Mobile work station for transporting a plurality of articles

A method of transporting a plurality of articles on a wheeled chassis, the method comprising:

• causing a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis to:
• load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis;
• or
• unload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform;
• and
• causing successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform;
• and
• causing the manipulator to load or unload each subsequent article of the plurality of articles to or from the successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform.

A method for transporting a plurality of articles between a pickup location and an intended drop-off location on a wheeled chassis having a pair of transceivers disposed in spaced apart relation on the wheeled chassis, the method comprising:

• positioning a pickup beacon proximate the plurality of articles at the pickup location;
• positioning a left drop-off beacon and a right drop-off beacon on either side of the intended drop-off location, the left and right drop-off beacons indicating a desired alignment of the plurality of articles at the respective location;
• receiving location signals at transceivers disposed on each of the beacons and at the pair of transceivers on the wheeled chassis;
• processing the location signals to determine a location and orientation of the wheeled chassis with respect to the beacons;
• navigating the wheeled chassis using the determined location and orientation of the wheeled chassis to:
• pick up successive articles of the plurality of articles proximate the pickup location;
• move between the pickup location and the drop-off location;
• and
• place articles proximate the drop-off location.

A system for transporting a plurality of articles between a pickup location and an intended drop-off location, the system comprising:

• a wheeled chassis having a pair of transceivers disposed in spaced apart relation on the wheeled chassis;
• a pickup beacon positioned proximate the plurality of articles at the pickup location;
• a left drop-off beacon and a right drop-off beacon positioned on either side of the intended drop-off location, the left and right drop-off beacons indicating a desired alignment of the plurality of articles at the respective location, each beacon including a transceiver;
• and
• wherein the transceivers on the beacons and the pair of transceivers on the wheeled chassis are operably configured to receive location signals and process the location signals to determine a location and orientation of the wheeled chassis with respect to the beacons for navigating the wheeled chassis to pick up articles in the plurality of articles proximate the pickup location, to move between the pickup location and the drop-off location, and to place articles in the plurality of articles proximate the drop-off location.