Apparatus with storage cells disposed adjacent vertical shafts having covers and a lift means movable thereabove

Abstract

A product and material storage system having blocks of cells arranged in tiers around a plurality of shafts in which a lift moves to carry a load to any selected tier or level, and a means is provided in said lift for moving the loads laterally from the shaft into and from selected cells along the shaft. The load preferably enters and leaves the shaft at the top, and a floor covers the top of the structure so that a vehicle for operating the lift and carrying the load to and from the shaft can be maneuvered to any desired location and over any particular shaft. Covers close the upper ends of the shafts and provide a smooth floor, the covers being removable, preferably by the load carrying vehicle, when a load is to be introduced into or removed from a particular shaft. The cells may be in groups of various numbers including three, four and six to obtain a dense storage arrangement without the necessity of moving one load in order to reach or deposit another load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.