Vertical drive apparatus for storage and retrieval vehicles

A storage and retrieval vehicle for obtaining and delivering inventory at an addressable array along an aisle where the vehicle travels, said vehicle comprising;

• at least one carriage upon which inventory is carried and delivered;
• vertical drive means which move the carriage vertically;
• a frame upon which the vertical drive means are mounted on the vehicle and which comprises means for facilely attaching and removing the vertical drive means as a single unit from the vehicle;
• the vertical drive means further comprising:
• cable winding means comprising a cable which is attached to the carriage to lift and lower the carriage as the cable winding means shorten and lengthen an unwound portion of the cable disposed between the cable winding means and the carriage and which comprise a cable winding drum having a substantially hollow core along the longitudinal axis thereof;
• horizontally disposed motor means juxtaposed the cable winding drum, said motor means comprising means for outputting drive power at a high speed relative to a predetermined rate of travel for the cable winding means;
• and
• means for transferring power directly from the motor means to the cable winding means, the power transferring means further comprising means including a wheel drive planetary reducer for delivering power to the cable winding means at a reduced speed relative to the output speed of the motor;
• the power transferring means comprising means for mounting the wheel drive planetary reducer within the substantially hollow core of the cable winding drum.

A vertical drive assembly for vertically moving a load accessing and delivering carriage of a storage and retrieval vehicle, said assembly comprising:

• cable means which comprise a cable attached on one end to the carriage;
• a cable winding drum attached to the other end of the cable and which lifts and lowers the carriage as the cable is wound upon and unwound from the cable winding drum causing an unwound portion of the cable to shorten and lengthen;
• a cable winding driver comprising a horizontally disposed motor longitudinally juxtaposed the cable winding drum and a power transferer interposed between the motor and the cable winding drum, the power transferer comprising at least one notched belt non-slippingly engaged with at least one drive sprocket wheel directly communicating with the motor and also non-slippingly engaged with at least one driven sprocket wheel disposed to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the cable winding drum;
• the power transferer further comprising a speed reducer disposed distally from the motor, the notched belt being located between the speed reducer and the motor.