Patent GB-1216600-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to an automatic transfer device designed for a dynamic storage installation
IPC: B65G1/04
Filed: 1968-11-20
Abstract: 1,216,600. Pallet storage. CONSTRUCTIONS MILLS-K. 20 Nov., 1968 [23 Nov., 1967], No. 55149/68. Heading B7N.  In an arrangement for storing goods on pallets on the upper surface of rails 33, 34 defining storage paths 1-12 along which the pallets are moved by vehicles 36, e.g. of the type described in Specification 1,202,385, pelleted goods are supplied to and removed from the storage paths via input and output channels 13, 14 formed by rails 38, 39 disposed at right angles to the storage paths and carrying load transfer carriages which are controlled to stop at a selected storage path and align a set of transverse rails 50, 51 thereon with the rails 33, 34 of the path. The alignment process signals the vehicle in the storage path to carry out the loading or unloading process. Each transfer carriage includes a main chassis 37, running on wheels 40-43 driven by motor 44, and a secondary chassis 45 movable with respect to the main chassis on wheels 46- 49 and guided by rollers 52-55. The secondary chassis carries rails 50, 51 and a power pick-up duct 51 which when the rails are aligned forms a continuation of the power pick-up duct 21 which extends along the storage path and thus allows the storage path vehicle to enter the load transfer vehicle without interruption of its energization. Alignment is carried out by the centering arms 24, 25 operated by jack W which latch the two chassis together in the open position and in moving to the closed position pivot about axes 24c, 25c to bring the arms 24a, 25a into contact with rollers 58, 59 located alongside tracks 33, 34. At the same time as movement frees the secondary chassis so that the rails 50, 51 move into alignment with those of the storage path. A power pick-up duct 21 runs alongside channel 13 to supply the transfer vehicle and the duct 51. Assume the transfer carriage is at A with a pallet for path 1, the operator actuates button V1, whereby on pick-up of relay V1 current is supplied via contact Via and R1 to lead L1A in the power pick-up duct and thence via pickup 23 to operate relay AV controlling forward movement of the carriage. At the entry to the path a cam on the vehicle engages and opens switch R1 and the vehicle stops. Relay WF is now energized and actuates the jack W to close the arms 25, 26 and centre the rails 50, 51 with respect to path 1. On closure of the arms contact FCF opens switching off relay WF and actuates electromagnet EA. This actuates the vehicle associated with the path into reverse movement moving it into the transfer carriage. The vehicle operates a contact PR on the transfer carriage which actuates a timing mechanism M1 and then acts to operate a lifting plate beneath the pallet and then move off out of the carriage to its storage path carrying the pallet. At the end of the timing period relay W0 is energized to open the centering arms and when this action is completed the carriage is driven in reverse back to the point A. The arrangement may be used in output channel 14 for unloading or may be used to transfer a vehicle from one storage path to another.