Cart conveyor assembly

A system for automated movement of articles across a facility, the system comprising:

• a first support structure extending vertically from a ground surface of the facility, the first support structure having a first outwardly extending arm;
• a second support structure separate from and spaced apart from the first support structure, the second support structure extending vertically from the ground surface and having a second outwardly extending arm,
• a first drive wheel arranged horizontally and supported on an end of the first outwardly extending arm of the first support structure, and a second drive wheel arranged horizontally and supported on an end of the second outwardly extending arm of the second support structure, wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel are horizontally offset from one another;
• a single tow line coupled to both the first and second drive wheels, the single tow line extending between the first and second drive wheels and defining a continuous line pathway therebetween;
• a cart having an interior cavity for receiving one or more articles therein, the cart further including rollers supporting the cart and operable to support maneuverability of the cart along the ground surface of the facility;
• an attachment bracket having an elongated mast with a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the single tow line;
• a coupling assembly coupled to the attachment bracket along the second portion thereof, the coupling assembly including a first leg and a second leg;
• and
• a controller in operable communication with one or both of the first and second drive wheels, the controller operable to drive the first and second drive wheels to move the single tow line along the continuous line pathway,
• wherein the coupling assembly is manually actuatable between a locked position and an unlocked position while the single tow line is moving along the continuous line pathway, whereat when the coupling assembly is in the locked position, the first and second legs engage against the cart to couple the cart to the single tow line and drive the cart along the ground surface of the facility as the single tow line moves along the continuous line pathway, and when the coupling assembly is in the unlocked position, the first and second legs disengage from the cart to release the cart from the single tow line, the coupling assembly being manually actuatable between the locked and unlocked position at every point along the continuous line pathway to respectively couple and release the cart from the single tow line at any point of the continuous line pathway.