor81over all the traveling pathways.

The auxiliary rotating bodies49aand50are positioned, outward of the turning-section toothed wheels30and33, by only the support interval for the transporting cart13apart horizontally, and rotate in an interlocking manner in the same direction as the turning-section toothed wheels30and33via the gear mechanism described above; the rotation radius of the engagement sections49aand49band50aand50bat both ends thereof is equal to the rotation radius of the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27which rotate around the turning-section toothed wheels30and33; and when the engagement sections49aand49band50aand50bat both ends thereof are present on a vertical axis passing through the rotation axial center, the two engagement sections55of the first endless chain27positioned at intervals equal to the support interval for the transporting cart13apart are also present on a vertical axis passing through the rotation axial center of the turning-section toothed wheels30and33.

In the fourth horizontal pathway section12, the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27are downwardly fitted to the respective engaged sections16ato17b(the projection shafts20ato21b) of the transporting cart13, the first endless chain27is driven by the speed reducer equipped motor81and thus the transporting cart13supported on the horizontal guide rail44via the wheels18ato19bcan be made to travel horizontally toward the sixth turning pathway section11. When the transporting cart13enters the sixth turning pathway section11, as shown inFIG. 6A, as the engagement sections55rotate upward around the turning-section toothed wheel30, the engaged sections16band17bon the side of the advancing direction are separated from the engagement sections55, are pushed from the rear to drive by the engagement sections55on the rear side as they are and are made to travel forward. Then, in the process in which the engaged sections16band17bon the side of the advancing direction reach the position directly below the axial center of the auxiliary rotating body49, the engagement section49aat one end of the auxiliary rotating body49it fitted from above to the engaged sections16band17bon the side of the advancing direction. Thereafter, by the rotation of the turning-section toothed wheel30and the auxiliary rotating body49, the engaged sections16band17bon the side of the advancing direction in the transporting cart13are scooped upward by the auxiliary rotating body49, and simultaneously the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are scooped upward synchronously by the engagement sections55which rotate around the turning-section toothed wheel30.

Although at the time of the operation of scooping up the transporting cart13described above, from the vertically downward engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating body49and the vertically downward engagement sections55of the first endless chain27, the engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13which are respectively fitted thereto tend to be pushed out forward as shown inFIG. 6B, the engaged sections16band17bon the front side are scooped upward by the rotation of the engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating body49along the outer semicircular guide rail61in a state where the engaged sections16band17bare received by the outer semicircular guide rail61. On the other hand, when the engaged sections16aand17aon the rear side of the transporting cart13reach the position directly below the rotation axial center of the turning-section toothed wheel30, since the cam-following roller25aof the auxiliary supported section24alocated on the rear side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13has reached the area directly in front of the lower protruding cam65, as the transporting cart13is scooped up from such a state as described above, the cam-following roller25amoves upward along the arc-shaped cam surface of the lower protruding cam65. In other words, the engaged sections16aand17aon the rear side are prevented from being pushed out forward from the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27by the lower protruding cam65via the cam-following roller25a, and thus the transporting cart13is reliably scooped up to the upward in a state of being supported horizontally by the engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating body49and the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27which rotate at the same level.

Although in the process in which the cam-following roller25aof the auxiliary supported section24alocated on the rear side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13reaches the lower protruding cam65, the transporting cart13needs to pass forward through the position of the lower protruding cam65, since the space below the top plate14in front of the cam-following roller25ais opened forward at this time, when the height of the lower protruding cam65is lower than the height of the bottom surface of the top plate14, the transporting cart13can travel on the lower protruding cam65without interfering with each other. At this time, the cam-following roller25bof the auxiliary supported section24bon the front side moves through the position on the lateral side of the lower protruding cam65.

When the cam-following roller25aof the auxiliary supported section24alocated on the rear side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13passes over the upper end of the lower protruding cam65, as shown inFIG. 6C, since the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the rear side of the transporting cart13are in a state of moving upward along the arc-shaped guide rail section67bof the intermediate guide rail67, in a state where both the front and rear wheels18ato19bof the transporting cart13are along the outer semicircular guide rail61and the arc-shaped guide rail section67bof the intermediate guide rail67, the transporting cart13is reliably scooped up by the engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating bodies49and the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27up to the level of the first horizontal pathway section1while keeping a horizontal posture. When the cam-following roller25aof the transporting cart13passes over the upper end of the lower protruding cam65, the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27fitted to the engaged sections16aand17a(the projection shafts20aand21a) on the rear side of the transporting cart13rotate upward to an angle close to the forward and horizontal direction and thereby can support the rear side of the transporting cart13via the engaged sections16aand17a, and moreover, the transporting cart13is not pushed out forward by the outer semicircular guide rail61, with the result that the arc-shaped guide rail section67bof the intermediate guide rail67is not essential.

As shown inFIG. 7A, the engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating body49and the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27individually reach the positions directly above the rotation axial centers, and thus the process of scooping up the transporting cart13described above is completed, and at this time, the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction of the transporting cart13reach the top of the horizontal guide rail41in the first horizontal pathway section1, and the wheels18band19bon the rear side of the transporting cart13reach the top of the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aof the intermediate guide rail67. Hence, the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction of the transporting cart13are sent into the first horizontal pathway section1in a state where the projection shafts20aand21aremain to be fitted to the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27which are separated from the turning-section toothed wheel30and which move forward parallel to the first horizontal pathway section1, accordingly, the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are separated from the engagement section49aof the auxiliary rotating body49and the transporting cart13travels horizontally and is sent into the first horizontal pathway section1while the wheels18band19brolling on the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aof the intermediate guide rail67.

Since between the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aof the intermediate guide rail67and the horizontal guide rail41of the first horizontal pathway section1, the space is present for the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27rotating around the turning-section toothed wheel30to pass through, when the wheels18band19bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are separated forward from the top of the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aof the intermediate guide rail67, it is considered that the wheels18band19bon the rear side drop between the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aand the horizontal guide rail41of the first horizontal pathway section1. However, when this state is brought about, as shown inFIG. 7B, both the left and right side plates15aand15bof the transporting cart13are supported by the auxiliary support guide roller69behind the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction, and the tops of the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction are covered by the upper horizontal guide rail63. Hence, while the barycentric position of the transporting cart13is located behind the position where the transporting cart13is supported by the auxiliary support guide roller69, the transporting cart13is prevented from inclining, with the auxiliary support guide roller69being its fulcrum in a direction in which the wheels18aand19aon the rear side drop, by the upper horizontal guide rail63via the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction. Whereas, in a state where, when the transporting cart13further travels and thus the barycentric position of the transporting cart13has moved forward beyond the position where the transporting cart13is supported by the auxiliary support guide roller69, the transporting cart13can be prevented from inclining, with the wheels18aand19aon the side of the advancing direction being its fulcrum in the direction in which the wheels18aand19aon the rear side drop, by the auxiliary support guide roller69.

When the wheels18band19bon the rear side of the transporting cart13reach the position directly above the turning-section toothed wheel30, as shown inFIG. 6A, the empty engagement sections55which rotate upward around the turning-section toothed wheel30, that is, the empty engagement sections55which are separated from the engaged sections16band17bon the side of the advancing direction and which rotate upward around the turning-section toothed wheel30in the transporting cart13subsequent to the transporting cart which is scooped up from the fourth horizontal pathway section12to the first horizontal pathway section1are fitted to the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13that is sent into the first horizontal pathway section1as described above. Hence, in the transporting cart13sent into the first horizontal pathway section1, all the projection shafts20ato21bof the engaged sections16ato17bare fitted to the respective engagement sections55adjacent forward and backward to the first endless chain27, and the transporting cart13is driven to travel toward the next, first turning pathway section2in the horizontal posture in a state where all the wheels18ato19bare supported on the horizontal guide rail41.

In the third turning pathway section6having a symmetric structure with respect to the sixth turning pathway section11described above, as shown inFIGS. 15A to 16B, the same action as when in the sixth turning pathway section11, the first endless chain27is reversely rotated so as to move from the first horizontal pathway section1to the fourth horizontal pathway section12is performed. That is, in the transporting cart13which is made to travel by the first endless chain27from the second horizontal pathway section5through the third turning pathway section6to the third horizontal pathway section7, the wheels18aand19aon the front side can be prevented from dropping between the horizontal guide rail42and the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section68aof the intermediate guide rail68by the upper horizontal guide rail64and the auxiliary support guide roller70. Then, immediately before the completion of the turning of the transporting cart13downward, that is, when the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side are no longer supported by the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27which incline obliquely downward with respect to the forward direction, the cam-following roller25bof the auxiliary supported section24bon the rear side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13is supported and guided by the lower protruding cam66, and thus the transporting cart13can be reliably and smoothly turned while keeping the horizontal upright posture until the wheels18band19bon the rear side of the transporting cart13reach the top of the horizontal guide rail43. Since the third turning pathway section6has the symmetric structure with respect to the sixth turning pathway section11, by reversely rotating the first endless chain27, the transporting cart13can be made to travel from the third horizontal pathway section7through the third turning pathway section6to the second horizontal pathway section5while keeping the horizontal upright posture.

The configuration and action of the second turning pathway section4will next be described with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9. Since the lower end guide toothed wheel36at the lower end of the second endless chain28of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3on the second turning pathway section4is positioned directly above the first endless chain27which moves along the first horizontal pathway section1, the lower end guide toothed wheel36needs to be pivotally supported separately upward from the first endless chain27which moves along the first horizontal pathway section1in order to prevent the engagement sections57of the second endless chain28rotating around the lower end guide toothed wheel36and the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27moving along the first horizontal pathway section1from interfering with each other. On the other hand, although the first endless chain27is lifted through the turning-section toothed wheel31to the first lifting/lowering pathway section3, since the turning-section toothed wheel31needs to be pivotally supported at the same level as the lower end guide toothed wheel36of the second endless chain28, the first endless chain27which passes through below the lower end guide toothed wheel36is inclined upward toward the turning-section toothed wheel31. In order to move the engaged sections16aand17ain the advancing direction of the transporting cart13along the upward gradient of the first endless chain27, a pair of left and right lower inclined guide rails82for supporting and guiding the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17aare laid.

The upper end part of the lower inclined guide rail82includes an arc-shaped rail section82awhich is formed in the shape of an arc concentrically with the turning-section toothed wheel31, and the lower end of the vertical guide rail45aon the outer side of the vertical guide rails45aand45bwhich sandwich the moving pathway of the first endless chain27in the first lifting/lowering pathway section3is connected to the arc-shaped rail section82a. On the other hand, the lower end part of the vertical guide rail46aon the side of the first endless chain27of the vertical guide rails46aand46bwhich sandwich the moving pathway of the second endless chain28and the lower end part of the vertical guide rail45bon the inner side of the vertical guide rails45aand45bare integrated with a coupling plate member83; in the coupling plate member83, an arc-shaped rail section83awhich sandwiches the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17arotating around the turning-section toothed wheel31with the arc-shaped rail section82aof the lower inclined guide rail82and which guides the wheels18aand19aand an arc-shaped rail section83bwhich guides the wheels18band19bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13that move up around the lower end guide toothed wheel36of the second endless chain28are formed.

On the inner side of the lower end guide toothed wheel36of the second endless chain28, the circular-plate-shaped auxiliary rotating body51whose radius is substantially equal to the rotation radius of the engagement section57of the second endless chain28rotating around the lower end guide toothed wheel36is continuously provided so as to rotate integrally; on both sides in the diameter direction around the auxiliary rotating body51, engagement sections51aand51bwhich are formed with concave sections that are fitted to the wheels18band19bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are provided so as to overlap the engagement section57of the second endless chain28. The turning-section toothed wheel31of the first endless chain27and the auxiliary rotating body51are aligned in parallel at intervals equal to the support interval for the transporting cart13apart horizontally, and the turning-section toothed wheel31, the lower end guide toothed wheel36of the second endless chain28and the auxiliary rotating body51which are driven to rotate by the engagement with the first endless chain27are coupled by spur gear trains84,85and86in an interlocking manner so as to rotate at the same speed in the same direction. Furthermore, in an intermediate lower position of the pair of left and right lower end guide toothed wheels36(the auxiliary rotating bodies51) in the second endless chain28, a lower protruding cam87which acts on the cam-following roller25bof the auxiliary supported section24bon the rear side of the transporting cart13is provided so as to protrude. The lower protruding cam87has the same height as the lower protruding cams65and66which are arranged in the sixth turning pathway section11(the third turning pathway section6), and has the same shape as a portion which is obtained by cutting the arc-shaped rail section82aat the upper end of the lower inclined guide rail82at the same height as the upper end of the lower protruding cam87.

In the second turning pathway section4configured as described above, when the transporting cart13traveling horizontally on the first horizontal pathway section1with the first endless chain27reaches the second turning pathway section4, the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the front side which engage with the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27are guided by the lower inclined guide rail82and are thereby moved obliquely forward, and when the wheels18aand19aenter the top of the lower inclined guide rail82, the lower protruding cam87is arranged such that the cam-following roller25bof the auxiliary supported section24bon the rear side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13enters the top of the lower protruding cam87. Hence, the transporting cart13is guided by the lower inclined guide rail82and the lower protruding cam87so as to travel obliquely upward with respect to the forward direction while keeping the horizontal posture.

When the front and rear engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13reach the respective positions directly below the turning-section toothed wheel31of the first endless chain27and the lower end guide toothed wheel36(the auxiliary rotating body51) of the second endless chain28, the one engagement section51aof the pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies51interlocking with the first endless chain27is fitted from above to the wheels18band19bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13, and as shown inFIG. 9A, in synchronization with the scooping-up of the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the front side along the arc-shaped rail section82aof the lower inclined guide rails82, the wheels18band19bof the rear-side engaged sections16band17bare scooped up by the engagement section51aof the auxiliary rotating body51. At this time, the wheels18band19bscooped up by the engagement section51aof the auxiliary rotating body51enter the inner side of the arc-shaped rail section83bof the coupling plate member83, and thus the wheels18band19bare prevented from being disengaged from the engagement section51aof the auxiliary rotating body51.

As described above, as shown inFIG. 9B, after the front and rear engaged sections16ato17bof the transporting cart13are scooped up to the respective heights directly beside the turning-section toothed wheel31of the first endless chain27and the lower end guide toothed wheel36(the auxiliary rotating body51) of the second endless chain28, the projection shafts20aand21aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the front side of the transporting cart13are lifted by the engagement section55of the first endless chain27, the wheels18aand19aon the front side move up between the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails45aand45b, the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are lifted by the engagement section57of the second endless chain28and the wheels18band19bon the rear side move up between the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails46aand46b, with the result that the transporting cart13moves up along the first lifting/lowering pathway section3while keeping the horizontal upright posture.

The transporting cart13which moves up along the first lifting/lowering pathway section3travels from the first lifting/lowering pathway section3through the second turning pathway section4to the high-position second horizontal pathway section5, and the configuration and action of the second turning pathway section4will next be described. As shown inFIGS. 10 to 12, on the inner side of the pair of left and right upper end guide toothed wheels37of the second endless chain28which are pivotally supported and which are separated by only the interval equal to the support interval for the transporting cart13apart backward from the turning-section toothed wheel32of the first endless chain27, the auxiliary rotating body52having the same structure as the auxiliary rotating body51provided integrally with the lower end guide toothed wheel36of the first turning pathway section2is continuously provided so as to rotate integrally in a state where engagement sections52aand52bthereof overlap the engagement section57of the second endless chain28.

An upper horizontal guide rail88which corresponds to the upper horizontal guide rail63provided in the sixth turning pathway section11, an auxiliary support guide roller89which corresponds to the auxiliary support guide roller69provided in the sixth turning pathway section11, an auxiliary horizontal guide rail section90awhich corresponds to the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section67aof the intermediate guide rail67provided in the sixth turning pathway section11and an arc-shaped guide rail section90bwhich corresponds to the upper half portion of the arc-shaped guide rail section67bof the intermediate guide rail67provided in the sixth turning pathway section11are respectively provided; an outer arc-shaped guide rail91is also provided which connects the upper end of the vertical guide rail46bon the outer side of the second endless chain28and the upper horizontal guide rail88and which is concentric with the upper end guide toothed wheel37of the second endless chain28. The auxiliary horizontal guide rail section90aand the arc-shaped guide rail section90bare formed at the upper end of the vertical guide rail45bon the outer side of the first endless chain27. The upper end of the vertical guide rail45aon the inner side of the first endless chain27is connected to the horizontal guide rail42of the second horizontal pathway section5via an inner arc-shaped guide rail97which is concentric with the turning-section toothed wheel32.

As in the configuration of the sixth turning pathway section11, as shown inFIG. 10, the pair of left and right upper end guide toothed wheels37which guide the second endless chain28of the second turning pathway section4and the pair of left and right turning-section toothed wheels32which engage with the first endless chain27are coupled in an interlocking manner with spur gear trains92to94for each of the left and right, and are coupled to each other in an interlocking manner with one transmission shaft96which has spur gears95at both ends. The transmission shaft96crosses on the lower side of the second horizontal pathway section5. The second endless chain28which is extended through the upper end guide toothed wheel37returns through the guide toothed wheel40band the take-up toothed wheel40atoward the lower end guide toothed wheel36at the lower end of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3, and the position in which the engagement section57of the second endless chain28is separated upward from the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13is the position in which the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17breach the top of the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section90a.

In the configuration of the second turning pathway section4configured as described above, when the transporting cart13which moves up along the first lifting/lowering pathway section3reaches the height of the axial centers of the auxiliary rotating body52of the second turning pathway section4and the turning-section toothed wheel32of the first endless chain27, as shown inFIG. 11, the wheels18band19bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13are fitted to the engagement section52aof the auxiliary rotating body52. Thereafter, by the rotation of the auxiliary rotating body52and the turning-section toothed wheel32, as shown inFIGS. 12A and 12B, the wheels18aand19aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the front side fitted to the engagement section55of the first endless chain27are sent into the top of the second horizontal pathway section5through the top of the inner arc-shaped guide rail97, and the wheels18band19bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side are separated from the engagement section52aof the auxiliary rotating body52and are transferred to the top of the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section90a. At this time, the engagement section57of the second endless chain28fitted to the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side is separated in a position on the upper side of the auxiliary horizontal guide rail section90aobliquely upward from the projection shafts20band21b. Thereafter, by the engagement section55of the first endless chain27, the transporting cart13is sent into the second horizontal pathway section5via the projection shafts20aand21aof the engaged sections16aand17aon the front side. In this process, the engagement section55of the first endless chain27rotating around the turning-section toothed wheel32is fitted to the projection shafts20band21bof the engaged sections16band17bon the rear side of the transporting cart13. In this way, the transporting cart13is sent from the first lifting/lowering pathway section3through the second turning pathway section4into the second horizontal pathway section5while keeping the horizontal upright posture.

Within the second horizontal pathway section5, the transporting cart13is driven to travel horizontally on the horizontal guide rail42by the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27fitted to the projection shafts20ato21bof the front and rear engaged sections16ato17bin the transporting cart13. Then, the transporting cart13which has reached the third turning pathway section6makes a U-turn by the action previously described on the third turning pathway section6while keeping the horizontal upright posture into the third horizontal pathway section7, and is driven to travel the third horizontal pathway section7to the side of the fourth turning pathway section8by the first endless chain27. Then, the transporting cart13is sent into the second lifting/lowering pathway section9through the fourth turning pathway section8, and the configuration and action of the fourth turning pathway section8will next be described.

As shown inFIGS. 17 to 19, in the fourth turning pathway section8, the upper end guide toothed wheel38at the upper end of the second endless chain29in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9is lowered to such a height so as not to interfere with the engaged sections16band17bon the front side of the transporting cart13traveling in the third horizontal pathway section7. Then, since the turning-section toothed wheel34of the first endless chain27is pivotally supported at the same level as the upper end guide toothed wheel38, a downward gradient section of the first endless chain27is formed in the upstream of the turning-section toothed wheel34. An auxiliary support guide roller98which corresponds to the auxiliary support guide rollers69,70and89that are provided in the sixth turning pathway section11, the second turning pathway section4and the third turning pathway section6described previously is pivotally supported to the end part of the horizontal guide rail43of the third horizontal pathway section7. In the third horizontal pathway section7, at least over the region of the end part on the side of the fourth turning pathway section8, an upper horizontal guide rail101is laid which covers the top of the wheels18ato19bof the transporting cart13that enters the fourth turning pathway section8from the third horizontal pathway section7.

On the inner side of the pair of left and right upper end guide toothed wheels38at the upper end of the second endless chain29, the auxiliary rotating body53that is the same as the auxiliary rotating body52of the second turning pathway section4and that includes engagement sections53aand53bformed with concave sections in which the wheels18ato19bare fitted to both sides in the diameter direction is continuously provided concentrically and integrally. The upper end of the vertical guide rail47bof the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails47aand47bprovided on the side of the first endless chain27in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9and the upper end of the vertical guide rail48aof the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails48aand48bprovided on the side of the second endless chain29are integrally coupled with an inner auxiliary guide rail99; in the inner auxiliary guide rail99, an arc-shaped guide rail section99awhich is connected to the upper end of the vertical guide rail47band which is concentric with the upper end guide toothed wheel38and a lower guide rail section99bwhich guides the wheels18band19bon the front side of the transporting cart13between vertical guide rails48aand48bon the side of the first endless chain27are formed; and at the upper end of the vertical guide rail48b, an outer auxiliary guide rail100is continuously provided which guides, with the lower guide rail section99b, the front-side wheels18band19bof the transporting cart13between the vertical guide rails48aand48b. A wheel passage formed between the lower guide rail section99band the outer auxiliary guide rail100guides the front-side wheels18band19bof the transporting cart13which has traveled forward in the third horizontal pathway section7, via a downward gradient inclined passage and an arc-shaped passage concentric with the turning-section toothed wheel34of the first endless chain27, between the vertical guide rails48aand48bon the side of the first endless chain27.

One transmission shaft106which has, at both ends, a spur gear105meshing with the spur gear102of respective spur gear trains102to104is provided so that the turning-section toothed wheel34and the upper end guide toothed wheel38present on both left and right sides are respectively coupled with the spur gear trains102to104so that they interlock at the same speed in the same direction and that the turning-section toothed wheel34and the upper end guide toothed wheel38on both left and right sides are interlocked with each other. The transmission shaft106is supported so as to cross a recessed corner section between the second lifting/lowering pathway section9and the third horizontal pathway section7.

Each transporting cart13which is supported by the horizontal guide rail43of the third horizontal pathway section7via the wheels18ato19bis driven to travel via the engagement sections55fitted from above to below to the projection shafts20ato21bof the respective engaged sections16ato17btoward the fourth turning pathway section8with the first endless chain27. When the wheels18band19bon the front side of the transporting cart13are separated from the top of the horizontal guide rail43, the lower sides of both the left and right side plates15aand15bof the transporting cart13are, as shown inFIG. 18A, supported by the pair of left and right auxiliary support guide rollers98, and since the upper horizontal guide rail101covers the top of the wheels18aand19aon the rear side, the wheels18band19bon the front side of the transporting cart13can, as shown inFIG. 18B, transfer to the top of the lower guide rail section99bof the inner auxiliary guide rail99without dropping between the horizontal guide rail43of the third horizontal pathway section7and the lower guide rail section99bof the inner auxiliary guide rail99. That is, a transporting cart inclination prevention means is formed that prevents the transporting cart13from inclining when the transporting cart13transfers from the third horizontal pathway section7of the fourth turning pathway section8to the second lifting/lowering pathway section9with the auxiliary support guide roller98, the upper horizontal guide rail101and the lower guide rail section99bof the inner auxiliary guide rail99. Then, when the rear-side wheels18aand19aof the transporting cart13are separated from the horizontal guide rail43, since the auxiliary rotating body53rotates such that the one engagement section53aof the auxiliary rotating body53interlocking with the first endless chain27is, as shown inFIG. 19A, positioned directly below the rear-side wheels18aand19a, the rear-side wheels18aand19aare fitted to the engagement section53aof the auxiliary rotating body53so as to be separated from the horizontal guide rail43and to simultaneously drop slightly.

When the rear-side wheels18aand19aare fitted to the engagement section53aof the auxiliary rotating body53so as to drop thereto, the wheels18band19bon the front side move in the downward gradient section between the outer auxiliary guide rail100and the lower guide rail section99bof the inner auxiliary guide rail99, and thus the transporting cart13can maintain a substantially horizontal posture. Thereafter, the engagement section55of the first endless chain27fitted from above to the front-side wheels18band19bof the transporting cart13and the engagement section58of the second endless chain29fitted from below to the rear-side wheels18aand19aof the transporting cart13lower in the shape of an arc by the synchronous rotation of the turning-section toothed wheel34and the auxiliary rotating body53while keeping the same level, and then vertically lower and move in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9, with the result that the transporting cart13lowers in the shape of an arc in the fourth turning pathway section8while keeping the horizontal upright posture and then vertically lowers and moves in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9.

As when the transporting cart13moves up in the first lifting/lowering pathway section3, the transporting cart13which lowers in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9lowers and moves toward the fifth turning pathway section10so as to sandwich the wheels18ato19bfrom both sides forward and backward in a horizontal posture supported by the engagement section55of the first endless chain27and the engagement section58of the second endless chain29fitted to the respective wheels18ato19bin the horizontal direction. Thereafter, the transporting cart13is sent into the original fourth horizontal pathway section12through the fifth turning pathway section10, and the configuration and action of the fifth turning pathway section10will next be described with reference toFIGS. 20 to 22.

In the fifth turning pathway section10, the auxiliary rotating body54that is the same as the auxiliary rotating body53provided in the fourth turning pathway section8and that includes engagement sections54aand54bformed with concave sections which are fitted to the wheels18aand19aon the rear side of the transporting cart13on both sides in the diameter direction is pivotally supported in a position by only the support interval for the transporting cart13apart outward (to the opposite side to the side where the fourth horizontal pathway section12is present) and horizontally from the turning-section toothed wheel35which turns the first endless chain27toward the fourth horizontal pathway section12. By exactly the same action as the turning-section toothed wheel30and the auxiliary rotating body49, the turning-section toothed wheel32and the auxiliary rotating body52, the turning-section toothed wheel33and the auxiliary rotating body50and the turning-section toothed wheel34and the auxiliary rotating body53of the respective turning pathway sections, the auxiliary rotating body54and the turning-section toothed wheel35turn the transporting cart13which has lowered in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9in the shape of an arc while keeping the horizontal upright posture and send the transporting cart13into the fourth horizontal pathway section12; spur gear trains107to109for coupling, in an interlocking manner, for each of the left and right, the pair of left and right turning-section toothed wheels35and the pair of left and right auxiliary rotating bodies54which are driven to rotate by the first endless chain27are provided. The second endless chain29of the second lifting/lowering pathway section9is hung and stretched by the lower end guide toothed wheel39such that the engagement section58thereof vertically lowers and that thus the rear-side wheels18aand19aof the transporting cart13to which the engagement section58is fitted can be taken over by the engagement sections54aand54bof the auxiliary rotating body54which rotates synchronously.

On the lower side in the center section between the pair of left and right turning-section toothed wheels35, a lower protruding cam110which performs the same action as the lower protruding cam66provided in the third turning pathway section6is provided so as to protrude. At the lower end of the outer vertical guide rail48bof the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails48aand48bon the side of the first endless chain27in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9, an inner corner section guide rail111for guiding the front-side wheels18band19bof the transporting cart13through around the turning-section toothed wheel35to the top of the horizontal guide rail44of the fourth horizontal pathway section12is continuously provided. The horizontal guide rail44of the fourth horizontal pathway section12is provided so as to extend to the region of the lower side of the auxiliary rotating body54; the lower end of the inner vertical guide rail48awhich pairs with the vertical guide rail48bis lowered to such a height so as not to affect the horizontal movement of the rear-side wheels18aand19aof the transporting cart13on the horizontal guide rail44; and on the side of the turning-section toothed wheel35, an arc-shaped rail section112for guiding the front-side wheels18band19bsent out onto the horizontal guide rail44through around the turning-section toothed wheel35with the inner corner section guide rail111toward the fourth horizontal pathway section12is formed. Furthermore, at the lower end of the outer vertical guide rail47aof the pair of front and rear vertical guide rails47aand47bon the side of the second endless chain29in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9, an outer arc-shaped guide rail113is continuously provided which guides the rear-side wheels18aand19afitted to the engagement sections54aand54bof the auxiliary rotating body54and sent out onto the horizontal guide rail44and which is concentric with the auxiliary rotating body54.

In the configuration of the fifth turning pathway section10described above, as shown inFIG. 21, the one engagement section54aof the auxiliary rotating body54which rotates synchronously in an interlocking manner with the second endless chain29and the first endless chain27is, as shown inFIG. 22A, fitted to the rear-side wheels18aand19aof the transporting cart13which lowers in the second lifting/lowering pathway section9immediately before the engagement section58of the second endless chain29rotates around the lower end guide toothed wheel39, and thus the wheels18aand19atransfer onto the horizontal guide rail44of the fourth horizontal pathway section12while being prevented from being removed from the engagement section54awith the outer arc-shaped guide rail113. On the other hand, although the front-side wheels18band19bwhich fit to the engagement section55of the first endless chain27and which lowers between the vertical guide rails48aand48bare guided between the inner corner section guide rail111at the lower end of the vertical guide rail48bof the transporting cart13and the arc-shaped rail section112at the lower end of the vertical guide rail48aand lower around the turning-section toothed wheel35, when the wheels18band19bare removed from the arc-shaped rail section112at the lower end of the vertical guide rail48a, there is no means for directly guiding the wheels18band19b. At this time, as shown inFIG. 22B, the cam-following roller25bon the front side of the bottom section of the transporting cart13is received on the lower protruding cam110.

Since the arc surface of the lower protruding cam110is formed on an arc surface whose radius is equal to the rotation path of the engagement section55around the turning-section toothed wheel35, the cam-following roller25bis received by the lower protruding cam110and lowers, with the result that the wheels18band19bsmoothly lower while keeping a state where the wheels18band19bare fitted to the engagement section55of the first endless chain27. Although the lower protruding cam110enters an area below the top plate14of the transporting cart13as with other lower protruding cams65and66of the sixth turning pathway section11and the third turning pathway section6and the lower protruding cam87of the second turning pathway section4, since the lower side of the top plate14of the transporting cart13is configured as described with reference toFIG. 2, the transporting cart13which starts to travel horizontally on the horizontal guide rail44in the fourth horizontal pathway section12can travel and pass the top of the lower protruding cam110without any problem.

As described above, the transporting cart13travels the closed circulation traveling pathway consisting of the four horizontal pathway sections1,5,7and12and the two lifting/lowering pathway sections3and9at a constant speed while keeping the horizontal upright posture whereas in the turning pathway sections2,6,10and11having the lower protruding cams65,66,87and110, at the time of the start of the turn or the completion of the turn when the support is unstable, in a state where the three places of the transporting cart13which are any one of the front and rear pairs of left and right engaged sections among the four front, rear, left and right engaged sections16ato17bin the transporting cart13and one auxiliary supported section of the two front and rear auxiliary supported sections24aand24b(the cam-following rollers25aand25b) located on the opposite side to the engaged sections forward and backward are stably supported, it is possible to smoothly start or complete the turn.

As described previously, the engagement section55of the first endless chain27and the engagement sections57and58of the second endless chains28and29are attached with a pitch equal to the support interval L (the interval between the front and rear of the wheels18ato19b) for the transporting cart13, and it is configured such that the total length L2of the transporting cart13is slightly shorter than twice the support interval L for the transporting cart13, with the result that in the horizontal pathway sections1,5,7and12, the respective transporting carts13can be made to travel in a continuous state where both the front and rear ends of the top plate14are adjacent to each other. Then, in the lifting/lowering pathway sections3and9, in a state where the wheels18aand19aof the transporting carts13are separated forward and backward and are individually supported by the engagement sections55of the first endless chain27and the engagement sections57and58of the second endless chains28and29, the transporting carts13move up and lower parallel to each other while keeping the horizontal upright posture. As described above, when the transporting carts13move up and lower in the lifting/lowering pathway sections3and9, the vertical interval between the transporting carts13is twice as long as the support interval L for the transporting cart13.

For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the transporting device described above can be used for the transport of the load W such that the load W is loaded on the transporting cart13located in the beginning end part of the low-position first horizontal pathway section1and that the load W is unloaded from the transporting cart13located in the terminal end part of the high-position second horizontal pathway section5. It is a matter of course that the transporting device described above can be used such that the first endless chain27and the second endless chains28and29are reversely rotated so as to transport the load W from on the high-position second horizontal pathway section5to on the low-position first horizontal pathway section1. In any case, the loading and unloading of the load W with respect to the transporting cart13can be performed with the turning-section toothed wheel30of the sixth turning pathway section11and the auxiliary rotating body49(the turning-section toothed wheel33of the third turning pathway section6and the auxiliary rotating body50) either with respect to the transporting cart13supported at the same level as the first horizontal pathway section1(the second horizontal pathway section5) or with respect to the transporting cart13supported by the first horizontal pathway section1(the second horizontal pathway section5further upstream than the third turning pathway section6) further downstream than the sixth turning pathway section11.

The circulation traveling pathway of the transporting cart13described in the above embodiment is an example, and is not restricted thereto. That is, transporting devices of various types of layouts can be configured by combining part or the whole of the first turning pathway section2to the sixth turning pathway section11with horizontal pathway sections having arbitrary lengths. For example, it is possible to easily realize a layout in which the fourth turning pathway section8in the above embodiment is made reverse in front and rear and in which the upper end of the second lifting/lowering pathway section9is directly connected to the second horizontal pathway section5, a layout in which the second turning pathway section4is made reverse in front and rear and in which the lower end of the first lifting/lowering pathway section3is directly connected to the fourth horizontal pathway section12, a layout in which both the layouts described above are combined, in which the third turning pathway section6, the third horizontal pathway section7, the sixth turning pathway section11and the first horizontal pathway section1are omitted and in which the transporting carts13are circulated in the shape of a rectangle and the like. Furthermore, it is possible to realize, as necessary, a layout in which the transporting carts13travel in a circulating manner in a concave shape or a convex shape and the like.

The cart-type transporting device of the present invention can be utilized as a transporting device in which in a lifting/lowering pathway section provided in the circulation traveling pathway of a transporting cart, a chain conveyor for propelling the transporting cart in a horizontal pathway section is used as it is without use of a dedicated lifter and in which thus it is possible to stably and smoothly lift and lower the transporting cart.