Patent ID: 7837424

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 first support rail fixedly disposed above a gap defined by the inner rails of the first track and the upper rail of the first track, the first support rail extending at least the length of the gap between the inner rails of the first track, but less than a length of the upper rail; a second support rail fixedly disposed above a second gap defined by the inner rails of the second track and the upper rail of the second track, the second support rail extending at least the length of the second gap between the inner rails of the second track, but less than a length of the upper rail of the second track; a plurality of individual storage units stacked in multiple columns and disposed between the first and second tracks; a first set of wheels extending from each storage unit and configured to engage the 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 the column and permit selective movement along the continuous track; a second set of wheels extending from each storage unit in spaced relation to the first set of wheels and which engage the first and second support rails and support the storage unit as the storage unit moves past the gaps between the inner rails of the first and second tracks; and means for selectively moving the storage units along a length of the continuous track.