Automated warehouse and conveyance device

A conveyance device to transfer material to and from a plurality of placement elements in an automated warehouse including a rack including the plurality of placement elements provided in a first direction, the conveyance device comprising:

• a traveling device to travel in the first direction;
• a support carriage provided to the traveling device;
• a first transfer device provided to the support carriage and to transfer the material to and from a first placement element of the rack;
• a second transfer device located next to the first transfer device in the first direction on the support carriage, and to transfer the material to and from a second placement element of the rack;
• a lateral conveyor to laterally move the first transfer device in the first direction on the support carriage;
• and
• a transfer controller to control the traveling device and/or the lateral conveyor based on current positions of the first transfer device and the second transfer device, and positions of the first placement element and the second placement element;
• wherein
• lateral movement of the first transfer device is enabled in a first state, and the lateral movement of the first transfer device is disabled in a second state;
• and
• even when an inter-transfer-device distance between the first transfer device and the second transfer device is able to be made equal or substantially equal to an inter-shelf distance between the first placement element and the second placement element by the lateral conveyor, when the second state is selected, the transfer controller controls the traveling device to move the first transfer device and the second transfer device to positions corresponding to the first placement element and the second placement element without moving the first transfer device laterally.