CA1284622C - Multi-access storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

MULTI-ACCESS STORAGE SYSTEM
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE

A continuously operating unloading and loading system giving access to an automated multi-level storage conveyor makes use of individual containers adapted to be releasably hooked at established stations of an endlessly traveling rack which may be built in multiple levels. Selected containers are arranged to be called to one end of the rack where, during continuous travel of the rack, an unloading assembly unhooks the container and moves it to a location clear of the conveyor for disposition of the contents. At the same time, if need be, a loading assembly accepts other containers, moves them to a position for replacement on the rack at one of the stations, in which position the container is pushed into hooked engagement with the rack while travel of the rack continues without interruption.

Description

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MULTI-ACCESS STORAGE SYSTEM
SPECIFICATION

In order to meet a progressively increasing need for the stoxage of hundreds, and in some instances, thousands, of individual articles in a manner suitable for retrieval of any of them by automatic means, there has been an attempt to provide motorized storage racks.
The object of motorized racks has been to provide the capability of delivering individual storage containers to an unloading and loading station in response to a computerized call system. Motorized racks of the kind made reference to currently available are exemplified ~y U.S. Patent No. 4,422,5S4.
Although such motorized racks have been a notable advance in identifying and accelerating the delivery of assorted parts from storage, some limitations have been experienced, chief among which has been the need for stopping the rack while a container is being unloaded and continued holding of the rack in stopped position for reloading. The time involved in a procedure of this kind is appreciably exaggerated under circumstances where unloading and loading has to take place at the same location.
Another circumstance adding to the problem is the need to have a constant record kept of the location of containers reloaded on the motorized rack so that they can again be identified accurately when needed. The objectionable time delay becomes exaggerated to a material degree when a multiple number of such motorized racks are stacked one above the other in the interest of taking full advantage of storage space available.
When it is borne in mind that on some occasions containers can ~be relatively small for the storage of q~

_ _.. _ ... , ._ _ .. _.. _ ... _ _ _ . _ . _ _ . . _ .. ._ ... _ _ _. _ _ _ _ ._ . _ __ _ .__ .. __ ... .. . _ _ _ __ _ numerous inventory items of especially small dimensions, while on other occasions large containers may be needed to store an adequate number of relatively larger inventory items, the time interval during which the motorized rack must be stopped for unloading and loading can become critical.
Therefore, there is a need for a multi-access storage system wherein the unloading of containers from the motorized storage conveyor, and subsequent reloading, can take place while the motorized rack continues traveling.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a multi-access storge system comprising: an endless rack assembly including a plurality of vertical connected racks each having a multiplicity of side-by-side load accommo-dating stations, the racks being mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop that passes an extraction site, the endless loop having a pair of elongated parallel straight reaches and a pair of opposing end portions for forming said straight reaches; conveyor attachment means at each of said stations; a multiplicity of containers having complementary container attachment means thereon for engagement with said conveyor attachment means to releasably secure a particular container individually to a particular station; an extraction assembly adjacent said conveyor for extracting selected con-tainers from the conveyor at said extraction site, said extraction assembly including disengagement means for dis-engaging the selected containers from the corresponding conveyor attachment means at said extraction site, said disengagement means including a diverting mechanism at said extraction site ~- ~
.. ...

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-2a- 61051-2142 having a first operating position clear of said containers and a second operating position wherein the diverting mechanism is in potential engagement with said containers during travel of said containers on said conveyor and wherein said diverting mechanism is adapted, to effect disengagement of the selected container from the conveyor while t:he conveyor remains in continuous motion about the endless loop.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a multi-access storage system comprising: an endless conveyor having a multiple number of load accommodating stations mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop, the endless loop having a pair of elongated parallel straight reaches and a pair of opposing end portions for forming said straight reaches; conveyor attachment means at each of said stations; a multiplicity of containers each having complemen-tary container attachment means thereon for engaging said conveyor attachment means to releasably secure individual containers to said conveyor; an insertion assembly adjacent said conveyor, the insertion assembly including insertion means including an approach for directing said containers onto the conveyor and having a first operating condition for inserting containers onto said conveyor while said conveyor is in con-tinuous motion about the endless loop, and guide means for advancing a particular container to an insertion position relative to a selected empty station passing the insertion site and for moving the containers to a position wherein said con-tainer attachment means engages the conveyor attachment means of the selected empty station during travel of the corresponding 1~84~
-2b- 61051-2142 station past the insertion site.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a multi-access storage system comprising: an endless conveyor rack assembly having a multiple number of load accom-modating stations and mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop; container support means at each of said stations; a multiplicity of containers having complementary container support means thereon for engagement with said conveyor support means to releasably mount containers indivi-dually on said conveyor; an unloading assembly adjacent saidrack for unloading containers from the rack while said rack remains in eontinuous motion about the endless loop, said un-loading assembly including disengagement means for disengaging the container support means of selected containers from their corresponding conveyor support means, disposal means for directing unloaded containers away from the rack, and elevating means for selectively engaging the container to direct movement of the container support means to a position free of said con-veyor support means; and a loading assembly adjacent the rack ineluding means for loading containers on the rack while said rack remains in motion about the endless loop, said loading assembly eomprising an approaeh for direeting partieular eontainers onto the raek, and plaeement means for advaneing a seleeted eontainer to a loading position relative to a seleeted empty station and for moving the eontainer support means of the seleeted eontainer to a position wherein said seleeted eontain-er support means engages the eonveyor support means of the -2c- 61051-2142 selected empty station.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multiple motorized storage rack installation illustrating one location at which unloading and loading assemblies may be installed.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, partially in section, on the line 2-2 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the unloading assembly and applicable portion of the motorized rack.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a part of the loading assembly and applicable portion of the motorized rack.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a clutch on the line 6-6 of FIG. ll.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the clutch device.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the clutch device in a different attitude of operation.
FIG. lO is a fragmentary plan view, similar to FIG. 5, but showing a successive step in the loading operation.

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FIG. 11 is a cross--sectional view on the line 11~11 of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of portions of the unloading and loading assemblies with the loading assembly in still a further advanced stage of operation.
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 12, but showing a still further advance in the operation.
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 14-14 of FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESC~IPTION
In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration there is shown in FIG. 1 two endless conveyor racks 10 and 10' in parallel relationship on each of which is a multiple number of containers 11, each mounted at its container station 12.
The container stations travel in parallel legs between opposite ends 13 and 14. In the embodiment chosen, there is at each end 14 an unloading assembly 15 and a loading assembly 16. It will be appreciated that, space permitting, there can be virtually any number of conveyor racks in such side by side relationship and also that racks can be arranged in tiers, one above the other, as suggested in FIG. 11. Further, in the chosen embodiment, it may be assumed that the endless conveyor racks 10, 10', etc., are traveling in a clockwise direction and may be so motorized as to be capable of continuous travel at every level. Although, as illustrated, there is a container 11 at every station 12, except the left end station, the conveyor rack is operable in the same fashion, although additional stations might, on occasions, be empty.

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THE UNLOADING A',SEMBLY
For the purpose of illustration, it may be assumed that a container 11' of the endless conveyor rack lO, at the left end station 12' of the lower leg is approaching an unloadiny operation to be performed by the adjacent unloadiny assembly 15.
A loading operation can be presumed to be imminent by which a container 11'' will be moved into position to be ultimately loaded on an empty station 12'' To understand the unloading operation, it should be appreciated that the container 11' is in a sense hung on the conveyor rack 10 by use of bracket means in the form of pegs 17, rigidly mounted on side walls of the container 11' which are received by complementary bracket means in the form of flanges 18, anchored to columns 19 - of the conveyor. Shelves 20 at the respective stations 12 are for guidance only and not for support of the containers. Although the containers are shown hung on the rack, shelf support for the containers would be an acceptable alternative.
When the container 11' reaches the endmost position, it will ride over an elevating platform 21, as shown in FIG. 2 and in plan view in FIG. 4. For lifting the elevating platform 21 so as to disengage the container from the conveyor, a lifting cylinder 22 mounted on an adjacent beam 23 is provided with a piston 24 acting against a bracket 25 of the elevating platform, action of which results in lifting the left edge of the container 11' high enough for the peg 17 on that side to clear the corresponding flange 18. Although essentially a clockwise tilting motion is provided, there will be a degree of lift for the right-hand wall of the container 11', sufficient to loosen engagement of the corresponding ... . , . , . . . ~ .. ~ . . . ... . . . . . . ....

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peg 17 from its flange 18.
To accentuate the tilt, there may be provided a substantially vertically extending shaft 26 mounted on the beam 23, having a bent portion 27 at its upper end.
A lower set of casters 28 are adapted to ride upwardly on a vertical portion of the shaft 26 while an upper set of casters 29 ride along the bent portion 27. The net result of the casters rolling upwardly on the shaft 26 is to lift the left-hand peg 17, clear of the corresponding flange 18, sufficient to disengage the container 11' from its corresponding station 12' so that the container can be moved clear of the conveyor rack and advance to the broken line position of FIG. 4. It should be appreciated that it is unnecessary to lift the right-hand peg 17 clear of its corresponding flange 18 because the corresponding shelf 20 will be continuing its motion in a clockwise direction while the lifting is taking place, the result of which is having the wall of the shelf 20 push the container in a direction from right to left of FIG. 4 far enough so that upon automatic lowering of the elevating platform 21, the right-most power actuated horizontal roller 30 will be engaged by the bottom of the container 11' and progressively moved in a direction from right to left, with the help of additional power actuated horizontal rollers 31, 32, 33, etc., acting as a conveyor for the unloading assembly 15. The same discharge disposition of the container would apply under circumstances where, in the alternative, both rear corners were released simultaneously instead of by the tilting expedient.
Synchronization between the travel of the endless conveyor rack 10, the unloading assembly 15 and the loading assembly 16, is accomplished, in the embodiment chosen, by means of a mechanical drive interconnecting the various moving parts, as illustrated 1~46~

advantayeously in FIG. 4. A common drive shaft 35, emanating from a conventional source of power, has mounted thereon a sprocket 36 from which a chain 37 extends to enyagement with a sprocket 37' mounted on a shaft 38 of the endless conveyor rack. A second sprocket 39 has a chain 40 in engagement with it, the chain 40 being a portion of the endless drive for the conveyor rack lO. One or more tension sprockets 39' may be employed to set the tension of the chain 37.
A separate motor 41 mounted on the beam 23 is provided with shaft 42 which drives a sprocket 43 which in turn motivates a chain drive assembly 47 for the rollers 30, 31, 32, 33, etc., which in this fashion comprise a conveyor for the containers 11 as they are fed to it by the unloading assembly. Moreover, by an appropriate selection of sprocket sizes and chain drive assembly 47, the rollers 30, 31, 32, 33, etc., can be made to rotate rapidly enough to move the container 11' along the disposal conveyor at a speed more rapid than the speed of approach of comparable containers while being carried by the approaching leg of the endless conveyor rack. Accordingly, the containers can be moved out of the way for disposition at a rate faster than they are unloaded from the conveyor rack. Although a single common drive shaft 35 has been shown in the chosen embodiment for operating all levels of the conveyor rack, there could, where preferred, be a separate motor for each level.
The same common drive shaft 35, by use of the chain 37 in engagement with a sprocket 49 on a shaft 50, can be used for driving appropriate parts of the loading assembly 16.

THE LOADING ASSEMBLY
If desired, loading of containers on stations of . , .. . . .. ~ .. _ . _ .. ...... , .. -- .. .. ..... _ . . . .. _ . _ ......... .. . _ . _ _ _ ... _ . ... . _ .. _ . _ .. _ . . _ .. _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . _ _ _ .. _ . _ _ . _ . _ . .. _ _ . _ _ _ _ .

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the conveyor rack can proceed while unloading is taking place as well as before or after that operation. For loading, the containers 11, shown in phantom in FIGS. 5, lO and 11, for example, may be advanced along an approach conveyor 56 with the assistance of a set of idler rollers 57. Since the unloading and loading structure and operation are independent of each other, they could be at opposite ends, or at both ends, or even at the sides under acceptable circumstances.
To be certain that each container in turn reaches loading position with respect to the conveyor rack at a proper time, there is provided an impeller arm 58 in response to rotation of the shaft 50. In order to have the impeller arm act at a proper time interval, there is provided an intermittently actuated clutch 55, the details of which are shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Containers 11 are placed upon an approach conveyor 56 where, riding on idler rollers 57, the container passes within reach of the impeller arm 58 mounted on the shaft 50. By properly timing manipulation of the clutch 55, the impeller arm 58 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 5, lO and 12, to advance the container 11 under power to the loading position of FIG. 12. During this movement, a caster 59 at the free end of the impeller arm 58 moves to a position of engagement with the trailing wall of the container 11, as shown in FIG.
lO, ultimately moving the container to the loading position of FIG. 12.
As an alternative expedient, by way of example, a belt type conveyor could be used instead of the idler rollers 57 to move the container into the proper position.
The shaft 50, as previously described, is gear timed in synchronized rotation with respect to travel of the conveyor rack lO by means of rotation of the shaft 46~

38. As can be observed in FIG. 4, rotation of the shaft 50 may be made at a rate slower than the rate of travel of container stations on the conveyor rack. Once the impeller arm 58 is set in mot:ion by action of the clutch, it will advance the container at the desired speed to synchroni~e its arrival at the loading station of FIG. 12 with arrival of the empty station, exemplified by the shelf 20.
To actuate the clutch, there is provided, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, a solenoid 60, a plunger 61 of which is projected into engagement with one arm 62 of a dog 63 so as to move the arm 62 from the clear position of FIG. 6 to engaged position of FIG. 8 with a cam 64.
In that the dog 63 has its stub shaft 65 in engagement with the impeller arm 58, the cam 64, being non-rotatably anchored to the continuously rotating shaft 50, causes the impeller arm to be moved in a clockwise direction, as heretofore described. Motion of the impeller arm 58 acts to build up energy in a torsion return spring 66.
At the end of angular movement of the impeller shaft 58, as shown in FIG. 12, a camming roller 67, shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, acting on an arm 68 at the opposite end of the dog 63, serves to disengage the arm 62 from the cam 64. ~eleased as described, the return spring 66 acts to return the impeller arm 58 from the extended position of FIG. 12 to the initial position of FIG. 5. Once the dog has been returned to disengaged position by action of the camming roller 67, a second smaller torsion spring 69 serves to hold the arm 62 out of engagement with the cam 64 until it is again depressed by action of the solenoid 60.
The synchronization between the conveyor rack 10 and the loading assembly 16, together with the unloading assembly 15, is assured, in the chosen embodiment, by the endless chain structure which joins the sundry container ~4~

stations of the conveyor rack exemplified by the shelves 20. As can be observed in FIGS. 4 and 13, for example, links 75 are pivotally connected to adjacent shelves 20 on opposite ends by pins 76. As a result, there will always be a station on the conveyor at the end of the loading side opposite a comparable station at the end of the unloading side, separated by a station facing endwardly toward the unloading and loading assemblies.
The correct positioning can be assured by the synchronized timing heretofore made reference to.
Once the container 11 has reached the loading position, as shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, a transversely acting mechanism 77 forming part of the loading assembly 16 is called upon to place the container in position on the appropriate station 12 of the endless conveyor rack 10 .
As the container, after traveling along the approach conveyor 56, reaches approximately the phantom position of FIG. 10, the empty station, exemplified by the shelf 20, will have reached approximately the position shown in FIG. 10. In this position, the inside corner of the leading edge of the container will commence to closely approach the empty station 12, exemplified by the shelf. As the container continues to be pushed into the loading position by action of the impeller arm 58, the shelf 20 will continue turning until it reaches the position of FIG. 12. At the same time, the container 11 will have been pushed into the position shown in phantom by pressure of the caster 59 of the impeller arm 58, but the peg 17 at the inside corners of the container will not have as yet engaged with the flanges 18 of the conveyor rack. Engagement is accomplished by action of the transversely acting mechanism 77.

THE TRANSVERSELY ACTING MECHANISM

Essential portions of the mechanism 77, shown in plan view in FIGS. 12 and 13 and in substantially a sectional view in FIG. 1~, are embodied in a power cylinder 78 pivotally mounted on a horizontal beam member 87, a plunger 79 of which is secured to a bracket 80 attached to a loading bar 81. The loadiny bar is provided with a loading tray 82 adapted to slide under the outside of the container 11 to make certain that it can be lifted to the proper position for ultimate loading at the selected station. To provide for accurate movement of the loading tray 82, there are provided two linkages, on respectively opposite sides of the power cylinder 78. On the left side, a central link 83 is attached by a short link 85 to the loading bar 81 and by another short link 86 to a stationary horizontal beam member 87. Similarly, on the right side, as viewed in FIG. 12, a central link 84 is attached by means of a short link 88 to the loading bar 81 and by a second short link 89 to the horizontal beam member 87. The parallelogram effect of the two sets of links maintains the loading bar 81 and loading tray 82 in a proper position of alignment as the loading bar and loading tray are pushed from the position of FIG. 12 to the position of FIGS. 13 and 14. Further, by reason of tilting the 25 transversely acting mechanism 77 obliquely upwardly, as shown in FIG. 14, the outside edge of the container 11 is lifted from the broken line position of the loading tray 82 to the solid line position of the same tray 82, thus providing an upward tilt for the outside edge of the 30 container 11.
As the outside edge is being lifted in the manner shown, the container at the same time is being moved in a direction from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 14, from the broken line position to the solid line position. Movement as described causes the pegs 17 to 6~

first engaye a camming slope 90 of the respective flange 18 so that the pegs will ride over the camming slope and lodge behind the flange 18 in each case in the manner shown in FIG. 14. Once behind the flange, the container can drop to a position of engagement with a ledge 95 where it is positioned by a stop 96.
By the procedure just described, the container 11 is hung in proper position on the empty station 12 of the conveyor rack which has been provided for it. The loading tray 82 is then withdrawn by reverse action of the power cylinder 78 so as to be receptive of the next container 11 which becomes moved to loading position for a succeeding empty station.
In the chosen embodiment of the invention pegs 17 and flanges 18 have been relied upon as a simple effective expedient for attaching the container to the rack at the proper location. It should be appreciated that what is important to the invention is to have the attachment a releasable attachment, irrespective of the expedient chosen. Various alternatives may be preferred as, for example, making use of a spring actuated flange, or instead a spring activated peg. Another alternative is one in which a movable hook may be employed on the rack to releasably engage an appropriate hole in a rim 97 f the container, or other comparable structure on the container.
It should be borne in mind in connection with the operation for loading just described that the shelf 20 is continuously moving, first around the end of the conveyor rack to the loading position, and thereafter immediately in a direction from left to right along the corresponding leg of the rack. The container arrives at the loading position in advance of arrival of the empty station by a sufficiently brief time span to make certain that there is proper alignment when the power cylinder 78 4~i2X

is triggered to push the container into the station and engage the peys 17 with the flanges 18. It should be appreciated in this context that when the container arrives at the loading position, the inside edge of the container is only a short distance from the conveyor rack so that the distance can be immediately closed and engagement accomplished in a very brief span of time.
As an additional assurance that the entry will be timely, there may be provided tapered edge sections 91 and 92 at the ends of the shelf 20 for guidance.
Although reference has been made to the containers 11 in a manner directing attention to the inside edge of the container as being provided with pegs 17, it should be noted that comparable pegs 17 are also provided at outside ends of the side walls and pegs 17' at opposite ends of both the front wall and back wall of the container. Having the container equipped in this fashion with multiple sets of pegs 17, a square container can be loaded on and carried by appropriate stations 12 of the conveyor rack in any one of four orientations, since all pegs 17 and also the pegs 17' will engage with the flanges 18 in the same fashion. The pegs as shown are located beneath the rim 97 which extends around the top of the container.
While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aims of its appended claims are to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is as follows:

Claims (26)

1. A multi-access storage system comprising:
an endless rack assembly including a plurality of vertical connected racks each having a multiplicity of side-by-side load accommodating stations, the racks being mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop that passes an extraction site, the endless loop having a pair of elongated parallel straight reaches and a pair of opposing end portions for forming said straight reaches;
conveyor attachment means at each of said stations;
a multiplicity of containers having complementary container attachment means thereon for engagement with said conveyor attachment means to releasably secure a particular container individually to a particular station;
an extraction assembly adjacent said conveyor for extracting selected containers from the conveyor at said extraction site, said extraction assembly including disengagement means for disengaging the selected containers from the corresponding conveyor attachment means at said extraction site, said disengagement means including a diverting mechanism at said extraction site having a first operating position clear of said containers and a second operating position wherein the diverting mechanism is in potential engagement with said containers during travel of said containers on said conveyor and wherein said diverting mechanism is adapted, to effect disengagement of the selected container from the conveyor while the conveyor remains in continuous motion about the endless loop.

2. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 1 wherein said diverting mechanism includes a contact member that engages the selected container when the diverting mechanism is in said second operating position to push the said container attachment means out of engagement with said conveyor attachment means.

3. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 2 wherein:
the container attachment means at the leading side of the container is initially disengaged from the conveyor attachment means; and movement of the rack against the trailing side of the container shifts the container from the path of travel of the endless loop to the unloading assembly.

4. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 2 wherein said diverting mechanism further includes a selectively activated power means for changing the contact member from its first operating position to its second operating position.

5. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 1 further comprising a power actuated disposal means for moving said containers away from the rack, the disposal means being adapted to operate at a speed greater than the speed of operation of said rack to facilitate removing a first selected container away from said extraction site in advance of arrival at said extraction site of the station next in line on the rack.

6. A multi-access storage system comprising:
an endless conveyor having a multiple number of load accommodating stations mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop, the endless loop having a pair of elongated parallel straight reaches and a pair of opposing end portions for forming said straight reaches;
conveyor attachment means at each of said stations;
a multiplicity of containers each having complementary container attachment means thereon for engaging said conveyor attachment means to releasably secure individual containers to said conveyor;
an insertion assembly adjacent said conveyor, the insertion assembly including insertion means including an approach for directing said containers onto the conveyor and having a first operating condition for inserting containers onto said conveyor while said conveyor is in continuous motion about the endless loop, and guide means for advancing a particular container to an insertion position relative to a selected empty station passing the insertion site and for moving the containers to a position wherein said container attachment means engages the conveyor attachment means of the selected empty station during travel of the corresponding station past the insertion site.

7. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 6 wherein said insertion means further includes:
actuating means for moving the particular container along said approach to said insertion position;
transverse guide means for directing said containers onto the conveyor at the insertion position; and synchronizing means operative between said insertion assembly and said conveyor to actuate the insertion means when the selected empty station on said conveyor enter into alignment with the insertion site.

8. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 7 wherein said actuating means includes a power 45950CAN.CLM -16-actuated impeller for moving the container along the approach.

9. A multi-access storage system comprising:
an endless conveyor having a multiple number of load accommodating stations and mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop;
drive means for rotating the stations about the endless loop;
conveyor attachment means at each of said stations;
a multiplicity of containers each having complementary container attachment means thereon for engagement with said conveyor attachment means to releasably secure containers individually to said conveyor;
an insertion assembly adjacent said conveyor for inserting containers onto said conveyor while said conveyor is in continuous motion, said insertion assembly including an approach for directing specific containers onto empty stations on the conveyor, and placement means for advancing a particular container to an insertion position relative to a selected empty station at the insertion site and for moving the containers to a position wherein the container attachment means on the particular container engage the conveyor attachment means of the selected empty station during travel of the selected station past said insertion site, a power actuated impeller for moving the container along the approach, and a clutch in operative association with the power actuated impeller whereby to selectively actuate the impeller when the selected empty station passes a particular initiation location.

10. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 9 further comprising return means for the impeller including a trip member operative when the impeller has reached a delivery position for the retention member.

11. A multi-access storage system comprising:
an endless conveyor rack assembly having a multiple number of load accommodating stations and mounted for travel in a horizontal plane about an endless loop;
container support means at each of said stations;
a multiplicity of containers having complementary container support means thereon for engagement with said conveyor support means to releasably mount containers individually on said conveyor;
an unloading assembly adjacent said rack for unloading containers from the rack while said rack remains in continuous motion about the endless loop, said unloading assembly including disengagement means for disengaging the container support means of selected containers from their corresponding conveyor support means, disposal means for directing unloaded containers away from the rack, and elevating means for selectively engaging the container to direct movement of the container support means to a position free of said conveyor support means; and a loading assembly adjacent the rack including means for loading containers on the rack while said rack remains in motion about the endless loop, said loading assembly comprising an approach for directing particular containers onto the rack, and placement means for advancing a selected container to a loading position relative to a selected empty station and for moving the container 45950CAN.CLM -18-support means of the selected container to a position wherein said selected container support means engages the conveyor support means of the selected empty station.

12. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 11 wherein said conveyor support means comprises fixed projections on the rack at opposite sides of each station and said container support means comprises complementary fixed projections adjacent leading and trailing corners of each container.

13. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 11 wherein said unloading assembly and said loading assembly are at adjacent stations of said rack, the disposal means being a transport conveyor extending endwardly away from the rack and the approach being a loading conveyor substantially parallel to the transport conveyor and extending endwardly toward the rack.

14. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 13 wherein said transport conveyor includes a multiplicity of power actuated rollers.

15. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 13 wherein each of the containers include side and end walls in a rectangular configuration and a bottom wall, the container support means including pegs disposed in fixed position at the corners formed by adjacent side and end walls, the pegs each protruding laterally outwardly of the wall.

16. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 15 wherein the conveyor support means comprise vertically extending bracket elements adapted to receive the pegs of the containers.

17. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 11 wherein said elevating means includes a power actuated lifting member adapted to direct the leading side of the container to a level higher than the side opposite thereto in response to travel of the rack.

18. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 17 wherein there is a substantially upwardly extending guide at a location clear of the container at the station wherein unloading takes place and carriage means on the lifting platform member in traveling engagement with said guide for tilting the lifting platform member.

19. A multi-access storage system as in Claim 11 wherein there is a common drive mechanism for said system comprising a drive shaft, a first drive connection from said drive shaft to said rack, a second drive connection from said drive shaft to said unloading assembly and a third drive connection from said drive shaft to said loading assembly having an intermittently acting clutch device therein.

20. A storage system for storage and retrieval of material goods, the storage system comprising:
a rotary storage rack including a multiplicity of connected container support stations arranged in side-by-side fashion, means forming a continuous track, and means for rotating the container support stations about the continuous track, each said container support station including rack attachment means;
a multiplicity of containers adapted to receive material goods, each said container having container attachment means for cooperating with the rack attachment means to releasably secure the container to a particular station in a cantilevered manner;

an extractor assembly disposed adjacent the storage rack for disengaging selected containers from their corresponding stations, the extractor assembly including a selectively operable detaching means for disengaging the selected containers from their associated stations while the rack remains in continuous motion.

21. A storage system as recited in Claim 20 wherein said extractor assembly further includes a removal section for cooperating with the detaching means to remove the extracted containers from said rack and an extractor holding section for temporarily holding said extracted containers in a position clear from interference with said rack.

22. A storage system as recited in Claim 20 wherein said detaching means includes unlatching means for selectively unlatching the selected containers from their engagement with the carousel racks, the unlatching means including tilt lifting means for lifting one side of the container to disengage the selected containers from their associated racks.

23. A storage system as recited in Claim 22 wherein said storage system further comprises synchronization means for synchronizing movements of the lifting means and the unlatching means with the movements of the stations to facilitate extracting the selected containers from their associated stations.

24. A storage system for storage and retrieval of material goods, the storage system comprising:
a rotary storage carousel including a multiplicity of connected container support racks arranged in side-by-side fashion, means forming a continuous track, and means for rotating the container support racks about the continuous track, each said container support rack including rack attachment means;
a multiplicity of containers adapted to receive material goods, each said container having container attachment means for cooperating with the rack attachment means to releasably secure the container to a particular carousel rack in a cantilevered manner; and an inserter assembly disposed adjacent the storage carousel, the inserter assembly including loading means for latching each selected container onto an associated selected support rack while the carousel remains in continuous motion.

25. A storage system as recited in Claim 24 wherein said inserter assembly further includes, a holding section for temporarily holding said containers in a position clear from interference with said carousel, an approach section for directing the selected containers into engagement with their associated support rack at a designated loading position said approach section including rollers that support said containers; and means for selectively passing containers from said holding section to said approach section.

45950CAN.CLM -22-

26. A storage system as recited in Claim 25 wherein said approach section includes a guide means for horizontally positioning each particular container relative to the particular carousel rack to which it will be attached.