Patent ID: 7810656

Claim:
In a warehouse storage rack system comprising a frame structure comprising interconnected columns and cross beams that divide the rack into generally rectangular storage bays for depositing pallets or other storage units, and wherein the storage bays are more than one storage unit deep and the storage bays include wheeled carriage systems that support and carry the storage units rearwardly in the storage bay, so that additional storage units can be loaded into the storage bay at a front end thereof, the improvement wherein: the storage bay is at least two storage bay sections deep, with the storage bay frame for each storage bay section comprising uprights at four corners and horizontal cross beams connecting the uprights at a bottom of the storage bay section; the wheeled carriage system includes at least one endless loop wheeled conveyor section for individual storage bay sections in the storage bay, each conveyor section including an oval track extending longitudinally through each storage bay section in the storage bay and an endless loop wheeled conveyor mounted on the oval track, the track being mounted on the frame for each storage bay section, each storage bay section of the storage bay having one or more laterally spaced wheeled conveyor sections mounted on front and rear cross beams of the storage bay section and extending through the storage bay section, front and rear ends of longitudinally adjacent conveyor sections being adjacent but spaced apart; and a wheeled transfer assembly is mounted in the frame between the ends of adjacent conveyor sections, the transfer assembly being positioned to engage and support the storage units as they are transferred from one conveyor section to the next conveyor section.