JP2000142911A - Article warehousing and delivery device in article storage facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article warehousing and delivery device in an article storage facility, which can safely transfer article even at an outside position remote from a rack side transfer position, and which can easily transfer an article with the use of a hand lifter without the floor surface being subjected to any particular execution. SOLUTION: A relay carrier 8 is reciprocated between a rack side transfer position X where an article A is transferred to and from a rack carrier device provided in an article storage rack 2, and an outside transfer position Y where an article is transferred to and from the outside, and a relay elevator 14 which can be moved up and down for transferring an article to and from the outside at a lower position on the floor surface F side, and for transferring an article to and from the relay carrier 8 at an upper position higher than the lower position, is provided at the outside, shifting position Y.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relay cart for transferring articles between a shelf-side transfer position for transferring articles to and from a shelf transfer device provided on an article storage shelf and the outside. For storing and unloading articles in an article storage facility provided to be reciprocally movable to and from an external transfer position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An article loading / unloading apparatus having such a structure transfers an article between a stacker crane as a shelf transporting apparatus and a relay cart at a shelf-side transfer position, for example.
In addition, at the external transfer position remote from the shelf transfer position, the transfer of the goods using the hand lifter or the like is performed by transferring the goods between the relay truck and the hand lifter. Is configured to be performed safely.

[0003] By the way, the vertical movement of an article by a hand lifter can only be moved up and down a very limited distance. Therefore, conventionally, a shelf side for transferring articles between a stacker crane and a relay truck has conventionally been used. It is known that an external transfer position is set higher than a transfer position, and at a higher external transfer position, an article can be transferred to a relay truck by a hand lifter (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-163873). 6-1403
Reference).

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned publication requires a considerable vertical difference between the shelf-side transfer position and the external-side transfer position. It is necessary to raise the part to the outside transfer position, or it is necessary to provide a pit on the floor and set it to the shelf transfer position, and in any case, the construction on the floor becomes large, There was a drawback that the construction cost was high.

The present invention focuses on such a conventional problem. It is an object of the present invention to safely carry out an article transfer operation at an external transfer position away from a shelf transfer position. Another object of the present invention is to provide an article loading / unloading apparatus in an article storage facility capable of performing an article transfer operation easily using a hand lifter without performing special construction on a floor surface.

[0006]

To achieve this object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, articles are transferred to an external transfer position for transferring articles to and from the outside. In order to perform the article transfer at the lower position on the floor side and to transfer the article to and from the relay cart at the upper position above the lower position, the article support unit can be moved up and down freely. Since the device is provided, it is possible to safely carry out article transfer work at the external transfer position away from the shelf transfer position,
Moreover, the transfer of the article can be performed at a position below the floor, so that the article can be directly transferred by a hand lifter or the like without performing any special construction on the floor.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the shelf transport device includes a fork-type transfer device for transferring an article, and the relay truck can transfer the fork-type transfer device. It is equipped with a fixed receiving table type article support table for placing and supporting articles in a stable state, so that the fork type transfer apparatus provided in the shelf transfer apparatus is used as it is, and the article storage shelf and the shelf transport apparatus are used. The transfer of articles can be performed between the apparatus and the apparatus, and the cost can be reduced by sharing the fork-type transfer apparatus. Furthermore, the relay lifting device serves as an article support portion,
Since there is provided a pair of article supports which are located at an interval into which the relay truck enters and which can support the article supported above the article support base, the article support of the relay elevating device is vertically moved up and down. Thereby, it is possible to transfer articles between the relay lifting device and the relay truck.Therefore, on the relay truck side, there is a transfer device that transfers articles between the relay lifting device and the relay lifting device. Since it becomes unnecessary and lighter in weight, it is possible to reciprocate with a small artificial force when the relay bogie is composed of a hand-operated bogie, and a small size when it is composed of a self-propelled bogie. It can be reciprocated by driving force.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, management means for controlling the transfer operation of the shelf transfer device, the running operation of the relay truck, and the raising and lowering operation of the relay elevating device, and managing article entry and exit. Is provided, the operations of the shelf transport device, the relay cart, the relay elevating device, and the like are all performed automatically, and the entry / exit status of articles is also automatically managed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the relay truck is configured to reciprocate along the pair of linear rails, the reciprocating movement of the relay truck is smooth, and The pair of article supports is provided along the rails and facing each other with the pair of rails interposed therebetween, and at the lower position, the pair of article supports is a floor on which the rails are provided. Since it is configured to contact or substantially contact the surface, when transferring the goods using the hand lifter, the goods can be transferred by raising and lowering the goods slightly up and down from the floor surface. In this way, the transfer operation of the articles can be performed more easily.

According to the invention described in claim 5, one side along the moving path of the relay bogie including the shelf-side transfer position and the external-side transfer position, and the moving path excluding the shelf-side transfer position. On the other side along, a guard member is provided to cover the side surfaces of the relay truck and the articles on the relay truck, and at the other side at the shelf-side transfer position, the articles are transferred between the relay truck and the shelf transport device. Since the transfer device is configured to transfer and transfer the article between the relay lifting device and the outside between the one side and the other side at the external transfer position, the article loading / unloading is performed. The entire device is almost completely covered with the guard member except for the necessary parts, so that safety for the worker can be more reliably ensured.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an article storage and retrieval device in an article storage facility according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Such an article loading / unloading device is used for an automatic warehouse or the like, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an article storage shelf 2 having a plurality of article storage units 1 in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction is provided. A pair of rails 3 for stacker cranes are laid in a straight line on the floor F between the pair of article storage shelves 2 with the front ends facing each other. Then, a stacker crane 4 as a shelf transport device that moves along the rail 3 is provided so as to be able to automatically travel along the frontage of the article storage shelf 2. The stacker crane 4 is provided with an elevating platform 5 which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. The elevating platform 5 is provided with a pallet P on which articles A are placed by expanding and contracting toward the article storage units 1 located on both sides. A fork-type transfer device 6 for transferring the entire pallet P is provided.

On one side of the carry-in / out side of the article storage shelf 2, a pair of right and left relay truck rails 7 are laid in a straight line on the floor F in a state parallel to the stacker crane rails 3. A relay truck 8 that automatically travels on the pair of left and right rails 7 is provided, and the relay truck 8 is configured to reciprocate between a shelf-side transfer position X and an external-side transfer position Y. I have. The relay truck 8 includes a pair of left and right drive wheels 9 and a free wheel 10 that rolls on a pair of left and right rails 7, and the traveling electric motor 1 for driving the drive wheels 9 to rotate forward and reverse.
1 are provided, and at the four corners of the upper surface thereof, an article support table 12 in the form of a fixed pedestal which spreads outward upward and guides and supports the pallet P is provided.

At the shelf-side transfer position X, the fork-type transfer device 6 provided on the stacker crane 4 expands and contracts, and the articles A placed on the article support table 12 of the relay truck 8 are moved. The pallet P is scooped and transferred onto the lift 5 of the stacker crane 4, and thereafter, the self-propelled movement of the stacker crane 4, the vertical movement of the lift 5, and the expansion and contraction of the fork-type transfer device 6, The articles A are placed and carried in the article storage sections 1 of the article storage shelves 2 together with the pallets P, or conversely, the articles A are taken out of the article storage sections 1 and transported. The pallet P is transferred onto the article support table 8 of FIG.

The rail 7 for the relay truck is extended to the side of the control box 13 which is installed substantially at the center of the pair of article storage shelves 2 on the loading / unloading side.
3 is set to the external transfer position Y,
At the outer transfer position Y, there is provided a relay elevating device 14 that mounts and supports the article A together with the pallet P and moves up and down. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the relay elevating device 14 includes two columns 15 on the left and two columns 15 on the right in a state along the rail 7 when viewed from the direction along the rail 7 for the relay truck. And an article support 16 as an article support section that moves up and down in the vertical direction with respect to the two right and left columns 15. The left and right article supports 16
Although the left and right devices are different from each other, there is almost no change in the structure. Therefore, only one of the article supports 16 will be described below. The different parts will be described each time.

As shown in FIG. 9, the two columns 15 have a rectangular cross section and are formed of a hollow metal mold. A mounting base plate 17 is fixed to the lower end thereof. Through the anchor bolt B
, And is fixed substantially vertically on the floor surface F, and the upper ends thereof are connected to each other by a metal channel-shaped connecting member 18 arranged in the horizontal direction. Each strut 1
5, a lifting frame 19 that moves up and down along the longitudinal direction of the column 15 is provided, and a plurality of idle-type guide rollers 20 provided on the frame 19 are provided with a short section of the column 15 having a rectangular cross section. A plurality of slide members 21 provided on the elevating frame 19 are configured to be brought into contact with the inner surfaces of the long sides of the columns 15 and slid. The above-mentioned article support 16 is attached between the two lifting frames 19 which move up and down along.

The article support 16 is formed of a sheet metal so as to be substantially L-shaped in a lateral side view and rectangular in a plan view. It is configured to be. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a bracket plate 23 is fixed to the longitudinal center rear surface of the article support 16, and a pair of connecting members 24 is fixed to the bracket plate 23. A long connecting hole 25 having a length L1 in the up-down direction is formed in each of the two connecting members 24 so as to face each other.

A pair of brackets 26 are mounted on the upper surface of the connecting member 18 in the longitudinal direction, and bearings 27 are mounted on the respective brackets 26. It is freely held. The two bearings 27 are vertically movably held by bolts 30 inserted into four vertically long holes 29 formed in the bracket 26, and each bearing 27 is screwed to the connecting member 18. Adjustment bolt 31
Is forcibly moved upward. At a lower position corresponding to the idle sprocket 28, a pair of bearings 3 mounted on the base plate 17 is provided.
2, a single endless chain 34 is wound around the driving sprocket 33 and the upper idle sprocket 28, and the chain 34 is adjusted by the adjusting bolt 31.
It is configured so that a certain tension can be applied by removing the slack of.

A connecting block 35 is interposed on the inner side of the endless chain 34, and connecting pins 36 are provided from both sides of the connecting block 35.
Are projected, and each connecting pin 36 is connected to the connecting member 2.
4 is inserted into a long connecting hole 25 formed in the hole. The drive sprocket 33 is driven to rotate by an electric motor 37 with a speed reducer mounted on the base plate 17, and the connection block 3 is moved with the movement of the chain 34.
When the member 5 is moved upward, the connecting pins 36 contact the upper ends of the connecting long holes 25 to raise the article support 16. The electric motor 37 for elevating and lowering
Is driven in reverse to move the connecting block 35 downward along with the movement of the chain 34, the article support 16 is lowered, and even when the article support 16 is in contact with the floor surface F, The connecting pin 36 is configured to be able to move downward in the elongated hole 25, so that the article support 16 is brought into contact with the floor surface F.

A limit switch bracket 38 for restricting the downward movement of the connection block 35 is located in the vicinity of the downward movement path of the vertical movement path of the connection block 35, and is provided on the base plate 17. Installed. The limit switch bracket 38 includes a lowering limit switch 40 having an idler roller 40a, and an emergency stop lower limit switch 41 having an idler roller 41a. It is attached to the chain 34 with its position shifted vertically in a state where it is located above and with a length L2 shorter than the length L1 of the connecting long hole 25 therebetween. The connection block 35 is provided with a dog 42 which comes into contact with the idle rollers 40a, 41a of the limit switches 40, 41. Although not shown,
In the vicinity of the movement path above the connecting block 35, a limit switch for ascending limit and an upper limit switch for emergency stop similar to the lowering limit switch 40 and the lower limit switch 41 for emergency stop are provided. The dog 42 is also configured to be able to contact the idle roller of the switch.

The motor shaft 45 of the elevating electric motor 37 with the speed reducer extends beyond the driving sprocket 33 attached to the motor shaft 45 to the opposite side of the elevating electric motor 37, and its extending end. The disk 46 is attached to the portion, and the disk 46 is configured to rotate integrally with the motor shaft 45. As shown in FIG. 10, the disk 46 has two outer peripheral portions cut away, and the teeth 46a and the toothless portions 46b are alternately located on the outer peripheral portion of the disk 46. Is configured. A horseshoe-shaped photosensor 47 for detecting the tooth portion 46a and the toothless portion 46b of the disk 46 is provided so as to straddle the disk 46, and is fixed and held by a bracket 48 attached to the base plate 17. With the rotation of the disk 46, the photo sensor 47 is turned on when detecting the tooth portion 46a and turned off when detecting the toothless portion 46b to generate a pulse.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of both sides along the moving path of the relay truck 8, both side surfaces of the external transfer position Y are formed by the back plate 49 of the relay lifting device 14. On the side opposite to the control box 13, the wire mesh 50 is covered with the shelf-side transfer position X, and on the control box 13 side, the shelf-side transfer position X is set. The wire nets 50 are provided in a state where they are removed, respectively, and the relay truck 8 and the article A on the relay truck 8 are provided by the back plate 49 of the relay lifting device 14 and the guard member 51 composed of the wire mesh 50.
It is configured to cover the side surface. In other words, at the shelf-side transfer position X, the fork-type transfer device 6 of the stacker crane 4 transfers the articles from the side on the control box 13 side to the relay truck 8, and the outer-side transfer position Y
Is configured to transfer articles to the relay lifting device 14 from the front along the relay bogie rail 7, and the other side of the moving path of the relay bogie 8 is a guard member 5.
1 and the rear side of the shelf-side transfer position X is an article storage shelf 2
It is a configuration covered by

The operation of the automatic warehouse having such a configuration is entirely controlled by the control device H as a management means using a microcomputer housed in the control box 13 and is also stored in the article storage shelf 2. Goods A
Is managing. Therefore, this control device H
As shown in the figure, the control device for the stacker crane that controls the stacker crane 4 and the control device for the relay truck that controls the relay truck 8 are configured to be able to communicate with each other, and are provided on the upper surface of the control box 13. Operating device and an operating panel 52 provided on the relay elevating device 14 (see FIG. 2).
Are configured to control various devices based on an operation command from
And the detection information of the photo sensor 47 and the like are all input.

Next, the control operation of the automatic warehouse by the control device H will be described. When storing the article A in the article management shelf 2, the fork 53 a of the hand lifter 53 is inserted into the fork insertion hole of the pallet P on which the stored article A is placed, and the article A is transferred by the hand lifter 53 to the relay lifting / lowering device 1.
4 and is operated by operating an operating device provided on the upper surface of the control box 13 to input necessary information on the stored article A. Then, based on the input information, the control device H selects the article storage shelf 2 that stores the article A and the article storage unit 1. Before and after the operation of the operating device, the stored articles A are placed by the hand lifter 53 together with the pallets P on the left and right article supports 16 of the relay lifting device 14. The mounting operation of the article A by the hand lifter 53 is performed by the two article supports 16 as described in detail later.
Since it is in contact with the floor F, the pallet P
Does not need to be raised very much and can be placed relatively easily.

When the placement on the article support 16 is completed, the hand lifter 53 is retracted, and an operation start is commanded by the operation panel 52 provided on the relay lifting device 14. Then, the left and right elevating electric motors 37 are driven synchronously,
As the drive sprocket 33 rotates, the chain 34
The connection block 35 is moved upward along with the movement of the connection member, and both connection pins 36 are connected to the connection long holes 2 of the connection member 24.
5 contacts the upper surface. When the connecting block 35 moves upward as it is, the left and right article supports 16 are lifted and raised, and the traveling electric motor 11 of the relay truck 8 is driven in conjunction with the rise of the article supports 16. Then, the relay cart 8 is moved along the rail 7 to the external transfer position Y.
Move to the side.

Dog 42 provided on connecting block 35
However, when it comes into contact with the idler roller of the limit switch (not shown), the electric motor 37 for lifting and lowering is stopped, and the left and right article supports 16 are stopped at predetermined upper positions. While the article support 16 is being lifted, the control device H compares the pulses from the left and right photosensors 47, and if there is a deviation of more than a fixed amount between both pulses, that is, for some reason, the left and right When the article support 16 stops rising at the same speed, an alarm device (not shown) is activated to stop the article support 16 from rising. If the lifting electric motor 37 does not stop even though the dog 42 contacts the idler roller of the limit switch, the dog 4
With the contact of the emergency stop upper limit switch 2 with the idle roller, the control device H activates the alarm device to stop the electric motor 37 for lifting.

When the left and right article supports 16 are stopped at predetermined upper positions, the trolley 8 enters under the pallet P raised by the article supports 16 and receives a predetermined value based on information from a sensor (not shown). The pallet P is lowered together with the article support 16 by the reverse rotation of the electric motor 37 for elevating and lowering, and the controller H compares the pulses from the left and right photosensors 47 during the lowering. are doing. As shown in FIG. 4, the relationship between the article support 16 and the article support 12 is such that the length of the article support 16 in the front-rear direction is longer than the distance between the pair of article supports 12 positioned in the front-rear direction. Since it is configured to be short and to enter inside between the pair of front and rear article support tables 12, the four corners of the pallet P are guided by the article support table 12 of the relay truck 8 as the article support 16 descends. Thus, the article support 16 is placed and held on the article support base 12, and the article support 16 is lowered as it is. Thereafter, the dog 42 of the connection block 35 is moved to the idle roller 40 a of the lowering limit switch 40. By contact, the lifting electric motor 37 stops.

When the electric motor 37 is stopped by the information from the lowering limit switch 40, the connecting pin 36 of the connecting block 35 is connected to the connecting member 24.
Is set in advance so as to be located below and apart from the upper surface of the connection long hole 25 formed in the floor, so that even if the floor surface F has some irregularities, the left and right article supports 16 are surely secured to the floor surface. It stops at the lower position where it is in contact with F. When the electric motor 37 for lifting and lowering is not stopped by the information from the lowering limit switch 40, the control device is brought into contact with the emergency stop lower limit switch 41 of the dog 42 against the idle roller 41a. H activates the alarm device to stop the electric motor 37 for elevating. At that time, the connecting slot 25
The length L2 between the limit switches 40 and 41 is shorter than the length L1, and the connecting pin 36 is set so as not to contact the lower surface of the connecting long hole 25. The emergency stop is performed before the connecting pin 36 comes into contact with the lower surface of the connecting long hole 25.

The relay truck 8 on which the article A is placed and held together with the pallet P is moved to the shelf-side transfer position X by the reverse rotation of the electric motor 11 for traveling, and based on information from a sensor (not shown). It stops at a predetermined shelf side transfer position X. When the relay truck 8 stops, the fork-type transfer device 6 of the stacker crane 4 that has been waiting extends to below the pallet P, and as the elevator 5 rises, the article A is scooped together with the pallet P. In addition, the article A is transferred together with the pallet P onto the elevator 5 by the retreat of the fork-type transfer device 6.
Then, by the self-propelled movement of the stacker crane 4, the elevation of the elevating platform 5, and the expansion and contraction operation of the fork-type transfer device 6, the articles A are stored in the article storage unit 1 of the selected article storage rack 2.
Then, the loading operation of the article A is completed after being placed and stored together with the pallet P.

When the article A is carried out, necessary information on the article A to be carried out is input by the operating device. Then, based on the input information, the control device H selects the article storage shelf 2 in which the articles A to be carried out are stored and the article storage section 1, and, contrary to the above-described carrying-in work, the stacker crane 4 Then, the article A is carried out together with the pallet P from the selected article storage unit 1 and is placed on the article support table 12 of the relay truck 8 at the shelf-side transfer position X. Then, the relay truck 8
The traveling electric motor 11 is driven to move the relay cart 8 to the external transfer position Y side, and the lifting electric motor 3
7 is also driven, and the article support 16 waiting on the floor F in contact with the floor F starts to rise.

In synchronization with the stop of the relay truck 8 at the predetermined external transfer position Y, the rising article support 16 moves the article A
The trolley 8 is returned to the original shelf-side transfer position X, and the dog 42 of the connecting block 35 is brought into contact with the idler roller of the limit switch for ascending. Stop rising as you do,
It is lowered by the reverse rotation drive of the lifting electric motor 37. As described above, the dog 42 of the connecting block 35 is moved downward by the lowering limit switch 40.
As it comes into contact with the idler roller 40a, it stops in a state where it is securely in contact with the floor surface F. Thereafter, the article support 16
The fork 53a of the hand lifter 53 is inserted into the fork insertion hole of the pallet P
To transport the article A together with the pallet P to a predetermined location, and the work of unloading the article A ends.

[Another Embodiment] (1) In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the article A is stored in the article storage shelf 2 and the transport and transfer of the article A are all performed for each pallet P. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the article A is directly placed and stored on the article storage shelf 2 without using the pallet P, or the article A is directly conveyed or transferred. In this case, the transfer device provided on the side of the stacker crane 4 includes, for example, a pair of holding belts that hold and transfer both sides of the article A. As described above, various devices can be used as the device A for transferring the articles A. Such a device is provided on the side of the stacker crane 4 as the shelf transport device as in the previous embodiment. Instead, it may be provided on the relay truck 8 side. Further, the transfer device provided on the relay truck 8 side may be configured to transfer articles between the relay truck 8 and the relay lifting device 14, or may be arranged on the relay lifting device 14 side. The article transfer device provided may also be configured to transfer an article between the relay truck 8 and the relay elevating device 14.

(2) In the above embodiment, a self-propelled bogie that runs on a pair of rails 7 is exemplified as the relay bogie 8. However, the self-propelled bogie that directly runs on the floor F without the rail 7 is used. It can be carried out using a trolley of the type, or it can be carried out using a hand-held trolley running on a pair of rails 7 or on the floor surface F.

(3) In the above embodiment, the guard member 51 is constituted by the back plate 49 and the wire mesh 50 of the relay elevating device 14, but the guard member 51 may be constituted only by the wire mesh 50. It is also possible to provide the guard member 51 by providing various fences or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the entire automatic warehouse.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of an automatic warehouse.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a relay elevating device.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the relay lifting device.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a main part of the relay elevating device.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Article Storage Shelf 4 Shelf Conveying Device 6 Fork-Type Transfer Device 7 Rail 8 Relay Truck 12 Article Supporting Table 14 Relay Elevating Device 16 Article Supporting Body as Article Supporting Part 51 Guard Member A Article F Floor H Management Means X Shelf side transfer position Y External side transfer position

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An external transfer for transferring an article between a shelf-side transfer position at which a relay truck transfers an article to and from a shelf transport device provided on an article storage shelf and the outside. An article loading and unloading device in an article storage facility provided to be reciprocally movable to and from the position, wherein the externally-transferred position performs article transfer with the outside at a lower position on the floor side, In addition, in order to perform article transfer with the relay cart at an upper position above the lower position, an article storage facility provided with a relay lifting device capable of vertically moving an article support portion. Article loading and unloading device. 2. The shelf transport device includes a fork-type transfer device for transferring an article, and the relay cart places and supports the article in a state in which the fork-type transfer device can transfer. It is provided with an article support base of a fixed receiving stand type, and the relay elevating device is capable of lifting an article positioned as an article support section at an interval into which the relay cart enters and supporting the article above the article support base. The article storage and retrieval device in the article storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of article supports. 3. A management means for controlling a transport operation of the shelf transport device, a traveling operation of the relay cart, and a lifting and lowering operation of the relay elevating device, so as to manage entry and exit of articles. Item 3 is an article storage and retrieval device in the article storage facility according to Item 2. 4. The relay truck is configured to reciprocate along a pair of linear rails, and the pair of trucks are opposed to each other along the pair of rails and across the pair of rails. 4. The article support according to claim 2, wherein the pair of article supports are configured to contact or substantially contact a floor surface on which the rail is provided at the lower position. 5. Article storage and retrieval device in the article storage facility of Japan. 5. One side along the moving path of the relay truck including the rack-side transfer position and the external-side transfer position, and another side along the moving path excluding the rack-side transfer position. A guard member that covers a side surface of the relay truck and the article on the relay truck is provided, and transfers the article between the relay truck and the shelf transport device at the other side at the shelf-side transfer position. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an article is transferred between the relay lifting device and the outside between the one side and the other side at the external transfer position. An article storage and retrieval device in the article storage facility according to claim 1.