Automated bot with transfer arm

A method comprising:

• providing a frame of an autonomous guided transport vehicle, the frame having a payload bed;
• providing a driven member connected to the frame;
• providing a movable member connected to the frame and defining at least a portion of the payload bed so that a payload pickface is seated on and stably held in the payload bed by at least a portion of the movable member for autonomous guided transport vehicle travel;
• and
• effecting selectively mechanically couple from an uncoupled condition and decouple from a coupled condition the movable member to the driven member with an automatic mechanical coupling connected to the frame, the automatic mechanical coupling having a first position being configured to mechanically couple and a second position configured to mechanically uncouple wherein when mechanically uncoupled the driven member moves along a first linear axis independent of the movable member and when mechanically coupled the driven member and the movable member move along the first linear axis as a unit, the automatic mechanical coupling being configured to automatically select between being in the first position and the second position automatically mechanically coupling and mechanically uncoupling the driven member and the movable member.

A method comprising:

• providing an autonomous guided transport vehicle frame including a transport area;
• providing a drive system;
• and
• providing a transfer arm having fingers disposed in the transport area and defining at least a portion of the transport area so that a payload pickface is seated on and stably held in a payload bed of the transport area by at least a portion of the transfer arm for autonomous guided transport vehicle travel, the fingers define a payload bed support surface of the payload bed, the fingers facing and defining an engagement interface against the payload pickface so as to uphold weight generated by the payload pickface seated on over the payload bed surface defined by the fingers and stably held in the payload bed, the transfer arm being connected to the autonomous transport vehicle frame through the drive system, wherein the drive system is configured to move the fingers along a first axis as a unit and move at least one of the fingers independently relative to another finger of the transfer arm linearly along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.