Patent GB-951946-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to installations for the storage or filing of various articles or documents
IPC: A47B63/06
Filed: 1960-08-03
Abstract: 951,946. Filing papers. J. CHENOUARD. Aug. 3, 1960 [Dee. 23, 1959; Feb. 23, 1960; May 2, 1960], No. 26824/60. Heading B6E. [Also in Division B8] In apparatus for the storage and filing of documents and other articles, the articles are carried in containers suspended between a pair of endless driven chains 9, each container comprising a platform 4, end walls 5 and side walls 6, the latter having rollers 15 mounted on them by which the containers are guided along each of a number of horizontal paths, and means is provided on or adjacent the ends of the container for engagement with steadying means carried by additional endless chains movable in synchronism with the chains 9 for maintaining the containers level while negotiating rising and falling paths between the horizontal paths. Some of the rising and falling paths may be constituted by a series of sprocket wheels forming loops, while the remainder are vertical paths connected with the horizontal paths by sprocket wheels. The additional chains are provided in association with the vertical paths and are driven in synchronism with the chains 9, recessed wheels being arranged on shafts parallel to those of the conveyer chain sprockets to maintain the containers level while negotiating the latter. In one embodiment, Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, the chains 9 are arranged to form top and bottom runs interconnected at one end by a vertical run 11 between sprocket wheels 12 and at the other end by a series of short horizontal runs formed between sprocket wheels 10. The containers are supported and guided along each of the horizontal runs by rails 16 on which the rollers 15 run. At the points where the containers leave each horizontal run, i.e. at the sprocket wheels 10, 12, the rails 16 include a gap 25 and further short lengths of rail 26 each having a gap 28 are provided to co-operate with rollers 27 on the container in sustaining the latter as the front rollers 15 pass over the gap 25 and off the end of each rail 15. Additional endless chains 14 are associated with and driven from the sprocket wheels 10, and an endless chain 14 1  is associated with and driven from the sprocket wheels 12. Each chain 14 has a single support 18 which is received in a recess 21 formed between inclined edges 19, 20 of a plate 17 secured to the forward end of the container at one side. A similar plate 17 is secured to the other end of the container since this end becomes the forward end when the container is travelling on the return horizontal paths. Chain 141 is longer than chains 14 and has a plurality of supports 18. Recessed wheels 35, Figs. 7, 8, are provided in association with the sprocket wheels 10 to engage with rollers 32 on the ends of each container, the rollers 32 also supporting and guiding the containers by co-operation with outer and inner tracks 38, 39 respectively, of which the latter has openings 41 for the rear roller 32 to pass through during transfer from one horizontal run to another, the container being sustained by a track 42 engaging another roller 43 on the container while the forward roller 32 is passing over the opening 41. In a second embodiment, Fig. 9, a rack 50 is provided on one end of each container for engagement with an endless steadying chain 47 which in part guided by a fixed guide 51 of U section.