Motorized Mobile Shelving Apparatus

Abstract

Mobile storage apparatus includes a plurality of mobile units guided for movement in a direction normal to the storage faces with each mobile unit having a separate motor. Switch actuator rods shiftable horizontally in each unit have a control arm projecting through the end panels of the units for manipulation. Manual movement of each actuator rod to the right or left causes actuation of right or left directional control switches to energize the motor for movement of the unit to the right or left. The actuator rods project beyond the side margins of each of the units to engage projecting parts of actuators on the adjacent units so that manual movement of the actuator rod in one unit causes movement of the actuator rods in adjacent units to energize the motors in all units for which the rod is shifted to open the selected aisle space.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The mobile storage apparatus of the invention is a further development of the subject matter in U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,595. Mobile storage systems of the type disclosed in this patent require a number of electrical components and complex circuitry to accomplish the required movement of the mobile units to open an aisle. In addition, electrical cables are required between the adjacent units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides mobile storage units using a minimum of components and circuitry to accomplish the desired shifting of mobile units without any electrical circuitry connecting adjacent units. Each of the mobile units has an individual motor for driving it to the right or left, as desired. The motor is energized to move the unit to the right or left by two directional switches located in the end panel of the unit. An axially and horizontally shiftable switch actuator rod is supported in the panel and has shoulders for actuating the right or left switches depending upon the direction of movement of the actuator rod. In one embodiment, the rod is provided with a control handle or arm which projects through a slot in the end panel for access by the operator.

The actuating rods in all units are aligned for engagement and shifting movement of the actuator rods in adjacent units. To accomplish engagement with the ends of rods in adjacent units, the switch actuating rods project beyond the side margins of the unit in a direction normal to the storage faces of the units. When it is desired to open a particular aisle, the handle for the switch actuator rod on the unit to which access is desired is shifted in the appropriate direction thus energizing the motor in the mobile unit to which the rod is manipulated and the projecting end on the switch actuator rod will engage and shift the switch actuator rods in one or more adjacent units and energize the motors in the adjacent units. When the aisle is open to the desired extent, the control handle is released and spring biasing returns the rod to a centered neutral position opening the switches and stopping the units.

The control circuit for each unit is independent of the other units and in addition to the right and left directional switches includes a conventional motor control to accomplish the energization of the motor for rotation in the appropriate direction.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of mobile storage apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with two of the mobile storage units shifted to the left.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the control electrical circuit for each of the mobile units.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the switch actuator along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified embodiment showing the switch actuator rod with electrical controls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows storage apparatus in accordance with the invention which optionally includes a plurality of mobile storage units 10, 12, 14 and 16 located between stationary storage units 18 and 20.

Guide means are provided for guiding movement of the mobile storage units in a direction normal to the storage faces of the mobile units. The guide means can include tracks or guide rails 24 anchored to the floor 26. The mobile units are supported on the guide rails by wheel means 28. The wheel means 28 and guide rails 24 can be constructed in accordance with the disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,595, and more specifically, FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in said patent. The units can be driven by individual electric motors 30 (FIG. 3). The drive train can include a line shaft such as that shown in FIG. 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,595, with the line shaft connected to one or more track engaging drive wheels.

Each mobile storage unit 10, 12, 14 and 16 includes control circuit means 40 as shown in FIG. 3. The control circuit means includes a right directional switch 42 and a left directional switch 44 which are located within the end panel 46 of each of the mobile units. The control circuit also includes a relay control transformer 50 with terminals 52 for connection to line current and output terminals 54 to provide a relay control voltage such as 24 volts. The switches 42 and 44 energize a conventional motor control 56 with input terminals 57, relay coils 58 and a set of contacts 59 to provide forward and reverse motor operation. Leads 62, 64 and 66 connect the right and left directional switches 42 and 44 to the motor control 40.

In accordance with the invention each of the mobile units includes an axially shiftable switch actuator 70. In the disclosed construction the switch actuator comprises two rod sections 72 and 74 which are commonly connected by a pipe or tube 76. Ends 78 and 80 of rods 72 and 74 extend into the tube 76 and are pinned to the tube by pins 82. The rods 72 and 74 are supported for axial movement by bushings 84 and 86 which are connected to a frame portion 88 which is connected to the front panel 46. The switch actuator rods 72 and 74 are provided with axial extending projections 90 and 92 which project beyond the storage faces 94 and 96 of the storage units for engagement with the rods of adjacent units as subsequently described.

Means are provided for biasing the switch actuator to the centered neutral position shown in FIG. 4. In the disclosed construction the biasing means comprises springs 100 arranged around the rods 72 and 74 located between the bushings 84 and 86 and the ends of tube 76.

Means are provided for selectively shifting the switch actuators to actuate each of the switches 42 and 44. As dislosed in FIG. 4, the means to selectively shift said switch actuators comprises a control arm or handle 104 which extends through and is fixed to tube 76 and which projects through a horizontally extending slot 108 in end panel 46. A cover plate 110 fixed to the arm 104 can be employed to cover the slot. Axial shifting of the switch actuator rod 70 by moving arm 104 to the left as viewed in FIG. 4 will cause the shoulder or end 75 of tube 76 to engage the switch lever 114 of switch 44 and cause energization of the motor 30 to move the storage unit to the left. Movement of the arm 104 to the right as viewed in FIG. 4 will cause the end 77 of tube 76 to engage the switch lever 116 on switch 42 and energize the motor in a reverse direction to move the unit to the right.

FIG. 5 shows a modified embodiment in which the means for selectively shifting the switch actuator includes solenoid coils 120 and 122. The rod 126 is coaxially received in the coils 120 and 122 and thus forms the armature for the coils. Right and left electrical switches 130 and 132 are electrically connected to the coils 120 and 122 to energize the coils and cause the desired movement of the switch actuator rod 126 to engage switch 44 or 42. For example, closing of switch 132 will energize coil 120 to cause the actuator rod 126 to move to the left and switch 130 will energize coil 122 to move the actuator rod 126 to the right. Other solenoid arrangements can be employed with mechanical connections between the armature and the rod 126.

In operation of the mobile storage units of the invention, and with the use of the control arms 104, if it is desired to shift mobile unit 14 from the FIG. 1 position to the FIG. 2 position to gain access to face 140 of storage unit 16, the switch actuator arm 104 for unit 14 is shifted to the left as shown by the arrow 142 which will cause the end of tube 76 to actuate switch 44 and energize the motor to move the unit 14 to the left. The manual shifting of the switch actuator rod 70 to the left as thus described, will also cause engagement of the switch actuator rod end 90 with the end or projection 92 of the adjacent mobile unit 12. If the unit 12 is closely adjacent to the unit 14 as shown in FIG. 1, the initial shift of control rod 70 to the left will cause the control rod in unit 12 to also shift to the left and thus simultaneously energize the motors 30 in both units 12 and 14.

Inasmuch as the control actuator rods are biased to the neutral position, manual pressure must be maintained until the desired aisle space is opened. Once the space 150 (FIG. 2) is open, manual pressure can be released and the units 12 and 14 will cease movement. If the units 12 and 14 are moved a distance such that the switch actuator projection 90 of unit 12 engages the actuator rod projection 92 on unit 10, the control rod 70 in unit 10 will shift the actuator rods 70 of units 12 and 14 to the right and into a neutral position and thus deenergize the motors in the units 12 and 14.

In other movement operations, the end mobile units 10 and 12 can respectively move to the left and right until the actuator rods 70 and 72 of these units are shifted by engagement with the stationary units 18 and 20. Bumpers 154 (FIG. 1) between units will maintain adjacent units at a slight spacing so that actuator rods can be maintained in a neutral position when the units are at rest.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Storage apparatus comprising a plurality of mobile storage units, including first and second mobile units, each unit having at least one storage face, guide means cooperating with said mobile units to guide movement of said storage units in a direction normal to said faces of said storage units, a separate reversible motor individual to each of said mobile units for individually driving said unit along said guide means, and control-circuit means for selectively energizing and de-energizing said motors on said units and to move said units in opposite directions including right and left directional switches with switch levers, and means for actuating said switches including an axially shiftable common switch actuator in each of said units for operating both directional switches in each unit, said switch actuators spanning the width of each unit, each switch actuator having projections at each end extending beyond the faces of said units, with said switch actuators on said units aligned for engagement by said switch actuator projections of adjacent units, and each of said mobile units including means to selectively shift said switch actuators axially in opposed directions to shift said switch actuators in a first unit and adjacent second units to actuate said directional switches in said first unit and adjacent second units to energize said motors of said first unit and adjacent second units to move the mobile units to afford the desired access.

2. storage apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said units have an end panel and said shift actuator is a horizontally extending rod, means supporting the rod in said panel and means on the rod cooperating with said right and left directional switches to actuate one of said switches when said rod is moved in one direction and the other of the switches when the rod is shifted in the other direction.

3. Storage apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for selectively shifting said switch actuators comprises an arm connected to said shift actuator rod and wherein said rod is located on the inside of said end panels of said units and slots in said end panel with said arms projecting through said slots and accessible on the outside of said panel for manual manipulation.

4. Storage apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including means for biasing said rod to a neutral position with said switches in an open condition.

5. Storage apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for selectively shifting said switch actuators comprises solenoid coils arranged around said rod and wherein said rod comprises the armature of said solenoid coils and switch means on said units for selectively energizing said coils to shift said rod in the desired direction.

6. Storage apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a stationary storage unit defining the end of travel of said mobile units, said stationary unit including a surface engageable with a switch actuator projection to shift said switch actuator to open said switch which causes movement of the engaging mobile unit.