Patent ID: 7850411

Claim:
A storage and retrieval system, comprising: a first track having a generally rectangular configuration, and including a pair of spaced apart inner rails extending between upper and lower rails thereof; a second track having a generally rectangular configuration, and including a pair of spaced apart inner rails extending between upper and lower rails thereof, the first and second tracks disposed generally parallel to one another and cooperatively forming a continuous track; a plurality of individual storage units stacked in multiple columns and disposed between the first and second tracks; a set of wheels extending from each storage unit and configured to engage upper rails or lower rails of the first and second tracks so as to suspend the storage unit from the upper or lower rails of the first and second tracks when disposed at an uppermost or lowermost position in one of the multiple columns and permit selective movement along the continuous track; and means for selectively moving the storage units along a length of the continuous track, including a conveyor apparatus comprising a hook assembly that selectively engages and at least partially lifts a storage unit disposed at the uppermost position in a first end column for movement from the first end column past a gap between the inner rails of the first and second tracks and into the uppermost position in a second end column.