Handling system for the automatic transfer and separation of load carriers

A handling system for automatically transferring and separating load carriers, the handling system comprising:

• a gravity feed rack including a retaining mechanism having an axially rotatably mounted shaft;
• a pick-up rack cooperating with the gravity feed rack for accepting the load carriers on a discharge side of the gravity feed rack;
• a front retaining element on the discharge side of the gravity feed rack and connected to the shaft, the front retaining element movable between a first retaining position in which movement of a first load carrier of the load carriers is inhibited and a first release position in which movement of the first load carrier is allowed;
• a rear retaining element connected to the shaft, the rear retaining element movable between a second retaining position in which movement of a second load carrier of the load carriers is inhibited and a second release position in which movement of the second load carrier is allowed;
• at least one engagement element connected to the shaft;
• a deflection element;
• and
• at least one contact surface extending obliquely to an axial direction of the shaft,
• wherein when the gravity feed rack and the pick-up rack are brought together, the deflection element is configured to cooperate with the at least one engagement element via the at least one contact surface in order to rotate the shaft counter to a restoring force causing the front retaining element to move into the first release position and the rear retaining element to move into the second retaining position.

A handling system for automatically transferring and separating load carriers, the handling system comprising:

• a gravity feed rack including a retaining mechanism having an axially rotatably mounted shaft;
• a pick-up rack cooperating with the gravity feed rack for accepting the load carriers on a discharge side of the gravity feed rack;
• a front retaining element on the discharge side of the gravity feed rack and connected to the shaft, the front retaining element moveable to a first retaining position to inhibit movement of a first load carrier of the load carriers;
• a rear retaining element connected to the shaft, the rear retaining element moveable to a second retaining position to inhibit movement of a second load carrier of the load carriers;
• at least one engagement element connected to the shaft;
• a deflection element secured to the pick-up rack and including at least one contact surface extending obliquely to an axial direction of the shaft;
• and
• a biasing member acting on the shaft,
• wherein when the gravity feed rack and the pick-up rack are brought together, the deflection element is configured to cooperate with the at least one engagement element via the at least one contact surface in order to rotate the shaft counter to a restoring force of the biasing member, which causes the front retaining element to move from the first retaining position and the rear retaining element to move to the second retaining position.