Multi-aisle warehouse system with mobile lift having control means for an article transfer vehicle

A materials handling system comprising:

• a multi-level storage rack having a plurality of storage bins arranged in arrays on each level along a plurality of access aisles and on opposite sides of a respective access aisle, vertically spaced rails extending along and coupled to facing ends of storage bins on opposite sides of each aisle and at each storage bin level laterally adjacent said access aisles, said rails extending adjacent the storage bins, a mobile vertical lift movable horizontally across the ends of the access aisles and alignable with a desired aisle, said mobile vertical lift including a lifting platform movable in a vertical direction to reach any desired storage bin level;
• a plurality of self-powered mobile transfer vehicles each independently movable along an access aisle at a selected single storage bin level on said rails associated with said selected single bin level, wherein said mobile transfer vehicle includes drive and support wheels supported by said rails when said mobile transfer vehicle is within an aisle, each of said mobile transfer vehicles including selectively programmable control means and means thereon for transferring articles between said mobile transfer vehicle and a storage bin at the same level as said mobile transfer vehicle, said mobile vertical lift being adapted to transport said mobile transfer vehicle thereon to a desired aisle and storage bin level and dispatch said mobile transfer vehicle therefrom, means on said mobile vertical lift to selectively program said control means on said transfer vehicles, wherein said mobile vertical lift includes means for supporting said mobile transfer vehicle thereon, alignment means mounted on said rails adjacent the ends thereof;
• said mobile vertical lift including bridge means thereon movable about a vertical axis and operative to engage said means to urge said mobile vertical lift into alignment with said rails and for coupling said support means of said lifting platform to said rails of said selected aisle and aisle level to permit a mobile transfer vehicle to be transferred between said mobile vertical lift and the support means of a selected aisle and aisle level.