Mechanical automatic aisle lock

In combination with a mobile storage system having at least one movable storage unit for storing material and adapted to move along a path, at least one blocking object on said path, wheels supporting the movable storage unit for easy movement along the path, and drive means for driving the wheels both toward the blocking object and away therefrom;

• an apparatus for automatically preventing movement of the movable storage unit toward the blocking object once said movable storage unit has moved more than a predetermined distance from the blocking object, said apparatus comprising:
• a toothed wheel mounted to said movable storage unit and associated with said wheels of said movable storage unit for rotation therewith;
• a pawl, shiftable between an engaged position engaging said toothed wheel and preventing rotation in the direction corresponding to movement of said movable storage unit toward said blocking object, and a non-engaged position not engaged with said toothed wheel and permitting rotation of said toothed wheel in either direction;
• shifting means for shifting said pawl to said engaged position when said movable storage unit has moved away from said blocking object said predetermined distance;
• and
• a mechanical sensor for mechanically sensing distance between said movable storage unit and said blocking object, and for mechanically activating said shifting means when the distance being sensed reaches said predetermined distance;
• said shifting means including a drive shaft rotatable by said aisle sensor when said movable storage unit is moving in proximity to said blocking object, and a cam block rotatable by said drive shaft and connected to said ratcheting means to shift said ratcheting means between said non-ratcheting state and said ratcheting state, wherein said drive shaft and said cam block are connected together by a lost motion connection, such that movement of said movable storage unit away from said blocking object causes said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate, but movement of said movable storage unit toward said blocking object does not cause said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate.

An aisle locking device for application to a mobile storage system having at least one movable storage unit for storing material and adapted to be movable along a path, at least one blocking object on said path, and wheels for supporting the movable storage unit for easy movement along the path both toward said blocking object and away therefrom, said locking device comprising:

• ratcheting means shiftable between a ratcheting state for permitting movement of a movable storage unit away from a blocking object but preventing movement toward the blocking object and a non-ratcheting state permitting movement of said movable storage unit in either direction;
• shifting means for shifting said ratcheting means from said non-ratcheting state to said ratcheting state;
• and
• a mechanical sensor for mechanically sensing distance between said movable storage unit and said blocking object, and for mechanically activating said shifting means when the distance being sensed reaches a predetermined minimum amount of distance;
• said shifting means including a drive shaft rotatable by said aisle sensor when said movable storage unit is moving in proximity to said blocking object, and a cam block rotatable by said drive shaft and connected to said ratcheting means to shift said ratcheting means between said non-ratcheting state and said ratcheting state, wherein said drive shaft and said cam block are connected together by a lost motion connection, such that movement of said movable storage unit away from said blocking object causes said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate, but movement of said movable storage unit toward said blocking object does not cause said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate.

An aisle locking device for application to a mobile storage system having at least one movable storage unit for storing material and adapted to be movable along a path, at least one blocking object on said path, and wheels for supporting the movable storage unit for easy movement along the path both toward said blocking object and away therefrom, said locking device comprising:

• ratcheting means shiftable between a ratcheting state for permitting movement of a movable storage unit away from a blocking object but preventing movement toward the blocking object and a non-ratcheting state permitting movement of said movable storage unit in either direction;
• an aisle sensor mounted to said movable storage unit;
• a drive shaft rotatable by said aisle sensor when said movable storage unit is moving in proximity to said blocking object;
• and
• a cam block rotatable by said drive shaft and connected to said ratcheting means to shift said ratcheting means between said non-ratcheting state and said ratcheting state;
• wherein said drive shaft and said cam block are connected together by a lost motion connection, such that movement of said movable storage unit away from said blocking object causes said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate, but movement of said movable storage unit toward said blocking object does not cause said drive shaft to cause said cam block to rotate.