Automatic conveyor system

An improved, automatic conveyor system applied to a horizontal network of conveyors on which carriages move which are equipped with programming mechanisms for controlling the operations of loading, unloading, ascent, and descent of the loads and changes in direction of the carriages, comprising a mechanical conveyor and a post, the functions of said post under load are detected automatically by mechanical detecting mechanisms mounted on a level with said post, then transmitted instantaneously by mechanical transmission elements to a stationary unit mounted on the path of the carriages which is capable of acting on the programming mechanisms of the first carriage passing by said device, so that said carriage controls all said operations necessary for servicing at said post, the carriage is provided with a car which receives a load from a loading platform such that the car moves in a horizontal plane and the loading platform (74) or unloading (76) is brought to the level of the car by a stationary mounted lift drawn by the power unit of the conveyor, said lift comprises a pinion (84) meshing with a rack (86) carried by the conveyor which drives in different directions two engaging devices (94, 96;

• 90, 92) mounted in parallel, the outlet pinions (96, 92) of which drive in rotation, in one direction or the other, a rope (80) wheel (82) from which is suspended the car (62) depending upon whether one or the other of said outlet pinions is engaged, the car then moving towards the top or bottom, or else moving at the same horizontal level when both outlet pinions are disengaged.