DE2212074A1 - Brake mechanism for the stacking crane of a warehouse facility - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys Dipl.-Ing. RWeickmann,

Dipl.-Ing. H.Weickmann, Dipl.-Phys. Dr K. Fincke Dipl.-Ing. F. A. Weickmann, Dipl.-Chem. B. Huber

8 MUNICH 86, POST BOX 860 820

MÖHLSTRASSE 22, NUMBER 48 39 21/22

<983921/22>

COlTOO INC., South Hth Avenue, Mendota, Illinois, VoStoA.

Brake mechanism for the stacking crane of a warehouse facility

The invention relates to Eagerhaus systems with a stacking crane and is particularly concerned with an improved braking mechanism specifically designed to "sway." and to prevent the high vertical mast of a stacking crane from tilting "

With stacking cranes, the non-powered® Eneüe sways tall, long standing mast for a vertical lift undesirable strong when the driven end of this stack » the crane is braked until it stops. So is the case «» play with stacking cranes with a MaathShe of 15 or 13 Meters, a sway of 2.5 cm and more is common for the elevator winch despite the rigidity of the properly constructed pole. »Öabelmeohanismus cannot be sure work before this strong fluctuation is dampened, which means a long compulsory break in the operation of a ra & Qh work · '» the. Warehouse system.

In order to prevent swaying in high stacking cranes , it is customary to use a twisting tube that extended over the entire height of the vertical mast

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- ■ 2 -

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meshes with a rack that is attached to the storage rack ο one rotation of the torsion tube duroh a horizontal drive motor then causes a simultaneous horizontal forward movement along the rack · When the horizontal drive motor until it is braked to a stop, the rotation of the torsion tube and a swaying in the upper one ends vertical mast is tied

The twisting tube that runs the entire length of the tall vertical The mast is enough, takes up space and is expensive the notoriously powered opposite end of the stacker crane, a motor drive at only one end of the However, a stacking crane is sufficient to control the horizontal movement along the storage rack

The aim of the invention is to make twisting tubes and similar devices on tall, slim stacking cranes superfluous do. To solve this problem, the invention provides an opening at the non-driven end of a high mast. riGutbremse before. When the driven end up to the stop is braked, a working cylinder hydraulically clamps two normally lifted gripper elements on a smooth one langön brake guide firmly «In one embodiment, the is particularly suitable for some cranes, the gripper elements are removed again after a short delay period «· lifted so that any vertical displacement to the same «· No point in time can be corrected when the grave is in a storage rack can be extended *

According to the invention, an improved braking mechanism for a stacking crane consists of gripper elements which grasp the sides of a horizontal guide _{rail 0} Daduroh has a better braking effect than conventional stacking cranes in which the movement of a wheel running along a horizontal guide rail is electrical ··

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trisoh or mechanically braked.

Further details of the invention emerge from the following Description of an exemplary embodiment based on the accompanying drawings o Show it

Figd a side view looking along one side * passage of a warehouse facility)

3? Igo2 is a front view of the stacker crane shown in FIG.

Figo 3 is a front view of a braking mechanism with grippers, which is at the head end of the stacking crane of Figs 2 is mounted;

Figure 4 is a side view taken along line 4-4 of Pig 3 where some components are omitted for the sake of clarity;

5 shows a block diagram of a control system for actuating the stacker crane and its gripper braking mechanism

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a warehouse system is shown which uses a high stacking crane 20 to which the invention can be applied and right-hand rows of horizontal storage racks 22 stacked vertically on top of one another. The stacking crane illustrated is a device driven from the ground, which runs on a guide rail 24 with a double-T profile, which extends horizontally through the middle of the side aisle · A smooth guide rail 26, the also serves as an alignment braking surface, extends next the ceiling of the warehouse and is off-center to the side * the aisle is supported by a cross member »28, which is attached to vertical beams 30 that extend from the top« of the upper ·· sten storage rack conveyor 22 to top etthen ·

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A horizontal trolley 32 is supported by a drive wheel 34 and a follower wheel 35, which are on top of the Guide rail 24 running, moved forward · Bin horizontal drive motor 35, which has an inner electrically or meohanisoh actuated brake, is via an outer Brake 37 to slow down the speed Son corner reduction gear 39 which rotates drive wheel 34 is connected to trolley 32 along the bearing side aisle to move forward «.

A tall vertical mast stands out from the horizontal barrel cat 32 near the top and has two spaced columns 40 and 42, which are rigidly connected to one another with the aid of an upper carriage frame 46 carries a winding mechanism and a new kind of alignment mechanism, which will be described in more detail below 46 an elevator shaft 48 is rotatably mounted, which is driven by an elevator motor with brake 52 via a sonic ken reduction gear 50 is driven · Two chains 56 and 58, which are wound on the winding shaft 48, are connected to a vertically movable elevator carriage 60, that of the motor 52 in the vertical direction «wipe the spaced apart The columns are moved up and down · On the lifting carriage 60 If a conventional fork mechanism 62 is attached, which can be advanced horizontally (in FIG. 1 either naoh right or left) in order to deposit a pallet 64 with a material load 65 in a compartment of the storage rack 22 or to take from it «)

The stacking crane 20 can be automatically controlled by external » signals, or manually operated by a warehouse worker who is standing in a cab 70 and switches on a Control panel 72 operated to many other common construction and control elements, if desired which have been left out for the sake of clarity 3s are ο

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To catch the stacker crane vertically and in the storage side aisle to center, guide rollers 76 are provided, which are freely rotatably mounted on pins which are of the Trolley 32 and stand against the sides of the lower put on ren guide rail 24 «) Corresponding guide rollers 78, which sit freely rotatably on pins that protrude from the upper carriage frame 46, lie against the both vertical side walls of the upper guide rail 26th

According to the invention, a gripper-Bremsmeehanismus 90 of the upper pillar is mounted to the upper Sehlittengesteil 46} to DI® BEWE "· supply to brake when the brake 40,42 ^ in the horizontal motor 35 is effective to ₉ the crane to stop" · pen . When the pillars 40 and 42 protrude 15 meters or more, the upper carriage rod 46 sways or sways by 2.5 cm or more when the brake of the horizontal motor is operated . This swaying is too large. great to noefa. to enable a more reliable extension of the fork mechanism 62 into an upper compartment of the storage rack 22. The difficulty therein is overcome by the fact that the braking mechanism 90 and the horizon motor brake mechanism 35 are "actuated at the same time" it becomes possible to bring the fork mechanism 62 up immediately as soon as it is in the desired shelf position

Due to the large amount and the inertia ä & v columns 4O ₉ 42 and the different construction of the "two B ^ AMSAN 63 is possible in that the upper ski activities frame 4β in verti" Kaier direction relative to the lower trolley 32 \ m & ± ®, small piece, about 7.5 w & (0.3 inches) offset w1tü _s \ f®aa the crane comes to a stop ₀ This © Yar shift iat j @ <3oo & not so great that it represents a security problem beaiglioli of the extension of the fork mechanism 62 vjürde _o Um However, an accurate Lageeiastelluiag Oer fork sum Zoit ^ point of full Ausfahrung;! au guaranteed © ists ₉ äsr

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Brake mechanism 90 released after a short delay, so that the sole frame 46 the short piece of about 7 »5 mm can go back and consequently no noticeable vertical Inclination occurs along the entire length of the vertical lift mast. The inclination of the vertical mast increases fluctuate when the braking mechanism 90 is released comes to a standstill quickly because the offset is very small and the stacker crane is at rest when the brake mechanism 90 is released. This improved brake assembly eliminates the need for twist bars and other swaying preventive mechanisms in the vertical mast

The braking mechanism 90 is shown in detail in FIGS shown · Sine base plate 100, which is attached to the sole frame 46 is riveted, holds the electrical and hydraulic mechanisms for controlling two gripper elements 102 and 103 »which are attached to a support plate 106 by means of posts 105, which are also attached to the sole frame 46 is riveted. An electrically excitable solenoid 110 is attached to a bracket 112 attached to the Base plate 100 is fixed. The solenoid is supported in such a way that armature 114 can be moved perpendicular to the ground. The reason for this will be explained later. The anchor 114 has a head 116 with two straight shoulders 118 which rest on top of housing 120 of the solenoid when the solenoid is energized and its armature 114 down pulls · The anchor head 116 is connected via an angle lever 130 connected to a working cylinder 132, which presses out the hydraulic brake fluid uuroh awei hoses 134 and 136, when the KoIbsn © tango 140 of the working cylinder in the cylinder is retracted *

The angle lever 130 is pivotable about a pivot pin 150, which is attached to the base plate 100. A connecting pin 152 couples a vertically protruding arm of the angle

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lever 13.0 with the piston rod 140 * Another connection extension pin 154- connects a horizontally protruding arm of the angle lever 130 with an intermediate member 156, which is on Anchor head is hinged by means of a pin 158.

To ensure operational safety, the solenoid 110 remain energized as long as the gripper brake 90 is ineffective should be and must be de-energized when the brake is to be applied. When the solenoid 110 is electrically energized is, the anchor head 116 feat settles on the top of the solenoid housing 120 under the magnetic force of the energized solenoid and also due to the force of gravity, which Supported solenoid action The vertical alignment of the solenoid armature eliminates seat difficulties, which otherwise occur easily if a solenoid remains energized for a long time "

To swivel the bell crank clockwise when the Solenoid 110 is de-energized, a compression spring 170 is between see a Pederteller 172 which is attached to the base plate 100 is, and a spring ring 174 clamped, which is screwed onto a threaded rod 177 hexagon nuts 175 · One end of the threaded rod is attached to the vertical arm of the Angle lever 130 connected, the other end is slidably received in a hole of 3Pederteller 172. if the solenoid 110 is de-energized, the compression spring 170 rotates the bell crank 130 clockwise and pushes the piston rod into the hydraulic working cylinder 132 »

As can be seen from Pig. 4, there is each gripper element and 103 from a piston 190 which has a brake lining 192 at a short distance from the smooth vertical side wall the guide rail 26 hate when the working cylinder 132 is active, the hydraulic brake fluid flows through the hoses 134 and 136 in a closed

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Space behind each piston 190 and exerts on both brake pads the same pressure from <> The braking activity is self-regulating, since each gripper element increases the amount of hydraulic Absorbs brake fluid, which is necessary so that the opposite braking surfaces of the guide rail are detected to the same extent. When the solenoid 110 is energized again, the solenoid armature 114 is magnetically drawn into the solenoid, the bell crank 150 is counteracted rotated clockwise and reduces the pressure on the working cylinder 132, whereupon the two gripper elements are lifted will"

Any crane control capable of energizing solenoid 110 at the same time as when the horizontal motor is brewed to stop An example of a suitable control is illustrated in Pig 5 The controller is of the type described in Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 057 178 filed July 16, 1969, which is hereby incorporated by reference. An outer one Control command is given to an information input 200, which is connected to an instruction address register 202, which stores unique binary numbers which determine both the horizontal and the vertical position Marking for storage «The stored address is stored in • in a horizontal control unit 204 and entered in a corresponding vertical control unit 206

The horizontal control unit 204 has a subtracter 210 which extracts the stored command address C from a Subtracted position address P, which is made available by a horizontal position ni * inhei; fc 212 · Di · unit 212 can β · 1η connected to a horizontal button 214, the in usual white on the trolley 32 for the horizontal * - w «gung, borrowed · Pig.2, is appropriate to unambiguously · characters to be scanned at the horizontal flute soles · 24 · A

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corresponding vertical pushbutton 216 can be mounted on the elevator car 60 in order to detect vertical addresses which attached to one of the pillars 40 or 42 o

The subtracter 210 subtracts the instruction address 0 from the current position address P and generates outputs which are given to a difference detector 220 and an overflow detector 222.The direction of the flow of information is determined by the overflow detector 222, which determines whether the subtracter 210 has an overflow condition _o namely, when the difference of the subtraction (GP) is positive, the Borg bills do not go through, indicating that the instruction address is in front of augenblieklichen position and therefore, the stacking crane sicsh must continue to move in a direction which is arbitrarily besoiohnet with forward to to reduce the difference * other hand, if the subtracted difference (CP) negative iat ₉ as indicated by a © r ~ Ov laufborgezustand, the stacking crane needs to move in the opposite direction, which is arbitrarily designated backward.

The overflow detector 222 each time effectively g © maoht ₉ when a fine positional switch 226 Auslösezeioh © nx ^ ahr * "assumes, indicating that below this point, the information from the horizontal button 214 is valid. This festatollung controls the signal from the overflow detector 222 to a direction controller 230. The resulting gate or function signal is input to a known horizontal motor controller 234, which controls the direction of the horizontal motor.

To control the fortb.ewegungsgescjhwindigkiiit öes stacker crane © in "finally deceleration and stopping at © iaern selected storage compartment of the MFF 220 determines the absolute value of the difference (0-P) _9, the al © r trahierer delivered 210 _a has If © in © r of

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given absolute difference values D is perceived, a corresponding output 240 is generated. In the present example, outputs 240 are provided if the stacker crane is N, 1 and 0 bits away from the selected storage compartment in each direction, i.e. if D = N, D = 1 and D = O ₉

All outputs 240 are input to the horizontal motor control to control the speed of the motor « When D = N and D = »1, the horizontal motor control operates the separate brake 37, which can for example be an eddy current brake, to set the speed of the crane A speed control output 250 from the horizontal motor control 234 can also nooh the horizontal motor 35 slow down, for example, by trimming the firing angle of the silicon-controlled rectifier that powers the motor or by other conventional means.

If the difference is found to be zero, the D = O output produces 240, a signal that is input to the horizontal motor controller 234 and an and gate 254. The horizontal motor control 234 then terminates the electrical drive for the horizontal motor and actuates the internal horizontal motor brake. which completely stops the horizontal movement in an electrical or mechanical way

The vertical control 206 works in much the same way as the horizontal dial control 204 in that it controls the speed the vertical siotora and the brake 52 regulated if ' the Vörtikältasser 216 stored in the register 202 Vertikals.dres36 wa) rjftiaimt ,, ends vertical control 206 the power supply to the motor 52, asserts the internal electrical or mechanical brake of the motor in action UBd also emits a D = 0 signal * aas eiern AND-G-atter 234 is derived * Since now both inputs of the AND gate

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tera 254 are present, the gate output sets one gift control 260 in motion holding a fork motor 262, the ßen Gabelmeehanismus §2 der Pig »2 drives. The fork meohaniamus move now look into © in JJagerfaeh and if there is a load from there, bawo takes an oil before, like this by another usual © control that is not is inclined to have programmed * Appropriately the vertical control 206, the fork control 260 and the Horizontal motor control 234 all manual input speed, ao that an operator controls the stacker crane by hand can control. In some systems, an optional manual control would be desirable "

Uu to control the novel gripper brake mechanism is the line 250 (speed control output) with a Brake control 270 connected ^, it energizes the solenoid 110 lasts as long as a Gea & a "incligkid'bs8t" iJiersign ".l tob the horizontal motor control 234 available iete If the® Sreiferbrems the ganee Ztit over, in which the stacking crane in hori * iontaler direction in Buhe iet, should remain inserted, can the brake control 270 di · Form «ines Eslais, duseern Contacts keep the solenoid 110 energized as long as the Brake in horizontal motor 35 is not effective "At Beeadi" gung d «a driving properties on line 250 is Sann da« Eelaie atroaloa and opens the circuit "sum solenoid tiO" whereby the gripper brake becomes effective.

However, precautionary measures will be taken after a cure. ι · η V * r «ög» rung, «about a second, neoh activity Horisontalnotorbrttna · disengaged · Wi * βοhoη above is "possibly" when the Greiferbreaae disengage 1 · Verification corrected and quickly dampened «For this purpose the Gabtlat« u »ration 260 has an Auagangcleitamg 2Θ0, which causes the brema control 270 to switch the solenoid 110 on kurxi «Seitapp,? m · after the Sraoheinen of the Q-abelaigaal

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the line 280 to be energized again. The brake control 270 therefore actuates the gripper brake immediately when the trolley is braked for the horizontal movement is »As long as the vertical elevator car has not yet braked, the gripper brake remains engaged. If the elevator car comes to a stop, the fork mechanism extends and after a delay of one second the gripper brake is applied solved

The grapple brake mechanism can generally be used to stop the movement of a stacker crane regardless of its use as an alignment brake. The crane control can be replaced with other crane controls which can be modified to operate the solenoid 110 of the Gripper brake mechanism simultaneously with the actuation of an electrical or mechanical brake of the horizontal movement irritate. Further modifications are in the area of professional action «

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Claims (1)

Expectations * Jiagerhausanlage with a storage rack, comprising a plurality ■ ^J goods containing shelves which are spaced in horizontal direction over the length of the warehouse and are stacked in the vertical direction, further comprising a horizontal! Guide rail SiOH extends parallel to the horizontal spaced shelves and on which the trolley of a self-propelled conveyor runs with a drive and brake unit for moving and stopping the trolley, further with tall columns which are mounted on the trolley and extend vertically enough therefrom that vertical inclination and swaying between the trolley and a vertically spaced part of the columns is possible to an undesirable extent if the locomotion speed of the carriage is changed by the drive and braking unit, furthermore with an elevator which can be moved along the columns in order to load a load in the vertical direction convey and set down in a shelf or take it from such a shelf, characterized in that a long braking surface (26) extends parallel to and at a distance from the horizontal guide rail (24) next to the opposite part of the pillars (40, 42) and on this opposite part of the columns a disengagement brake (90) is arranged which, when actuated, presses a lifted braking element (102, 103) against the long braking surface (26) in order to stop the movement of the opposite part of the columns, and which is controlled by a control (270,110) is actuated when the drive and brake unit (35) stops the movement of the trolley (32) « Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the 209852/0553 The brain se (90) is an electrically operated member (110) for moving a device part (130), as well as a mechanically actuated member (132), which of the position of the device (130) is controlled and that the lifted braking element presses against the long braking surface, and that the controller electrically operated Member elektrisoh controls when the drive and brake unit (35) stops the trolley (32), and in the sense that the braking element is applied to the braking surface 3ο system according to claim 2, characterized in that the mechanically operated member (132) has a suspension (170) which the braking element against the braking surface presses, the position of the device (130) when the electrically operated member (110) is excited is such that the spring force is overcome and the braking element remains lifted, and that the control a circuit to excite the electro-operated member as long as the drive and brake unit is the trolley moves, and has to terminate the excitation when stopping the trolley. 4 · Plant according to claim 2, characterized in that the electrically operated member is a solenoid (110) having an armature (114) which, upon energization of the Solenoids is moved from a first to a second position, and that on the opposite part the column is attached in such a way that its anchor is oriented vertically, in such a position that gravity supports the vertical movement of the anchor in the second position " 5 c plant li & oh claim 2, characterized in that the L'3charlfah actuated member is a working cylinder (132) 209852/0553 is, which with corresponding movement of its piston rod (140) hydraulic fluid through sole tubes (134, 136) presses, the piston rod via a connecting link is connected to the device part (130), and that the braking element (102,103) has a housing, in which a piston (190) is movable and to which the sole tubes are connected in such a way that the piston the pressure of the hydraulic fluid presses against the braking surface (26) ο 6. Plant according to claim 5, characterized in that the housing consists of two housing parts »the two Sides of the long braking surface (26) are arranged, and that two pistons (190), one in each housing part, are provided are carried by the hydraulic fluid in opposite directions against the two sides of the Braking surface are pressed, so that a braking effect is created in the manner of a gripper. 7 · Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that « the control system has a brake release (280) that releases the release brake (90) as soon as a pre * - The amount of time after the trolley stopped through the drive and brake unit has elapsed to correct any vertical misalignment in the columns to be able to 8 * Plant according to claim 1, daduroh characterized that too the elevator mechanism includes a fork mechanism (62) which, controlled by a fork motor (262), in horizontal Riohtung can be stretched out in a shelf and withdrawn from this, and that for control includes a fork control (260) which switches on the fork motor after the drives and brake units (35) the trolley has stopped 209852/0553 221207 A 9. Plant according to claim 1 »characterized in that on the opposite part of the columns guide rollers (76) are attached, which calibrate against the long one Lay the braking surface (26) so that the braking surface acts as a Ausrlohtbremsfläche and as a vertical support for the self-propelled conveyor 1Oo system according to claim 9, characterized in that the long braking surface consists of two vertically directed The sides of a horizontal guide rail (26) are attached to the storage racks by means of a cross member (28) is held that the guide rollers (78) run on these two sides and that the alignment brake at Press the lifted brake element against at least one of the two vertical sides 11. Plant naoh claim 10, characterized in that the braking element has the form of a gripper brake, with two movable gripper elements (102,103), on whose A brake lining (192) is attached to each end and which can be placed against the two vertical sides and practically under the same pressure on both sides against the vertical sides of the braking surface. 12 · Warehouse facility with a storage rack, which has a plurality of segal compartments containing clay goods, which are in spaced horizontally along the length of the warehouse and stacked one on top of the other in the vertical direction are, characterized in that parallel to the horizontally spaced Regalfäohern a long horizontal guide rail runs, along the length of which there are two braking surfaces facing opposite sides extend that a self-propelled conveyor is movable along the guide rail, the one running along the horizontal guide rail 20 9852/0553 Has carriage assembly, on which long columns are supported, which are next to the shelves in vertical Extend direction and on which an elevator is movable to transport a load in the vertical direction and to set it down in a shelf faoh or to take it from such, that furthermore on the self-propelled conveyor there are motors to drive the soleplate arrangement in the horizontal direction along the warehouse galen and the elevator provided in the vertical direction are, and that a gripper brake on the sole arrangement is attached, the opposite of the two braking surfaces of the horizontal guide rail a first and has a second G-riper element and with a drive to apply the two gripper elements in opposite directions on the two braking surfaces is to the horizontal movement of the chute arrangement to stop· Ue plant according to claim 12, characterized in that the sole arrangement has two! guide surfaces that apply to the two oppositely directed braking surfaces to move the slide assembly on the horizontal To hold the guide rail so that the braking surfaces both for braking and as a guide to serve· 14 * Plant according to claim 12, characterized in that the gripper brake has two hydraulically controlled pistons has, which are provided with a brake lining, as well as a working cylinder, which applies a hydraulic working fluid to the two pistons, around the brake lining to press against the braking surfaces 15. Plant according to claim 14, characterized in that the gripper brake is an electrically operated element 203862/0553 which transfers a device part from a first to a second position when it is energized, wherein the device part is connected via a connecting member to the working cylinder to this to operate when it is in its first position, and that a control is provided that the electrically operated member is energized as long as the motor is driving the carriage assembly and de-energized when the motor stops the sole arrangement « 16o system according to claim 15, characterized in that the connecting member is provided with a suspension that the device part from the second in the first . Position when the electrically operated link is de-energized 17 · Plant according to claim 15, characterized in that the gripper brake comprises means for keeping the electrically operated member in a vertical position on the sole assembly to be held in such a way that gravity forces the movement of the device from one to the other other position supported Installation according to Claim 12, characterized by a horizontal rail which extends parallel to the long guide rail at a distance, the sole arrangement being provided with holding elements that hold it on the horizontal rail, and a rail brake on the The base arrangement is attached next to this horizontal rail in order to stop the horizontal movement of the base arrangement and a control is provided to operate the gripper brakes and i ± 9 rail brakes simultaneously, ac * that vertical swaying of the columns is prevented . 209852/0553 19 «Appendix after. Claim 18, characterized in that the horizontal guide rail and the horizontal rail are arranged at the two vertical ends of the columns in order to catch the self-propelled Löräerer in between, and that the sole arrangement. a rail trolley that travels on the horizontal rail and has a guide carriage that moves along the horizontal guide rail and the motors include a drive wheel that is attached to one of the two sole components in order to move it along its guide, and that is connected to a horizontal motor that drives it ₀ 209852/0553 Blank page