Patent ID: 8613339

Claim:
An automatic transfer apparatus, comprising: a self-propelled transfer vehicle that runs, by using a travel magnetic tape and a travel indication marker laid along a predetermined path, along the predetermined path in a forward-reverse direction and in a traverse direction, a carriage having a carriage body including short and long sides, wherein the self-propelled transfer vehicle is changed from the forward-reverse running direction to the traverse direction without turning the carriage body, at least two connecting portions disposed on the carriage, each configured to connect to a connecting portion disposed on the self-propelled transfer vehicle wherein the connecting portion on the self-propelled transfer vehicle is connected to a first carriage connecting portion and disconnected from a second carriage connecting portion when the vehicle runs in the forward-reverse direction, and wherein the connecting portion on the self-propelled transfer vehicle is connected to the second carriage connecting portion and disconnected from the first carriage connecting portion when the vehicle runs in the traverse direction a displacement restricting device that restricts lateral displacement of the carriage in its running direction when the self-propelled transfer vehicle runs in the traverse direction, wherein the displacement restricting device is provided with a pair of carriage position holding guides that hold a position of the carriage on a traverse guide path along which the self-propelled transfer vehicle runs in the transverse direction, and a drive wheel provided at the self-propelled transfer vehicle which is composed of a drive wheel unit having a pair of right and left wheels rotating independently of each other, wherein the drive wheel unit is provided at one place in a substantial center of the bottom of the self-propelled transfer vehicle, and wherein a direction of the drive wheel unit is converted by differentiating rotational speeds of each of the wheels.