US3804274A

US3804274A - Article handling transfer mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3804274A
Application number: US00226909A
Authority: US
Inventors: I Johnson
Original assignee: Docutel Corp
Current assignee: Bae Automated Systems Inc; Docutel Corp
Priority date: 1972-02-16
Filing date: 1972-02-16
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16
Also published as: GB1410712A; DE2305605A1; FR2172414A1; JPS5625411B2; FR2172414B3; JPS4897273A; CA980373A

Abstract

Luggage and articles of similar configuration are transported from a check-in station to a remote distribution station in a track mounted self-propelled and self-guided vehicle. The vehicle chassis supports a permanently affixed half-wall body. A removable insert mates with the half-wall body to form a container for the luggage or articles of simlar configuration being transported. To load articles into the car insert, the insert is raised from the tracked vehicle to an elevated transfer position at a check-in station. The check-in station includes a shuttle car arrangement for transferring articles from a drop-off point to the transfer position. This shuttle car moves from the drop-off point to the transfer position where a pusher mechanism transfers the articles into the elevated car insert. After loading the insert at the elevated position, it is lowered into the tracked vehicle for dispatching to a remote distribution station. At the remote distribution station, a similar raising mechanism lifts the car insert from the tracked vehicle and the articles are unloaded.

Description

[451 Apr. 16, 1974 United States Patent [191 Johnson ARTICLE HANDLING TRANSFER Primary Examiner- Von C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce l-l. Stoner, Jr.

MECHANISM or Firm-Richards, Harris &

[75] Inventor: Ivan E. Johnson, Richardson, Tex. Attorney Agent [73] Dallas, Tex.

Medlock Assignee: Docutel Corporation,

[57] ABSTRACT Luggage and articles of similar configuration are 221 Filed: Feb. 16, 1972 211 App]. No.: 226,909

transported from a check-in station to a remote distri bution station in a track mounted self-propelled and self-guided vehicle. The vehicle chassis supports a permanently affixed half-wall body. A removable insert mates with the half-wall body to form a container for the luggage or articles of simlar configuration being transported. To load articles into the car insert, the

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insert is raised from the tracked vehicle to an elevated transfer position at a check-in station. The check-in station includes a shuttle car arrangement for transferring articles from a drop [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 214/38 D -off point to the transfer posi- I tion. This shuttle car moves from the drop-off point to the transfer position where a'pusher mechanism trans- 214/38 D fers the articles into the elevated car insert. After 2 loading the insert at the elevated position, it is lowered 214/38 D X into the tracked vehicle for dispatching to a rernote 214/38 CA x distribution station. At the remote distribution station, a similar raising mechanism lifts the car insert from the tracked vehicle and the articles are unloaded.

966 Williams et al.

20 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEWPR 1 1w SHEET 1 BF 6 FIG? PATENTED APR 1 6 974 SHEEY 2 OF 6 PATENTEBAPR 16 BM 3.804274 SHEU 5 BF 6 PATQZNTEB APR 16 @97 sum 5 or 6 FIG. IO

ARTICLE HANDLING TRANSFER MECHANISM This invention relates to a material handling system for rapid transfer of articles from a check-in station to a remote distribution station. More particularly, the present invention contemplates an article handling transfer mechanism for automatically moving luggage from a check-in station to a remote distribution station.

It is a matter of general knowledge that at the present time the transportation of personal luggage presents substantial problems not only for the airline companies, but also for the passengers and is foreseeable that these problems will be increased with the increasein size of aircraft and the number of passengers.

Passengers now deliver their luggage upon arrival at an air terminal where the airline company issues a receipt for the number of bags checked. This practice is not-always followed for so-called shuttle flights of short duration. The bags are either loaded directly on small trucks which take them to the designated aircraft or they are conveyed to an area immediately out of sight from the check-in station where they are then loaded on the small trucks for transportation to the aircraft. Since any one check-in station for a particular airline receives passengers for most if not all of that lines flights, a considerable amount of confusion results from the scurrying of the small trucks between the various check-in stations and the aircraft into which the individual bags are destined.

As a result of this behind the scenes confusion, the experience of some passengers is that their bags or their contents have been damaged during transport for any number of various reasons. Other passengers have lost their bags, in large measures due to the confusion caused by the operators of the small trucks in attempting to deliver all checked-in luggage to one of many aircraft.

In accordance with the present invention, a material handling system for moving articles from a first station having an elevated transfer position to a second station in a track mounted vehicle eliminates the need for the small trucks to deliver luggage from one check-in station to numerous aircraft. Articlesdeliv'ered to the first station are loaded into a car insert which has been raised from the tracked vehicle to the elevated transfer position. This car insert mates with a half-body of the tracked vehicle and forms a container therewith for the articles to be transported. At the second station, the car insert is raised again from the tracked vehicle to a position for removing articles therefrom. Upon unloading of the car insert. it is again lowered into the vehicle and returned to the first station for another load.

When used in a system for baggage handling. each of the car inserts contains one passenger's luggage which is destined for a particular aircraft departing area. The second station is located at the desired aircraft's departing area and only the luggage for a particular aircraft is delivered to this station. A number of check-in stations may service numerous aircraft stations and likewise one aircraft station may be serviced by a number of check-in stations.

A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims and from the accompanying drawings illustrative of the invention.

Referring to thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a baggage check-in station including a vertical lift for an insert containing baggage and a track mounted vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a view of a two cart shuttle arrangement for moving baggage from a drop-off point to a transfer location;

FIG. 3 is an expanded view of a portion of one of the shuttle carts of FIG. 2 illustrating the drive mechanism and baggage orientation guide;

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the shuttle cart baggage orientation mechanism taken along the line 3A3A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a side view of two opposed transfer locations positioned on opposite sides of a vertical lift where two check-in stations feed a single track mounted car dispatch station;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the transfer location of FIG. 4 taken along the line 5-5;

- FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of a pusher assembly for transferring baggage from one of the shuttle carts of FIG. 2 into a car insert;

FIG. 7 is a view of the vertical conveyor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a pictorial view of a track mounted vehicle of a type for use with the system of the present invention including a car insert in a raised position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view, partially cut away, of a baggage orientation mechanism for the car insert of FIG. 8 taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a pictorial view ofa baggage unloading station located at an aircraft loading ramp.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a somewhat simplified pictorial of a baggage check-in station such as might be found in an air terminal. The system of FIG. 1 includes one baggage drop point 10 for receiving luggage from a passenger for loading upon a given aircraft. A complete check-in station would include two drop points both serving one station 12. The second drop point would be in the area identified by the numeral 14. The drawing has been prepared in the manner shown to simplify the description of the invention and facilitate an understanding thereof. As a further expansion a third and fourth baggage drop point would be located on the opposite side of the tracks 16 from the

points

10 and 14, respectively. the four drop points being served by a single vertical conveyor 18. This third and fourth baggage drop point would be oriented with respect to

location pads

20 and 22, respectively.

A passenger checking in for a particular flight deposits his baggage on a scale conveyor 24 of a standard design for establishing the baggage weight. This baggage weight is observed by an attendant conveniently located with respect to the baggage drop points 10 and 14. In addition, the attendant notes from the passenger ticket his intended destination. Baggage placed on the scale conveyor 24 moves therefrom onto a buffer conveyor 26 which is a short section of a standard belt type conveyor. The

conveyors

24 and 26 are positioned between opposing

guide walls

28 and 30 for guiding baggage into a shuttle cart 32.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shuttle cart 32 is mounted on a track arrangement 34 for movement from the loading position illustrated to a center position or transfer location of the track 34, such as identified by the numeral 36. A second shuttle cart 38 serving the baggage drop point 14 is also mounted for movement on the track 34 at the opposite end from the shuttle cart 32. The

carts

32 and 38 are identical in construction and operation and alternately move from the loading position, as shown, to a transfer location as given by the reference number 36. The required control circuitry for insuring that only one of the shuttle carts is in motion to or from the transfer location 36 is not shown in the FIGURES. This control circuitry may comprise standard limit switches and control circuitry connected to alternately energize a drive motor (not shown) for powering the shuttle cart 32 or a drive motor 42 for propelling the shuttle cart 38. Since two shuttle carts service the same transfer location, it will be evident that only one or the other of the two shuttle carts may be in motion at any one given time.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, there is shown an expanded view of a portion of the shuttle cart 38. The drive motor 42 includes a sprocket drive 43 engaging a drive chain 46 rigidly coupled to the undercarriage of the cart 38 by means of a drive chain block 45.

At the transfer location 36 of FIG. 2 there is mounted an end sprocket 47. Between the

sprockets

43 and 47 there are two idler sprockets 49 to complete the chain drive for the shuttle cart 38. The drive chain mechanism for the cart 32 is similar to the mechanism for the cart 38.

In the operation of the two baggage drop points serving the transfer location 36, a first passenger deposits his baggage on the scale conveyor 24 which is subsequently conveyed into the shuttle cart 32. A second passenger deposits his baggage on the scale conveyor of the drop point 14; this baggage is subsequently conveyed into the shuttle cart 38. The attendant serving the baggage drop points and I4, through appropriate controls, sets into motion a program for transferring the

shuttle carts

32 and 38 to the transfer location 36. This program initially energizes the drive motor (not shown) to power the shuttle cart 32 from the position shown in FIG. I to the transfer location 36. During movement of the shuttle cart 32, the drive motor 42 for the shuttle cart 38 is locked out from being energized. Upon completion of the unloading of the shuttle cart 32 at the transfer location 36, to be explained, the shuttle cart 32 returns to the loading position of FIG. 1 and the shuttle cart 38 then moves to the transfer location 36. It should be noted, that upon loading of the shuttle cart 32 from the buffer conveyor 26, both the

conveyors

24 and 26 are deenergized until the shuttle cart. now emptied. returns to the baggage loading position of FIG. 1.

Of particular significance in the shuttle cart 32 is the upright guides 52 and 54. A similar set of upright guides. such as guide 56, is also part of the shuttle cart 38. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3a. each upright guide is spring loaded into an extended position. With particular reference to the guide 56, it is pivoted about a point 58 and held in an upright position by means of a spring 60. Should a piece ofluggage be conveyed into the shuttle cart which is wider than the distance between an end wall and the upright guide, the baggage weight will rotate the guide flush with the floor of the cart. However, when only one piece of standard width luggage is conveyed into the shuttle, the upright guides remain in the extended position and provide lateral support to maintain the baggage oriented handles-up. Maintaining a passenger's luggage in a handles-up orientation has been shown to significantly reduce luggage and content damage. Further, for efficient high speed movement of baggage from a check-in station to a particular aircraft, it is a requirement that all luggage be similarly oriented.

Before proceeding with the description, it should be noted that the scale conveyor 24 and the buffer conveyor 26 are both illustrated as belt conveyors. Other types of commercially available conveyors may be employed to load luggage into a shuttle cart. Further, it should be understood that other than a chain drive may be employed to power the shuttle carts to the transfer location 36.

Upon the positioning of a baggage loaded shuttle cart at the transfer location 36, it is unloaded therefrom into an elevated car insert. A car insert, such as illustrated by the dotted outline 62 of FIG. 4, is elevated (in a manner to be described) to'a position such that the floor thereof is flush with the base plate of

loading chutes

64 and 66. As shown in F IG. 4, two

transfer locations

36 and 68 service one vertical elevator 18. Each of the

transfer locations

36 and 68 are similarly constructed and serve to transfer baggage from an appropriately positioned shuttle cart through a loading chute into an elevated car insert. H mfr ing tofigures 4, 5 and 6, the transfer location 36 includes a frame 70 supporting a pusher plate 72. The frame 70 includes four brackets 74 for mounting support wheel s 76ah d guide wh eels 78. The support wheels 76 ride on parallel trolley bars 80 and 82 supported by end blocks 84. There are two end blocks 84 for each of the trolley bars 80 and 82. These blocks are bolted or otherwise attached to a supporting frame 86; a similar arrangement is provided for each of the

transfer locations

36 and 68, as attached to the frame of the vertical conveyor 18 at flanges 88.

To move the pusher plate 72 from an at rest position, the extreme left for the transfer location 36, to a fully extended position whereby baggage is loaded into a car insert, a drive belt 90 is attached to the frame 70 by means of a belt clamp 92. The belt 90 may be of the geared type driven by a motor 94 through a gear drive 96 and a drive pulley (not shown). The drive belt 90 further engages an end pulley 98 and a tension pulley 100 both affixed to the frame 86 by means of support blocks 102 and I04, respectively. Controls for energizing the motor 94 are not shown and constitute conventional control circuitry under operation of the program as established by an attendant or attendants servicing the various baggage drop points.

As one of the

shuttle carts

32 or 38 is being aligned in the transfer location 36, the pusher plate 72 is in the at rest position to clear the right of way for the shuttle carts. After a shuttle cart has been aligned in the trans fer location 36, appropriate limit switch circuitry energizes the motor 94 to move the pusher plate 72 toward the car insert 62. The pusher plate engages the baggage within the aligned shuttle cart pushing it ahead and into the car insert 62. It should be noted, that the pusher plate 72 is notched at 106 (see FIG. 6) to provide clearance of the upright guide of the shuttle cart. When the pusher plate 72 has moved into a position of loading baggage into the car insert 62, appropriate limit switch circuitry reverses the rotation of the motor 94 to return the pusher assembly to its at rest position. When the pusher assembly returns to its at rest position, the aligned shuttle cart is returned to receive additional baggage from the buffer conveyor.

The transfer location 68 is similar to the transfer location 36 and includes a frame 108 supporting a pusher plate 110. The frame 108 is supported on trolley bars 112 and 114 by means of support wheels 116 and guide wheels 118. The trolley bars 112 and 114 are attached to the frame 86 by means of support blocks 120. Movement of the pusher plate 110 is provided through a drive belt 122 by means of a motor 124 and a gear drive 126 through a drive pulley 128. The drive belt 122 also passes over an end pulley 130 and a tension pulley 132. A belt clamp 134 attaches the belt 122 to the frame 108.

Pulleys

130 and 132 are attached to the frame 86 by means of support blocks 136 and 138, respectively.

Before proceeding with the description, it should be noted that as an alternative to the pusher plate assembly, the base of the

shuttle carts

32 and 38 may be provided with belt type conveyors, or other powered conveyors, for transferring luggage from an aligned shuttle cart into a waiting car insert.

To deliver baggage from the drop points and 14, or other additional baggage drop points, to a particular aircraft, track mounted vehicles are dispatched to the vertical conveyor 18. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 a track mountedvehicle 140 is positioned in the vertical elevator 18 and includes a car insert 62. Prior to positioning the car 140 in the vertical elevator 18, a lifting frame 142 is lowered into a position to provide alignment of lifting bars 144, of the car insert, with lifting shoes 146, as part of the lifting frame. After the car 140 has been properly aligned, limit switch controlled circuitry energizes an elevator motor 148 coupled to a gear drive 150 for imparting rotary motion to a cable drum 152-. Rotation of the cable drum 152 in one direction raises the lifting frame 142 by means of a cable 154. The cable 154 is attached to the lifting frame at a point 156 and extends vertically over a first sheave 158 attached to the pusher frame 86. A horizontally mounted sheave 160 changes direction of the cable 154 and a sheave 162 further changes direction of the cable to the drum 152. Thus, by appropriate rotation of the drum 152 the cable 154 is wound thereon to lift the car insert 62 from the car 140 into the elevated position of alignment with the

loading chutes

64 and 66. The elevated position of the insert 62 is best illustrated in FIG. 7 a

To guide the lifting frame 142 it is provided with guide rollers 164 at each corner thereof. The guide rollers 164 engage vertical guide rails 166 attached to the supporting frame of the vertical elevator 18.

Synchronism of the operation of the vertical elevator 18 and

transfer locations

36 and 68 is a requirement for proper operation of the system disclosed. The transfer locations are therefore locked out of operation until such time as a car insert 62 is properly aligned with the loading u esasand 6.,

In the operation of the system thus far described. luggage is delivered to the scale conveyor 24 and subsequently by means ofa buffer conveyor 26 into the shuttle cart 32. The luggage remains in the shuttle cart 32 until such time as a car insert 62 is properly positioned with respect to the

loading chutes

64 and 66. A track mounted car 140 is dispatched to the vertical conveyor 18 and aligned with the lifting frame 142. Upon correct alignment of the lifting bars144 with the lift shoes 146, the motor 148 is energized to lift the car insert 62 by means of the lifting frame 142 into a position of alignment with the

loading chutes

64 and 66. Upon proper alignment of the car insert 62, the

motors

96 and 124 are energized to activate the pusher plates 72 and to transfer bags from the shuttle cart 32, having previously been aligned in the transfer location 36, to push baggage from the shuttle cart into the cart insert. The pusher plate 110 is extended to serve as a back stop for luggage pushed into the car insert 62 by the pusher plate 72. Upon return of the pusher plate 72 to its at rest position, the

motors

96 and 110 are deenergized and the motor 148 reenergized to lower the lifting frame 142 with the now loaded car insert 62 into the waiting car 140. When the lifting frame 142 has been lowered to its lowest position, the motor 148 is deenergized and appropriate switching circuitry activated to release the car to be dispatched to an unloading station at the correct aircraft loading port.

As previously described, the

shuttle carts

32 and 38 are provided with upright guides to properly orient luggage therein in the handles-up condition. To maintain this handles-up orientation of luggage throughout the dispatch of a car to an appropriate aircraft, the car insert 62 is provided with a telescopic orienting mechanism. Further, when the insert 62 is positioned within the vehicle 140, the body of the vehicle provides. end walls for the insert.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a pictorial view of the vehicle 140 with an insert 62 in a raised position therefrom. The vehicle 140 includes end walls 168 and side walls 170. These are only half-walls for retaining the insert 62 in position during movement of a car from a check-in station to an unloading station. The vehicle 140 may be supported on the track 16 by the mechanism described in the copending patent application of [van E. Johnson, filed Nov. 1, 1971, Ser. No. l94,576, for an inertia Switching.

The car insert itself comprises end walls 172 and a base plate 174. When lowered into the vehicle 140, the open sides of the insert 62 are closed by means of the side walls 170. Thus, the walls maintain luggage within the insert 62 during movement from a check-in station to an unloading station.

As explained previously, the car insert includes lifting bars 144 for engaging the lifting shoes 146 of the vertical conveyor 18. in addition, the insert 62 includes a nonconforming baggage rack 176 to provide for checking in of odd shaped luggage, such as a golf bag. The car insert 62 is also provided with a telescoping divider 178 for maintaining luggage in a desired orientation, such as handles-up. The divider 178 serves the same purpose as the upright guide of the

shuttle carts

32 and 38.

A more detailed view of the divider 178 is shown in FIG. 9. The divider includes

lower tubes

180 and 181 pivotally mounted to the frame 182 of the insert by means of pivot blocks 184. An upper tube 186 telescopingly engages the lower tube 180 and an upper tube 188 telescopingly engages the lower tube 181. The

tubes

186 and 188 are joined by a dowel pin 190. The divider 178 is maintained in the position of FIG. 9 by means of

springs

192 and 194. The spring 192 fits within the tube 186 and engages the upper end of this tube and the lower end of the tube 180. Similarly, the spring 194 fits within the tube 188 and engages the upper end of this tube and the lower end of the lower tube 181.

When baggage having a dimension greater than the distance between the end walls 172 and the divider 178 of the insert 62, the divider tubes telescope to be flushed with the base plate 174 of the car insert. With the divider constructed as shown in FIG. 9, the members will telescope from either direction by baggage delivered from the transfer location 36 or the transfer location 68.

Referring to FIG. 10, upon completion of the lowering of the car insert 62 into the track mounted vehicle 140, the vehicle is dispatched along the tracks 16 to the appropriate aircraft loading station at which is located a vertical elevator 200. The vertical elevator 200 is a foreshortened version of the elevator 18 with a lifting mechanism for raising the car insert 62 from the track mounted vehicle (not shown in FIG. to a position wherein the base of the insert 62 is aligned with a sorting conveyor 202. Upon alignment of the car insert 62 with the sorting conveyor 202, appropriate limit switch control circuitry is activated to advance a pusher plate 204 through the car insert thereby transferring luggage from the insert onto the conveyor 202. After the pusher plate 204 has moved to its extended position, it is returned to its start position thereby releasing the car insert 62 to be again lowered into the track mounted vehicle for dispatching to a check-in station, as previously described.

Baggage deposited on the conveyor 202 may then be either sorted into appropriate waiting areas for a particular designated flight or directly loaded onto a waiting aircraft. Such sorting conveyor operations may be any one of a number of conventional systems presently available.

Mechanism for advancing the pusher plate 204 from a start position to an extended position is similar to the mechanism for operating the pusher plate 72. The pusher plate 204 is attached to a push frame 206 supported on parallel trolley bars 208 by means of support wheels 210. Guide wheels 212, also engaging the trolley bars 208, orient the frame 206 for movement of the pusher plate 204.

To move the pusher plate 204 from a start position to a fully extended position whereby baggage is unloaded from the car insert, a drive belt 214 is attached to the frame 206 by means of a belt clamp 216. The belt 214 may be of the geared type driven by a motor 218 through a gear drive 220- and a drive pulley 222. The drive belt 214 further engages an end pulley 224 and a tension pulley 226 both affixed to the frame of the elevator 200 by means of support blocks 228 and 230, respectively. Controls for energizing the motor 218 are not shown and constitute conventional control circuitry.

Operationally, the unload station and vertical elevator 200 is similar to the baggage check-in station. After proper alignment of the car insert 62, the motor 218 is energized to cause the 'pusher plate 204 to displace baggage from the car insert onto the sorting conveyor 202. When the pusher plate 204 has reached its extended position, a limit switch (not shown) actuatcs control circuitry for reversing the motor 218 to return the frame 206 to its starting position. The insert 62 is then released and returned to the waiting track mounted vehicle and the unload station is ready to receive another loaded car.

While only one embodiment of the invention, together with modifications thereof, has been described in detail herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that various further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: l. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station having a transfer location at an elevated position with respect to'a second station, comprising in combination:

a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof;

an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls for mating with the sides of said track mounted vehicle to form a container therewith for articles to be moved from the first station to the second station; and

an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the transfer location of said first station to a raised position for receiving articles to be moved, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle.

2. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including:

means for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the second station to a raised position for removing articles therefrom, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when unloaded, and

means at said second station for transferring articles from said insert when in a raised position.

3. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station' as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means at the second station for transferring articles from said insert includes a pusher extendible from a first position for removing articles from said insert.

4. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including loading means at the transfer location of said first station for transferring articles into said insert when in a raised position. 1

5. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 4 wherein said loading means includes a pusher extendible from a first position to a second position for loading articles into said insert.

6. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls at the first station for receiving articles to be transported to a second station,

a reversible drive for powering said shuttle car from a drop point loading position to said transfer location and for returning to the loading position, and

means at the transfer location for transferring articles from said shuttle car into the raised insert.

7. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means at the transfer location for transferring articles into said insert includes a pusher extendible from a first position for transferring articles from said shuttle car into said insert.

8. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station having a transfer location at a first elevation with respect to a second station, comprising in combination:

a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof movable between the first and second stations,

an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls for mating with the track mounted vehicle and forming a container therewith for baggage to be moved from the first station to the second station,

an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the transfer location of said first station to a raised position for receiving baggage to be moved, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when loaded, and

means for discharging baggage from said insert at the second station.

9. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 8 including discharge means at the transfer location of said first station for loading baggage into said insert when in the raised position.

10. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 9 including pusher means at said second station for unloading baggage from said insert.

11. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 8 including:

a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls and movable from a drop point loading position at said first station to an unloading position where the baggage is transferred into said insert,

a reversible drive for powering said shuttle car from the loading position to the unloading position and for returning to the loading position, and

means at the unloading position for transferring baggage from said shuttle car into said insert when in a raised position at said first station.

12. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means at the unloading position for transferring baggage into said insert includes a pusher extendible from a first position for transferring baggage from said shuttle car into said insert.

13. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 11 including a buffer conveyor for receiving baggage from a drop point position and transferring it into said shuttle car.

14. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 11 wherein said shuttle car includes a telescoping holding means for maintaining the baggage in a preferred orientation.

15. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first location to a second location as set forth in claim 8 wherein said insert includes telescoping holding 5 means for maintaining the baggage in a preferred orientation.

16. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 15 wherein said holding means includes pivoted vertically oriented holding bars spring loaded into a baggage orientation position.

17. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station in a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof, comprising in combination:

an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends ju xtapositioned the side walls for mating with the sides of said track mounted vehicle to form a container therewith for articles to be moved from the first station to the second station;

a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls and movable from a loading position at the first station for receiving articles to a transfer position from which articles are transferred into the insert;

reversible drive means for powering said shuttle car from the loading position to the transfer position and for return to the loading position; and

means at the transfer position for transferring articles from said shuttle car into the insert.

18. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 17 including an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle to a raised elevation at the transfer position of said shuttle car for receiving articles to be moved, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when loaded.

19. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 18 including a buffer conveyor for receiving articles from a drop station and transferring into said shuttle car when at the loading position.

20. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 19 including:

an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the second station to a raised position for removing articles therefrom, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when unloaded, and

Claims

1. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station having a transfer location at an elevated position with respect to a second station, comprising in combination: a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof; an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls for mating with the sides of said track mounted vehicle to form a container therewith for articles to be moved from the first station to the second station; and an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the transfer location of said first station to a raised position for receiving articles to be moved, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle.

2. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including: means for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the second station to a raised position for removing articles therefrom, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when unloaded, and means at said second station for transferring articles from said insert when in a raised position.

3. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means at the second station for transferring articles from said insert includes a pusher extendible from a first position for removing articles from said insert.

4. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including loading means at the transfer location of said first station for transferring articles into said insert when in a raised position.

6. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 1 including a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls at the first station for receiving articles to be transported to a second station, a reversible drive for powering said shuttle car from a drop point loading position to said transfer location and for returning to the loading position, and means at the transfer location for transferring articles from said shuttle car into the raised insert.

8. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station having a transfer location at a first elevation with respect to a second station, comprising in combination: a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof movable between the first and second stations, an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls for mating with the track mounted vehicle and forming a container therewith for baggage to be moved from the first station to the second station, an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the transfer location of said first station to a raised position for receiving baggage to be moved, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when loaded, and means for discharging baggage from said insert at the second station.

11. A baggage handling system for moving baggage from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 8 including: a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls and movable from a drop point loading position at said first station to an unloading position where the baggage is transferred into said insert, a reversible drive for powering said shuttle car from the loading position to the unloading position and for returning to the loading position, and means at the unloading position for transferring baggage from said shuttle car into said insert when in a raised position at said first station.

15. A baggagE handling system for moving baggage from a first location to a second location as set forth in claim 8 wherein said insert includes telescoping holding means for maintaining the baggage in a preferred orientation.

17. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station in a track mounted vehicle having sides extending from a base thereof, comprising in combination: an insert having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls for mating with the sides of said track mounted vehicle to form a container therewith for articles to be moved from the first station to the second station; a shuttle car having opposed side walls extending from a base and opposed open ends juxtapositioned the side walls and movable from a loading position at the first station for receiving articles to a transfer position from which articles are transferred into the insert; reversible drive means for powering said shuttle car from the loading position to the transfer position and for return to the loading position; and means at the transfer position for transferring articles from said shuttle car into the insert.

20. A material handling system for moving articles from a first station to a second station as set forth in claim 19 including: an elevator in a fixed position at the transfer station for removing said insert from the track mounted vehicle at the second station to a raised position for removing articles therefrom, and for lowering said insert into the track mounted vehicle when unloaded, and means at said second station for transferring articles from said insert when in a raised position.