Pallet carrying apparatus and pallet carrying method

A pallet carrying apparatus configured to carry one or more pallets on which a workpiece can be placed, comprising:

• a first pallet rail on which the pallet is movably mounted;
• a second pallet rail on which the pallet is movably mounted, the second pallet rail being provided parallel to the first pallet rail at a predetermined interval in a vertical direction;
• a first pallet feeding mechanism including a first endless belt, the first endless belt being configured to circulate along the first pallet rail, convex portions and concave portions being formed on the first endless belt continuously and alternately in a belt longitudinal direction so that each of the convex portions and the concave portions extends in a belt width direction;
• a second pallet feeding mechanism including a second endless belt, the second endless belt being configured to circulate along the second pallet rail, convex portions and concave portions being formed continuously and alternately in the belt longitudinal direction so that each of the convex portions and the concave portions extends in the belt width direction;
• and
• a pallet moving mechanism configured to move the pallet from one of the first pallet rail and the second pallet rail to the other of the first pallet rail and the second pallet rail,
• wherein the first endless belt and the second endless belt are provided at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction, and disposed so that each of the belt width direction thereof corresponds with the vertical direction, and
• wherein the pallet includes concavo-convex portions configured to engage with the convex portions and the concave portions of the first endless belt in a case where the pallet is lowered to the first pallet rail by the pallet moving mechanism, and to engage with the convex portions and the concave portions of the second endless belt in a case where the pallet is raised to the second pallet rail by the pallet moving mechanism.